i am honestly so thankful for my friend and running partner meagan. without her words of encouragement and (as silly as it may seem) these photos, i'm not sure i'd be that interested in racing again (not ever... just anytime soon!) she is such a positive force within my life and just all around a wonderful friend. i am so lucky that she moved from cleveland (leaning towards 4 years ago... what?!) and came to indianapolis. although i'm still not feeling 100% (physically - this dang nagging hip- or mentally -how do i make myself just.keep.running?) after the mini a couple of weeks ago. i am honestly looking forward to seeing what i am made of in the next couple of weeks. the motivation has been sparked once again. i'm ready to run with you... sole sister :) so here. these are pictures that meagan took of me running my first solo race. (please!) let the motivation continue.
thank you so much my friend. really. p.s. next time... tell me to do something else with my hands. what was i doing with my hands?! jazz hands? thumbs up? seriously... i just don't know what to do with my hands...
3 weeks until the next race. time to make it happen!
the mini marathon is over folks... time has flown by and the race is already over!
it feels like so much time is spent training and preparing to run and then in a few short hours its all over.
i apologize in advance for the jumbled words below. sometimes when i have many thoughts racing through my mind, it is hard to get them "down on paper" in a fashion that may actually make sense to anyone other than myself. so maybe you'll be able to follow along with me...
i wish this post was going to be all rainbows and butterflies but not every run or every race has the happy ending or PR like you'd really want it to. i am not at all trying to be a debby downer and i am doing my very best to stay proud and encouraged by my results from saturday's race but sometimes it is just human nature to feel a little disappointment. and i'm just writing it down because it is real life. i'm not looking for anyone to feel sorry for me or anything, just writing these thoughts down because everyone has a bad day or a bad run or a bad race. it happens.
but at the end of the day, i still did it. now i know i cannot complain about that!
first things first... meagan is amazing and way, way too nice to me. she drove down around 7am to meet me and walk me to my corral. the moral support she gives me on a daily basis... i just cannot thank her enough. for real.
pre-race selfie? check!
she helped to get me even more excited and ready for the race. this is the first time i've done any kind of race completely on my own. in the last couple of years, each race i've either started with someone or at least ran a good portion of the race alongside someone. once meagan left me in my corral, i was on my own. a little daunting in my opinion! but i tried to keep my spirits up and just knew i'd have to dig deep to make it thought... time for some good music to get me moving up to the starting line!
once we started, i saw meagan right around the corner and gave her a high-five as i ran by. i love seeing people along the route... such motivation!
my pace was slower than my usual training runs but that's okay... there were many more miles to go... had to save that energy!
between miles 5 and 6 i got to see todd and his mom and my little munchkin. a hug and a kiss from the little guy was super encouraging... kept me happy and smiling!
then it was off to the track. not my favorite part. i kept running without stopping until mile 8. and then it hit me. my legs felt like bricks and my attitude was just not good. last year i had so much fun with meagan and this year i was just lonely.
needless to say, miles 8-13.1 were not my favorite and i tried walking/running as much as possible. (i am kind of impressed by how quickly i can walk when i try! lol)
right before mile 13... my friends and my family. i see them as i come closer and immediately start to cry. i was so happy to see them and so glad that i was almost done. and so sad that i'd not run the entire time like i'd wanted to. so many emotions. and tears. and a little pain. and relief. :) its hard to describe all that you're feeling. and i know it sounds dramatic but i was hurting, physically and mentally and was SO GLAD to see my friends, my family, especially my husband and my main little man. another hug and kiss and that was the push i needed to get this race finished. i really couldn't wait to get it over with and go back with my family. oh the relief.
once it was over, and i dried my tears of accomplishment and disappointment (just being honest here) it was all smiles. it helps that i have a pretty amazing support system. i am truly so very lucky.
so i wasn't as fast as i had wanted to be, i didn't finish in the time i had hoped to (2:30:00) and i didn't run the entire thing...but, i still finished roughly 20 minutes faster than last year.
i also feel like i've learned a thing or two as well...
- not every race will be a PR
- let yourself be proud of your accomplishments
- your friends and family are so awesome and so proud of you. embrace it. you've earned it.
- now you know how "rough" things can feel. something to work on for the next time.
