I've Got A New Goal, And I'm Scared

This recently has become my mantra it seems.  It also in my opinion is a good one to have.

Well, I didn't blog about it, but  had my lovely Women's re-TREAT weekend where we state our goal preferably for the year.  Last year my goal was to run a marathon before I turned 40.  As timing would have it, I ran the marathon in my 39th year.  The time was right and I was so glad it worked out that way.

So what to do for my goal for my 40th year???  {Big Gulp} I have committed to running a marathon in 4hr or less as my goal for he year.  I can't believe I have this goal honestly.  This means I have to shave a full half hour off my current marathon race pace.  YIKES!!!!  It's not impossible, but it will take some work for sure.

So I've started my new job this weekend.  Yup-I have to consider it my job for awhile, or I know myself and I will blow workouts off like they were tumbleweeds blowing over Hwy 80 in the middle of NV!!!!

So in honor of starting my new job, I ran a route I have never run before.  I ran out my door and ran 7mi (ok 6.89) around my 'Hood.  In the past I have always run out my door.  This house though sits on top of a hill (many hills) and there is no way to get to it that has an easy grade.  I can run up a few of them, but my need to "Kill The Hill" makes it so I have to walk once I get to the top.  The particular route I took, I chose because it had a tiny it of trail to run on-which I LOVE!  This meant though that I had to go up two super steep hills.  I choose to walk them-no shame here!!!

So there you have it.  Right now I am using the Train Like A Mother-Half Marathon, Finish It Plan that I am going to segue into the Train Like A Mother-Marathon, Finish It Plan.  I am pretty sure that those plans will get me on the right path to a sub 4hr Marathon.

Also, I have planned my races to hopefully make this a reality.  In February, I am planning on running the Huntington Beach Marathon-Surf City 2013 and then either Portland Marathon, Victoria Marathon,  or some other flat fall marathon.  I am pretty sure 2013 will see me crossing the finish line with a timed goal.

It is a little unnerving stating aloud that I have a time goal.  That freaks me out WAY more than anything.

Wish me luck!  I'll update I'm sure.

Me Lighting my goal for 2013 and making it realClick here

Don't Look Back In Anger

I was thinking about this post and instantly I thought of the Oasis song "Don't Look Back In Anger" (link just in case it's been awhile since you've taken a listen)

I keep getting caught up in what I'm NOT doing these days instead of what I AM doing.  Hello negative thinker, where did you come from?!?

It's not a secret times are tough around the old Mertel homestead.  Motherhood seems to frequently take over in a very overwhelming way for me.  Never BC (Before Children) would I think I would be this negatively affected by having children.  I am a positive person-sometimes I have to work at it, sometimes it comes naturally.  Either way it comes, that is the general state if mind I like to live in.  So imagine my surprise when I realized that negative would come creepin' into my life through all sorts of cracks in my exterior.

The good news is recently I have become aware again that this is a choice I am living.  Things don't have to be this hard even if they are hard.   I know this.  Working with Cardiac Surgeons for 12yrs made me very aware of that.  Surgeons can scream, patients can die, but if I stay above it than I am. Conversely,  children can scream and meltdown, but I can stay above it.  Right???  We shall see.  Operation "Stay Positive" is on in full affect.  Pray for me please!!

So without dwelling on all the posts I haven't written and all the workouts I haven't done, let's focus on what I have recently done.  I have finally gotten a gym membership.  After lots of himing and hawing I decided on a membership to the YMCA.  Mostly because they had everything available but also because childcare is free and unlimited and also, when I go back to WI, I can use the Y there.  This is Mucho Importante as I am planning on a February marathon (if all goes as planned) and I will need to do some training runs in December while I am home for my sister's wedding.

What else is positive you may ask?  Well, I have actually cross trained AND lifted some weights.  I have also started doing some focussed core strength workouts.
More importantly, I got over the unexpected today and used Dimity's Outlook "Don't Think Just Go" when life took an unexpected turn this morning.  The original plan was to go to a 930 spinning class.  With Ryan waking up at 845 and then crying until 859 about his yogurt not being right, then the fireplace repair guy showing up at 905, I realized that 930 spinning was out of the question.
Fortunately the repair work was done in NO time and then the crazy crying child told me he wanted to go to the "Y in Seattle"  which is somehow what he thinks I am saying when I say the "YMCA".  Either way it served a great purpose.  I told him 1. he had to eat the yogurt before we could go as he couldn't be hungry at the Y and 2. he had to quickly get dressed so we could go.  I knew there was a 1030 Yoga class that I could make IF I didn't think about it and just started moving everyone out the door.
The good news:  We Made It!  just barely in the nick of time, but we made it.  Some tears along the way and I was a few minutes late, but WE DID IT !!!
I realized I needed the relaxing down time more than an active workout anyhow.  I also got a peaceful shower in...which is alway nice!

