What am I Thinking???

So I finally did it - I actually registered for race! As soon as I completed the form online, I immediately thought "what am I getting myself into"??? What makes me think I can run 13 miles when I'm struggling to do 6 right now??? Definitely a step of faith! :) The good thing is that it's still early on and there is alot of time to train (I'm gonna need it haha :).
So how has the training been going for everyone else? Anyone find a good plan out there that's been helpfu? I created one on Runner's World.com that I'm hoping will be helpful. Basically, it has you running 3 days a week (1 easy run, 1 tempo or interval run, and 1 long run). It builds and tapers closer to the race so as to avoid burning out too soon in training. On the off days, I've been lifting, doing the stair stepper and biking. I'm definitely reminded of the need to mix things up in order to work different muscle groups!
So what have you been doing to mix things up on the cross-training days? Any good exercises that you've found helpful?

Happy running! :)

Good Day, Bad Day

So I've been a total slacker in updating this blog - I'm sorry! :( Things have been pretty hectic lately, but the running has still been happening. I'm training for a 5 miler on May 15th, plan to take a little break after that, and start up the heavy duty training in June for the half-marathon. After hearing from several people, it seems that "overtraining" can be just as dangerous as undertraining, sooo....I'm thinking that 3 1/2 months might be good. Did any of you find any great training plans??
So I was on a long run the other day that was pretty pathetic...it was the middle of the afternoon, like 90+ degrees with humidity, much hillier than I thought, and 6 1/2 miles...my legs felt like lead! It made me think about the whole good day, bad day thing...there are days when we go out there and have an incredible run - fast and easy. Then there are days...well, when it's a huge effort to get past mile 1. That's just the way it is with running - we have good days and bad days...made me think of how it is spiritually - there are days when everything is going well, and days when we say "what are you doing God?" Thankfully, God doesn't leave us on the bad days!! With God, we always have a good day to look forward to! :)
So what do you do after a bad day? How do you get past the bad day and have a good day?

Happy running! :)

Training and light bulbs

I opened my inbox this afternoon and a fresh Runner's World e-mail greeted me. No offense, but they're usually quickly disposed off. Although, this article "Run the Half on Three Days a Week" caught my eye, and thus saved the e-mail from the depths of the deleted folder. Since I'm a newbie at this training stuff, the article encouraged me and gave a vision that the steps toward running a half-marathon ARE indeed obtainable and realistic.

Training won't kill me.

Ahh! the beauties of a "light bulb" moment. :)

What has encouraged you in your goal lately?

About Chelsea...

Hey there! My name is Chelsea Owen, I'm 24 and live in Clearwater, Florida (yep, I live about fifteen minutes from the beach. be jealous.). My occupation? legal assistant and personal chef for the past year or so. My life is pretty tame, nothin' too exciting happens around here (example: a highlight from my past weekend was playing in the leftover ice behind our local skating rink with our youth group -- the Floridians version of a snowball fight). I don't usually...ok, I'll be honest, I rarely try something new if I don't think I have a chance at succeeding. So, this whole half-MARATHON endeavor has me scared. More than scared. You see, I'm not a runner. Never have been (I've attempted and failed). I love to be active and fit, but I have always associated running with torture (especially here where the heat and humidity play a huge factor...for me, at least) and have tried to find other ways (i.e. biking, roller blading, swimming, walking) to minimize the poundage, with little to no success. When Jocelyn talked to me about the Philly distance run, I brushed it off as a fun idea (I love to travel, and any trip with a best friend is pretty sweet), but there wasn't a chance I would undertake such a challenge ("Could I be a cheerleader and still come along?" "Nope," she said). Jocelyn is persistent...and persuasive. After giving it some thought (followed by a heart-pounding-I-don't-know-about-this moment) and listening to my friend tell me she KNOWS I can do it, I realized that I should put myself out there and give it a shot. And thus, my running adventure has begun. As of today, my goal is to run four times a week (I average three) around our 5k loop to get into a "groove" before starting my official Runner's World training plan. Believe it or not, I'm actually beginning to enjoy my jogs...maybe, just maybe I can do this. It certainly doesn't hurt to TRY.

