Apologies for Last season!

Obviously, last season has been over and done with for quite some time. Thanks to school and the rest of life, I have neglected our blog here and haven't really ever thought of it. I am determined to do better in the future.

So, quick synopsis of last season:

Training for the Chicago half-marathon started in June last summer. I ran again for Team World Vision and with runner #2, just not over the summer. I found training to be a lot more difficult the second time around. Not because of it being too strenuous, but because of time. I work a full time job when I'm home from school and we leave at 7:20am every morning, sometimes earlier ( I know, yuck!) and don't get home til 7:00pm. Trying to fit in a workout before or after is tough. If that were all though, I probably wouldn't complain. I live in the great state of Texas! And yes, in the summer it is HOT. Once it gets later in the summer, usually mid-July, the evenings are almost as hot as the days. The temperatures stay up around 96-98 degrees (Fahrenheit) until the sun has been set. I refuse to run if it's 100 degrees or more. It's pretty uncomfortable, but unfortunately, the mornings get shorter so I can't fit in my workouts in the morning. As runner #2 would say, "Strugglebus."

Okay, I'm done complaining. It was still a great season! 4 of us tried to run the Half together and even acted like airplanes with our arms outstretched whenever we saw photographers. Lesson learned: ALWAYS HAVE A RUNNING BUDDY! It truly makes any race a phenomenal experience. 2 of us eventually had to split off though. If you didn't know, probably because you may not have run far enough to experience this, there comes a point when stopping is so much worse than running. The legs seize up, and it's just an overall unpleasant thing but, hey, great motivation to keep going! Anyways, another runner and I decided to tackle about the half of the race at a more consistent, plodding pace. I didn't know her all that well, so it was fun. It was her first time to run a half, and I was really glad to be there to encourage her to the end. We also had some friends there to cheer us on. Some of them were runners too that would be running the Chicago Marathon in October; some were boyfriends - or future boyfriends ;) When we finished, I actually didn't feel that awful muscle seizure that I was expecting. Granted, I hadn't run near as hard as I had the previous year (almost half the pace). But, hey, I was there to run with friends and for clean water in Africa. The odd this was, is that I was convinced I could've run another one and wasn't sore for a week!

That's pretty much it for last year. Stay tuned for the beginning of this season 2014!
This time: WE'RE RUNNING THE FULL!

Run Hard!
Runner #1

Oh how good it feels!

Hey y'all! It certainly has been awhile!

Well today was my first run in about a month and it went great! Today was the first group run at my school for Team World Vision! I am so excited to be a part of Team World Vision and run the half marathon to raise money for clean water in Africa! Even though it was a little chilly at 7:30 this morning we had a pretty good turn out and split into a more experience runners group and a more beginners group. There were so many people who had never  run a big race like the Half or the Full marathon before and it was great to see them come out! So congrats to everyone who finished our first day of training! I am so pumped to start running every day again! And I even have my roommate and more friends to run with this year, which make me and my partner in crime very happy indeed! :)

Anyway after having a half marathon and a full summer of training under my belt I want to give a few pointers to some of the new runners out there!

1)      YOU CAN DO IT! 

a)      Don't worry if you have never run before or if you are slower than you would like. If you follow a good training schedule you will be able to run that race that you are working up to. Last year when I started I could barely run a mile and now I can easily go 3 on a good day and after training I will hopefully be able to run the whole 13.1 miles this year without walking. And so can you!!!

2)      HYDRATE!

a)      Drink water and lots of it. Hydrating now will help you for the race. I didn’t hydrate enough last year and my calves seized up big time and it was awful. This also means staying away from caffeine as much as possible (I know this is hard for me too, so start with limiting your soda intake and move on from there).

3)      STRETCH!

a)      Stretching both before and after a run is a must. Stretching before warms up your muscles and gets them moving. Stretching after prevents cramps. I suggest stretching in the shower after you run because the water helps relax your muscles as well!

4)      GET REAL RUNNING SHOES!

a)      No but seriously do it. I ran in walking shoes last year unknowingly and it really messed up my knees and shins. I could barely walk ( Runner 1 can tell you how bad it was…she even made one of our friends carry me to our apartment building). If you can go to a store that specializes in running gear and have them help you find the shoes that are right for your feet and how you run. You won’t regret it I promise!

5)      GET A RUNNING BUDDY!

a)      A running buddy could make all the difference in the world (even if you live in two different states).  They are the ones who will push you to keep going and will encourage you and tell you that you can and will succeed. Or if there is a group of runners in your area join up with them and get to running!

And last but not least…

6)      ENCOURAGE THOSE ON YOUR TEAM!

a)      Encouragement can do a lot for new runners and even experienced runners. Last year at the Chicago Half Marathon there was a family of runners who encouraged everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE). Even if it is only a high five and you run past or if it is a shout of encouraging words telling them that they can do it, it really makes your day come mile 9, 10…etc.

Well I hope this helps the new runners or anyone who is thinking about running. It really is a great feeling! I can’t wait to continue training! See you all in Chicago!

