2 Mile Pick Me Up

I finally ran after wayyyy too long. I have been having withdrawals! I got a Nike+ Sportband for my birthday from a friend of mine and have been eager to try it out.

I went running with a friend and we planned to do a slow, easy run since we haven't been consistent. But it actually turned out to be quite the opposite! We did two miles and finished under 20 minutes with my average pace at 9:56. My times were 10:15 mile one and 9:37 mile two. I was surprised that I didn't feel like I was going to die since I hadn't run for weeks, and I mean WEEKS. Under a 10 minute mile is good, and at one point I was at a 8:13 pace, which is super fast for me.

Sometimes taking a break doesn't mean we lose it all! Alot of times I take a break and come back faster than before. I have lost my ability to go longer distances but, hey, I will get it back in time.

The verdict on the sportband? I LOVE IT!

And I think that was the perfect run to rekindle my desire to get out there and move!

Have you had any amazing runs lately? I would love to hear about it, or any other fitness triumphs you have had!

Happy running,

Hannah

New Ideas and a New Approach

Hello!

I have been doing some serious thinking about blogging in general, and specifically this blog and what I want it to be.

I first started this blog just to document my workouts, weight loss, and races. I didn't stick with blogging my workouts regularly, although I did stick to running and losing weight. I felt that just blogging about how far I ran and my pace was just boring.

So I have been brainstorming and have come up with lots of running related topics that I want to write about! I want this blog to be interactive, I want it to showcase my passion for running, and talk about all different aspects of running, not just my training. I want to share some lessons I have learned along the way and share the fun and joy that running brings to my life.

I hope you enjoy the new direction the blog is going and would love to hear from you on any areas of running you would like to read about specifically!

Happy running,

Hannah

Kathy's Run for Pancreatic Cancer 10k

Hey Everyone!

I know I said I would post this earlier but I was having laptop troubles this week!

Saturday, October 22, I ran a 10k with two of my good friends. The run was for a lady named Kathy, who had pancreatic cancer, and died a week or two before the race.

While my friends and I were running the race for fun, we also were happy to be able to run together and still run for a cause. Many of the people were running the race because they knew Kathy, or had family members who had died from pancreatic cancer, or wanted to do something for the cause.

The morning of the race we all got together for breakfast at my friends house and had a good time, got ready and then headed out! We only made it there three minutes before the race actually started!!! I don't recommend this, people, but since we were just there to run for fun it worked out OK in the end.

I felt a little tired and still kind of full from our breakfast so while running I felt pretty slow, but I was happy to find that I finished the 10k just under 1 hr 7 minutes (11:20 m/m), which was faster than I felt I was going!

My friends and I had some shirts made up for the race. They both have asthma so they had shirts made that referenced that, and I just got a shirt with a shiny Pegasus and my name on the back. I liked how the Pegasus looked, plus the first pair of shoes I wore when I really got into running were Nike Pegasus. So it did have a little symbolism in it for me.

Here's some pics!

Now we are training for a 1/2 Marathon in March. More on that later!

Don't eat too much candy this Halloween! But remember that if you do, you can always go running....

Hannah

Just for Fun

https://www.facebook.com/benefitsofgiving?sk=wall

While I Was Away

I'm not dead, I didn't fall off the face of the earth, and I didn't stop running! 

I took a break from blogging, I kept training for my marathon, ran it in May in 5:42:00 without stopping or walking, and I've been running for fun off and on ever since.

But now that I'm back into running more consistently I want to get back to blogging.

So...

This Saturday I'm running a 10k for Pancreatic Cancer. It's purely for fun (no PR goals or anything), and I'm really excited!

I will post pics of it next week!!

So if anyone reads this please comment and let me know what you have been up to since I've been "away". Have you been running? Let me know!

Hannah

Time to Decorate!

Hello!

Today I did my 4 mile easy run in the morning before I had to go out. I have been pretty busy the last few days and tired because of it. I slept horribly a few days this week and I'm only now just getting back on track. Last night we went to a gymnastics club with our youth group and that was pretty fun but I also rolled my ankle a bit. Thankfully I was able to ice it for 5-10 minutes and I haven't had any problems with it today, it's just a little sore. After I rolled it I was like "No! I can't injure myself right now!"

