Trail Hopping

countdown to race: 74 days

Today's high is going to be 67 degrees. It's January! I'm not convinced that winter weather isn't on it's way, but I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to escape the gym and hit the trail.

We are lucky enough to have a great trail nearby. Yesterday we ran our long run on the Little Blue Trace Trail, an 11-mile course along the Little Blue River. I like running the trail, but I'm too much of a chicken to go it alone. Since neither of us have been very motivated to run on our own, Mark and I have started running together. We ran all three of our training runs last week!

As much as I enjoy the free cable at the gym, I prefer running outdoors.

Things I like about running on the trail...

nature is much more entertaining than TV

people on the trail are always friendly

I'm inclined to run farther

better prep for road races

occasional animal sighting

watching the sunset

you can start at different spots for a change of scenery

no waiting in line for the treadmill

fresh air

watching the sun set

Of course there are some unpleasant things about running outside...

rocks in my shoes

bicyclists, sorry but I'd rather run in the middle of the trail

occasional stench

worrying about carrying water

weird folks hanging out under bridges

running in the dark

mud

dodging goose/dog poop

My feelings about the trail will be different in the 100 degree temps of July, but at the moment, the opportunity to get outside and run is amazing!

Running Groupie

countdown to race: 93 days

For a long time I was a lone runner. Other people just held my back - you know, cause I run so fast. But then I started running with Mark and realized there are a lot of benefits to running with someone. So when we saw there was a free running group associated with our next half marathon, we signed up.

We did our first groupie run on Sunday. It was an interesting experience. Kind of like a road race but less people and you don't have to run a certain distance - course flags, aid stations and prizes. I ran the first two miles in front of two people who were training for a full marathon. Deciding to go without headphones, while I stomped along trying not to breath too loudly, I got to hear all about the previous day's run, the dog's need to take a poop at 2am, and how hot the actor who played Conan the Barbarian is, all spoken at a normal conversation level.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation (sarcasm), I was glad to turn back at mile two and let the chatty runners continue on for the remainder of the six-mile course.

Mark and I are quiet, as people and runners. We talk to each other a lot, usually about nothings like these two people, but when it comes to running, mums the word. Maybe it's because we're putting out too much effort trying to breath, but I've convinced myself it's deeper than that.

Running is personal time. I get the irony that running together is our alone time, but it is. I run for me, to feel good about myself, to clear my mind and to help keep my body at least somewhat fit. How can I do all that while gripping about work or planning our weekend?

We don't plan to run with the group every week, but we will meet up with them once a month for a change of scenery and hill training. I can't wait to find out if it was in fact the 10pm doggie treat that caused the midnight potty break.

Are you a chatty runner? Or, like me, do you just want to run in peace - or with the Black Eyed Peas?

Finding Balance

countdown to race: 102 days

Life gets in the way of running and some times it feels like running gets in the way of life.

I'm (slowly) reading Run Like a Mother. The tagline says it all: How to Get Moving - and Not Lose Your Family, Job or Sanity. It's an incredibly motivating book and reminds me that it's important to incorporate running into your everyday life, not make running your life.

As we train for Rock the Parkway, Mark and I will be doing most of our runs separately. We are grateful to have both of our parents nearby, but we agree that the time we spend with our daughter - having dinner, playing, bath time and bedtime - isn't worth missing just so we can run together. We'll still run our Sunday long runs together, but mid-week runs will be solo.

How do you balance running, family, work and a social life?

New Year: New Race

countdown to race: 105 days

So here we are, a mere 26hrs away from 2012. This is crazy to me. This has been the most eventful year of my life. I had a baby, dealt with all sorts of drama and chaos while my parents spent four months abroad, ran a half marathon, put our house on the market, took our house off the market...

As I look back on this year and make plans for 2012, I am happy to say that running is high on my list of priorities.

I finished my first half marathon in an impressive 2:26:34, just 30 seconds before Mark. Let the record show that I did in fact beat him. It was an amazing race. The weather was perfect and the views - I thought about stopping to take photos. The best thing about the race was having Mark there behind beside me....did I mention I beat him? We had a great time.

After the race I became a slug. I can count my post-half runs on one hand.

But enough. There is a new year ahead of us and a new race to look forward to.

We'll both be running the Rock the Parkway half marathon on April 14th. I've also convinced my best friend and her husband to take the challenge. A double-running date? Sounds awesome!

I learned a lot from my first half marathon. Even more from the joint pain and laziness that followed.

There is a new year on the horizon and my new training schedule starts tomorrow - yes, I believe in starting 'new year resolutions' before the new year actually starts. Sometimes I like to pretend I'm an overachiever.

Is running part of your new years resolution?

Back at It

countdown to race: 21 days

Haven't been blogging but don't worry, we're still running. We haven't stuck to our training schedule as closely as we should. Since school started - both of our mothers are teachers - we've slacking off during the week. The cooler temps and imminent races have helped get back at it.

Tomorrow we are both running the KC 15k. This will be the farthest I have ever ran. I'm skeered.

I know I can do it, physically, but I have to break through my mental limitations. I've been training for months, but my mind keeps thinking about the number of miles and instead of just running until I can't run anymore, I think "I've been running for an hour, I should walk for a little while.."

I have 3hrs to finish the 15k. We usually run at a 11min/mile pace. Plenty of time.

My goal for the 15k: Don't finish last.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Burnt Out

countdown to race: 79 days

I know I'm stating the obvious, but it is hot!

