Back to my blog again... I am glad to be back in the routine.
I am in "week 15" and it will culminate with a l o n g 20 mile run.
I ran 5.25 miles on Tuesday, 6.25 miles on Wednesday and 6 miles today.
I will take a couple of days off before tackling the long training run.

My running partner and I had a rather challenging run today...
I reminded her "that every training run is different" and we persevered and averaged a 10 minute mile... 1 hour of our day dedicated to our goal. Because I can... I am grateful.

Had some good tunes while we ran - - the most memorable and one that I can always count on helping me to rejuvenate my run is Matchbox 20's. It is common that I will hit replay once or twice on a run and if I am on a treadmill, I will actually dance it out and air drum along.
Should be on every one's running playlist.

Today is the big X-mas holiday with the hope of a new year coming right behind it.
I am definitely looking forward to 2010!

Until next time - Kelly

Day 100 of 127 (countdown to 1/17/09)

Well it sure has been a long time that I have posted about my training...

YES - I have been training, but life got a little to busy for me and something had to give.

The documentation of my training was the "give" although I did not let the training go.

I have nearly run 300 miles in my training since September when I started and I have run a half marathon as well. I have been fortunate to escape any major injuries and have been enjoying my long training runs with Lindsay (running partner). My daughter, Hailey, is training down in Houston for the BIG event up here and will be flying up for the race.

Since my last blog, Lindsay and I have run a few very long runs with the longest being 19 miles. That was interesting, exhilarating, exhausting, exciting and FUN!?! This next weekend is the infamous week 15 and we run our L O N G 20 miler... This has been a real adventure and it is hard for me to believe that we are nearing the last month of training. Actually, I am ready for this training to be over as it is difficult to continually fit in the time to make it happen. On the other hand, the time would have passed whether I had been training or not and I would not have had the opportunity to push myself past the limits and boundaries I had put on myself in the past.

Pushing past what you thought you could do, setting a goal, making a plan and following it, realizing you can do more and endure more than you ever thought are all things that I have learned on this training journey.

The half marathon that Lindsay and I ran a couple of weeks ago was amazing... I ran my personal best for the half with just over a 9 min mile for the 13.1 miles.
You see, I ran my first half mar in Jan "08" at 2:30 min, the second half in Jan "09" at 2:14, and then this one in Dec 09 at 1:59 - WOW! I cut 1/2 hour from my time in 2 years. I have also taken off about 25+ lbs as well...

Regarding the weight.... During this training, I am eating like a horse. You would think that someone running 20-30 miles per week would be rail thin... but, not me : )
I am keeping my weight off and staying in great cardio shape... but, I am not bone thin.
After the race in January, I intend to mix it up a bit and actually shape body with some cross training and weight lifting and (of course) I will continue to run 3 to 4 days a week.

The music has continued to be a HUGE part of training for me. Last night I ran 5.25 miles at the gym on a treadmill and that is when I really blast the music and let it help me get through the boringness of running in place for that long. Last night, I enjoyed Paramore's EMERGENCY and remembered that Paramore has been on my playlist from the beginning (first & second marathon)... with MISERY and with BORN FOR THIS . That is good running music!

I will finish up this last training month with a renewed commitment to updating my BLOG while I finish up my training and run the big race on January 17th!

26.2 - I am narrowing in on you!

Day 55 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Today is a "recovery day" after the l o n g run... it was an amazing 15 mile run through the beautiful high desert and through portions of Tonto Natl Park. My running partner, Lindsay, and I took off around 7am. We were well equipped with lots of water and some gel for much needed energy so that we could "go the distance." It took us both a while to warm up and get in the zone... but, once that took place 3 miles in, we were good to go until we made it back to the starting point. We ran a couple of miles on pavement until we hit the dirt roads of the Rio Verde Foothills. It seems rather unbelievable that we have built on our training over the past 8 weeks to the point where we are running 15 miles. We celebrated our big run with a nice juicy hamburger & a beer at Greasewood Flats. No real pain or soreness that evening or today, I consider myself lucky and prepared. Off to bed, exhaustion has set in.