- there will be a next time!!
- i still love running and still love racing... and hopefully will continue to improve with each step!
thank you for sticking with me and i promise that i'm doing my best to embrace my accomplishment, even if it wasn't all that i'd hoped it would be. i still kicked butt and i still finished. lonely and tired and i still did it. time to be proud of that!!
and here's a little something for fun. this has made me cry.... from laughing so hard. and i literally cannot stop watching it. he's my main man and i'm so lucky to have him to cheer me up... no matter what. i love you little man.
happy monday to you all and honestly, i am really looking forward to learning from this experience and moving forward! it is only up from here! so look out! ;)
just a super quick check-in today. skipped my long run in order to celebrate my anniversary.... all weekend long. we pretty much ate our way through the weekend and it was wonderful. lots of sunshine, fresh air, friends and family time. i could not have asked for more!
all that said, i'm so glad that meagan helped me with a quick (and brutal...for me!) run on friday afternoon. it was a little rough but i pulled through and since haven't regretted it. the fastest 5k i've ever run. ever. meagan is kind of awesome. without her, there's no way i would have finished.
only 18 days until the mini. woah. must keep on running. long distances or short...must keep running!
i don't have a whole lot to say this monday other than the fact that i was able to complete 14.5 running miles this week with my longest run being this last saturday. 9 miles on saturday with probably a mile or two walking on top of that. it. was. tough.
honestly, i think meagan explains it perfectly. read about our 9 miles (her 18 miles!!) here. i couldn't have said it better myself. and honestly, i am so thankful for her and her encouraging words. i am pretty lucky.
my stats - those are the actual running stats... not included: walking breaks and water break and potty break. but you know. i'm just glad i was able to physically run 9 miles. 9. woah. also, need to wear my heart rate monitor again because i know that calorie count is not accurate and i'm curious to see what what my heart rate was like because that run was. not. easy.
i never imagined how mentally challenging running can be. my legs seem strong enough, its just trying to convince my head that i am capable to keep going. and i will keep going. sometimes (like meagan says) you have to trick your mind into it. and just do it.
its all worth it! (so was the queso burrito after that long and chilly run)
so i hope you all had a wonderful weekend and kept your bodies moving. this week i'm looking forward to at least as many miles (hopefully more!) and just to keep moving forward.
it
was a good week last week! the first two runs weren't my favorite but
the saturday run was really something. 7 miles is the furthest run i've
ever done since training for the half marathon last year (and this
year!) if you told me even a year ago that i'd get up before the sun on
a saturday morning and run 7 miles in 30 degree weather...i would have
totally laughed at you. i'm kind of amazed with the person i'm
becoming. crazy.
here
are some screen shots of my runs from this week. 13.1 miles... a half
marathon this week. now i just need to practice doing all of those miles
at once! ;)
thank you meagan (as always!) for your motivation an encouragement!!
p.s.
you should totally go and check out her blog and cheer her on. she's
running a marathon (yes, a marathon!) at the end of april and she's
pretty much a running rockstar. so go and check her out!!
i totally stole this photo from meagan too. thanks for being my sole sister :)
did you have a good any good runs this last week? any on the calender for this week?
i've got at least 7 on the schedule for this saturday. hoping to do it solo... need to get my spotify playlist set up! i'm also planning to do my 3-4 mile run tomorrow outdoors. the weather is in the 60's here (FINALLY) so i'm hoping to enjoy that.
(you know you are a runner when... you are trying to fall asleep ((on sunday night)) and you cannot fall asleep because you are mentally trying to figure out a 4 mile running route for your run on tuesday. seriously. who is this person?)
i hope you all have an amazing week, get out and run!!
i hate to admit but i love all of it. i love all of the gear, clothes, shoes, accessories that can go along with running. a "free" sport. ha. that is truly laughable isn't it?! and as much as i think it is funny, i will still be saving my pennies in order to treat myself to gear for this "free" sport. seriously though, sign me up!
with that said, here are a few things that i'm lucky enough to have experience with that i really do love and also even more things that i drool over on a daily basis. stop the running madness. who doesn't love a cute outfit to run in? or the most colorful and cheerful running shoes?