I was also sore today from lifting weights this week. So all in all I felt like I didn't have much energy when I went running and just did an average 12 minute mile pace for the whole run. I was able to exchange my running pants the other day for another pair and I really like them. I got them in a smaller size so they fit more snugly but not uncomfortably, and I will be able to wear them again next year even after I lose all of the weight I want to lose.

Today we are going to get a tree and do some decorating. I think it will make it feel more like Christmas when we have that done!

How was your week? Have you done any decorating yet?  What is one thing that you are the most excited about this Christmas?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

-Hannah

Catching Up

Hello!

How are you doing? I hope you are having a great week so far!

My running for this week is three, 4 mile runs. I did my first on Monday close to home and I finished it in 44:57. The weather was -5 C and I wore my new pants and liked them well enough--they kept me warm and they were pretty comfortable. There were a few icy patches that I had to slow down on but all things considered I think my time was pretty good!

Today I did my run today at the dog park, but it was actually about 5 miles. I finished it in 55:18. I wore my pants again today but I wasn't super happy with them and I'm hoping to exchange them for another pair. They fit me a little higher in the front and lower in the back, and they have a drawstring waist, and during my run they were falling down and didn't feel as comfortable as they were on Monday. I had to cinch them up super tight so they would stay up. I hope to go back and get the other pair I tried on--it had an elastic/stretch waistband so I think it will do a better job at staying up...I just wish they still had the pants in black, they only have gray right now!

With the cold weather I have had trouble stretching after running because I usually need to change right away or drive home, and last night I really paid for it. I didn't sleep well at all because my legs were so tight and restless. I stretched for a few minutes today right after my run and will stretch more tonight. Other than a little muscle soreness from weightlifting and some tight muscles from running I am feeling really really good!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

-Hannah

Winter Makes Me Sleepy

Hello!

I did my 7 mile long run on Saturday afternoon. I was busy all morning and by the time I got home I was really tired so I knew I needed to get out there and get it done right away before I changed my mind!

I went to a park in the city, and did three laps, which is a little over 7 miles.When I got there and stepped out of the truck, the ground felt a little slippery so I decided to wear spikes over my shoes. There was snow on all the trails, so it was pretty slow going. I'm glad I wore the spikes, though, because there are some hills on the route and I didn't want to risk falling!

The temperature has warmed up alot in the past few days. Saturday it was about 31 F or 2 C, so I was able to wear my capris, a long sleeve tech shirt, and a short sleeved top over that, some gloves and my shoes. I was thankful I didn't have to wear a hat or a balaclava, because they are nice to stay warm but I don't really like stuff covering my face.

I finished my run in 1 hour 32 minutes. Pretty slow pace, but I do my long runs slow anyways, and when you factor in all the snow it probably wasn't that bad.  I'm just happy I burned like 1,000 calories! Whoohoo!  My weight is still going down and my pants seem to be getting bigger and bigger so I know I must be getting smaller!

Today Kyle and I went and looked at some running pants. I went to The Running Room and tried on a few pairs. I found one pair I liked that were Nike, but there was a Nike outlet really close by so I wanted to go see what their prices were like before I made my final decision. I got to the Nike outlet like 5 minutes before they were closing but I was able to try on some of their pants and I found two that I like. I will probably go back tomorrow or another day this week and get a pair from the outlet, but I didn't want to make a snap decision on the pants just because the store was closing!

I hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving, and that you had a great weekend!

-Hannah

I am a Runner

Hello!

I can't believe it is already Wednesday! Monday's run was good. I just ran close to home because it was -25 C out and I wanted to make sure I could come back if I got too cold. I did an easy 2 miles and left my watch at home. Running through the snow is similar to running in sand so it slows me down and really messes up timing myself. Here's a picture of me when I got back from my run!

