Blogging

The blog is falling by the wayside not because I am losing interest, but because my bedtime is now 8:00pm.  Sometimes 7:45pm.  I know that I will have to get up at least 1 x a night, if not more, so I go to bed immediately after I get Isla down to maximize my 1st leg of sleep.  Blogging = minutes of precious sleep!  :)

Updates:

I love Enell.  I just had to say that again.  I am so lucky to have a women's specific brand sponsor me in 2015.  The stories of the athletes are so inspiring.  There are so many beginners in the group, and it just reminds me daily of why it is so important to keep your motivation and goals intrinsic in nature.  It is all about comparing yourself to you, and only you.  Thank you, Enell, for having me on your team!  

I ran the Memphis Turkey Trot for the first time ever.  I was glad to see that even splits in the race.  I was also pretty glad to not be stuck at my half marathon pace.  However, I am still just moving at this 7ish something pace for everything that I do, and I will be happy when I finally see some 6s in front of my splits.  For me, getting faster at the short stuff requires speedwork.  It just doesn't magically come to me.  I can go long with no specific training, but I can't go fast.  So, if I want those 6s, speedwork has to happen.

I am starting to plan out 2015.  I am placing some fun runs at the beginning of the year- trail runs and my favorite half marathons- just to give me something fun to get started.  Then, I think April will be go time.  I am already envisioning my races and thinking about goals.   

I am really motivated right now to have some good races next year.  People make mention that mothers become faster, and that maybe childbirth helps with athletics.  Whenever I hear that, I want to gag.  Mom's have wrecked bodies and fatigue that will last a lifetime.  This first year of motherhood, I had a broken rib that took forever to heal, peed on myself constantly, fought insane back pain that still won't go away, and was am tortured with sleep deprivation.   BUT, what is starting to happen now that is different from my former, non-mother self, is my motivation to get the most out of every workout.  If I only get a chance to train once a day, I make the most of it.  Only have 40 minutes to swim?  I make the most of it.  If my plan says x intervals at y pace?  I do exactly that.  I am forced to have even more focus than I did before.  I thought I did this before.  I thought I was focused.  But, I see now, I am able to put a different focus on it.   And, as I am starting to get in more workouts and more routine, my motivation is starting to climb.

And with that, I am off to bed.  Every minute counts these days before I hear, "mama mama mama!"  sometime in the middle of the night.... :)  And I wouldn't trade it for the whole world.