The New Blog Name Is Funny.....

I had some people ask me about the new name for me blog....I went with "My Name Is Kelly And I'm A Runner" like I'm at a meeting and I'm finally admitting I have an addiction....clearly I do have an addiction to running.  (Oh well, I think it's funny)

So yeah, I am officially addicted to running-I guess there are worse things to be addicted to.  When I'm waitressing and overhear people talking about running I always stop and come right out and say, "I was eavesdropping and heard you talk about running..."  (20 minutes later...) ha ha
Let the record state I was NEVER an athlete...NEVER!   My parents LOVE to tell the story of my first day of volleyball practice in HS when I came home begging for Nuprin or how I'd stand by the goal in soccer doing my hair and picking flowers with my friend, Ashley.  (<--Not in HS, btw ha ha)  I actually "ran" track in HS too....well I was on the team, I was a "sprinter" and bailed on workouts all the time. ha ha It's kind of funny/sad to look back on it.  I bet if I was a distance runner in HS I would have been pretty decent.  Oh well...

So, back to training...The training differences between training for Chicago and training for NJ are quite noticeable so far and I just started.  
-In my warmer training I'd set out water the night before a run and get up super early before the day got too hot.  With  my winter training I can't leave water out because it will freeze and be worthless to me the next day.  I also go as late as I can (while there's still light) so it's a warm as possible and black ice can melt.
-Getting out the door for a winter  run is MUCH harder-it's really cold out there.  Once you are out it's just like a summer run where you instantly feel better for being in your element.
-Maybe it's because I just started running outside after two months of running inside, but my aches are different and I think a lot of that has to do with how tense I am about running and not slipping on what may or may not be black ice.  I also attribute some of my new aches to how cold it is-either way, massage appointments have been made and I've touched base to start seeing my chiropractor again.
-In the summer wearing a tank top was sometimes too much clothing.  In the winter I'm wearing TONS more.  Trying to wear enough, but not too much because you heat up very quickly and don't want to wear more than you have to is tricky. 
I'm sure I'll be adding to this list as I get further into my training...

So far winter training is tough, but....
I need to do this to get the time I need to qualify for Boston.
I need to do this because I miss it and needed some focus.
I need to do this because the winter is depressing and I don't need extra winter weight.
I need to do this as a reason to get outside in the fresh air & sunlight as much as possible.
I need to do this because I'm a runner and runners are like the post office...Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night.

“There is an expression among even the most advanced runners that getting your shoes on is the hardest part of any workout…” -Katherine Switzer

 

It's been 2 months.....a post needed to happen!

Here I am, 2 months since the marathon and it's safe to say it's been a difficult 2 months.  I found everything relating to the marathon was tough once it was done.  I wanted nothing to do with blogging about it because I was having a tough time with it being over.  I REALLY enjoyed the entire process.  I loved training.  I loved the routine of training.  I knew that every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday were my run days and I my life revolved around it-and I was okay with that.  Training made me very structured in what I ate and drank....turns out I needed that ha ha.  The endorphins running gave me were incredible and once it ended I missed them.  Even the week after the marathon I was starting to get the post marathon blues.  Originally, I planned to take a good month or so off from running...that lasted about 3 days.  ha ha Even when I went back to running it wasn't the same-nothing was.
The marathon gave me a goal, a focus and in an instant it was gone.  My post-marathon workouts were a waste of my time (in my head).  Going from a workout where I ran 20 miles to a workout of an hour of lifting and 40 minutes of cardio was a joke.  I missed the structure.  I liked making my life happen around my training so once it was gone I felt like all I had was time-too much time.  I started breaking all of my eating and drinking rules and felt completely out of control. 
Once the marathon ended and runs were just "whatever" I started to focus on shorter runs where I killed myself to get quicker times so I can cut time and hopefully run a race that will qualify me for Boston.  In the 2 months since the marathon ended I haven't had a run longer than 6 miles...sad!  I've been so much faster, but could I maintain that quick speed for more than 6 miles?...doubtful, but I'm going to get there!  
As I mentioned in other posts, I ran for OAR (Organization For Autism Research).  They had a team that ran in the NYC marathon so Alice and I went to cheer our team on...it was so great to be there and see a marathon from a totally different vantage point!  I wanted nothing more than to go out and run with them.  I can't lie, I was pretty jealous. 
These two months have been rough....add to it the intro of winter where it feels like it's dark all day.  I'm the kind of person who needs sunlight so this has made post-marathon blues worse.  As the darkness began to increase and my mood decrease I realized something had to be done....I registered for another marathon!!!!  I'm back to training!  I will be running the NJ Marathon at the end of April.  (While I haven't registered, I will also be running the Key Bank Vermont City Marathon Memorial Day weekend)  I can already see that training for the NJ Marathon will be MUCH different (and I fear harder due to weather and the fact that stakes are higher with me having a 3:40:00 goal so I can qualify for the 2015 Boston Marathon).  I am happy to be back tho and while it's still week one of training I'm feeling my mood brighten.  I'll be starting a new blog-name to be decided soon so keep checking back or like my blog FB page.  One change....no dating "blog fans" this time around HA HA!

My final thought: The marathon changed me....that's all I can say!

John Hanc, running writer
"I've learned that finishing a marathon isn't just an athletic achievement. It's a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible."

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