Real Life

Moving, home ownership, changing job roles with a lot more responsibility, travel for said job...my life has changed drastically since last summer when I was coasting by. I can't imagine training for a marathon this summer like I did last summer (partially because of the 20 day, yes I said 20 day, excessive heat warning).  I'm contemplating a half marathon in November but still haven't convinced myself that sending in my entrance fee wouldn't be a waste of money. Luckily, I have until October to decide.

Real life is messy, busy, chaotic even. So, to that end, I've been working on what a healthiness lifestyle looks like in my current version of "real life." For me, that means fresh fruit and vegetables, light healthy lunches, lots of water, and working out about 5-6 days a week. A couple of those days are yoga/strength workouts mixed in with a bike ride or two. I've been running 3-4 days a week, usually during the weekdays before I leave for the office. How far have I been running? I have time for about 3 or 4 miles without making myself late. It was hard for me to admit to people at first. I read a ton of running blogs, and so many of them are gearing up for distance races: Hood to Coast, IronMan, various marathons. People would ask, "What are you training for?" Nothing. "How far are you running these days?" Not very. These kind of runs don't make for very interesting blogs...

But, I'm slowly becoming okay with my frequently short runs. Distance running isn't the only way to run. My current plan works for my life right now. I'm still running regularly (and in this heat that in itself feels like a victory). As life twists and changes, so will my running. All I know is I'll still be out there.

A Change of Scenery

I know blog posts have been sporadic at best lately...Well, I have a decent excuse--I've been busy. Real busy!
Cherry Blossoms' runs will soon be experiencing a change in scenery...B. and I are now proud homeowners (or we will be on closing day). I'm super excited about the house and painting and buying new furniture (and getting out what has become a very loud apartment complex). In about a month we'll be moving a few minutes farther west, and with the move comes new running routes to explore. You know how much I love running in the Clayton, Brentwood area. I love the extra wide bike lanes and the lush tree-lined residential streets. I adore Forest Park. And, I will certainly miss my old favorite go-to routes, the ones where I could predict which people I'd pass based on the time of day I went out. But, I'm very excited to map some new routes and explore my new neighborhood on foot!

In the intervening weeks since my last post, yes, I've still been running. I'm getting up early before work and doing 3-5 miles on most days. I love being up early when the sun is just rising and feeling like I've accomplished a ton by the time I sit down at my desk for work. The half marathon was...well, miserable. Because of unseasonably hot humid weather, they ended up calling the marathon off. The heat really affected me, and my time wasn't even as good as last year's. Oh well. You can't control the weather in the Midwest, I suppose. My next up-coming race is a the Zoo fundraiser 5k. If you recall, it was my first ever 5k two years ago. This year I'm running it with my very speedy sisters. I am still trying to regain my speed (if it could ever be called that), but my sisters are hoping to place in their age groups! It's awesome to have a family that you can be active with! Can't wait!

Trying to Get Excited for Race 1 of 2011

I'm scheduled to run the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon again this Sunday. Last year at this time, I was unbelievably excited--it was to be my very first distance race. I couldn't stop planning what I would wear and imagining how the day would go. This year...well, let's just say, if I hadn't already paid (making it a waste of money not to go), I'd stay in bed on Sunday morning. Why aren't I excited about it this year? I wish I knew. Maybe because it was originally supposed to be a marathon, and because my training work ethic was lousy during the winter months, I'm not ready to do 26.2 and downgraded to the half. Maybe it's because it's the exact same boring race course as last year. I mean, really, you couldn't switch it up a little bit? Or, maybe it's because when I run a race of a similar length,  I always want to beat my time (2:18 in this case), and I don't know if that'll happen this time. I'm hoping for a modest 2:15. We'll see.

But, it's not all about me. I might not be excited about my own race, but I'm psyched for a Facebook friend who is doing the half for the first time ever. It's part of her getting healthy and fit journey, and I'm so excited for her to get the chance to prove to herself how far she's come. Good luck, Mel!

In other news, if you'd like to follow me or any of the other racers, you can do it by clicking here. My bib number is: 2591