i cannot explain to you how much i really love all of those items. the watch is used every.single.time. i run. and i love that i can also use the nike+ sensor in my shoe to track my runs on the treadmill. i am such a data person. i love to go back and look at all of the stats! (is you are a nike+ member, let me know, we can be friends there too!)
and now for the fun part...
here are just a few of the things that i wish i could buy if i only had all of the monies. it is amazing to me how expensive running clothes and accessories can be. not to mention the cost of some good shoes!
compression socks. i would really, really love to hear if anyone has anything at all to say about compression socks.
i've read some good things about them but would love a little bit more feedback before i hand over $50 for socks! do they really help with recovery time? are they really worth the money?
this shirt. oh this shirt. and i don't know about you, but i always look just like her after i'm done running. always.
and although this hoodie wouldn't be used while running, it would be used while i'm relaxing on the couch or running errands...after my run...of course. it is so cute.
i'm really thinking that i need an actual running hat. my old navy baseball cap is working well but is white and getting dirty. plus, a little ventilation might be nice as the weather (hopefully!) starts warming up. this one is nice but i am still really looking around!
i'm sure i could find many, many more things to love and wish for one day. i'd love to hear what everyone else has found to be useful or a "must-have" when it comes to their running gear. please share!
i'm looking forward to a 6+ mile run tomorrow morning. like literally looking forward to it. who is this person i've slowly become?! i hope you all have the most fabulous weekend and we'll catch up next week!
recently i've found myself having a little bit of trouble on my afternoon runs on the treadmill. i don't know if it is just that i'm a little too tired, or too hungry after driving to and from work ... oh and working for 8 hours in between ... and my body just isn't into it?
so i thought why not try and make a morning trip to the gym? i used to go in the mornings a couple of times a week and cannot say that i ever regretted going. the most important step of leaving your house on or before 5am? getting out of bed. that is the toughest part. once you're up... you're up. at least that's how i am. literally turning of the alarm and putting my feet on the floor is the worst part. and then i'm okay!
to get myself pumped up (as much as one can be pumped for the alarm to go off at 4:30am...) i started a search on pinterest (duh) for inspiration and motivation to get myself out of bed super early. here are some of my favorite finds:
oh and one of the best sayings around (which can be applied to many situations in life!) is this:
fail to plan = plan to fail.
so plan is what i did.
since i hadn't packed for an early workout session in about 7 months, it was like starting from scratch. so i spent about 30 minutes before bed gathering all of the essentials and prepping as much as possible. the last thing i wanted to do so early in the morning was search for something i needed.
so i took the time to gather and prep.
this included getting the coffee set up, packing a breakfast and lunch for the next day. i try to set everything out (obviously i keep things cold in the fridge but have a lunchbox ready to throw it all in, first thing!) and run through the list of things i need/want in my head. i would hate to forget something so early in the morning!
since i don't live close enough to the gym to run home after my workout, i need to pack up everything i need. shower supplies, clothes for work, etc. so not only do i prepare my exercise clothes, i also need my clothes for work, all of them. and don't forget a change of shoes!
it is also a good idea to have a an empty water bottle so you don't forget to grab one on your way out.
i have to say that i felt like such a bag lady that morning. and it was really fun cramming all of that stuff in my gym locker. but. it was so worth it. i do not regret that early morning workout at all. and was able to get up, get in 3 miles on the treadmill, showered and to my office by 7:20am. not a bad start to the morning, huh?
i'm hoping to try again this week. i'm tempted to take a class or get to the gym just 10 minutes early as to get the treadmill of my choice this time. i am not complaining because i'm happy that others are choosing to be healthy but seriously...how is it that all of the treadmills are full at 5:15am? :)
what is your favorite time of day to workout? do you have any tips to share with me to keep me motivated? i'd love to hear what you have to say, sharing these types of things helps to hold us all accountable and keeps us moving forward!
anyone else hitting the gym super early this week?
The weather was cold but not too cold. No rain, no snow. Even more people than at the last training run. The atmosphere was just what I love.
The week before this run, I was able to complete 5 miles running so I knew I could rock this 10k. I tried to keep the positivity from last week's run and let it carry over into this one. But honestly, for me, it is hard not to get butterflies or get super excited once you pick up your race bib. I cannot imagine I'm the only one out there that feels this way. The bib just makes it so real.
