Good Enough is the Enemy of Excellence

It is such a motivational cliche and one that I generally don't put much stock in - if anything, I think in most efforts striving for the best often gets in the way off accomplishing the good. But when it comes to running, it certainly seems that good enough is my worst enemy.

I was pleased with my time for the Maritime Days 5K. Very pleased.

But what do I do with that contentment?

I slack off, of course!

I almost wish I'd posted a lousy time, if only because that would have been a wake-up call to snap me out of my "when I feel like it" approach to running. But a good time only serves to reinforce the "good enough" mentality.

Intellectually, I know I need to train more often. Not just to improve my times but also to improve my endurance - we are building up to a longer race, after all! - and to really cement the habit of running regularly.

But still I find myself making excuses.

It has been a long day. Every day is right now, with football practice starting at the crack of dawn for my oldest. But long is not the same as hard or tiring, and getting up with the sun means I have plenty of time to go for a run before the other kids even roll out of bed.

It is hot/cold/raining. Probably my worst cop-out, because we've had an absolutely lovely summer. Maybe a bit on the cool side, but for running cool is better than hot anyway.

I just don't feel like it. Well, at least that one is honest. We're in the middle of yet another stressful financial/career transition on top of a busier-than-usual summer, and my motivation and focus are just about shot. But exercise inevitably improves my mood and lowers my stress level.

I did go out for a run today, only my second in the two weeks since our last race. It was a perfect morning for it, not too warm, not a cloud in the sky, and very quiet in our little town that early on a Saturday morning.

As I ran, I found myself thinking about my stumbling blocks. 

The one that seems to really be dragging at me right now is money... My husband is quite unexpectedly back in business for himself, thanks to two layoffs in a row and a lack of solid full-time opportunities around here, so money is tight. Tight enough that I've had to pass on our second planned race for this month because I couldn't responsibly spend the $60 to register for it in the midst of all the back-to-school expenses and as we adapt to an unsteady cash flow once again. 

To make matters worse, our RunDisney dream is on hold indefinitely. With no ability to forecast our income, I didn't feel like I could register for either of the races we were interested in and they've both sold out now so even if the job situation improves there's no making it happen before my annual pass expires. 

I think the disappointment of having the "carrot" that started this journey so completely out of reach at the moment is messing with my head more than any other single factor. 

But my daughter doesn't seem to care - she's found other races she's far more interested in than anything RunDisney has to offer. She wants to do a color run, a glow run, a zombie run. She wants us to walk the Mackinac Bridge next year on my birthday. And she's making noise about the scariest run I can think of - the Detroit International Half-Marathon, which crosses into Canada through the tunnel under the Detroit river... A tunnel I don't even like to drive! Fortunately I have four years to prep for that one because she's not old enough just yet. 

Her interest in running has taken on a life of its own. She's even challenged my husband to start getting out there with us. 

So I have to find myself a new carrot and run on. 

Race Recap: Maritime Days 5K

As promised, I'm back with a full wrap up of my second 5K of the summer.

This one was a no brainer for my daughter and I. Most of the events she's interested in have us driving into suburbia, but this one was just down the street.

Our town holds an annual summer festival, Maritime Days, in early August. Last year, the event organizers decided to add a 5K to the event with the proceeds supporting the planning for the next year's festival. 

Fun at the festival

The race organizers were new to the event this year, and they did a great job. Everything was very well organized, from the registration through Active.com to the post-race refreshments. 

We chose to take advantage of early packet pickup on Thursday night at the local coffee house rather than get to the starting line early on race day. This was a very nice perk for those of us who live in town, because with the carnival and other festival entertainment it was a busy weekend for many of us.

We got to the starting line with about 3 minutes to spare. I'm not a morning person at the best of times, and the day after the town fireworks display is not the best of times. Fortunately, we already had our bibs and shoe tags on so we were ready to go. Again I have to say how much I loved the early packet pick-up!

The start was well organized. The turnout wasn't as large as for our earlier race, but that's to be expected - the manatee run is in its 11th year in a major suburban area, and this run is only in its second year in a small rural town. The mayor said a few words, followed by the race organizers, and then we were off.

Because this is a very small town, the race was run mainly on open residential streets. The one exception is our main street, which runs along the riverfront; this is closed for the whole festival weekend. So while there isn't much traffic so early on a Saturday morning there were a couple of occasions where runners had to wait for cars to pass or vice versa. The route did run a little longer than a true 5K, though; according to the pre-race announcements it was approximately 3.4 miles rather than 3.1.

