1,000 Miles Complete

I ran my 1,000th mile on Saturday afternoon! 

It was an amazing feeling and it still really hasn't hit me that I'm done and it's over with. I think I felt it more on my last 4 miles on Friday morning. Saturday was more a "fun run" with friends; Friday was the last morning I had to get up early and deal with the cold. It was a little emotional and bittersweet. 

Saturday around 4:00, my family and friends came out to the track with me. Surprisingly, I didn't run any of the other 999 miles on a track (circles are boring), so this was new to me. It was a gorgeous day and the track was empty. I was a little nervous for the beer portions of the mile (I don't chug beer on a regular basis), but once the first beer went down the hatch and we were off, the nerves went away. 

Brett and I ran the first lap together and then I told him it was a little too fast for my pace. I wanted to run a little slower than usual since I would be attempting to chug 4 beers throughout and I wasn't sure how my body would handle it.

After the 2nd lap, he ran on ahead. He finished in about 9:50 and I was about 30 seconds behind. He wanted to finish under 10 minutes and I wanted to be under 12, so we both accomplished our goals! Neither of us got sick and I actually felt great afterwards. The only problem I had was the constant belching, but it really wasn't as bad as we thought it might be. I'm so glad I had someone to do it with me though. 

The entire thing was video taped by my brother and I'll post it as soon as my dad gets it on the computer. 

Brett and I pre-beer mile.

My great group of guy friends who came out to watch.

My childhood friends, Jordan and Andrea. So awesome they came too (and brought baby Halle)!  

(And I just realized I didn't get a picture with my family. Sad day) 

Crossing the finish line...pure joy

My mom made me this shirt! 

And she also got me a James Avery running shoe charm...she's the best!

I really do appreciate all of the support and encouragement I've received from so many people throughout this year. I can honestly say with 100% accuracy that not one mile was compromised and I never skimped out on any of it or made one mile up. I think that is what I'm most proud of. The physical part is easy to overcome, but the mental game is where it gets tough because it can be so easy to cheat. I was determined to finish this year with honesty and integrity, and I can proudly say that I did. 

All 5 pairs of running shoes that accompanied me this year. 

A few people have told me they're going to set a running goal for themselves in 2014 (which is awesome!) and they asked me how I kept track of my miles. So for anyone wondering, I used MapMyRun iPhone app to track distance/time on my runs and then I just used an excel sheet to write them down and calculate totals (there is an iPhone app version called iSpreadsheet that is free in the app store). 

Stay tuned for my 2014 goals! 

12/30/2013: Miles run - 1000 of 1000. 

Miles remaining - ZERO! 

Man it feels good to type that. 

One to go!

That is all...

The Biggest Loser RunWalk

Well, it looks like my running (and blogging) won't be stopping after I hit my 1,000 mile goal at the end of this month. I've done it again...I signed up for another half marathon. 

I have the 3M Half coming up in Austin mid-January and I was recently contacted by the National Marketing Coordinator of The Biggest Loser RunWalk to sign up for another one to help get the word out by blogging about my experience! 

It's my job to help recruit people to sign up and race it with me (yeahhhh I have discount codes for ya too)! The Biggest Loser RunWalk will be coming to Austin, Texas on March 30, 2014 for a Half Marathon/5K. If you're not a local Austinite, they have quite a few other destinations around the country throughout 2014. Jeff Nichols and Francelina Morillo from Season 14, and Dan & Jackie Evans from Season 5, will all be at the Austin race! 

I'll be posting weekly about related training, nutrition, proper clothing, etc. as I prepare for this race. 

If you're interested in racing it with me (or in spirit in another city) you can register online at www.biggestloserrunwalk.com and use the code "BLOGAUSTIN99" at checkout for 20% off (discount code is only good for Austin Half & 5k registration). 

Disclaimer: The race organizers provided me with a comp entry in exchange for blog posts. All opinions are my own.

12/20/2013: Miles run - 986 of 1000. Miles remaining - 14 

Month 11 Recap - One Month To Go

This weekend marked the end of my 11th month in working towards my goal of running 1,000 miles by the end of 2013. One month left! 

See November recap below:

I completed 107 miles this month. 

Here are the past month's mileage counts:

118 in October

70 in September

74 in August

98 in July

90 in June

61 in May

64 in April

89 in March

76 in February 

80 in January

Including this morning's 5 mile run, I have reached a total of 932 miles to date.

With 68 miles left until I reach 1000 and 29 days left to do it, this comes out to 2.3 miles a day. 

While I technically have 29 days left until the end of the year, I am trying to get these final 68 miles done by December 21st - the weekend when some of my friends can get together to do the Beer Mile with me for my final mile! 