I know it is was just for training but I love to see my progress and to get to run with hundreds of other people? All of us with the same goal? Amazing.
We all got lined up and it was time to start. I was feeling much better this time than last time, and even started listening to a running playlist on spotify. Although the music was up-beat and kept me going, I honestly cannot say that I could identify any of the songs I heard so next time I'll put in a little more effort and actually make myself a playlist. That should only improve my mental state even more next time.
This run was great. The only trouble I had was in the beginning. I felt like I just could get a good pace and I think it may have been from starting in the back. I just never know where the "good" place to start is. I'm not fast by any means and I'm not just walking...so where does one start?! But once I was able to find a few people running about the same pace as me, we were off. We ran through some places I was completely unfamiliar with, but that also made the run more interesting. I was able to see parts of the city I'm not used to seeing. That's for sure!
We ran near Lucas Oil Stadium and lots of people were pointing in that direction. Running can be so fun. I never imagined it a sport that included sight-seeing. But I love it all.
I don't have anything super fun or exciting to say about the 6.2 miles other than the fact that my body and mind felt really good the entire time. I was able to keep my breathing regulated (a huge deal for me!) and kept the cramps away. My legs felt strong and I just kept going.
I kicked it into high gear as usual for the finish and it just felt so good.
I am already excited for our 15k in April and the half marathon in May. This training is going so well and I have made so much progress in the last year. I'm ready to kill it.
My official race results (after compiled by the wonderful people at the 500 Festival):
ASHLYE BRINK
bib number:
1415
age:
30
gender:
F
location:
FISHERS, IN
overall place:
441 out of 800
division place:
35 out of85
gender place:
168 out of433
time:
1:03:25
pace:
10:13
guntime:
1:05:01
I am taking this and using it as motivation for the next one. Hooray.
I never thought in a million years I'd be talking about such things. Life is good.
I followed this video and did 3 exercises, 10 reps each. And I tried doing a few pushups also. My abs....all of them...my sides...my ribs. So Sore. From approximately 30 reps. Apparently that crap works. And apparently my abs and back are weak. True story.
Tuesday 02.25. my schedule had 4 miles. I was in the best mood, pumped up and ready to run. Got on the treadmill and just couldn't pull it off. 2 miles done and done. I was a sweaty mess and couldn't shake the unpleasant feeling in my stomach. Sometimes running at the "end" of the day is harder...maybe from using up so much energy during the day?
Wednesday 02.26 l.a.z.y. the end.
Thursday 02.27. I got up at 4:45am and WENT TO THE GYM.
Yes, you read that correctly. I did it. Without too much effort to actually get out of bed. Strange.
I am still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the last time I made an early morning trip to the gym...was 7 months ago. WHAT in the world?!
This is me. Just call me Bag Lady. Freshly showered and headed back to the car to drive into work. And I'd just like to mention that I got up, out of bed, to the gym, ran 3 miles, cooled down, showered, got ready, drove to work...and got to my desk by 7:20am. That feels awesome. AND not to mention that by the time I got to work, I had burned as many calories as I normally do between 12-1pm! #winning
p.s. I am obviously a big fan of my Mean Streets t-shirt from last summer. It is honestly one of my favorite t-shirts to workout in... really soft and longer than many of my other t-shirts. Anyway, back on track...
July 2013
Friday 02.28. Rested.
Saturday 03.01 - I did This! Recap to come! Spoiler alert.... #nailedit (at least that's how I'm feeling about it!) I hope you had the most wonderful week, what does your fitness week hold?! Happy Monday!!!
with that said, this last saturday i had one of my best and most favorite runs in the history of my running. i felt so strong and confident and happy. not a single complaint. i honestly cannot remember a time when i ran for more than 3.5 or 4 miles without complaining. ask meagan...she'll tell you! i will finish that run but it doesn't mean that i wont tell you how unhappy about it i am during the remainder of it. ;)
so without a single ounce of negativity, i ran my fastest 5 miles yet. and this week's training only called for 4.5 that day.
i am feeling much more confident for this week's training race downtown. a little disappointed that the weather isn't warming up (it may actually be colder for the march race than it was for the february one!) but i know that i can run the distance. 6 miles. coming right up!
here are a few of my favorite motivational pieces from this last week:
And happy to report that the first training run couldn't have been more of a success!
