Cakebatter-- Congrats on your one year anniversary of weightloss!! When i read that, i just noticed how much weight youve lost!! Amazing! 45 pounds is HUGE!! You are so close to your goal now...i wish you the best....Have you noticed that as youve been running more your weightloss has increased or slowed down? just curious....have you been following any particular diet plan, or just making more health concious decisions? 45 pounds lost is something to be proud of, and you are obviously doing something right!

TakingCharge--there isnt much to say about my history of running actually..... a little over a year ago (in May 2008, mothers day, to be exact) I woke up and thought to myself, "I think I'll run the Bolder Boulder!" The Bolder Boulder is a BIG TIME 10K up in, where else, Boulder Co!! I believe it is the largest 10K in the world! Over 55,000 runners this year!!! Anyway, i had no previous running experience in my entire life, and the race was just a couple weeks away, on memorial day. I did at that point however, posses a certain level of fitness already---Id been working out daily for over 2 years at that point. SO i trained for 2 weeks, than went a just did it!! I finished in about 1 hr and 4 minutes (these days I am running my 8.25 mile runs in the same amounnt of time!!) and i just fell in love with running and the sense of accompolishment and confidence it gave me. I immediately set my sights on training for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon in that coming August. I actually followed a training Plan (Hal Higdons Beginner HM) and trained hard all summer. I ended up tearing 2 ligaments in my ankle a month before the race on a training run, but still plugged along, against doctors orders :) and completed the race in about 2 hr 10 minutes!! I ran a couple shorter, 10Ks in between races, then in October did the Denver Half Marathon. I remember thinking at the 11 mile mark when the Half MArathoners were splitting off from the Full marathoners to finish the last two miles "Suckers!! They still have 15 more miles to go and im almost done!! Theres no WAY you will ever catch ME running a full marathon!!"

Yet here i am, 7 weeks out from my first full marathon. Terrifying, exciting, incredible, insane....... I decided last february, after watching the documentary Spirit of the Marathon, that this was something i had to do. Ever since then, the marathon has been a constant thought in my mind. Always there. I think about it every minute of everyday. It CONSUMES ME. I even just graduated from college this May, but it didnt even phase me.....the MARATHON was my bigger fish to fry!! I started training for it in February, by training for a half marathon that was last May. At the same time, my BF decided he wanted to run the Bolder BOulder, so I was also training HIM for that at the same time i was training for the half. I picked up a lot of mileage, very quickly, and suffered a stress fracture in my foot in April. I still ran the Half marathon, but I ended up with a HORRIBLE finishing time...2hr 15 minutes! My slowest time yet! I wasnt getting faster! I was getting slower!
Thats when i decided it was time to start losing weight. I had originally started running thinking it would help me lose weight, but without proper diet, i ended very fit and fat!! Didnt lose any weight at all. So, in May I joined up with MRC...Metabolic Research center..I can say honestly, it has turned my life around. I was 148 pounds at 28% BF. I was a slow runner. on a good day i could eek out 9-930 minute miles, but my comfort zone was really closer to a 10 minute mile. As soon as i started following the MRC diet, the weight MELTED OFF, as did the minutes off my runs!! I was suddenly fast, and getting FASTER! AND STILL getting faster! Ive done numerous races this summer already, with just a few more to go, and every race ive PR'd, and i plan on PRing every one to come! Ive lost over 10% of my Body fat, and shaved approximately 2.5 to 3 minutes per mile off of my miles!!! I can comfortably run 7-730's now, which is astounding!! I recently ran the Goergetown HF marathon again and did it in 1hr 50 min, which is 20 MINUTES FASTER than last year..... granted i only needed to run an 8:25 mile to pull that off. I have every intention of training to be competitive at the 10k as soon as i am done with my marathon! I *just* have to get down to around 6 minute miles!! :) I know i can do it, and i dont want to suffer the sometimes sever post marathon blues..... think post partum depression. I have been training, dreaming, and committing myself fully to this one day in my life, and then when it is over? What?? Alot of runners go into a depressiona fter a marathon, so ive already set my sights on my next goal!! I guess thats my story.....i feel like ive found something i can actually be good at, and i love it!

Howdy, all! Hope you don't mind my tagging along a bit - you ladies are incredibly inspiring! I don't run as far as most of you do (just 4 miles, but wanting to increase to 5 miles next week). Just reading your posts has me raring to go for my run tomorrow : )

Hey all - happy Friday! :carrot:

Dancer-- welcome! nice to see you over here :) Gee that makes for three of us Colorado ladies now!

Upcoming races (haha mkroyer, I had to laugh at the races you have done...they are the ones I want to do, too!)

My first race is the Race for the Cure 5k - it's on September 13th. This is big for me because not only is it my first race, but it really means a lot to me in terms of how far I have come in the past 7-8 months. I used to be obese, I could barely walk up the stairs without getting winded. Last year my husband and I walked the 5k and he jokingly said "oh we should run it next year." Well, January came around and I decided that I didn't care about losing weight but I was going to accomplish two things in 2009: run a 5k and climb my first 14'er. I climbed Pike's Peak in July and now the 5k is just a few weeks away.

