Run Harder??

     This week in running has been good, some weeks it seems like running is what it is all about, but of course it’s not what it’s all about (not all the time anyway). Yes there are weeks when everything I plan is worked around running, this comes of course when there is a routine established and anything extra is planned around my runs. I suppose this past week was the clam before the storm, it was the week of change for my household. It was the last week of “official” school and the last week for me before my summer hours began. It was also the big OMG week to the realization that our vacation is upon us. Although I did well following my running and toning plan for the week, so good it hurt like crazy when I had to sneeze!! There are times when routine is out of the question and when my mind is engulfed with thoughts of family and planning and getting organized- at this point running is done when it’s done. There are late nights and rushing to get home so we can get ready for the next day. There comes a point when we just have to stop and clean the house and wash the clothes. These are not my favorite times but they ground me, they remind me of why I am getting healthier and why I started running in the first place. For my family <3>

     Monday was my toning day and I thought about what I wanted to do exactly, I thought of all the exercises I’ve ever done over years. I thought about the ones that I felt the most. I thought about the classes I’ve taken and videos I’ve tried out and eventually I picked out a few for each area I wanted to work on. Some for my abs, some for my legs and some for my arms, I came up with a pretty good set of exercises, I am in the process of finding all the correct names for them and then I will give you a list. The one thing I chose to be a part of my workout was the oh-so-fear-full PLANK! I admit many a times at the gym or on the video the instructor asked told you to get in to plank position and I cheated I would set up on my knees, never really trying the PLANK. I knew it was a challenge for me, so I threw it into my workout and hoped it would not be that bad. Day one I could barely hold plank position for 15 seconds tops, day two – I could not sneeze with having to cry a little bit. Day three (my second toning day) I could hold it for a little bit longer not so much pain – YAY! Sunday night was day three and again much better :)


     Running went well, although my Saturday long run was a tough one, I wanted so badly to reach my 5miles goal but after mile 4 I was exhausted!! I ended up doing .8 of my fifth mile and I had to run/walk it. Next Saturday will have to be it no excuses! Ha!

     I also tried running the track at the local school and do a training run (fartlek’s funny name but a real term Swedish for “speed play”) either way I do this in my own way and it has worked for me helping me speed up my time a little bit. Lately adding speed to my time has become hard. Harder. Is it ever easy? I don’t know, running is a very mental thing, it really is mind over physical ability. I find myself having a constant battle with how my body feels vs my brain telling me to keep going.  I am hoping speed is just a mental block, which I have to just get past this wall and keep going but IT IS HARD! I feel like I’m going all out and then when I look at my time and I’m like really??? Dang I could have sworn I was going faster. I know speed isn’t what it’s all about and some days I really wish I could make myself stop worrying so much about it and just run. Less thinking more running… I think I’ll adopt this way of thinking form now on but I’ll still keep my Garmin with me just in case ;)

Oh yes! I almost forgot I did weigh in this past Friday!! Mr. Scale decided to move…a little bit…like a pound. SO I am boycotting Mr. Scale my not featuring him on my blog this week. I know you are bummed… but in lieu of that I put together and even more embarrassing picture!! This way you won’t feel cheated :) A quick sneak peek of what running looks like for me! Mr. Scale is allowed to return in two weeks only is he is kind enough to show me numbers I like better…. Of course I will have to do some serious behaving myself if we are to get along. Wish me luck!!