Failure is not an option

It's simple to say failure is not an option but the more practical way to approach this is to have a realistic view of your progress and take pride in the small steps. On day three of the new year and running strong. By strong I mean that I went to Kickboxing and Yoga class and immediately felt the negative effects of the holiday season. The biggest thing that I noticed was that I was a bit dehydrated and I didn't have my full balance. Ok, so not the best inversions today but I can live with that.

Time For A Walk!

Yesterday's warrior conditioning class left me with blisters on the bottom of my feet. In hindsight I needed better foot position on those plank jacks. So today I decided to take a motivational walk instead of my normal run. Some sort of office exercise is important because it helps me shake off morning stress and stay limber.

The good news is that today's NC weather is beautiful. I am burning calories, I am changing my mental state, and most importantly I am happy. Can't ask for much more.

On a side note,  have you ever came to the realization of something and then ask yourself why didn't I think of that before? The other day a Tumblr quote from Richard Carlson ,the author of "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff", was in a thread I was reading. All that is said was, "will this matter a year from now". Don't get me wrong, I've heard it before. I just hadn't really thought about it. Anyways, its had been a rough week for me. Work stuff, school stuff, tests and lots of exercise left me a bit frazzled. Add to that a few other bumps in the road and I was about ready to crawl under my desk, curl up in a ball and chant "mommy". Ok, maybe not but that's is when the value of that statement hit me. Is it really going to matter in a year? Of course the answer was "no" but what did matter is that I continued doing what I needed to do and ignored all the other crap. Why? Well, because achieving your goals is important and is what matters. It's a whole "forest through the trees" and "stiff upper lip" kinda thing. (insert smug Jimmy D face)

So when life gives you those lemons I suggest doing three things. First, ask yourself is this really going to matter a year from now? This puts your current issue in perspective. Second, go for a walk or run. This will clear your mind and change your state. Third, you knew it was coming, make lemonade! This will quench your thirst.

LUNCTIM RUN: Conditioning Your Knees For the Long Runs

Today's lunchtime run (5k) was productive. I wasn't able to get the time that I wanted but was able to keep the my goal pace for the first two miles. After that my feet and lower legs started to hurt so I figured it would be in my best interest to slow it down a bit. They probably still sore from this weekends 15 mile run and 15+ mile hike. 

I am still a novice runner. Up until about a year ago I was still in the "do what ever needs to be done to complete the race" mode. Now I am focusing more on energy management, training and running theory. "A Beginner’s Guide to Running" from NerdFitness.com has some great points on the right running techniques and foot placement. Even REI has a "Running Basics" page that outlines everything that you need to know. So for now my main focus is strengthening my knees and core. All in preparation for a full Marathon run!

Setting (and breaking) Long-Run goals!

I have a personal goal of running my first marathon this December. To accomplish this I needed to set up smaller goals. I tend to do a lot better with lots of little accomplishments then one big one. My guess is that quite a few of bus are that way.

This weekend I was up in New Hampshire for a wedding and I figured that it would be the perfect opportunity to break my long-run record and set a new PB. I also would have the opportunity to run by the beach which is a big plus. So on a rainy Saturday morning I started out on what would be my best run yet! I broke my previous long-run record of 13.2 miles with a 15.1 mile finish.  I also shaved a good amount if time off my half marathon time. Needless to say I was pleased.