Can you see the moisture on my hat? The skin around my eyes was red from the cold, my eyelashes were freezing, and I kept getting little beads of sweat and condensation that would drip down right above my eyes then freeze. So far -25 C hasn't stopped me from running so I think I will be able to deal with running outside for the rest of the winter since it doesn't get much worse than this.

Today's run was a 5 mile tempo run with 2 miles @10:25 pace.  I was out all morning running errands, and when I got back I had just about an hour to do my run before heading off to a facial (birthday gift from my Aunt). I started out fast because I wanted to make sure I got my faster miles in first in case I needed to stop and finish my run later. The temperature was -22 C, and my butt was freezing at the end of it all because I was just wearing a pair of leggings on the bottom because I STILL need to get those pants!!

All of the sidewalks were shoveled and clear so I was able to run a lot faster. I did mile 1 in 9:18!!!!! That is my fastest mile ever, I'm pretty sure. Wow, I was so surprised! I think that running in the snow and pushing myself has helped me get faster because it takes more effort. I decided to slow it down a bit after that so I did mile 2 in 10:20, closer to the required pace.  Miles 3-5 I took easy and the time for each them was probably between 10:30 and 11:10. Total time for all was 52:40, so you can do the math if you like.

I actually didn't end up getting a facial today because the lady who was going to do it is sick, so I'll be getting that another day. I was happy to be done with my workout though, so now I can relax for the rest of the evening!

I titled this post "I am a Runner" because it's something that I have been thinking about lately. I have been running off and on for a while but I don't think I actually considered myself A RUNNER. It was only just recently that I kind of came to this realization fully and I think the fact that I have been running consistently for the past six and a half weeks has made me feel like a real runner. A few other reasons are 1) when I'm not scheduled to run I feel like running, 2) sometimes I wish I wasn't training for a race so  I could run whenever I want and try different running programs, and 3) when I see people running I feel jealous and wish I was running.

How about you? Do you consider yourself a runner? If not, what would make you change your mind?

I hope you enjoy the rest of the week!

-Hannah

Snow, Snow, Snow

Hello!

I did my 6 mile long run as planned today. I still don't have long running pants but I was fine. The temperature was about 0 F, yes that's a zero! It's crazy how quickly I have acclimated to the cold, and I actually love it. If it was 50 F back in Cali I would be cold, but not anymore!

I did four laps around a 1.5 mile loop by my cousin's house, and finished it in about 1 hour 15 minutes. It was supposed to be a 12:02 mile pace, but there was lots of snow and some hills and I think that slowed me down some.

It was such a beautiful day today. The sun was shining, the snow was glistening, and the air was cool. The sun starts to set pretty early here now, like between 3 and 4 the sun is definitely going down.  I haven't felt depressed at all about winter, though and I hope it stays that way.

I think I'm losing more weight and I'm so excited! I tried on a pair of my jeans that was uncomfortably tight before, and now they fit really well. If I lose another 2 lbs I will be below my lowest weight in at least the last 2 years, if not longer. I am so excited that I am actually going to do this, and it won't be like the other times I tried to lose weight then gave up. This time is different.....I can just tell.

I hope you are having a great weekend!

-Hannah

Time?

Hello!

Wow, I've really been slacking on the blog. Sorry! It started snowing early this week and now the winter is here to stay! I am loving it so far, and had my first run in winter conditions on Wednesday. I had a speed workout, that was 5 miles total including warm up, 2 miles @ 9:50 pace with 800 m jog in between, and cool down.

I woke up, ate an apple, then went to a nearby outdoor track to do my workout. I think the temperature was 11 F but with the wind chill it was closer to feeling like 0 F. I haven't gotten any winter running gear yet, so I wore my standard capris, wore a long sleeve technical shirt, then a long sleeve cotton shirt over that, some gloves and a hat to keep my head warm. I actually felt pretty good during the run, only a little cold. The exposed part of my legs was a bit chilly but not unbearable.