Freighter on the river

The best part of the course was the run along the river, and the organizers certainly must have known this because we traveled that part of the route twice. The rest looped through residential streets lined with old Victorian homes, nice scenery for running with lots of lovely shade.

Speaking of shade, the weather was perfect - sunny with just a few puffy clouds, but not quite 70° for the 8am start. I worried about August races because even up here in Michigan August can be brutally hot and humid, but this was wonderful. I hope we have the same luck with the other race we have planned for this month!

Back to the race...

There was one water station in front of my girls' school/church, at the turn-around point that we passed through twice, once at about 1.2 miles and the second time around 2.4. I thought that was exceptionally well planned, to require only one set of volunteers to staff the station but still provide runners two well-spaced stations.

Our Lady on the River Church

After the race, runners were directed to a table with refreshments provided by a local grocery - bananas, water, and some chia-seed sports drink that my daughter warned me was "gross" so I didn't even try it. Water is really the only thing I want after a run anyway.

At the end of the race, the organizers posted times for the quicker finishers. When we left, results and splits were posted for everyone who finished in under 40 minutes. We didn't stick around long enough to see my results - I crossed the finish line right around the 48 minute mark - and the full results haven't yet been uploaded to the race page so I haven't seen my official time. I couldn't be happier with my unofficial time, though!

My daughter doesn't remember her time but thinks it was around 37 minutes, which breaks down to the same 10 minute per mile pace that she posted back in May. She was a little disappointed with that, but between all her activit

All in all it was a really fun race, but I'm not sure we'll do it next year for reasons entirely unrelated to the race itself. The whole reason we didn't stick around to see the splits or chat with friends who also ran was because I had to leave home to pick my son up from band camp. The race started at 8, and I had to be on the road by 9:20 to get up to the college where they hold camp by noon.

Band camp finale

So unless the dates line up differently next year, I won't be running the race again. Between the 5K, the 2.5 hour drive up to camp, an hour long presentation/show for parents, a couple hours of swimming and picnicking at a state park, and 2.5 hours' drive back home, it was just too long a day!

One Quick Post

I am literally on my way out the door, but had to post a quick brag.

My town's 5K was this morning. Official results haven't posted yet, but MapMyRun is showing a total course length of 3.42 miles and a time of 48:15... For a per-mile split of 14:07.

That's right. 14:07!

A full minute per mile faster than the last 5K I ran back in June!

And that's with almost no training, just walking the dog and getting around on foot/bike like I always do during the summer.

Just imagine what I could do once I'm back on the training wagon.

Now, for 3 hours in the car to pick my son up from band camp...

I'll post a full race recap later.

Off the Wagon

So it seems I've fallen off the wagon a bit. With running, and with blogging.

June was an off-and-on month. Some weeks I was good, walking or running 4 or 5 days. It almost started to feel like a habit. Others, I was not so good, only getting out on the trail once or twice. Those times, it felt more like a chore.

July is a wasteland. I don't think I've been out running even once, and the month is more than half over. I have a million excuses - kids to get to activities, ridiculous amounts of stress at home, this absurd heat wave that has me wishing I could jet off to Florida to cool off. But none of them are good excuses, and the fact remains that I have to lace up my shoes and get back on the trail. Now. Like yesterday.

Our next event is a hometown 5K on August 3, and this one more than any other is a mental challenge for me. Not because it has a swift pace requirement or will be especially competitive, but because this is the only race on my calendar where I'll actually know some of the other runners. For me, that's harder to face than any pace requirement or threat of being swept.

Irrational? Sure. But there it is.

I'm much more comfortable being not-a-runner, fat and happy, than putting myself out there and publicly doing something that is so far from my strengths and skills.

Giving into the urge to skip this one isn't an option. My daughter would never allow it. She's very excited about this race more than any other, in that pre-teen, showing-off sort of way. She's the only one of her friends who runs any distance, the only one who volunteers for the mile on her track team, and she's hoping to win this one.

So it is time to dig my running shoes out from under the mound of flip-flops and get myself going.

Tomorrow. As soon as this blasted "heat advisory" weather moves on.

A Diversion - Orion Music + More

I debated posting about this because it isn't related to my training in any way, shape, or form.

Then I rationalized it by telling myself I walked to the island so I got a short workout in anyway.

Who am I kidding? I didn't fit in a single run all weekend.

Actually, in all seriousness it is just something I feel very strongly about. Those readers who know me in real life or through forums where I'm very active know that I'm a Detroiter. I may be living in exile these days for the sake of a more child-friendly community, but in my heart I am and always will be a Detroiter. And this weekend, I had the privilege of attending a fabulous event in my hometown.

