Okay my chickadees, gather round. Have you ever started a great workout routine/diet, saw great results, accomplished your goal, and then fell flat on your face? I'm here to tell you, you're not alone. I didn't exercise for a month after the half-marathon. Not one jog, work-out video, hike, walk - nothing.


For 3 weeks, I was limping off and on. I think running 13 miles without adequate arch support really messed up my bones/ligaments/muscles/whatever. I still feel it in the soles of my feet when I get out of bed in the morning. There is no excuse for the last week and a half. I was just being lazy and apathetic.


Unfortunately, my body knew I was being lazy and apathetic, and I am reverting back to my blob-like shape. Yesterday I looked at my fitness board on Pinterest and became re-inspired. Also I was noticing how my jeans were fitting tighter again! The past few days I have been making Jillian Micheals 30 Day Shred part of my daily routine. My shoulders and inner thighs are pretty sore! She works the upper arms a lot, which is probably the weakest part of my body.


It's only a few days, and already I feel better. I know it's mostly psychological, but there is something to be said about knowing you are working towards a healthy body.


As some of you may know, Joe and I are moving to Tehachapi, CA. Seriously, who does that. Oh, we do! The husband landed an awesome job there, so we are mountain-bound. I've looked online for a month and a half, and there is not a job in sight for me. Mostly ads for truck drivers and AC repairmen. Also prison guards and borax miners. Not exactly my forte.


It looks like I am going to be stay-at-home wife for a while, until I can do some networking and see what kind of work is out there. I told my mom that I will either get really fit or really fat during this full-time homesteading. Right now my goal is to do the Jillian Michaels every morning, and go for a run every other day. That will probably dissolve during our moving chaos, but I'd really rather get fit once we're there. I will honestly have ZERO excuses. We shall see! 

One month after the half-marathon and I am only just finding time to write about it! As I said in my previous post, Our time was 2:30:16. My dad's half-marathon time from the race in November was about 1:55. (How embarrassing. I felt so bad for holding him back! Of course he's a sweetheart and said he just wanted to spend time with his favorite daughter. Sorry Lindsay, the truth hurts.)


I was thrilled with my time. Probably because I would have been thrilled to finish, let alone beat my goal. My goal was to beat my sister's November time, which was about 2:45. :) Can you tell there's a little sibling rivalry?


Anyway, back to the race. I was so nervous the night before. Joe and I have been married for about ten months now, and I don't think he's ever seen me so anxious. I was bouncing off the walls in a bad way. Usually a cuddle or a kiss from him calms me down, but at that time I wanted to scream "I'm freaking out! Don't touch me!" (Sorry, Joe!)
Reason 1: I found out that night that my race packet (by mistake) didn't include a time chip. Would they still let me race??
Reason 2: Long story short, Dad had registered us for the full marathon because the half was full. He was told by the event organizer that this was ok, and we would just have to tell the information table that morning we were only running the half. Still, that's worrisome!
Reason 3: I HAD NEVER RUN 13 MILES BEFORE. Me, the mile-hater, was about to voluntarily run 13!? What the heck was I thinking?


Needless to say, it took me a while to fall asleep that night. My alarm went off at 5am, and I rolled out of bed tired and scared. I made myself an egg and toast for breakfast and tried to drink as much water (not easy with a nervous stomach) as possible. It was dark and cold outside, which just added to my anxiety.


I jogged the mile distance from our apartment to the starting line. I was nervous, but felt better when I saw my dad waiting for me. We went to the information table and told them our plight, and also told them about my missing time chip. They gave me a replacement, thank the Lord!


We stretched, warmed up, and waited to be called. Once the time approached, we shuffled into the waiting crowd to start running. My heart was pounding with fear and excitement. I couldn't believe I was running for fun!


We started at an easy pace and pretty much kept it the entire run. SLO is very hilly, and there were a few hills that I didn't expect. One seemed to last forever, but that made running back down it that much sweeter. We only stopped for water, and once towards the end to use the restroom. It was a beautiful, overcast day. Perfectly cool for a long run. We ran through downtown SLO (eerie in the morning, very still and quiet), through the countryside, and through some beautiful neighborhoods.


Right around mile five, I thought to myself "Uh... Molly, what were you thinking?? I can't do this!". Thankfully, that was right around the time my husband had found a place to cheer us on. He jogged beside us for a few paces, asking how I was doing and encouraging me like crazy. :) (I told you he was the best!)


The rest of the time sort of melts together. It seemed like much longer than 2 and 1/2 hours, but it also went by quickly, if that makes sense? We were cheered on during the final stretch by my mom, my sister and brother-in-law and little niece, and my husband. It was a great feeling to be done, and to know that I had done it!


I would definitely consider doing another one, but not for a while! :)

Honestly, I just wanted to make a post dedicated to my husband (this may be the first of many in). He's been my No. 1 fan and cheerleader during this whole fitness adventure.

My desire to work out is like the tide: one minute I am all in, and the next I am running away (to lay on the couch). Joe's encouragement, however, is constant. He was always supporting me and telling me that I can do it. I despaired of ever running again when I got shin splints a couple months ago, and he held me up and pushed me along.

