For the Long Run : Training & Running My First Half Marathon

This post is a long one and a long time coming but I really hope it helps motivate at least one person to get out there and beast a goal of yours or better yet get the motivation to train for your first Half Marathon! 

My journey started in January. We had just gotten done with our year late Honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas. I wasn't feeling all that great about my body & I already knew that one of my goals for 2015 was going to be to CHOOSE (my One Little Word for 2015) to run a Half Marathon. I had been in contact with our old neighbor that had moved away who was going to be running in the Run Hard Columbia Half Marathon, but at that point I would only have had about 8 weeks to train which felt too rushed for me attempting my first Half. So, on a whim on January 20th, I took the leap and signed up for the Palmetto Half Marathon in Sandhills. I would be running the race by myself, but I had a full 12 weeks to train if I set my mind to it. 

My race confirmation

My Training Regimen 

I started out my training only having run 5 miles max. at one time in my life EVER! So believe me, you can do it too if you set your mind to it! I had run XC for 5 years in middle & high school, but I was what they called a MOP or BOP aka middle/ back of the packer ;). Into adulthood, I still love to run but prior to my training I was only running 3-5 miles at a time. 

I began by loosely following this 10 week training schedule from Marathonrookie.com but because of my wacky work schedule, I focused mainly on running 3-4 times a week, doing 2-3 of those runs at 3 miles and one long run each week starting at 4 miles and increasing that long run each week until I got to 12 miles. 

In order to keep track of my runs, I just made a simple table on Word with all of the dates leading up to the race day, April 12, 2015. I placed this table on our fridge and it served as a great motivation to get my runs in each week since I saw it all day long. Each day, I either marked the mileage I completed or put a slash through the days that I had rest days. For a goal oriented person like myself, I seriously and somewhat sadly looked forward to putting my mileage on this table, but even more so on the days where I hit a new goal! On these days, I put an asterisk to show myself how many goals I was hitting on the way to my ultimate goal of 13.1 miles. 

My Running Log

As I hit a new milestone, I also posted a picture on social media just to hold myself accountable and share my achievement with my friends and family. In addition to goals, pictures are my other love language so coming up with a creative way to share my accomplishment was just as fun for me as writing down my mileage. 

6 Miles 

#RealLifeEmojis

8 Miles 

10 Miles 

12 Miles 

Training in general was fun for me because I soon realized that running for long periods of time was more a mental game than anything so as long as I prepared a bangin' playlist, had some good steam to burn off, and stuck to it I realized I could do practically anything. Overall, I tried to focus on getting up to my distances rather than hitting a certain time or pace, so that allowed me to have less stress if I had to walk a few steps here or there or slow down on the hills. Mostly, I just wanted to get to my race and get through it! 

Minor Aches & Pains 

I did run into a few aches and pains that were out of the ordinary for me. After my 8 mile training run, I began to experience some pain in the outside of my left knee. I took a few days off but even when I got back to it, I felt the pain but this time in both knees. After doing some research, I found this is common in runners and it was my IT band acting up. I continued to monitor it as I got up in mileage and still could "feel" it on most runs even if it wasn't painful per se. If it did cause me intense pain I would stop and stretch for a while and then try to start again. The best thing I did for this issue was the light running of the last two weeks before the race that let the entire IT band heal up before my race. 

Favorite Running Gear & Apps 

My Nike + from Race Day!

I was already a Nike + fan before, but I found when training for a specific race it really does keep track of all of the things you need to compare your runs and visually see your improvement. I love that they added the feature to be able to change your playlists mid-run! 

Via

Because I am a runner who desperately needs to listen to music to keep myself motivated and I like to be able to change a song if it's boring me, I needed some sort of phone carrier that doesn't strap on my arm. I ended up finding this HB Tune Handheld Band that literally straps to your hand so you still have access to your phone to change songs & other settings while you run. This was literally a life-changer for me! I loved that this strap takes the weight off of your hand so you don't have to grip the phone for the duration of a run but still is easily accessible. It even has a pocket for a debit card or cash which is pretty convenient. 

As for clothes, because my race was in April, it was perfect weather for shorts and a t-shirt. I picked my Good Vibes Only shirt from Mulberry Press Co. because it is not 100% cotton which is better for running, my favorite Adidas running shorts with the inner lining, a lightweight Under Armour hat that I decided on the week before the race to block the sun out of my eyes & avoid having hair falling in my face, a Target C9 skinny strap sports bra, and my Asics sneakers. I ran a test run with my race outfit minus the hat a few weeks prior just to make sure nothing was overly irritating. I really recommend testing out your race day outfit because I had to try a few different sports bras before I landed on the most comfortable one.

