Monday, December 15, 2014

Day 1, Boston here I come!

Hello friends!
So THE day has arrived. Today marks the day that I start my 18 week marathon training plan! I am so excited to have this goal in front of me right now! I feel like a kid on Christmas morning!
So my goal for this training cycle is to be consistant with my training, strength train, get the proper nutrition (i.e. skip the candy), and take recovery seriously.
I am excited to run Boston. My goal is to not only run the marathon, but run it well. I want a PR. I realize this course is tougher than my previous marathon courses, but I feel up for the challenge!
I hope you guys follow along on this journey. I plan to give weekly updates of my training and hope to show you what it takes to train for the marathon I have dreamed of running!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

A bit late, but....

Just wanted to give a quick update that I am officially signed up for The Boston Marathon in April 2015! I am beyond thrilled and I am looking forward to this journey! More updates to come next week! Including several race recaps!

Saturday, September 13, 2014

No Frills Marathon Recap!

I write this post with a HUGE smile on my face. This was one of those races in which I still cannot stop smiling. I fell in love with the marathon all over again.

On August 31st, I ran the No Frills Marathon in Minoqua, Wisconsin. The course is a mostly flat course on the Bear Skin trail that goes from Nokomis, WI. to Minoqua. The race entry fee is $35 and you really get more than your money's worth with this race. First, the course itself was BEAUTIFUL! The first 6 miles are on some back roads near Nokomis. Once you get on the trail the scenery is true northern Wisconsin beauty. It is a tree lined trail with wooden bridges sporadically along the coarse. The bridges were one of my favorite parts, I loved hearing my feet pound the wooden planks, There are water stops along the coarse where you will find spectators cheering. Otherwise, you are running along the trail in quiet solitude. The final stretch to the finish line is an old wooden bridge and then you are in Minoqua. This is definitely a race I want to do every year.

My race went really well! I have to admit I went into this race really unsure of my training. I had pieced together my own training plan loosely based off the Grandma's marathon training plan(you can find it online on the website). It had higher mileage on it and very few rest days. The higher mileage seems to work for me, but I did add in a few rest days to give me recovery time. Looking back I realized I actually had a really good base built up due to the last one being cancelled.

The morning of the race Dan and I got up around 5am. I made my staple of an English muffin with PB&J. The start line was only about 20 minutes from the cabin, so we got there with plenty of time to spare. It was about 50 degrees and foggy, perfect weather in my opinion. I got my race bib and made a stop at the restroom, then headed to the start.
Pre-race selfie
Me and about 120 other runners took off when then gun went off. I took it easy the first few miles so I could get into a rhythm. I chatted with a few runners as I past them, pacing with them for a short while. I have read that being sure to fuel early is key to keep your energy up, so I took half a banana at mile 5 and Hammer Gel at mile 7 along with a big cup of water. After the mile 7 water stop there was not going to be another until almost mile 13, here I did wish I had carried some water with me. The rest of the miles clicked along, I was averaging about a 7:45 min/mile pace. I did question if I could hold the pace between mile 9 and 13. I took a Root beer GU gel at mile 13, and felt a HUGE boost. I felt strong the rest of the race. Took a Cherry Lime GU Gel around mile 20. Here I started to wonder when I would hit the wall? What was awesome, is that I never felt like I did! (Okay, at mile 25, I just wanted to be done, but told myself just a few more minutes). Finish time was 3:26:12, a new PR!
The Finish Line!

There were so many great things about this race! I will definitely be back for this one. One of the best things was seeing this guy at pretty much every water stop.
My parents brought the kids out. Seeing there smiling faces around mile 20 helped push me to the finish.It was so great having my parents there cheering as well. Reminded me of all those years of cross country.
Post race ice bath in the lake!
Next up: Recovery, a half marathon in October, and preparing for Boston!




Thursday, August 7, 2014

A long overdue update

So, I realize it has been 2 months since my last post. There have been so many times I thought to myself that I need to write a post. These thoughts tend to occur after a really good run, a race, a bad run, or just a fun day. So here are a few updates.
1. Enjoying the summer with the kiddos:

 2. Spending time with the hubs

 3. Ran a 5k race that lead to a PR of 20:31. I was first female, 3rd overall, and I won a pie!
 4. Ran a 10k with my cousin and her husband over July 4th. Not my best time, but was 5th female and 1st in my age group.
5. Training for No Frills Marathon!
6. Really, really enjoying morning summer runs. My treadmill is getting seriously neglected!
 7. Spending a lot of time at the cabin visiting with cousins, my parents, and relatives.




