Me vs. Me

Almost every Saturday when my alarm goes off (as if that isn't bad enough... an alarm on a Saturday should be a crime), I open my eyes and immediately dread what's in front of me: The Long Run. In these still sleepy, warm, comfy under the covers moments, the novelty of running a marathon has run out, and the task ahead just seems like brutal, mind numbing, painful work.

But then I run.

After about the first mile my body starts warming up and getting used to the exertion, and I actually start enjoying myself. I hit milestones and goals that my pre-marathon self would be astounded by.

It's a great feeling, and it's one that I never would have known without training like this. And while my motivation will wax and wane, I'm trying as hard as I can to keep that feeling with me all the time. If I don't, I'm really only cheating myself.

Running is a pretty honest sport. Barring any injuries, my success is something that is completely under my control. I can't 100% control what happens at work. I can't will my house to sell. I can't change the way other people act. But this... this is about MY work ethic, MY ability to push myself, and MY discipline. Just me.
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This week's long run was 12 miles on Saturday. It went pretty well, but I did take some breaks. I also tried a fuel gel for the first time. For anyone who isn't familiar, gels are little packets of carbs and caffeine. It's a way to get extra fuel on the go, and Trainer Dan wants me to start finding the best fit for me as we get closer to race time. This is what I got (I didn't litter, by the way, this was just for photo purposes):

I will not describe what GU (pronounced "goo") actually tastes like because my mother reads this blog. But... I now understand what the man at the running shop meant when he said he "tolerated" running gels. I think it really did help with my energy though. I guess I will just learn to suffer, or perhaps find some better tasting alternatives.

Another product review for you... I needed water during my long runs, so I bought this:

It was strange getting used to water sloshing in my hand, but after two runs with an attached bottle, I really like it! Plus it has a pocket to keep my keys and whatever gross gels I'm choking down that day...

Well, as always, if any of you are curious, my training schedule for the week is posted below, and you can find this week's NBC29 Marathon Monday segment here!

Have a great week!

Sunday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Monday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Tuesday- Run 5 miles

Wednesday- Run 7 miles

Thursday- Run 5 miles

Friday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Saturday- Run 8 miles

Learning My Long Run Lesson

I personally believe that the term “wintry mix” is just weatherman-speak for the crappiest weather ever. Is it rain? Is it snow? Is it sleet? Well, you’re in luck! It’s all three! That’s what we had going this weekend, and my 10 mile run was delayed, and delayed again.

I think I would have ultimately survived if I would have just sucked it up and hit the road, but I would have hated every second of it. So at the time, I thought my best course of action was to push it into the workweek.

Now Workweek Me hates Weekend Me. This general feeling of regret is a common occurrence. Weekend Libby likes to spend her time lounging around, not getting things done, and pushing all undesirable tasks onto her poor unsuspecting counterpart. Workweek Me always gets the short end of the stick in that way.

This weekend that undesirable task just happened to be my weekly long run.

Definitely not worth it.

So now here I am on a Monday night, staring down the barrel at a 10 mile run that should have been completed days ago. This will mess up my schedule a little, because I will have to take a couple off days (Wed. and Fri.) to be ready for my 12 mile run this coming weekend.

So I’m officially saying it: I have learned my long run lesson.

Unless it is a downpour, a blizzard or a tornado, I will be out there on Saturday mornings… slowly working my way to my goal.

The week six training schedule is posted below. It isn’t exactly what I will be following for the reason I gave above. You can also find the most recent NBC29 Marathon Monday segment here. This week I focused on sports psychology. I got to meet two awesome women who impressed me so much!

A friend also posted this on my Facebook wall. I think it sums things up quite nicely. Enjoy!

Training schedule for the week of 01/22

Week Six Training Schedule, designed by Trainer Dan Bayliss

Sunday- Off  (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Monday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Tuesday- Run 5 miles

Wednesday- Run 6 miles

Thursday- Run 4 miles

Friday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Saturday- Run 12 miles

Too Cold?? Too bad.

Growing up as an Illinois girl, I got to know what a cold winter really is. I vividly remember the frigid snaps when you wouldn't see the plus side of zero for weeks on end. It was the kind of weather that would actually hurt you when you stepped outside.

That being said, I've gone soft. This is my third winter in Virginia, where the average temperature hovers around 35-40 degrees. Now... when the temperature dips lower than that, I (like a lot of the natives I've met here) believe the end is near, and it's absolutely freezing outside.

