Running

This year, I would like to start being more on top of this blog. I realize how much I like looking back to when the boys were super little and seeing our day-to-day lives. It's a lot of work though, so I fell off the blog wagon for a while. I have some drafts of posts about our holidays, but have not loaded pictures yet, so those will have to wait. In the meantime, I want to get going with tracking my running here so I can look back easily on where I started and where I go from here.

I completed my first half marathon Nov. 2, 2013 with my brother, Mike, and best friend, Sarah. After the half marathon, I ran well for a couple weeks, and then took a couple weeks off to enjoy the holidays and relax a bit on my running regime. I ran a lot in 2013, but didn't track any of my mileage or progress. I am proud of my accomplishments. I started in January with struggling to finish my mile, and ended the year where I never ran shorter than 3 miles. I'm not fast, but I'm not slow anymore, either.

For 2014, I have plenty of challenges for myself, a couple races I'm registered for, and I really want to keep track of my progress. I got the running itch to end the year, and have surprisingly worked out every day since December 30. Not sure when I'll break that streak, but for now, I'm enjoying having worked out every day. My legs are a little tired this week, but mostly because I had to run so many days in a row after being snowed for three days.

Here is a run down of my last two weeks, for my own tracking purposes:

Week 1
Dec. 30, 2013: 5.75 miles
Dec. 31, 2013: 3.25 miles
Jan. 1, 2014: 4 miles outside, push ups, chair dips, planks
Jan. 2: 3.25 miles/10 minutes rowing, push ups, chair dips, planks
Jan. 3: 2 miles and lifting
Jan. 4: 3.25 miles, 15 minutes rowing, 15 minutes elliptical
Jan. 5: (Start of snow storm) Jillian's 30 Day Shred Level 2

Week running total: 21.5 miles
2014 running total: 12.5 miles

Week 2
Jan. 6: (snowed in) Tae Bo Ultimate Boot Camp
Jan. 7: (snowed in) Tae Bo Ultimate Boot Camp
Jan. 8: 6 miles and lifting
Jan. 9: 3.5 miles and lifting
Jan. 10: 5.5 miles
Jan. 11: 3.5 miles and lifting
Jan. 12: 3.5 miles

Week running total: 22 miles
2014 running total: 34.5 miles

Pretty proud of my numbers, especially considering I have only been able to run outside once, and the rest are done on the treadmill. I don't mind the treadmill, but I typically will run longer and faster outside, which helps my numbers each week normally. But, with below zero temps, a foot of snow on the ground, and lots of ice, I am just thankful I took advantage of the once decent day before the weather was terrible.

Hoping this is a great start to a great year. And, hoping that if I commit to tracking it here, I will be accountable to keep up my numbers all year long.

Tomorrow I'll have to make sure I take a day off from running. I hate taking Mondays off from running because I like to start the week with a nice run. But, with five days in a row on the treadmill, I need to switch it up and give my legs a rest. Especially after having my 3.5 mile run being a struggle because of tired legs.

Here is to a high mileage 2014!