I guess it just means a lot because I never really thought I could do it, and I don't think the people who know me thought that I would stick with it. I just decided that I wanted to become a runner. So here I am 45 lbs later and ADDICTED to running! :D

I was going to wait to do my first 10k as the BolderBOULDER but I signed up for the Longmont Turkey Trot 10k in November. I'm really excited for that one, maybe even more excited than my 5k. It's taken me a long time to work up to this point - I was SO out of shape, but it seems like it's getting easier as time goes on. Anyway, those are my two races for the year!

Cake- umm my long run... eh, it went ok. I did great for the first half hour, then did 10 min run/1 min walk intervals until I reached 5 miles. My IT band started bothering me so I tried to take it easy. It took me exactly an hour to do it. I'd love to finish my 10k in under an hour but at this point I'm not sure that's realistic... I know by that time I'll be a little faster so if I can do it in 1hr10 min I'll be happy. :)

Ohhh mkroyer, I also once asked "WHO WOULD EVER RUN A FULL MARATHON?!" and yet I have my sights set on a marathon in 2011. I also remember making statements like "who runs at 6 a.m.?" and "you'll never catch me running outside when it's raining/snowing/cold" Yep, I've been eating my words. :lol:

TC- I remember going through that a few months after I started running. I think it's a sign of metabolism kicking into high gear (could be wrong, totally a guess on my part!)

Definitely inspiring! My next race is a bit away, 14 November, at Texas Motor Speedway. They do a 5k there in the infield, and as my hubby and I are both race fans, I thought he'd get a kick out of sitting and watching me run there. I was considering doing the Race for the Cure in October, and I still may do it. It all depends on how I'm doing with the C25K. I'm a sloooow runner, so I'm hoping for a 35-minute finish. (I say this knowing the last 5K I ran I wanted faster than 35-minutes, and ended up with just over 31 minutes ;)...)

I went for a 2.2 mile run tonight. My first race is a 5k on Sept 12. I'm nervous!

what race are you doing lizzy? How long have you been running? what made you start?

FatPants-- Thats cuz they are all FANTASTIC races here in colorado!! :) I would recommend any of them!! Ive also done the Colorado marathon/half marathon in Ft Collins in May, and if you want to try your hand at a really nice fast 10K you should look into the Grand Prix of running series, in Colorado springs.... Where in Colorado are you?? Im in Northern Denver/Westminster area......
Also, to you FatPAnts, and any one else who might feel this applies to themselves....it upsets me a little to read when people didnt have a *good * run becuz they had to take several, or frequent walk breaks-im singling YOU out FatPants!! :) There is NO shame in talking walk breaks, and in fact some highly renowned 1/2 and full marathon training programs include walk breaks built into the runs themselves! (most notably Jeff Galloways programs) Its OK if your legs, or your chest or your Heart need a quick break every so often...Some people advocate taking regular, frequent PLANNED walk breaks every mile, or every 2 miles. A good rule of thumb, just as a place to to start, is during your respective races, WALK through every single aid station!! The valuable 20-30 seconds you will lose doing so will be made up due to the the fact that your legs have a moment to refresh themselves....Hal Higdon writes about how his son qualified at the olympic marathon trials walking through every aid station! Its a great little rest and sometimes thats all you need to allow yourself to keep plugging when things start getting hairy......just make it to the next aid station!! I walk during almost ALL of my runs, especially the longer runs!! Theres no shame in it, and its good practice for me to walk whenever i take a drink out of my water bottle, or if im pushing really hard and just need to bring it down a notch for a few moments.... like i said, there is no shame, and it DOES NOT make anyone of us less of a runner.... I remember SPECIFICALLY i took 4 walk breaks during my 10K that i broke 48 minutes on!! Of course, 3 of them were becuz i developed a nasty side stitch around mile 4 and i was trying to work it out by walking and stretching....
In anycase, im really enjoying reading about everyones upcoming races and goals, and reasons for running!! Keep Em Coming!!

Oh, and welcome Dancer
Welcome Smee
and Welcome Lizzy!!!!!!

WOW. I am truly happy. When I was gearing for my 9 miler (that I thought was going to be 10 but my legs were wobbly wobbly :D) my fiance sadi baby donn't worry about it if you get too tire take a walk break, get your bearings and keep going. So I said oh baby I can't walk, i have to run the whole thing becuase I a have to train for the half. He goes I don't think if you walk 5 of the 2 hours you are running they kick you out of the running club. SO I thought about it and did some reading and decided to plane 1 minute walk breaks every 2.5 miles. Well it worked for me and mad it 9.25 miles. I walked someting 3-1/2 minutes and managed to finish in 1:50. I was still proud for accomplishing this, but I couldn't help but i think I didn't run the whole thing. Then I remembered these two ladies who took walk breaks at the "4th 8K" and one beat me and the other just right behind me. I told you guys I finished the 9.25 but I didn't mention my walk breaks because I was a litle embarrassed for not running the whole thing.