Orion Music + More is a festival put on by Metallica, and for this year Detroit was chosen as the host city. The festival was held on Belle Isle, which is a rather unique city park in that it is an island in the Detroit River. It has also been at the center of some controversy lately as the city has considered selling or leasing the park to help solve the city's budget crisis. I hope that never comes to pass; Belle Isle is more than just another park, and it brings a lot to the city. 

My son and I got tickets to the festival as soon as it was announced and I knew we were going to make a whole weekend of it. We started at Eastern Market, which can only be described as the mother of all farmers' markets. On a Saturday morning, it is also home to some of the best food truck eats the city of Detroit has to offer. We started with pierogis from the People's Perogi Collective, then shared a burrito from El Guapo, and finished up with beignets from Beignets2Go, all washed down with apple cider from an Imlay City farm. Quite a feast for $20 and my son found the street entertainers fascinating. I never realized what a small town kid he really is until I took him into the city!

Eastern Market

After lunch we headed down to Cobo, where the official festival parking was. To be honest I suspected this was a bad idea from the start - as a native, my first instinct was to park close to Belle Isle and cross the bridge on foot, but the festival guide made it sound like this wouldn't be allowed so I went with the masses downtown. A fleet of buses shuttled concertgoers to the island, but there were just so many people to move! It took us a good half hour to get on a bus but eventually we were on our way.

Once we got to the island the process was much smoother. RFID wristbands in place of traditional tickets made the gate a breeze, and soon enough we were finding a spot for the first must-see band of the weekend. My son discovered the Dropkick Murphys after they did the main theme for The Departed, and was really looking forward to seeing them. They put on a great show, very unusual with the combination of bagpipes and flute with hard rock/metal guitar. Sebastian picked up a t-shirt and got it signed by the whole band. 

We wandered a bit after their set, checking out the car show that was set up along the edge of the island. Each of the band members added a "lifestyle" element to the festival, and the car show was James Hetfield's contribution. When it came time for the best-in-class honors to be awarded on Sunday he announced them himself so each winning car owner got a brief meeting!

My favorite of the displays was Kirk Hammet's "Kirk's Crypt", which featured some of his personal collection of horror movie memorabilia as well as an extended trailer for World War Z. I got over there just in time to hear Tom Savini speak on Sunday which was really cool, and I got a WWZ promo t-shirt for my zombie-loving daughter. 

Kirk's Crypt

But of course the music was the highlight. Some of the smaller bands were very enjoyable, particularly Japandroids, Gogol Bordello, and of course the Dropkick Murphys. But the headliners absolutely rocked the island. Red Hot Chili Peppers took the stage on Saturday, and man I cannot believe they're still so high energy! Its been maybe 15 years since I've seen them live and Flea is still bouncing around like he's a young man! Then Metallica on Sunday, an absolutely killer performance mostly made up of songs old enough to bring back memories of high school for me. It cracks me up that my son is into so much of the same stuff I was listening to at his age! 

Metallica

The only minor glitch with the festival was transportation back to the parking areas on Saturday. It took us over three hours to get back to my van and to our "home" for the night, about 20 minutes away. That was easily solve by walking over on the second day; our ride dropped us off on the land side of the bridge and we crossed on foot, which worked out much better - an hour after the show ended we were on the expressway headed back home to the country. From start to finish it was an absolutely awesome weekend and I'm actually glad my son chose the concert tickets over the mother-son Disney trip I had in mind. I know people say parenting teens is so very difficult but I rather enjoy that my kids are older have such fun interests that end up pulling me in so many unexpected directions. 

Orion has a contract with the City of Detroit for two more years of festivals on Belle Isle with a possibility of making Detroit the festival's permanent home. I'm thinking this just might become an annual tradition for the city, and for my son and I. 

View from the Belle Isle Bridge

My New Running Buddy

There is nothing like a puppy to keep you motivated to run every day!

Okay, so she isn't exactly a puppy. We're estimating she's 2-3 years old, and the poor thing just came to us last week. My son's stepbrother found her playing in traffic and since he couldn't keep her he brought her here.

She is such a sweet dog that I can't believe no one is looking for her.

She has a collar but no tags and no microchip, and other than being very thin she's in good health. My Disney-loving four year old named her Lady, though there is clearly no physical resemblance, and it only took her a couple of hours to start answering to her new name. She stays home, even when she's out in the front yard while I'm doing yard work, and other than needing a lesson on staying out of the kitchen trash she's been very well behaved. But she gets along with our other dog, is very gentle with Katie, and is the sort of animal that just has a way of making you smile.

