I'm a believer...

Wow, I really just can't even believe this is me.
I can't believe I'm running like this.
Today I went for my long run and not only did I run farther than ever before but I also ran faster than my normal time by a full min per mile. This is insane!!
This whole process is pretty amazing to me. How someone can go from gasping at running 5 minutes straight to now running for over an hour and a half at a time... it's just mind blowing.

So my plan today was to run 7 miles. That would be 3.5 miles down the trail and 3.5 miles back. I think I must have over shot and ended up going an extra .25 because when I got back to the car runkeeper said we had gone 7.53 miles. Oh well, the extra half mile doesn't hurt. At the half way point I slowed down for just a bit to chow down of some Sharkies
They say "Vegetarian" not Vegan on them, but I cannot find anything animal based in the ingredients. So I guess they're ok.

I do feel that they gave me a certain boost for the second half of my run I felt a renewed alertness come over me about 25 minutes post chowdown. That lasted right up until the last half mile and then it slowly started to fade away. So that last half mile to the car was pretty much all me. Everything I had left.
After my run, my knee was feeling kinda, i dunno.. weird. Swollen, sore, maybe a little poppy, kinda concerning. Several hours later it felt ok but it has me worried thankfully I have this stuff ordered and on its way.

I'm hoping this will help my knee out some. Otherwise, I guess the next step is a running assessment and new shoes. One step at a time.

Sunday Long Training Run:
Time: 01:38:00
Distance: 7.53 miles
Pace: 13:01

Foggy Morning Run

This morning It was so neat to be running outside! It was quite foggy. It gave the whole neighborhood a cool, spooky, dreamy sort of vibe. Check it out..

I really enjoyed running this morning. So quiet, so pretty. Every now and then I'd hear an owl hooting. The rest of the time it was just be and the chirping of the neighborhood birds.

Foggy Half-training details:
Time: 00:49:54
Distance: 3.43 miles
Pace: 14:34

You've Changed...

So I walk up on high
and I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
while the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know,
it's the world I know.

- Collective Soul


I'm feeling a whole mess of things today. During my run today the song "It's World I know" came on. It got me thinking about my journey this year, both physical and emotional. Right now, as I look back to who I was and how I felt in 2010, it feels distant. I remember it from an emotional vantage, anger, failure, self-loathing, depression. I know it, but it feels like it's gone from me now. Like a veil has been removed and I see things clearly. I look back on my life and I'm sad, for that person I was, for the lost time. I look forward and I have a bit of fear, this path that I'm on is unknown. Who am I? Who am I becoming? The changes are welcomed but scary at the same time.

How I've grown thus far
- Knowledge of internalized parent/child conflict or Super-ego/Id
- Completion(with relative ease)of the C25k program
- Signing up for the Half Marathon in Virginia
- Beginning the half marathon training program
- Becoming Vegan

They don't look like much begin written out like this, but the sum of these things result in a completely different me. A scary new me that I don't recognize, but I'm liking. I guess to put it simply I have had a huge, or maybe a few semi-huge "ah-ha moments" as Oprah would put it. Mid-Life Crisis? Maybe that's where I was at in 2010. I don't feel in crisis right now. Actually for the first time ever I feel in control, unstoppable, amazing. But since I've done nearly a complete 180 in 6 months time, it's not surprising that I'm still a little uncertain of it all. The kids have officially noticed over the last few days. Saying things like, "wow your happy" or "why are you so happy" for them to notice a change in me says a lot.

I think this "happy" they speak of is really just peace. I accept where I am right now, both weight wise, and running wise. I know I have a ways to go before I'm down to my goal weight, but I have every confidence that I will get there in time. I am not worried or obsessing over it. I am not weighing my food or counting calories. Not torturing myself with exercise. I'm just making Vegan food choices, listening to my body and running. I have definitely tried to beat, hate, torture, deprive and verbally abuse myself into shape. That never really worked for me. But now I appreciate and I'm even in awe of my body. I'm amazed as I push it further and further, mile after mile. My body takes it and keeps going. I AM Strong after all.

Half-Marathon Training:
Time: 00:57:00
Distance: 4.03 miles
Pace: 14:08

Lovely Long Run

When a day starts out like this, you know your in for something special.

Look how the clouds seem to just glow, truly beautiful...

