With my husbands travel schedule and the holiday’s my training calendar has been hard to follow. I didn’t get my long run in during the weekend so I had to bust it out yesterday (Monday). It was a 10 mile run!! Double Digits!!

What has shocked me with this winter running thing, is actually how nice it is to run in 36-39 degree weather! If you have the right layers on – you stay nice and warm and the chill can cools you down. When I need to cool down I just take my gloves off – instant ventilation.

I’m am kinda concerned about my knee, it’s the next day and still hurting some. The race is like 4 weeks away! This is so frustrating!

Sorry, I haven’t used the video camera on my Nano in a while – so I’m sideways  

1st week is always the easiest, as for distance. I’m surprised how much I’m liking running in the Fall/Winter elements. I think as long as we can stay above FREEZING and SNOW – I should be in good shape. But who knows if that’ll happen

In January I’m running the first ever… the inaugural year – Tinker Bell Half Marathon. I’ve ran one other half marathon… The Disneyland Half Marathon in 2010. Early yes, but yeah I can see a pattern starting to show. I’m a Disney person. I figure if you’re going to run 13.1 miles, you might as well run it in the happiest place on earth  

So on January 29th 2012 around 4am, I’ll be heading to the gathering area for a chance to earn my wings! Crazy early – YES! 13.1 miles Crazy – Yes! Total rush – Totally!!! And you get a cool medal – BLING!

I’m doing a 10 week training. It worked well for me last time around, the only difference is I’m training in Fall/Winter. I’ve never been a Winter runner – I’ve had to get some new running clothes… I’m learning about the running layering gear. I need to remember to run with a tissue, it seems that my nose likes to run with me when it’s cold out. So I’m learning all kinds of new stuff – this will be an adventure. I’m really hoping we have a warmer Winter and don’t get much snow… I’m not so sure about running on top of the white stuff. If you have any tips I’d love to hear them! Please leave a comment!

And it starts!

This last Saturday I did my first 5k of the year. It’s a great little 5k that benefits Guide Dogs of America. One nice thing about being part of a smaller event is you have a better chance in placing in the race I did this race 2 years ago – had been running for a few months. Felt ready to run the race… the goal was to run the entire thing without stopping. and I did! My friend and I didn’t feel like sticking around so we went to breakfast. About a week later I got an a small package in the mail I had gotten 2nd place for my age group!! And they sent me my medal!! I’d never placed a race before – pretty dang cool!

This year I wasn’t ready. This was my first 5k of the year and my second time running this year. It’s been a cold yucky spring and I haven’t got the running bug yet. But I went for it anyway… there were a few places where I thought to myself I could stop and walk… but I knew I could push through it if I wanted to. And I really wanted to see if I could run the entire thing. Well I did! I finished with a time of 29:39.8, that’s a pace of 9:34! Not to bad And guess what… I placed 2nd in females for my age group! Need to give a shout out to Insanity and Turbo Fire!!! They’ve totally kept me in shape to run the 3 miles non-stop!

Cotton socks will only lead to blisters; invest in socks designed for running.

Buy running clothes you look good in and that will motivate you to run. Dress like an athlete, it’ll make you feel more like an athlete and act like one!

Running Shoes! Do buy a good pair of running shoes – when I first started I just got a pair of sneakers… seemed alright. Then I injured my foot. My doctor actually "prescribed" Brooks Addition running shoes. The first time I ran in them – it was heaven! Running shoes worth the $$$

Tunes! Get an MP3 player and find some tunes that make you want to move and maybe sing. Or I also started listening to audio books on my longer runs. I could get lost in the book and not notice how long I’ve been running.

I absolutely love my Nano, and Nike+! It tracks my runs, my calories, steps, it even cheers me on Do you use it? Message me! We’ll be running buddies!

I don’t claim to be an expert runner. This is how I did it, and it seemeed to all happen easily and naturally.

1st thing you need to do is sign up for a 5k… give yourself a few months to train for it. If you’re doing it now and don’t run at all yet, sign up for one in August. Gives you plenty of time to train for it. And the great thing about a 5k is they’re normally a run/walk. So if you need to  walk parts of it, no big deal! 10k’s… that’s where it gets a little more hard core And sign up with a friend… it will keep both accountable to reach this goal.

