My friend and I decided a few minutes before the race that we would try and follow the 2:00 pacer but at about mile 2, we just told ourselves that we would pass them so we could get a head where there was more room. Once we passed them, we just seemed to continue to pass people and look for open space. It seemed like the rhythm we started with was comfortable for both of us, even when we told each other, we should probably slow down. We both agreed and seemed to keep the same consistent pace. At mile 5 there was a water stop which I didn’t stop for but my friend noticed they had GU so she stopped and grabbed some and I stopped, literally and walked till she caught up. Once off again, we both felt like we were wearing a lead suit and we were at a slight incline. At about mile 6, I felt much better and told my friend, who was still having trouble that we were going to speed up, I think we just needed to change our pace to shake that lead suit off. I was starting to feel great. From miles 6-9 when my running partner was struggling, I was feeling great which was perfect because I had the energy to keep her going and keep up our pace. Now at about mile 10, I was feeling it. My adrenalin had passed and I was starting to fade and that’s when my partner started to get her second wind and she pulled me the rest of the way. Those last 2 miles were hard, really hard and I would not have maintained my pace if it weren’t for my dear friend. That last half mile we picked it up and as soon as I did, I felt my left calf start to cramp so I had to back it off a bit so I wouldn’t  collapse. As soon as I slowed it would feel better so of course, I would try to pick it up again and again it would want to cramp. I have never experienced that before and it is a scary feeling because I knew that if it cramped up, I was going down, literally and I didn’t know if I would be able to continue and I didn’t run that far and that hard to collapse .3 miles before the finish. Fortunately, my legs held and my heart did not explode and I PR at 1:55:33!! I could not believe it! I didn’t feel that I trained as well as I wanted to and this winter had some harsh conditions so I was not gunning for that time at all but it was in the back of my head as a hope…

So a few weeks ago I tried Zumba for the first time and ohhh what fun. It is different styles of dance matched to a specific style of music, so if you don’t really like one style, the next song will be different. And you have to think the entire hour which makes it go by fast and with a smile on my face. I was lucky enough to have a friend take it with me and we just had a good time. I didn’t sweat as much as I like to for an hour long class but it may have been because it was my first time. I will definitely try it again.

Since I had so much fun mixing it up with Zumba I tried a few other classes last week. I tried Turbo Kick on Friday which was a great workout and lots of fun.  I intend on sticking with that class and right after Turbo Kick is PiYo so I had to try that…And that will be added  to my repertoire…So much fun and it was hard! That night, yes, it was a Friday night…I wanted to try Hip Hop and although I liked it, I didn’t like the layout of the class. Basically, you learn a few moves, practice and add on until at the end of the class you have a completed dance routine that lasts 2 1/2 min long. I liked learning a dance but at 7pm on a Friday night it needs to be more dancing and less standing and learning. It has to be hard. I have to be covered in sweat to keep me coming back at that time slot. Now if it was during the day and I had time to run first and it fit in before picking up my daughter from school…okay but Friday night…I guess I will not be adding it in but it was worth watching my friends face, whom I love for joining me when it’s just not her thing.

So that leaves Saturday. Saturday I tried kickboxing. I have tried it before a while ago and was not impressed but when my friend asked me to join her, yes the very friend that joined me at Hip Hop, I graciously said ‘Yes, whatever you want…I’m there.’ And it was hard. I’m not sure when I took it last or who taught it but this particular class was hard and I was dripping. If this class was on Friday night at 7pm, I would go…that’s how good it was and today I am sore which could be from any of classes I’ve taken this week I guess since I didn’t space them out. But oh, yeah, this class is added….

So onto my new schedule.  Mondays, Powercut and Run. Tuesdays, abs and Cycle. Wednesdays, Zumba, Run and Powercut (pm) Thursdays, abs and Cycle. Fridays, Turbo Kick, PiYo. Saturdays, Kickboxing and Run. Sundays, off or Run.

I will probably skip my Saturday this week because Shamrock is on Sunday. But after Shamrock I am so excited to have this new schedule. I need to figure out how to work in-between and enjoy my daughter. Fortunately, all of my classes are while my daughter is in pre-school and she loves going to the Y for play dates. So the hard part is fitting in work for my darling husband. I will save that discussion for another day;)

I guess the point of all this is to branch out and try different things. Find many passions because you can get burned out on just running and I love running. This winter made it not as fun but trying different things makes me miss running a little and I can’t wait for Shamrock!