Finally, a race day playlist is a must if you run with music! I had recently downloaded some new songs that I hadn't had the chance to overplay yet so I put those popular songs in the list a few times throughout just to perk me up & get me singing along in my head. I also tried to make sure the most motivating and upbeat songs were placed at times in the race like miles 5, 8, 10 where I knew I could possibly be hitting a wall and needing some extra motivation. My theme song throughout my training & the race day was One Republic's- I Lived. Such a good song and the lyrics are soo motivating!

Race Day // April 11, 2015 

When race day came around, I had only run 12 miles during my max. run so just completing the race was a mileage milestone in itself. I was overly giddy while I checked in and got my bib with my name on it. I lined up with the 2hrs. 15min. pace runner since my goal was somewhere under 2hrs. 20min. As long as I was in front of this runner I knew I was golden for my goal! 

Thankfully, I had a great support system that day! My dad and his girlfriend came into town and made it to two points along the race and Brandon showed up to 4(!!) places along my route. It was such a nice motivator to look for him along the way and have him there supporting me on my big day. Other family members farther away showed support too, like my mom who texted me right at race time and let me know she was thinking about me & at about the 7 mile mark, my sister texted me saying she wished she could be there and that she knew I was doing a great job and she thought I'd be around mile 7 which was right on! 

The first five miles felt like nothing, mostly because it took that long for the packs to spread out and for me to settle into a pace. Just the excitement of all of the other runners alone made me really pick up the pace in the beginning which I knew I could not keep up for the entire race. 

I settled into a good pace around mile 4-5 and was still feeling pretty good. The course was an out and back kind of deal so as I was hitting the farthest point, I got a huge cramp and some knee pain and had to stop to stretch. Another runner actually passed me when I was stretching and said "you got it, keep going!" I thought that was so generous. Here we were all struggling through mile 7 or so and a stranger was helping motivate me to keep going. 

Mile 2

Mile 4

I got back to running quickly though and only stopped to walk a few steps on a long gradual hill around mile 10. The worst part of the course I ran was that on mile 1 we ran down an off ramp from one road to another, so on the last mile we had a pretty steep hill to climb which was like torture at that point. I came into the finish line with a good bit of energy I had saved for a final burst and even made eye contact with Brandon & my family which made it all worth it!

Mile 11

Mile 13 // Finish!

 

What started as a bucket list item became an accomplishment that I am very proud of. Not only can I say I am a Half Marathoner now, but I wouldn't doubt it if I sign up for another one in the future. I've already been looking at a possible one in October. Throughout this journey, it was entirely for myself, not for anyone else and that's why I think I am the most proud. A goal I set for myself that seemed almost impossible, I accomplished with 3 months of hard work! 

If you have a big goal like this, don't let it sit forever! Write it down & check it off, one day or one run at a time! 

If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments or email me! :) 

Peace, 

Allison 

My Fitbit Review

It is no secret I am a sucker for a bandwagon to jump on, as long as it is a good one, of course. Perhaps, the Fitbit was one of those bandwagons, but I am seriously so glad that I did! If you have been around me AT ALL in the last three weeks or so, you know that the Fitbit has me hooked... bad. 

What's so good about the Fitbit? 

The Fitbit is a device you can get in a wristband form, like the one I have called the Fitbit Flex, or in a clip form (which one of my friends has and loves as well). It measures your steps, distance, active minutes, calories burned, and sleep pattern throughout the night (this feature is pretty interesting!). There are also options to track your calories eaten and water intake (but I haven't done these yet). You can track all of these items on their free Fitbit App which I check (somewhat obsessively) throughout the day. However, you can set one of them as your particular "GOAL" for the day. For me, I keep my goal at 10,000 steps for each day but you can increase or decrease this as you choose. You can track your progress for your daily goal by tapping your Fitbit twice which shows a small bead of light for each 20% of your goal you have reached (five lights total). When you achieve your daily goal all five of the lights dance on your Fitbit and it sends a small vibration to your wrist celebrating your accomplishment. The idea is quite simple I must say, but the intensity in which I have tried to achieve this goal daily is awesome and a little embarrassing I might add. 

The night I got my Fitbit!

Why Now? 