8. Taking a chemistry course in preparation for going back to school (more on this in another post).
 9. Being thankful. I feel truly blessed to be leading the life I am leading, but I am still striving to do new things and chase dreams

 10. Enjoying time with my sister when she came to visit.
I truly love summer! I can wear flip flops and soak in the sun. More posts will be coming as I prepare for this next marathon of mine. I also have decided that I am going to show more of what it takes to train for a marathon in general. Also, little things I am finding that you may enjoy as well.

How's your summer?

What's your favorite thing to do in the summer?

Friday, June 6, 2014

So about that marathon....

Sunday, June 1st. I got up at 4 am. I had my race attire ready to go. I had my pre race breakfast and left for the Minneapolis Marathon.

 It was raining in the morning with some thunder. We got word that the race was going to be delayed an hour. At 7:45 AM the race officials canceled the Marathon because of the weather. I have not idea what it takes to plan an event like this and all the safety measures that must take place to make sure every runner is safe. I am sure that they would rather err on the side of safety versus taking the risk that a runner would be injured due to weather. But, it is a real bummer.

I wish that this post was a post telling you how I rocked the marathon and how I nailed my goals. It's not that kind of post. It is not going to be a post where I complain about how I got up at 4AM many mornings to get my workout in or how I did 16 miles on a treadmill to get my miles in, or how I ran in a blizzard, etc. I could sit here and complain, but I will not let something that was out of my control get me down! Like I said in my first post," it just make you stronger."

instead of wondering what could have been, I am going to focus on what will be. I am going to find some new races to do this summer. I am going to do some 10ks, 5ks, and half marathons. I am going to do the Whistle Stop Marathon and the No Frills Marathon. I am going to focus on getting stronger by doing strength workouts, core work, and cross training. Plus, I am going to fall in love with running again and have fun with it. I am excited about training this summer and enjoying time with my family. I hope you continue to follow along.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Uff Da Half Marathon Recap

Greetings friends! Just thought I would pop in to give you a recap of the Uff Da Half Marathon. The Uff Da Half Marathon happens yearly around this time. It is part of Syttende Mai Days in Woodville, WI. It is a small race that has both a 5K and Half Marathon. Around 80-90  people in the half marathon It is an out and back course on scenic abandoned railroad bed. Flat and Fast! (If you remember from my first post, where I talked about my 10 mile run turning into a 15 mile run, this is that same trail.)

I chose to do this race as part of my long run for the week. My training plan had 16 miles on it, so I figure add a 1 mile warm up and 2 mile cool down, BOOM- 16 miles. I was nervous going into this race because I hadn't raced a half marathon in a while, plus it was the first race of the season for me. I also wanted to see if I could get a PR for my half marathon.

My friend Jess and her co-worker picked me up around 6:30AM and we were on our way. We got there with plenty of time to spare before the race. SO we got in a mile warm up, made a port-a-potty stop, and got close parking. The weather was great! Sunny and 45 degrees at the start= perfect! I kept going back and forth over whether or not to wear a long sleeve shirt or not, but opted for short sleeves. Glad I went for the t-shirt because I got warm quickly.

The gun went of at 8 AM and we were off. I made my self go slow the first few miles until I could get in a good rhythm. It usually takes me the first few miles before I start to feel strong in my races. Even with my slower start I was still in the lead packs of runners. I worked my way into a 7:20ish pace. I started to catch runners in front of me and would pace myself with people running a similar pace. I find this helps keep me on target pace. At the turn around spot  I could see hoe far the lead female runner was ahead of me. She became my focus! I chose to focus on trying to catch her for the rest of the race. I will tell you I was close to catching her. If I had about 200 more yards I would have caught her at the finish.

My time was 1:36:36, which is a PR by 12 seconds. I was 2nd female, 1st in my age group, and 7th overall. I was happy with this race. It was definitely a confidence booster. What made the race even better  was Dan and the kids cheering at multiple spots along the trail. It was so great to see their smiling faces and hear them ringing the cowbells.
Next up: tapering for the Minneapolis Marathon!
Just wanted to leave you with something that made me giggle. I think mostly runners or anyone who has run a race will get this joke.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Time flys when your in marathon training

Wow! Where does the time go? Time sure does fly when you are in marathon training. I feel like the last update there was snow on the ground. The snow is gone and I have been enjoying many long runs outside. I had a few 70 degree 20+ milers and some 50 degree 20+ mile runs. I think I like the 50 degree weather best for those. Also, I had forgotten about the whole waring sunscreen thing on my first sunny 22 miler. Let's just say I won't be forgetting that again. Ouch!