And boy is she high-energy! We're going out together morning and night for long walks and a little running, but it never fails that I get tired before she does. She's certainly good for my training, though - unless it is pouring rain she wants to be outside and she'll gladly keep going as long as I'm willing. In fact, she pretty much never sits still!

Right now, we're alternating between working on pace and distance. Twice a week we're covering the full 10K distance at a brisk but not especially challenging pace, and three times a week we're working on a 5K distance at a faster pace.

My next run with my daughter is July 20, quite a long way off still. I think with Lady's help a 14min pace is a reasonable goal to shoot for.

I did it!

Only have time for a very quick post before I get back to the craziness that is May in my household, but I had to share the few pics I took and my thoughts about yesterday's Save the Manatees 5K.

The day could have gotten off to a better start. I woke up with a headache, totally self-inflicted so I was determined to power through it. See, I'm a caffeine addict. I don't mean I'm cranky before I have my morning coffee. I mean I get migraine-like withdrawal headaches if I don't keep up with the habit, and I was on the go so much on Friday between a morning run, afternoon at the park, and evening getting a new dog that landed on our doorstep settled in that I just didn't feel much like anything other than water. And I was paying for it as I got ready to go, but after a breakfast of Motrin and toast I was feeling a bit better by the time we got on the road.

It was cool and cloudy when we arrived, but as the morning progressed the sun did make an appearance. The weather really couldn't have been better - probably mid-60s with a gentle, warmish breeze. We got to Lake St Clair Metropark around 8:30, which gave us plenty of time to pick up our race packets and stretch a little before the 9:30 start.

Shanna had to have her picture taken in front of the giant manatee balloon.

It was clearly a family-oriented event. The race packet for under-12 runners included a really cute stuffed manatee. A DJ was on hand to entertain the crowd, playing a very beachy selection of tunes, heavy on the Jimmy Buffet. Very apropos since Jimmy Buffet is one of the founders of the Save the Manatee club. An adorable clown was on hand making some very creative balloon animals for the kids, including manatees of course.

The first race of the day was the Mini-Mile and it was really cute watching the little ones line up to run. The youngest child out there couldn't have been more than 3 or 4, and it got me thinking that next year maybe Katie would like to join us. 

Then it was our turn. The turnout was bigger than I'd expected, about 1200 people registered for either the 5K run or 2 mile walk, but once we got a few hundred yards from the start the course didn't feel crowded at all. Shanna and I ran together for about the first half mile, then I slowed to walk some and she left me in her dust. I only caught sight of her once after that, when the course doubled back on itself, and according to her time she was at the finish line about as I hit the 2 mile marker. 

The course itself was very nice. The park occupies a small outcropping into the lake, and the course went all the way out to the end before doubling back and winding through the more developed parts of the park. 

I ran about half of the first mile, then walked all of the second, then alternated between running and walking through the rest. My overall time wasn't bad - 46:47, which breaks down to 15:05 per mile. I'm shooting for 15 minutes as my first pace goal, because that feels comfortably under the 16min/mile pacing requirement for the time-limited races I'm interested in, so I did get close and was slightly faster than my best training run so far. I was disappointed with myself for not running more, though. I wasn't sore and was only mildly tired afterwards, so I know I could have pushed myself harder. 

I was very proud of Shanna, though! Her final time was 31:11, pretty good for a first effort especially since she abandoned me on our C25K program for the duration of track and baseball seasons! 

All in all it was a very nice outing. I'm taking today off to work on things in my garden and around the house, but I'll be right back out on the track tomorrow morning to get ready for the next race, which right now is looking like it'll a local charity fundraiser on July 20th. 

Two tough weeks

I've started this post a few times over the last week, but never end up finishing it. I always end up feeling like a whiner by the end... But I think I do need to get this out and let it go before I can break out of the funk I've been in.

Two weeks ago, my 4 year old daughter's best friend lost her mother. It was sudden, unexpected, and quite frankly terrifying. On her 40th birthday she just didn't wake up. She was overweight but otherwise healthy, and though she was under a lot of stress she seemed to be handling it well.

Her daughter, V, was here with me all day the day it happened. No one had told her yet. Her mom's boyfriend, who found her - thank God he was the first one up! - didn't know how to break the news and her grandparents spent the better part of the day dealing with the practical worries.

There are no words that can do justice to how difficult it was to play with the girls like it was a normal day. All I wanted to do was hug the stuffing out of little V. She's been best friends with my youngest since they we moved in here, when V was 3 and my daughter was 2. In that time she hasn't had any contact with her father at all so her mom really was her whole world.