I hope your training is going well... Until next time - Kelly

p.s... enjoy the pics from our run!

Day 53 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/2010)

My training is moving right along, I am in week 8 and almost half way through the full marathon training. I can tell you that training for a full marathon is definitely more time consuming than training for a half. That seems to be the biggest challenge is fitting in the training runs.

I missed my Wednesday 7 mile run and did it yesterday. So, today is my day of rest before the

l o n g run of 15 miles tomorrow. A running partner and I will run in the Arizona high desert for this long run and we will enjoy a good, cool and brisk run with great mountain views and saguaros abound.

I will check in tomorrow and let you know how the run went.... I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your training and more importantly... enjoying your LIFE! until next time - Kelly

Day 48 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

I am posting a day after this weeks l o n g run; yesterday was my longest run yet... 14 miles.
You know what? 14 miles is a l o n g run. I made it through with the support and company of one of my running partners and her friend who was in town.

This run came after a week of my missing 2 short training runs and having a longer run on Wednesday of about 7 miles in the wind and cold. I took a break because I was feeling some pain in my right hip and right knee and didn't want to push it to a place that I couldn't run my long runs. The experts all agree that the l o n g training run is soo important in your training to meet your goal of running the marathon. You need to get use to being on your feet running for such a long period of time and put yourself in the type of situations that may occur while you running the marathon.

I can't say that running 14 miles was easy, because it wasn't, but I was prepared and got through it and although the last 2 miles was REALLY HARD... we pushed through it and didn't stop. This was my longest run to date as the longest I had run previously was the 1/2 marathon distance of 13.1 miles. So, it was a milestone for me and the folks I was running with, it was their longest runs as well. We certainly have something to be proud of... our training has taken us to new distance and next weeks 15 mile long run will be "just a mile more" than what we have already run.

Today's Tune is BELIEVE by Rob Thomas: He sings "tell me how were gonna get that far, tell me how were gonna get that far. Wait, I don't think we can make it in the world without some faith... we must BELIEVE, we must BELIEVE." I said these words out loud while I was listening to them yesterday during our run and is now my new running mantra. Believe is a bonus track on Rob Thomas' Cradlesong Album, if you download it on iTunes you can hear how great it really is. The whole album is super.

Until next time - Kelly

Day 45 of 127 (countdown to 1/17/10)

Oh jeez... did it get cold out or what? It was brrring cold out this morning and it was hard to motivate myself to get out the door to run in my shorts! But, I got caught up in work and the sun was shining and by the time I did get out, it was "a wee bit" warmer.

I ran about 6.5 (more or less) today in the cold and wind. For the first 15 minutes, I felt like my lungs were freaking out. I seem to experience that when I haven't run outside for a long time (just inside on a treadmill) and then I go run outside. Now that I have been running outside for a long time, with the sudden temperature drop, I experience the constricting feeling in my lungs which made me need to cough and spit quite a bit - yuck.

None-the-less, it was a beautiful day and I ran in my new shoes (same that I always wear: Asics 2140, 9 wide). And they felt good and no problems. The past few runs have been very difficult for me because my right hip and then the right knee, hurt. I always stretch well, but something was bothering it. So, I took an extra day off from running and decided to change out my shoes. Today was much better. Tomorrow is a short 3 or 4 miler and then I have Friday off and a long 14 mile run on Saturday morning!

It is getting down within 80 days of the marathon, time is passing quickly. When I look too far out at the miles that we will be running in the next month or two, it seems almost impossible. But, I will trust the training and be consistent and enjoy the experience.

Until next time - Kelly

Day 42 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

How I enjoyed my last run in California (on Thursday) and I wish I could say the same about today's run. I enjoyed the cool California temperatures at the end of last week and, because I did not get out early enough this morning for today's training run... I suffered out there.
Thank goodness that this week is a scheduled "set back" in mileage... so, only 9 miles was scheduled for the Novice 2 program. I took off at 11 a.m... under full sun. I always carry 16 oz of water on me, and today I took an additional 14 oz. that I placed under a tree about 1.25 miles out so that when i was on my return trip, I would be able to be refreshed for the last mile.
Actually, the run itself was not that bad, if it were not for the heat and sun. I enjoyed an occasional cool breeze, the great mountain views and of course some great tunes.