Even though it will be June 1st at the time of my marathon, I would be 100% okay with a 50-60 degree day. Also, if it happens to be cloudy as well, even better.

This training plan I have been following has definitely had higher mileage than I did the previous marathon. I do enjoy doing the higher mileage. I have been averaging about 45-60 miles per week. I am excited to see how I preform on race day after doing a full 16 week training cycle. I know it has been interesting juggling training, family and work, but I feel for the most part I was able to get my training in. I am proud of the fact that when we took a vacation to Disney last week, I got the majority of my runs in.
One of my early morning runs


Clear Water Beach, FL sunset


I am very thankful to my family for their support and patience during this training cycle. I definitely couldn't have done it without them.
Next up: Uff Da Half Marathon this weekend and tapering for the Minneapolis Marathon!

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Starting to put in more work

Greetings friends!
I hope the spring is finding you enjoying nice weather. The weather here has been all over the place! It gets nice and warm, with temperatures in the 50s-60s and then all of a sudden it is 30 degrees and snowing. As my daughters dentist  asked her today: "What is Queen Elsa up to?"

Despite the changing weather I have been having fun and working hard in my training. This past week I got to start doing some speed workouts. I usually have butterflies in my stomach before doing these types of workouts, but I always feel like a super woman when I am in the middle of them. They say if you want to run faster, you have to run faster. Meaning you have to put in the work to get your body to move faster.

A peek at my training log over the last two weeks:
3/29: 18 miles LSD (long slow distance): Felt really strong in the run. I was able to get down to marathon pace for a few of the miles. Even got to watch the sun come up
3/30: 5.5 miles Easy Run
3/31 Spin Class. I decided that one of my easy run days will be some type of cross training
4/1: 8 easy miles
4/2 : 5.47 miles on the treadmill, averaged an 8:02 pace
4/3: 9miles on the treadmill. 6 miles at marathon pace
4/4: rest day
4/5: 14 miles on the treadmill (was working 12 hour shifts this weekend)
4/6: Rest Day
4/7: 4.45 miles with the double jogging stroller and boys on their bikes. This was so fun! I am excited for warm weather so we  can do more of these runs together. I sure have a fun bunch of kiddos.
4/8 5 easy miles on the treadmill
4/9: 20 miles! First 20 miler of my training cycle. This felt good for the most part. It was 70 degrees and my mom graciously watched this kids so I could take advantage of the nice day. The last 2 miles were up hill, this was tough! However, it only makes me stronger!
4/10 5 easy miles on treadmill
4/11 8 miles on treadmill. 3x1 mile fast. First speed workout!
4/12 9 miles. 7 miles at marathon pace.
4/13 5 easy miles

It has been a great couple of weeks of training. The Minneapolis Marathon is 6 weeks away!

Friday, March 28, 2014

And just like that it's the end of March

Wow, this month has flown by! I thought that a training update was in order. I have been enjoying some warmer temperatures and have had some really great runs outside. I actually had one run two weeks ago where it was 50 degrees. I was so excited to go out and run that day wear just Capri tights and a long sleeve running top that my first mile of a 4 mile easy run was 6:58. Oops, not really easy running. I must say though that I feel that the winter running I have done has paid off. When I am outside I am able to hit paces in the sub 8 minute mile and they feel easy.
I had my first 16 mile run outside and it felt great! It was a very hilly course and my legs felt trashed after, but I know that the run helped build strength. I really feel like I am truly in marathon training.

March definitely has been great with the warmer temperatures. I was finally able to get outside to do a marathon pace workout and I was able to hit my paces. Because most of my running is done in the early morning, it is usually dark when I run outside. I have found a route that is near the gym I belong to that is sidewalks and is lit with street lamps. The first one I did was great I was able to hit the paces I needed to. I average between a 7:30 min/mile pace and a 7:40. To run a 3:20 marathon my mile pace needs to be 7:38. I felt really confident after the first workout. The second time I did this workout did not goes as well. The temperatures had cooled overnight and there were patches of ice (I bet you know where this is going). One minute I was running an feeling great and the next thing I knew I was on the ground. I ended up with a large bruise and hematoma on my left hip and some scraps on my face. Lovely.

