15K!

On October 17th, I ran my first 15K! (9.3 miles - woohoo!) I had wonderful company, running with Julie and Shawna again. My biggest fans were there to cheer me on! I had 2 personal goals for this race - to finish in 1 hour 45 minutes or less and to run 11 minute miles or quicker. I was thrilled to meet both goals! I finished in 1 hour 44 minutes and eleven seconds at an 11 minute 10 second pace! Not to bad. Next time I would train more thoroughly and try to train for speed as my endurance improves. I really slacked off the month before the race, thinking that I was pregnant. I found out the weekend before that I was not, so I dusted off my running shoes and signed up! And I'm glad I did. I can definitely see a half marathon in my future...

New PDR

I set a new PDR (personal distance record) last Saturday. I was highly motivated to get a long run in, with the idea that if I could meet my goal of 7-8 miles, I will sign up for a 15K this coming weekend with my friend, Julie. Thanks to my beloved Casey (who ran the first 4 miles with me), my sweet Garrett (who rode along for 3 miles), and my sport beans, I ran a total of 7.5 miles in 85 minutes (averaging 11 min miles). When it comes to running, I can either be really "on" or really "off" so I'm hoping that on Sunday, I'll be "on!"

Running Tuesday

I'm following Skinny Runner's lead and blogging about my run today. I haven't done a long run for awhile, but was super motivated to get out and run today. It must be the stress of starting a new school year! Here's my workout:

Distance: 5.01 miles

Time: 54 minutes

Averaging 10 minute miles

Not bad, considering that I usually run 11 minute miles. My faithful workout partner, Casey, hung in there for the long haul. I usually don't run him for more than 4 miles with the fear that he will drop dead from a heart attack before he ever stops running. You've never seen a dog get so excited to see his owner in workout clothes! He did great today and the 75 degree weather was a welcome change from 100+!

If you like to run and need a little motivation, check out Skinny Runner's blog. I figure that if she can run 10 miles a day, surely I can run a few too, right?

There's a 15K coming up soon that I'm thinking I might sign up for. It's always easier to run long distances when you are working towards a goal. Let me know if you want to join me!

10K!

About 2 weeks ago, I ran my first 10K with these two wonderful ladies: Julie and Shauna. We weren't the fastest runners (I think I slowed them down!) but we had a great time! Can't wait to run with them again sometime.

15 Miles

I have to brag a little - not that I like to brag, but I'm proud of myself. This is my 3rd week of running on a regular basis. I ran 15 miles in 5 days (4 days of running, 1 day off). I've had many great running partners this week to keep me motivated including Julie, Audrey, Alex, and my beloved furry friend, Casey! I finally joined the modern era and got an MP3 player so I can zone out to music while I run. I tried it for the first time last night and went from my usual 11-12 minute mile to a 9 minute mile. I guess that upbeat music really puts an extra bounce in your step!

A little more about Julie - she helped me accomplish a milestone last Saturday - together we ran 6.5 miles without stopping (including many loooong hills!). She was a great conversation partner and a good motivator! Thanks Julie! We'll be running together again in about a week in my first 10K!

5K Studs

A few weeks ago I ran my first 5K. Yeah! This is my awesome team. My sis, Annie, is standing next to me. We ran it in under 30 minutes and didn't walk at all which was our goal. Next time I think I will definitely have an IPod and will attempt to train a little first! The last stretch was a lap around the track and as we rounded the last turn, I had to ask Annie if she felt as crappy as I did! She said yes! We had a blast. Thanks for encouraging me, Sis!