When her Nana and Papa came to pick her up, I went out for a run. I thought it would clear my head but all I ended up doing was overdoing it in a big way. I didn't take my phone so I wasn't doing timed intervals, just running until I had to walk and then running again when I caught my breath. Not exactly the smartest thing I've ever done but at least I slept well afterwards.

I haven't been out walking or running since. I could barely move on Saturday, but got on with our usual - track meet, baseball game, playground, church. But somewhere in there, V called and wanted to talk to my KJ. She told her what happened to her mom and they talked for a long time.

No four year old should know that mothers aren't invincible and ever since that phone call mine is struggling mightily with that realization.

The following Monday we had our very first meltdown at school about leaving me. This is a little girl who was so eager to start school that she didn't even want to take the time to give me a hug and kiss on her first day, and who gets upset over school breaks. But she didn't want to let me out of her sight.

She hasn't stayed in her bed all night even once in the past two weeks. Every night she wakes up, usually just as I fall asleep, and climbs in with DH & I.

Every time we get in the car we have the same conversation. It starts like this: "Mommy, I don't want you to go live with Jesus." I'm not a religious woman but I am so thankful that she does have the teachings of a year of Catholic school to draw on as she tries to cope with this. It is certainly easier than trying to explain death outside of the context of any faith.

She even turned down a sleepover at her Nana's house. She never does that. Papa takes her grocery shopping and they cook together and he lets her have cookies before dinner and jump on the bed, then Nana runs her a bath so she can "swim" in their oversized tub before falling asleep watching Disney movies.

So through all of this, I'm not sleeping well and I'm certainly not forcing the issue of "me time" to go running when K is so clingy that I can hardly go to the bathroom without her. We're spending our days doing fun things together so she doesn't spend so much time thinking about V's absence, since up until 2 weeks ago V was here after school virtually every day.

The problem is, I've let it completely kill my motivation. Not just about running - even planning my next Disney trip doesn't do it for me, and I'm so glad this is the break between terms because there's no way I could focus on coursework right now.

And this is why I feel whiny. This isn't my tragedy, but I can't seem to get it out of my head much less get back to normal. I have so many things coming up in the next month that I'm looking forward to but right now I have no enthusiasm for any of it. Dealing with the day to day of reassuring K and trying not to think about my own mortality is taking all the emotional energy I can muster.

I'd like to say I'll get out there tomorrow but really I doubt I will. Monday, though, I'll be on the track or on the trail come hell or high water. No excuses. KJ will be in school and I need to make the most of that time until things get back to normal.

The 5K with my 11 year old is one week from today and I'm not going to disappoint her.

Home again, home again

It has been a long time since I updated, but I have a good excuse... Well as good an excuse as any, any how.

I was at my most favorite place in the world.

Wishes

That's right, Disney World.

Even more incredibly, I was there all by myself. No husband, no kids, just me calling all the shots. It was nothing short of amazing!

The purpose of the trip was two-fold. First and foremost, I got the chance to meet in person some very long time online friends. We all started out together on a public message board, but when the board shut down we started a small e-mail loop and after many years of talking about much more than our shared love for Disney we've all grown quite close. Fourteen of us were able to make the meet and we had a blast!

The second purpose, and the reason being solo was so very priceless, was that the Flower & Garden Festival is in full swing at Epcot.

I am an avid gardener, bordering on obsessive at times. You'll find that my garden will butt in here a time or two if spring should ever arrive, because it consumes much of my spare time and energy during the warmer months.

With my interest in gardening, it should come as no surprise that I spent most of the trip at Epcot. I took a Flower & Garden Festival exclusive tour, attended several of the festival seminars, and enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of Disney's incredible greenhouses. It was a truly magical experience to be there without kids hurrying me along when I wanted to get a closer look at some unusual display or growing technique. This was my third visit during the Festival, but the first time I really felt like I could take the time to appreciate everything it adds to the park.

But I am home again and struggling to get back in the swing of things. I didn't run while in Florida, partly because it was just so hot -  70° with high humidity at 7am - and partly because I was spending 10 or 12 hours a day walking around the parks. And then I came home to find winter still clinging to our area, and promptly developed a nasty cold. Ugh.

I am heading out for a walk now, just to get moving a little. I doubt I'll run at all. My cold is passing but any real exertion triggers a coughing fit. Still, I need to get myself out the door and putting in at least some effort so before the sun goes down I'm going to bundle up and hit the trail. Maybe I'll find some small sign of spring out there somewhere!

