Month One

One month down. Feels like so much longer when I stop to think about it. Even when I am so sore I don't want to move, I still love the way my body feels. There's nothing in the world like feeling your body respond when you want to push your limits. The things I've accomplished in one month are both exciting and motivating.

Add to that the fact that I found today that the requirements for the academy have changed and no longer list a 1.5 mile run in the activities in the Physical Fitness Test. I am still shooting for an 8 minute mile as this will no doubt help me succeed in the academy. But knowing it's not looming over my head is a huge relief.

Tonight I PR'd. Almost made the full 1.5 miles like I had hoped but ran out of road before I finished. But it was over a mile and it was under 9 minutes a mile. Just for the sake of comparison:

On July 9, 2011 (before I started training), I ran 1.59 miles in 21:36 with a 13:36 min per mile.
On August 28, 2011, I ran 1.4 miles in 13:10 with a 9:25 min per mile.
On September 14, 2011, I ran 1.26 miles in 11:08 with an 8:48 min per mile.

I am floating on a cloud. I know it's not much and I know I still have a ton of work to do to get where I want to be, but it's a huge step in the right direction. I'm one happy girl tonight.

Without further ado... my totals for the month:
26.81 miles run
115.28 miles biked

Look at that! I ran a marathon. And it only took me a month. Lol. ;-)

Seeing Results

“There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” –Bruce Lee

Great 24 mile bike ride today, random hill setting and all. Definitely feeling all these workouts this week. Yet, as much as I probably need a rest day, I'm too pumped up now to take one. Starting to see a lot of changes to my body and it's exciting now that the changes are starting to be physical and it all seems a little more tangible.

Working through my first of many plateaus now and thinking about how truly lucky I am to be able to chase my dreams. Each day I wake up and I remind myself how grateful I am to have this opportunity along with all the amazing people in my life I get to share it with. On the days that I forget to do it for myself, I remember to do it for them and, in a way, they own my victories as much as I do.

Now I'm Sore....

First day running distance runs back to back. Definitely slower than I had hoped but trying to cut myself a break since it was still 100 degrees out when I started and I ran over 4 miles yesterday too. My legs are feeling it, but I keep reminding myself of one of many Marine Corps mottos: Pain is weakness leaving the body. Simply reframing it seems to make it more bearable. Plus, I kind of feel like a rockstar when I think about the fact that I ran 8.5 miles in two days.

Will be taking my broken body to the gym tomorrow for a nice long bike ride. Hoping to ride for over an hour and get in the same ballpark as some of my previous distances. Who knows, maybe I'll throw a run in there too.

Been keeping up with my daily goal for sit ups and push ups. They get broken up a lot though so now I'm going to focus on getting more per set rather than fewer in more sets. Still haven't started my Beachbody program but I have been completely unconscious at 5:30 every morning after being up late the night before. Hopefully we'll get into a routine here soon so I can start adding that in too.

Big dreams for big goals. Still walking tall, even though I'm still very slow. Hahaha.

Working Hard

Great run tonight. Making the runs longer and longer as time permits and feeling good with the outcome. It's always a challenge since the last part of my run, no matter which route I take, is in sandy soil. Add that to the recent temps of mid 90's during my run and it's been a killer. I know it will help in the end- figuring out how to power through it and kick it up at the end of a run. Feeling great about my race on the 24th since many of my runs are near or over the 3.8 miles the race will be. The January race, well that's another story. One step at a time, one foot in front of the other. Like I keep telling myself- head up, heels down....

We will get there.

Wanted: Motivator

Can't shake this "blah" feeling. Need to just power through it, but I'm feeling so unmotivated. These are the times where I wish I had someone that would talk me up and keep me going. Someone that would get me out and hit the pavement with me. Or at least get me moving and out the door. I know that motivation should come from within. But sometimes it's okay to have a motivator in your life for those times when the self motivation is coming a little more slowly. Just have to keep reminding myself to keep my head up, my heels down, and my direction forward. Eventually I will make it. There's no choice but to be successful.