Welcome To Up And Running

March 28, 2011

Welcome to Up and Running. This is my official blog that will document my training for running the Disney Princess Half Marathon 2012 and also my decision to commit to a healthier lifestyle. I decided to do this blog mostly because I not only want to be accountable to myself but also to you. I decided on the name Up and Running because I think it represents running (literally) and also my crazy busy lifestyle as a working mom who "runs" all day long. I am hoping that this blog will inspire me never forget the commitment I have made to myself. I am looking forward to hearing some "good job" and "keep up the good work" comments to keep me going. I know not every day is going to be great so I am hoping then to hear some "you can do it" and "get back on track."

So hear we go:

Bright and early on Monday morning, I put on my running sneakers and went down to the treadmill. I decided no phone calls, no texting, no TV. I was going to put myself in a zone and stare at the Rubbermaid storage bin that was on the other side of the basement. That would be my focus point. Disney requires that you maintain a 16 minute mile so I set the treadmill for a speed that would allow me to run a 15 minute mile. There is only room for improvement so if I can do a mile in 15 minutes to start, I wouldn't have a problem maintaining it. My goal was to run 1 mile. I was UP AND RUNNING! I thought about a lot of things. How all of this can change me for the better. I would be a good role model for my two girls. I would be healthier and hopefully live a lot longer. I would feel more confident and have a more positive attitude towards situations that challenged me.

The first half mile, I felt like I was running uphill. To my surprise, the last half of the mile felt like I was running downhill. My breathing regulated and I knew I could finish the mile. Then I thought of doing the blog and how cool it would be for me to tell everyone that I ran 2 miles on my first day of training. So I went for it. I ran 2 miles on Day 1 at 4.0 mph (15 minute mile) on a .5 incline. I felt pretty darn good both mentally and physically. I was so happy with what I had just accomplished. As I drank a glass of water and stretched out my legs, I was actually looking forward to Day 2 of training.