5 Things I'm Looking Forward To

Happy Saturday! Just gonna talk about a few things that have been on my mind...

1. My little sister's birthday! Tomorrow is father's day and also my soon to be 12 year-old sister's birthday!

Happy Birthday Erica!

2. Cross Country Camp.

For this one I am just as nervous as I am excited. I made the decision to do Cross Country Camp through my school this summer. It will be mostly girls on the team, plus a few younger girls. One of my best friends is on the varsity team (she is REALLY good!) so she will be driving me to camp. She is the best! Camp is from 7-9 AM Monday-Friday, and sometimes long runs on Saturday. I am so nervous, I have no idea if I will be able to keep up with anyone. 

3. Getting Faster. 

One thing's for sure.. I will definitely get faster after 2 months of running with the team every morning! Right now I only run about 4 days a week. I'm hoping to get my 5k time down to like 27 minutes. Or 26. Or 25 (the ultimate dream...) That's a lot of time to shave off of my 29:33 time, so I'm just hoping for any improvement! (: 

I can run long distances (this one was a 10k!) but I run suuuuuuuuper slow. #turtlestatus

On Friday I had a great run, a 10k, but I ran super slow. Also stopped to talk to my bestie when I ran into her biking home, and stopped at Andrew's house for some water. 

4. Vacation! 

I am going to the BAHAMAS on Wednesday, with my dad and my sister. An entire week! I will get to visit Atlantis, the fancy resort that you see in the commercials. (Not staying there though). Yes, I will miss a week of cross country camp. :( However, I'm pretty sure it will be worth it... (; I can't wait to share tons of pictures!!

5. GETTING MY DRIVER'S LICENCE!

I got all my papers ready today. I just need 7 more hours of practice, 1 at night. I got that doctor's note (for my diabetes) and the letter from the secretary of state and everything else. I can't get it before my vacation because of time, but after I get back from vacation and then camp I'll drive to the DMV....

I'm still super freaked out that I will be able to drive on my own with no adults in a few weeks. Crazy. What will my first drive by myself be??? I'll probably pick up Andrew (won't get his licence until September) and go get ice cream or froyo. Yes, that sounds good. I'll be driving my mom's minivan. Won't I be cool (;

I could have gotten my licence on my birthday, but I just wasn't ready. It didn't really matter because I wasn't getting a car anyways! Now I think I'm almost ready... I'm so nervous though! When can I make a turn on red??? Will I park the right way?? I am so bad at parking.

The next couple of weeks are gonna be really exciting AND scary... Wish me luck! (:

What are you looking forward to? Are you going anywhere this summer? Did you pass your driver's test the first time? 

~Emily

Crushed it.

I had my third 5k race this year today. I ran the local YMCA's 5k. 

So I forgot to take any pictures. Except of my socks..

Neon thorlo socks are the bomb, I'm telling ya.

I had three goals. 

1) Beat my previous 5k time (34:30)

2) Beat my Garmin 5k time of 32:11

3) Come in under 30 minutes.

I did all three of these things! 

Finishing Time: 29:33

Now this isn't fast to most people. My dad, who hasn't run for years, easily ran right along side me. I finished 5th in my age group. Of 6...

I know running is a "me" sport, where you are only competing against yourself, but it is difficult to never compare yourself to other runners. I train more than a lot of people and run a lot slower than them. Like, a lot. A whole lot.

But my wonderful boyfriend (more on him later!) put it in perspective for me. He said "Don't worry about what other people can or can't do. You still had fun doing it, and your goals are your goals, when you pass them, still be excited because you accomplished something you set out to do and you're one step closer to a minute faster." 

Sometimes we all need to take a step back and stop comparing ourselves to others. I'm going to try to focus on my accomplishments, not other people's. 

Why I am amazing: A selfish rant about what I CAN do and not what I can't.

1. In February, I couldn't run half a mile without stopping. With the help of couch25k, I can now run an entire 5k! That was only four months!

2. In April, I had a bad 5k, and started off way too fast. My time was 36:07. That means, in less than 2 months, I was able to shave over 6 and a half minutes off my 5k time.

3. In the months since I started running, I have noticed positive changes in my body, in my energy levels, and most importantly in my happiness and my confidence. To me, that is the most important thing about running.

So I guess you could say, with this 5k, that I crushed it.

