So I was able to sustain a 46 day running streak. On one hand I was sad to end it; and on the other was a bit of relief. I had started with a few symptoms so yesterday I felt like it was better to stop rather than my body stopping me down the road. I think it worked because today I was able to get outside for a couple of very nice miles and I felt fine. But it's time to rest....I think. I learned a few things during this run streak - the longest one I've ever done. I learned if I take it easy I can do a lot more than I thought. And that I have learned to listen to my body - but that's not enough. Not only is it important to listen to what your body is telling you - it's equally as important to respect  what it is telling you. That's actually more difficult than listening...but not only is it do-able; it also means there'll be more running days ahead. One thing that's really surprised me over the last few weeks is that I've felt so good. But I'v...

I finished my last race ( not my last run) of the year today. It was a nice 8K up at Lake Hefner in OKC and boy was it windy! I think they said there were gusts up to 45 mph - I can attest to that! This one may go down as one of my favorite lesson teaching runs. First off - let me say I'm still doing the #RWRunStreak where we are challenged to run at least one mile per day from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. Today was day 25 and it was appropriate to do a 5-miler I thought. Overall I have thoroughly surprised myself with this run streak. It's the longest I've ever stayed with it first of all, and second of all up until a couple days ago I have felt great. Even though I am barely in the CHF category (meaning it's still very mild thankfully) overdoing it can really knock me on my butt. It's one of my two main goals. One is to refrain from overdoing it - ever; and the second is to manage symptoms. The trouble with overdoing it is that you don't know you...

Is it a sin that I want to just throw on my running shoes, tie them up and go out for a run? It sure seems like my body is fighting that this week. I've "been good" in that I have taken it easy and I've eaten right (mostly). I learned early on that there is a lot more mental work needed to be a runner than I ever imagined. But complicate that process with a chronic condition and boy do I have to think a lot! Right now one of the most difficult mental challenges I'm facing is trying to schedule my workouts and runs. Since I never know how cooperative my body is going to be on any given day, it's hard to say that I'm going to do my "long run" today. Yesterday I figured I still wanted to get 20 miles this week and I had two days to do it. I needed 6 miles to get to 20.  I headed out for a run thinking I'd try for 4 which would leave just 2 to finish off on Saturday. My butt was dragging the whole way so I only got 3. And for now, I just have t...

That's it! I've decided to train for another full marathon and I'm inviting you along on the journey. For a while I thought I'd be happy just saying I'd done one. But I'm itching to try another now. This week I'll be completing my 15th half marathon and there's just something in me that makes me want to do another full. Maybe it's because so many think I can't. Just recently I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Yep - you read that right. So far I have been okayed to run. My cardiologist said I can run as long as I have my blood pressure under control. My primary care told me I can run carefully- as long as I don't over-do it and as long as I walk if I am having any issues. So using great wisdom - I push forward. I have a half this weekend and then another in April. I'm becoming "okay" with doing them even if I have to walk a lot for my health's sake. It still gripes me a lot though. Since I've always been a...

This is my new mantra - Make it Happen! I had a conversation with someone the other day who was talking about something they wanted to do. They could not even plan toward it as they began with all these negatives about why they couldn't do it and how it wasn't going to work out. I asked them if that's what they really wanted to do - they affirmed. I said then Make it happen! Do you want to run a 5K?  10K? Half marathon? or a full? Then make it happen. Do what you need to do to get it done. I crawled a full marathon last year and have another planned for this year. I hope I do not crawl the last 6.2 again though! lol. No one can do your training for you. No one can kick you out of the bed in the morning or run your miles for you. If you want it - go get it! This is just one of the life lessons I have learned from running (and life!). I can sit around and whine about how out of shape I am or how slow I run...or I can get off the couch and change it. But no one can cha...

That's what my body (and my schedule) have been screaming at me ever since I decided to put October 14, 2012 on my calendar. It's a full marathon in Wichita, Kansas. I think I want to make it my first. BUT - (my "but" always gets in my way!) -- it's only about 12 weeks away. I have only run 13.1 miles as my longest runs ever - all of those in half marathons. Not feeling prepared here... But I have to do two things - decide not to do the full marathon this fall... or suck it up and run! I struggle because it's hot... or I can't run outside since it's hot - which means putting the miles on the treadmill... did I mention I have a love\hate relationship with the treadmill? I love it because it means I can make my goals whether or not I get to go out to run... but I hate running on in as it's boring and provides no escape like outdoor running does! But - I must remember that despite lack of convenience, overbooked schedules, too much work and stre...

I have been running for three years now and actually next week will be the third anniversary of my very first 5K - runners you know the one when running gets in your blood? Yeah, that one! Well, this spring I did three half marathons in 72 days and I think I am finally ready to go for the full marathon. My goal is next April's OKC Memorial Marathon. I've done four half marathons now and will probably do a couple more this fall if I can find them in my area. Mentally I have already begun training. This means I really have to change up my diet and training schedule. I pretty well live in that mode anyway but tackling a marathon seems way out there for me and so I have to make a few adjustments. I hope to keep up this blog and share my training triumphs and woes. One thing I have noticed already is that it is difficult to work on everything all at once. When I started adding miles to prepare for half marathons, my speed suffered. It's a whole different mentality altogether. ...

Well, I just finished running 6.6 miles. That's the longest distance I have completed since I busted my knee back in August. I must say it was not easy! I had done 5 miles last week, and that was pushing it. I guess my run today made me realize how out of shape I am. My body is not just talking to me right now - it's screaming that I have to get myself back in shape by eating right. I know I am eating out of pure emotions - but I gotta figure out how to stop doing that...it's not easy either! I sort through a lot of my thoughts while I am running. It really seems like it makes it go a lot faster and I get a lot of goals set for the coming days and weeks. (usually) In between I do have crazy thoughts about things like not spitting into the wind and fears that I won't make it back to the bathroom in time! But I get a lot of my emotions and thoughts all lined up and controllable.  6.6 miles - not too bad for an old lady I guess. It's a little better than half of ...