Then map out from your house 2 miles and start walking it 4-5 days a week. Personally I walk/run outside for two reasons. Reason 1 – I get so bored on a treadmill! I get so bored I often will call it quits before I hit my goal. Reason 2 goes along with number 1, if you walk/run outside… it harder to quit… no matter what you have to turn around and come home. You’re forced to finish!

After a few weeks start running parts of it. Find landmarks to run to.  And every week start making those runs a little farther in difference.  If you want to get better you have to keep increasing it.

Once you start running half or more, cut it down to 3-4 days a week and do something else on your non running days. When I started I would do Turbo Jam on my off days. It works different muscles, it’s fun, and gives a great calorie burn. (Seriously! I’ve been doing Turbo Jam for years! It’s fun!)

Now you may find yourself plateauing, stalling… you’re not pushing your running sections as much as you should. That’s where signing up for the 5k 1st thing comes in. I find nothing pushes me better then a deadline . And if you’re like me – you really want to be able to tell people you ran the entire thing! The last 3 weeks before my 1st 5k I pushed so hard. I knew I was going to be running with a couple friends who I was sure in better shape than me.

One thing I learned with my 1st 5k… weight doesn’t say anything about fitness.  My 1st 5k, I still had 30-40lbs to lose… I ran by so many of the skinny "fit" people.  Just shows how nutrition plays a big part in weight loss… I had the fitness thing down pretty good. It was my diet holding me back from weight loss.

Warning… once you do a 5k, something happens once you cross the finish line. This crazy rush! You fall in love with these races! You’ll want to do more of them… you’ll play with the idea of doing a 10k… maybe even a half marathon!!! You’ll become addicted… you’ll be come a RUNNER!

Almost a year in the making… I completed my goal of running my 1st Half Marathon!

Here are some of the video highlights of my run

For about 3 years I have been running 5k’s and enjoying them. I had thought about doing a 10k, and even a half marathon… but in my head that was years off. Almost a year ago a I was talking with a friend living in California… she had taken up running and the Disneyland Half Marathon came up. We both decided we’d do it together. A few months later when registration opened up, I took the 1st step and signed up.

During the winter I did pretty good with exercising but not as good as I should have been. I would do Turbo Jam a few times a week, and run here and there. In May, after doing some research I became a Beachbody Coach, and my coach suggested I do Insanity. Holy Cow! That workout pushed me to a level I didn’t know I had. What was really crazy is right at the end of my Insanity program I had to start training for the Half Marathon. During Insanity I didn’t do any running… but my first run after Insanity was my best run I ever had! I was able to take on these hills that I never could do before. And I could have run farther than my training schedule called for!

Before I became a Beachbody Coach, I enjoyed working out, and I knew I wanted to take my fitness to the next level, but I didn’t know how. When I got started the first thing I noticed the excitement level in my workouts exploded again! Not only was I getting getting healthy and getting my body back, I was helping other people find their motivation. And sense then I’ve realized that helping others with their motivation actually has helped me find more motivation and turned me into a half marathon runner! I’m not sure how far I actually would have gone with this run if it wasn’t for the amazing people I’ve met on Facebook and Twitter! So I want so send a great big THANK YOU to my Facebook and Twitter friends that helped me run and pushing even on the days that I didn’t want to or didn’t think I could make it 13.1 miles!

The Disneyland Half Marathon was such a cool experience! I’m planning on doing it again next year and would love to get a group together to do it with. If you decide you want to do it let me know and we can help push each other. All you need to be able to do is to keep a 16 min mile pace, most people can do this walking!

And I’m sending out a challenge to my team of coaches… where I will pay your entry fee to the Disneyland Half Marathon 2011!! Coaches I will send you the details. If you’re not a coach and would like to know more message me!

I’m not at my goal yet… but it’s so exciting to be where I’m at!

I’m so glad I got up at 6am for my run today… it was one of our 10 hot days of the year