I will say that the fall has made me more cautious. I decided not to run outside in the early morning if there is ice. I also am being more diligent about proper recovery. I have started taking ice baths after long runs. I also have been icing things like a pro, stretching, taking my vitamins, and making sure to take it easy if I need to on the easy run days. I have to remind myself that the important thing is making it to the start line healthy, fit and ready to run a PR.
Miles this week:
 Monday: 3.75 miles on treadmill (had pain so cut this 5 miler short)
Tuesday: 1 mile on track at the gym and 7 miles of hills on the treadmill. I varied the incline from 1.0 to 6.0
Wednesday: 5.06 miles easy on the treadmill
Thursday: Yoga (I need to do this weekly)
Friday : 8.39 miles in 65 minutes (marathon pace workout) My legs were heavy in the beginning, but felt strong mid way through.
Plans for this weekend:
Saturday : 18 miles (so excited! I love long runs)
 Sunday: 5 easy miles or cross training.
Have a great week everyone!



Friday, March 7, 2014

Marathon training is on!

Hi! I realize now that it has been a while since I have posted anything. Many times I thought, "I am going to write a post tomorrow," which turned into a week, and then another week. Then, all of a sudden almost a month has gone by without a post. My apologies for keeping you in such suspense!

So, here is an update: marathon training is in full swing! I started training the second week of February for the Minneapolis Marathon on June 1st. It feels really good to have a structured plan to follow. I like having a plan to follow rather than making it up as I go along. It takes away some of the mental energy trying to decide what I should do for that day of running. My mind enjoys the break. My plan consists of 3 days of easy running, one day of hill work (to build strength), on day of marathon pace running, one long run, and a rest day. Yes, I said rest day and I am actually taking a day of rest on the day. I broke my running streak, which I promise to tell you about in a future post.

Training so far has been great. The negative temps have made getting outdoors for a run a challenge at times.
It was -6 degrees out this day!



The blizzards have been challenging as well.
A car that was stuck when I was out running (don't worry I did flag down a plow truck to help them out)

What it looks like to run after you get 10+ inches of snow
I have to say I am very thankful for a home treadmill and a gym membership. I have worried that running on the treadmill isn't as effective as running outside. I mean, I don't race on a treadmill after all. However, I have come to the conclusion that I am in the beginning of my training and slipping on the ice an injuring myself is not worth it. Warmer weather is coming!

How is this winter treating you?

Best winter running tip?

Monday, February 10, 2014

Motivation Moday

"Life can pull you down, but running always lifts you up" Jenny Hadfield "Passing the Torch"

I read this quote today and it really sums up my relationship with running some days. There are days that are challenging. Life can be very real sometimes. It is easy to get stress out, anxious, worried, etc. For me running can be the thing that helps me get peace during those hectic days. Just this Friday, I could feel the anxiety and stress creeping in on me as I was getting ready to head out of town. It was a morning of running errands with the girls, packing, and making sure things were set for the weekend. Stella (our youngest) went down for her nap and Addi was entertained by a movie, so I took the opportunity to get on the treadmill. As I took those first few steps I could feel my mind relax and mood elevate. Through these steps I was able to clear my head. That is the thing about running, it is my time to clear my head and get a hold of my thoughts. It's like a reset to my attitude and emotions. I can have time with myself and a lot of times my Heavenly Father. Sometimes it takes just a mile and my mind is refreshed. Sometimes it takes 10 miles, sometimes 16. Friday, it took 5 easy miles and I found my peace that day.

I am thankful everyday for this.


I wish you all a great week.

How do find your peace in life?

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Training update

Hi everyone! I am sitting here on another frigid day thinking about how I am super excited that there will be some warmer days this week. This means I will do my best to get some miles outside. I am so thankful to have a treadmill to use, but I do definitely need to get some fresh air.

My running is going well and I am excited. I have felt like I have been in a rut for a bit. I think the reason for the rut was that I was struggling in my workouts. Paces that should have felt easy were feeling hard. I think part of it was just getting my health back. Part of it could be boredom on the treadmill. Part of if could be just not having a running plan to follow. Which ever it was, I am going to focus on the fact that this week I feel great. I realize I am going to have ups and downs along the way. The downs will make me stronger and will make me appreciate the ups that much more.

Wow, that was deep.

