What Next?

Instagram : @Sunshine_Memoirs

 So What Are You Training for Now?

I was at a family birthday dinner about a week and some change ago. One of my cousins heard that i had recently completed my first half marathon. So of course he had a million questions for me. I was actually pretty surprised at the interest, but was more excited that anyone even cared to hear about it and my training. So I'm telling him all about it and showing him pictures when he hits me with "so what are you training for now?" It seriously caught me off guard. What am i training for? I mean i just finished a half marathon... wasn't that exciting enough? Apparently not. My family is not easy to please... but it did get me thinking. All this training for the last several weeks/months for the half and now it's done. So what's next? Well, I hadn't really thought about any immediate challenges for post half. Actually, I just wanted to get back into the other activities I enjoy doing like weight training with the BFF more regularly, supporting the other BFFs in their fitness hobbies, boxing, soccer, hiking, etc. Of course I have other halves i want to do and next year a full marathon, but until then I think I'm just going to enjoy this wonderful little life of mine. 

I actually have a cute little 5k coming up this weekend. You like how i said cute and little? haha i remember when that seemed nearly impossible. OK sorry, i digress. So this 5k, it's in DC. Perhaps you've heard of it? Quite popular! Well, 2 of the BFFs will be joining in on this run. Not everyday I get the BFFs together for a run together. It's pretty amazing when your BFFs love being as active as you are if not more. It really makes life so much easier and happier(high on endorphins). You know what else is great? Being with someone who supports and encourages all your hopes and dreams, but not only that... is willing to lace up and do it with you. I gotta say... I'm walking on sunshine these days :)

So now that the leaves are falling and the days are getting cooler, it's time to find ways to keep moving OUTSIDE and stay warm. I decided to get the team together for our first Winter Season(we usually only play fall and spring seasons). The Winter season doesn't start until January, though. In the meantime, I got asked to join a team for the remainder of the Fall season since they're short on girls. It's actually turning out to be a win-win situation. I haven't played since May, so this will be good practice to get me ready for the upcoming season. I'm pretty excited about my off season and all the promising activities it holds, but no worries! I'm not giving up my distance running. It is an addiction and I'm no quitter lol 

Heritage Half Marathon - Done!

 Achievement Unlocked

Well well well... guess who successfully completed her very first half marathon?!  :)
That's right! All that training on ridiculous inclines and adding those extra miles paid off! Whether it was in NY or in VA, there was always plenty of work to do! I may have only had 6 weeks to train, but i tried to make the most of it. I was really worried about how i'd do since the weather was looking rainy and i had just been informed of the several miles of straight inclines through the course. 8 miles was the most i had done at one time a week prior to the race, but i wasn't gassed out after them so I figured I would be ok. Just get some gels and stay hydrated, right? So there i was... 7am waiting to go. It was dark and it was raining. I thought for sure i'd be done in close to 3 hours. Well, i'm so super proud of myself for not taking 3 hours. I finished in 2:20. Sure it's not the fastest, but it was sure as hell a lot faster than i thought i would take on my first half! I can't really put into words how I feel about it all though. Besides the obvious, feeling incredible and triumphant. I guess you'd have to know what running really means to me to even try to understand. It's so much more than just being healthy.
I started my running journey over a year ago and it was more for therapy than anything. Through rain, snow, heat and fog i found my strength and learned to push through all the pain, sweat and tears. That's right... tears. Each mile showed me just how much i was really capable of both physically and mentally. I was never any good at running and trust me when i say i HATED it at first!! Now i just can't get enough of it. I grew so much more as a person the more I ran and can honestly say I have never felt healthier than i do today. Never thought I'd see the day I would willingly sign up for a half marathon and yet here I am today... taking Advil to recover from my biggest accomplishment. I've been through hell and back in the last year and I couldn't be more proud of myself for sticking through it all and pushing myself to be better each day with each mile chasing after a dream i thought would never come as soon as it did. 
I was so worried about the weather. Afraid to have to run my first half in rain, but when i really think about it, I don't think it would've been the same had it been sunshine and rainbows the whole way through. I think everything about it was perfect. The downpours for all 13 miles is pretty much how i felt this past year and conquering each mile was just a reflection of how far I've come in all this time. 
I was so blessed to have my cheer team with me. 2 of my best friends surprised me with shirts they made to support my craziness. Each shirt said "Team Sunshine_Memoirs" ... i almost cried! Best shirts ever!! Those closest to me who have first hand witnessed my struggle were there showing their love and support yet again like they always do. Waking up at the crack of dawn to stand in the rain waiting for me to finally come through that finish line. Never doubting me, but always believing in me. I don't know what I would do without them. It feels pretty amazing to have that kind of support and I know how blessed I am to have them in my life. God is good and He gets more gold stars for getting me through my first half, but we're not done here... no sir. We're only just getting started. Where are all those fun music ones? Country music and Rock and Roll HERE I COME!! :)

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and protector of our faith" - Hebrews 12:1

11 More Days!!

OK i'm so sorry I have been so MIA. I got so consumed with work, that by the time i was done training I just wanted my bed. Don't you worry though, I have been keeping up with my training for this half marathon and with only 11 days left I'm even more excited to get er done! So much progress over the weeks with tonight being one of the best. I do my longer runs on the weekends and during the week it's less mileage. Tonight's mini run was one of the most successful of all the runs so far. I did it without stopping once! Do you get what i'm saying? ZERO stoppage! That's a HUGE feat for me. It was taking me a while to get back to where i was. I was having trouble with pacing myself again, but I feel so much better now. They say home is where you heart is and i gotta say nothing has ever felt more like home than tonight's run :)
So this past weekend we paid a visit to NY for my Uncle's surprise 77th bday party. Well, my brother is a runner as well and has come down a few times to train with me. This time I met him out in the city(he lives in Brooklyn) and we ran miles after miles through Central Park. I brought my BFF with me on this trip and while she may not be a runner(she prefers to be labeled as a body builder/gym rat) she did an amazing job keeping up with us. Nothing quite as amazing as BEAUTIFUL weather and scenery, running for miles upon miles with my brother and BFF. Did you notice our Power Ranger shirts? I forgot my brothers shirt back at my aunts house, but he was supposed to be the Black Ranger. Maybe next time he comes down we can go for another run together in our shirts. I tried to get my tracker to work that day, but it was an epic fail. I would say we did about an hour and a half of running. We even threw in push ups  box jumps, squat jumps and headstands. Yea we're a little obsessed lol All in all... amazing workout and even better half marathon training. 
The weekend before was my longest distance at one time. I reached 7.35 miles and let me tell you, I was feeling GREAT! gotta love that runners high. There is nothing like it. So peaceful too! I'm not saying this half marathon is going to be a breeze, but i'm just ready to enjoy every mile of it. I've been trying to find a shirt to wear that day and I found one that says "Trample the weak. Hurdle the dead." I feel like that might be a winner! yea?