So with 19 days remaining until that weekend, this comes out to about 3.5 miles a day. My schedule is already set! 

The end is near.

12/2/2013: Miles run - 932 of 1000. Miles remaining - 68 of 1000

How I'll Be Running My Last Mile

I have finally decided how I will be ending my journey and running mile 999 in less than 46 days!!! It's probably not the healthiest or smartest decision I've ever made, but it's going to be so fun and I can't wait. My good friend Brett will be joining me and I encourage anyone else who wants to come to Austin and be retarded with us to participate. 

It's called The Beer Mile. 

What is The Beer Mile you ask? 

According to their website (yes, there is such a thing):
"The most common format of the beer mile requires a single participant to drink a full-sized beer, run a quarter mile, then repeat the process three times. This results in the consumption of four beers and the running of four quarter miles (hence the beer mile). The entire process is timed. The total time is often used as a measuring stick of competency."

There is a complete list of rules on their website and you must follow them in order to submit your results to be included on the list of over 17,000 entries from around the world. Apparently I'm not the only idiot who thinks this is a wonderful idea. 

Now the question is, what kind of beer do I go with? 

I have 134 miles left and 46 days to do it...Let's go! 

11/15/2013: Miles run - 866 of 1000. Miles remaining - 134 of 1000

Running With The Time Change

Now that the time has changed and it's becoming darker earlier, I've had to adjust my normal running routine. My regular trail is not lit up at night and it's safe to say there are hobos that sleep on benches there. The trail is also a little rocky and uneven, so even if it was sans hobos, I would still skip it at night. 

So I've had to come up with some alternate options... 

One option is the treadmill. I hate it so it quickly got x'ed. 

My other options include running after work in my neighborhood with street lights or getting up early and running in the morning before work. I tried both out within 12 hours of each other. 

Last night after work, I rushed home, changed my clothes, and hit the pavement by 5:35. The sun sets by 5:45 and it's completely dark a little after 6. I figured I'd have about 30 minutes of some light and then I'd rely on the street lamps to guide me home the rest of the way. 

Let me just say, I'm not scared of the dark because I'm afraid I'll get attacked and kidnapped...I'm more nervous of tripping on the sidewalk and busting it (which I've been known to do before). Thankfully, my neighborhood has a bike lane, so I ran the majority of my 5 miles in the street to avoid the sneaky little sidewalk cracks. I also made sure to run against traffic so I could see any cars coming my way. 

It was a very cautious run for me and there were parts of it where the street lamps were spotty, so I was scared/nervous at times. This made me think about the morning run option, so I tested that out earlier today. 

I woke up this morning at 6:30 to see how I'd do for my first morning run in forever (it was only about 50 min. earlier than I normally get up). I can't remember the last time I ran in the morning (a 10am run on the weekends doesn't count as a morning run for me...I'm talking SUPER early morning). I checked out my weather app and it read 45 degrees. Much colder than I'm used to so I went with the following attire:

I never wear a hat on runs but I was feeling it, and it kept my head warm. My hands were freezing for the first mile or so, but I quickly warmed up. Then I realized I forgot my tissues...so mad! I'm getting over a cold this week so my nose is already runny...the cold weather didn't help and I was definitely upset I didn't have a Kleenex. 

There were a few times during my morning run where I felt a little light headed. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not used to morning runs, the cooler air, or the fact that I didn't eat anything beforehand (maybe it's a combo of a few things), but I'm hoping after I get used to early runs, I won't have those symptoms much longer.

Side story - While I was worried about getting hit by a car last night in the dark, I coincidentally almost got hit by one this morning in broad daylight. My heart rate was up the rest of my run! 

With all of that being said, I really did prefer the morning run vs. last night's run. Even though waking up a bit earlier and getting out in the cold can be tough at times, it was a great feeling completing my run for the day and having the entire evening free (to watch the Baylor game)! I also think I have more energy (despite getting less sleep) and make healthier eating choices throughout the day as well. 

11/7/2013: Miles run - 833 of 1000. Miles remaining - 167 of 1000

Month 10 recap

Today marked the end of my 10th month in working towards my goal of running 1,000 miles by the end of 2013. 

Almost there! 

See October recap below:

I completed 118 miles this month. This was by far the most mileage of any month this year. I knew I was a bit behind and had to step up my game. 

Here are the past month's mileage counts:

70 in September

74 in August

98 in July

90 in June

61 in May

64 in April

89 in March

76 in February 

80 in January

Back in my September recap, I had a goal of reaching 121 miles in October. 118 is close enough, so I'll take it! 

I have reached a total of 820 miles to date. 

With 180 miles left until I reach 1000 and 61 days left to do it, this comes out to 2.95 miles a day. 

