Last month was a month filled with many happenings! I had the opportunity to run on the Kennedy Space Center shuttle runaway again, I ran my third Disney Princess Half Marathon which is the run that ignited my running passion, I had a birthday and… I decided to take the RRCA level 1 course to become a certified running coach!
I decided to take the course because I know there’s always so much to learn about running. Being in the class with so many like minded individuals and with people who have such experience, I really learned a lot. It is one of the few opportunities where we were able to talk about running almost all day! I really enjoyed the course and am so glad that I decided to go for it.
Another reason I decided to get a RRCA coaching certification was to help myself and others. Again, I learned a lot about training plans, form, injuries, all in which I will implement on myself. I also did it for others. Without meaning to or realizing it, I inspired others to run. I would receive a lot of questions about running and people would tell me how I inspired them to get into running. It’s really humbling to know… I enjoy sharing my stories and am so happy good is coming out of it.
So I am now a running coach and I want to help others. I remember how scared and nervous I was when I first started running. I had no idea where to start, no idea how races worked… what should I wear? Do I need to bring anything? Will everyone run and leave me behind? It was scary doing it all alone but I managed… however I want to be there for others who are or were in a similar position. If anyone has any questions about running, races, etc I would love to help and give what advice I can. I’m also starting to offer training plans aimed more towards newer runner or those trying to improve their time. Feel free to contact me :)!
2018 has been such an amazing year of running for me! I did so many runs and accomplished new PRs. I did one run on my bucket list, the Rock n’ Roll Las Vegas, and will be doing another bucket list run in 2019! Before getting into that… this has been a great final month for me! Earlier this month I did my 10th half marathon, the Rotary Club of Weston’s Run for Tomorrow, and despite being a little sick I managed to set a new personal record! I finished in 2:19:05, 51 seconds faster than my other time! Yes, my goal this year was to finish a half marathon in under 2 hours but I’m setting that goal for 2019. I’m proud of myself and I know I can finish even faster.
Also during this month I did my final 5K, the Jingle Jog where we ran all dressed in Santa suits! It’s definitely one of my favorite 5Ks. When I first started running I remember I couldn’t wait to do a Jingle Jog! Well also during this final 5K, and my final run for the year, I set another personal record for my fastest 5K! So I ended my running year setting two new personal records and with a will to do more. Which now leads me to something else that happened this month…
I got into the Chicago Marathon!! I am so excited and still can barely believe it! The Chicago Marathon, along with all the majors, is one of my bucket list runs and I can’t believe I have the opportunity to run it! It brings me one step closer to my goal and dream of running all six world majors! It also gave me a boost to end this running year… made me realize how much I love this sport and how much room I have for growth. This has been an amazing year and I’m really looking forward to seeing what 2019 brings. Thank you always for reading :)!
The last two Saturdays I tried different types of yoga. The first yoga I tried was heated yoga. I was pretty hesitant about it because I don’t like too much heat (being a Floridian I’m surrounded by it), and the thought of hot temperature with a bunch of body heat didn’t attract me. But since I was still on my new trial membership I thought I may as well take advantage. So I went and… I actually liked it! It was terribly hot (I asked the yoga teacher later and it was only a slightly heated room to about 90°), it was more of a nice warmth that made me sweat. I’m also used to being drenched in sweat when I run and it was much less than that. I plan on going again and trying the hotter yoga they have available soon!
With a goat!
And the yoga I went to this weekend was a bit more exciting in my opinion… Goat Yoga!! I heard about it a while ago and being a goat lover I really wanted to try it! I searched and search for one in South Florida and finally found some classes available in my area (kind of it was an hour drive!)! It was so much fun! I didn’t pay much attention to the class because the goats were so interactive haha, but the teacher was really great and it was enjoyable. The goats were soo cute, I wanted to take one home! It is a different experience for sure and I would recommend it for animal lovers or if you’re looking for a different yoga experience! I would do it again for sure!
Still happy I got 3rd!
Well I’ve spoken about my yoga experiences and I also had a Back to School 5K where I got third place. I’ve been slacking though and haven’t gotten my best time again and I know it’s mental problem not a physical one. Training myself mentally is very important in running and throughout life, it’s one of the many reasons I picked up yoga. I doubt myself a lot when I run and I’m training myself to stop feeling those doubts it only affects my performance. It’s something I’m working on and I will post more on it.
I’ve gone longer than I wanted to without writing… my sister left for Japan to live for a year, my marathon training is on its fourth week, I have more tinctures that are soaking (I will definitely write on this soon!), and I have some more planned races coming up. I’m going to try and set a goal for every month. My goal this month is to write more often. My half goal is to read all the books I bought but haven’t gotten to yet. I will work more on the first goal and if I don’t make my half goal that will be it for September. I’m hoping to make some progress! If you’re interested in seeing more pictures of my experiences I post a lot on Instagram and you’re welcome to follow me at aDaywithDay! Thank you for reading!
