| Monday, December 2, 2013 |
| So, I finally ran my first half marathon! |
Happy Monday to all! I hope that everyone had the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful Thanksgiving with friends and family! I feel so fortunate that I did just that. I really enjoyed having a long weekend with my men. Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. I love that it's completely centered around spending time with the people you love. Seriously, could you ask for more? I think not.
Now, for the crazy part of the weekend…the running of my first half marathon on Thanksgiving morning. I, never, in a million years, would have ever thought I would run a half marathon. Seriously, I hated running. I also backed out mentally quite a few times before making the commitment blaming my teaching of fitness classes all along. When I finally decided to close my eyes and just go for it, I totally played it cool in my head. I have a tendency to get a little on the overwhelmed side when I make big decisions (I know, shocker) so I really worked on not focusing on the fact that I signed up to run, not just a half, but my FIRST half marathon on a day I was supposed to cook a traditional family meal for us and our friends…
This is how it went down…
I was smart enough to unintentionally not have group classes on the schedule for the week of Thanksgiving. I don't know what gave me the foresight to do that, but I didn't and I'm so thankful for my unintentional brilliance. I did have my personal training clients, but that was easier on my body to handle. Two days prior to the race, I started backing off of my usual higher protein diet. I didn't do hardcore carb loading, but I was a lot more mindful of trading some of the protein I would usually eat for starchier carbs than I normally would. I did little things like add baked potatoes in, popcorn, cereal and white rice (rice pudding with almond milk is super delicious and oh so comforting! Pumpkin rice pudding is amazing too, just saying'.). I'm not sure if these little things helped me out since it was my first race like this, but I really did feel ready to run on Thursday morning. Side note, wow, tapering and higher carbs are a very strange feeling for someone who's used to a certain workout and eating routine. Talk about stepping outside of your comfort zone!
Anyway, when we got up on Thursday morning, it was below freezing! Seriously, I live right outside of Atlanta and it's rarely THIS cold on Thanksgiving day! Um, 22 degrees when we set out for that run. We had been watching the weather (like it was our job!) and ended up having to run a few errands to get some extra gear for the cooler temps. I didn't have gloves, so I got a pair and on race day, I wore a pair of knit gloves under my running gloves (I wish I had bought the hand warmers too). I also needed to layer my body, so I got some Champion layering gear from Target that worked like a charm. I wore my compression socks and another pair of socks so my feet had a chance of not freezing. I kid you not, my fingers did not thaw out until I took a shower. That is the coldest I've ever been for that amount of time. My core was good while I was running. I was so happy for that and my feet were good too. Though in my mind, I was sprinting in the end, but I swear I was moving in slow motion since I was frozen. It was literally beyond freezing! My fingers just would not warm up. This will tell you how cold it was, normally, in the cold, my nose runs. I swear the snot froze in my face before it had a chance to come out. Oh and Tony, he sweats a lot when he runs…
Yeah, that's a freakin' sweatcicle hanging from his hat! When I hugged the man at the finish line, he crunched from all the ice on him!
Now, for the funny part in all of this, I did not even think one second about how miserable the cold was before, during or after that run. I RAN MY FIRST HALF MARATHON!!! I felt amazing. Sure, I couldn't feel anything, which is probably why I ran without thinking about my body. I even beat the time I was going for in my head! That felt beyond amazing! After all of that, I stood in the kitchen for hours preparing our meal (compression socks and leg warmers were warn, both were lifesavers!). At the end of the day, I felt like a rockstar. Such an amazing day spent with my friends and family!
(My boys cuddling watching a movie after dinner. Love them!)
Now I'm really excited for this holiday season. I really needed the change of pace. I feel charged and ready to tackle new adventures. Last year was hard on me mentally during the holidays, so this really did set a new tone for me! So, yeah…I'm feeling pretty darn Marvelous In My Monday!
Labels: about me |
posted by Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen @ 10:47 AM  |
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| 20 Comments: |
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oooh, I can FEEL that cold, I remember it well from my race days.
I have been waiting for this, since I was away from social media most of the holiday and weekend... I was thinking of you guys that morning, though - CONGRATS my friend - such an incredible post, I am smiling big just reading it! what a fantastic way to spend your holiday morning with Tony! you two are awesome.