I set my alarm for 6:30am to make sure I had plenty of time to get ready and to pack myself up. I got out and put on all of my warmest running gear, grabbed my bib, headphones and my gloves. Threw a change of clothes and shoes, and a towel in a bag, (the weather was forecasting a 40% chance of rain!) grabbed myself a cup of coffee and hit the road. The nice part about driving downtown at 7:30am on a Saturday? No traffic. How refreshing!
You know what else was refreshing? The fact that my car was reading 37 degrees outside. In Indiana that is practically a heat wave. I was already feeling so thankful. Running in the cold is not my favorite! I'm kind of a wuss.
Anyway, I made it downtown with plenty of time to spare so I sipped on my coffee while I pinned on my bib and rocked out to some JT before heading to the starting line.
I was so excited to see all of the people there. I had no idea what to expect as far as the size of the crowd. I believe I read that about three hundred or so people registered ahead of time and with race day registrations the number went up to more than five hundred! I was loving it. The music was playing and people were standing around stretching, warming up and starting to get lined up.
Anyone that runs races knows that feeling of being surrounded by the crowd, just waiting to start. Its really kind of electrifying. I love that feeling!!
Two minutes before the start and everyone is really lining up. Waiting. AND...it wasn't raining! The streets were wet but there was not a single drop falling from the sky. SO LUCKY.
Then the race started. I haven't run outside since the Drumstick Dash in November so I knew I needed to take it easy and really watch my breathing. 3 miles is a long time to try and catch your breath! Once I get in a steady breathing rhythm, I'm usually good to go. I was trying to keep a slower pace, but kept looking at my watch and I was in the 10's. That's so fast for me. I was a little worried that I'd push too hard, too fast and run out of gas. But I kept going!
This photo below was taken while completely trying not to dance while listening to B.O.B. I cannot help but speed up and dance...literally while listening to this song. Such a great song to run to! And the girl in the pink-ish color... I was just trying to keep her in my sights. She seemed like a pretty easy target to follow... kept me moving!
I was maybe between the 1.5-2 miles when the winners passed me going in the opposite direction. Apparently the first guy finished in 17:28 and the first woman in 19:32...that's a 5:38 and 6:18 pace. That is seriously insane!
I honestly felt really great and not cold at all. The rain held off and I was even feeling the slightest bit warm inside my hoodie and vest. But anyone that has run with me knows that towards the end, even if I feel like I'm running out of steam... I will push it and try to finish really strong. So I took the speed up a notch and pushed it. With that I had to literally fight a side cramp for the last half a mile but it was totally worth it. I kicked it into the highest gear I could for the last .1 and ended up passing a handful of people before crossing the finish line.
I could hardly breathe and my side was killing me but I already felt so strong and proud!!
That's probably the fastest 5k I've ever completed. I have never pushed myself like that before and it honestly felt pretty amazing.
After crossing the finish line, the wonderful volunteers gave us bottles of water, bananas and snacks. Just like an actual race. I'm so glad I signed up for these. I stepped aside to guzzle some water and catch my breath. Once I did, a nice girl actually came up to me and said she was actually keeping pace with me... she was following me to keep her pace?! That's never happened before in my life! Woah.Kind of made me feel like a for real runner.
The race was one of my best, the atmosphere was pretty amazing and there were some pretty good people all around. I am looking forward to the 10k training race on March 1st. I'll just keep running until then and hopefully will have another positive experience to report!!
With all of that said, here are my official stats. I still cannot believe how fast I finished, this is huge for me! Talk about something to help my motivation to continue!!
ASHLYE BRINK
bib number:
90
age:
30
gender:
F
location:
FISHERS, IN
overall place:
318 out of 512
division place:
19 out of 44
gender place:
111 out of 252
time:
31:39
pace:
10:12
guntime:
32:25
How was everyone's weekend? Did you get out there and run?!
I hope others got to experience the runner's high. That is a legit feeling... Ah. I am so loving it.
Here's to a great week and some great miles coming our way!
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