Race Day is a Week Away!

I'm really excited about the relay I'll be running on Oct. 10th. I am running the last leg which I was told was the longest somewhere over 7 miles I think. This is my first ever race!

I didn't have a specific training regimen in mind when I decided to do this. I already knew I could run at least two miles and I knew I had energy to play a full soccer game with out subbing so I figured all I need to do was refocus that energy away from sprints like I do on the soccer field and try to run long distances instead.

Getting sick though completely threw a monkey wrench into my routine. I took 8 days off from working out and my body was very quick to take a rest a long with me. The Saturday after I came down with my cold I decided that was enough time, even though I still had a cough and I played soccer. Playing soccer with a bad cough is not fun. I probably should have taken a longer amount of time off from cardio activity but I was bored to death (and I'll admit freaking out a little) from not being able to work out. I wasn't eating very well while I was sick and the last thing I wanted to was gain weight as a result.

My first day back at boot camp (the following Tuesday) was just as rough. I think my muscles had forgotten in as short as one week how to work. I tried to research how quickly you lose muscle mass if you stop working out but I couldn't find any straight answers. I was reading anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks. Whatever the answer is, I was definitely worn out after boot camp. It was like it was my first day all over again.

My first attempt back at distance running wasn't so great either. I forgot my contacts so I had to run on the tread mill at the gym. Can we say b-o-r-i-n-g? Especially when I don't have music to listen to! It was torture. Funny thing is I used to love the treadmill before I started running outside...not so much anymore. Then of course the coughing fits and muscle aches didn't help matters either. I had to pause the machine a lot so I could stretch out and catch my breath. I only accomplished 3 miles in about 34 minutes (which is not including the pausing to stretch and cough while I spread my lingering plague at the gym). Lame.

But now FINALLY (three weeks after getting sick) I've gotten my routine back to normal: 3 days a week at boot camp, 2 days soccer, and I added Yoga back to my routine as well! I forgot how amazing the stretch was. I should have never stopped my evening yoga classes when I started boot camp, but I guess I needed an adjustment period to my new routine. I'm not going to pretend that waking up at 4:45 am is a cake walk, I still struggle with it sometimes almost 3 months later...my alarm clock is the devil!

fucker, he always wins!

So anyway, this week I was finally able to get a good run back into my routine as well. And guess what!?

I ran 5.25 miles in 1 hour 5 mins!

Yippie Skippie!!

*does happy dance*

*pumps fist in the air*

*high fives pocket Edward*

I stopped once to stretch briefly about 2.5 miles in and I also ran some massive hills, so I think I'm totally ready for this race!! I'm ready to kick some relay ass next Saturday!!