The two turkey trot races this year coincided with our family brunch, so I woke up earlier and ran a Treadmill Turkey Trot... solo ;)
glad you had a nice holiday with your men - big hugs to you all!
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I am still SO proud of you both sticking with it in the cold! Isn't it amazing what a little diet change can do? I'm always fascinated.
Tony's frozen sweat literally made me laugh out out... and then shiver... on IG.
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Congratulations on running your first half marathon. What an incredible accomplishment.
So now for the big question: would you do it again?
I'm glad you had a great holiday; it sounds very well deserved.
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Now that is what I wanted to hear! You are a rockstar! :) so glad it went well! Also, how cold was your butt? Mine NEVER WARMS UP when I run in the cold and it feels like I'm carrying a big block of ice. But maybe it's just cause I have a big butt. ;P Anyway, congrats again lady!
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Kristina - I will take that as a sherpa run! I hope you had an amazing holiday with your family! xoxo
Laura - The way we eat to fuel us for different things is utterly fascinating! I can't wait to catch up with and and chat more about it!
Meghan - That is definitely the question. :) Yeah, I would totally do another one, just preferably in the early fall/late spring. I may even go for a full one day...
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Stephanie - I couldn't feel anything! I'm sure if I could feel it, my butt would have felt heavy too. :)
I pretty much sat in the fireplace when we got home...
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YAY!!!!! I'm so proud of you! Your first half marathon on the coldest Atlanta Thanksgiving in history. Hard core runner girl!! :)
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The carb loading and then tapering freaks me out too. I've learned to just go with it though and shocker, it seems to work. I'm so stinking proud of you my dear.
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SO SO PROUD OF YOU! and I have to say, I love that you didn't disclose your finish time here, you just beat the time in your head that you were aiming for. THAT is the way to do it, my friend. Who cares about the time, it matters how you felt and that you ran happy, albeit freezing your cute little bum off ;-) I am so proud of both of you!! Wish I could have sherpa'd you on!!! XOXO
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Heather@Better With Veggies - I have never experienced that kind of cold and having to do physical exercise while doing it really made me a completely different person. As much as I deny I'm a runner…I don't think I can say that after this run! Thank you so much for your support!
Heather Iacobacci-Miller - Thank you so much for your continued support and friendship! xoxo
Jolene - Thank you for your support always my friend! Trust me, in my mind, you were there! xoxo
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How exciting girl!! I'm so proud of you. I am a wimp and I won't run in the cold!
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you are a rockstar friend and an inspiration! overcoming so much and going for it!!! and ya, why is that a cold front or crazy heat always comes on race day? ugh.. but you,.. you ran wicked fast!
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Amazing!!! Congratulations!!!
We were supposed to run the Turkey Trot but just couldn't do it with how cold it was. You are a total rockstar to run in that cold - AND to run your first half in it!!!
Woot woot!!
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I'm so proud of you!!! Congrats on your first half-marathon...I have a feeling it will be the first of MANY! ;-)
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Congratulations! that is SO awesome - and with the hubs no less. You two are so impressive.
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Congratulations! that is SO awesome - and with the hubs no less. You two are so impressive.
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That's amazing, congratulations! I admire everybody who can run long distances and am happy it went so well for you! :)
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Sooooooo proud of you! COngrats my friend! Love everything about this and your Thanksgiving post. And the sweatsicle? Awesome! Love you!
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Hi Sarena,
I don't know how I missed this email in my inbox...but I felt very completed to leave a message because YOU ROCK! I know how hard the training is and the run (well, no personally, but my husband did a 1/2 a few years ago). Such a great post, overall. Big hugs to you superstar - you're an inspiration.
xo,
-Amber
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oooh, I can FEEL that cold, I remember it well from my race days.
I have been waiting for this, since I was away from social media most of the holiday and weekend... I was thinking of you guys that morning, though - CONGRATS my friend - such an incredible post, I am smiling big just reading it! what a fantastic way to spend your holiday morning with Tony! you two are awesome.
The two turkey trot races this year coincided with our family brunch, so I woke up earlier and ran a Treadmill Turkey Trot... solo ;)
glad you had a nice holiday with your men - big hugs to you all!