I've already planned out my November schedule and have 114 miles on the books. That will leave me with only 66 miles for December. I've done this on purpose because I know with the holidays, family events, football games, etc. my time may be more limited...plus it's going to be a tad cooler in December (and darker earlier) and I refuse to get back on a treadmill to close this thing out. 

I'm still wondering what I'll do with myself once I run that last mile...I kind of want to have someone there with me, so any takers for running my last run in December at my side? 

Thanks again for all of the support and interest in my progress! 

Happy Halloween - I'm off to Denver to see one of my besties. 

10/31/2013: Miles run - 820 of 1000. Miles remaining - 180 of 1000

What I Wore for the Weather on Wednesday

After yesterday's post about the climate change and picking appropriate running attire for it, I thought I'd share how yesterday's run actually went down. 

The rain let up in the afternoon so I was able to run outside. Yay for no treadmills! I still avoided my normal dirt trail because I knew it'd be muddy and opted for another neighborhood (pavement) route. I'll be back on the trail this afternoon...the sunshine is back!

Since it wasn't freezing, I decided to meet myself halfway - cold weather capris on bottom, warm weather tank on top. I usually just run in a sports bra so I thought actually wearing a shirt might help keep me a bit warmer than usual. I stepped outside and was immediately cold for the first mile (as I alluded to yesterday). But after a good warm-up I felt great and immediately applauded myself for my choice in apparel. I started sweating a tad about 2 miles in and I didn't mind it one bit. I actually want to sweat on my runs because, to me, that means I'm working hard. It was a nice sweat though...not like usual, where I look like I just jumped into a swimming pool. 

The weather definitely makes a difference in my pace. The past few months, I've had a slower pace than usual, which I contribute to the heat and not wanting to overwork/overheat myself (aka die). This run was the first 6 miler I've had under an hour since I started running outside again in mid-August. 

40 more miles until I'm under 200 to go! I should hit that by the end of next week. 

10/17/2013: Miles run - 760 of 1000. Miles remaining - 240 of 1000

New Weather, New Wardrobe

Today is 55 and rainy outside. Just like everyone else, I would love to be cuddled up on the couch with a good movie and a cafe mocha (pumpkin spice lattes aren't really my thing). But unfortunately, that's not the case. 

It's supposed to rain all day today and while I don't mind running in the rain when it's 80-90 degrees out, cold and rainy is pretty miserable and not my favorite running environment. 

The change in weather is definitely going to alter where I run, when I run, and what I wear. It's been raining for the past 3-4 days and it actually flooded this weekend in certain areas by the trail I usually stick to. So instead, I've been logging miles in and around my neighborhood. It's a little tougher to weave in and out of streets multiple times to make 6-7 miles work, but I'd rather do that than run in the mud or dodge puddles left and right. 

Along with the climate change, the amount of daylight I'll have after work is about to change as well. In about 3 weeks it's going to get darker even earlier than it already is, which means I'm either going to have to start running in the morning (blah) or back to the treadmill I go. I don't like running alone at night. I could maybe pull off shorter runs during lunch but I don't see that happening all that often. It'll probably end up being a day by day decision depending on my mood. My daily running plan is usually a game time decision.

I always have a hard time figuring out what to wear when it gets cold out. When it's hot, it's easy - wear as little clothing as publicly appropriate (usually just shorts and a sports bra for me). When it's cold, I have a harder time deciding. Usually I start off on my run super cold, so I wear capris/pants, long sleeves, ear warmers, and gloves. A mile or two in, I'm immediately regretting that decision.  It's a catch 22 for me. Be cold at the beginning or be hot 2+ miles in? I know some people do layers and take pieces off as they go, but I don't want to hold those items or throw them on the ground, so I'm stuck. 

Runner's World posted a pretty neat "What to Wear" calculator. Just plug in your running conditions and BAM - running gear chosen for you...can I get this for my regular wardrobe please? Oh, and something that also makes my breakfast, cleans my apartment, and does my grocery shopping...thanks. 

http://www.runnersworld.com/what-to-wear

Here are the results after putting in today's conditions:

Side Note: I actually hate running in hats and refuse to do it.

I think that I may stick the treadmill this afternoon, in which case I'll just ignore this and wear my normal shorts and a tank. 

10/16/2013: Miles run - 754 of 1000. Miles remaining - 246 of 1000

Mid-Month Update

We are officially halfway through October! Now that the end is near and in sight, I'm going to try and update the blog a little more often than once a month. 

Mileage update: 
After my I complete the 7 mile run I have planned for this afternoon, I will hit 754 miles. 

With 76 days left in the year (yikes!) and 246 miles left, I will need to average 3.2 miles per day, or 22.6 per week. 