Self Consciousness

It has been a tough couple days. That "just not feeling it" feeling keeps hanging around for one reason or another.

But at least I'm getting the hang of running anyway.

The last couple days have been miserable. We finally have spring-like temperatures and they came with rain. Buckets and storms and showers and mists, and scarcely a dry moment to be found. And that means no running, just walking at the school in the early morning hours. I've only gotten one real run in this week.

The sun came out in the evening on Monday so I decided to head out while I could, but the sidewalks and my usual path were better suited for wading than for running. That left just one option, the high school track. And with the first 60-something degree day of the spring along with the first break in the clouds all day, a dozen other people had the same idea.

For me, that's a problem.

I really hate running when there are other people around. It is a weird thing to be self conscious about, especially when those other people are other overweight, middle aged women out for a walk on the only dry spot in town. But there it is.

On a track full of people walking in pairs and small groups, I feel like I look ridiculous doing my walk/run intervals all by myself. And just to make it a little better, I'm in week two of the Zombies, Run! program so there are heel lifts in between interval sets as well.

I seriously considered skipping the C25K workout and just walking, but then I realized something - if I can't work out in front of a bunch of moms and senior citizens out for an evening walk, how am I going to feel about actually running in a race?

So I did it. My full work out with an audience of people who couldn't care less about the woman running the back stretch of the track instead of walking like everyone else. It may not sound like much, but it felt good to me. Some days I think it is the smallest victories that keep me going.

Just Not Feeling It

Ever have one of those days where you wake up with the motivation of a garden slug? Today was that kind of day for me.

I'm not sure if it was the busy day out with my kids yesterday or the way too heavy dinner that went along with it, or if it was the unending construction project down the road that once again woke me at dawn even though it is spring break and I should be sleeping in. I just know that I've been feeling kind of blah and lazy all day.

I was pretty proud of myself when I shook it off and went out the door for my run, but the lethargy tagged along.

I'm used to tough first miles. I haven't been at this very long and the first few running intervals usually prompt at least a fleeting thought that there has to be an easier way. But today the blahs hung with me even  as the first mile turned into the second.

It didn't help that my daughter has a friend over for the weekend so I didn't have my running buddy to keep me moving. And it didn't help that despite the lovely sunshine, the air was cool and there was a strong breeze blowing directly into my face as I hit my usual path.

Mostly, though, it was just an extension of my mood.

The bike path I use is really pretty, and today there were lots of birds to watch in the still-leafless trees. On my walk intervals I played with the Flickr app a bit. I just downloaded it while I was in Florida last month so the novelty hasn't entirely worn off yet even though my phone doesn't take great pictures.

I even veered off into the wilderness for a short distance to run along a creek, knowing that the soft ground is usually easier on me when I'm tired or sore.

Nothing really helped, and in the end I just slogged through it.

Needless to say it wasn't a very good workout.

I completed my Zombies, Run! mission but my pace stunk and I didn't run any of the 10 minute free walk/run that follows the structured run-walk intervals.

Then I came home, plopped down in my favorite chair, and decided not to do much of anything else for the rest of the day.

15:36

Today was cold. It was windy. It certainly didn't look anything like spring. But I stuck to my guns. No excuses.

My ankle and foot are still a bit sore, so I didn't want to push myself too hard or too far today.

I know when I start a workout in Zombies, Run! I absolutely despise not finishing. In fact, I've only done it once and only because my 4yo decided to have a total meltdown mid-run that necessitated an immediate return home. And once she was settled into her bed I left her in my husband's care and went right back out to finish what I started. So in the interests of listening to my body and taking it easy on my still-healing foot and legs I decided to skip running from the zombies for a day and go for a more free form walk/run instead.

I hit the track with one goal: to cover 5K in distance. No worries about pace or time and every intention of slowing down or even taking a break if I started hurting.

Not only did I cover that 5K without a break, I did it in a pretty solid time for me - 15 minutes, 36 seconds per mile on average.

For the first mile, I really didn't think I was going to make it. My ankle just isn't flexing normally yet and I had a hard time finding a comfortable stride. At the one mile mark I decided I'd just shoot for half the distance - 6 laps instead of 12.5. But by the time I hit that 6th lap I'd gotten into a pretty good routine, running 100 meters each lap and walking the other 300m. And before I knew it I was done, in just a hair over 50 minutes.

It isn't going to win any races but a 15 minute mile pace, sustained over the entire 3.1 mile distance, is my first major training goal. The minimum pacing requirement for Disney's 5K events as well as for several local races I am interested in is 16 minutes per mile, so training to 15 minute miles should give me enough of a cushion to work in water breaks and tying shoes and any other brief stops that might come up mid-race.

