I suppose I should tell how I became "in shape" before I start posting about fitness tips....
Approximately 2 weeks after giving birth to my second child via C-Section, my friend called me and told me, yes told! That I was going to run a half marathon with her and some of my other friends. The half marathon was Nov 12th and I gave birth at the end of July. After my 8 weeks of healing, that gave me less than 2 months to prepare to run 13.1 miles. As I write this, I still don't know how I did it but I did and so can you! Keep in mind too that I hardly exercised after my first (they are 21 months apart). Also, I gained almost 65 pounds during each pregnancy. I hadn't been happy with my weight in years. I used to run but I think the farthest I ever ran was 6 or 7 miles.
So, anyway, I told my husband that I was going to do it and then registered online. The hotel was booked a couple days later and there was no backing out! I figured I better get moving... So I got on the treadmill and starting "running". It was so not pretty and SO not easy. I think I ran a quarter of a mile at first then walked a lot then ran a little more etc. I then came back inside (my treadmill is in my garage) and cried to my husband. I thought about the end goal and felt as if was impossible. I was following the marathon rookie program. You run 4 days a week, 13 miles the first week and the peak week has 26 miles to run in those 4 days. That's a lot of miles for a non-runner. I figured since I was starting so weak, I had better run every day even if only a half mile. Let me tell you, and I swear it, it got easier every single day. I told myself each day that I had to run farther than the day before before I could stop and walk. I did! I wasn't worried about speed too much at first, I just wanted to be able to run the half marathon without walking. By week 4, I was running each scheduled run without walking. I had no idea what a good finish time was for half marathons so I told myself tat I wanted to finish under 2 hours 45 minutes. I think that is what time my friends said so I went with that. I finished my eight weeks of training and headed with friends to Savannah for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon. The night before the big race, we went out to carb up and drank a couple glasses of wine. We then went back to our beautiful suite at the Hyatt, talked for a while, laid out our clothes, and hit the hay.....2 hours later.... Then another hour later.... Then a couple more hours... I couldn't sleep, not a wink, not even 15 minutes. Panic set in, how am I going to run faster and farther than ever in my life with no sleep. Well, the rest of the girls finally got up ( I wanted to wake them all freaking night!) and we grabbed a bite to eat. We then headed out to the starting line with the other 30,000 crazies! Once we got in our spot, I was so wide awake, I was so pumped, I prepared hard or this and no lack of sleep was going to stop me! We finally crossed the starting line and I was in my groove. People were cheering, waving banners and hilarious signs, bands were playing, it was a running party! I stuck with one of my beasties until my started having stomach problems and then I was on my own. I think from about mile marker 3. So are you ready to hear how I did... I did great! I ran the who,e thing, never walked, and I finished 22 minutes under my goal! I will never forget that feeling of crossing the finish line! I quickly called my husband and then ran to the first aid tent to pump... I told you I just had a baby!
No comments:
Post a Comment