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 :)!
Last Sunday, November 25th, I completed my first marathon. I’ve been writing and talking about it a lot… about my training and how I was nervous about the run. My goal for the marathon was to finish I didn’t want to do it for time, although it did cross my mind a few time while on the course. And I did finish… I didn’t doubt myself but I am still almost in disbelief that it happened.
Feeling strong on the first part of the marathon!
The marathon I decided to do was the Space Coast Marathon in Cocoa Beach. I’m so glad I did this one because the run and course was amazing. I loved the atmosphere and all the volunteers who were there. It was such a great run and I’m really really looking forward to doing it again next year.
But on to how the run went. My plan was to keep a steady pace for the first half and I succeed in that. I finished the half in about 2 hours and 30 minutes and I felt strong. I went faster the next to miles and I was still feeling great. At about mile 18 is when my legs began to feel a bit tired so I slowed down a bit. I really started walking/running at mile 19 almost 20. Mile 20 was a hard one because although I was finally there at 20 I knew I had a 10K left.
Still I pushed through because this is what I trained for and this is what I wanted. I’m going to be honest though… I wasn’t fully trained. If I was I know I would have performed better but my ultimate goal was to finish and that’s what I did. I experienced a marathon… I was exhausted and despite what I consider to be experience, it’s difficult and not an easy task to accomplish.
Exhausted but at the finish line
I finished the marathon in 6 hours and 5 minutes. That time is definitely not what my ultimate goal is but I am happy with it because it gives me so much room for improvement. I grew so much since I crossed that finish line of my first half marathon… and that person then would have never even thought that she would attempt and finish a marathon.
After I finished, when I received the congratulations from my sister and father, I cried. It all meant so much to me because I remembered my journey. The journey means everything to me and it keeps leading me to places I never expected. This marathon is one of many and I’m so glad I did it when I did. It helped me build goals for my 2019 running year. I can’t wait to write about this same marathon next year to see the changes.
So not only did I not keep to my monthly goal I really slacked off on not updating. A little disappointed in the fact that I didn’t but it’s all right, that just means I have to really get better at this. I’ve done a few 5Ks since I last wrote and some yoga classes. Yes, I’ve kept up with that my yoga classes still doing 6AM yoga twice a week.
Beautiful!
I also was able to experience a beautiful yoga experience at Vizcaya Museum in Miami. I took plenty of pictures so I will only attach a few here. It was a different experience and beautiful.
Underneath the trees!
While I enjoy practicing yoga at the studio I go to, I enjoy it more being outside and connecting to nature. So I’ve been looking to do more outdoors yoga! I want to go out on the beach again as I did last year, so make that another goal I have!
I felt like a mermaid!
But I did go to the beach today! The 5K was on the beach and before it started I just took a moment to stand on the sand and reflect. I watched as the dark sky slowly began to lighten and the first rays of the sun began to come out, all while listening to the peaceful sound of the ocean waves. I felt so thankful to be there, to have the opportunity to experience these things that we usually take for granted on a daily basis.
Group Photo!
The run today was in support of the fight against Lung Cancer. We have a family friend who is a lung cancer survivor and we are truly blessed to have him still with us after he was diagnosed as terminal nearly 8 years ago. It was for a great cause and one I really would like to get the word out about, especially for runners and athletes a like! If you happen to see a lung cancer event near you participate, help out out, it really is for a great cause. And on a side not I got 1st place in my age group! Thank you always for reading! I hope to update more often!
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.
Last Thursday I finally went to early morning yoga! I woke up at 5:15am and really considered going back to sleep. I still had plenty of hours before work. But I thought about it and knew that it really isn’t easy to be up that early but that’s what makes a difference. So I got up and am so glad I did! The 6am class I went to was awesome and I felt so refreshed afterwards. I woke up really early but I wasn’t even tired throughout the day, it was a perfect way to start a morning! Since then I’ve been to two more classes, one on Saturday (not as early but a morning start), and another one today. As long as I keep this up I can make it into a habit. While yoga is excellent for runners and we need those good stretches I also do it for the mental benefits it gives. Our minds need to be exercised too.
My tinctures ready to be strained!
Also during the weekend I finally strained my first tinctures! They came out great. I made a Hawthorn Berry tincture which is good for cardiovascular health: blood pressure. I also made Echinacea purpurea which is good for the immune system and helps fight colds and the flu, especially during the first signs. I’m going to write about the Echinacea purpurea because I just had an experience with it.
During the weekend my niece slept over and she was sick. She’s feeling better now but what she had was at risk of spreading it. Last night I felt terrible. My body was aching, I had the chills and was lethargic I just wanted to sleep. I thought about canceling my yoga class because I felt so bad. I took some drops of the echinacea and went to sleep. Woke up in the middle of the night, took more drops and went back to sleep. I woke up at 5:15am and I was surprised that I felt so much better! My body aches were gone, my chills gone, and I felt energized enough to go to yoga! And that’s exactly what I did. I had a great start to my morning and my yoga class helped me feel even better. I still find it amazing how well it worked. I’ve used other remedies that are supposed to help stop colds the moment symptoms start but none of them have worked for this. Natural holistic medicines really are the best. I really recommend the echinacea since I’ve tired it and can say it definitely works! As of right now I can say I feel 90% better and all I did was take the tincture and sleep. I still have other ones I’m making and they will be ready soon!
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
“Go out in the woods, go out. If you don’t go out in the woods nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin.” – Clarissa Pinkola Estés Ph.D.
It’s the first of July and what a month of beginnings it will be. Such a perfect way to start it with a quote from a book, Women Who Run With the Wolves, I’ve been meaning to read and I recently just ordered to do just that. It is also a book that seems to suit the type of person I am but I will see once I start reading it. So what else does this month bring? Well… towards the end of the month it will be about 18 weeks until my first marathon so I will officiallybegin my marathon training. I’m always training but now I will start adding more miles and following a training plan, which I will document here. I also plan on getting back into yoga, which I believe will help with my running. Early morning yoga classes before work is what I’m aiming for because I usually do my runs at night, but I do plan on getting some runs in before work . Also happening this July, my first tinctures will be ready before this month is over! I will write more about each tincture I made and what they’re good for very soon. Since this is a month of beginnings for me I will post about some of my first runs, what it meant to me and how it changed how I lived. Also throughout this month I will write about the first runs my sister and dad joined me for and how they have been such a big influence for me. I’m very excited to start this journey and thank you for reading!
a Day with Day 