All the endorphins!

Had SUCH a fantastic run this morning! It really helped boost my confidence, especially as I had skipped some runs and was going from 3x (3min run/1min walk) to doing it 7x. But I totally did it!! Got to the gym around 6am and used the stretching area to do a proper warm-up, then hopped on a treadmill and powered through my intervals, feeling very strong. Just had to share :) And now, I get to go to my boxing class this evening! Double yay!

Alright, Week 6.

First day of Week 6. I feel like I'm still somewhat in denial that I'm actually training for a half marathon. So far, I've had super fantastic days/weeks and super shitteous days/weeks. And it's only Week 6. Did I mention it's a 24 week training program?

I know there are many factors to consider when training for something but for the first bit of this, I wanted to purely focus on the physical aspect. Now it's time to be mindful of my nutrition. I'm definitely not going to jump on some crazy diet plan (been there, done that) but I will be eating to better fuel my training. My biggest vice is fast food. Being stuck in the car for so long every day makes me incredibly lazy and a drive-thru always seems like the easiest option. No longer. Time to make smarter choices. Even if it's opting for a sandwich from Subway. Anything is better than a a burger, soda, and fries.

I reached out to a couple of friends who have run half marathons to see if they had any advice. Veggies, protein, and fruit. Works for me. I already drink loads of water per day so that's not an issue.

Things that have been working for me so far:

• Switching up my running route. My runs tend to alternate between the track, treadmill, or the street. I think the different terrain is good and keeps things from getting boring. I've also been switching up my running shoes (I go back and forth between two pairs).
• Having go to music. There are some songs that just work. I try a couple new tunes at the beginning of every run but when it starts to get difficult, I tend to go back to my 'power through' songs: Power (Kanye West), Jungle (X Ambassadors), Black Skinhead (Kanye West), Shhh! (Kumbia Kings), Boom Boom (Kumbia Kings).

Things I need to work on:

• Completing my warm-up and strength routines. Have definitely made a bad habit of either skipping or half-assing these. If it leads to injury, I pretty much only have myself to blame.
• Letting my social life derail my training. Time to be strong and just say no. Or invite friends to come running with me!

Had a super crappy day last week and ranted to my running group. One of my running coaches responded with "Just. Fucking. Run" Hence, the blog. Cheers!