Day 170: Glorious Chocolate Milk

Day 170:

Yes, you read the title correctly.  I haven't had chocolate milk for a long time because I thought it wouldn't be "as healthy" as regular milk.  But, a trainer told me that chocolate milk is great to drink after a workout.  So, after running 4.5 km tonight, I drank a large glass of chocolate milk.

Let me tell you, that was the best drink I have ever had after a run!  I felt energized instead of drained.  My taste buds did a little dance and my tummy didn't scream for a snack.  It was great!  I think I will drink chocolate milk after a run more often.

Oh, and did you notice that I logged my run in kilometers instead of miles?  Yeah, I got a new runners watch with a better GPS signal than my phone.  Only problem is that I have yet to figure out how to change the setting from km to mi or how to read my pace accurately.  Guess I'll have to run some more so I have a reason to play with my watch more.

Drinking chocolate milk again,
Lisa

Day 169: Running in the Dark

Day 169:

Running in the quickly fading light is what I ended up doing tonight.  I don't know about you, but I enjoy running in the evening more than running in the morning.  In the evening, I don't have to worry about being done in time to shower and get to work or being done in time to drive someone to school. 

In the morning, I have to drag myself out of bed. Running in the morning feels like a chore that I "have to do."  I don't want running to ever be a chore.  I want to always enjoy running.

The only problem with running in the evening is that I sometimes run out of light.  So, as long as I remember to get out before the light fades, I will continue to enjoy my evening runs.  Sure wish more races were in the evening.

Running at sunset,
Lisa

Day 166: Goals?

Day 166:  Goals?

I spent last weekend basking in the glorious triumph of having my butt kicked by two hills and a suspension bridge in my first 5k race.  The original plan was to take two days off and then start running again.  My sinuses had different ideas. 

 So, today was my first run in a week. Wow, a whole week has gone by without me running at all and I don't think it was just because of my sinuses.  I realized this week that I met my initial goal of running a 5k without ever setting any new goals. 

 

What kind of goal should I set?  Do I focus on distance?  Speed?  Weight loss?  Running consistently and pain free?  What kind of a time limit should I set for meeting my goal? 

 

With all these questions running through my head, I did the only sensible thing - perused Facebook.  Since starting my journey started last fall, I have found and joined some pretty fabulous Facebook pages about running, but it was a fitness page that gave me the answers I was searching for. 

 

The Facebook page Get Fit With Blake issued a plank challenge for the month of May that I took on along with my running.  I printed the calendar and have it hanging on the fridge.  Every day, I hold the plank for the specified amount of time and then cross off that day on the calendar. 

 

I thought, if this works for core strengthening exercises, why wouldn't it work for running?  Not wanting to wait for June to start a running plan, I issued myself a 30-Day Running Challenge. 

 

But again, what is the goal other than running?

 

Long term:  I want to lose about 60 pounds and drop two dress sizes, plus run a 10k by this time next year.  Now, losing weight is very difficult and the only time I was successful, I had to workout six times a week for 45-60 mins. a day. 

 

Applying this formula to running, I set some short term goals.  For the next 30 days, I will run six times a week.  Some of the runs are short, some are long, and once a week I focus on speed.  Finally, I will schedule my next 5k race before the 30 day challenge ends. 

 

This morning, I ran two and a half miles of the hardest part of last weeks 5k.  I was not going to let those hills get the best of me!  

 

Day one down 29 more to go! 

Lisa 

Day 159: Race Day!

Day 159:

Race Day dawned beautiful and cool this morning.  I woke up with a stuffy nose for the third day in a row.  Butterflies floated in my stomach and fought each other even more after arriving at registration.  It looked like there would be 75-100 runners.  Less than 50 of us made it to the starting line.  My bib number was 92 and the highest number I saw was 150. 

The race started and by the end of the first mile, I was in last place.  By the time I got to the water station,  I could no longer see the rest of the runners.  Two steep hills and a bridge later, I finally reached the turn around point.  It was nice watching the others runners go past and give hi-fives.

The way back was hard and I needed to walk three times for a short distance.  But just as I was running out of steam, I see a bright yellow poster up ahead that says. "Go Lisa!"  Standing there are both my boys and two of their friends cheering me on.  That was great!  Just what I needed at just the right moment. 

The four of them ran with me until the finish line was in sight.  That's when I saw my Daisy, my running buddy and another friend with a sign.  Daisy took a few pictures of me running with my cheerleaders, then ran the rest of the way in cheering me on.  It was awesome! 

I knew through the entire race that I would be last by quite a bit.  There just weren't enough runners and the walkers went an entirely different direction for me to have any hope of keeping up with someone.  But the point of the race wasn't for me to place or win any medals, it was for me to finish. 
 
I have worked hard over the last several months to be able to run this race.  Thank you to all those who stood by me and cheered me on to the finish line. 

Oh, by the way, my time was 48:17.  Now, I have a record to break and a new race to plan for.  Hmmm, I wonder what it will be?

Running to finish,
Lisa

PS. I have tried all afternoon to post the race pictures here with no luck so visit my facebook page to see them.  https://www.facebook.com/lisa.s.butler.9?ref=tn_tnmn

Day 156: Buddies

Day 156:

Tonight I walked/ran with Daisy, my running buddy.  We went a total of 3.49 miles.  Granted we walked about half of it, but when we ran, we really ran.  Daisy thought she would be able to walk fast while I jogged.  That didn't happen. 

I decided tonight that I would try to lengthen my stride.  Daisy mentioned an article she read this afternoon that talked about how lengthening your stride was better and helped prevent injuries.  (I didn't know that.)  So, I thought I would try it out and therefore Daisy had to run with me. 

Now the fun didn't stop there.  Since she had to run, she pushed me to run harder and I was left gasping like a fish.  And I did it!  She clocked me at around a 12 minute mile!  Granted I couldn't breathe, but wow!  That's the fastest I've ever run!

Thanks Daisy!

I am finding out that it really pays to run with a buddy.  Lately, this seems to be a topic God has been trying to pound into my head.  Life is better with a friend. 

Ecclesiastes 4:10

"If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble." 

 

I know that I have a lot of friends.  According to Facebook, I have 414 friends, but how many of them would be there to pick me up if I fell?  Yes, they may "Like" my posts and a few of them might leave a comment, but how many would pick up the phone to learn what's going on beyond the post?  How many of these "friends" would come over and talk? 

 

My Ecclesiastes 4:10 friends is a much smaller number.  So, during the rough times I need to learn to leave a post on Facebook, then call an Ecclesiastes 4:10 friend to share what is really going on. 

 

The real question is: Do you have an Ecclesiastes 4:10 friend?

 

I do.  They're the ones pushing me during my runs, telling me to breathe when I panic, handing me Kleenex while I grieve, and laughing at my lame jokes. 

 

Thanks Friends!

Lisa