Races of 2013-2014

In 2012, I met my now-fiance. In March 2013, we decided to run the Shamrock 8K.

I assumed that he had done organized running events before. I honestly thought that if someone was in good shape, they had run in a race. I thought that I was just behind on this whole running with other people thing.

I was wrong. My fiance had never run in an organized event. So that made the Yuengling Shamrock 8K so much more fun!!!

I hate running, still. 

Tough Mudder MidAtlantic 2012

TM MidAtlantic 2012 was scheduled for the day before my 27th birthday. Which was pretty good, because that meant that 3 of my best friends were forced to hang out with me on my birthday weekend, since they'd already committed to being my TM Teammates that year. 3D and I were ready.

Team DTF!

(Down To Finish....duh)

Races of 2012, Moving to Texas

Here I am....almost 2 years after my last entry...starting again...

A lot has happened since April of 2012. Obviously. A lot happens every day.

I came back because I'll be moving from Virginia to Texas in May 2014. Since I don't know anyone there yet, and my family will still be here in Virginia...blogging might be a good way to keep track of the adventure and keep family and friends informed!

But let me recap some of the fitness stuff I never got around to posting. 

Here's some stuff I did: 

May 2012
I ran my second ChickFilA 5K, which was another great event from FlatOut Events. Even better, my cousin ran it with me. (Well...she ran it as well...not with me...she beat me!)

(Free sammiches for the runners!!!)

Busy Weekend

It was a great weekend, but very busy. However, I got my workout in, so it's okay!

Friday was a social evening, so I didn't work out at all that day. But Saturday was rushed!

Congrats to my brother, who graduated Saturday morning! After watching the commencement, we all met at Red Lobster for a celebratory lunch. I did good. I limited myself to one delicious cheddar bay biscuit, and had a salad before the meal came. Shrimp scampi and crab legs, with a side of broccoli instead of fries. I knew I'd be running after lunch, so I didn't want anything super heavy, and keeping the exercise in mind made me make a few decent decisions at the table.

Team Running #2

Last night's run was okay.

Another run approximately 3 miles, but this time on a paved trail. I found that the nature trail was a lot easier on my knees, which I've had trouble with in the past. But it wasn't horrible.

As a team, we run at about a 4 mph pace. Last night, there were 5 of us and we did the 3 miles in about 50 minutes. It took a little longer, but we tried to stick together as a team, and we did some pushups and situps at every 1/2 mile marker. Also, it was a little warmer yesterday than it was Sunday.

The good thing about the paved course was the mile markers. Every 1/4 mile was marked on the path, so that was helpful.

I tried a Gatorade "Prime" gel thing. Supposedly it's supposed to give you a beginning spurt of energy with B vitamins to jumpstart your workout. To be honest, I just got really hot really fast. Didn't really feel that different. Maybe it's because I've been so sedentary and these things are meant for active people. Who knows, but I won't be paying $1.99 for one again. I'll be asking friends for nutrition and energy advice.

I know that as a beginner it's good to give your body a break in between runs, but I'd really like to go back to the trail tonight. Sadly, it's rainy outside.

Maybe I'll do it anyways. Tough Mudder is going to be disgustingly cold, wet, and muddy. What's a little rain gonna hurt?

Starting to Train: 6 Months to Go!

Tough Mudder training, GO!!

I pitched the idea of the Tough Mudder to a lot of my friends, and suprisingly, some of them are super interested! So as of right now, I'm the only one officially signed up, but we've started a training group. Because a lot of us are out of shape, it's not really a big deal that we're not all on the same fitness level.

I'm really excited to have company training for this challenge, because I can't do it alone.

Just this past weekend, I have been way more active. On Friday, I did my usual 30 minute cardio workout and small upper body weights. Then, my friends and I went and played football on the beach. Let me just say, it wasn't much of a game, it was more like stumbling around on glass shard-like sand. Ouch!

Goal-Setting

I didn't just sign up for Tough Mudder thinking I could train alone and be ready. Didn't you read it? I've NEVER played a sport! I was the academic, not the athlete!

So I figured the first step is to set goals. I mean, that's what I did when I had a big school project.

I started by signing up for my first 5K race. I have no intention of winning the race, but I need to have short-term goals in order to push myself the right way.

In one month, I will be running the Chick-Fil-A 5K in our area. It's a relatively small race, and I think I can handle it.