Am I there yet? Am I there yet?

So there are two kinds of personality types when they take a long road trip. Let's say - A & B types.

A Types - They are the people that immediately start calculating to the minute how long they have to be in the car until they arrive at their destination. They are a stressed ball of nerves about not making any unnecessary stops for pee breaks, snacks, gas, you name it. They are constantly trying to determine how much longer they will be on the road until they arrive.

B Types - And then there are the people that have no care about the exact amount time the trip will take but are all excited and prepared for the journey - these are your typical people that yell excitedly - Road trip. They are the people that leisurely take their time at rest areas and stop to see occasion sights on the way to their destination. They know they will get to their destination but not worried about the exact moment they will arrive.

So what does this have to do with running???

Well I use to be you a A Type when it came to my running goals. Constantly worried about how long it was going to take me to reach my goals, occasionally taking in the sights along the way but always checking Am I there yet? Am I there Yet? When will I get there? How much longer till I get there?

More recently, I have had a total mindset change that has given me the happiness just to relax and be happy.

I have become a more B Type. I know I will get there. I have no doubt about it at all. I know my destination is there but for now I am stopping at the rest areas, making friends and seeing all the sights, enjoying a great meal and just taking it all in.

Best of all, I am no longer checking if I am there yet?

Confessions

Okay a huge confession coming your way! I AM FIT!! I am FITTIER than I have ever been.

I am reveling in my fitness gains and realizing that hard pays off, maybe not today, tomorrow but eventually hard work always pays off.

And wa la -

I ran a dream tempo/aerobic threshold run today. 6:49, 6:49, 6:44, 6:44, 6:44, 6;44, 6:44, 6:40, 6:40, 6:35

What I loved about this run was that I frickin loved this run! I was so content, relaxed and confident. I stayed positive and the constant atta girls coming from brain were fueling me to run faster. Only did I feel challenged was in the last mile as I just wanted it done so I pressed a bit faster to get it over quicker.

So this run was slightly overshadowed by a monkey on back that has frustrating to say the least. My struggle with my weight. I use to never have weight problems at all until the thyroid went haywire and now I can gain weight very quickly and very easily with no rhythm or reason that I can figure out.

I have been running mega miles and haven't really watch my weight but I felt like my sports bras were fitting tight in past couple of weeks. Sure enough I weighed myself this AM and frickin 5 pds out of now where not to mention the 5 pds that I had hoped to shed in high mileage. How does one run 70-80 miles a week and gain weight??? I have no idea. I am not ever a big eater and have to force food down sometimes to fuel runs. Anyway that whine session is over.

When I stepped on the scale this AM, the news of the weight gain threaten to derail my workout effort. I called my husband to cry to him about it and he got my head on straight. He said this is just another piece of your puzzle that you need to figure out. He was so right. I put the weight out of my mind and went to work killing my tempo. I haven't come this far to have 5-10 pds get me down and in a tizzy.

After my run, I spoke with my sports soft tissue guy who also does sports nutrition for endurance athletes and specializes in the Ironman distance. So fueling for performance..That is what I need to learn how do I fuel my body with the calories it needs without over or under doing it. He speculates that I am under fueling and my body is trying to keep everything. I will know in a few days as I am suppose to keep a food journal for next 4 days. I have hope that once we figure how to fuel my body I will thin out a bit.

I am not going to dwell on the pounds but know that we will figure this out too! Just like I have figured everything this far.

Keep moving forwarding...

Moments, Lots of Miles and Smiles

I really am in love with my journey right now. I am just running with so much happiness. Only 5 weeks to Boston and I sort will feel sad to close the door on this amazing training cycle. I have run 90% of my runs alone and I have enjoyed the solitude. I have just been quietly racking up the miles and doing the workouts and enjoying the progress I have seen in the past 4-6 weeks. In the 8 weeks leading up to Boston before I taper, I will average 72-73 miles a week with the high one week at 84/85 miles.

My body feels so great in so many ways. I am feeling more and more confident with each run and workout. My workouts are fabulous and when I go to workout - the only thing that goes through my mind is how much I love running fast. I savor every mile and every rep and every moment when I am running fast. I feel free and it is just flowing.

Today I ran a very fast workout - 7 X 1 mile @ 6:15-6:20 average with 60 sec rest and I never felt tired! Only that last minute of each rep did I even feel like I was working hard.

I love going into a workout with no expectations. Going in having a general framework of paces and distances/workout formation and than seeing what the body wants to do. No pressure just allow it to flow. I was super surprised today when I thought the workout might only be 6 X 1 mile and to feel so peppy and able to extend to 7 X 1 mile. And even than I felt like I could do a few more reps. Not tired at all.

Just enjoying all smiles, miles and moments :-)

80 miles Ya'all

I am so excited to have reach this milestone this week. 80 miles ya'all!!

I knew I wanted to this training segment to be set up differently. More focus on the things that build my confidence, love of training and overall happiness. I decide to not use my coach of the past year and to go at alone while structuring my runs all based on how I felt day to day, week to week, month to month with no pressure without a coach to answer to.

I have been the happiest in my training than I have been in years. I am excited for my runs. I do not fear them or not having the energy to get after it. I generally excited to wake up and run whatever the day holds for me.

It has been freeing to say the least.

I have had a very consistent and solid last 5 weeks where I have averaged 70 mpw for the last 5 weeks. I have had one big/hard workout a week, one moderate workout a week and a long run with several easy and recovery days between these runs.

The story behind these numbers is just plain happiness! Happiness to be running regularly and enjoying all the miles.

Smiles and Miles People!!

Decided to take the long way...

Wow so I feel like I have been just training and enjoying my journey over these past weeks/months. Just putting in the work, not thinking too much about it and the miles and workouts have really been adding up and I am feeling mega strong.

Most recently I made the goal to not have a goal. Well I have a long term vision of where I liked to go and all that I would like to do but I decide to no longer have short term goals. Not get my panties in a bunch over a short term goal of PRing at anyone race. Just keep working day in and day out on my long term goal. This has been so freeing in a way that nothing bothers me like it use too. So what if I have a bad training day, so what if I do not PR at some race, because in the end they are building blocks to where my heart is telling me to go.

At the end of the day, I know where I am going and I have faith that God is taking me there even if it is the long way. The long way is definitely more scenic. The long way proves more challenges but it also provides sweeter and deeper experiences and connections with others.

I am savoring my long road to my dreams!