"I'll pencil you in..."

The last two weeks have been busy for me, but I have stuck to my schedule of running regardless.  I am at a point now that I can't miss a day without feeling I am cheating myself, so I hit the trail no matter what. I am now over 5 months out from the race, so I still consider myself in "PRE-pre-training" and I have added on another deadline to shoot for in training that has kept me pretty doggone faithful.   My husband and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary by taking a cruise in June on the 25th.  I have made a commitment to myself to go on this cruise in the best shape of my life~!  With that in my mind I can't afford one day without some type of training.


I launched myself into 4 days of running and three days of ab and arm training at my home.  I gave myself a goal of no less than 35 minutes of running and on my long run days its' usually an hour.  The workouts I am using are On Demand from my cable provider and they are "kicking my butt" or really my arms and abs, but that describes how I feel when I'm done.   Actually I'm sore for 2 days after those work outs so I KNOW they have to be working!   I also know the benefits of building core muscle so I am hoping with fervent hope this will help me build my runs as well.

With all that said, I do feel a looming judgement if I don't do something daily and running especially! I'm talking big talk now, but school will be out in two weeks and then a new challenge to my committed schedule will ensue.

Right now I have NO VIABLE excuse to not run.  Three days a week I have to drive right by my trail early in the morning as I take my son to school and back by it on the way home.  The timing is perfect in that I have finished a bottle of water and a cup of coffee by the time I park my car by the trail.  If I keep myself from checking FB and email on my phone I am running by 8:15 before the sun has a chance to heat the atmosphere up.  On the days I don't take my son to school, I am up anyhow getting him ready, so I hit the trail at my usual time just with a little more time at home first.

Regardless how far or long I run, I'm home early enough for the day to still be full ahead of me.   The location of my run spot and the timing of this schedule has been a gift.  I have NO EXCUSES to not hit the trail unless it's pouring rain.  But once school is out, and the temptation to sleep in and not get in the car to go out of my way...well....I'll leave that to your imagination.

I've already been thinking of my motivation and mentally preparing myself to keep my normal schedule and be at the park by 8 am all summer long.  This would mean giving up the traditional late nights of summer so I could get the rest I need to run in the morning. This would be a new thing for me and I think a great accomplishment all of it's own.   I have to convince myself that I have come too far to backslide now!
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But keeping all of it real:  it is A LOT of WORK to get into shape and stay in shape at this age.  It's like a part-time job.   ( I'm gonna blog about it next.) I can't help but wonder if at some point or more so not "if" but "when", I will just say - "forget about it" and just let life and age take it's toll.  I sure hope it's not soon.