Just over three weeks ago, I was feeling slightly more curvaceous than my usual self, lethargic, and in a negative mood more often than usual. For someone who likes to be active but was not currently as active as I would like, I knew something had to give. After reading a few reviews on the Fitbit, I hoped that this might be a tool to get me back on track and motivate me to get more active again. ..And it has! 

Since I started using my Fitbit, I have lost about a pound (just by increasing my activity level) and have felt noticeably more energized and in a much better mood. 

Is it hard to reach your goal? 

What I've found is that it really isn't hard to get my goal of 10,000 steps each day if I set my mind to it. If I'm consciously parking just a little farther away, walking just a few more steps around the grocery store, taking a quick moment at work to get out of the car and walk a few laps around my patrol area, I can easily hit my goal. When it gets to be 10pm and I only have 5,000 steps, I have found that I am much more motivated to do a quick little workout or get the leash out and walk Rhiley around our neighborhood to get my steps in.  

I started using the Fitbit when I was switching to night shift which has made me much more aware of my much lower activity level on these work days. On those days in particular, I really have to consciously decide to get up and MOVE, get out of my car and WALK, or try to get a RUN in before work.

Perhaps the most exciting thing is when you achieve a new goal! While visiting my friends in Washington, DC for the Fourth of July, we walked over 15 miles one day and reached my highest steps ever, 37,000. Pushing yourself to these new limits is what I think the whole purpose of the Fitbit is, motivation to just be more active.

Anything you should know before getting one yourself??

I have found that although the wristband states it is waterproof (it is) I personally do not wear mine in the shower because the water does need to be dried out afterwards which is somewhat of a pain. FYI, it also needs to be dried after sweating a lot on a run. That being said, I have found that because of this water/ sweat issue, the band can start to smell after a little so you may want to wash it every once in a while. 

The band itself is pretty secure with the clip it comes with, however, if it gets caught on something it can come off. This has happened to me a few times at work when I pick up a large bag and set it down and don't realize it popped off without my knowledge. That being said I have never had it come off on it's own otherwise. Not a huge deal, just something to be aware of. 

I wouldn't rely solely on the distance traveled when going on a run because it is counting the average steps in a mile, not quite distance actually traveled. Although, I do believe they have added a feature under the exercise tab where you can track your run by GPS, similar to the Nike + app so that may be a better tool to use with the Fitbit that I have yet to use.

Who would I recommend a Fitbit to? 

I would personally recommend a Fitbit to anyone wanting to be more active, whether you are already or would like to be. If you are a Type A personality like myself, the drive to achieve your daily goal is motivation enough (just set your goal so it is attainable!). If you are already fit and active, the Fitbit is even better because it will push you to push yourself just a little bit more. 

I think it goes without much more saying that I am a pretty happy camper with my Fitbit. What has been your experience with it?? I'd love to hear!

Peace,

Allison 

Five Friday Favorites

Welcome back to my Five Friday Favorites! It's been a crazy busy last few weeks with work and some extra training added into the mix. Fun, fun...not! :) Any whoo.... let's get down to business!

1. Sam Adams Summer Ale 

If you haven't tried it yet, it is a must for summer time. It's our new go-to beer this season. So smooth and refreshing! While I can't believe it's basically summer already, I am excited for summer brews and parties in our backyard at our firepit! Oh and of course going to the beach! 

2. Sushi Dates

We are officially fans of sushi! You don't know what a feat this is for two very "meat and potatoes" kind of eaters but we officially like sushi, and no not just the California roll ;). Plus, I've found out that if you make it for the lunch specials, or in this case early bird dinner specials (thanks, night shift schedule!), sushi can be really affordable! Delicious food and not too expensive  are two of my favorite things. 

3. Oil Pulling

If you were clicking around on Pinterest like I was this past week or following me on Instagram, you may have seen the pin below or the picture above. Seeing as I have never been in good graces with the dentist (or I have a GREAT relationship with them, whichever way you look at it ;) ), I figured I would give it a quick read. What I found is this thing called Oil Pulling. 

Via

Apparently, swishing a tablespoon of organic, unrefined Coconut Oil in your mouth (I found mine at our local health food store) for 20 minutes preferably as soon as you wake up in the morning helps detox any bad things left in your mouth as well as helps to prevent or reverse cavities. Then, you just rinse your mouth with warm water and brush your teeth like normal. 

