Blood!

Hey all!  I just wanted to write a quick blog to say that I am so happy that everyone is setting new fitness goals for 2009.  I am really excited to see there is some new life on the blog because I was beginning to wonder...

Since this is the first blog of the new year, I am refocussing and recommitting myself to my workouts.  

Saturday's run kicked my butt.  And I think it started with me not getting out of bed at 6am to make the training group for our long run.  I chose to sleep in instead.  Caleb and I didn't start our run until 9:30 at which time the temperature was out of my comfortable running window.  (I have a very small window of about 50-65 degrees.)  Given the distance, time, temperature, etc., I struggled to run 8.5 miles instead of the 10 miles that the champ Caleb ran.  I ran the 8.5 and called it quits and sat on a shaded grassy knoll and sipped my last few ounces of water that I had on my belt and waited for Caleb to come and pick me up and take me home in the air conditioned car.

I was disappointed in myself, because I could have made it.  What is 1.5 miles?

Anyway, as I sat waiting for Caleb and the car, I needed to refocus.  I decided that the way I was feeling was motivation enough to wake up at 6am on Saturday mornings until the race and train with our pace group.  Additionally, I am going to begin changing up my routes to get in a better workout with some hills, long inclines, distances, etc.  Also, I am going to schedule a appointment with a sports physician.  I am experiencing pain in my hips, primarily in my right hip.  I have tried to work through the pain, but its not going away.  I figure if I am only have way through training, miles 14-26 won't make my hips feel any better.  

"My hips don't lie."  

So with this recommitment, I went for a 60 minute run this morning.  And on my run, I managed to kick my right ankle with my left shoe, drawing blood.    

I guess running a marathon is a lot of "Blood, sweat, and tears."

These fitness challenges that we put before ourselves are not going to be easy, but I am proud of where we are and where we are going in 2009.  Keep rockin'.