Charlotte Rock & Read 5K {giveaway}

As a kid I LOVED to read.  My ideal Saturday was spent curled up in bed with a good Goosebumps book, followed a couple years later by marathon Fear Street sessions.  Then I went to college, and my love of reading was overshadowed by the ominous presence of textbooks in my life.  I managed to squeeze in the Harry Potter series toward the end of college, just before the CPA exam invaded my life, leaving in its wake an intense repulsion for books.  I guess you could say I broke up with books for a few years.  I didn’t really feel like I was missing out on anything until someone introduced me to the Twilight saga…  and that old love came fluttering back ripping me away from that desolate bookless place.  I never looked back.  Next to work and home, the library is the place I visit most each week.  Memoirs, books on cd, cookbooks, books about chefs, books about learning to cook, books about anything involving food whatsoever—all of them have a daily presence in my life now, and I can’t imagine how I survived without them.

Since moving to Charlotte, my love of the library has exploded.  This could be due to their awesome iPhone app, or that I can walk there on my lunch break, or that when I tweet the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, they tweet back.  (yes!)

Given this obsession, I’m very excited to participate in the 3rd annual Charlotte Rock & Read 5K on Saturday November 3rd.  All proceeds for the race benefit the books and materials budget of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.  Besides the great cause, the Charlotte Rock & Read is an awesome race to run because there will be music at every mile and a festival at the finish line including FOOD and MIMOSAS!

ROCK AND READ

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9 things I learned while training for a half marathon

When I first started having knee problems about two years ago, I went to see an orthopedic doctor.  After a lengthy round of Q&A and a few X-rays, the doctor simply concluded that “some knees just aren’t made for running.”  Really, doctor?  Apparently the x-rays didn’t show the stubbornness that fills my bones like a tough impervious marrow.  From that day forward, I’ve wanted nothing more than to run farther, longer, and faster than I had the day before.  I love running, and I wanted, no, I NEEDED to prove that doctor wrong.

In December, I signed up for the Charlotte Racefest (my first ever half marathon), but after four long months of training ending with yet ANOTHER knee injury, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to run it.  This time around, I hurt my knee doing lunges in a bootcamp class at the Y.  When will I learn?  I took it easy the entire month before the big race, but when race day arrived I still wasn’t confident I’d be able to run 13.1 miles.  At that point, I only had two 10-mile runs under my belt.

Since I’d already forked out the cash for the half marathon, I decided to at least attempt to run it.  During the race, I tried not to think too much about my knees, but as the miles ticked by I couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded that I was still running.  Most of the race was shrouded in a euphoric haze, but as I neared the finish line I started to feel nauseus.  My pace slowed, and I began to feel dizzy.  With every step, the looming finish line appeared to be one step further away.  At that moment, the BF jumped out from the sidelines smiling and hooting and clapping his hands like a crazy man.  I was so close.  I put my head down, dug my heels in, and pumped my arms.  Seconds later I crossed the finish line clocking in at 1:56:58–literally seconds below my original 9-minute mile goal!

As I hobbled to the sideline, I could do nothing but let out an exasperated “BOO YA.”  Some knees just aren’t made for running, my ass.

Here are the top 9 things I learned while training for my first half marathon:

#1  101110-165-013Buy good shoes.  This one is #1 for a reason, and I can’t stress it enough.  The first time I hurt my knee, it was completely and solely due to the fact that I was wearing a cheap pair of old cross trainers.  I urge you to go to a real running store and hop on the treadmill.  Have the sales associate watch your running patterns and check to see if you under or over pronate your ankles.  Is your stride too long?  Are you heel striking?  (I was!)  Don’t buy shoes based solely on the sweet color or the cool gel thingy in the heel.  It’s hard, I know.  I LOVE my Asics Gel Nimbus 13’s, and plan to get a new pair this month!

#2  Create a plan (brownie points if you use Excel).  When you’re training for a long distance race, especially if it’s your first one, you can’t just approach it all willy nilly.  Are you serious about completing the race?  Yes?  Well then sit your butt down, do some research, and create your plan of attack.  Make sure to factor in short runs, long runs, and those extremely important recovery days.  Check out my half marathon training plan here.

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My Half Marathon Training Plan

Whelp, it’s official.

Once an Excel spreadsheet enters the picture, there’s just no turning back.  In my world, transforming an idea, plan, or goal to a glorious (preferably multi-tabbed) spreadsheet is like signing my name in wet cement.  It took a lot of thought and research, googling and binging, reading and pondering, but I finally got my half marathon training plan together!

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Recap–the (almost) 14 day fitness challenge

Whelp, it has been 14 days since I proposed the 14 day fitness challenge and made it my goal to exercise every day for 14 days straight (including the Thanksgiving holiday).  The first 7 days went as planned and I exercised each day.  Boo.  Ya.

Here’s how the second half of the challenge stacked up:

Day #8:  Power Pump class at the YMCA

Day #9:  Woke up with knee pain, so I decided NOT to exercise.

Day #10:  15 minutes on the elliptical, 1 hour of strength training & free weights

Day #11:  Turkey Trot!  5 miles in 43:48!!

Day #12:  30 minutes on the elliptical

Day #13:  3 Mile Leslie Sansone walking video with my mom

Day #14:  Stuck in traffic on the drive home from Ohio and got home 2 hours late – AKA no exercise.

So the 14 days fitness challenge was more like the 12 out of 14 day challenge.  Even though I missed the challenge goal, I’m happy with what I was able to accomplish.  First off, I listened to my body and decided not to run when my knee was bothering me.  This is HUGE for me.  Normally I am stubborn (and stupid) and try to run despite pains, which is exactly how I hurt myself two summers back.  Second, I EXERCISED ON THANKSGIVING. Insane!!!

The Turkey Trot was the first race I have run in, and I’m already searching for my next race.

Half marathon here I come!!!!

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