Friday, May 27, 2011

Hitch up your britches and get back on the horse



I am a healthy person who loves to talk about good eats, exercise, marathons, triathlons and juggling it all while working full time and mothering a 2 year old. But the truth is that I’m a bit of a phony. I don’t really practice what I preach and I haven’t for a long time. I don’t know at what point I got soooo out of my routine. I started back to work full time last May and Harper was 13 months old. I managed to change my stay at home mom routine to a 5am workout schedule and held on to it through a fall marathon in West Virginia. Things derailed after that. I had another marathon a month later in Delaware and the 4 weeks between I barely ran and it showed in Delaware, that mary hurt! I then switched to P90x, but only managed to stick with it for about 4 weeks. I have been completely running on auto pilot since January of this year. I am just going to be honest and put it all out there! I have only worked out on average 3 times a week. Up until this point in my life, aside from pregnancy, I always worked out at least 5 days a week. Once I started training for my June mary, those 3 workouts were just running and occasionally I threw in an abs DVD. I am soft, I am undertrained and this is the perfect prescription for an injury. I have a marathon staring me in the face on June 4th. No amount of work this weekend and next will make up for my running sins. I am running a marathon with an average weekly mileage somewhere in the 20s. I did get in all my long runs and they weren’t that bad, but South Bend is going to be a huge mental challenge.

Why am I blabbing about all this? It’s just for myself. Getting it out there and now holding myself accountable. Because here is one thing that I know for sure, one huge truth that I have proven to myself time and time again – I am not a nice person or a happy person when I am not working out. I fall into a rut that snowballs and this has been one huge snowball. I do not like this Monica and I am going to change it. I am going to get through this marathon, give myself a week off running and then I will be back with a vengeance. I have 2 fall marathons and I am not going to let myself be this soft. I am going to hit the track, pick up the dumbells again, I am going to do abs every other day and I am putting my pushup bar by the bed and doing pushups before bed every night! Fonzie will be happier too, he's only getting like 1 run a week, poor dog and he is showing his distaste with extreme obnoxiousness.

What gets you back on track after a hiatus?
Thursday, May 19, 2011

Is spring here!?

Hey there Bloggy friends. A lot has happened since last we met. I ran a sub par half marathon at Cleveland this past weekend. I finished in 2:08 in change. Seeing as my fastest half was only last fall at 1:56:06 I really wanted to be better this year. But I’m not. Not even close. But I cannot be mad about it b/c I have not put in the time. I have barely been working out. I am doing all my long runs and that’s almost it weekly. So, I should be happy that I can run under a 10 min mile for that long at this point. But spring is here and change is in the air. I am feeling a renewed devotion to running thanks to an activity that I have been working on. I can honestly say that this winter/early spring I have worked out less than ever in my life. I have to change that soon.

I have said here before that I plan to run a marathon in all 50 states and I am happy to have a partner in crime in a friend from my hometown Twila, she blogs over at Twila runs 2010 in 2010. You can read her recap of the Cleveland marathon. She came to stay with me for the weekend and tore that course up and got a big fat PR, despite gross weather conditions. It was cold and rainy and all day. But anyway I have been working on a spreadsheet of all the races I want to run and it has been fun. I have been reading reviews and trying to find a balance between big city races and small scenic routes. If you have run a marathon that I should put on my list, please leave me a comment.

In other news our house drama is almost done. We move into our new house on June 16th and I am looking forward to the next chapter of our lives in our Lucky Bell Lane house! I will miss my running hood, but look forward to exploring our new neighborhood. I will also be closer to South Chagrin Reservation which is quite hilly. So, I look forward to alternating my long runs there and know those hills will only make me stronger. I have really slacked on the running front and look forward to making up for lost time.

I am now blogging over at Unmiserable Cleveland as well. I am really excited. I have loved that site and what my friend who started it has done with it and I am honored to be able to post there. My posts are under the handler mhn, have a look!

I am in taper mode now and South Bend is quickly approaching. I wish I could say I am excited. I really am not b/c I haven’t trained and I really would have loved to get a PR. But I am just going to try and enjoy the race and run with my friends. One person in our group is running their first full and just looking to do it in under 4:30 and I hope to help them to that goal.

So tell me, is it finally spring in your neck of the woods? Are you looking forward to getting back into the groove or have you been trucking along all winter despite the unfavorable weather?
Saturday, May 7, 2011

Saturday procrastination


It's 5:56 am right now, I got up about 20 mins ago. I have 22 miles on the docket for today and only have company lined up for 10-12 of those miles. So. I am procrastinating. I will give myself until 6:20 then I MUST be on my way. My throat hurts and I don't wanna go! My goal is to only have 3-4 to do by myself after I meet my friend at 8 for the 10-12.

A few random notes:
  • * I did 20 miles last weekend with a friend. We kept our pace steady around 10:20 and it was a gorgeous, enjoyable run. I really think for South Bend since my training has been so spotty I am just going to run with this friend and not even worry about time. I will still finish in under 4:30. It won't be a PR, but I have not been training (aside from long runs) so I cannot complain.

  • * Today is day 3 of my cleanse. I didn't start on Monday like I was going to b/c I had the week from hell at work. BUt days 1 and 2 were not hard at all. There was even an amazing crepes buffet set up at work on Friday and I breezed on by it. Today we have a communion party and that will be tough, my plan is just to eat beforehand. I know they are having salad and veggies so I can load up my plate with those.
* Harper made me the most adorable card and little box with her picture on it that she painted at daycare. I about cried. I need to post pictures. That kid just gets more awesome all the time.

* I am so so so ready for all the house stuff to be done. Our home didn't appraise for what the guy offered to buy it for so now he wants some money off of our agreed upon price. It sucks though b/c we basically got screwed on the appraisal and they guy wrote that mold COULD form in our basement b/c we had water in our root cellar after about a month straight of rain and then it was a hot day so the walls were covered in condensation. We have never had mold or water damage. And the comparable properties he chose were not really comparable and they sold for less and sold months ago. The whole thing just stinks and I am ready to be done. We move on June 16th and I cannot wait!

* And this photo is of Harper and my monster cat. Harper has her on a diet of bananas (not really).

About Me

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Mnowac
distance runner attempting to run a marathon in every state, vegetarian foodie, mediocre triathlete, sucky swimmer, mommy to Harper, tea lover, coffee drinker, animal saver, hubby snuggler, race addict, full time working 31 year old living in cleveland
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Marathons so far

  • Sept 2012 - Corning, NY - TBD
  • April 2012 - Louisville, KY - TBD
  • Sept 2011 - Erie PA - 4:25
  • June 2011 - South Bend IN - 5 hrs+ (it was 98 degrees!)
  • Dec 2010 - Rehoboth Beach DE - 4:26:06
  • Nov 2010 - Huntington WV - 4:11:44
  • Oct 2009 - Towpath - Cleveland area OH - 4:30:35
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