I am moving into week 12 of my 23 week training program, one third of the way done!
This next week will have a step-up in training as my Tue/Thu 3 mile runs will both be 4 miles and my longer Wednesday run will be 7 miles (instead of 6). And the Saturday run will increase to 14 miles this week. Wow... training is moving right along.

How is your training coming along? Congratulations to Barb who has met her recent running goal!

Today's tune is fun, energetic and has a great beat. Fallout Boy's "This ain't a scene, It's an Arms race". Enjoy... it is really fun.

Until next time - Kelly

Day 39 of 127 Countdown to 1/17/09

Wow... It has been a few days since I logged in and boy, have I been busy.
The good news is that I have been running! The bad news.... well, there really is no bad news. I have just been very busy and for me... that is a good thing. I ran 3 miles on Tuesday, 6+ miles yesterday and then just got done running 3 miles here in California. My daughter, Breezie, and I just drove over to Claremont, CA today for her to do a college overnight at Scrippts college in Claremont. After her check-in, I put on my running gear and took off for a nice 3 mile jog. What I miss most about California: The smell of eucalyptus trees... aahhhh.
What I don't miss most about California: The traffic : )
My run was nice although I was a bit concerned about my right knee which has been giving me a bit of trouble since I ran in those "other" running shoes (this past Tuesday's 3 mile run.) Although, when I push on the knee, I feel some problems in there, when I walk or run... no problem. So, last night I ran at the gym on the treadmill to make sure it was not going to give me a problem when I was 3 miles away from home. If I was on the treadmill, I could just get off and drive home.
But, last nights run was good and so was today's.
I believe that I cut back on my Saturday run to 10 miles. I won't have my running buddy, Lindsay, to run alongside me this week and I will be running from Culver City, CA to ?
Maybe I will run up to Santa Monica and back?
My computer is at the shop (Dell) being fixed, so I am working off of my old lap top.
So, I don't have access to my music and my training schedule. So, I must say I feel "off" since it went away. I just learned that it arrived back home today so I can't wait to get back on and then I will feel "normal" again and be logging in more frequently.

How are your training runs going? Is anyone training for a particular run, event or special purpose? Keep me posted on your progress... we all learn from each other.

I will post a today's tune with my next post (since I don't have my tunes)....

Until next time - Kelly

Day 34 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

a GREAT, but hard, 12 mile long training run today and it sure was warm out there.
We are having unseasonably warm weather here in Phoenix and it got hot early. Our running group took off at 6:35 am and it was already warm out, then by the time we were getting in our cars a couple of hours later, it was already 90 degrees.
Having a running group or a running partner can make all the difference in your training runs.
When you get out there to run for a few hours, it is nice to have a partner out there to help motivate you, to ensure you are taking necessary water breaks and to keep you distracted from the challenge of the run. If you are interested in finding a running company in your area, start by asking at your local running stores or go to a search engine (like google) and type in your city name and running club.
The first 6 miles of the run were relatively easy and after we made the turn around and were coming back... the sun was bright and hot, the temperatures were rising. The legs felt heavier than normal, the fingers were swelling, arms and shoulders felt tight and my mouth was dry. We did stop and drink water a few times on the way back, but in the heat was getting to us and we were glad when the final 6 miles were done.
At one point, I heard a song come on the iPod that was an oldie but a goodie and it gave me an extra boost... it was Lynard Skynard's "Give me three steps". It gave me the extra 3 steps, plus 3 more, and 3 more, and so on, and so on. Take a listen and consider adding it to your play list for some "fun on the run".
I am really tired tonight, I am sure that I will sleep well tonight.
Until next time - Kelly

Day 31 of 127 (Countdown to 1/1/710)

Ok... I didn't post yesterday, but I did run my 3 "easy" miles.
Easy?NOT... It was not my best day, nor my best run. I had that run over my head all day since I did not get out early. When I got out of work at 5:15pm and had to stop at the post office (now 5:30pm) and then home at 5:55pm. Ran in to the house, like a bat out of hell, changed into running gear and then out the door around 6:10pm. It was a beautiful temperature outside and the sky was a beautiful pink, blue and grey. I noticed that the first 10 minutes felt "hard" and the next 10 were still... hard. It was almost dark at this point and I was running on dirt roads that have washes through them, so I maneuvered carefully and was soon home.
whew... At least I didn't miss the run.