This doesn't translate well for morning running. I was freaking out because I was scheduled to run 8 miles this weekend, and the temperature wasn't going to get much higher than freezing. I mean freaking out. I thought about it all day on Friday, and when I woke up on Saturday I was dreading the next couple of hours.

But... I had a cache of new weapons: my Christmas presents. This year cold compression running gear was under the tree. I bundled up. A lot. Two cold compression shirts, running tights, a fleece vest, headband, neck warmer and gloves. So I didn't look like a supermodel...

...but I stayed warm and had a GREAT run. I mean great. I did a little over seven and a half miles, and didn't walk once. It's definitely the longest continuous run I've done in... well... I don't really know how long, and I felt fantastic.

I guess it just proves that cold weather won't always win, and this really is getting easier week by week. I'm starting to get excited about what I will be able to do in a matter of months!

This week's training schedule is posted below, and this week's Marathon Monday piece on NBC29 can be found here! Have a great week... and I promise to stop embarrassing my fellow Illinoisians and deal with the cold like a real Midwesterner.

Week Five Training Schedule:

Sunday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Monday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Tuesday- Run 5 miles

Wednesday- Run 6 miles

Thursday- Run 4 miles

Friday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)

Saturday- Run 10 miles

Running Under the Weather

This weekend my long run "assignment" was six miles on Saturday. I was ready to go, but then late last week I came down with a cold. A gross, stuffy, sneezy cold. Cut to Saturday morning. After a terrible night of sleep, I didn't hear my alarm. I woke up 15 minutes before I was scheduled to meet my trainer for a run. That meant jumping up, getting ready, and running out the door with nothing in my stomach but a dose of DayQuil. Big mistake.

I hadn't run with Dan for a while, so I was excited to show off the progress that I have been making. I was going to bound over hills. I was going to clear mile after mile to prove I have been working hard (and I have). What it actually turned into was far from my fantasy. After about two miles I had to stop and walk. I felt weak, dizzy and winded. It was a run/walk event from there, and it's wasn't an outing that I was proud of.

But... throughout all of my apologizing and my wheezy "I need to walk" moments, Dan kept reminding me that there will be runs like this once in a while. He then gave me grief for running with only DayQuil as my fuel, and for trying to train while sick in the first place. On both counts I promised "never again."

As for training, it won't be perfect all the way through. After a bad run the best thing to do is get over it, and to get out and run hard the next time. And I did.

For those of you who are curious, my training schedule for this week is below. You can also check out what I have been doing for my news station NBC29. It's all things Marathon Monday! Just click here. This week's segment was all about finding the right running shoes!

Week Four Training Schedule - designed by trainer Dan Bayliss.


Sunday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)
Monday- Run 4 miles
Tuesday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)
Wednesday- Run 4 miles
Thursday- Run 4 miles
Friday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)
Saturday- Run 8 miles

A Resolution Remodel

I always start off January 1st with a list of goals in my mind, and a lot of motivation to go with it.

"This year I want to learn the robot."
"This year I want to become a Civil War buff."
Etc., etc., etc.

That motivation lasts about 2 weeks, and then I'm back to my "dancing like a human" ways, with more questions than answers about the Battle of Bull Run.

But the beginning of a new year has always (ALWAYS) included: "This year I want make exercise a big part of my life."... and the ever popular, "This year I want lose x number of pounds."

Things are already looking a little different for 2012, because I can change the language of my resolution mantra. It now includes the words "continue" and "will", and it's all thanks to running.

So... the weight loss and exercise themes are still the same. BUT... I can now go into the new year saying, "I WILL CONTINUE to make exercise a big part of my life," and "I WILL lose x number of pounds" because of it. It's a pretty exciting position to be in.

I just got back from five awesome days in Illinois! It was a whirlwind trip, and I didn't stay in the same town two nights in a row... but I did get to see a lot of family and friends. On the down side, I only got to run once. Due to unforeseen roadblocks (including a huge plumbing problem in our house there), my "run" days turned into "running around" days.

It happens, I guess. Life is bound to show up from time to time and crash the training program party. It's just a matter of getting right back on track, which I am doing! My training schedule for this week is below. You can also find the latest Marathon Monday segment, "Food is Fuel" here. I hope the holidays treated everyone well!

Week Three Training Schedule - designed by Trainer Dan Bayliss.

Sunday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)
Monday- Run 5 miles
Tuesday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)
Wednesday- Run 4 miles
Thursday- Run 4 miles
Friday- Off (or non-weight bearing exercise)
Saturday- Run 6 miles