Adiós from Runner 2!

   

It's been awhile

So last week my partner in crime and I decided to go for a run in the field house (I despise treadmills) and we were delighted and very surprised with the results! We decided that 2 miles was probably going to be our max for the day seeing as I haven't run since our two fun runs in October and she hasn't run since our Christmas break. So two miles it was, we walked a warm up lap and then it was off to the races.  We were both running at a pretty steady pace until I got a cramp and had to walk a half a lap, but I was determined to make up for lost time! We ended up running our 2 miles with a 9 minute mile time (that's better than my mile time last year!). We were super pumped let me tell you! So we celebrated by shooting some hoops (a story for another time).

Now a week or two later I'm sitting at home on my spring break wishing I could go run, but I CAN'T! Why is that you ask? Because it's snowing, that's right, snowing....IN MARCH! I'm so frustrated that I can't work on keeping that 9 minute mile time, but I'm even more frustrated because I can't go run when I'm upset! (Some of you probably think I am crazy right about now).

To put your minds at ease about this lets imagine something with me okay? Cool, so imagine that you had a bad day or you are just really frustrated with someone/something (got an image?) what do you do to burn off steam? Some people clean, some people cook, some people scream and punch things, I on the other hand RUN. Running is such a good way to release pent up energy and emotions (especially with a good running mix to listen to along the way). Besides it gets your blood flowing and energizes you for the day. I always feel great after I run (even if I am sore, tired, sweaty, or all of the above) and I really wish I could right now. Alas I cannot until this snow goes away or I get back to school (which is like a week away, so I'm kinda stuck). Oh well I guess I will have to find some other ways to relax :)

Adios from Runner 2!

Running can be fun...Say What?

Runner number 2 is back!

Okay so as my partner in crime said, the fun runs are the way to go! This semester we have run in two different runs. We had both heard about the color runs via some friends of ours who had either run one themselves or who was planning on running one themselves. Let me say this about the Color Run....IT'S FREAKING AWESOME!!!! It was so much fun! It really is the "Happiest Race on the Planet!" We got all signed up and the only reason the race was happening was because people in Chicago begged for a fall race, so lets just say that we were pumped! Now as my partner mentioned how every kilometer a different color of "magical fairy dust" was thrown at us. Lesson learned, cover your mouth when running through the color sections. At the end the color explosion was so cool to watch! All the different colors exploding into a giant cloud of awesomeness, was really fun to see from a distance and to be in the middle of.  We were both covered in color, my hands were black, my face was purple and orange, and i had about four different colors in my hair. It took forever to come out and to get it all off my body, and it didn't even come out on the first try. I think it took about a week to get rid of all the colors, but it was well worth it.

Now for the Monster Dash! What my running buddy says is true....I had been complaining about her getting me into the half marathon and then I was the one convincing her to join this 5k. The look on her face was priceless, especially because I knew that she wasn't too keen on the whole idea of the skulls on all of the apparel that went with the race. I have to admit, the fact that there were skulls on everything kinda escaped my notice. Finally I convinced her to join in on this first of the fun runs. So we got all signed up and got our free hat, free jacket, and our bib numbers and we were off to head back to campus. And let me tell you it was a funny sight watching her put on the jackets and admitting that it was actually a nice running jacket. OH! I almost forgot about the costumes! Yes, we did dress up as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and the costume judges were quite impressed with my Minnie Mouse voice (I was so excited). Seeing all the crazy costumes that people were running and walking in was quite an experience.

Anywho, running for fun is quite an awesome thing, and I learned a few things along the way as well. First, don't judge a race by the apparel because it could turn out to be a really fun race. Second, the color run will make your snot pretty colors for about a week, and it will get stuck in your ears. Third, SIGN UP FOR FUN RACES!

Adios from Runner 2.

The FUN runs!

Yes I said running can be fun. You just gotta know the races to register for and you're on your way to a blast! Sometimes literally.
On October 14th, my partner and I were at it again, but this run was only a 5k (about 3 miles). This was the Color Run! At every 1k checkpoint, a runner/walker was blasted with color! Orange, Yellow, Blue and Pink were our check points. Also, each participant was given their very own color packet for the end of the race to throw at the Color Festival. They also threw out free packets to those lucky enough to catch them (which I am proud to say my buddy and I were both able to get extra!)
Now, you have to understand that the Color Festival produces this HUGE color cloud that sweeps over everyone. By the end of this even, we were absolutely covered from head to toe in a multitude of colors. The hardest part of the entire event was getting the stuff off after. My armpits were blue for days and my scalp took about two weeks until I didn't find anymore discoloration. But it was totally worth every bit of magical fairy dust!
Another race we decided to do has a funny story behind it:
We're at the expo to pick up our race packets for the Chicago Half and just ambling around. We come across this big orange booth with skulls everywhere! A lady starts talking to us about this run, and my good friend gets really excited and says, "What do you think? Let's do it!" Yes, this is the same friend that had just spent a week chewing me out for getting her into the Half in the first place! Haha. Well, as exciting as another race sounded, I couldn't get past all the skulls on their merchandise (especially the jacket with the entirety of one sleeve decked out in skulls that you got for free when you signed up). So she's all into it, and all I can say is "But there's skulls down the sleeve." Well, we ended up signing up for the Monster Dash 5k and walked out about 15 minutes later wearing skulls down our sleeves. The reason the Monster Dash is a "fun run" is because it's just a big costume race! There's even a judged competition for them. We went as Mickey and Minnie. And it was so much fun because we also got candy for the trick-or-treat locations along the route :)