Today's run was 6 miles and it was much better than last nights run.
It was a bit warm at 10:45 am, the sun was shining and I took off on my dirt road.
I decided to take a different route and the change in view, was great. I saw some new horses, a few new houses, saw some Halloween decorations, saw some dogs... it was great.
I got home an hour later and had the run behind me... that always makes the rest of the day feel like you have already accomplished something BIG.

Tomorrow it is 3 miles and then a day off in preparation for Saturday's 12 mile, morning canal run.

Today's Tune is a bit slow to start, but a few minutes in you will hear how and why I think this is a great, motivating marathon song to run to.... I will put this Kelly Clarkson tune on my marathon play list and remember to listen to it when I am really having a hard time, especially at mile 22! : )
is it over yet,
can I open my eyes,
is this as hard as it gets,
is this what it feels like to really cry?
cry
CRY

until next time - Kelly

Day 29 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

You have probably not noticed... but, the box on the right side of this post is a countdown calendar to the number of days until the race ~ 97 ~ only 97! I have been "officially" training for 29 days. Yes, it is true that I had been running a few days a week over the spring and summer and ran the half marathon the past 2 years... so, I guess I can tell people that I am a "runner". I think that it is hard to "commit" to saying you are a "runner" because I don't feel like I "belong" in that esteemed group yet. But, the truth is, If you get out and "try to run" - YOU ARE A RUNNER!

Today is an official day of rest on my training schedule. I must say that Hal Higdon tells us at this point of the training that today is "A day of rest" He asks me to consider "how well you are being served by your running shoes. Are they worn?" and suggests that it may be time to purchase a new pair--. He also suggest that I Look in the mirror. "Oh yeah, that's a marathoner staring back at me!" That Hal sure seems to know what he is talking about : )
BYW - I am going tomorrow to pick up a new pair of 9W Asics 2140's (or whatever the newest model of my shoe is); these shoes have served me well over the years and are the perfect stability shoe that is lightweight and comfortable and supports those big, wide, bunion feet of mine.

Does anyone else LOVE the Arizona State Fair commercial with the lady who has the PINK cotton candy hair? It was just on t.v. and I always take note and snicker about it... If I like it, I bet you do to.

Welcome to our newest "blog follower".. LINDSAY. Lindsay ran the 11 miles with me on Saturday and I have a feeling we will be running a lot of miles together on Saturdays over the next 97 days. And, I want to congratulate my faithful blog follower, BARB! Way to go BARB on your longest distance run to date... both you and Lindsay ran your longest runs ever this past weekend... YOU SHOULD BE SOO PROUD!

Today's Tune is one I was introduced to (again) on my Lance Armstrong download of Run Longer (Nike - iTunes workout). The band is +44 and the song is 155. This song has EXCELLENT drumming and anyone who knows me, knows that I appreciate a good drummer, even if I don't know any real drummers. But, it is a fact that I have been known to "air drum" while I run (and, sometimes I dance too), and this BAND/SONG has it all; a great beat to run fast, some wild rock star type attitude and the kind of "chi energy" that you can see flowing through them that comes right through your ear buds and helps you get to your final destination on your run. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Until next time - Kelly

Day 27 of 127 (countdown to 1/17/10)

I did it, so did a lot of others today... we ran 11 miles in our quest to prepare for the full marathon on 1/17/10! This is almost the distance that I ran for the 1/2 marathon (13.2 miles) for the past 2 years... but, running 11 miles this early in to training make me feel like I am really going to be prepared for January's Big Day. No stopping today either... just at the halfway mark to gave a drink of Gatorade, otherwise it was 1 hr and 45 minutes of fun : )
lol, ha-ha: but, seriously it is really fun to get out there early in the day and meet new people, run off the stress of the week, feel the chi flowing through you and feel (at the end) that you have really accomplished something.
Now, my house is still messy ... but, I did run 11 miles.
Because I talked so much on the run today, I don't even have a today's tune.
That goes to show you how much fun I was really having, typically I need my music to get me through my runs. I ran 22.5 miles this week and now I have a couple of days off! YEA - I need it. My legs are a bit heavy tonight and I should have taken a rest or nap today, but I didn't.

