I'm Ready!

My training schedule for the St. Jude Half-Marathon officially starts today!

You guys will be hearing about this for the next 17 weeks (and probably for a few weeks after that), so for now I'll just say that I'm more excited about this race than I have ever been about a race before.  

Everything is in place, and I'm SO READY to get started. 

1.) I'm in such a good place mentally- my confidence has been boosted after finishing the San Francisco half feeling strong and happy. I was really nervous about this race- I really doubted my abilities to do well. For the 2-3 weeks leading up to the race I was busy and stressed, working too much, feeling like I hadn't trained for long enough, and had a few (or several) bad runs.  

Now, that weight has been lifted, things have slowed down (a little bit), and I'm going to enjoy getting back at it!

2. I've got Adam on my team. I have really enjoyed having him coach me- it's great to have a schedule custom made for me according to my needs, paces and abilities. I love having the extra accountability and encouragement. 

It's also really nice not having to worry if I'm doing the right things to be prepared for a good race- he takes care of all of that for me, leaving me to focus solely on the actual running. 

3. I've got motivation. What is better to start a new training cycle than watching the Olympics. It's been said before, but I'll say it again: I cannot take my eyes off the TV! Galen Rupp! Lolo Jones! Allyson Felix! Beach Volleyball! So inspiring. 

In case you haven't seen this picture 10 times already today, here you go.

Literally makes me cry. I'm so proud of them for showing that you can be hard-core and competitive while still being encouraging and supportive of others. This reminds me of me and my sister- she would totally pick me up off the ground after a race if I needed her to. 

Olympics!!!!!

4. I've got the gear, including neon stuff.

 I decided not to splurge on the $150 neon green Nike running shoes many of the athletes seem to be wearing, but I did buy two pair of my faithful Nike Frees for $120 total. I'm so sensible when it comes to shopping. (Well, at least in this case I was.)

Running Shoes on Sale + Tax-free weekend + Free Shipping = Stockpiling!

And because I got my pretty neon pink ones dirty after the San Fran race because the finishing area was in grass (instead of the normal pavement) and was sort of muddy. Yeah, I'm still mad about that. 

Anyways... let's get to the neon stuff. 

 I have this cool jacket:

Which was also seen on some very cool and successful people:

This beauty was also pretty expensive (IMO) but I was able to find it at the Nike Outlet here in Memphis for about 60% off the regular price. 

See? Sensible shopper, right here. 

(We are just not going to mention my many recent Lululemon shopping sprees.)

St. Jude Half-Marathon training week 1 begins, 17 weeks until race day!

Maybe It Was Magic

I had the best run that I can remember for a long, long time this morning. I felt amazing, like I could go on forever without being tired or out of breath. I ran 6 this week at a faster pace than I ran 4 last week- and it felt so easy.

I must document everything that could have played a part so that this magic can happen more often.

Maybe it was the preparation. 

I had some good ole fashioned carb loading for dinner last night (ahem, left over pasta, a breadstick, and a small bowl of cereal for dessert...), and stayed hydrated all day long. I set out everything I would need to get ready this morning. This really helps me feel in control instead of scrambling around in the dark to grab all of my things. 

I set out for 5 miles, but Adam gave me the go ahead to run 6 if I felt really good. 

Maybe it was the music. 

I listen to audiobooks 95% of the time when I run. For some reason today just felt like a music day. I love to listen to Eminem when I'm running as much as the next person, but sometimes a happy song like this is just what you need when you feel like you are flying. O.A.R.'s Hey Girl came up right as I hit 4, and at that moment I knew I could do 6 easily. 

You should probably just go ahead and hit play so you can listen to it while you read. And add it to your iPod so you can experience the magic. 

Maybe it was in my head.

I went out with a very calm mindset. I've had some anxiety in the past when my long runs got up to 7 or 8 miles and it felt overwhelming. I knew I could definitely do 5, and a 6th mile was just a bonus. 

I told myself from early on, "If Amy Hastings can finish her 10k in that much pain and kick that much butt, you can too."

Source

Maybe it was confidence.

I can't really explain it, but something about having a plan that I know will work, makes sense, and isn't called "Allison makes this crap up and changes it to fit her fancy" makes me feel good about what I am doing. 

I have a plan. And I'm following it. (That last part is really important for training. Plans don't do you any good if you don't follow them, FYI.)

Maybe Adam actually knows what he's talking about.

Speaking of my plan, something made me trust this guy to come up with it. 

The Boring Runner

I think that was a good decision. He's smart. He lets me rest, and I don't even feel guilty about it! Which may have been a key part in today's magic. My legs felt like they could have kept going and going.

 I felt so strong. 

Maybe hard work pays off. 

I've been really trying to take care of my body lately. I've been sleeping well, paying attention to what I put into my body, hydrating, resting, and running exactly what Adam tells me to. 