Anyway,

last night I found this website called jog.fm it shows you songs based on your running pace. It's a handy little web site. I organized a playlist based on my pace as suggested by the website and had it already for my morning run. This morning I had my long run and it seems to me that the only logical play to do this run is on The White Pines Trail. It's 92 miles long. Just bikers and runners, no cars to watch for, the perfect place. The plan for today was up the trail 2.5mi and then back down to the car, 5 miles for the day. It was a nice morning about 70 degrees and very low humidity so I was comfortable running. My new place list was great, nice and steady. I ran and enjoyed the flowers and the trees. I saw two bunnies and a cardinal, you can tell these are city animals, they let you get very close before the shuffle off to safety. When I got to 2.5miles (my turn around point)I could see just ahead something that looked vaguely like...a covered bridge? It couldn't be more than a mile away, I thought. I have to see what it is. So I decide to keep running and check it out. When I got up there, this is what I found...



Not quite the "covered bridge" I was hoping for...lol. But, an interesting view nonetheless...

I looked down at runkeeper 3.06 miles, looks like I'm doing 6 today instead. So I ran the 3 miles back, those 3 miles went so fast! I ran faster and faster since every mile brought me close to the car and air conditioning! lol. I made it back to the car and I was beaming! Not only had I run a FREAKIN' 6+ miles but I did it a few seconds faster than my normal pace!! I'm really starting to feel like I can do this!!

Today's Trail Run:
Time: 1:27:27
Distance: 6.26 miles
Pace: 13:58

Cut the Cheese...

Well I've been vegetarian for almost 2 months now and I gotta say I'm liking it. I have less cravings for food, I feel better, and have more energy. I've been slowly pushing toward Vegan. That is my personal goal. But one thing has stood in my way. CHEESE! "Behold the power of CHEESE!" With my last visit to the health food store I found Daiya and it is nothing short of amazing. But, what is more amazing is...I don't NEED it. I add it sometimes for taste, or lets face it a quesadilla isn't quiet right without cheese. But, I don't add it to EVERYTHING like I did regular cheese. I was a huge pizza addict...5 slices, double cheese. OOoey,Gooey, lovely cheese. When Wendy's had their "Wendy's Cheddar Lover's Bacon Cheeseburger" OMG amazing. But I think more than the food...this was at play. The Food Fix Is In
I'm not trying to go conspiracy theorist on yah. But, hey, something just isn't right here. Four months ago, I was scarfing down pizza and ice cream and ooey gooey cheesy deliciousness and today...meh. Actually the thought of the texture and mouth feel of ice cream for me is less than desirable. Yuck. I KNOW, I can't believe it either...and that thought is in my head!! After all the gimmicky diets, all the fads, all the self hatred all the weakness, all the binging on off limits foods, all the failure. Could it be I was addicted to food? If that's true, then vegan is the only way to go, at least for me. And MANY other American's who struggle with weight and yoyo dieting. We shall see. I'll make myself the guinea pig and start fully vegan today. No calorie restrictions, no measuring food, one 1 rule, no animal by products. I''ll tell you, giving up meat...not that hard really. Giving up dairy...hmm. But I really feel that we've been dooped here. Think about it, anything that businesses could add to their food that could make it addictive would only make them sell more products, and make them richer, come on, really, do you think Coke or McDonalds really care about you? Do you think it's in their best interest to keep you safe and healthy? I DON'T if they can make money off killing us very slowly they will. $$$ Bottom line, it's just business baby. Oopsie, our product gave you diabetes after eating it for 15yrs, well how could we have know that? Not our problem.

Gray Day

Well it's another gray day in Michigan.

Looks like it may storm, glad I got my run in when I did. Today I took my pace a bit slower and just tried to really enjoy the cool air and scenery. It was 63 degrees the morning when I went for my run. It's supposed to get up to 80 today and be humid again. Which is why I knew I had to get the run in early. I suppose it would be a good idea to get some runs in during the hot part of the day. After all the race is in Virginia Beach. I feel like I have a bit of an advantage here though, I train on some pretty sketchy, hilly terrain. It's Michigan so we have potholes galore and weird shifted sidewalks. My ankles get a real work out when I go outside just from negotiating the terrain. Whereas in the Virgina Beach area it's all flat and smooth. So I'm hoping that will make the race a bit easier for me once I get out there.

Today's Number's look like this:
Time: 01:01:05
Distance: 4.26
Pace: 14:20

Happy National Running Day!!

Yep today is National Running Day!
I have a 4 mile date with my treadmill in the morning that's how I'll be celebrating it. Today's run (technically yesterday since it's after midnight)was hard but still went well. I keep my same pace but ran a much hillier part of my neighborhood and even though to was 8:30AM it was already 80 degrees with 69% humidity. YUCK. Go Michigan! But, I powered through and ran the whole thing.

My sweaty run:
Time:43:17
Distance:3.06
Pace:14:08