I did 1 1/2 mile warm up at an easy pace, then did my 2 miles @ 9:50 with 800 m jog in between, and then a mile cool down.  I think I was so concerned with making sure I had the clothing I needed and worried about whether or not I would be cold and I totally forgot to bring my watch! So I'm really not sure what my pace was for the speed work, but I ran at the fastest pace I could do for a mile and hoped it was close to the time I needed.

Today I went to The Running Room, which is an Edmonton based running specialty store and chatted with one of the girls there about running in the cold, and she showed me the necessities. I don't want to spend very much money, so I knew the essentials I would need were a pair of spikes to go over my shoes and some good pants for running at the very least.  I didn't get anything while I was there because I wanted to make sure that my husband was OK with the things I need to get. When I got home my mom-in-law showed me a pair of spikes she has that she would put over her boots when walking the dogs in the winter. I tried them on over my running shoes and they fit perfectly so I won't have to buy any spikes right now which is nice. So now all I really need to get is some pants and I hope to do that this week if possible, since I have a long run that I'm supposed to do tomorrow! I'll let you know how that goes!

In closing I have some good news! I have lost a total of 18 lbs since last summer, and since re-committing myself to getting in shape in October of this year I have lost almost 9 lbs! I'm so excited!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

-Hannah

Monday's Run

Hello!

I need to work on posting right after I do my workout! On Monday I had an easy 2 mile run. I just went a little bit after I woke up and left my watch at home. I tried to just relax and enjoy the run. It's really nice to not think about my pace sometimes,especially because tomorrow I have to do speedwork, which is all about time!

I don't have too much to say today, except it started snowing today and this time I think it is here to stay! I need to get some winter running gear...STAT!

I hope you all are having a good week. I'm pretty busy tomorrow but hopefully I will be able to post about how my speedwork goes!

-Hannah

On and On and On

Hello!

Today was my 6 mile long run, and I went to Terwillegar Park with my mom-in-law and one of her friends.  I knew that one lap around it was over 2 miles so I decided to just do three laps. I did my three laps in 1 hour 30 minutes and it actually ended up being like 7.35 miles!

The scenery was really pretty. The park is a big loop and the Saskatchewan River runs around three quarters of it. There were big chunks of ice floating in the river and lots of Canadian geese. As I was running I could hear the geese honking and see the river running, and it was so peaceful.  Instead of focusing on my time today, I decided to take my run nice and easy and just enjoy it and being outside.  There is supposed to be snow coming this next week so it was nice to get out and enjoy the crisp air and a little bit of sunshine before the weather turns.

One thing I really love about easy long runs is the feeling that I could just go on and on.  Once I get past mile 5  I feel like I just don't want to stop.  Recently I have been wondering if I will really be able to stick with my running, and if I will really be able to run a marathon in May. Today helped me realize that I can do it.  My run today was over a quarter of a marathon, I've only been back to running for like six weeks, and I felt amazing during my run!  I thought to myself..."Why can't I do it?"

Hopefully I will continue to lose weight and that will also help me gain speed. If I stay consistent in my training, then it only makes sense that I will be able to actually complete a marathon. When I first decided to run a marathon I thought that I wanted to do it in under 4 hours. I'm not sure if I will still aim for that.  I think as I get further in my training I will be able to tell if that is realistic for me or not.  I don't want to be so focused on time that I don't enjoy the experience!

How is your weekend so far? I know Thanksgiving is coming up for you guys pretty soon, what are your plans? Thanksgiving has come and gone here a little while ago so I'm on to Christmas shopping and decorating!

-Hannah

Off Tempo

Hello!

How is your week going so far? Mine has been pretty good. I realized that this week is my fifth week of my training plan, and the sixth week that I have been consistently running. I was feeling a little tired and down about working out but when I realized that I had been consistent for almost 6 whole weeks I was really happy.

Today's workout was a tempo run. The complete distance was 5 miles including warmup and cooldown, with 3 miles @ 10:25 pace. I started with a mile warmup, nice and easy, and did it in 11:14. I had a little bit of trouble keeping my pace on track for the 3 miles, though. Mile 1 was in 10:14, mile 2 in 10:44, and mile 3 in 10:19. I didn't time my cool down mile but I would say it was about 11:30 or 11:45.

