I committed myself to several races for 2015 and a couple in 2016 are already scheduled with the most important ones coming up over the next couple of months, one being my second full marathon!
I run all the time but nothing like I’ve been doing over the last three months. In training for my upcoming races, I was invited to join a “100 miles in a Month Challenge” for the month of July by a running friend, Carolyn Bell. I joined the challenge because I felt like a needed a push and accountability to get out and do the needed training miles for my races. I’ve never run 100 miles in any month before July. I finished the challenge with a little over 133 miles. In August, I joined another challenge with the same group but this time we were to set a personal goal we wanted to reach. I set my PG at 200 miles which I accomplished at 203 miles.
As for September, I started really focusing on my marathon training rather then just running miles. For September, I accepted another challenge but this time for 100 miles in a month. I started a marathon training plan so that I would only be running what miles my plan called for on a given day. I average between 140 and 170 miles a month with training. These are ALL training miles for my November marathon and will also be preparing for a bigger goal later on. I make time to run and I run everywhere with various groups!
Preparing for my long runs…
I hydrate like crazy! But I hydrate based on my milage for the day. I drink tons of water especially in the day and hours leading up to my long runs. There’s nothing worse then being on a long run feeling dizzy or fatigue because you’re dehydrated. I’ve been there several times until I started RUNNING SMART!
I’m not one who stretches before a run; it doesn’t work for me. If anything, it hinders my runs. Stretching before a run may be for you, it just isn’t for me. I foam roll and TORTURE ROLL as I like to call it about an hour before my runs.
How does my nutrition look…
Well…I eat EVERYTHING and I do mean everything! So me telling you that I eat all healthy would be a lie. I don’t eat healthy and I never claim to. Most people who know me, know my eating habits. I don’t like having to watch what I eat or counting calories; it takes all the joy out of me enjoying food. It may not work for you, but it does me.
I always carb load the two days before any long run and any race that’s a 10K or more. My carb loading usually consists of pasta and beer with the occasional burger and fries but mostly it’s pasta.
Are my runs boring…
Never! I used to wear ear buds and listen to my music while doing my group runs and realized that I missed a lot going on around me because of it. When you have earbuds in you can’t hear cars that come up from behind. On my long training runs I use my phone without ear buds and just play my music loud enough where I can hear it and hear what’s around me since I’m usually on the open roads running. If I’m running a race, no music is required.
Commitment
I accept NO EXCUSES, ONLY RESULTS! I always hear people say, “I’d like to start running, exercising, being more active but I just don’t have the time!” Granted I’m a busy mom with three very active young boys; one who is special needs, a business, meeting after meeting with the boys’ school, fundraising for Team Xander and taking care of the day to day things for my family but I don’t have time to run either…I MAKE TIME! If I have to get up before the sun rises or after the sun sets to get my run in then that’s what I do. It comes down to, am I committed or am I just interested. I AM COMMITTED and it shows.
I’ve had a ton of criticism thrown my way over the last few months about how much I’m running or that I’m over training myself and how I’m going to injure myself if I don’t slow down. I call it “tough love” but it just makes me strive harder for what I’ve committed myself to do.
Remember, sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to because its not for them.
Recovery…
Refuel, foam roll and torture roll after every run, no matter how short. Ice bath twice a week after my long runs.
@AprilontheRun
AprilontheRun 
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