How are your training runs coming along? They are not all suppose to be easy, but you never regret it when you are done, although sometimes you wonder... why am I doing this again?

Have a great Sunday and until next time - Kelly

Training Day 25 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

How is your training going? Mine is on track and I feel success in our future! 25 days down and 101 more to go... I am posting in the morning for yesterdays training run because after my interval workout yesterday evening, and the week that I had, I was so tired that I fell asleep. When you burn the candle from both ends, that will happen. So, I let myself go and enjoyed a full 8 hours.

I did an "interval" training session yesterday to my Lance Armstrong's "Run Longer" Coaching run (I downloaded from iTunes). It is a cool 40 minute timed run where he coaches you when you run and has excellent alternative type music... I love it. It starts with 8 minutes of jogging/running at a comfortable pace and then he takes you through 3 intervals, each 4 minutes long) where you increase your speed and then back off (back to warm up speed) for 4 minutes in between to rest. So, I ran 8 minutes at 6 mph (10 min mile), then for 4 minutes I ran at 6.5 mph, then back to 6 mph for 4 min, then up to 7 mph for 4 min, back to 6 mph for 4, then up to 7.5 mph (8 min mile) for 4 minutes and then back to 6 mph for the remainder of the run.
I can tell you that the 7.5 mph at 8 min mile was HARD, but I did it. At times Lance comes into your ear to tell you things like "pain is temporary, quitting last forever" or "remember, winning is about heart, not legs" (or something like that)... he also will say things like "stick with it, focus - only 30 seconds to go". It is very motivational.

I often see how fast the trainers on the biggest looser have the contestants going for short sprints and I have read that speed training is good for many things. I can tell you, for me, it is a confidence builder. The speed training will also help me increase my regular "pace" and then I can run longer in the same amount of time or run shorter in less time : )

So, when I was in Houston, I picked up the book by Hal Higdon (the training guide that I am following on line) the book is Marathon; the ultimate training guide. I am about half way through and it is really a great resource manual. I am picking up lots of tips and learning more about marathon strategy (stick to the plan), building up mileage, avoiding injury (don't over train or under train), training right, etc.. His website is full of resourceful and free information, his book and other great resource information is available on line or as I found it, in a used book store.

I am on a rest day today in preparation for a nice long 10 mile run tomorrow.
I will go down with the running club and start at 6:30 am and I expect I will run about a 10 minute mile and be done in an hour and a half. We will see how that goes.... My weekly mileage is building up and after the 10 tomorrow, I will have logged 22.5 miles for the week.

Today's Tune: Love It When You Call by The Feeling ... this is one of the tunes off of the Lance coaching run that I love. The video is from a live performance that ends kind-of abruptly, but you will love it none the less and then maybe go to iTunes and download the studio version... great tune.

Until next time, Kelly

Training Day 24 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Nice 5 mile jog this morning... I can say that now, but it sure was tough getting out the door.
And, I kept telling myself "you never regret it when you're done" (thanks Valerie). That was soo true today and it took me a good 2 miles to kick it in gear. There certainly are those days that it is harder than others to get out there and make it happen. Yet, even though it was difficult, I was very proud of myself for doing it. No one can take that away from you.

I just wanna soak up the sun - Today's Tune is a good one! When I was running today, it was raining on one side of me and sunny on the other. I took a picture of a rainbow to post tonight, although I am soo tired I cannot figure out how to make that happen. Maybe tomorrow?
So, after I see the rainbow and I am running (about 3.5 miles into the 5 mile run), Sheryl Crow's "Soak up the Sun" came on and her words about "its not getting what you want, its wanting what you have" were as perfect years ago as they are today. That is really a great song.