I was actually really dreading todays run because of how Monday's run went, and because, as I said before, I have been feeling a little down about working out.  Thankfully I always feel better after I run. It's really cool to see the progression of my mileage each week. I started out doing 6 miles my first week back to running , then 6 miles again in week one of my training plan, 8 miles week two, 10 miles week three, 12 miles week four, and this week (week 5) will be a total of 13 miles.

In have been tracking my runs this entire year in my training journal, even before I renewed my running commitment in October. My year to date total, not counting the miles I have done so far this week, is 78 miles. I have actually run more than that but wasn't tracking for a bit. It's numbers like that I need to be encouraged by, and I'm working on focusing on those things instead of just my weight!

I read an article recently about when to step back from the scale. I realized that I was becoming obsessive about weighing myself, and from now on I am going to attempt to weigh myself only once a week, on the same day. I think that will help me have a healthier mindset about my weight.

I hope you are all having a great week so far, and that you have some inspiring workouts!

-Hannah

Change It Up

Hello!

How was your weekend? I was busy all weekend and didn't get a chance to post on Saturday after my run. I did a 5 mile run on my regular route. Before I started I was a little apprehensive, but I hope I don't feel that way every time my mileage goes up.  Every time I start running, though, I know I am committed to running the complete distance.

I did mile 1 in 9:52, mile 2 in 10:35, mile 3 in 10:43, mile 4 in 10:45, and mile 5 in 10:35. I felt really good afterwards...like I had accomplished something. It has been a few months since I have run that distance so it's nice to know I can still do it! I really need to vary my running route. My knees were hurting a bit after my last few runs, and I think it is because the route I run is pavement and has hills.  I decided that this week I would change up my run location and see if it helps.

Today I had a 2 mile run and I did it at the gym on the treadmill before I did my weights workout. What I wrote in my training journal will give you a little insight on how that went....I wrote, "I officially LOATHE the treadmill. I will not run on it again unless I absolutely have to!" I made it almost all the way through my run at a 10: 20 pace but had to slow it down at the end. I was really dehydrated and felt super weak, and I was also extremely hot and tired. It still doesn't make sense to me why it is so hard. A 10:20 pace outside wouldn't really be an issue. I told Kyle to get me a pair of spikes for my birthday so that I can run outside in the winter and hopefully not have to run in the gym. My knees haven't been bothering me today so I think that may be one positive thing about running on the treadmill!

I'm getting bored with my weights routine so I think I might try to switch it up a bit and try something new. My sister e-mailed me an 8 week volleyball conditioning workout schedule. I will probably start that soon and see how I like it. It might actually be good because I was thinking about joining a recreational volleyball team for the winter season.

And now for some good news.... I think I broke through my weight loss plateau!!  My weight has gone down a little bit finally after a couple of weeks so I'm hoping I continue to lose more weight now. I think that 5 mile run on Saturday did the trick!!

Happy running, friends!

-Hannah

Easy Run

Hello!

Today was supposed to be an easy 4 mile run. I did just that--I took it easy. I thought about not even running today and doing it tomorrow instead, but I thought that it would be better for me to stick to my schedule if possible.

I was tired again today. I had gone for an hour walk not too long before I went running. Anyways, I tried to just enjoy my run without worrying about going fast and trying to compete with myself.

I did mile 1 in 10:43, mile 2 in 10:56, mile 3 in 11:06, and mile 4 in 11:26. I was trying to pace myself at about an 11 minute mile but wow my pacing skills are way off! I need to work on that so that I will be able to accurately pace myself when I race.  I used to be good at doing a 12 minute mile pace consistently so I guess I will have to get used to doing an 11 or 10:30 minute mile pace.

I haven't lost any weight during the last week or so and I think I'm hitting a plateau. Bummer. Whatever it is I hope it is over with soon because it can get kind of depressing. It's no fun feeling like I'm not getting anywhere even though I am working out hard and tracking all of my calories. I'm thinking that I need to up the weight of my strength training a bit, and try to walk on the days I am not running. Hopefully that works!