 I know not every run will be this great, but today gives me hope that I can survive San Francisco, and possibly even make the little kiddies at St. Jude proud. 

St. Jude Marathon, Half-Marathon, Relay, and 5k

Get Ready Memphis!

It's that time of year again- time to get registered and begin training or preparation for the St. Jude Marathon!

This race has become an annual event for us, not only because it's local and convenient, but also because we truly believe it is one of the best races to support and participate in. The half-marathon last year was one of the best experiences of my life- running through the St. Jude campus literally brought tears to my eyes, and the support from spectators throughout the course was amazing. Also, you get to finish in the stadium! Rounding that corner to enter the stadium was pretty intense. 

I want to challenge anyone reading this to sign up- even if you aren't a long distance runner, the 5k is a blast! Want to do more than the 5k, but don't think you can train for 13.1 miles? This Memphian was 7 months pregnant last December, but was determined to participate- so she walked the 13.1!

If you don't live in Memphis- you can come and see Graceland, Sun Studios, eat some BBQ (or BBQ Tofu, my favorite!), and hang out on Beale St. The weather is usually around 50* which is perfect for a marathon. 

I'll be running the half-marathon, and Brandon will be running the full- just like last year. I'm really hoping my sister will get to participate this year as well. Last year, she supported me by running 3 miles with me and giving me the gift of a Lush bath, and so I'm hoping if her time/schedule allows, I can return the favor and support her to the finish line of her first half! (In all honesty, she'll probably beat me to the finish line.)

  Registration opens on May 1st (that's next week!) , and I expect the race to sell out significantly faster this year (Last year it sold out in July).  So get your spot- I hope to see you there!

http://www.stjudemarathon.org/

A Day In Photos

Monday was quite possibly the best day ever.

I stayed in bed with Phoebe and Brandon for a bit, reading on my iPad.

Kelly and I went to go for a run, and the weather was absolutely beautiful! 

We dashed over to our favorite nail spot for a quick shellac manicure.

Then, we hit the jackpot at the Nike Outlet. 

Meanwhile, the husband got his new shoes in the mail. He was so excited, he sent me a pic. 

Kelly and I took Anniston our for her first stroll in the BOB. 

I swear the kid likes me, even though it may not appear so in this pic. :)

I came home to find free goodies had come in the mail from St. Jude for being a hero. 

The boys were playing cards- and offered to take me out! 

Phoebe and I played and cuddled while the boys primped and got ready. 

Please excuse my husband's inability to take a photograph. 

We went to our fav restaurant, R.P. Tracks, and to see The Grey. Because Liam Neeson is awesome. 

I went to bed a happy girl!

The Best of 2011

We started 2011 off with a bang- by moving into a bigger house. We are love it here- a spare bedroom, bigger kitchen, large living and dining room, just bigger in general. And so much nicer!


The spring months were spent finishing up school, for me and Brandon. It also happened to be my last semester of school, EVER! I found out I had a job in March, which was a huge relief, since the job market was scary at the time (and still is).

I graduated in May, which was a pretty big deal. Finally, I was finished with school! Kelly threw me a graduation party at her house, and my whole family came!

Over the summer, we were both training for the Chicago Half Marathon. I was also studying for... and stressing about getting licensed as a pharmacist. Thankfully, I passed both exams, and started working as an official pharmacist.

In August, Brandon and I took our first major vacay since our honeymoon. We went to Chicago, which was amazing! We ran a half-marathon there, which happened to be my first ever. I was so proud of myself.  :) Brandon started back to school soon after we returned.

The last days of Summer and first days of Fall were spent helping Kelly make preparations for precious baby Anniston. You can read about some of the crafts we did, and all about decorating her nursery. Brandon and I also threw them a baby shower. At the last minute, I decided to bite the bullet and buy the camera I had been wanting. I decided that was as good a time as ever, right before my neice was born, right?

Well, that was the best decision of the year! After Anniston was born, I spent almost every waking minute that I wasn't working with her and Kelly. I won't even divulge how many pictures are labeled "Anniston" in my library. Even after I cleaned the bad ones out. It's ridiculous.

Eventually, I had to spend some time with my neglected husband, and some time training for the St. Jude marathon. Of course, I still had to see Anniston as much as possible!

Brandon and I ran St. Jude in early December. We spent the rest of the month buying presents and planning our Christmas brunch. The holidays were the best this year- so much more fun with Anniston around!

It's That Time Again... for the St. Jude Marathon!

And this year, I'm running it!

I signed up too late to enter unless I became a "hero", which means you have to raise $500. I signed up anyways, willing to pay the money myself since I wanted to run this race so much. By some miracle, my Dad has money from an organization that has to go to a charity, so he was able to donate it and sponsor me at the same time. Everyone wins!





Wish me luck!