201 Miles

This is my running app on my phone.  It logs all our miles, pace, calories burned...etc.  I downloaded it the day I decided to train for this half marathon, which was January 30th where I walked 2.13 miles and ran 10 seconds of each 5 minutes.  I had a baby only 8 weeks prior, and had just finished eating the rest of Liam's birthday cake so it was no easy task.  It was cold and windy out and I had horrible shoes that were not even for running.  I looked rediculous all bundeled up in my Superstore workout pants and big ugly shoes, but I plugged away. 

In February I walk/ran 15.33 miles with my longest run being 2.91 miles.  So I basically only added 1 mile that entire month but going from 2 to 3 miles felt like going SO much further. 

March's tally was 25.31 miles with my longest distance being 3.27 miles.  Still slow and plugging along.  Still cold and embarrassing. 

April was 27.47 miles in total with my longest distance being 4.07 miles.  After training 2 or 3 times a week for 3 months I had worked up to 4 miles and I felt like that was faarrrr.  I was not improving too much, distance wise, but I know I was running about 50% of the time and had learned a lot.  I knew that you need actual running shoes, and that the proper gear will make all the difference in the world.

May's total is 36.36 miles and I made it up to 5.5 miles at one time.  My confidence was building, the weather was perfect and I knew how to max my time out there and prevent my nasty shin splints and stiff legs.  It was not until about this month that I began to feel like I could maybe call myself a 'runner'.  In my opinion, running 5 miles was nothing to sneeze at.

June.  I'm surprised that I did cram in 35 miles since I was on vacation in Vancouver for 2 weeks of that month.  But Greg and I did our whopping 7.07 miles before we left on holidays and I was killin' it.  I also did a 10K race in June for Pro-life and was comforatable doing it. 

July.  SO HOT.  I can't believe I've only logged 12.85 mils this month, and it's already the 11th, but it is just so hot and I have not been able to muster up the energy to go for an early run yet.  But I see it in my near near future as this weather is not getting any cooler.  Today I did 5 miles at 10am and by the end I was dripping everywhere.  It's also crunch time so Greg and I are doing 8 miles this weekend and adding a mile to that every weekend from now until our big 13 mile practice half marathon before we leave. 

So thanks to my app, I've been able to tally everything I've done and keep track of all my sweaty painful miles.  Today I checked and I just passed the 200 mark!  That means I've run from Lethbridge to Red Deer (for those who know what that even means).  I know my progress has been a lot slower than most people's.  Most half marathon training programs are 16 weeks max, and I've been 'training' for 24 weeks already, but I really did start from ground ZERO.  I had no base.  I couldn't run a block.  I had 25 extra pounds on.  So even though it's been long, I'm still proud to be where I am today.  I can't wait to get that medal and finish well.