Weekend Confusion

Yesterday, late afternoon, I got in my second official training plan run.  It went soo much better than the first one!  I ran a route that I've done a zillion times, it's 3.19 miles, and I ran it in 28:01 (8:47 avg).  The weather was beautiful, and I had had a somewhat stressful day at work, so I cranked up my music and just got it done.  It felt great!  After that, my friend Alyssa and I went to our weekly kickball game (my team lost).

This weekend I have so much going on, and I feel somewhat torn.  I'm trying to figure out where I will fit my running in this weekend, here are my options: a) move Saturday's run to Friday (a scheduled "off" day) night, b) wake up at 5:30 on Saturday morning to get my scheduled run in, or c) postpone Saturday's run to Sunday evening, which in turn would postpone Sunday's to Monday, etc.  My entire day Saturday is booked solid, and I have to leave my house at 7:15 am to travel.  I feel like since I'm only in week one I shouldn't switch days around already, but the thought of waking up at 5:30 (which is earlier than I wake up for work!) is crushing me.  Since I don't have plans for tonight, I could always do Saturday's run tonight, and take Saturday off.  I don't know.  I feel overwhelmed trying to plan this!  And, knowing that my next few weekends are just as hectic is not helping.

If you were me, which option would you choose?

When you have busy weekends, how do you plan when to run? Do you base your plans around your runs?

DAY ONE!

Yesterday was DAY ONE!  I completed my first run of my training schedule yesterday morning. I was pretty unhappy with how it went, but I reminded myself that it was just my first run and not to get frustrated.  I did a three mile run at a 9:31 pace- I don't know where that came from!  I haven't run that slow in years.  It made me mad, actually.  However, I am trying to justify this slow time with the fact that: a) I was coming off a long weekend of eating a lot and not my best sleeping, b) it was much warmer/more humid than it has been, c) it was a new route and, d) I was wearing an uncomfortable pair of shorts due to lack of laundry doing.
 
I was so excited to start this 20 week plan, and I feel as if I'm off to a bad start.

Other than that, I had a nice long weekend of doing not much.  I took a seriously amazing piloxing (pilates & boxing) class on Saturday morning, and went for a 3.5 mile run on Sunday morning.  I then made some awesome granola bars.  After that I headed down to my boyfriend's beach house until Monday night. We went for walks, hit a couple hundred golf balls, sat in the sun, and remembered those who have served our country!

This is a photo from the wintertime, from the patio @ my boyfriend's beach house

Homemade granola bars... I will post the recipe soon!

Hopefully Thursday's run (my next scheduled run) will go better than yesterday's did.  The weather is supposed to be cooler than Tuesday morning (which was 68 @ 6am), I will be sure to have my laundry done and ready to go, I won't have eaten so much the day before, and I will be sure to run a route I already know!

Do you ever have "off" runs? How do you make yourself feel better about it?

Did you have a long weekend? What did you do?

Inspiration

My biggest source of inspiration is a group called iRun4.  This is an amazing, incredible, magnificent group that's conducted via social media.  The group matches able bodied runners with individuals, "buddies", who aren't physically able to run, due to illness or special needs.  The buddies act as "coaches" for the runners, and in turn, the runners dedicate their runs and workouts to their buddies! I get super emotional talking about this group. It is just such a simple thing, running for someone and accomplishing a goal, but many of the buddies have accomplished so much more than I ever will.  I have yet to be matched with a buddy... I am currently #1,615 on the wait list (it updates weekly), which is well over 3,000 people!  There are about 100-150 matches made a week, so I'm really, really hoping to be matched by the October Hartford half marathon!  For now, I dedicate all my runs/workouts to my wait list friends, my future buddy (who I am SO excited to get to know), and anyone else I know personally that needs some miles.

Daniella after a runDisney race.

Daniella is another source of inspiration.  She is the sister of one of my friends from college.  She has an infectious positive attitude about everything, and is the most enthusiastic person I've ever met.  She is also an incredible runner.  She has completed several marathons, and she is obsessed with runDisney.  When I messaged her about my goal of a half marathon, she was SO supportive, offered so much advice, and told me that I would do great.  It was refreshing to know that I have someone to talk to if I needed advice or support.  I told Daniella all about iRun4, and she joined the same day I did, and she is one spot above me on the wait list!  Someone is going to be very lucky to have her as a runner, and I aspire to conquer my running goals like she has!

"little" brother Evan, mom, dad, me, Emmett (Kelsey's husband), Kelsey

My family is my other inspiration.  Though they don't run as often now, my parents are both are quite accomplished runners.  My dad, Rick, is huge into reffing basketball, and running here and there; he has run the NYC Marathon! My mom, Cindy, has run the Hartford Half Marathon several times, as well as a 20k, and a triathlon.  Seeing her run the Hartford Half was what made me want to run it.  My little brother, Evan (okay... he's not so little.  He is 6'5"!!!) ran cross country in high school, and is very into working out these days.  My sister, Kelsey practices yoga often and is a nutrition freak!  My sister's husband, Emmett, is also into working out, going to the gym every day on his lunch break. Overall, having such a health/exercise minded family has really inspired me to try and have their mindset.

Where do you find inspiration?

Do you have someone you run for?  Have you ever heard of iRun4?