On Sunday I went to another 5K. I was first place in my age group but the run was really small so I still want that day when I really earn it! It felt good though knowing that with enough training it really is possible. This week marathon training has officially started. It’s 18 weeks until my first marathon and I want to feel prepared for it! Monday was cross training day. I went to the gym did the elliptical and the bike… cross training really does help because it was a great workout. Yesterday was a 3 mile run and today is 5 miles. It isn’t much right now but the mileage will build up!
Along with my marathon training I’m still adding yoga to it. I’ve gone 6 days since I started, most of those days involving early morning wake ups but I really feel good. It takes a lot of work and dedication to get to where you want to be but it will be all worth it. This is just the start of my official training and I’m already seeing how much work it’s going to take!
On another note my first infused oil was finished last night! It has calendula and horsetail in it which is really good for the skin! I’ve just started using it and I will update on the results. The tincture I made for cardiac health so far seems to have a great result for blood pressure (my dad is the test), I’ll post more on this as the days go by. I’m also making more tinctures. All these natural medicines really are the best.
I suffer from lazy days more often than I would like. I don’t usually admit it but it’s the truth of most healthy/workout regimens. For example, on Sunday I was feeling lazy… really lazy. I just wanted to get some shopping done, watch the game and watch a movie. I did all three so by the time evening came (when I usually go for a run), I didn’t feel like going out in the humid air for a run. Plus, the movie was a bit longer than expected so it was later than usual.
While I can say I’m pretty good at pushing myself I’m glad I have my family now to join in that push. I ended up getting almost 7.5 miles in on Sunday and it would have been a run I missed out on. Take yesterday, it was storming outside and we almost cancelled our run. When the rain and lightning stopped we went out, safely navigating our way through the puddles. My training partner is my dad (and sometimes my sister), which is still almost a shock to me since I never imagined him getting into running. It started with my older sister joining me last year though. I’ll never forget the phone call she made to me telling me how she was inspired to give running a try. Her job was having a corporate run and she wanted to sign up with me and she wanted to the Princess Half Marathon. The first runs my sister, dad and mom joined me for all mean a lot to me… it has been a journey, one that continues to grow.
It was July 12, 2016 when I signed up for the 2017 Disney Princess Half Marathon. I had slacked off with my workouts and had gained weight again. I told myself that now that I was registered for my first half marathon I would get back to it and start training. I bought a running journal hoping that it would keep me encouraged. As the months went by I told myself I would sign up for another run, I would go to the gym and run some miles on the treadmill. I never did sign up for another run and while I did run on the treadmill, it wasn’t very often and not enough to be considered training. I did a mile sometimes around my block with my dog and I was glad to at least get some running done.
As the February race came closer I started to get nervous. I knew that Disney swept you if you didn’t keep their pace (thankfully I didn’t know about the Balloon Ladies then, it would have made me more nervous), so I started to look it up to see if they really did do that… yes they do. I started to search if it was possible to run a half marathon without proper training… everything I read didn’t make me feel better. I had gained all the weight I had lost plus a bit more. With the run barely 2 months away, I went to the gym more often and ran longer miles everyday I went. I never reached the 13.1 but I did go as far as 8 miles before the race inched closer.
2017 was the year that Disney cancelled their marathon due to weather conditions. I remember that well because I began to hope that they would cancel the Princess half marathon because I just didn’t feel confident. I truly believed I could not finish the race. I was so scared that I didn’t want to go, I was willing to lose the money I paid because I didn’t want to face the possibility of failure. I would have quit, I would have never attempted the half marathon if it weren’t for my older sister. I thank her immensely because it was her who pushed me to go anyway. If it weren’t for her encouraging me, going to Disney with me, staying up to 3AM to drive me to the race, I would not have gone and would never have experienced the run that changed my life. To this I really can’t thank her enough.
It brings me to tears when I think back on that day. It was February 26, 2017 a year after I had done my first run. A part of me still hoped that the run wouldn’t go on but my sister was there staying up all night so that she could drive me and kept on encouraging me. I was so nervous… not only was I about to attempt a half marathon I didn’t feel ready for I was going to do it alone. After she dropped me off I followed the crowd since I didn’t know where to go or what to do. It was cold that morning but I seriously didn’t know if I was shaking from the cold or from nerves. Once I got to my corral I couldn’t stop shaking. After waiting for about an hour it was finally my turn to start the half marathon.
2017- At mile 6
That first step across that start line was the beginning of the moment that changed my life. I ran, not at a fast pace but at a steady pace for about the first 6 miles. I was so scared of getting swept I refused to walk (and take pictures) unless I really had to. It was about mile 6.5 that one of the entertainers on the course said that we were 45 minutes ahead of the buses. At that point I was so relieved that I started to walk. I kept a walk, run, walk, run pace until mile 9 when I felt I could no longer run. I was exhausted but just kept on going. People always ask me how I felt during my first half marathon. One thing I always say is that the final 5K felt like the longest 5K of my life. I remember one of the volunteers at the 10 mile water stop told us “just a 5K left!” and I thought “only a 5K?”. The second thing is that mile 12 is the longest mile ever! I remember wondering how much longer until I saw mile 13.
And then I saw it, mile 13 and I knew the finish line was right around the corner.
That year it was Beauty and the Beast themed, my favorite Disney movie so it was meant to be!
