Running can look fashionable!

I love how Heidi Klum has made running look so good!

She has a great collection of fitness clothes.

I know when I look good, I feel good.

Now maybe if I look good, I'll run good.

Let's hope so!

Check the line out.

On a personal note:  Along with two other runs and a pool workout, I put in a run on  the main street outside the neighborhood of my house this week.  A 2 1/2 mile straight run that includes two steep overpass humps....ouch!   Where's Heidi when you need her?  I really could have used a snazzy outfit for that!

The Reckoning...

Today I'm asking myself a lot of questions.

Do I really want to go forward for a half marathon?

What happened to my motivation?

Am I able to commit to this training?

I can answer all those questions with an observational evaluation - I'm Pathetic.  I know.

I started with such enthusiasm- talk about a total fizzling out!   I promised you in the sub-title this is a journey of an over-40 runner~!


So let me tell you how I got to this SLUMP!

Several weeks ago I was in my stride for training when I hit a major challenge.  My schedule changed dramatically.  School was out so there was no official morning grind, with both kids home along with my husband, our home fell into a real lax attitude, with all excuses aside I admit I fell right in with it.  Late nights, late mornings, erratic diet and I let my training schedule go.  My well-guarded, tunneled-vision hour for morning running became a free-for-all and I lost my focus completely.  With my inability to deal with distraction, I did a lot of ab and arm training at home to replace my running and ALAS- the running habit left me.  Though I was glad I committed to working on my abs for the cruise, I  had traded out and when I got home I had no focus or DESIRE to run.

I spent one full week after the cruise doing NOTHING.  Then yesterday it hit me.   I looked around my house steeped in mid-summer disorganization, looked ahead at the 131 days left before the race and made a decision to get my schedule, organization and MY morning run BACK. 

Then I wrestled with the idea that perhaps I'm not up to this kind of race.  I mean, what the point?   Why run a half-marathon? Who cares?  Any sense of reason and motive was so faded I couldn't conjure up why I had even endeavored to do it in the first place.  The need for a goal, a need of accomplishment, a challenge...what was it?  Perhaps I still had the high from my Tri accomplishment - a few endorphins left edging me on.   So with just shadows of desire left - I'm making a head decision to go with what I first decided because of one reason- I'm not a quitter.   I publicized that I was going to - and now I'm held to it.  If that is the only reason I run a half-marathon, then its enough.  Finish what you started, do what you said you were gonna do and cross the finish line!

 I am 131 days out from the race giving me a good 18 weeks to train.  This is several weeks over the proven training plan for a half marathon.  But NOW is the time to commit, focus and settle in my mind to hit the running trails again.  At this point a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do- so I'm declaring martial law in the house and in my personal training.

This morning I swore off "visitors" on my run and went by myself to see what my body would do after its long hibernation.  I was pleased to hit my 10 minute mile but sruggled to finish two.  I have some make up work to do.  

SO HERE IS MY WISDOM TO ALL -IF ANY- READERS ARE LISTENING.   You run- you fall- you get up - you run again.  Pretty simple.