I started out slow and told myself that I could stay at that pace the entire time. It wasn’t about speed but about running the trail twice, feeling strong,  and enjoying the hills and views. The first few miles felt fantastic. It was only at mile 4 that I could feel my hip flexor a little and got concerned but mile 5 was great again and I tried to remind myself that running has it’s good moments and bad. I don’t want to take the bad moments too seriously because they won’t last long enough to worry about and it didn’t. Miles 6 and 7 were great too and by the 9th mile I was feeling better than I did on the first loop. I even had some energy to push it at the end. It was still @ a 10min/mile pace, this trail is always a 10 min mile pace but it was a strong and fun 10min mile not like all my other runs there that I’m so sore and can barley make it. (I wasn’t wearing a watch but I had my phone with me;)

I have to admit I had some help with this run. My daughter, Caryanne who is 4, asked if I was going for a long run and when I said Yes, she asked “What are you gonna do when you slow down?” I said, ‘I don’t know, what? And she says, “Think of me!” And I said, “Think of you and then what?” and she says “And then speed up!” HA!  So every time I wanted to slow down, I thought of her and I sped up. Caryanne is my biggest motivator. Find yours and speed up!!

I woke up and had a green smoothie for breakfast and Caryanne and  I headed to the gym for my Abs and cycle class. Came home and had another green smoothie and off we went to the get some new Brooks running shoes (and shoes for Caryanne at Gymbore). I just got the exact same pair I have now, the Adrenaline 9 because these are the only shoes so far that haven’t caused my feet any problems. We came back home  for a snack and shared an orange and an apple with peanut butter. Now we are getting ready for Caryanne’s ballet/tap class. The days are usually so busy that I don’t have a difficult time being strict, it’s the evenings that I struggle with…

So  I will let you know how dinner and the hardest part for me…after dinner snacks go this evening. I know it’s only one day but it is extremely hard for me. I do not diet or really restrict myself because it usually back fires on me but I really ate like crap this weekend. I just wish I would have planned better. I only have 2 bananas left, 1 apple, no more oranges and we ate all of our strawberries on Sunday. I should have shopped first but if I think about it too long, I won’t do it–so here goes! Wish me luck this evening!!

First things first….So at least I know my first event will be the Shamrock half on March 21st. My training is going well. Last weekend was the Tidewater Striders 20K and I felt great the entire time and even had enough left to finish strong. That run gave me  a lot of confidence since we have a few more weeks to go yet. I averaged just under a 10min mile and truly enjoyed every minute of it. I felt great the next day as well which for me is unheard of since I usually can’t walk  without pain the day after long runs. I  ran 5.5 on Monday and worked hard in spin and abs on Tuesday. I plan on running a half this weekend at a slow and steady pace and hoping to run at least 15miles before race week. My goal is to push myself but to enjoy this run without any pain to have to push through. And with the Smithfield triathlon 6 days later, I want a short recovery. That said, I also need to fit in swim time, at least 2 days a week. I started last week after a 2 month hiatus and it’s pretty ugly so I definitely need to make time for the pool. Will keep you updated on the week….

Hello, my name is Steph and I’m a wife, a mother and a business owner. I’m currently helping my husband promote iaffectWeb, a full service Web design company specializing in creating smart and effective Web sites and applications. I’m new at PR but I’m trying.  I’m also a massage therapist who loves to run, bike, swim and practice yoga. All in all, I have a lot of interests and I’m passionate about all of them. It is just finding the time to fit it all in without compromising anything…especially my daughter, my husband and myself.

This blog will help me document my passions and hopefully help me keep some sense of balance. My fitness goals seem to take precedent over many other passions, mainly because it keeps me sane and makes me feel good about myself. I love writing down my goals and crossing them off once I’ve reached them. Crossing the finish line is so emotional for me. I can honestly say, I’m addicted to feeling that sense of accomplishment and want to continue to push myself athletically, it is the balance that I’m working on….So the journey begins.

I was so proud of my Mom and Andi. Neither of them had an active childhood/adulthood and it has only been in the last 6 months that they have decided to change that…My Mom has never ran over a mile in her life  until this summer and yesterday she ran 3.1 without stopping. I was so glad to be there with her every step of the way to support and encourage her efforts. It is definitely the journey when it comes to running. I think that is why I get such a rush of emotion when I cross the finish line. It is the accumulation of a lot of days, some good, some bad -all hard- that get you to the finish. And the sense of accomplishment is overwhelming and to hug my Mom at the finish was just that. I felt her sense of relief that her long hard journey had taken her to her goal, finally, but not the end.

This is just the beginning for all of us. Our daughter even ran with her cousins in the tot trot and had a ball. She’s pretty fast…All in all it was a great day with the family. My Mom is looking for other 5K runs to keep motivated, of course she won 2nd in her age group and won a $25 gift certificate which also is a motivator to keep pushing. Next for me is up in the air. I am looking at 2010 and possible goals. I will keep you updated on all of those possibilities…