As I run more and walk less I'll obviously have to set a more lofty goal, but for a 200+ pound woman who is new to this whole running thing, 15 minutes per mile seemed a good place to start. And to be so close to that goal so early in my training is a real thrill!

The Most Embarrassing Injury

I went into the holiday weekend with the best of intentions. Yes, we would be busy visiting family on both Saturday and Sunday, but I was still going to fit in at least a short run.

Then I broke our stairs.

Okay, it wasn't entirely me. They weren't properly built nor installed, and we didn't realize the extent of the jerry-rigging until they crumbled. Think six foot wide, four foot high cast concrete steps... with no support other than the side walls, no back-fill when they were installed, and no reinforcing wire or rebar in the construction at all. It is amazing they lasted as long as they did... According to neighbors, the previous owners put them in a few years before they moved so they were probably close to 10 years old. And we have some very heavy construction going on in our neighborhood that is revealing all sorts of hidden weaknesses; our neighbor had two 100+ year old original basement windows shatter because of the vibration.

Really it was a blessing that I was the one to "discover" the weakness. My husband works in construction and battles a recurring ankle issue so this could have sidelined him just as we're going into his busy season.  I'd hate to see any of my very active kids get hurt, particularly with two of them starting track practice next week. And if it had happened a day later it could have been my 65 year old mom going up and down them when she came over for Easter dinner.

Still, it is pretty embarrassing for me to admit that I didn't run this weekend because I am too sore from falling through our front steps!

Thankfully, nothing is broken. My shins are bruised and a little scraped up, the heel of my right hand took a beating because I caught myself before falling completely, and my right foot and ankle are very tender and a little swollen from being trapped under a piece of concrete. But a long hot bath and an ibuprofen got me through Easter Sunday, including cooking dinner and the whole nine yards, and today brought some improvement.

If it hadn't been 40° and windy I might have braved a walk to test things out but between the general soreness, post-holiday exhaustion, and the foul weather I let the excuses win.

They won't win tomorrow.

The First Goal

I am not generally an ambitious person, but I am very goal oriented. That is, without a goal I have endless ability to procrastinate, make excuses, and otherwise drift along without accomplishing much of anything.

To combat that tendency, I knew I needed to find myself a tangible goal to keep me honest in my training. Not the vague "someday" goal of not only training for but also finding the money to add another trip for a Disney race before my annual pass expires in March of next year, but something that is right in front of me, looming on my calendar as a constant reminder to keep me focused.

Today, my daughter found that goal for me.

The 10th annual running of the Save the Manatee 5K.

Mommy brag time: My daughter is a brilliant, driven girl, active in so many things and with a clear goal for her future that she's had in her mind since she was very young. She wants to major in biology with an emphasis on marine biology and conservation. She absolutely fell in love with the manatees in The Living Seas pavilion at Epcot on one of our first Disney trips. Even before that she knew she wanted to work with animals when she grew up, but that was the start of a great fascination with the plight of marine mammals as their habitats see ever increasing human traffic. On our last trip to Florida, we even braved an unseasonably frigid 40° morning to kayak along a spring-fed river and see manatees in their natural habitat.

So when she came across the Save the Manatee 5K in doing research for a school presentation I knew we were going to have to register. I mean, what are the odds that we'd find a manatee conservation fundraiser that is held in Michigan, 1100 miles from the nearest manatee? And that it would be a 5K, scheduled for just about 2 months from now... more than enough time to train but still near enough to keep the pressure on. It is  the perfect first race for us.

On Saturday, May 18 I'll be running my first 5K. It isn't timed but I'm shooting for a 15 minute mile pace, since that's what I need to achieve for a Disney race. The course is through a very pretty and entirely flat park, so it really is ideal for a first event, and I am very much looking forward to it.

Zombies!

Twice I have started the Couch to 5K program, and twice I've dropped out. The first time I did it the old fashioned way, with my watch as a timer, because that was the best tech I had at the time. The second time, I tried the C25K Free app for my shiny new Android phone. But still I lost interest by week two or three.

Over this past winter I didn't walk or run. I hate the winter and I have that whole "not coordinated enough for land sports" thing working against me when it comes to running on ice and snow. Between the cold and my conviction that I'd somehow fall and break my neck, it was easy enough to make excuses and stick to half-hearted indoor workout sessions on the Wii.

Now spring is starting to peek in, tentatively and a little overdue but enough to banish the snow and ice and with them my excuses. So I've started training outside again. And just like the past two springs, I started thinking about the Couch to 5K program and setting race goals to keep me motivated.

