Running with a Puppy

We got a puppy on September 14.  She was six weeks old.  She was a tiny thing.  She will always be quite small.  Her name is Hazel.  She is a min pin/shih-tzu mix, making her a Pin-tzu.  We didn't know how she would ever do with running.  Her legs are about 4 inches long.  About 1 1/2 weeks ago, we put her on her leash and brought her on a walk.  She ran a lot of the way.  We knew then that she may just be a runner.

I brought her running for the first time on Saturday.  We ran two miles.  She whined a bit, but she kept up.  Tonight I brought her running again.  She ran 2 1/2 miles.  She didn't whine, she just ran.  We got on the trail and she seemed to really enjoy that.  We were just going to do laps around the park, until a lot of kids came out of the school.  They all wanted to play with her and she wanted to play with them, which makes it difficult to run.  It was then that I decided I should jump on the trail.

Once I was on the trail, there were a few other people.  One man got a good laugh out of her and I running.  She is such a small thing.  I think that this is the time to get her used to running.  The funny thing is, I worry about a predator bird coming down and trying to take her.  Of course, I have her on a leash.  I think I have blogged enough times that it should be a given that I don't like when I see dogs off their leash.  I wouldn't think that someone would like to see mine off her leash, even though she it small.

We ran about a 12 minute mile.  I think that is a good pace for a little one.  She will only get better.  She likes to sprint every so often, so it like I am getting in my fartlek training.

My children love to go on walks/runs with her.  They look forward to it now.  Even (especially) my oldest daughter.  She used to not be really excited about going out and walking/running, but she is now.  It is amazing how a puppy can change your life!

Each Little Step

Do you ever have those days when you wake up and just wish that you could super glue yourself to the bed, just to have a good reason not to get out of the bed?!  I have been having many of those days.  I am not sure if it is because the weather has been getting so much colder or if I am just THAT depressed. 

Those days are the days that each little steps matters.  I know on these days that I can't expect myself to go on a run.  I am pleased with just taking steps.  They don't even have to be big steps.  Baby steps will work on these days.

I just need to remember that before it gets dark!  I don't like being out there in the dark.  I got bit by a dog in the dark.  That wasn't fun!  I prefer that over other things that happen to people in the dark though. 

When Did Two Miles...?

When did two miles get so hard?!  I decided that I should lace up my running shoes last Saturday, so I did.  My toddler has been sick for a little while so I hadn't run in a while.  I decided I would get started easy.  I would do two miles. 

I have been doing a lot of reading about running.  I guess I thought that was a good replacement while I was not running.  I read that you should run really hard every so often.  I decided the two mile run would be a good time to put a lot of energy into it.  I didn't time myself, but what I can say is that I left almost everything I had in that two mile run.  It felt good when I got home, sweat pouring down my face.  I love to sweat.  I feel like I am actually accomplishing something when I sweat.

I need to find another race.  I need to get myself signed up and get going.  It is the only thing that makes me think I absolutely have to get out there and run.  I don't like to waste my money.

My toddler still isn't feeling too well and I am started to think she might have shared.  We shall see! 

Suggestion From a Friend

I was telling a friend of mine recently that I had not really been out running since my half marathon.  I have run 2 5Ks, but that was all I have run, except for when I have to run to make sure my children get to school on time because we left late for one reason or another.

I told him that I am still a bit bummed about the time I finished in for my half marathon.  In a million years, I would have not expected to finish in over three hours.  It took me 30 minutes longer than I had finished my previous half marathon in.  Yes, it was incredibly hot that day, but I had put in the time I had to in order to train.  I still can't figure out where, exactly, I went wrong.

I contemplated, long and hard, about hanging up my running shoes and giving up.  It even seemed like a plausible idea.  What was I, at age 39 and overweight, thinking trying to run a half marathon, or even run at all?!?  I am the mother of four children, aged 10 to 1, she will be 2 very soon.  I know I will never be at the head of the pack.  I know exactly what I am thinking now.  I just want to be in shape.  I want to try to insure that I will live long enough to see my children graduate, get married, and have children. 

