week.seven - bad run

Oh, today was awful. Today was my long run and I did horrible! I ate an egg white omelette before I ran 6 miles and my stomach was killing me @ mile 3. I wanted throw up I felt so sick so I walked for a little bit. The other thing I did was drink too much water and Gatorade before I ran so I felt it sloshing about in my stomach...bad..bad...bad! I was suppose to "run" 6 miles but I think I had to of walked maybe a half mile of it. My feet were so heavy today and it was extra hot out...I was dying. To cap it off as my ego was telling me to just quit this little smart ass girl (maybe bout 8) sees me and says "Damn! she looks exhausted!" I chuckled but I really did look like shit, I was exhausted. I wanted to tell her how many times I have been around this damn park but what the hell is that going to do. I can't get to down on myself but its hard. I am really discouraged today.

"Even if you fall flat on your face·at least you are moving forward." --Sue Luke

week.six - ego vs heart

yes....I think I did. HOLY SHIT! I just ran 7 miles! LOL......I don't how long that took me but I have to say it wasn't too bad. It was def. hard and I am finding out how much my mind is going to get me though this whole experience. There were @ least a dozen time when I wanted to walk like when the sweat was in my eyes and my legs started to stiffen @ mile 6. I just ran through it but it was only my mind that was telling me to. My EGO was telling me to stop but my heart was telling me to keep stride. Today was a good run. I still have my health..I am still strong.

On a side note I found out July 7th is my high school reunion. Looking @ my life and where I am up to this point is all positive. I have a great job, I live in N.Y, I have my own place, no kids, single, training for a marathon, not too overweight and I have mad people that love me!! I will let you know how that goes. I am starving at the moment. shit.


Man imposes his own limitations, don't set any
-Anthony Bailey

week.five - need to quit

Right so my last post I told you about Camella...my alter ego. Well, this week was tough. I could hardly breath because of my unhealthy habits. I need to commit to this marathon sometime soon.

So I ran with Randy today and we were def. going faster than my usual pace. I asked him to run like I wasn't there and he did just that. I felt like we were running 8 minute miles..I was damn near sprinting and was dead afterward. Sometimes I feel like I am doing good other days I feel as though I am behind. I guess I should be grateful that I am just "doing". A 6 minute mile....is the same distanse as a 10 minute mile.

"To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality."

week.four - my 1st injury

So I am in my 4th week and last Saturday after I ran I was in SEVERE pain...it was my Achilles tendon. shit. I was limping and sore as hell. When I got home I immediately put ice on it. After about a day..the pain disappeared. Fast forward to my next run..2 miles...piece of cake right? Sure as shit...my ankle immediately hurt. Limping again...now I am scared. The doctor told me my Achilles tendon was "inflamed" Perscribed 4 Aleve and "light workouts"...Light workouts?! So the next couple of days I was @ the gym doing the illeptical...fun..fun..fun. On a side note...why was this girl at the gym wearing a backless shirt....no bra....long black hair...beautiful girl by the way running on the treadmill next to me, WTF! Why would she wear that...it doesn't make any sense.

Anyways...I digress.

Let's see its a Friday night I decided that instead of running on Saturday which is my planned long run I thought it was a good idea to go out drinking with my lady friends and sleep in...long run on Sunday. I could use the day of rest right? Friday night was a shit show. I had way to much to drink and my alter ego (everybody say hello to Camella) came out. She smokes cigarettes when she's three sheets to the wind. She has a ball, believe me. Mojitoes, tequila shots, friends dancing on bars (not me..just as an fyi) I came rolling in @ 3:00 am. Nice. I hope you had a good time Camella!!! The funny thing was....I woke up @ 8:00 am and felt like running. So I ran 5.5 miles and felt like a superstar after all. So does this mean I can keep drinking?

"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired."

week.three - hit by a car

So I got hit by a car this week, YEAHHH!! To be honest I didn't get exactly hit. I would have if I didn't do a Dukes of Hazard slide across the top of the hood. The funny thing was that I kept running...yeah that's me...pretty hard core. I should be hitting beef like Rocky Balboa in no time!

Later on in the week I ran with my friend who is also running his first marathon, I am learning that not everybody likes to talk when they run. As we were running I asked him what he was doing for the weekend and he immediately told me he "didn't like talking when he was training" so there I was. Running in silence for the next 2 miles. Greaaat. That was fun.

The day of my long run I was blessed again that my friend Georgi came through in the clutch, I made her ass get up nice and early (Thanks G!) It was a great day to run. 70 degree weather, nice outside but at the same time I couldn't help that I had to run 4 frigin miles.....it seems like forever! It took me a while to get into the groove but once I did it was good! For some reason I always think one day when I go out to run I will look like all the "real runners" that make the shit look so easy. They look as though they are running on clouds...gliding through the air like elk prancing along the concrete as if they stayed in one spot long enough they would sink, ME ON the other hand look as though I have a ball and chain wrapped around each ankle, just escaped from a prison and have been running from the damn Police....Can you picture that?! Yeahhhh, that's me...

