Marathon Update!

Saturday was my 20 mile training run. It was brutal near the end and I'm pretty sure I cried midway through, but you know what? When I finished, I was elated! I was smiling, happy and albeit sore, I knew I could still go through with the final 5 miles. (We actually did 21.2) The end of that run told me something super important, it told me: 'Heck YEAH, I can DO THIS!' As many of you know, I have been doubting myself lately. My time isn't getting any better and some of the shorter runs can really do me in, but I haven't given up and I don't plan to on October 9th either.

As fate would have it, Saturday's mail also held the Participant Guide for the marathon! WHOA! After thumbing through it, I was definitely on information overload. As I have mentioned before, this is my first Marathon EVER...wait, this is my first run of anything EVER. I have never run before, unless you count the painful mile in gym class! I started dabbling in running when I turned 30 and wanted to turn my life in a healthier direction, then this opportunity came up and I thought: 'what the heck?!' HAHAHAHA....ohhhh to be that naive again! I should have started with a 5K, but oh well that ship has sailed and I am 3 weeks until the marathon. Where on earth did the time go?!

I have gone through so many ups and downs during this training period and you want to know the hardest part of it all? The running? NO. The early mornings? NO. The simple fact that my beautiful boots no longer zip up my calves! OMG, I was honestly in tears that morning. I am a slave to my shoes and bags and when this little thing happened, I seriously melted!! How ridiculous is that?! LOL.

I want to remind you all what I am doing this. I am doing this for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. I am raising 2000.00 and am half way there. I hope that you can see how much I have worked and given especially now that my 20 miler is out of the way and I am still alive. If you can donate as little as 1.00 it would be great. These houses do so much for sick children and their families. I only ask if you can help, if you can't, it's totally understandable. 

Please just keep my mother and I in your prayers as we attempt to tackle this hill together. Not only have we gotten into better shape, we have gotten to know each other more. Long runs have a way of bringing out long talks. To my mother, I would like to say: 

Thank you for giving me life twice. This time you have brought out something new in me and made me feel more alive. I love you.

DONATE HERE

Twitter: @MichellesCharmW

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The Weekend...

From my family to yours, we would like to wish you a happy weekend! Stay safe and have fun. We have a lot going on once again. Sometimes I wish we could just have a 'down time' weekend where we have absolutely nothing going on and no one to entertain, but we haven't seen one of those in a LOOOOOONG time. How do you feel about your weekends? Would you rather be super busy and occupied or more relaxed and doing things as you think of them?

This is the first weekend in a long time (if ever), that I am wishing to just skip the weekend and fast forward to Monday with no memory at all of the past days. This Saturday is my 20 miler, where I will attempt to set a nice pace and see if I can get 20 miles done in a decent amount of time. If you see this on Saturday or before, please send up a little prayer and some of your strength for me! I definitely need it. I will also be breaking in a new pair of shoes, which should be interesting. My 2 new pairs have reached the end of their lifespan in training and these new ones above are what I plan to have marathon day.

Lately on my runs, I am getting back into my head and driving myself crazy. The marathon is less than a month away and I now completely terrified. I'm terrified that I did all this for nothing and am going to fail. My brain keeps telling me to quit and my shin splints are so bad that even last weekend on my 12 mile run, I was in tears. I don't want to make excuses and all I want to do is FINISH PROUD. I want to be proud of what I have accomplished and show my kids that ANYTHING they set their mind to CAN be done. I am determined to finish this, no matter how long it takes. I just need to get the positive into my head and get rid of all of that negativity that is just swimming in my brain the minute my feet hit the pavement!

Slacking!

Hello Monday! I apologize for not updating you all on our Virtual Vacation, it has been a busy weekend and day! I will update tomorrow. My children had their physicals today, followed by eye exams and then a quick grocery stop and shop as we had not been home at all this weekend. We cam home and of course the kids wanted to play outside, so we took off on our bikes!

The sun was so fierce, that the kids were aiming for each and every sprinkler that hit the sidewalk! It became a game to see who could get the most wet and the shots of the morning were easily forgotten!