Okay I need this shirt from old navy. Except there were only mediums and it was so long.

I got some sports bras & shorts though. Active sale for the win.

How was your Sunday? How do you focus on your goals and not other's times?

~Emily

Anxious

Happy Monday!
Right now is just the time of year when I feel so anxious! There is so much going on. It's crazy!

There are 8 days of school left. EIGHT! I need to get studying for finals... in only 5 days!
I have 2 concerts and 2 rehearsals for band and orchestra in the next three days. On top of that, a speech, final review packets, and a couple of tests. I just keep telling myself, just keep swimming...

My favorite movie! (;

Overall, racing and eating healthier has been going really well. I'm running 5 days a week, with longer 5 mile runs. It's great! (: I'm hoping to run a sub-30 minute 5k one of these days. I'm getting closer!


Right now, I am anxious about school-but what is strange is that I am even more anxious about summer!

You see, I have applied 8 places and haven't heard back from ANYWHERE! There is one place that I am really hoping for, and they are specifically looking for people my age, but it's been 3 (business) days and I haven't heard back yet.
If I get this job, I will gain experience and I will have lots of spending money, and I will have a very productive summer.
On the other hand.. If I don't get this job, I will be able to do summer Cross Country camp. I can also attend a leadership camp that I have been looking forward to for months. I might be able to participate in a few Diabetes Clinical Trials (which I love!)

So pretty much, either way, I'm going to be disappointed, but also happy. I guess I just have to wait and see....


Have a great week. Happy almost summer! (:

-Emily

Rain, Rain Go Away!

Not my photo

This picture was taken near my house. This morning, Chicago got the most crazy rain. I don't know if flooding has ever been this bad in the town I live in. It surely hasn't in my lifetime. School was canceled and I am stuck in my house all day. I hope everyone is okay. It seems like it's just one thing after the other these days. Terrible things. There have been a lot of deaths due to trains where I live recently, and then the horrendous news of the Boston marathon bombing, and now this flooding.
I don't know what to say, I really don't. We just need to keep moving. Keep running. Stay positive.

Needless to say, I won't be using my early birthday gift anytime soon...

MY NEW BABY <3

 I have done a 4 mile long run on this and a 3 miler too. I LOVE IT. I have nothing but good things to say about the Forerunner 10 and the garminconnect website! Thanks mom (:

I had nothing to do so I ate lunch at 10:00... Oops. At least it was a Eat Clean meal!

Today, school was cancelled because of the weather, so I have taken advantage of the lazy day to catch up on blogs and friends, and now to blog. Looks like I won't be running outside today. Yesterday I did Speed at the YMCA and today it looks like I will be lucky if I can even get to the YMCA at all!

I have plans to run a 10k on June 1st or June 2nd, and I am using this training plan from Women's Health. I love that it says intermediate, it makes me feel very proud of myself. (; I am on week 2 so far.

I run the Komen for the Cure 5k on Mother's day, so I am also hoping the training plan will help me achieve a faster time for that. Crossing my fingers for under 30:00!!


Have a thrilling Thursday!
I hope everyone is safe and well during these storms.

-Emily

A bad race.

Today, I ran my first 5k.
Or, I was supposed to.

I was really nervous this morning. I ate a rice cake with PB and drank lots of water.
I showed up and I was ready. I have trained for two months. I have run 3.8 miles before. I knew I could do it.

Before the race and ready to go!

I got off to a good start-but I ran too fast. Way too fast. I can't start out at a 7:30 miles.

I managed to slow myself down to an 8-9 minute mile, but then, at about mile 1.5, I got a cramp.

Now, when I get a cramp, I usually just take deeper breathes and slow down a bit and it goes away. No big deal, right? Well today, I slowed down and took deeper breathes- but the cramp kept getting worse. A lot worse. I was forced to walk- I tried all the usual techniques, like pushing on it, massaging it, taking deep breathes, stretching, but it just kept getting worse. I saw the mile 2 marker, and the time- 24:00.

I knew I couldn't run 1.1 miles in 6 minutes, and my cramp was still really terrible. I wanted to cry. I had worked so hard for this, and somehow I got a cramp today? How did it all disappear so fast?

 I managed to finally get rid of the cramp, but by that point, I was very discouraged, and it was past 30:00, my goal time. I ran the last half a mile, but by then it didn't matter.