Lessons that I learned:
      1) Close mouth when running through the color zones on the Color Run!
      2) Your snot turns pretty colors after the Color Run.
      3) Always remember to take your inhaler before checking in your bag to gear check (which I
          forgot to do at the Monster Dash)
      4) Finding fun runs to do makes it so much easier and enjoyable to stay in shape :)

I'm not a runner....so what am I doing on this blog?

Hey y'all! I am the second crazy person who decided to run the Chicago Half Marathon. And like my partner in crime said she did guilt trip me into running it by telling me how many people in Africa would get clean water. But I did sign up against my better judgement. So I called my mom and told her what I had decided to do and I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy....but she was all for it. So I downloaded the training schedule and went to work. Unfortunately I could not follow the schedule and run every day because of my work schedule, but I tried to hit all the big runs. I should also mention that I too ran the half for Team World Vision and I raised a pretty good amount of money for people who needed clean water. 

Race day was fast approaching and my partner in crime and I had started running together at school, and let me tell you she was a slave driver. She never let me quit, for which I am glad. Unfortunately marching band had given me shin splints so I often had to walk because they would start acting up.

Race day came and we were pumped! We had taxi pick us up at 5:30 in the morning so that we could make it to the race in time to stretch and warm up with the Team World Vision runners. Once the race started I did pretty well in the beginning and didn't have to walk until about mile 4. I kept a decent run walk pace for the rest f the race and would stop occasionally to stretch my shins and calves out. I sprinted the last quarter mile to the finish line just so I could say that I did. In hind sight I probably should have stopped and had one of the medics stretch out my calves.....but its too late now!  Anywho, back to the finish line, after I crossed the finish line I started crying out of happiness that I had actually finished the race. 

Now that I have told you about the race let me go back and tell you that I am not a runner. I hated running with every fiber of my being. I could barely run two miles without wanting to pass out. So if I can go from barely being able to run two miles to being able to run 13.1 miles in under three hours. So grab a friend, sign up, and get to running, and do it for a cause. Because let me tell you, it is one of the most amazing feeling ever!!!!!

Adios from Runner 2

First Timer: Here we go!

So not only is this my first blog (so take it easy on me), it's my first time running long distances! Woohoo!
Okay, so as I'm sure my partner in crime will agree, this is all my fault. Everything always is, but this time I got us signed onto a team (TEAM WORLD VISION!) to run 13.1 miles with only about 3 months of training.
Good thing we were made to take wellness lab last semester :)
First, I'd like to state that I like running; might even love it! I like it even more now.
I started officially running in the 3rd grade when I began soccer, and then continue running through my senior year of high school with track. The funny thing here is that I was a sprinter. Long distance: bad news. I had just enough stamina to run my guts out for 400 meters and that was it. So I even thought of myself as crazy when I joined the Chicago Half-Marathon, but I wasn't about to be crazy alone.
I walked up to my friends and smiled (sincerely) at them and asked if any one had thought about running it. Most of them didn't even know what I was talking about. (There had been a whole presentation on it in chapel just that morning.) So I gave them the run down. They brushed it off pretty easily and told me that I was out of my mind, which I was but for good reason.
Now seeing as this is the blog "Team of Two Runners" obviously I convinced one of them. And she insists I guilted her into it by saying, "Think of how many children you can save!"
So we began training but had to leave school and go our separate ways, so we ended up training mostly on our own.
Well, my experience with training is this:
 Don't get head colds; you can't breathe. And if you can't breathe, you can't run.
 Don't injure your feet in any form or fashion. (I was our for 1.5 weeks thanks to a sprinkler head that bit my toe.)
 When it gets hot in the summer (like it really does in the South), run in the mornings! I still remember the day I found out (the hard way mind you)  that it was too hot to run in the evenings anymore.
 If you have breathing problems, complain to your doctor. Apparently, I have had exercised-induced asthma for who knows how long. Inhalers work and make it enjoyable again.
 Best thing you can remember: "When it gets hard, smile." It truly does help :)
 Other than all that, just keep going at it. It's hard, not gonna lie. But it's totally possible too.
 And find a drill-sergeant sort of friend who will yell at you to keep going. (To drill-sergeant friend: be as nice as possible in encouraging them...don't actually yell)

Well after all that came race day! It was fun. TOTALLY WORTH IT! And we raised a ton of money for clean water in Africa.

Who knew that all my coaches needed to do was find the proper incentive, and I would have run anything for them :) Shhhh! Don't tell them.

Over and out: Runner 1