We've been spoiled by a fairly mild summer up until recently. Now I break a sweat just walking from my office to the car. I have a strong aversion to running in extreme weather. I don't find running particularly fun to begin with, but add scorching or freezing temperatures to the mix and it is unbearable.

Mark and I are running three days a week. Per the training schedule, we do semi-long runs on Tuesdays, recovery runs on Thursdays and long runs on Saturdays.

To beat the heat, we hit the trail as soon as we Grace wakes up on Saturday mornings. However, we've been forced to take our runs indoors the other two days.

Do you run outside, no matter what the temp?

Any tips for training in the summer?

Running Coach

countdown to race: 101 days

More often than not we are plugged in when we run. There are times when I ditch the iphone, particularly if baby is in tow and I want to make sure I hear any wimper or giggle (it is seriously the best motivation). But most of the time I've got my earbuds in and I'm pounding the pavement to my power mix.

Another perk to running with the iphone, a nifty free app named RunKeeper. It is excellent! The newest version has a coach option that allows you to program based on length and speed and gives you audio cues based off your preferences. I have my program set to chime in every quarter mile with the distance completed, current pace and time. It has a gps function so I know exactly how far I have to run and it even shows a map of where I've been. After each run it cues you for notes about the run. Mine are usually something like:

Bass Pro with stroller. Walked too much. HOT

It's a great tool and it's a great way to keep track of your mileage. I'm not sure if they offer a Blackberry or Droid option but I'm sure there is something similar out there.

It's Official

countdown to race: 110 days

We are officially registered for the half marathon. Just in time. The price increased $10 yesterday.

Goodness these races can get pricey. A woman at work told me she use to run a race every weekend. I was not only impressed by her dedication but thought to myself, 'That would be expensive.'

Don't get me wrong, there are major benefits to participating in official runs. The monies go to a good cause, you get a sweet - or sometimes not so sweet - commemorative t-shirt and there are usually post-race goodies. Even still, at $20-$30 a pop, we limit ourselves to four races per year and try to really make them count.

Do you limit your races based on price?

Have you had any luck finding sponsors?

Better Together

countdown to race: 113 days

If you haven't noticed, I (Amy) am the only one blogging about this experience. While I may not be a runner, I do consider myself a writer. I feel like I've been writing my entire life. I have an unrelenting desire to put my thoughts on paper or in this case, out there for the whole world (as if anyone even reads this) to see. When I first started talking about starting this blog, I believe Mark's words were 'I have very little interest in blogging, but go for it.'

So why didn't I title the blog Amy Runs? Why do I always write in first-person plural?

This isn't just my thing. Training for the half marathon was a decision that Mark and I made together. Sure, there may be a few occasions when we run separately but the majority of our runs will be together.

Individually we can both be pretty lazy, but thankfully, we do a pretty good job of motivating one another. As I mentioned here, this is the thing/sport/activity that we do together.

We're new parents which means a lot of our waking and half-awake hours are spent with our baby. The 30 or 40 minutes we spend on the trail together have become our dates. We make plans, reminisce on younger, less-achy days, chase after bunny rabbits....we just enjoy each other's company.

Before our daughter was born, we either took turns - he'd do a race in March, I'd do one in April - or we agreed to run on our own. In April, with the baby in tow, we both ran the Trolley Run. For the first time we stayed together. For four miles we pushed each other, took turns pushing the stroller and finished strong, only stopping briefly to shed layers. It felt really good.

Just google running partner and a dozen articles pop up about the benefits to running with someone. With a foot of height and an unmentionable number of pounds between us, we're bound to have different strides and run at a different pace, but we use it to our advantage. By training together we not only motivate each other to log the miles, but to improve the way we run. I run at a faster pace with Mark on my heels. Mark's inclination to start out fast is curtailed by my need to warm up.

In the words of Jack Johnson, "It's always better when we're together..."

Training while Traveling

countdown to race: 116 days

Trying to keep to a training schedule while traveling can be tricky. We took our first family vacay this past weekend. Since we missed our long run last week, we had this week's run mapped out and on the travel itinerary before we even packed our bags.

Grace has no interest in sleeping in, even when on vacation, so we knew we would be awake at 6am on Saturday morning. Since we were up and needed to check out of the hotel early, we decided we would take a run along the Arch and the Riverfront. Well.....Saturday morning came. Grace woke up at 6am like always. The sky looked a little grim but we were fine to run in a little drizzle. We no more blinked, when the drizzle turned into a total downpour. Plans changed.

Luckily our hotel had a "fitness center" - an array of older gym equipment in a partially enclosed section of the lobby, with a magnificent view of the elevators. Not quite the scenic route we had in mind. But it won out over taking a five-month old outside in an intense thunderstorm.

How do you work your training schedule into your travel plans?

Are you willing to hit the trail, run or shine?

Accountability

countdown to race: 120 days

Our training schedule is on every single calendar I own. I'm reading Run Like a Mother (which is great, you should really check it out) and telling everyone I know that we're training for the half.

Not only to brag, although I enjoy that part of it too, but so that everyone asks how it's going. It feels good to wow people with mileage and if we start slacking off, I'm going to feel like a loser having to say "Egh, we've been busy or it's just so hot" or any other lame excuse I've let throw me off a running schedule before.

It would be amazing to not miss a single run in a four month training schedule, but let's be realistic. We're parents, who work full-time and again, running is not our life. The important thing is that we keep a positive attitude and instead of making excuses, we work to motivate each other. And we might as well use our families, co-workers, calendars, etc. to remind us of the commitment we've made to running the half.