Thanksgiving Ramble

I can't believe that it is almost Thanksgiving.  Where has this year gone?  Seriously, this has been the fastest year in the history of my existence.  Okay, maybe I am exaggerating but I really feel like it was just yesterday that I moved to Williamsburg, and now it's been almost 3 1/2 years!

The more I look at the calendar the faster it seems to move.  Sean and I are coming up on being married 6 months in less than a week.  I really can't believe it's been 6 months, it's crazy.  I remember the stress from planning the wedding and than it just seemed to go by so quickly.  Luckily we have lots of wonderful pictures and memories. 

Everyday I come into work and I cross off the day before on my calendar.  I don't mean to be pushing time along but I know it would move regardless.

Next thing I know it'll be Christmas, and than Sean and I will be in Mexico celebrating Jami and Ryan's wedding.  It's going to be lots of fun, I can't wait.  I'm sure time will move too quickly though, and the more I wish and look forward to something the quicker it'll move past me.

Maybe it's the holiday season that makes me take a step back and think about all of this and realize how fast time is moving, even though time is a constant and isn't actually the thing that is moving.  I want to take a step back and try and appreciate what I have, because I have a lot to be thankful for.  I have an amazing husband, wonderful friends and family, a healthy body that lets me run and do the things I love, a home that I not only love, but one that keeps me warm and safe,  a job that allows me to pay my bills, and lots of other things.

It's nice to take a step back and write down the things in my life that are good.  The things that make me happy.

Everyone that knows me, or reads enough of my blog knows that running makes me VERY happy.  Not always running just to run, but running to RACE.  The adrenaline rush I receive after completing a race, no matter what the distance.  Knowing I ran my heart out, and pushed myself to my absolute limit.  Setting goals for myself, ones that sometimes others tell me are unrealistic, but I know I am capable of, and than succeeding and accomplishing my goals.   Although I always love to be able to run faster, I also realize that a goal I set for myself doesn't always have to be an improvement from before.  As my life changes, my goals have to change as well. 

My training this year has been significantly different than last year.  Last year I ran almost every 5K Williamsburg had to offer and than my standard two half marathons, one in March and one in August.  

This year there was a new race offered in February, a Virginia is for Lovers 14K, this was about a month before my half.  I ran it, ran well, but than was injured.  I wasn't able to complete the crucial weeks of my half marathon training, but I ran the half marathon in March anyways, and I ended up running my fastest half ever.  This was probably my first race I ever started with almost no expectations.  I had never gone into a race just to complete the race, I had always had a time goal.  It was exhilarating at first, but of course, the more I ran and the more I realized how good my body felt.  I started crunching numbers as I ran and gave myself a new goal.  So much for just running to run.

Than in April, Sean and I competed in our first triathlon.  Again I didn't have many expectations.  I wasn't a swimmer or a biker.  I didn't know what a good goal for the swim or the bike was.  I knew how fast I could run a 5K, but not after having exhausted my body.  I went into this race just wanting to beat Sean.  The competition was great for Sean and I, maybe not for him this first race, but we ended up participating in two other triathlons this year, and we were able to train together, and push each other.  I was able to compete in a few short road races as well this year, but Sean and I were out of town a lot and the last two triathlons of the season fell on popular 5K weekends.  Towards the end of the season Sean ended up joining me at my running intervals that he never had an interest in going to before, and than sure enough the last triathlon of the season Sean beat me. Although, I really wanted to beat him, the joy I saw when he found out he had beaten me was almost as good as beating him myself.  Knowing he now had the racing bug, maybe not as bad as me, but the racing bug none-the-less was something I loved as well.  I really do love to share and spread my love for running with not only him but all of my friends as well.

After tri season was over it was all about running.  A 10K on Halloween, and than my half marathon on November 14th.  Due to a later half marathon this year, I had to consume my training schedule with long runs and not speed work.  Sean helped by usually joining me for half of my run.  It was nice to spend time training with him, and since his running had improved as well, he was able to push me along.  Going into my half marathon I set another goal for myself and I broke it with flying colors.  This was my largest improvement taking almost 8 minutes off of my race.  I was in pure ecstasy for over two weeks.  

Last week was the first 5K we've had this fall and since I hadn't done as much speed training as last year I set a lower goal for myself.  It was still a goal I had to push to succeed in, but it wasn't a PR, which many of my goals are.  Sean originally had set a goal for himself when he started going to running intervals a few months ago, but I had seen so much improvement that I challenged him to an even steeper goal.  Race morning he asked me what his goal was again, and than he went out, raced like a champ and accomplished what he had set out to run.  He took just about 3 minutes off his fastest time.  It was amazing.  I am so proud of him.

We have two more races left this year, both 5K's.  Even though my body is getting tired, and I don't have as much of a desire to train, I still have the desire to succeed and I still know I will push myself as hard as possible on race day.  This afternoon, I pulled up last year's Turkey Trot race results to remind myself what I ran.  This race was my best race ever, a 22:29.  Although I haven't trained as hard, I still want to PR.  So going into this race I have to mathematically try and see what my best options are.

With my garmin I am able to look at last year's run and see not only what my time was, but also what I was running for a pace every step of the way.  It's a pretty amazing "toy" and I've sat here going over race strategy in my head.

Garmin Connect -

Activity Details for
Blue Talon Bistro Turkey Trot

Fingers crossed for a good race.  Once again I am thankful that I have the ability to race, the ability to run and of course I am very thankful for my health, but I still want to do well, and I still want to place in my age group.  

The last race of the season isn't until December 12th, so I will have some time to relax in between, just in case. 

Happy Thanksgiving and I'll be back with a race recap.