How I got my groove back

I've been meaning to blog about this for the entire summer but with the craziness of summer school sessions and other things it of course slipped to the bottom of the to-do list. Last few times I've been on here has been in an attempt to help get my mojo back and try to rediscover my love of running. To be honest as the SJR race got closer and closer I grew more and more anxious and started to dread it in some ways. I knew that I really wanted to run it with April and another friend, Melissa...it was just a matter of what would happen after. I didn't really need to stress too much about it because just standing at the finish line I got my answers. The happy tears, the tears of pain, the cheers,...even seeing the pure joy on the kids running their race---it all summed it up for me. This is what I want to experience over and over again.

I took my little break after the race and jumped back into it with joining the local See Jane Run group runs. They had hired a new group leader who has several marathons under her belt and she used to teach cross-country at one of the local high schools. She was full of great ideas and advice from the get-go. I have now found myself going on these group runs every Monday and Saturday (if she's available). My other runs in between have been sporadic but at least I'm doing the two.

I won't lie in that it has been so nice to not have the pressure of training for a race looming over me. By just going with the flow of some of the other runners that meet up, I'm actually improving more than I ever thought I could. Hills? Getting more doable and tolerable. Pace? About the same but I can keep up with some of the faster ones, I just can't say anything more than a few words at a time. Strength? I can say that I have pushed myself to 5 miles a couple of times already and only once did I feel it the next day. Every other time I did that I felt like I had been hit by a truck.

So there you have it, I got my running groove back. I think it might stick around a little longer this time, too. :)

What was I thinking?

In May, I went to The Woodlands, Texas to watch my now-Brother in Law compete in the Ironman. An Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run (yes, a marathon, after all that). To say I was inspired would be an understatement. This event was unreal. Normal people attempting this event and having to finish in under 17 hours.

**bragging moment* My Brother In Law finished in 11 hours, 45 minutes and 23 seconds. HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ROCKSTAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So back to the inspiration. I saw these people, normal everyday people, attempting this event. Now, I am not a swimmer, but I know I can ride a bike and I can run. By the time I left Texas, I knew I wanted to attempt a duathlon (bike/run).

I came home, found a race and signed up.

September 25, I will attempt a 1 1/2 mile run, 12 mile bike, followed by a 2 1/2 mile run. I could not be more excited! Wish me luck!!!