Run Here, Run There, Run Everywhere

These last few weeks have been completely crazy. Over the last two weeks I have had 3 midterms, 2 quizzes, 1 pop quiz and an impromptu essay, on top of the usual reading for the week. My biology exam was incredibly time consuming, taking about 30 hours total of studying. It gets worse. There are 5 weeks of school left and in those 5 weeks I have 2 speeches and a speech final, 2 biology tests and a final, 3 math tests and a final, 2 education tests and a final, a 3000 word research paper and an English final. A grand total of 12 tests, 2 speeches, and a 3000 word paper over the next 30 days. I told my sister that I should invest in Red Bull stock options. Although I have discovered that coffee works almost as well and is much more inexpensive.

Running tonight went well. My brother and I ran 4 miles in total. The first 3 we ran mostly at race pace (for me, not him) and would have finished a race in around 25 minutes. It is an improvement!

I did a lot of cross training two weeks ago on an elliptical due to the amount of time I have had to spend on school (which is more important at this time than running). We have a friend who was getting rid of it and was sweet and offered it to us. It has been such a blessing! I am not sure how these next five weeks are going to play out and how much time I will be able to devote to running. I am fairly certain that any races in April are out of the question. Thankfully I will be able to cross train and study at the same time to stay focused on my athletic and scholastic goals.

Interesting news...I decided after much prayer and discussion to contact the Rollins College Cross Country Coach to discuss that possibilities (however slim they may be) of joining the team in the fall. I emailed him and heard back from him within the hour telling me to pick a day that I could make it to the college and we could talk. Hopefully we will be meeting this week and I will find out for certain whether I will be running for Rollins College in the fall or at Seminole State College for another semester. Either way I know that God has a plan for me that involves running and I just keep praying He will make it clear to me.

My mom and I were discussing dreams, goals, and careers recently. She said something that really stuck with me and something that I think is true. She said something along the lines that we need to pray that God will not only open doors for us, but create doors that are not there. That we need to take the gifts God has given us and starting drawing our own doors for God to open. I really feel like that is true. I had been praying for months about going back to school and really wasn't sure about going. But one day God inspired me and I just decided that I was going to do everything possible to get myself into school for the upcoming semester. I made the decision to draw the doors for school and God opened the right ones according to His will. And here I am, a full-time student looking at having my degree in only two more years and my masters in four more. God is good.

My mom also sent me a link to this blog on making dreams reality and I also think this is very inspiring and true if you add God into the mix. If you have a chance, read it.
http://www.marcandangel.com/2011/03/21/12-steps-to-make-a-dream-a-reality/

Remember that nothing is impossible. The only thing stopping you from reaching your full potential is you.
Happy running.

Fiddler's Green 5k

The sun has been rising earlier as we draw closer to spring and summer. This morning was the first morning in a while that I have gotten up before 6am (this is also one of FEW mornings I have gotten up that early) and its already starting to get light. I had a piece of 10 grain bread this time (I forgot to buy bananas yesterday) and then my Mom and I headed to the 5k site. This was just a "fun run" and was not timed by a chip. In fact they didn't even have time clocks at every mile, just a little mile marker. There was a clock at the end though.

I did not PR, but it wasn't horrible I guess. I ran a 26:10 and was dead. I really wish it would have been under 26 minutes, but the antibiotics I am on make me wear out quickly and I was really pushing to keep going for the second half of the run. I am a little disappointed, but I knew that there was a chance that the odds could be slightly against me. So, for being the first hard run in two weeks, coming off of bronchitis and a bad ear infection, being on antibiotics, and some back pain I woke up with, 26:10 is not terrible. Holly (my sister who is on a college Cross Country Team) said that she even struggles to run hard when she has been on antibiotics.

Mom ran great! She cut over 7 minutes off of her 5k time two weeks ago! I am really happy for her and proud of her! Now our goal is to get her to 10 minute miles.

My goal is still to hit about 22 minutes by summer's end. I discovered that Rollins College has a Cross Country team and that they didn't even have a full team last year. They are a private college and more expensive than where I was originally planning on going, but they also have a lot more financial aid available. I am hoping to go for a campus tour sometime in the next month. I am going to email the Cross Country Coach probably next month or in May. I am hoping to run in two more official races before I contact him and am hoping that I can cut my time down to 24:30ish. At least then I can show my progress over the last year (32:02 was my time last July).

Pre-Race

Race day is almost here again. Just two more days and we will be hitting the pavement. Races excited me, I love racing! The one I ran in two weeks ago was great. Not only did I PR, but I really enjoyed the race. Usually I am anxious, I get cramps or feel sick, and that makes those three miles last forever when you don't feel good. But I wasn't expecting to run well, so I just told myself to "sit back" and enjoy the run and the beautiful morning. I am going to do the same thing this weekend. Because I have been so sick over the last two weeks (a horrible ear infection and bronchitis) and am currently on antibiotics still for the infection, I am not expecting an amazing run and another PR. I plan on giving everything that I have on Saturday.

In a side note, why can't things made with butter and sugar be good for you? If they were, I would eat cookies ALL THE TIME! I love cookies, its my one horrible weakness with food.

I am officially on Spring Break! And I plan on running ALL week! I have a lot of ground to make up (pun intended).

Running Tip of the Week: Strengthen your core to reduce the amount of of work your legs must do to run fast. By strengthening your core, you stabilize your your back and upper body which reduces the chances of injury. You also are able to use your core muscles to propel your body forward and breath more effectively, allowing you to run more "economically".