Trainers. . ..

In my quest for 13.1 miles, I have been working with a handful of trainers. Trainers are great because they teach you ways to exercise that help you to run faster and more efficiently and they motivate you each time you train together. They are easy to access and generally my trainers are not too hard on me.

First, there is Karen. She is the lady who talks to me through my Nike+ device on my ipod. Karen is good people. She's always really happy. In fact, even when she's had a bad day, her voice still sounds the same. She tells you when you are half way done with your workout and even counts down the last 400 meters of a long run. Personally, I think she sometimes stretches out that last 100 meters but that's what trainers are for, right? Also, Karen is big buddies with Lance Armstrong. When you run a really long distance, she has Lance pipe in and offer you a word of congratulations. I've only talked to Lance twice but, guess what, when I finish the 13.1, I'm guaranteed a visit from him!!!

Then I have Bob and Jillian. Yes, from The Biggest Loser. They are not as mean to me as they are to the contestants. But they push me very hard. I do Bob/Jillian videos twice per week. Now, I'm not talking about no Richard Simmons/Jane Fonda type work out. Videos have changed since that era, my friends. Bob and Jillian aim to kill you in these workouts. Even in the Yoga video, you approach death before completion. The COOL DOWN is a killer. That isn't fair.

I still don't have help with my diet. I enjoyed a Snickers with Almonds this week among other things NOT listed in the "Nutrition for Runners" guide book. But I did run 14 miles total and plan to bump that up next week.

Thanks for reading. . . . .get out there and do some running. Maybe Lance Armstrong will talk to you too!

Can chubby girls run a 1/2 marathon? I think so. . . .

As you may know, I have decided to train for a half marathon. This all started last year when my friend Erin got the big idea that we should run a quarter marathon and we actually did it. At times, there were doubts. We were high school cheerleaders for god's sake. But running that race with Erin and another friend Becki, proved that we really could do this. We swore we would never run farther than the 6.2. I nearly died on the course. But something inside me has me believing I can do this again. Only double it.

So here is where I'm starting from. I can run 3 miles fairly easily. Twice a week, I am forcing myself to run four miles. I do a lot of strength type stuff. But I eat. . . .A LOT. Right now, I am eating a calzone left over from dinner last night, as a matter of fact. My BMI suggests that I am overweight, not far from obese. (Pause for another bite of the calzone) I'm pretty sure that I can run 8 or 9 miles at this weight but it's going to be a lot harder than if I weighed even 10 pounds less than I do now. This isn't a weight loss blog but it's just a fact.

I'm doing this blog for myself. I doubt anyone else will ever even read it. I'm hoping it motivates me, to see where I am each week compared to where I was the week before. I want to look back on October 10, just before the race and be able to say, wow, I am actually going to finish this thing. And look where I started. It's a hard feeling to describe, finishing a race. But it's a good feeling. And I want to feel it again.