"Tough times don't last but tough people do." --A.C. Green

week.two - chub rub

otal: 10.5 . Tuesday 2 miles . Wednesday: 3 miles . Thursday: 2 . Saturday: 3

So I got through my first and second week without too many problems. I ran with my friend Georgi a couple of times and my friend Randy (also running the same race with me) Overall it's no that bad. As some of you may know, I have never ran outside in my life. I have come to find out the shit is pretty hard! When you got the sun, rain, sweat, pot holes, chasing dogs and lets not forget the lovely chub rub (happens when your thighs rub together), it makes it a lot harder. Does this mean I have to buy a pair of spandex?! I NEVER thought I would see that day, believe me. I guess I could wear shorts over it so I don't look like an Italian sausage running down the street looking like its about to burst! I have been running consistently and doing about 10 - 15 miles a week. If you want to check out my training schedule you can view it here: http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novices.html

I am getting to like running but at the same time it takes a lot out of me! I am in bed by 9:30 most of the time so that I can get up @ 4:30am to run before work! I don't see my friends or my sister for that matter until the weekends. I am TRYING to keep my drinking to only one night a week but it sucks! I am having a hard time cutting that down and I need to commit to this marathon sometime soon. I mean I am making all of my runs but I guess I could be doing better. Most of the time I am excited for the marathon but I have to say...another part of me is like.."what the HELL are you doing to me"! All of the years of being unhealthy I guess it's good I am punishing myself and getting back in gear. I will keep you posted on how it goes.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." —William Shakespeare

week.one - friday the 13th

For everyone that doesn’t know me my name is Melissa. I am THE typical case of a person that likes to work hard but play harder and today I signed up for the Chicago marathon; that’s 26.2 miles. I am sure you are wondering why a person like myself would wake up one day and decide to run 26.2 miles well, let me tell you.

I have heard the experience is “life changing” and that sounds really good right now. Currently I am in a point in my life where things are o.k. I have a good job, great people in my life, roof over my head and most importantly I have my health but I don’t have any clear goals right now. I don’t know what I want to do with my life and each day that goes by is another day wasted!! Signing up for this gives me a goal and for the first time in a long time I am excited about doing something and that feels amazing.

Another reason why I am doing this is because of Camella. Say hello to my alter ego. She loves to drink and have a great ol time. She’s been partying like it‘s 1999 since 1995 and its catching up with me. Years of unhealthy living and I don't have anything to show for it. I am also overweight. It’s been a battle for me as long as I can remember. I have been on every diet you can think of and even though I am somewhat happy at the weight I am at now I would still like to lose another 15lbs. I have always wondered if I could run a marathon. It’s been a very faint voice in the back of my head but the voice quickly fades usually. Not this time though, it stuck. I think I am supposed to run it right now, this moment, this year. I can feel it.

I work with an amazing creative director (David Lam) who is directing/filming a documentary called "Athlete". (Please check it out www.athletemovie.com) The film is about endurance sports and the individuals who are redefining what it means to be an “athlete”. The film features ordinary people who balance their family, work and life with an amazing commitment to achieving their goals. So for the past 6 months or so I would ask David every week who he was filming. One of the athletes is a cancer survivor; another is blind, and many others. I started to become really inspired by these people and I didn’t even know them! So with a little persuasion I decided to sign up.

To answer your second question....Why am I flying to Chicago to run 26.2 miles vs. running the New York Marathon which runs close to my apartment in Brooklyn? Well it’s because Chicago is pretty flat. No hills no bridges so it’s perfect for any first time marathon runner. To be honest I am more scared than anything. Scared because I am not educated on marathons or even running for that matter. I was on a soccer team in high school but to be completely honest I have NEVER, and I mean never ran outside a day in my life. The odds are already against me. My ego has a great time at putting me down because all I can hear in my head are negative comments like" you’re not strong enough, fast enough, you drink too much, smoke too much, you won't be able to do it, what are you thinking" but I am determined. If there is one thing that I love about myself is that once I set my mind to something, I don't back down. I do think the only thing that will get me through this IS my mind so I need to start believing in myself I can do this.

So please comment, give me any feedback, inspiration and tips because I am going to need all the help I can get. I will be looking for your support over the next 5+ months and also keeping you up to date on the struggles and achievements along the way. I hope you enjoy my marathonmind.flow. my journey, my mind flow to my first marathon.

Nothing Ventured. Nothing Gained.