I have only done a few rounds of this so far, so I will keep you updated, but my mouth did feel pretty darn clean after. FYI, even if you really don't like the taste or flavor of actual coconut like myself, the oil is not too overwhelming tasting so by microwaving it for a few seconds, the butter consistency of the coconut oil becomes liquefied and is easier to swish. Apparently, this oil pulling is becoming a trend too because the lady at the health food store where I got my Dr. Bronner's Organic, Unrefined Coconut Oil said that lots of people have been coming in to purchase it and that it can also be used on your face, I'm assuming as some sort of mask. 

4. Nike + App 

I have been using this app since last December and it is really my favorite. I don't use any other workout apps because this one does everything I could want for my routines. I do not have the sensor to put in my shoe that would be useful for running on a treadmill, but for outside runs, you don't even need it (although I would like to get one eventually for use at the gym) because the GPS tracks your phone. 

I like this app because it uses pretty accurate GPS to track my outdoor runs, updates me when I hit each mile giving me my pace per mile and total time running, and syncs directly with my iTunes playlists allowing me to pick a playlist and skip around to different songs while running (which I do a LOT of!). 

I also really like the way Nike + tracks your runs and shows you stats. Above, is what the app shows you after you have completed your run. It shows a map of where you ran, the total distance, allows you to put how you felt (shown by the emoticon), shows the weather for the day, how many miles you have on your specific pair of running shoes, and obviously the final time and calories burned. Below it also shows you the breakdown of each mile pace and how each one differentiated which is helpful. 

Being the Type A personality that I am, I love looking at the stats, so I try to use the app every time I do an outdoor run so that I can compare it all afterwards. The app also tells you when you've beat your own records for things such as mile time, 1k time, and 5k time so I like to use that to motivate myself to get my times down. Finally, it shows you in bar graph form all of the runs you've done each month and the difference in mileage which can also help as a motivating factor. 

I have recently read a lot of great reviews for the Fitbit, so I am anxious to get one and try it out for myself in the near future. Have any of you tried it? I'd be anxious to hear your thoughts.

5. Breaking Bad

 We just finished the first season of Breaking Bad, thanks to our neighbors for lending us their DVDs after we had heard so many good reviews from my cousins, our neighbors, and lots of friends over the years. We literally watched the entire season, minus one episode, in one night thanks to our night shift schedule. I'm not sure why it took us so long to check it out because we are officially hooked! Gonna have to get some Netflix, at least for the free month trial, to indulge our new addiction. :) 

Hope you have a great weekend!

Peace, 
Allison 

The New Sneaker Theory (Or So I Thought) & Goals for August

Two weeks ago, I bought a new pair of sneakers. Enter, the New Sneaker Theory. By convincing myself to buy this lovely new pair of sneakers that you see below, I also convinced myself that this purchase was going to motivate me to actually start running again. I cannot be the only one that does this! Come on ladies, am I not right?? Doesn't a new set of gym shorts or a beautiful bright colored pair of Nikes make you think that by buying them it is going to help you achieve the goal of getting back in shape? 

...And my theory worked! ...For one day... Until, after going to the gym one afternoon on a day off, I have not returned since. So, my theory FAILED! At least, so far. Here I am less than 60 days from my wedding and I have gone to the gym no more than two times since I graduated from the academy at the end of May. Did I mention I had gotten in great shape by running at least 3 times a week in the academy? And now I have been sitting on the couch the last two months, gorging all my favorite goodies, and avoiding the gym at all costs ever since.

So now I'm going to try and become accountable for my lack of activity and sheer laziness by setting goals for you all (or shall I say y'all for my southerners) to read! I haven't really posted anything other than DIY on my blog yet so I thought this would be a great way to slide on in to blogging about my life as well. 

Here are my personal goals for August:

-Start running at least 3 times a week

-Figure out our wedding ceremony/ readings

-Enjoy my Bridal Shower (Like seriously, let down and ENJOY it!)

-Start reading again (Instead of aimlessly surfing the internet or watching TV)

-Make one meal I have never made (Which could basically be anything seeing as I am an AWFUL cook. I need to become a good housewife, right?? 60 days is not enough time for me, sadly)

These last 8 months have been some of the most stressful, overwhelming, emotional and exciting months of my life. From starting a new job that requires a LOT of training, to planning a wedding (while in the academy no less), to buying a house, I am still trying to find my NORMAL here in SC. I am hoping once the wedding comes and goes (even though I am so, SO EXCITED for it) I will finally be able to let my hair down and ENJOY my life for all of the blessings I know I have taken for granted these last few hectic months.

On a positive note, I have finally made headway at work and am finally done with the "training" part, although I will be learning as I go for quite a while! So cheers on moving forward!

Peace, 

Allison