Monday, October 17, 2011

Training for 2012

I miss my bloggy friends! I'm so thankful I'm friends with some of you on Facebook so that I could at least keep up with all the fun stuff you are doing. I didn't consciously intend on taking this long of a break, but it happened. Things got overwhelming for me. I moved, started school, dealt with a death in my family, and I'm launching a new business. It took some serious fortitude to just get through some of those days. But now I've just returned from a two week vacation in Florida, which was exactly what I needed!

As much as I gripe about training, every time I take a break from running I realize that I miss it. So I've signed up for a couple races and climbed back on the wagon.

I was supposed to have run Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon on October 1st. But plans changed when my teenage son realized Homecoming was that weekend. We butted heads about the vacation for a couple weeks and then I realized that I needed to back down for this particular battle. I didn't want to take the boy kicking and screaming, and I tried to remember what it was like to be 15 and in the midst of your first real relationship. I soon realized that we could compromise on the vacation. So we left a couple days later and stayed a few days longer. It all worked out. The boy had a fantastic night, I still got my Disney fix, and no one was emotionally scarred in the process.

The biggest casualty of this compromise was the race. I didn't arrive in Orlando until the wee hours of the morning on October 3rd. So, even though both my son and I were signed up to run the half - it just wasn't in the cards. And, truthfully, I was so ill-prepared that I can't imagine I would've had a good race. I did, however, have an amazing vacation! I just love Disney World during the Food and Wine Festival! Its my favorite time to visit. And I do believe next year I will be taking my first solo trip to Disney World so that my two teenagers don't miss out on all the happenings that became an issue this year.

I kind of feel like I'm starting from scratch here. I'm armed with all sorts of great information I've learned over the past year, but my body is back at square one. And that's okay. I will own it, take my baby steps, and work towards my next half in January!

I updated my race schedule to include the races I'm planning on for next year. I'm most excited for the Tinkerbell! I just can't wait for that one. Have you seen that medal? Its awesome.

And the Tinkerbell in the middle spins....and it says Inaugural on it. I'm a sucker for any "special" medal that you can only get that year. And when the marketing folks put the words "Special Commemorative Medal" together - well, I usually just sign up right then and there. That's what they did over at the Boston Athletic Association with the new Distance Medley they created. You run the 5k in April, the 10k in June, and then the Half in October. You get medals for each of those races and then a "Special Commemorative Medal" if you run all three. I'm already planning on the 5k, so I'm seriously considering those other two. Its only two more flights to Boston, right? I mean, you get an extra medal. It makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

Here is another medal I'm gonna travel for:

Its big. It has moving parts. AND it lights up. Yes, please!

Next year will also be the year for my first full marathon. I've decided it will happen at the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, because....you guessed it! They give a special medal for first-timers there. Its perfect for me. I'm scared, but I'm starting my training right now!

20 comments:

  1. You are too cute! I love how motivated you are by the bling ... I'm the exact same way! Heck I started thinking "Could I fly to Boston 3 times?" just so I could get some cool medals, too!

    Sorry about W&D, but at least you still got some good ol' fashioned Disney!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh the Disney fix was AWESOME! There was much eating, drinking, and making merry. I even squeezed in a night at Jellyrolls with the two best piano players ever and two of the bestest peeps ever! I'm thinking you should plan on the W&D next year. You know you want to ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh it is already official! I'll be there in January for 3 races, and I decided 2012 WILL be the year I do Wine and Dine!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I didn't know you decided to do NC

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Krissy! Thanks for stopping by. I checked out your blog and I see that you are planning on the Wine and Dine next year. Maybe I'll see you there :)

    Anon - Assuming this is Lynn or Deb since you are the only two I know who are doing NC :) I'm 90% on NC. The timing is actually pretty good. And, that darn medal is just too good. I'm unsure if I'm driving or flying though. I may need to make it a short and sweet trip.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anon is not Deb so it must be Lynn. Yay that you are doing NC! That medal is WAY to good to pass up.

    So next year W&D is a definite? That would only be a week before the BAA half for that special medal. I am on the fence for the W&D and would rather do a F&W trip later in October.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Deb - I really need to do W&D again. So its a definite for me, even if its just a quick weekend trip. I'm on the fence for the BAA half. I really *want* to do it. But W&D has to take priority because I will most likely get my Coast to Coast there. If there is any way to squeeze in the BAA Half, I will.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are going to rock Tulsa, and I am gonna come watch you cross the finish!!!!!!! Cannot wait for you to get your special first-marathon medal. ;-). You've been on my mind a lot lately, especially when I think of Tulsa.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks, Lesley! I'm so glad you're gonna be there. Frankly, 26.2 miles scares me. But I think doing those half marathons early in the year will help me prepare. That, and I'll need to enlist the help of a good coach soon ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kelly!!! So great to see you blogging again! I'm super excited for you to do your first marathon. You are going to LOVE it! And OhEmGee, that medal with the moving cars and lights??? I am drooling. I may have to travel for that one too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hint: 26.2 is always hard. Even after you've done it, it's still hard. A healthy fear of it is a good thing. It'll keep you from underestimating the need for training. But you can and will do it, and I happen to know another special Blogger will be there doing her first full too. I. Cannot. Wait.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nora!!! I've missed you! I'm excited to get all caught up again. I still have a hard time talking about the marathon. It scares me. But I need to cross if off the bucket list. And I totally think you should travel for that NC medal. It would be so much fun!

    Lesley - I'm so lucky to have you in my corner! I'm becoming (cautiously) excited about that weekend next November.

    ReplyDelete
  13. KELLY!!!! You are going to kill it in 2012. Guess what?! I'm going to Tulsa too. Between you're talk of Tulsa and a certain running coach, I decided that I'll be there too. Plus, the medals look so cool.

    ReplyDelete
  14. That is SO awesome, Lucy! I think you should stay an extra day or two so we can celebrate our awesomeness after the finish. We are going to have one incredible year!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh yeah, we most definitely have to hang out and celebrate post 26.2 miles of awesomeness!

    ReplyDelete
  16. So Kelly are you doing any Chicago this month?

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'll be there, Lynn! I sent you a message on FB.

    ReplyDelete