Working On The List

In the beginning of this year I made a list. A list of things I wanted to achieve before the end of the year. Here's some of it:

-lose weight (seems to always be on the list)
-get a new job
-get a new apartment (walking distance to strand)
-eat better
-drink less
-run a marathon
-new PR for half
-get a new car (comes after getting a new job)
-get into grad school
-save more money

Phew! That's a lot. And pretty ambigious. And for the most part it's very slow going. It's hard not to get frustrated with my progress, but I feel like I am working towards making the better part of these happen.

One I can definately cross off is breaking my PR for the half. At the Surf City Half Marathon in Huntington Beach, CA I crossed the finish at 1:58:06. My goal was to break 2 hours and I ended up setting a PR by 4 minutes. Succes!! Also running the LA Marathon next month so I will get to cross that one off. Also studying and taking the GRE on Wednesday so I can apply to grad school.

I think for me the most important thing to remember is to take things day by day. And not to sweat the small stuff. I tend to bottle things up until they are ready to explode. Luckily, running has helped me relieve some of my daily stress. Instead of focusing on the things that I have no control over, I need to center my attention on things that I can control, even little things. Like eating wholesome meals and drinking less. The right job and apartment will come along in a matter of time. I am making an effort and hopefully it won't go unnoticed.

My plan for the weekend is to be good to myself. I have A LOT of studying to do, some apartment hunting, a 20 mile run to Malibu and need to have some quality friend and sibling time. I also need to get groceries and fill my fridge with foods that will support my running, weight loss and muscle recovery. I need to lay off the alcohol which shouldn't be hard because I won't go out tonight or Saturday night because the big run is on Sunday morning. Sunday evening is the gold medal game for USA Men's Hockey and I'm really looking forward to it. Funny to see people in a bar chanting USA at the TV! Final plan for this weekend is to RELAX...something I am learning to get better at. Haha, maybe I should put that on the list too.

Report and maybe some pics of the big run to come on Monday. Until then, a quote by the man, Steve Prefontaine...

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."

Ashley

23 Days and Counting

I don't know why I didn't start this sooner. But here I am, 23 days away from my first marathon, the LA Marathon.

I have been running steadily now for over 2 years. I took a hiatus after my very first half marathon, the OC 1/2 Marathon in early 2006. Running a marathon was never something I thought I would want to do. I was perfectly happy with running 10Ks and halves for the rest of my running life. The thought of doing a 16 mile training run was daunting and something I just wanted no part of. But then it hit me...at Malloy's in Hermosa Beach on a Sunday Funday watching football. A friend of mine decided she wanted to run a marathon and she didn't want to do it alone, so I said "what the hell". I figured with all the training I had been doing for my Ragnars and my halves, now was the perfect time. So there, on a beverage napkin, I mapped out our weekly training runs leading up to the LA Marathon.

This weekend I will run my last building run, and the farthest run of my life, 20 miles. After that it is time to rest and taper until Marathon Day. I have definately had mixed emotions. There have been injuries, sickness and days where I just didn't feel like running. There have been days where I think I have this thing in the bag and days where I question if I have it in me. I don't know what exactly will happen on marathon day, but I do know one thing....I WILL FINISH. And when I do, I will probably cry like a baby. Heck, I cry when I watch other people finish marathons. Even thinking about crossing the finish line can choke me up. But I want that feeling sooooo bad. Apparently, so bad that I am willing to run 26.2 miles to get it.

I'll end my first post with a quote...one that I saw during my first half and has stuck with me.

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

Happy Running,

Ashley