I hope you are having a good week so far!

-Hannah

Ups and Downs

Hello!

Today I had kind of a BLAH Monday feeling. I wasn't very excited about my 3 mile run. I was tired, so I did it immediately after I got home from the gym this afternoon because I didn't want to risk waiting until later and then possibly skipping it.

I did mile 1 in 9:56, mile 2 in 10:48, and mile 3 in 10:41.  That snow last week fooled me. I keep wearing warmer clothes on my run and then I get really hot. The snow is all gone and the temps are slowly rising again so I need to readjust my running clothes.

My times were still good, but you know, sometimes you have runs that you don't enjoy. I felt better afterwards, just knowing it was done. I'm happy to get that out of the way, and hopefully on my Wednesday run I will feel differently.

How often do you have those BLAH workout days? What do you do...skip the workout or slog through it and hope for the best?

Hope you had a good Monday!

-Hannah

Saturday's Run

Hello!

 I meant to post Saturday after my run but I was busy all weekend. My schedule for Saturday was a 4 mile run. I was kind of dreading it because I thought I was due for a slower time since all of my times had been getting better. But once again I was pleasantly surprised.

Hard work pays off!

I did mile 1 in 9:58, mile 2 in 10:27, mile 3 in 10:42, and mile 4 in 10:23.  I think it all really comes down to the fact that I push myself every time I run. I'm teaching myself to enjoy the temporary discomfort I sometimes feel because I know in the end it pays off big time. I'm also convinced that running three days a week and getting those rest days in between makes me a better runner, as well.

So far I have lost 6 lbs. My jeans are a little looser and I'm feeling a little leaner. I'm still hoping to lose another 9 lbs by mid December, then another 30 lbs by May. Hopefully I will be able to do it! I'm still tracking my calories faithfully but I think I could cut back a little on the sugar.

How was your weekend? What did you do? Have you gotten any good workouts in lately?

-Hannah

The Loop

The Loop is what I call my favorite place to run outside. It's where I have been doing all of my runs lately. Today I did a 3 miler. I did mile 1 in 10:22, mile 2 in 10:51, and mile 3 in 10:51. The temperature was about
 -3 C or 26-27 F. There hasn't been any new snowfall but it is still covering the ground in alot of places.  I just ran in a long sleeve shirt and my capris. My ears and hands were cold for a little but but I warmed up about halfway through my first  mile.

Today I wasn't as concerned with trying to go fast, I had some stuff on my mind that I was thinking through. It's fun to run with other people on occasion, but I prefer to run alone. I love having the time to look around, enjoy the scenery and air, and just think. Sometimes when I run I think through issues or situations, and other times I just focus on the run and when I am done I feel better about life in general.

I've noticed that when situations arise in my life where I am frustrated, or sad, I often feel the urge to go running.  How about you? Is running a way for you to escape, and think things through, or is it just a way for you to stay in shape?

-Hannah

My Past Experience With Running

Hello!

I was recently asked in the comment section by one of my readers what my past was with running. I decided to do a post on it since it would be a little long for a comment. Be warned...this is a LONG post. :D

 Really, I don't have much of a past with running for pleasure.  I played volleyball, basketball, and softball throughout high school, which meant I ran throughout high school if you count all of the conditioning and games. Outside of those sports I pretty much never ran just to RUN.  I remember doing that only a few times. One such time was when I was either a junior or senior in high school. I don't even remember why I wanted to go running but I went out in the fields all around my parents house and just ran for an hour and felt so ALIVE!

When I went away to college I played some intramural volleyball and basketball, but I also stayed up super late, ate soft serve ice cream in the cafeteria almost every day, and regularly went to Taco Bell late at night. Basically all of that combined equals GET FAT! I was so used to eating whatever I wanted in high school because I had been so active and it had never been a big issue.

