Oh and...

And I ran the first 2 with no stops. It took me 18 min to run 2 miles. The last mile took an additional min but I had to stretch my calf midway because it felt tight.

Good work me!
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5:15am start. 3 miles done!

I am very impressed that I got up and ran! Now I can go to Denver and feel good.

I only hope I can stay awake all day. :)

3 miles!!!
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To run again or not to run again today

What to do, what to do!

I don't know if I should run tomorrow morning or run again tonight. I have to be to the office by 7am tomorrow because my boss and I are driving up to Denver for a meeting tomorrow morning. I'm guessing that I won't get out of bed in time to run tomorrow. I will be staying the night in Denver tomorrow night. I may or may not be able to run on Wednesday morning. I tend to not sleep very well when sleeping at hotels alone. If I sleep, I can get up and run. If not, I will have to run on Wednesday evening.

Huff! I want to run! I better wake up! Wish me luck!

Back to work! I have another hour and 20 min left in this day!

Racing Through Wine Country

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Racing Through Wine Country: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-581-281--13992-0,00.html
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Maybe I am getting ahead of myself but this looks like a good long term goal! This will take a lot of dedication and commitment to running. If I keep up the pace perhaps by next July I will be at a level where I could survive a half marathon??????

Go to http://www.fueledbyfinewine.com/

It would be amazing to spend my time with my family in Oregon while also proving to myself that I can run a half marathon. Plus *BONUS* I get wine when I finish the run! Hmmm... I have a lot of training to do in the next year! Where are those sneakers??? :)

"You're a fast runner!"

Hmm... Not sure that is really true in the grand scheme of the running world but it is nice to hear anyway. There was a point on my run when I had to sprint to get out of the way of a car while also going around some people who were walking. When I passed the lady from the car again further down the road, she commented that I was fast. A nice, yet untrue, compliment.

This morning's run was decent. It ended up raining while during my second mile. The fact that I finished my second mile either makes me a crazy person or an Oregonian... Not sure which. I am an Oregonian living in Colorado. I like to think being from Oregon gives me naturally webbed feet or at least a higher tolerance for rain. I am not about to go out and buy running gear for the rain yet because it doesn't rain that often here in Pueblo!

My plan was actually to run 3 miles this morning but didn't get out of the house in time. It is 7:15 am right now giving me about an our to stretch, do a few other workout moves and get to work. I need to be out of the house by 6:10 to be able to do a full running work out. My boyfriend is going to start opening at his cafe again and is going to do his best to help me get up earlier. I just need to get up and get moving before 6am to get out the door to have enough time to do my 3 miles and to have time to stretch and finish my workout after my run.

Ok, time to stretch and get this day started.
Coffee is waiting in my french press.

Mmm...Coffee!!!
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We amateure athletes...

First off-- I ran a mile today in 9 minutes! Yay! 2 min off!

I have been adding some sprinting into my workout to help start increasing my speed overall. Tomorrow I need to wake up early enough to go run 3 miles. I think Mike and I are going to turn into morning birds instead of night owls.

I was reading in Runner's World Magazine about various people's PRs (personal records) and am not sure if I feel encouraged or discouraged. You know what? I feel in awe. I am in awe if other people's achievements. I long for the day when I am truly impressed by my achievements. I suppose this would be one of the forces propelling me forward. I can do it. I have proved to myself that I can run a complete 3 miles in one day. I have a plan of attack suggested my boy friend's athletic sister against the pain that started in my IT band and I am going to press on!

Tomorrow is another day! I look forward to lacing my shoes and running.

Mantra when I run "You're doing it! You can do it. Keep going. Press on!"
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I did it! Ha! I

I did it! Ha! I ran 3 miles. It is encouraging to be running in distance intervals instead of timed intervals.

I have a goal today!

I am going to run 3 miles! I need to update my blog on the frustration of my IT band slowing me down, but I have some ways to keep it from hurting and I'm looking forward to getting out there and running! I will update you post run. Here I go!!!
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I didn't start running until

I didn't start running until 645 and so I ran for 15 min straight! Longest straight run yet! Woohoo!

This morning's run

This morning was a great run! I managed to get out of bed by 6:15am and was out running by 6:25am. I ran a full mile in 11 minutes walked for about 2 min then ran for another 5 min. I had to run home to change out of my long sleeve shirt but once I was in a tanktop I finished my last 5 min run.

It feels good to be active. I am excited to feel myself improve, even if the improvements are in small incriments.

Mike has family coming into town this evening so I am not sure I will be able to run for another 10 min to finish my 3 miles today. We will see if that happens. If I can't get back out to run at least I know that I had an excellent run in the morning. :)

Challenges on a Friday Night

I know I should limit myself to 1 beer and a healthy dinner. However... I'm meeting friends at a sports bar for dinner and more than 1 beer will probably be consumed over the course of the night...

I did run this morning. That is a positive. It wasn't my best run but I'm glad I got out there to run by 6:20am!

As long as I don't stay out too late, and I wake up for a run before it gets to hot tomorrow, I won't be completely disappointed in myself!

Well, here goes the night. I am walking about a mile to the bar (I suppose this is a positive too). Have a good night!
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A Running Blog to Keep Me Motivated!

Quote of the day: "Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." - William Faulkner

My training program started as more of a walk with some jogging sprinkled in here and there back in May. My starting goal was to at minimum be out moving for an hour running for a few minutes here and there during that hour. I have been running about 4-5 days a week. 6 days if I muster the energy. Increasing my running intervals has been a slow process but I have progressed since May and have now started running for 10 min segments, walk for 1 min run 5-10 min. I also timed my mile for the first time last weekend! I can run a mile in 11 minutes.

I couldn't do this when I started! I am very proud of my progress. One of the biggest challenges that I face is mental. There has never been a time in my life when I had an athletic type goal. I have never participated in a sport during school. Now, I am pushing myself to prove that I can do it! I have to get around the mental block that I am not that good. There is always going to be people around me who are mostlikely better than me. They can beat my mile no problem, they can run further than me and I am no competition for them. What I like about the quote that I started this blog with is that it encourages me to forget everyone else and focus on myself. I can see myself improve even if in small ways! I can run for 10 min straight now! For me that is fantastic! Soon I will be running 2 miles straight, then 3 and finally I will reach my goal to run a 5K.