Side note: His encouragement also includes discouragement of unhealthy things. Last night at Food4Less, he flat out told me "No." when I wanted to buy cookie-dough ice cream (my fave!).

I pouted. He is immune to pouting.

He is an amazing husband. I'm so thankful God chose me to be his wife!

Almost two weeks after the half, and I am still hurting. Unfortunately, as beautiful as my shoes are, I think I need new ones. After talking with an athletic/nursing student friend, I think the problem was arch support. It feels like my bones are cracked (which is a HUGE exaggeration, my legs aren't broken). When I leave for work in the morning, I have to go downstairs. Each step I take makes me wince.

This is horrible for two reasons:

1.) It hurts.

2.) I'm afraid to exercise.

I feel the itch to do SOMETHING. After training for three months, I went from running 5-20 miles per week to complete inactivity. I want to run or do a workout video, but I'm afraid of how it will feel on my legs.

My dad and brother-in-law have both been measured/fitted for running shoes. The running company recorded them run and advised them on the best shoe for their step. I'm thinking this might be the next big purchase we make for me. I want to keep running, but not if I have to keep limping downstairs! 

We did it!!!

Half-marathon time: 2: 30: 16

Two posts in one day?? I must be scrambling to make a deadline or something! Honestly, the half marathon is in three days, and I wanted to catch up to the present in time to post about it!


The week after the 10-miler with my dad, I was still hurting. My hamstring would remind me whenever I took a step that he/she didn't like what I had done to him/her. (Why did I give my hamstring a gender? I ask you, why not?) My shins were improving, if still a little stiff.


Fast forward to the following Saturday. The training schedule advised only running 7 or 8 miles (nothing too strenuous a week before the race). My dad also told me to take it easy.


For whatever reason, I ignored their cautions and told myself that if I could run 10 miles in hilly SLO by myself, then I really could complete 13 miles the next Sunday in the half-marathon. It became my make it or break it moment of training. I took some Tylenol, drank some water, and took a pack of Goo Chomps with me.


I don't wear headphones while running- mainly because mine just flop out of my ears and I'm too cheap to buy replacements. This is good and bad: Good because I can hear oncoming traffic (cars, bikes, other runners, rabid dogs, etc.) but bad because I have no distraction from my exercise! I amuse myself by surveying the scenery, especially towards the halfway mark. I'll add a pic soon.


In the end, I made it. The Lord had created strong winds against me that day (literally, not figuratively) but He calmed them for me whenever I needed a break from the strain. It was a great day! I was very excited. Full of triumph, I declared to my husband that I would dominate the half-marathon next week!


Two days later, I attempted to do a light run (3 miles) on the track. I couldn't do more than two laps because my right ankle was giving me pain. WHAT THE HECK BODY?? Why do you break down so often?


It has been a day and a half since that attempt. Today I will try to run three miles again. This time, I think I will push myself even if it hurts a little. I need to do at least some cardio before this Sunday!

The half-marathon in SLO was rapidly approaching. On the weekend that a 9-mile training run was scheduled, Joe and I participated in a 5K with his family. I was very nervous, as I had never participated in any sort of competitive group run. I resolved that this would be a good warm-up for the half-marathon, and that it would get my nerves out of the way.

Oh. my. goodness. My first mistake was telling my husband that I had a goal-time in mind (34 minutes). He took off like a shot, weaving in and out of other runners, beckoning me to catch up and plowing the way ahead. I kept up for the first mile, but after that my strength began to flag and he had to slow down. I was NOT used to running at that pace! I had run 9 miles two days before, but not nearly as fast as we ran that 5K. My legs were burning and I was breathing heavily. At the sign that marked the beginning of the 2nd mile, I cried "What!?? We've only gone one mile?"

We beat my goal time, thanks to my darlingannoyinglyathletic husband. We completed the 5K (3.1 miles) in 30 minutes and 58 seconds. This was about a minute ahead of my mom-in-law, a minute-and-a-half ahead of my aunt-in-law, and three minutes in front of my father-in-law and sister-in-law. Joe was pretty proud of us (I'll admit that I was too!). 

My second mistake was not stretching thoroughly after the finish line. I suffered for it the following two weeks- I had either pulled or strained my left hamstring, and my shins were once again swollen.

I was so frustrated and worried at this point. The days leading up to the half-marathon were dwindling FAST, and I needed to get healed and keep training! I couldn't believe that once again, my body had turned against me. In Fresno, my main problem was asthma: we moved out of the dirty air to SLO, so problem solved! Instead of being great, my body just failed in a different way.

A week after the 5K was Easter weekend. Joe and I went home to spend time with our family, and I fearfully joined my dad for a 10-mile run that Saturday. I took Ibuprofen after breakfast, and he had me put a hot compress on my leg. Once it was warmed up, we took off. Thankfully, Fresno is a lot flatter than SLO. I was able to complete the run just fine, praise God.

Dad even said he noticed an improvement in my strength and endurance since the last time we had run together. Watch out half-marathon!