I ran 100 miles!

For the first time in a very long time, I ran 100 miles. No, not at one time (although some folks do that), but for the month. I knew this would be the perfect motivator to get me back into half marathon training shape. After having my son, I would always barely get up to 10 miles before he would get sick or my husband would have to work and I'd have no sitter. So all of my hard work went away because I could never rebound. Now baby girl rides in the stroller and my son rides his scooter or his bike while I run.

Now, it is NOT my preference to bring either of them, but I've learned that you've gotta do what you've gotta do. Most times if I'm running with them, pace doesn't matter. Only distance. This in turn helps because I'm still getting an easy pace workout in. I'll do fartleks, run/walk intervals, and hill train with them. When I'm solo, I always want to run as fast as I can to get it over with and not really stick to a plan (I'm impatient). On one of my ten-milers, we had to stop so many times to give our son a break. So, yeah...I usually try not to bring them if I need to do over 4 1/2 miles. How do "they" have so much energy inside of the house, but when you take them outside to burn it, they're "soooo tired"?

I ran short runs 4-5 days during the week and scheduled long runs on Saturdays & Sundays depending on my husband's work schedule. I ran them with one of my running groups, which also really helped. Being a mom of a 9-month-old and a 6-year-old, you MUST find a way to become disciplined if you have any personal fitness goals. This is why I choose to post my runs/workouts online, run with friends, and enter challenges. That's just what helps me stay accountable myself. Be careful not to compare your journey with others, but most definitely use others to help you achieve what you're trying to achieve.

Before I had kids I was all over Atlanta running with Black Girls Run and then became a group run leader for them. Then came children. That's why it's been 7 1/2 years since I've run my fourth and last half marathon. So... this challenge came right on time.

I registered for the runningnerds Summer Heat Virtual Half Marathon. I ran the runningnerds Winter Virtual Half Marathon years ago. I think that was my 3rd half marathon? It was virtual, but I ran it with a group starting from West Midtown. I remember it was extremely cold that morning. Like I said in my previous post, I am up to 10 miles, so next week I am going to run 11-12 miles. My old running coach always told me to run a mile or two over the actual race distance, so that the actual race distance will be easy. It's nothing like running any race and that last .5 mile becomes a s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e. The thing is, I don't know if I'll have time for that. So I'll probably attempt 12 this Sunday, 9-10 the next and go into taper mode? I'll have to look at an official training plan before I make my mind up since I'm already at 10.

Wish me luck on my journey! The school year is soon to start aka busy season (and that's a whole 'notha case of foolery with what's going on), so this would be a great finale. I'll take a mini-break and then back at it for two fall races in October and November.

What do you do to help you stick to your goals? What are you choosing to focus on to help your mental state right now?

2020, June Challenge, Long Runs

Unless you've been living under a big boulder these days, you should be aware of the current political, and social climate of our country. Yes, Black people are still fighting for the end of blatant and systematic racism as we have been for hundreds of years through voting, protesting, rioting, speeches, and marches. In 2020, unfortunately, we're still at it. That being said, that is the reason for this mural that was painted on both the wall and the trail grounds of the Eastside Beltline here in Atlanta.

I and a few folks in one of my run clubs set out for a 45-minute out and back route through Midtown this morning. My goal was to run 10 miles. I am apart of a Nike 100-mile June Challenge and I am also trying to build my base to run a virtual half marathon at the end of next month. It would be great to do this while I have so much "free" time and before busy seasons starts back up.

3 out of 4 weekend long runs this month, I ran 10 miles. Father's Day I cut it short to 8 so I could get back home quickly to begin the festivities. I am definitely ready to ramp my training miles up to 11 next week (fingers crossed that the home schedule will allow).

During this month I experienced the routine knee pain that I always experience whenever I start running further. I iced and really stretched like you're supposed to. I'm known to skip proper stretching which is such a no, no. That pain went away. Thank God. It was time for some new shoes as well. 

On today's run around mile 7, a little hamstring pain seemed to come out of nowhere. Maybe I stretched a cold muscle this morning? To remedy this, I stretched and took an old fashion ice bath when I got home. We'll see if that did the trick during tomorrow's recovery run.

Today's run was also very HUMID as I don't know what, but my pace ended up being the same as my last 10-mile run. Listening to my body and running in this Atlanta heat, I'll definitely be bringing my fuel belt along next week. When I used to distance run in the past, some things that helped me were Gatorade and Jelly Belly Sports Beans around the 8-10 mile mark. I have some Energy Gels in the pantry right now I'll be experimenting with. If someone told me I needed to run 3 more miles this morning, I wouldn't have made it, which is how I know I was becoming dehydrated and my carb-loaded dinner from last night had burned away. 

I bet you can tell where the hills were on my route. The Beltline is a steady incline, but it's not that bad (plus I've been stroller running it a few times). But, if you guessed mile 8, you are correct! If you've ever run UP 10th strength starting from the bottom of Piedmont Park, you KNOW that LOOOONG incline is a beast! I made it up without stopping though. The last hill I had to conquer was at mile 10 going up the 17th street bridge.

Anyway, I was so happy to be done, back in my car, and to my water. I guzzled all 32 oz of it on spot. After this 100-mile challenge is over, I think I am going to run longer on fewer days (depending on my children) and continue strength workouts during the week.

What have been some of your summer fitness goals?