I don’t know about you but I have the most ridiculous conversation with myself in the early morning.

I need to get up and workout.

But I am so TIRED.

Maybe I can sleep just a little longer? Or workout when I get home? Or maybe I will walk with a friend. Or maybe I don’t NEED to work out today. I’ll just workout tomorrow. After all, I am really, really TIRED. No. No. I’ll get up and workout… in five minutes.

And on and on and on…. by the time I go through my litany of excuses I have wasted a good 20 minutes and not done a damn thing.

I’m sure you have no idea what I am talking about. Right?

THIS morning I only haggled with myself for five minutes because I remembered this Nike ad that I found on Kelly Olexa’s site the other day.

Can’t argue with THAT, can you?

So I got up and hit the treadmill and, of course, I’m glad that I did. Suddenly the warm bed seems less inviting than the smaller pant size. Heh.

My running partners (Lori & Katie) and I are getting ready to embark on our Fall marathon training program. In case I haven’t mentioned it yet, we’ll be running the Baltimore Marathon on October 15th. It will be Lori’s first (holla!) marathon, my fourth and Katie’s fifth (over achiever!). I’m resolved to be a heck of a lot stronger this year. My goal? To finish with a humongous smile on my face.

And because I love a challenge I am going to attempt to do something ridiculous in the next week: to complete 26.2 miles over the course of 7 days. I blame Running On Awesome for the idea. (I don’t even know him and I am blaming him. Ha!) Quite frankly, it is a crazy idea that IN NO WAY FITS INTO MY SCHEDULE but we will see how it goes. It just seems fitting to kick off marathon training with marathon week.

Yes, I am a little loopy… but I have some spanking new Saucony’s that need to be broken in.

(BTW – If you want to track my progress, it can be found here.)

Tags: baltimore marathon 2011, marathon training, marathon week, Running

Best run to date = pain.  Who knew?

This week was my longest run to date in FOR-EVA.  Katie & I tackled 14 miles, six miles of which was hills. The weather was good, we had endless energy and the conversation was flowing. It was glorious.  (And for the record -  we didn’t walk ANY of the hills.  MIRACULOUS.)

Today though, today I am so sore.  The best way to describe the pain is to liken it to the first time you do a lower body leg workout.  The day after pain you experience.  The I-can’t-walk-why-am-I-doing-this-again (?) pain.

I feel like an old woman today. Ouch.

When I feel like this my mind starts to ask questions.  Questions like “WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, JENNIFER?
My mind sometimes sounds like my dad.

You wanna know why?  For the kids.  For my kids. For your kids.

Let me explain: One day my friend Tracey encouraged me to take a five mile run with her through the park.  I told her that there was no way in hell I could run five miles WITH HER. (She had previously run a marathon.) But her persistence and encouragement that day paid off.  I ran that five miles and I realized that I was limiting myself.  That I could accomplish great things in life by taking it ONE STEP AT A TIME and by believing in myself.

That day represented SO MUCH MORE than ‘going out for a run.” It represented A PHILOSOPHY. The realization that I really could accomplish the unthinkable. And it shapes my life to this day.

My only wish?  That I had learned it sooner.  I am embarking on this charity run in order to pass that spirit along to MY CHILDREN and TO OTHER CHILDREN. I want them to find their power NOW.

So all of this training and running is for ONE REASON: To raise money for the “Run for Something Better” charity. This charity focuses on changing children’s lives through fitness. R.F.S.B. encourages healthy lifestyles, empowerment and the prevention of childhood obesity. They fund running and fitness education programs in schools to show kids how exercise can help achieve good health,  positive self-esteem and self-worth.

And people, I need to raise $2,500. HOLY CRAP.  I need to raise it in the next two months.

Yes, I am scared.  I’m not sure that I can do it.  I’m nervous.  Very nervous.  What I know is that I can’t do it alone.

Will you help me? Won’t you please consider making a donation to support and empower children? (Totally tax deductible, of course.)

• You can donate at my Active.com page.
• OR via PayPal to jlgerlock@comcast.net
• OR via check (happy to give you the address and information if you need it)
• OR your business could sponsor me. (Further details can be worked out on how this can be mutually beneficial. I’ll blog. I’ll tweet. I’ll wear your logo on a coolio t-shirt. And so will Katie because she is a fantastic pal! Email jlgerlock@comcast.net)

AND/OR

• Support me and my cause and help propel it forward through social media. Facebook, Twitter, on your blog.

Together we can help transform children’s lives and attitudes!  If you’ll support my commitment to Run For Something Better, I’ll do all the training.  TRANSLATION: Pain free for you!

Thank you so very much!

Tags: Health, marathon training, new york city marathon 2010, orange laces, Philanthropy, run for something better charity, training for the NYC Marathon

I promised that I would take you all along for the ride in my quest to train for the NYC Marathon.  So here is my official update:

THE GOOD: For the past three weeks we (Katie AKA “Fab Running Partner”) have been slowly ramping back up our mileage.  We’re doing a combination of flat long runs and hilly runs.  At this point our pace is pretty yucky but we are feeling strong.  Last weekend was five miles of hills.  AND I MEAN HILLS.  Surprisingly, our pace was the same as our long flat runs which means WE CAN DO BETTER.  This weekend we are due for a seven miler.  Ideally we would like to be able to hammer out 10 mile runs at a 9:30-10:00 minute mile pace before we begin our “official” training program at the end of June.  I think we are on track.

THE BAD: I am still having a hard time getting up to do those darn weight sessions.  I know that it is crucial to my strength as a runner, not to mention to my overall health and hopes to loose all that darn weight I gained over the Winter. Blech!

ON ANOTHER NOTE: Yesterday I bought these… Yep, AviMotion Toning Shoes. I’ll let you know what I think of them.  They pink (of course) and super cute.  My girlfriend swears by them but since I just started I am not sure yet.  I paid a lot for them so I am hoping I don’t regret it.  I am following @AviMotion which is great in case I need some answers.

Don’t forget! I am running for charity so if you would like to make a donation to support “Run For Something Better” you can do so here! (I just got some fun “thank yous” in the mail that I will be sending everybody that donates!)

Tags: avi motion toning shoes, intro, marathon training, training for the ING NYC Marathon

Mark this day:  Monday, April 26th.  Measurements are being taken. Weight is being tabulated. Body fat composition is duly noted.  The training has begun, people.

My husband and I are starting the Body for Life program together again.  We did really well on that program before, um, that it until I became whiny about getting up at 4:30 in the morning. But no matter – I’ve got tons of new inspiration now and a pretty freakin’ cool marathon to train for.

Speaking of the marathon, I did a 5 mile long run yesterday with Katie.

So far, so good!

By the way, If you would like to read more about the charity I am running for in the NYC Marathon or contribute in some way please read this post.

“Transformation can’t happen on the outside until it begins to happen on the inside. Be good to yourself and others. Love yourself, because when you do the outcome of the things that you set out to do will be greater than you ever imagined.” – Margi Faze

Tags: marathon training, Margi Faze