Since it has been frigid here, I have chosen to make the most of the treadmill. I tried a half marathon pace workout that I got from Runner's World that was awesome. I am going to start incorporating it into my routine. I have also been focusing more on how much time I am running on the treadmill, rather than miles on the treadmill. I am getting my body used to running for longer periods of time. My plan is to do speed work twice a week, a long run or two, and easy running in between. I am going to do this until my marathon training starts which will be early to mid February.

Here is what one of my runs looked like this week.
My half marathon pace workout

Visitors to keep my company for a while during my run.
 Have a great week!

Saturday, January 25, 2014

My first race recap!

So last Saturday I ran a 5k. It is part of a 5k series at one of the health clubs near us. You paid one entry fee and it allows you to run about all the series they have through the year. My oldest Jakob and I were both going to be running. Here's how it went down.....

We got to the gym and got our race bibs. Took a brief look at the map of the course and got my Yak Traks on and we were ready to go. There were between 40-50 people in the race (small race), but pretty good turnout considering the weather. It was in the lower teens for a temp, with some wind.

The race started and I held back a bit for the first part and then worked my way into the first place spot. It was here that I had wished I had looked a little closer at the map. It would have been a better way to gage how much distance was left. The course was a loop course on the streets, some areas were plowed and others there was some deeper snow and icy spots. Footing was definitely something to be careful with, was definitely happy to have my Yak Traks. Was cruising along and a guy ended up out kicking me in the end. I finished 2nd overall. My time was 24:17, not my fastest but considering the conditions it was pretty good.

Overall this race was very nicely organize and very low key. I felt it was a great way to get some more 5k races under my belt. Hopefully, the next one will have some better conditions. 

Friday, January 24, 2014

Five things Friday

Here it is, it is Friday again. It has been super cold here this week. The kids school was cancelled a day because of the cold this week. I would really love a week of warmer days to get outside and run. I am truly thankful I have the opportunity to run on a treadmill during the winter, but I am missing the outside and fresh air. So I am going to be positive about this cold weather and tell you about the 5 good things about the cold weather.
1. Cross Country Skiing. Not only is this great cross training, it is also something that we are able to do as a family. My super crafty hubby created a sled so that we could pull the younger two kiddos behind us while we ski. Our oldest is able to ski really well on his own and our 6 year old is learning.

2. Running in the snow builds strength. It is a much harder run when you have snow to deal with. It is similar to running in sand, in which you have to adjust your footing and balance while running. Thus, running in the snow = improved strength. Improved strength = faster running.

3. Snow really is beautiful in the morning, especially when the trees are covered.

4. Sledding. It really is fun to get out with the kids sled. Running up the hill and going fast down them is exhilarating. Plus, pulling a 3 year old up the hill in a sled is a super great strength workout for your quads

5. Working out inside does have some benefits. I am taking advantage of being inside to focus on building my strength. Plus, I feel that running on the treadmill does build some mental toughness with learning to stick to finishing a workout even when it get mentally tough (due to boredom).

There is my five things, i feel they may be a stretch but I am choosing to be positive about the weather, It just makes me appreciate the warm weather when it comes.

What do you love about winter?

Friday, January 17, 2014

Five things Friday #2

Happy Friday friends! I thought I would do a another 5 things post. This week I have been getting over a cold so I couldn't do the mileage I had wanted to do. However, I feel that I did do 5 things this week that helped to improve my health and running. I hope you are ready!

1. Knowing when to take it easy. I had wanted to run a lot of miles last weekend, but I started having symptoms on Saturday. I knew I couldn't do the ten miles I wanted to, so I did one mile. I actually feel like that endorphins from that mile helped to give my immune system a boost without over doing it.

2. Sleep. I feel that rest really helps my body get over things faster. There was one night this week I went to bed at 8:30pm and I was absolutely happy about it.

3. Water. I drank water, water, and more water. I feel that drinking more water and fluids helps allow your body to flush your system out.

4. Taking my vitamins and especially Vitamin C. Vitamin C is great for your immune system as well as muscle recovery. I ate a lot of mandarin oranges! I also made sure to take my vitamins this week. I feel the more nutrients my body has the better it can fight off viruses.

5. Not speaking that I was sick. I never during this past week sad "I am so sick" or "I don't feel good." I either said "I am overcoming" or "I am catching a healing." Words are powerful. If I were to say I feel terrible then I would feel terrible and it would probably take longer to feel better. So, I say I am getting better and I focus on the things that will help my body fight the illness rather than how my body feels.