MK Thanks for call out Fatpants because you essentially called me out. And for losing the 45 pounds I have been doing WW (aug 08) and running (dec 08). I am very proud of my WL and my love running is helping me maintain

Fatpants That is awesome. We have alot in common in the WL area. I have too lost 45 lbs and I started out at 215. When I started running ppl didn't think I would stick with it either. But why quit something that is so great. I will never forget the day I ran an entire mile. I was so pleased. I wanted to tell everyone. But I just shared with my fiance and he has sooooo supportive. He comes to all my races and everything. I never thought I could do it either rally, I was just going out on a limb. Now I feel like I can do anything! It gives great confidence!! You are really getting in that mileage chickie! WTG on completing your new years goals!!! That is a feat in itself.

TC - When I started running I was always starving. I guess I just adjusted ....the days where I would run I would eat a few extra points before and after the run. But sometimes it seemed like the hunger carried over into the next day. IDK how I dealt/deal with it really.

Welcome Dancerindenver!!!

I've been running since the end of May. I had started out walking on my lunch breaks at work, and I kept thinking I should start running, but didn't want to do it at work. I had always hated running when I was in high school, but kept hearing from so many people that they loved it. I think I had hated it in HS because I was always last! :) Anyway, I just started doing it one day, and love it. I have a mile mapped out around my neighborhood, and then also I'll run on the bike/walk/run path or will ride my bike to a middle school with a track, and run there. I'm still soooo slooooow, but thats ok. I know that as I lose more weight, running (and mt biking) will get easier.

I'm doing this 5k run, and I cant back out, as I've already told my friends and family about it, and they are (especially my Dad, who does a lot of running) so excited for me.
http://www.allegiancehealth.org/content.aspx?id=1662

And thanks for the welcome!! :)

Dancer, Smee and Lizzy - Thanks for joining us! Welcome!!

Fat Pants and Cake - I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets so hungry now that I'm running a lot! You both have lost so much weight, it's incredible. Even with all the running you're doing, you're clearly still in control of your eating, so I should be able to do that too! I ate way too much yesterday (nothing bad, but just way too much) and feel like I have a food "hangover" today so I'm sticking to protein and veggies and recovering.

Mk - Thanks for sharing your story with us! You're so hard core! Keep up the amazing work and keep on inspiring us! :)

Lizzy - You'll do great on your 5K! What a great way to push yourself and motivate yourself to keep going! That's what my first race is all about too, and it's definitely always in the back of my mind because like you, I told everyone about it and can't stop now!

So I ran 4 times this week instead of 3 and am most definitely feeling it. My right shin and right knee are SO unhappy and I'm wondering if it's something about my running style if it's only on one side like this. Hm...guess I'll go back to 3 times a week and hope it goes away. I did 3.5 miles in 32 minutes so I'm gonna go collapse on my couch and ice my legs!

Happy weekend and happy running everyone!!

Sorry to post again, but I forgot to congratulate Cake on her 9.25 miles! WOW!!! "Round of applause"!!!

Boo....no run for me today... :( My trainer/coach wont let me run and its HARD HARD HARD...instead i went to swim laps, took my daughter and her little friend. Let me tell you, i SUCK at swimming-guess that means i need to work on it more!! Anyway, just trying to take it easy today to rest up for my 20 miler tomorrow EEK!! Im terrified!! I know that when i have a bad run, even 5 to 8 miles can feel like an eternity!! So, im trying to go into this positively...i dont care how long it takes me, im NOT, i repeat NOT GOING to try and run fast!!!! NONONONO!! Slow and steady...no matter how much it kills me :) This will be a learning experience for me, and i want to enjoy it!! I will take walk breaks, i will go slow, i will burn like 2000 calories, and be proud for running further than i ever have or ever dreamed i could run!!!
Cakebatter- congrats on the 9.25 miles!!! How did taking walk breaks feel??

Re: walking breaks

This is something I MAJORLY struggle with. I think you ladies are right. I feel like if I take a walking break then I'm not really "running" the entire thing - what a bunch of baloney. Like you Cake, I also feel embarrassed to take walking breaks. I know that is really a HUGE personal battle that I have within myself - i.e. if I don't run the entire thing then I didn't really do the best that I could. UGH. I wish I wasn't so hard on myself!

Cake I think your fiance has the right idea. Nobody's going to say "you're not really a runner" if you take a walking break. I really need to remind myself of that. If I don't run every step of my 5 miles does that mean I'm a failure? OF course not. But in my perfectionist mind, it turns out that way!

mkroyer I think you bring up a great point though. I would rather take three 1-minute walking breaks during a 10k than tire myself out and end up taking a longer walking break towards the end and taking longer than I would normally. I just don't know. Why do we feel like if we don't run the entire thing, then we didn't really run it? I mean I'm pretty sure the hour-long runs I do now involves WAY more running than I ever did when I started back in February! :D

Just some thoughts.. I really have no answer for this. I guess I should first work on it being ok to take a walking break!

Question for you guys - when you go for a run, do you start running right at the begining, or do you walk for a bit, and then work up to a run/jog pace?

I did just about 4.5 miles yesterday, and was about 4 mins faster than the last time I did it, but I'm still soooo freakin' slow :)