Those moments of discouragement seem to make a lot of sense when I am going through them!  But when I start talking about it to my family and friends, it really doesn't seem to make any sense at all.  Yes, I will never run a half marathon again in slower than 3 hours, if I never run again.   I would never have to train in the heat of the summer or the freezing cold of the winter, if I never run again.  To be honest, I need to run.  It is my time.  It is the time I get to figure out all life's questions and problems that might be going on. 

My friend told me, just go out and run.  Don't time it, just run.  Don't worry about how long it takes.  It is advice I took tonight.  I have decided to start training for another race.  I am not sure yet if I will do another half marathon around Halloween or if I will do the 5 mile race.  I am kind of leaning toward 5 miles.  I think that I should work on losing some of this weight that I have gained.  I am thinking that it is medicine induced weight because there isn't much of any other reason why it is here. 

I ran 2 miles tonight.  I didn't look at the time.  I just ran.  I don't know how many minutes.  I think this is how I am going to train for the next race.  Not worrying about the time.  Just me, my running shoes and the pavement.  It is nice to disconnect from technology, even if it is just disconnecting from the stopwatch. 

I look forward to my next run.  It is supposed to be 3 miles on Wednesday.  Hopefully I can do it then!

Running Off and On

Since my half-marathon on August 31, 2013, I have done two 5K's and that is almost the extent of my running.  I have run a little with my children to and from school.  It isn't very easy though since I need to bring an umbrella stroller for my youngest daughter.  The jogger gets goat heads (they are a very painful, sharp pricker around here) in the tires and makes them go flat en route to the school.  The umbrella stroller just has some kind of tire that doesn't go flat.

My children and husband at benefit 5K 9-6-2013

My van broke down last weekend and we are deciding if we are going to get it fixed or not.  We had decided we would, now we are not so sure.  Anyway, I get to walk back and forth to school twice a day now.  It is keeping my step count up there pretty high, which is good!

My children, my husband and I have done the last two 5K's as a family.  Well, we start together, we don't end together.  My daughter isn't a great fan of running, she has exercise-induced asthma so we need to try to keep that in check.    I ended up run/walking the first 5K with her. My husband and two sons went on ahead and finished 10-13 minutes ahead of us.  I think it is important, and fun, that we do exercise together.  I know it motivates me to keep going.

My children and I at benefit 5K 9-6-13

I am going to be signing up for a half-marathon that will happen around Halloween.  I need to start running more regularly again.  I just need to get my registration paid and then there is no turning back!

Rest and Recuperation

There hasn't been much going on as far as training.  I ran/walked a 5K on Friday night for a good cause.  That has been pretty much the extent of what I have done.  I am sure I overdid it on the Half Marathon.  Lesson learned.  I was on antibiotics for a cracked tooth.  I will be getting that taken care of on Thursday.  Hopefully it is back to life as normal soon!

I have been trying to convince my husband that I should get a puppy so I can have something to run with.  He got a Guinea pig instead.  The puppy will be on hold for now, if not forever. 

I have been absolutely exhausted, can't seem to get enough sleep.  Not sure if that is due to the Loritab that I take every now and then for my pain or just trying to heel.  Rest and recuperation is definitely on my menu for a few more days.

I Got...

113th place out of 124 female runners.  Although I planned to do much better before I started, I am happy that I finished.  I salute everyone that ran in the race, whether they were in first, middle or last place.  It was not a good day for running a race, but we did it.  My time was 3:03:24.  It was wonderful to see the finish line at the end. 

The thing I am most thankful for is that I did not sign up for the full marathon that day!  I am thankful that I was able to cross the finish line and know that I gave it my all.  That is all I could expect from myself.  I plan to do better next time and I never plan to run further than a 10K in the months of June, July or August again.  I will have to think about May!  :) 

I am planning to sign up for a Halloween Half-Marathon that will take place on October 26.  The weather should be much more desirable for running by then. 

My blog will continue with regular updates on those training runs and other fitness and health endeavors I am embarking on.