The weight came on really quick. During my Freshman year I remember it was like "POOF!" and I had gained 20lbs. I met my husband Kyle at the end of my Freshman year. He was a basketball player, tall, and very lean. He basically has to try really hard to gain weight. He can eat whatever he wants and he won't get fat. Dating can sometimes be a recipe for diet disaster, especially for the girl!  I ran off and on at different times through college but never really stuck with it or focused so much on just running. I slowly gained weight throughout our dating years, and then during my 3rd year of college, before we got married I lost a little bit of weight...maybe 5 or 10 lbs.

Right after we were married we went to Israel for a semester. I didn't like the food very much at all so most of what I ate was bread and apples. Lots and LOTS of bread. My weight was so up and down when we were there, and I gained all the weight back that I had lost before our wedding, plus some. When I got back from Israel I weighed the most I have EVER weighed in my life....almost 200 lbs! I had told my sister a long time ago to slap me if I ever got to 200 lbs. Being that heavy was a wake up call for sure.

After Israel, we moved up to Canada for Summer 2009. I was tired all the time, sluggish, and generally just felt horrible. I desperately wanted to lose weight/ knew I needed to lose weight. I didn't want to be overweight the rest of my life. I have alot of family that is overweight/ obese and I wanted to be different. I wanted to be healthy and fit. I wanted to get in shape before I had kids and teach them healthy eating and exercising habits. I ate fairly healthy during the summer, and tried some exercise videos. I tried running a few times but absolutely HATED it. Looking back now its sad but funny. I hated it because it was hard. I hated it because I would get so out of breath after a mile, and two miles was killer. I hated it because I was ashamed that I had let myself get so out of shape. Throughout that summer I ran a little here and there, I went back and forth between feeling determined and helpless, but I lost about 10 lbs overall.

At the end of the summer, Kyle and I went back to California for him to finish his last year at college. I reached out to a family friend, and she became my workout buddy. We decided to meet at a local park. The first day was so hard for me. It took a total of about 60 seconds for me to get out of breath and I couldn't believe how physically weak I was. It was hot and I was fat and slow. I stuck with it, though, and kept meeting her to work out, and did some workouts on my own. In between jumping pullups, girl pushups, and squats, my friend would have me do a little running. It started out with little bits like 400 meters or 1/4 of a mile, then slowly progressed. After a little while I started to enjoy the running.

My friend moved to a different city that was about an hour and a half away, so I started doing my workouts on my own. After a bit, I asked my sister if she wanted to be my running/workout buddy. We would get up at 5:30 and go running at 6 am a few days a week, then lift weights 1 or 2 times a week. The lifting weights was off and on, but the running was more consistent.

I started out just doing 2 miles each time. Every once in a while I would do 3 or 4. I noticed that I was getting faster and I loved it. Some of my best running days were when I had rested for a day or two before, and then went running by myself. Those days reminded me of that one run I remember doing in high school. The run where I felt so alive.  I lost about 8 more lbs while I was living in California, I was running consistently and increasing my mileage.

After Kyle graduated this May I didn't run for a little while. I got really sick and didn't run for a whole week, then the next week we were packing to move out of our apartment. After those two weeks we went to my parents house and stayed with them for about a month. I only ran a few times, and ate alot of ice cream. Just keeping it real. I ate ALOT of ice cream. There is something about home...it's so hard for me to stay on track.

Anyways, this July, Kyle and I moved back up to Canada.  I ran a few times, but didn't have any plan. Then at the end of September I decided...THAT'S IT! I'm doing this, all or nothing. I asked my sister if she wanted to train for a marathon with me. I knew that if I had a race that I was training for it would help me stay consistent. I signed up at an all ladies gym close to where I live that I absolutely love, and now I lift weights there four times a week. I made a training plan for the marathon and have been sticking to it faithfully. The race I want to run is in the L.A. area in May 2011.

My first post on this blog is titled, The Beginning.  I titled it that because I knew this time would be different. This time I would stick with it. This time I would reach my goals. I have learned to love running so much, that I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.

If any of you actually read this whole thing then....wow.

I would love to hear your history with running. Please comment!


Thanks!

-Hannah