>Registration is only a click away

>I finally registered for the Cleveland Half Marathon. I had gone to the website many times looking at all of the information, but I sat down and actually did it. Well, stared at the register button for about 20 minutes. It’s easy to enter in your information, but when you hit that last button, it’s done. You’re committed and there is no turning back. This was key, I had to do it now, or else I would keep putting it off until May 14th…the day before the race.

I’m not sure what I was more nervous for, the fact that now I actually have to do it, and there is no backing out, or the fact that I could very easily be doing it alone. But, I’m glad I did it. I’ve decided that not only blogging about my training, but setting out a training plan is going to help. With starting up my MBA classes again, I’ll have two nights a week that I won’t be able to workout, but having them in the middle of the week, I’ll be less likely to skip out on the others I plan.  I hope to work on it later and share it. Any tips on ways to help me train?

>Good Support

>Running a half marathon is hard work, training for it is even harder. I don’t have the motivation to go out and try to run 5 or 6 miles. That’s because it’s the middle of January, and May still seems so far away. The biggest thing needed right now is support from friends and family. While its great to have that the day of the race, having them there to cheer you on during training is even better. It’s the hardest part. Of course when you should up at the starting line, you’ll try hard. But what or who pushes you now, helps you in the end.

One of my best support groups is the cross country team from Muskingum. Four years of running together and lasting friendships that have made it past college. I jokingly suggested that we all run the half together, thinking it probably wouldn’t happen since we are from all over Ohio. Well, we have our team again. As of now, two of us are doing the half, and two are doing the full. Even though we aren’t all doing the same race and won’t end with the same time, having the support of those who know you and will be there make all the difference. With 107 days left, I better get my (actual) training started!

>Consistently Inconsistent

>I was finally able to get into the workout room last night. I decided on the bike, I knew with my inconsistency that this wouldn’t make me want to stop in 5 minutes. I started off with listening to some Anberlin, my favorite music, and really got going. Within a matter of 25 minutes, I had gone 6 miles, and was biking at a 14.2 mile average speed. It felt great. Looking back to last summer, the fact that I did a 30 mile bike ride with no training, I should be able to do a 13.1 run with training. It’s just the fact of actually doing it.

After this, I attempted the one machine I could easily go without. I hate the treadmill, but because I was the only one in there, I tried it without being too embarrassed. Bad idea, my legs were tired from biking, and I was mentally breaking myself down with not being in shape. I did 10 minutes, decided that was enough.

Upside to all of this, I was able to bike 6 miles, and run 10 minutes (as of now, its more of the time than the mileage) and ate a pound of pasta without any guilt

>Fitness Trial

>Over the last week, I can say that I have been motivated, but haven’t been allowed to work out.
The weather has been in the single digits with windchill, so going outside to run has be a definite no. However, I follow Cleveland Marathon on twitter (@clevemarathon) and entered into their weekly Marathon Monday giveaway. You basically have to find the answer to their trivia question on their website, and the one of the first two people to answer. I got a free trial at Fitworks for a personal meeting with a trainer. I’m excited because I’m hoping this would help to make me jump start my training into a full time job.

Goals for this week:
Bike 20 Miles
Elliptical for 30 Minutes
Run 20 Minutes

>Biking, Bowling and Football

>It was a long week. I was still sore from snowboarding until Friday, but I knew it was good for me. I had a busy weekend, but I was able to get a workout in. Friday after work I went straight downstairs and biked for 25 minutes, ending with 5.3 miles, not bad, and I felt great. Biking is going to be my starting point. It still takes a lot, but I can ease into it without feeling I failed on the treadmill. Although I love running, I could easily take a day of biking over hitting the treadmill. This past summer I did the Tour de Cure for Diabetes, biked the 30 mile moderate. It felt great, who knew I’d be able to bike 30 miles in a few hours.

Friday night I did some bowling, not really a workout, but it was good for my arms. I was sore Saturday from biking. Although I live in Ohio, I am not a big fan of the Bengals or the Browns, but yes the Packers. I, however, was one of the three Green Bay fans at BW3′s on Saturday night, but I was definitely showing my team spirit. Green Bay Packers advance!

Hoping to get some good workouts in this week, we’ll see how it goes….

>New Challenges

>Yesterday I tried something that I honestly never thought I would do. I bundled up in the 20 degree weather, thankfully it was sunny, and headed to the ski resort to battle the “mountains” as they appeared to me. Standing there I thought there was no way I was going to be able to snowboard. I cross country ski, which is great, and safe, so this was going to be a challenge. My boyfriend (Darren) is obsessed with snowboarding, he learned in the Swiss Alps while he lived in Germany for a year. To say the least, these mountains of mine were small bumps for him. Luckily for me, he had patience and spent most of the day teaching me. I fell many times, and so did others all around me, I didn’t feel left out with my lack of experience. After a bad spill and frustrating thoughts, I had decided I was done for the day and wanted to give him time to enjoy being out there. Here I was struggling with the easiest slope, and he doing jumps on the black diamonds.

Today I can feel every muscle in my body, struggling to move fast. Even my fingers are swollen, which I did not know could happen. But I had so much fun.  I was trying something completely out of my comfort level, but also doing something that Darren enjoyed as well. The hardest thing was accepting that I wasn’t going to be great my firs time out. Running comes naturally to me. No matter how long I take off, I can come back and get back in the groove. This was going to take some time to get the hang of, even though I was apparently doing as well as any beginner. It’s harder for me to accept something that I can’t get right away, I’m used to working hard and succeeding, not failing right away.

While I’m supposed to be running and training for this half marathon, I see these opportunities as ways to get my body in shape without hurting too bad. I still have plenty of time, but if I’m able to use fun ways of getting back into shape and maintaining it, I’ll take that. That’s part of the fun when I choose cross training activities. Biking is my absolute number one, but this could get up on the list. I plan on taking a few days to let my body recover and then get back in the workout room. I will be trying snowboarding again, I just need a week to get back on the board.

>Easier said than done…

>As I expected this blog and working out haven’t been a daily thing, but I can’t completely blame it on a lack of motivation. I’ve had a migraine for the past three days, and for anyone who has experienced these, you don’t want to do anything. So I’ll start up again tomorrow.

I live in an apartment building that has a small workout room. And when I say small, I mean two stationary bikes, one treadmill and two elliptical machines. Now this wasn’t a huge deal when I moved in, it was summer and I live near the metro parks, perfect location. But since I am unable to run outside in the cold weather (40 and below my back stiffens beyond comfort) I have to deal with what I have. I have the ability to work out at the local college, as I’m getting my MBA, I can go there for free. As for now, I just want to get into a regular routine so I can at least say I’m on my way. I’ve been alternating between the stationary bike and the elliptical, hoping to get to the treadmill soon. This next week I really plan to step it up.

>New year, same resolutions

>As the new year begins, I’m trying to decide what my resolutions will be, however, they’re always the same. But this year, I plan on changing that (just like every year). I have three: gain 10 pounds/get back into shape, run the Cleveland half marathon, and start a blog. So here I am, starting a blog about my journey of running a half marathon.

I’m not really sure how it will go, both the training and the blogging. This is my first time doing a blog, and quite frankly, I’m not sure on the guidelines. But I’ll try it, and if I keep it up, I’m sure it will be rewarding in the end. Same goes for my running.