I’m not sure if you noticed last week or not, but I was ridiculously close to hitting the 50 mile mark on my total running mileage.

Well, I definitely picked up on that.

Prior to this week, I had been trying to run about seven miles total a week. However, to hit the 50 mile mark, I needed to run 8.08 miles this week. So… that’s what I did!

Getting to Fifty

I would like to tell you that I planned out my runs perfectly this week and had plenty of time to run the 8.08 miles. However, due to my nature, I procrastinated running until Friday. Meaning I needed to run 8.08 miles in three days. Another important note, I also had to attend two graduation ceremonies and work an eleven hour shift in those three days, which added another layer of difficulty.

This procrastination actually lead to something kind of awesome, though. On Friday, I ran FOUR MILES!

For some of you, this might not seem like that big of a deal, but for those of you that have been following along with this blog you know that in the past I quit running after a four mile run. However, after this four mile run, I felt awesome. And tired. And extremely hungry. But mostly awesome!

To be very honest, I did not feel very awesome during the run. I ran on the treadmill and pushed myself to run at a slightly faster pace than normal for the first mile or two. Then after I finished the second mile, I took a very short break just to grab a drink of water.

When I stepped off the treadmill to grab my water bottle, I felt a little sick. I briefly considered just stopping my run there for the day and adding the extra mileage to my Saturday and Sunday runs. Then I decided I should try to keep going. I got back on the treadmill and walked for about two minutes before I bumped up the pace to an easy jog.

I was so proud of myself after hitting the four mile mark. It took me a little over 48 minutes to do, but that was okay with me.

Then, that night I went to my boyfriend’s graduation ceremony. Then, the next morning my sister had her graduation ceremony, and then my family went out for lunch later. I came home from the lunch, took a nap, and then around 7 p.m. I decided it was time to run three miles. Again, I did this run on the treadmill.

Running three miles the day after running four miles was not my smartest idea. However, changing into my pajamas after my shower felt like heaven.

The next truth bomb I need to drop is that I actually didn’t run on Sunday like I originally planned. I only needed to run 1.08 miles that day, but I also had to work an eleven hour shift. During this shift I took over 22,000 steps, so I was okay with not running on Sunday. Therefore, I ran the 1.08 miles, and hit the 50 mile mark, this morning on the treadmill.

I know running on a treadmill is not the same as running outside. I do intend to do most of my half marathon training outside with actual hills, but I will also be using the treadmill from time to time. I think the treadmill is a very useful tool for running. It helps me figure out what pace I feel comfortable at, and it helps me push myself to run at a slightly faster pace every now and then.

After these past four days, my legs are exhausted. I am very much looking forward to taking a rest day tomorrow.

Well, tomorrow I need to run a few errands and probably try to clean up my room a little, so it won’t be a full on rest day. Honestly, other than running the 1.08 miles this morning, today was pretty much a rest day for me.

In Other News

I still have about a month until I officially start my half marathon training. I looked at the training plan I am going to use and planned when I needed to actually start training for the race. I’m following a 16-week plan, which means I need to start training on June 17.

Until then, I’m going to work on continuing to build my base. Hopefully, it won’t take me another twelve weeks to complete the next fifty miles.

Also, Kathrine recently got a Fitbit, which means I now need to worry about competing with both her and my mom for the most steps taken weekly.

Speaking of which, my mom beat me last week. I guess it’s a good thing I plan on running more!

Motivation Monday

“Magic happens when you do not give up, even though you want to. The universe always falls in love with a stubborn heart.”

– JM Storm

This is how I felt after I finished running four miles the other day. I wanted to give up when I was halfway there, but I pushed through it. I’m not sure the universe fell in love with me, but I sort of fell in love with myself. (That was cheesy, but I’m keeping it).

Okay, well that’s all I have for this week. Thank you for sticking with me for the first fifty miles of my journey. I am excited to tell you about the next fifty!

Week 12:  
Miles run this week: 8.08
Miles run total: 50.00!!
Overall mood: Accomplished and proud