Week 1...

I'M BACK! Didn't I just start my running journey? Wasn't my first blog article titled "Week 1"? Well, here I go again (on my own...). Today marks my 18-week training journey to my first marathon, on October 31st down in DC. I'm running the Marine Corps Marathon with a friend from college and am SO EXCITED! I woke up ready to run this morning and my body said 'no Hannah, you were at work at about 6 am yesterday...get some sleep!" So I listened. Thank goodness I did because when I got home from work a box was waiting for me on the table. I open it, and it's my birthday present from my dad, GORGEOUS new running shoes. The Nike LunarGlide + to be exact. They are so cute! They're white and pink and grey and fit just right. My little sensor fits in the sole and my toes have room to wiggle. I was so happy I through them right on, ran upstairs and put on the rest of my running ensamble. Then went to get my hair cut and browse Target. And eat Taco Bell. (I had the healthy tacos, so I'm good!)

I came home, let the tacos digest, then grabbed my sportband and iPod and got ready to hit the pavement....until I realized my iPod had died. Blast, forgot to charge it. Put it back on the table and away I went. I was trucking along pretty good, they had the road by the library opened again so I didn't have to run up the hill by Michie. I go to walk up the little ramp and what do I see but 1400 new cadets being marched right where I was going to go...so I turned around (they have their time to learn to be awkward cadets, I didn't need to bowl through them). Back by the house, around Buffalo Soldiers and to the house. My watch said it was 3 miles and I ran it in 26 minutes, but when I mapped it the map said 2.6 miles so who knows. I might have to re-calbarate my band again with the new shoes. I still ran hard and it felt so good. The shoes worked well!

Overall, happy first day, but 71 more to come.....

Starting all over...

I guess this weekend is my last official weekend before everything starts. I woke up this morning and read some of my Marathon book. It's written by this guy who's ran over 110 marathons in his life, and he's really motivating. I am so excited to embark on this 18 week journey. Four and a half months of preparation to see a finish line at the end of 26 miles and 385 yards. In WASHINGTON DC. I've taken some time off since the half (look at me, sounding like an athlete) and I'm ready. I'm ready to put on my shoes (new Nike LunarGlides thank you daddy!) and run out the door. I"m ready to do my easy runs and pull myself through the hard ones. Get up on days I really don't want to because I know I will end up wanting to. I'm crazy, I'm fully aware of that. And I love it. So....here we go...Monday marks the 18 week countdown and I will be updating this (I promise) on all the aspects of my version of training for a full marathon. So...let's begin!

New Week

Only a few weeks left until I start my actual marathon training, so this week is a new week. I thought about it this weekend, as two of my dear friends ran their first half marathons. It's going to be a great summer, getting up early to run around West Point with just my iPod blasting worship and Jesus by my side. Sounds like a pretty darn good summer to me! The Sunday after my 27th birthday starts cross training, so will take ideas on what to cross train with! Swimming, biking, possibilities are endless! I'm excited to really get into this, to become a runner, to become an ATHLETE again. It's such a rush to finish a long run, to know what has just been accomplished. It's HARD, but it's totally worth it when you're done, when you make it back home and get to have all your thoughts cleared, and grab a giant glass of chocolate milk :) It will be a time to think, to get ready for the day and have some energy to help throughout the day. This will be FUN!