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Summer is Finally Here….Maybe

We’re a week into June and it looks like the weather maybe taking a turn towards summer-like here in New England. Let’s hope so!!

Anyway, I haven’t done a wrap-up in awhile so I thought I’d take a break from re-cap after recap of races long gone to do a little update and look forward 🙂

And what better time than the early days of June to get a ‘fresh start’ 🙂

With the year nearly half gone, a check in on my ‘resolutions’ would probably be a good idea, right? It’ll be short for sure:

Not so great with the resolutions so far. Yeah. It’s been lazy-time for yours truly!

May has been full of the things though – some good, some not so good and then some not so good that worked out okay!

The not so good:

I found out early in the month (or maybe in late April…) that my current contract wasn’t going to be extended past the end of June. This meant it was time to start looking for a job again! Definitely not one of my favorite activities – but I was getting a lot of help from people I work with – or have worked with in the past (thanks Betty!!). I had one informal ‘interview’ for what my mom would’ve called “a real job”. She wasn’t thrilled with my consulting I think! Still no word on that one but it’s at the top of my I want to do this list. Late breaking UPDATE though – my current manager has found a way to keep me through the end of the year! Keeping up with my same role but adding some more fun!

Also not so good? My running/working out/nutrition/#allofit – I’ve really fallen off of the get healthy and lose weight bandwagon this year! I’m getting back up to my heaviest weight ever – EEK! I have run a couple of times on my own, and one half marathon (Marine Corps Historic Half) but my training for Marine Corps Marathon and #Dopey18 starts on June 16 and I swear this year I’m sticking to the plan!! I’m accepting suggestions for ways to motivate/reward myself – preferably NOT with a cupcake – to follow plan!!

Now the good? Well, probably the best thing that’s happened is my nephew graduated from high school! I can’t even believe he’s gotten so old!! And…he also turned 18 which just can’t even be possible!! More on him later – I have to gather the appropriate pictures 😀

The graduate….

A week before the big day!!

Conor on his last night as a 17 year old – with Pop and Colin

Also good? My friends. Not that anything dramatic has happened, it’s just nice to be reminded that I have some awesome friends because sometimes we forget, right?

So. Coming up for the rest of the summer?

As mentioned, training starts in a week or so. I know right now the first week will be tough since it is also the week of the Traveler’s Championship golf tournament that I volunteer at every year. That means really long days at the golf course and just enough spare time to wash my clothes and sleep! So….I may give myself a pass for week 1 but I know it isn’t the ideal way to start!

I have a few 5Ks in my calendar through the summer and those are always pretty fun!

I’m also considering another Whole 30 — it’s been about 4 years since I last made an attempt and I need *something* to reset my eating habits so we’ll see about this one! But…I will miss you pizza and cheese. And wine. I will miss you most of all 🙂 This is also something that I would wait until after the tournament to start because it might be hard to find compliant food at the concession stands! At a bare minimum I *will* be cleaning up my eating habits!

So let’s all think good thoughts that I can get back on track!

And now…back to my recap catch-up!! This next one is a doozy!! 😀

Tags: Motivation, Plan, resolutions, Training

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Categories Exercise, Health, Running

Hello, It’s Me.

23 Sep

Once upon a time, I thought, “hey! I’ll write a blog! It’ll be great for accountability and I’ll meet new people and…it’ll be great!”

So here I am.

But haven’t been terribly consistently accountable.

I *think* I might be getting close to organized enough in the other areas of my life to jump right back in – and hopefully, to even eventually share some of the awesome things I’ve done so far this year but never posted. We’ll see. No promises, right?

And now it’s coming up on Fall Race Season – you know, that time of year when I spend several weekends either travelling somewhere to run or running at home (mostly the former though). Last year wasn’t completely disastrous. Until I got to the end of October and then beat myself up – privately of course – for my horrible performance at Marine Corps Marathon. I swore that I would never again run a marathon without doing the training.

Well. For the last 2 months I HAVE been doing the training. Mostly. Yeah. I started late, missed a couple of the shorter long runs and more than a couple of the short mid-week runs.

But I’m hitting the road. And the treadmill. Ya’ll I did FOURTEEN miles on a treadmill when the temps were over 100 a few weeks ago. I ran nearly every day when I visited my dad at the end of August. Usually around noon. In Texas where, again, it was pretty darn hot. But it all felt good!!

Now I’m 36 days away from my redemption at MCM – and feeling confident that I won’t repeat last year’s mess. Because I’m spending a lot of time with hills. BIG hills

Just an example of how things are running at home….this from my 18 miler turned 19.5 miler last week….

I’m kind of being helped along by a couple of changes being made by the Marines due to some logistical difficulties this year. The Guantlet and The Bridge have both been moved up by a couple of miles so SCORE! And, as I mentioned, I’ve actually done some training this year.

But before then, I have a few other things on my plate –

Tomorrow is the Hogsback Half Marathon – I discovered this one on the Twitters when someone mentioned the great post-race feast and I’m glad I did. It’s a fairly small event, with a gorgeous course – seriously, no part of this course is ugly! – great post-race festivities. And, they offer an early start for us slower folks which is really nice because you’re finishing with #allthepeople and not straggling in

After that, starting in October, there is the Hartford Half Marathon – I did this one once before I moved to CT. A few years back they changed the course and this will be my second year running the new course. This is another fun post-race – particularly the Mile 27 Beer Garden (the Hartford Marathon Foundation also offers a full on the same day) and the longest drinking fountain ever! Instead of bottled water, you get a water bottle which is pretty awesome.

The following week I will be travelling to the Sweetest Place on Earth. That’s not a typo! I’m heading to Hershey PA for the Hershey Half Marathon. This will be my third time running this one and one that I plan to keep on my must-do list for as long as I can. I mean, great swag and fresh chocolate at mile 12? Yes please! A few of my friends are planning to run this one as well which adds to the great weekend!

Then. Dun dun dun….it’ll be time to head down to DC and #runwiththeMarines. I’m not out to set records, but I am out to do the best I can. And again, lots of friends running this one as well but I will probably spend most of the 26.2 on my own. Laser like focus right? And I have a plan…

My MCM Race Day plan – based on the original timing

My plan – for all of my events coming up but most especially for the Marathon – is to stick with the intervals I’m training with. No funny stuff!! And really work on not taking off so “fast” and holding back the first few…or first 10-15 miles.

Run my own race, work towards the goals I’ve written down. Trust myself. I’ve done it before and I can do it again, right?

Tags: Plan, Race Schedule, Training