Day 16- New Route

Today I extended my outdoor route to now measure 4.303 miles. (BTW- I'm using a google map pedometer to calculate my distances.) My time for completing this route was 40 minutes. Again, using the pace calculator, I ran about 9min 17sec per mile! Not bad for the first try! Also, I forgot to mention that when I run outside, I'm pushing Ethan (Who weighs over 14lbs not including stroller & car seat weight.) and I have to wait for traffic and stop lights.

My new course added about 4 additional street crossings that require waiting as well as some steeper grades (though still nothing I'd call a true hill)and so many driveways! Have you ever noticed all the ups and downs driveways create? With a stroller, you notice EVERY one!

I've been sticking to the area around my home so that I could incorporate doing laundry into my exercise time, but now that I'm needing more distance, I'm going to need to find somewhere without so many street crossings so that I can more accurately assess my pace.

It's too bad tracks don't allow strollers. Oh well, they don't have hills either and I need to practice on those since the marathon route has plenty of them!

Day 15- He is my strength!

Today I ran/walked my outdoor entire outdoor route in less than 25 minutes!!!! That's 3.264 miles!!! That means I averaged 7 minutes 40 seconds per mile! Woohoo!! How did I do that?!

Well, I know that only God can give me strength, and that fact was driven home today by the two people I passed today who were confined to wheelchairs. How blessed am I to be able to walk, let alone run, and never mind even TRYING to complete a marathon?! Every time I felt like walking instead of running, I'd remind myself not to take the ability to run for granted and I'd decide to run "a little bit farther" - i.e. to the next lamp post. Then as I approached the lamp post, I'd think: "See you didn't think you could do it, but you did. Now run to the .... electrical box up there." And so forth. And playing these little mind games got me through it! Praise God who gives me strength! :-D

Here's the web address for a great Pace Calculator: http://www.active.com/calculators/pace_calculator.cfm#

Days 13 & 14

So the last two days have been complete failures in terms of my goals as orignally defined in the first post on this blog. However, I believe the reason softens the blow a little.

The reason is that I have spent all day, both days, working into an exhaustion to raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Thus, by the time I've accomplished what I set out to do each day, it has been dark and the office has been locked. Since my new rule is no running after dark (in the gym or otherwise- see "Day 12"), I have not exercised. :-(

Tomorrow, however, I am going to take a day off from fundraising to attend my other responsibilities (house cleaning, writing my novel, & running). The only exception is a brief follow up call I'll need to make at about 12:30.

The good news is that all my efforts are beginning to slowly pay off. Today I had several businesses agree to let me place a cannister in their business to collect coins, and yesterday, Kiddie Kandids agreed to donate a portrait package for use in raising funds! Of course there have been a few "No's" but the majority either say yes or maybe, so I am encouraged.

And because my favorite show is on tonight (the only one I watch faithfully), I am going to allow myself a one hour break. Of course, I'll do situps and other brainless exercises while I watch so it won't be a total waiste.

Day 12 - Scary Night

Well I didn't get to run until after our dinner company left last night. So Luke volunteered to watch Ethan while I went to exercise in our apartment facility's gym. The session started out well, I managed to get more than a mile in at a pretty good pace, but then some jerk came into the gym and to make a long story short- although he had a key, he wasn't there to exercise, he wouldn't leave when I asked him to, and I ended up having to call the cops. Rest assured that I am fine, but there will be no more exercising alone in the gym after the apartment offices close. (They lock the door to the clubhouse when they leave, creating only one way in & out of the gym).

Today I think I'll do my exercising outside.