I finished in about 36 minutes.

My goal time was 30 minutes.

I feel like I failed.


This was my first official 5k, and I had one goal- to finish, while running the whole way. I didn't complete that goal. This is really difficult for me. I failed.

The worst part is, I have run 3.1 miles before. I have run 3.7 miles before. According to my nike plus, I have run 3 miles in 28 minutes!

When I looked at my run on nike plus after the race, it shows that I ran 3.8 miles. I turned it on before the race started, and about two minutes after it ended, but I didn't get anywhere near .7 miles nike says I did.

This is really difficult. I thought I was running longer and faster than I was, for the past three weeks.

I am very disappointed in nike plus for having numbers that off. It is very discouraging for me as a runner.

I have another 5k on May 12th. I will run that one in under 30 minutes. I won't give up on myself or running. I love running- I just didn't love today.

Running: My journey so far.

Happy Easter everybody! Sorry I have been MIA for the past few weeks. Blogging has just taken a backseat to...well, life! I'm back though, and here is my running story.

I did it.

I ran 3 miles, without taking a single break to walk or rest.

I loved it.

Two months ago, if you would have told me I could run a 5k I wouldn't have believed it. I had written it down as a goal- but that's all it was. A goal, a dream. When I signed up for my first 5k and began the Couch 2 5k plan, I couldn't run half a mile! WOW that program works. I used the C25k app up until week 6, and then since it was just running miles, I decided to (loosely) do the same thing on my own. 

Only went to Week 6 on the app.... But I did the rest on my own (;

I ran up through Week 6 on a treadmill at the local YMCA. It was just way too cold in the Illinois weather (and sometimes too snowy!) to comfortably run outside. I highly recommend starting on a treadmill! While it is boring, you can watch TV or get some reading done during the early weeks of the Couch 2 5k program. It is also nice to know how many miles you did-so you can brag to all your friends (;

For the past week, with temps in the 40's, I've gotten the chance to run outside. WOW, it's a little bit harder! However, I discovered, much to my surprise, that I love road running. I love smiling at people, feeling the breeze, and the sense of accomplishment that doesn't come from the treadmill. I see why people call it the Dreadmill now...

When I ran those three miles, I pushed past the little voice telling me to slow down or walk, to cut out the last part of my run, and I just did it. I believe they call the feeling I experienced a runner's high. I felt like I was on top of the world. When I looked down at my ipod (I have been running with nike+) and saw 3.02 miles and 28 (TWENTY EIGHT!!!) minutes, I was ecstatic! I have never run that fast in my entire life. I had beat my goal pace for the Mother's Day 5k on the very first time I ran a 3 miler!

I think you can say that I have officially fallen in love with running. (:

My running shoes!<3

My first official 5k is the Sprint for Spastics and it is a week from today- I am so pumped.
I'm hoping to come in under 30 minutes, and that 3 mile run makes me very confident in that goal (:

Wish me luck!!

-Emily

Goals.

Sorry I have been MIA for the last week or so. I was having crazy sugars and had to adjust some things with the pump... I was high enough to throw up a couple times, so I've been focusing my time on my numbers and then getting caught up at school. #teenagediabeticprobs.

Anyways......

I have always looked up to those people who can run for miles and miles just because they love it. I've always wanted to be one of those people, but I've never really.... done it. Now's my chance. Things with school are slowing down a tiny bit (without marching band) and I'm antsy to DO SOMETHING with my life. My blood sugars had been way off for about a month, when I finally made the switch back to the pump and started really putting the effort in to care about my body and my numbers.

A great number! I'm doing better! (:

I've decided that I'm going to run a 5k. I'm doing this to prove to myself that my body isn't broken, and to show others that I'm strong despite having a difficult disease. 

I'm using the Couch to 5k plan, using the app "C25K free" on my iphone. 

I'm working out at the YMCA three times a week. I'll run a 5k (or 10k if I'm ready) in June. 

However, I don't want that race to be the end of my journey. My ultimate goal is to run a half marathon in September of 2013. 

I'm looking into the Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon. 

When I run the half, I will raise money for the American Diabetes Association through their fundraising site. 

I'll be blogging about my running journey over the next couple of weeks (:

Have you ever run a race?
Do you have any helpful tips for someone just getting started?

What has been your favorite race, and why?