I'm baaaaaaaaaack!

Hello Dear Reader,

I'm back in the game...or at least that's what it feels like. As we've previously discussed, my vacation really threw off both my running and healthy eating routine (sore legs and expanded waistline as proof). All of the workshops, holiday parties, road trips, vacations and just plain old laziness on my part (and associated guilt) consumed December. Preparing myself mentally to get back in the running spirit, in addition to the January 1st race seemed to do just the trick. My old motivation...the excitement I used to feel about running...is back or at least that's the way I've been feeling all weekend.

The day after the race, I looked outside of my hotel window to find rain. Rain, however, did not stop me from running an easy 30 minutes. Just as I said a few posts ago, daily rain storms in Lesotho have been my excuse for not getting up at 5am to pavement pound. Now, I can't blame it on the rain. The blame will now (and has always)fall squarely on me.

Back in Lesotho...you guessed it...still raining...but I woke up, threw my gear on and managed to run for a full hour. This morning's run gave me a small boost of confidence because I finally conquered several hills that, in the past, I've walked up. Upon returning home, I completed three different arm exercises...something that has also fallen a bit by the wayside. But that was all in 2010.

In 2011, I am motivated to get my butt in shape and keep it there! In order to do so, I'm going to participate in at least 4 races before March 20th. (Attaching dates/events to running goals seems to be the key). It looks as if my car will be getting a bit of exercise too!

So far, this is what I've come up with:

January 29th: Ottosdal's Night Race Half Marathon (21.1 km)-excited about this one! there will be a pasta dinner the night before the race.

February 12th: Crocodilian 32 km (20 miles)!!!!!!

February 27th: Township 15 km

March 5th: Maluti-A-Phofung Street Mile- will be a nice way to officially wrap up my training!

Well, that's all I have for now.

Until next time...one foot in front of the other...keep it movin'!

Yours in (road race running) training,

Dani

Talked about it. I AM about it.

Hello Dear Reader,

At exactly 6:oo am on New Year's Day (as in this morning), I pulled into the quickly filling parking lot of the Pretoria Botanical Gardens to register for the 11k in 2011 road race. After purchasing my temporary race license (is this common in US road races?), I had the opportunity to take a tour of the garden grounds (which is definitely not as stunning as the one in Cape Town) and observe all of the warm-up/race preparations made by the various participants. Some people found a seat and observed as well. Other runners stretched, walked around, took warm-up laps, greeted friends, and meditated on the task at hand. Several women donned running skirts. One man wore compression socks. Several women pushed prams and one man ran the entire race barefooted. <----I hear this becoming somewhat of a trend. As I become more acquainted with the road race circuit, I wonder if I'll develop a pre-game routine. Thus far, I've enjoyed watching people do what they do, but that's not much different than what I do anyway.

Approximately 10 minutes prior to start time, a crowd began to gather around the finish line which was towards the back of the park. Promptly at 7am, the mass of runners began to move forward and we were off! The path that we were on led out of the service entry of the park, spilling out onto the road leading to the main entrance. The majority of the race was spent circling the perimeter of the gardens, which was lovely in and of itself. With the exception of two steep hills, the course was pretty flat...(If this were Facebook, I'd press the "like" button). At kilometer 7, the course entered the park and lapped around twice, before leading runners into the finishing corral- 1 hr and 8 minutes.

Coke was made available once runners reached the finish line. As I reached for a cup, an old man shook my hand and said, "You did a really good job out there. Finished strong." That made me feel terrific because it was random and unsolicited. We could all use a few unsolicited pats on the back, don't ya think?

I'm soooo happy that I talked myself into participating in this race. It could have been just as easy to sleep in today, nursing a New Year's Eve hangover, than be in running condition on New Year's Day. (Trust me, I considered this option of a brief moment!). Instead, I chose to make the commitment to myself that I'm going to finish what I've started. I vow that this year, my New Year's Resolutions will not be empty words scribbled on a piece of paper (in the bin), but concrete actions.

What a great way to enter into 2011!

Dear Reader, I hope that you had a wonderful time bringing in the New Year.

2011 will be what you/I/we make of it! For me, 2011 will be the year of "Don't talk about it, be about it. Talked about. I AM about it!"

Until next time...one foot in front of the other...keep it movin'!

Yours in (about it) training,

Dani

PS: Check out my first piece of racing bling! Check for me, I'll be wearing that beast for the next week!

Anybody up for a 10K fun run?

Hello Dear Reader-

Have my mother tell it, I'm like a dog with a bone. I'd prefer to say that I'm more like Atlanta's Channel 2 News: Dedicated, Determined and Dependable. Anyway, this whole marathon prep thing has me focused on all things related to helping me set my sights on making it to March 20th. All of the marathon training articles for beginners suggest that, in order to get a feel for what to expect at/from a running event, participation in 5K and 10K races is recommended. My research has led me to events both in Lesotho and in South Africa: Fun Run Calendar. I'll be checking for events which take place in the Free State and Gauteng (Johannesburg) Provinces.

A "fun run", from what I understand, is a non-qualifying race/event. There are races, such as the Boston Marathon, which require you to have participated in, and met specific time requirements within your age group before you can enter. The famed and ridiculously long (56 miles) Comrades Marathon, held every year in South Africa, is another race which requires you to qualify before entering. Marathons over the standard 26 miles are known as "ultra marathons".

Having said all of this, my sights are set on participating in the 10K Bloemwater Kovsie on Saturday, October 16th. Even if I don't run the whole thing, it would be nice to get a feel for what I'm getting myself into. I've never been to a race, much less participated in one, so I'm excited!

My search has also yielded results for national running clubs in South Africa. I found one in a city about 1.15 hours away from where I live. An email has been sent to the club management, requesting information on any weekend beginners clinics. All of this might be overkill, but when I say I need help, I mean it! Plus, if you don't know an answer to a question, isn't it always best to ask for help?

Have you ever participated in a 5K or 10K fun/run? Was this your first organized running event? What motivated you to register? If you wouldn't mind, please tell me about your experience? What was it like to finish? Did that get you pumped up to try out your running legs in other events?

Eek! I'm excited! I called the 10K fun run manager and was told that registration will commence on October 4th! You already know that I'll keep you posted!!!

Yours in training,

Dani

P.S.: Training Update- This morning's workout went on as planned. I managed to increase my time by two minutes and went from a 7.5 setting yesterday, to an 8 setting for the entire run today. Not much, I know, but more than I ran yesterday, so I'd call it an accomplishment! I must have been extra jazzed, cause I managed to stay on the stair master for 20 minutes without stopping...ummm?!?! Post stair master, 4 reps of 20 side (each side) and lower back crunches were capped off by a 15 minute stretch.

I don't know if it's that my leg muscles are starting to get used to the workouts, stretching works miracles, or the adrenaline is preventing me from feeling pain...but I'm not sore or stiff at all. As a matter of fact, I feel great and could actually stand to go for a jog this evening. Hmmm...Life is good!