On that note, I realized that I am supposed to be training for the Seattle Half Marathon right now.  Lucky for me I am using the Train Like A Mother-Finish It Half Marathon Plan.   Today I had a "Fun Workout" on the books, so hooray for me-I did the proposed workout.

So that's that for one day.  Good stuff will be coming along, as well as a little more action here in the blog-o-sphere.

Have a Great day!!

Anyone Want To Go Streaking????

Well, it is no secret my motivation to run/blog has been at about ZERO since my race in APRIL!!  Good Lord!  That was in the spring.  Granted summer just started here last week, but still!
I had less time and my children were harder to work around, yet last year at this time, I was running no less than 15mi/wk.  Now I am lucky if I get 15mi/MONTH!!

BLEH!!!  What is my deal???  I ask you this as if you have some magical answer.

I think there was such a big let down after my race and I missed the discipline so much I just let it go.  I tend to be an all or nothing kind of gal, and right now I have nothing planned so I am giving it nothing :P  Not smart for the long haul, but it is my reality.

Also, I am combating the months of guilt I am feeling for taking so much time for myself and dedicating my time to my running.  Now it breaks my heart to think of leaving the fam to go out for a few hours to run.  Then tack on a few hours to re-coop and blog.  Basically take all of Saturday out of the equation.

My husband ROCKS and he is very encouraging.  It is just my inner turmoil that is holding me back.

I thought of doing a full this fall.  Then I thought about signing up for a half in October.  I did neither.  I do for sure have a race in November-a half that is notoriously hilly and always wet and rainy.  I have no intention of thinking I will PR that race (and I certainly won't if this attitude keeps up!!) but I do need to train at least a little bit.  If anything, I need to run more than a few miles per week.

There is good news!

This weekend I will be going on my yearly re-TREAT!!!  A women's only running/SUPing/Yoga weekend.  I know that this is a goal setting weekend and I KNOW I will come home reinvigorated.  This most certainly will put a little snap in my action!
It also will be an anniversary of sorts.  I met my first running partner at the re-TREAT.  I set my first marathon goal.  I was introduced to the Run Like A Mother community.  I also decided to start my blog all because of one weekend away from my kids and husband.

Maybe I just need another weekend away from the family to remind me it is ok to take time for myself again.

I also know that we are on the precipice of a big family change...NO we are not having more kids...but the kids we do have will be starting preschool in exactly one month from TODAY!!!!!  It is only Wednesday's and Friday's from 9-12, but I can only imagine what that is going to mean for me.  I'll be honest as much as I love my kids, I so need a break from them some days!!  Quite frankly, I'd say that they are REALLY excited to have a break from me.  Good God I can be hard to live with!  Even more so when I haven't gotten in a run consistently.   Yah, it's a vicious cycle that I seemed to get looped in:

I'm guilty to spend time running
I'm guilty because I am so gosh darned grumpy because I am not running!!!

Does anyone see the definition of insanity described above???  Believe me, it is not a fact lost on me.

Clearly this is still not motivation enough for me to do something about it.  SO-

I'm streaking.

It is a pretty popular thing with real Bloggers right now to do a month of something challenge.  So like a month of Jillian Michael's workouts, or ab work, or planking...you get the picture.  So I am going to Streak for the month of August.  At least one mile everyday.  I have no other plan than that.
I am not going try to plan out miles and freak out and become paralyzed into inactivity because I can't meet the days planned mileage.  Yes that is happening right now...4 on the schedule, but only have time to bang out 3, I just Do None!!!  Hello!!! How does that make sense???  Yah it doesn't!  So minimum one mile.  Who can't find time for one mile??  I mean if I am just doing one, I know I could do it in under 8min-so figure 10min max  I don't even have to put on running clothes for that!

Now the fact that it is August 2 only occurred to me after I came up with the big plan to streak.  Please don't be a hater and remind me I didn't run on August first!  I will run on September first if it makes you happy :P  Hopefully by that time I will have a race plan laid out by then.  I haven't figured out the logistics, but I am going to try for a race a month for the rest of the year.

Also, I know I want to do another spring full, but I am going to negotiate around my 40th Birthday.  The hubby is taking me on a vacation anywhere I want to celebrate.  Keeping that in mind, I have to decide if I want to be gone for my Birthday and figure out a race that will work with that time line

Phew....It feels good to get that off my chest!  I use DailyMIle to track my workouts, but I think I am also going to keep checking in on here.  It worked so well during Marathon training to keep me going, so I hope to get back on track by using the same forum.

Wish me luck!  It feels like I will be needing it :P