I ran to the finish line. As I crossed it I heard a man announce, “you all are now half marathoners!”. Yes, we were, yes I was… and I couldn’t believe it. I did it. I really did, I started and finished a half marathon. My mom, who was another of my supporters, messaged me as she got the text update and my sister sent me another grand text telling me that she knew I could do it… I was surprised she was even awake after staying up all night. My little sister had also gone to Orlando with me so I thank her too for being there for me and also supporting me, she kept telling me what an accomplishment it was to finish.
It really was an accomplishment and it was one that really changed my life. It was this run that inspired me. After finishing my first half marathon I now felt inspired to run more, I wanted to run more. I looked for more runs and signed up for them, I no longer cared if I had to go alone. I had run the entire half marathon alone and being alone no longer scared me. When I think back on the person I was then it really brings me to tears because I still can’t believe what I did and what I continued to do. I did it alone, not truly alone because I had the encouraging words from my family and friends and it was all that I needed. Over a year later I re-read that running journal I had bought back in summer 2016. In it there was a page where I wrote down my goals. One of the goals was to run a half marathon. The reason why I wanted to run the half marathon was to prove to myself that I could. I not only proved to myself that I could, I proved to myself that I was capable of so much more and that this was only the beginning.
The moment that changed my life
“Running is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. It’s the focus of my daily routine, the source of everything. It gives my life a sense of rhythm. It’s not just a game or a sport, something outside of life; it’s a part of life. It’s an adjective that defines me.” – The Complete Book of Running; James F. Fixx
HappyFourth of July! Started this day off with an awesome 4th of July 5K! I went to this same run last year with my sister. It was her third run that year and she was the one who found the 5K so we did it together! This is a trilogy so it includes the 4th of July, Labor Day and Veteran’s Day. When all three runs are completed the medals come together to form one big beautiful one! Last years was nice and this year I’m looking forward to see how all 3 look together!
2018 me & my sister!
It was a great 5K today and I was glad that my sister came again and this year so did my dad and mom. It really is amazing how I inspired my family to join me on these runs… I remember going to these runs by myself and am still so proud of myself that I did, because if I hadn’t pushed myself then we would not be where we are now. Before my family didn’t really understand me, paying to run, waking up super early… but they still did support me and it was this support that inspired me (more on this soon).
The medal!
It all really means so much to me… I never thought I would inspire anyone but I’m happy that I did and I hope to inspire more people. This was excellent way to start the Fourth of July and I still have some shopping and family time later on! I hope everyone has a great fourth!
Last night I planned on waking up for early morning yoga. I set my alarm, paid for my class and left my clothes ready. But everything doesn’t always go as planned and I woke up a bit too late. It’s difficult to start something new but the point is to keep trying and eventually results will come… such has been my experience.
Usually when I tell the story of how I got into running I don’t mention the first run I ever did. The reason why I don’t is because I never thought of it as momentous and it was not the run that really got me into running. However, when I started to think about it I realized that it was a huge stepping stone in how my running life started. I wouldn’t say I was always overweight but I can say I always had a problem keeping my extra weight off. It was late 2013 when I finally really dedicated myself to a weight loss regimen, which for me was eating healthy and going to the gym. I was really over weight and knew it was time for a change. It took a lot of work but I was very dedicated and lost about 15 pounds (I promised myself I would never gain that weight back… unfortunately I did but more on that later). Then I hit a plateau… I thought that running would help me lose those stubborn pounds so I started going on the treadmill and reading up on running.
At this time I knew absolutely nothing about running… and I mean nothing from the shoes to the distances. I had done 5K walks with my mother for the Strides Against Breast Cancer so I at least had an idea of the 5K distance but that was it. With some reading and Facebook posts I learned about the runDisney events which immediately caught my attention because I love Disney and the themes looked amazing. During a 5K walk in 2014, my friend and I spoke about one day doing the Princess Run together, but it was just a thought and a someday goal.
2016: At my first 5K
It took about a year later until I finally signed up for my first official 5K run. I received an advertisement for a children’s hospital 5K and after some nervousness decided to sign up for it. My same friend worked for the hospital and she told me she was also going and that made me feel better. It was February 28th, 2016 when I did my first official 5K run (it would be this same weekend a year later when I would run again). I was with my friend and her friends so it was a good experience. I got the feeling of what the runs were like and my time was 40:05 which I found to be very good since I did not train a lot.
Unfortunately, after this 5K I didn’t run again. I did sign up for another 5K with my friend but when she couldn’t make it I was too afraid to go by myself. However, this run did get me to want to do what I had spoken about two years earlier, a Disney run. So when registration opened up that July I took a chance and signed up for the Disney Princess Half Marathon… it would be this run that changed my life. Of course I will write about my life changing run but writing about my first ever 5K makes me realize how everything came together. While I may not mention this first official run or even my 5K walks I see now how much of a role it played in my journey. We all have to start somewhere and I see now that this was my prequel.
“…For you will always gravitate toward that which you, secretly, most love. Into your hands will be placed the exact results of your own thoughts…” -James Allen
a Day with Day 