Lately, I've been running 5-7 miles a day while taking a day or two off on the weekends, which has been putting me around 25 miles a week. My short-term goal is to get under the 200 mile marker by the end of the month. 46+ miles in 15 days...easy! 

My knee has been feeling alright lately. I am still wearing the brace and it has yet to prevent me from running. 

The weather is finally cooling off and it is amazing. It's still hot enough to break a good sweat, but I no longer feel like I'm dying when I run outside. It's a great feeling :) 

I would like to say that after I'm done in December that I'll take a break from running to rest my body, but I signed up for the 3M Half Marathon in Austin on January 19, so I definitely won't stop running for a while after this...I just won't be keeping track of it all. 

Running is a big part of my life now and nothing else makes me feel quite as good as I do after a run. 

Evening though running is my personal favorite, one thing I do miss is having the time and ability to switch up my workouts and do other activities. When I worked from home at the beginning of the year, I had time to run and do strength training, gym classes, yoga, Insanity, etc. But now that I work 9-5, my time is limited and I only have time to run and focus on this goal. I can't wait to mix it up a bit and work other parts of my body. 

I do enjoy having a goal and I have started thinking about what my next one will be in January. It definitely won't be to run 2000 miles next year, that's for sure! 

New goal ideas: 
-Complete the entire 8 week Insanity program (I did about 2 weeks back in May and had some decent results). I think doing those DVDs in January & February would be great because it's usually too cold to do anything outdoors. 

-Do yoga every day for 30 days. I have quite a bit of back pain and posture issues, so I know I'd see some improvement with yoga. Plus, it's low impact, which sounds very beneficial for my knees right about now. 

-Train for a mini-triathlon. There are many options out there with various distances to pick from. Swimming and biking are great workouts in addition to running, so I feel like this would be a great goal to have so that I can switch up my routine and not get bored with just one thing. Now I just have to buy a bike! 

What are some goals you've set for yourself? I may steal them! 

10/15/2013: Miles run - 754 of 1000. Miles remaining - 246 of 1000

Month 9 recap - 75% done

This weekend marked the end of my 9th month in working towards my goal of running 1,000 miles by the end of 2013. I am 3/4 of the way there! 

See September recap below:

I completed 70 miles this month, compared to: 

74 in August

98 in July

90 in June

61 in May

64 in April

89 in March

76 in February 

80 in January

A total of 702 miles to date. 

I have 298 miles left until I reach 1000 and 92 days left to do it, which comes out to 3.2 miles a day. 

I was supposed to run closer to 80-85 miles this month, but I blame Waco, football, and my Baylor friends for that fail! I was gone quite a few weekends in September, which is usually when I schedule longer runs. My knee has been acting up just a little bit again, but it's bearable with my brace on.  

*Side story - my truck got broken into a few weeks ago (window SMASHED) and someone stole my old knee brace and headphones (along with other things)...so I had to get a new knee brace, which isn't quite as good as the one I had. Sad day.

But now that things are settling down with my new job, I'm moved into my new place, and the weather is thankfully cooling off, I know I'll be able to knock next month out! 

I have already planned my schedule for October and have 121 miles planned...we'll see how THAT goes *crosses fingers*yikes! 

10/1/2013: Miles run - 702 of 1000. Miles remaining - 298 of 1000

Month 8 Recap

This weekend marked the end of my 8th month in working towards my goal of running 1,000 miles by the end of 2013! 

See August recap below:

I completed 74 miles this month, compared to: 

98 in July

90 in June

61 in May

64 in April

89 in March

76 in February 

80 in January

A total of 632 miles to date. 

I ran fewer miles this month because I was pretty busy with my new job and moving to my new apartment. I was out of town a few weekends as well, but I tried to make up for it some towards the end of the month! 

I have 368 miles left until I reach 1000 and 119 days left to do it, which comes out to 3.1 miles a day. 

It should be cooling off a bit here soon, so hopefully I can start running outside more often with further distances! 

9/3/2013: Miles run - 632 of 1000. Miles remaining - 368 of 1000

Month 7 Recap - past the halfway point!

Yesterday marked the end of my 7th month in working towards my goal of running 1,000 miles by the end of this year! 

See recap below:

I completed 98 miles this month...the highest mileage month so far, compared to: 

90 in June

61 in May

64 in April

89 in March

76 in February 

80 in January

For a total of 580 miles to date. 

Hopefully I only have another month or two left for running on the treadmill. It's way too hot to run outside in Texas, and I really miss running outdoors. 

I hit my 500th mile on July 12th and it was an awesome feeling of accomplishment. 

I have 442 miles left until I reach 1000 and 153 days left to do it, which comes out to 2.9 miles a day - totally do-able! 

8/1/2013: Miles run - 558 of 1000. Miles remaining - 442 of 1000