Then I stumbled across a message board post - DisBoards to the rescue again! - about an app I knew I just had to try: Zombies, Run! 5K. It is the same basic idea as C25K - interval training to develop both speed and endurance - but it has a zombie apocalypse storyline that makes the time pass far more quickly and an internet game connected to the app that I can't wait to get further into.

I'm only through the first week so far but I can already say that I like it so much better than any other C25K-type program I've tried in the past. I actually look forward to each 'mission'. It even makes something I used to consider an annoyance - the fact that I often can't get out for a workout until the kids are in bed - into something I look forward to. There's something about running at night, on an unlit track, with only the sounds of your own footfalls and the frogs in the ditches, that fits perfectly with a training program that has zombies moaning through your headphones.

Oh, did I mention that something I love just as much as I love Disney is post-apocalyptic fiction? Or that I'm absolutely enthralled by The Walking Dead at the moment? No? Well, I do, I am, and that's probably why this app is such a perfect tool.

Today was supposed to be an off day for me, but I was feeling okay, not too sore and very well rested since it is the first day of spring break so I didn't have to get up early to haul kids to school. So I went out to do the final workout of week one around 10pm. My 11 year old joined me, which was really cute because she is using the same app but found it too creepy at night. She put on a playlist and followed my lead for the interval timing! Together we only covered a hair over two miles, quite a bit less than the four I logged on my own yesterday, but it was still a good workout.

I can't wait to see what my next mission brings. Week two is when I get to start collecting supplies to use in the online world-building aspect of the game.

I Am Not A Runner.

I feel like I need to make that clear from the start: I am not a runner.

 As a teenager I jokingly told people I swam because I wasn't coordinated enough for land sports. But really, I was only half-joking. I'm not what you'd call graceful and I wasn't even when I was young and thin. I'm not especially injury prone either, thank goodness, but I am prone to embarrassing spills, tripping over my own feet, and generally collecting a rather impressive array of scrapes and bruises.

 I was, however, one heck of a swimmer. But that is neither here nor there.

For too long, I've let my general aversion to the types of exercise most practically available to a 30something stay-at-home-mother on a budget be my excuse for a total lack of physical activity. Oh, I walk and bike, but only as transportation. That isn't enough to stay in shape and over the years a few pounds here and there have added up to a major problem.

Last summer, for reasons I can't entirely pin down, I finally reached a point where I was uncomfortable enough with being so heavy that I decided to make some real changes. Since May of 2012 I've lost 29 pounds, but I haven't seen any loss so far in 2013. Watching what I eat can only take me so far, mostly because I'm unwilling to be as vigilant and restrictive as it takes to lose serious amounts of weight without developing good exercise habits, but my efforts on the exercise side of the weight-loss equation have been half-hearted at best.

Spring is almost here and I'm ready to face it head on with a plan to get myself moving.

But why running?

Honestly, the biggest thing is that it is simple. I live in a small town with nice trails, bike paths, and scenery, and I don't have the money for a gym membership or the space for a treadmill. I do walk quite a lot and have even done a couple of un-timed 5Ks in the past, but meandering around town is never going to be enough to help me reach my goals. Running is the logical next step.

There is something else too, something that has floated around at the back of my mind for years just waiting for the right moment to shift from a vague notion to a plan of action.

Run Disney.

I am a Disney fanatic. I love all things Disney, but Walt Disney World most of all. If I'm not planning a trip for my own family, I'm probably helping someone else plan one. And when there's no trip in the works I still hang out on Disney forums, keeping up with the latest news and visiting vicariously through the trip reports of fellow fanatics. Even the URL of this blog is Disney inspired, taken from the cutesy euphemism for "fat" that is popular on forums like the DisBoards.

And what is the ultimate in motivation for a Disney-obsessed woman looking to get healthy?

Running a Disney race, of course!

My goal race is still uncomfortably vague. I'd originally set my sights on the Princess Half-Marathon and I plan to train as though that is still the objective, but the minimum age excludes my 11yo daughter and now training buddy. Ideally, we'll make the trip down in October for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler. Not only is it a good distance, it is also a night race with an all-night after party which suits this night owl perfectly. However, two children in private school and a summer packed full of travel plans might not leave room in the budget to make another trip down so soon. If that turns out to be the case, I do have a backup plan... The 10K that was recently added to the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend in January.

Only time will tell which race we're able to run, but the training is on. Some time in the next year I will earn a finisher medal from a Walt Disney World race!