Philadelphia Distance Run here WE come! :)

About Joce...

Hey everyone! :)

So my name is Jocelyn Wood and I'm 24. I work as an administrative assistant at Grace Community Church doing all kinds of various, fun things (including event planning!). I am convinced that I have the absolute best job ever!!!! :) I love event planning and all the details that come along with it! I did go to school for 2 years, but when I transferred to pursue a more specific major, God closed the door on that, so I started working at the church full time instead. Looking back, I'm so glad that happened! :)
I only started running more seriously within the past 3 or 4 years. I rode horses pretty much my whole life (from age 5 to 22). Because that was my sport, I wasn't really into running except on occassion. When I had a bad riding accident back in 2005 and fractured my pelvis, that set me back alot. I did continue to ride for a bit longer, but eventually decided it was time to stop. Since I was no longer doing the physical activity of riding, I looked for something different to burn off my energy and lo and behold, running! :)
I kind of have this love/hate relationship with running...most days I love it, but other days it's such a challenge. I am definitely not built to be a runner and am not fast (yeah, having short legs doesn't help with going fast :), but it is definitely something I enjoy doing. I love doing it at the end of a work day - it's a great way to unwind! I started doing some races in the past 2 years (mostly 5ks) and did my first 10k this past Thanksgiving.
One of the biggest challenges that I face often is the result of the riding accident - my hip has never been the same since and it definitely affects the way I run, especially when the mileage gets longer. I've never done a half marathon before, but it's something I've always wanted to do, so it will be a great challenge! I'm really excited to be doing this with a bunch of other people - it will be great to have the company when doing those long training runs! :)

About Bethany...

So I am hoping this is how to do the 'About Me'...I have never tried blogging before. :)

My name is Bethany Joy Isabell...by maiden name was Bethany Herman...so I went from one first name as a last name to another first name as a last name. Herman to Isabell. Stinks for the boys in the Isabell family...but oh well. :) I am 28 and now live in Doylestown, PA. I grew up in the Harrisburg area of Pennsylvania. Growing up I was never really into running...I loved sports but was pretty terrible at all of them that I tried...but I had fun. And since I went to a small private Christian school I made every team I tried out for. :)

I went to Philadelphia University for Interior Design and graduated in 2003. It was actually in college that I started to run a bit. The school is in East Falls...so it was really convenient to go running along Kelly Drive...and so fun! I pretty much just ran when the weather was nice...wasn't super dedicated.

After college I moved back home for a bit and then moved into a house with two of my best friends, Sarah and Michelle. We often would go for runs all together and I started doing a route that Michelle showed me. (Michelle ran competetively in college and now is a track and cross country coach.) We lived right by the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, so there was a wonderful 6-mile loop using two bridges and riverfront paths on the east and west sides of the river. This made me absolutely love running by water. (And the Susquehanna River smells A LOT better than the Schuylkill (sp?) :)

I married my amazing husband, Josh, in 2007 and moved to his hometown north of Philadelphia. I started running near our house which was ok, but mostly rural road with high speed limits with almost no shoulder...so I began to search for something...safer. :) I started running at Peace Valley Park which has a 6-mile trail around a lake...so it is a great distance and has the water element and some hills.

Since I have lived out here I started doing a bunch of 5Ks and did one 10K in 2008 and then in 2009 I did the Broad Street Run in Philly...a wonderful flat 10 mile run through the city. I am going to hopefully do the Broad Street again this year.

This winter hasn't been a great running season for me...but spring is right around the corner and I am excited to stretch my legs...and get running consistently again!!!

So....

I finally got around to running tonight (in the rain! (go me!!)) and I got this horrible cramping in my lower back. Has anyone ever experienced this before? Any suggestions??