Out of nowhere the skies darkened and thunder rolled, we quickly ran inside, to have our home shake after a particularly blinding flash of lightning! This will be an interesting storm to ride out! Enjoy your evening everyone! After the kids change into dry clothes, we are off to play a fun game of SEQUENCE and then an easy Caprese Salad and garlic bread for dinner!

The weekend was just as busy with getting my 15 miles in and volunteering at BINGO and finishing up the school supply shopping! I can't believe I'm still standing! hahah!!  How was your Weekend and Monday?

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Twitter: @MichellesCharmW

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Saturday Speak!

Hello friends, I am so sorry that my post has come so late today, but it has been one crazy and tiring day. I woke up at 445am in order to get 15 miles in before the sun became too powerful. Let me tell you, I was EXHAUSTED and just wanted to roll back over when that alarm went off. It's so easy to pull that blanket over my head and snuggle up next to my husband and just pretend nothing happened, but I knew I would feel like a failure if I didn't do it. I laced up and took off and I had an awful run. I felt all out of sort, I fell and at the end, I cried. I even asked myself: 'why am I doing this?' I was ready to quit and just say, oh well, I tried. I'm scared, I am terrified, I am afraid! My fear is of being laughed at, ridiculed, I mean come on, what am I doing out there?! All these professional runners and I'm struggling at 15. What if I crack on Marathon Day. Ladies and gents, this was a BAD day for me.

I got home and must have spent 20 minutes in the shower, I just wanted to cry myself back to bed, but we were in a rush to get school uniforms, supplies and the like, because I had to drop the kids off and we were volunteering at BINGO tonight. As I rested my forehead in defeat and the water streamed over my body, this quote above entered my mind. THAT was exactly what I needed. So what if I'm not going to be the most fit one out there or even close to it, at least I am out there, at least I am trying. It's more than many can say and I shouldn't beat myself up about it. Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day, but my Dad saw how bummed I was today when I dropped the kids off, that he took me to Dick's and bought me a cute new running outfit. Now, I think I will do a slight 3 miles in the morning and remind myself, that even if I am walking, I am still taking a monumental step.

Then as I collected my mail, I noticed that I had a package! My team running shirt came in! WOW, it's so official now and I was triggered with fear for a moment, but alas, I relaxed and just told myself as long as I have faith in myself, I can accomplish anything. I am trying and that's all that matters...

When I came across this today, I have decided to adopt this as my motto. I LOVE it and I know it will help get me through those runs where I am crying the last miles and cursing myself for even getting into something like this. 

"There will be days I don't know if I can do a marathon. There will be a lifetime knowing that I have."

Friends, I would love to thank you so much for your advice, words of encouragement and praise. I love that you all take a minute out of your day to read my posts and even comment. Little words like that go a long way, when I hit that trail and thoughts of quitting cross my mind. I have 17 miles to run on Saturday! YIKES!

My Newest Adventure!

At the age of 31, I have set so many goals, that I think I possibly have a World Record right there. How many have I actually met? Not a lot. This is time for a change and I'm turning over a new leaf and ready to get into the best shape of my life, while helping others in the process!  One of my goals for this year is to run a race of some sort. I was thinking somewhere along the lines of a 5K, but my mother had a different idea all together and before I knew it, she was talking Chicago Marathon! That's 26.2 MILES?! 

Well as of today, it's official and I have received all of my confirmations that I am in fact going to be running the Chicago Marathon on October 9th of this year! I hope you will follow me on this wonderous adventure as I post the highs and lows of my training and maybe if you are in the area, you can grab some grass and cheer me on! If you are too far, would you consider helping me towards my $2000.00 goal? I'm ready to take on this challenge and I have now set 2 goals; to raise 2000.00 and then to run the marathon! Help me by CLICKING HERE !

Update 1 HERE!
Update 2 HERE!

Less than a month away and I am terrified that I am not ready, but I promise to give it my all. I just want to finish, I don't care about time, I care that I try and that I complete what I started.