July 15th - Easy 6 Miles

Hello worldwide web. Welcome to my first ever blog about preparing to run my first ever marathon!

I suppose I'm a bit late in starting this blog. I'm almost two weeks into a 4 month training program. So let me catch you up because I know you're waiting breathlessly...

Officially, training started on Monday, July 5th. Last week consisted of two three mile runs, one five mile run, one nine mile run and a cross-training day. Each week, I have two rest days. It is recommended that I run even on rest days, even if it's just a short two miler. Cross-training happens once a week, on Thursday, and those days are sort of like recess. You get to take a little break from doing the same thing over and over and over. Last week, I went for a bike ride and did a little strength training. Swimming also counts, so on really hot Thursdays perhaps I will do a couple bitchin' flips out of a tree right into the oh-so-chilly Boulder Creek.

The ultimate goal is to run the Marine Marathon in Washington D.C. on October 31st. All of this started because my boyfriend, Jamie, mentioned the fact that his Dad suggested running this race to celebrate the official end of Jamie's eight year obligation to the U.S. Marine Corps. Jamie asked if I was in, and after a split second of deep thought and consideration, I committed. So not only is Jamie an amazing source of inspiration to me, he is also my "coach." He sometimes jokes that he can be "Sergeant Curran" during those times when I need a little push on long runs. Those are the times when I deliver a swift kick to his shin to remind him that those jokes aren't funny to a girl who is huffing and puffing on some stinkin' trail in the blazing hot sun working towards mile five. (Just kidding. There is no kicking involved. A good old fashioned evil eye usually gets the point across.) Seriously though, Jamie is very encouraging and also very understanding of the fact that prior to this endeavor, I was most definitely not a runner, so beyond trying to become a better runner, I'm also still learning to love it.

Some super sweet perks that accompany my new lifestyle are:

-I get to eat tons of carbs. In fact, I have to eat tons of carbs in order to sustain myself on long run days. Don't get me wrong, I don't count massive baskets of salty, greasy, and completely perfect french fries as a good carb. I do my best to consume only complex carbs, meaning lots of whole grains. Although, it is good to know that I can partake in a fry or two and not have to worry about how I'm going to burn that baby off.

- Lots of time to listen to music. I don't always listen to my ipod when I run, but there are definitely days when a girl needs a little bumpin' bass to get those legs moving. I've found some very unlikely sources of pump-up action, such as: "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes, and one of my favorites, "So Fresh and So Clean" by Outkast. I've also got a lot of the Black Keys, Kanye West, some Foo Fighters, the White Stripes and a little Michael Jackson for those days when the sun is shinin' just right. Consider this a shout out to my brotha' Matty for suggesting that I create a real motivating playlist for long runs. Thanks to him, I have some totally killer playlists with names such as "ballin'" and "don't stop."
(P.S. Any other suggestions? Rachel loves new music)

- AMAZING tan lines. I'm talkin' short lines, sock lines, and varying shapes of tank tops and sports bras.

- Huge muscles. I mean....huge. (Just kidding. Soon though fo' sho')

Those are just a few. And there are more serious ones like having a healthier body, getting tons of fresh air, and learning that I am capable of so much more than I ever thought. Just over six months ago, I probably wouldn't have been able to list very many perks. That's a little something they call progress.

So that's the scoop.

Thanks, Dad, for suggesting this whole blogging thing....this was fun!

Today I will run six miles. It's looking quite sunny outside and I must beat that Colorado summertime heat!