Runner Quiz!

                                    

Hey everyone! HAPPY HUMP DAY! I hope this blog finds you well! I've never done something like this so I thought it would be fun to implement every once in awhile to my blog posts! Thanks Jessica Spivey A.K.A @Tampamomruns for posting and encouraging others to do so!

1. Would you rather run along the beach path or a mountain trail? Although both are a little extra strenuous on the body, I would prefer the beach!

2. If you could choose the flavor of Gatorade at your next race aid stations, what would it be? What is the blue flavor? Cool blue or something like that... Whatever it is, I love it and they NEVER have anything but Lime at the Gatorade stops :(

3. If you were given $100 gift card to a running store, what would you purchase with it? New running shoes... although I just got new ones, but I will act like I got the gift card before I made the purchase ;)
4. Do you prefer to following a training plan or wake up and then decide how far or fast you want to run? When training for my first marathon I stuck about 65% to a training program... When training for half marathons... lets just say I didn't train. I would wake up and say 'this is how far I will run today.' Now that I am training for my second marathon I cannot seem to get into the groove of training!!

5. Would you rather start your run with the uphill and end on the downhill or start your run with the downhill and end on the uphill?I would rather go uphill first and finish going downhill which is exactly what I do when I run in my neighborhood because there is a big hill that I strategically run so I go uphill first and finish downhill. 

6. When you can’t run, what type of cross training do you choose to do? I like to just walk sometimes (I know that's not really considered cross-training) as well as spin-biking, and lifting weights.

7. What’s your preference—> out and back, point to point, or loop runs? I used to like point to to races, but then a good seasoned runner friend helped me see the good in out and back races because you can see all those ahead of you as they come back, usually the person in first place, but then you can also see all those behind you! I have learned to enjoy that more!

8. If you had to recommend ANY running related item to a new runner, it would be……?  I would recommend the proper shoes. I thought I picked out the right kind because they were Brooks, but I realized I needed to be fitted at the store to have the proper shoe. That helped a ton and saved me from losing toe nails and having other issues from wearing the wrong size shoe.

9. Do you see any wild animals while out on your runs? I have seen dogs (acting wild) and deer out at Starkey Park. 

10. Ever gotten lost while on a run? Nope, thankfully!

11. If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days….what would it be? Pizza!!

12. Capris or shorts? What do you run in most? Shorts!! 

13. At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it’s warming up and ready to go? I usually run way too fast the first few miles... so by mile 4-5 I am finally getting into a good pace and feeling "warmed up".

14. What do you do with your keys when you run? I take the car key itself and stick it in my running belt or a pouch in my shorts.

15. If you had to relive any race that you’ve done in the past, which one? 2012- The Inagural Tower of Terror 10-miler at Disney. It was my first time running 10 miles and it felt great and I was in the best shape of my life at that point I think. I don't think they offer this race any longer :(

16. What type of run is your least favorite? LONG runs... but they have to be done! They just take so much time and mental preparation. I would rather go out and run a few miles and be done! Why am I a long distance runner again? LOL

17. When you go for a run, do you leave from your front door or drive somewhere to start? Most of the time leave from my house. Sometimes I will meet up with others to run somewhere else. 

18. When running in the daylight are sunglasses a must or an annoyance? I prefer a visor to help block sun and it keeps the sweat out of your face!!

19. When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting? I think about how excited my buddy Zane will be to see I ran for him when I post my workout to Facebook as well as how good I will feel after being done!

Copy, Paste, and then Post so others can learn more about you as a runner!
Until next time!

Marathon Training: my thoughts and experiences thus far

MARATHON TRAINING!

Wow, I am already  8 weeks into training for the Space Coast Marathon! Time has flown by and partly because I am just so busy with everything else in life! It has been difficult keeping up my motivation and excitement for running. When you aren't training for a race, you run for fun- no real goal at the end. However, knowing that I HAVE to run a certain distance on a certain day has really been rough for me. Although I have 5 half marathons under my belt, I cannot honestly say I had trained for any of them! Therefore, this regimented schedule of running has taken quite the discipline.

The training program I am following is a Hal Higdon marathon training schedule for an "intermediate" runner. Since I have been running for a little over 2 years, a friend of mine who is a seasoned marathoner recommended this was the plan I follow. Mondays are left for "cross-training" activity. In the beginning I left that as a rest day, however within the past few weeks I have been using Mondays to work my upper body (arms, back, abs etc.) using my own body weight, a yoga ball, and/or kettle bells. Tuesdays thru Saturdays are spent doing various distances anywhere from 3-8 miles per day with Fridays as a "rest" day. Then to complete the week we arrive at Sundays for the long runs.

Speaking of long runs... I have missed the past 3 weeks of long runs, which are probably the most important. I believe it's because Sundays are a my day to sleep in and therefore I find it difficult to wake up and go after waking up in the 4am hour every day during the week! This is no excuse however because it will be these long runs that get me across the finish-line at the marathon, not these little midweek runs of 7 miles or so. 

The biggest challenge I have faced so far is my own failure to plan. When you are a busy person, whether it's with school, work, kids, or other obligations and then you throw training for a marathon in the mix, it can be very hard to balance. My suggestion for anyone planning to run a marathon is to carefully consider what the months look like in which you will be training. Do you have any big events coming up that would hinder multiple days or even weeks of your training? Will you be able to have time to do the things that are necessary on a daily basis and still have time for your runs? Lets face it, there are definitely better times then others to take on such a task as training for a 26.2 mile race! However, the mind is a powerful thing and if there is something you want to accomplish, you will find ways to make it work even if the circumstances aren't favorable.  

All in all though, I am happy about the person this marathon training is making me become. It is making me become an early riser, which I've always had to do, but because it was for work not exercise! I am becoming more aware of my body and the things I need to be eating/drinking to sustain it for running. And I am becoming more focused and scheduled. Trying to balance school, studying, working here and there, and my spiritual and family obligations has been a little exhausting, but it is all making me a better/stronger person!

Well, those are my thoughts at the current time, however my mind is constantly 'running' so I will be back much sooner then the length of time between this post and my last to keep you up to date with my marathon training. I have been experimenting with many different products, so the next time around on my running topics blog I will share with you what has been keeping me fueled for my runs and my running essentials! Until then, if you would like to follow my daily running posts, click the link in the side bar for my Instagram   

( www.instagram.com/jackieontherun ) account and you will be able to keep up with the miles I am logging! Thanks for reading! Comments below and SUBSCRIBE for more about running, loving, and dental hygiene!