I am definitely glad I did these things to help get over this cold. I had a great 7+ mile run on the treadmill today followed by some strength training. I am excited to start to slowly put the miles back on, my body definitely feels stronger during longer workouts.


What do you do to help get over illness?

What's your favorite vitamin C food source?

Friday, January 10, 2014

Five things friday

Happy, Happy Friday! I thought I would attempt something of a routine with my blogging. I may play around a bit with it but to start I am thinking every Friday will be "Five things Friday." What are the five things? The five things are anything I want them to be. So here it is, the first of my Five Things Friday!

Five things that made me happy this week!

1. S'more's Hot Cocoa. Yes, I realize this is not the healthiest of treats but, I was leaving work late Wednesday, it was really cold (-8) and I had rolled my car window down to swipe my badge to get out of the parking lot, and it wouldn't go back up. Because I needed gas as well, I drove 10 miles with the window down before the car was warm enough for the window to go back up. Once I got to the gas station I went inside to get some Hot Cocoa. There was a flavor called S'more's Hot Cocoa and it was as heavenly as it sounds.

2. Spending time watching "Fast and the Furious 6" with my Hubs. Love this movie series and Love Dan-o

3. Dinner and watching the Packer game at my parents house. Love dinners at their house. Thanks again Mom and Dad!

4. New workout clothes. Old Navy had $10 compression Capri running tights. Also, got a lime green running top, it's so bright you won't miss me!

5. This girl. I used to do the same thing with black olives.
What made you happy this week?

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Resolutions so far

Hello my friends! So it is about a week or so into our new year. I love the start of the year because I feel like so many of us are embracing change and taking new steps towards goals. So, since it is a week into  the new year, I thought I'd share how my goals and resolutions are going....

It has been freezing, literally like below zero temps for over a week which has made for A LOT of treadmill running. Some people will call it the DREADMILL, but I choose to focus on the good running it has been allowing me to have even on the coldest of days. We did have a little warm up one day so, I took full advantage and got some miles outside. Even though the winds were 20mph and it was single digits for temps, it was GLORIOUS!

Loving that I got these Yak traks for Christmas and loving the new running tights, super warm

I am also proud to say that I have gotten two strength workouts in this past week. It is really showing me how week my core is right now. I am excited to get super strong this winter. Woot, woot!


On the whole eating clean thing.....well this is where I am not doing so hot. I think that I had tried really hard to not over indulge during the holidays that I am now over indulging on sweets. However, this is something that I will be working on this whole year so I am going to focus more on this. That's the thing about resolutions you may not be prefect at them right away, but as long as you (I) don't give up on them I will hit those goals. 

How are your resolutions going?

Thursday, January 2, 2014

2014!

It is a new year! I look back and I can't believe another year has gone by. It has been a great year. I really found out a lot about my self this year. The reason for this self discovery was started with a resolution. A resolution to run at least a mile everyday. I am so happy to say that I accomplished that. I feel so proud of my accomplishments over the past year. I feel that setting a goal and keeping to it definitely made me a more confident person. I feel that this confidence rubs off on the people around them. I am so happy about where my life is right now and where it is going. I feel this happiness is contagious. I do hope that my running will inspire others to chase whatever dreams and goals they are hoping for. It has made me realize that resolutions are important and keeping those resolutions are just as important for a good self image.
 
 So, what are my goals and resolutions for this year? I have decided I may keep this running streak going. I had a lot of anxiety/ it felt weird not to run. So, yesterday I ran. It would have been cool to run 14 miles for 2014, but lack of planning didn't allow that to happen. The hubs came up with the idea of run for 20 minutes and 14 seconds. So I said, I will see how far i can run on the treadmill in that amount of time. I was hoping I could get a 5k in, almost made it.

After that run. I felt that I am going to have a speedy running year. So, my running goals are as follows:

1. Run two marathons this year, thinking Grandma's Marathon and Twin Cities, but we will see which ones for sure in the next month or so,
2. Run a 3:15 marathon by the end of this year
3. Break 1:30 in the half marathon
4. Break 20 minutes in a 5k
5. Keep going with the streak, see how long I can go.
6. Incorporate strength training twice a week.
7. Focus on nutrition, my goal is to eat cleaner, may try the Paleo diet

I am excited about this upcoming year, it is going to be an amazing year. I feel it is like a fresh start. I have some non running resolutions as well, and I may share those in a future post. Happy 2014!

What are your New Years resolutions?

Have you every tried the Paleo diet?