Overkill

Since my last post was not at all running related, I figured today was acceptable to go back to what this blog has slowly turned into..Teresa's running diary. And just so you know, I have been working on this post since Monday, but I've had very little free time....that's why it is coming to you on this fabulous Thanksgiving.


If I were to describe the past weekend in one word that word would be overkill. For over a month I knew I was going to be running a Marathon Relay on Sunday. The way the relay worked was a team of four ran two 3.25 laps. For some reason, I felt like running 6.5 miles in one day wasn't really running a long run because it was split up by roughly an hour and a half. And since I always do a long run on the weekends as part of my training, I felt like I needed to do a my normal long run besides the relay.


Originally I had planned on doing my long run on Friday afternoon, but a work project and laziness got the best of me, and I decided the best plan would be to run late morning on Saturday. I knew it may not have been the best idea because of the race the next day, but I was still convinced I needed to get a long run in. I realized on my way to my destination that I forgot my heart rate watch. I was a little bummed because ever since the half I have really relied on the watch to keep me going, but I just shruged it off because I wasn't planning on pushing too hard anyway.



I did my warm up and set out to do my 5 miles. I felt great the whole time and I really had no concept as to my pace because I was just keeping my intervals as normal. At the end of the run, I looked at the timer on my phone and I was shocked. Usually if I stay around a 13 minute mile for a long run I am happy, but upon glancing at my time I realized I did closer to a 12 minute mile. It was a 12:12 to be exact.


Unknowningly pushing myself on Saturday led to a difficult race on Sunday. As soon as the gun went off I realized that I was completely out of my league. Within a minute every runner in the pack was a hundred yards in front of me. At first I was a tad embarassed, especially because the first quarter of mile passed back over the start line and all the other teams saw that I was way behind everyone else. I tried to shake it off though, because I am now pretty good at not comparing myself to other runners.The first lap I had a 12:23 pace, which I would have probably been overjoyed with had it not been for my Saturday pace.


I did a short cool down walk but didn't stretch, which was a bad idea since, again, I had about an hour and a half between laps. I started lap 2 fairly strong, but at the end of the first mile my legs were VERY tired. The last mile or so ended up being close to misery. I was completely discouraged when I finished and realized I ran a 13:04 pace.


Thinking back to Sunday I really shouldn't have been displeased with running a 13 minute mile. Sure, it wasn't even close to my best time, but it is a big jump in progress. And I am blown away that I ran 11.5 miles in one weekend. Many times I don't even run that in a week!

I hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving weekend. :)

A great week ahead

Of course I expect every week of my life to be fabulous or at least pretty close to it, but this week has a special place in my heart. Not only are we only days away from the Thanksgiving (yay for food and family!), but this week also is my 4th wedding anniversary.

I have gotten asked quite a few times in the last several days if we are doing anything special to celebrate. While we aren't going out to a fancy dinner or having a weekend getaway, we will be celebrating in our own little way by putting up our Christmas tree and ornaments.

If you are a long time reader of this blog you may remember this post. The third paragraph is about how our guest "book" at our wedding was assorted ornaments that our guests signed with little messages. Now when we put up our tree we sort of revisit the fabulous day we got married. Last year, Nathan and I recalled so many memories that it proved to be an evening mixed with romance and laughter. I am really looking forward to doing that this weekend.

I am also hoping that I will get a little bit of relaxation time during the long weekend. We are crazy busy with family events, but I am still hopeful to get in sometime for some reading and possibly movie/DVR watching.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope your holiday is filled with lots of good food and love. :)

Just a day, just an ordinary day....

All too often I have used the phrase, "My life would be perfect if it wasn't for..." and whatever would complete the sentence would be whatever was getting me down that week. Many, many times it was work, other times it was money, and on the most rare occasions it was a crazy doggie. :)

In previous posts on this blog I have written that I was striving to have a more positive attitude. Sometimes I strayed from this line of thinking, but in the last few weeks of my life I have really been doing some soul searching and have expanded on my thinking.

I know people say this all the time, but life has no guarantees. So many things can happen that turn your life upside down from one day to the next. And yes, you have probably read that phrase 100 times in your life, but do you really get it? I'm sure some of you won't...unfortunately, I don't think most people do.

For the record, it doesn't matter how I came to this line of thinking. I could tell you some of the reasons and others I don't even know myself. But before anyone goes jumping to some crazy conclusions...no, I don't have any kind of disease or medical condition.

There are certain things in my life that suck. Plain and simple, some things suck. Regardless of the suckage, my life is still happening today. Therefore, I either have to deal with it and move on or I can spend today dwelling on it. I really don't see the point in the latter.

The past two weeks several people in my life have been taken a back by my sudden need to just tell them what I am feeling. Sometimes it was through email and was just a simple, "Hey, you did this, I noticed, and you are awesome." I also made an effort to tell someone very special in my life just how much they meant to me because I hadn't said it lately and I didn't know if I would be there the next day to say it. I plan on reminding myself to do this more, and even if someone else doesn't give me the same sentiment or even understand what I am saying, it doesn't really matter.

Have a great day, I hope you live it for all it is worth.