I hope you are all enjoying your training days or your "get outside" days. I am only 2 days away to double digits till the marathon. I think today I am at 101 days (see right side of blog) and soon it will only be 99 days! I can't believe I am almost 1 month into my "training"... time is flying by.
Until next time - Kelly

Training Day 23 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Wow... challenging 3 mile run in the humid Houston weather this morning. It was a nice challenge, although I was definitely glad when it was over. It felt longer than 3 miles but I did enjoy the sights of the city skyline and my music (of course).

These training runs are multi-purposeful; 1) to increase your mileage and prepare you for the marathon (or whatever your goal is) and 2) Place you in every potential running situation you may encounter on race day.

Today, I ran in the humid Houston heat, 2 days ago I ran in the pouring rain... I have run in shorts in the low 30's, I have run on a treadmill, I have run in the dark, in the light, with water, and without. The 18 weeks of training puts you in so many different situations that you are prepared for whatever race day brings to you. For example, if it is hot and humid on race day, I will be wearing a hat or sweat bands... today, the sweat rolled into my eyes and burned so badly, I will ensure I am more prepared in humidity.

Today's Tune is one that is a blast from the past, plus it is a country tune, in honor of my being in Texas for a few days. I hadn't heard this song for a very long time, so when it came on my iPod, I was surprised. After a couple of minutes, the tune is really rocking, it is a real GIRLS tune and one that makes a real statement again domestic violence. Martina McBride sure can sing... this is one of her best tunes.

Until next time - Kelly

Training Day 22 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

I have not posted for a few days... but, I have been busy, although still "in training"! I had a FANTASTIC long run yesterday and I am not even sure how long it was. I put 6 miles.. it could be more, could be less. I ran in Houston along the bayou with the Houston skyline in view and I ran in the rain. What a treat and how much fun I had; I was definately running with Chi flowing through me. It was like being a kid and dodging puddles and mud and having a ball. When I arrived in houston, I learned my daugther had run long the day before with her new Houston running club, so - I was on my own. When I woke up and saw the rain and realized it was not going to subside, I suited up and decided to run in the rain.

When you are "in training" I have realized that there are "no excuses"... JUST DO IT!

My daughter told me where to run, I borrowed a hat from my son-in-law and I was off.

I put my phone in a zip lock baggie in my waste pack so that if I got lost, I could call home for directions(yes... at the end of the run, I had gone to far and had to call home for directions.)

When I took off and started to run, I realized how nice and refreshing the rain was - it was a great temperature out and the rain, although steady, was not soo heavy that it immediately drenched me (that took a while). One thing I particulary like about running in a new location is that you don't even realize that you are winded or tired... you are just thinking about where you are going and taking in the sights.

This will go down as one of my favorite runs to date and when I finally did get home (an hour plus later), I was soaked through and through.

Then, last night we went to see Rob Thomas at the Verizon Theater here in Houston. Carloina Liar and One Republic opened for him. Both bands were great....

Last night Rob discussed one of his favorite stories and songs that he wrote from a day he had in Phoenix when he was out walking his dog. He said he ws especially pissed off and aggrivated that day and his dog looked at him and wagged his tail and he said he was being a "d**k" and changed his attitude. So, here is "small wonders" for your enjoyment.

Until next time - Kelly

Training Day 18 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

I ran 3.5 miles on a treadmill at 5:45pm and then did a wonderful 1 hour yogalates class.
I really need to build my core strength... my abs are mushy and weak ; (
It was kind of boring running inside although I did especially enjoy a few great tunes.

Today's tune is Fallout Boy's "Thanks for the Memories," I think you will agree when you see this video that it is hot and makes you want to "dance run". It is fun to dance while you run and have a wild and fun time. When I am enjoying my running and the tunes, you will see me drumming, dancing, flying and all kind of other crazy things. I do get some stares, but - I don't care. I have Chi flowing through me and it is a such a huge, fun, stress release!

3 of my 4 running workouts are done for the week, 1 long run to go this week.

Enjoy the tune, until next time - Kelly

Training Day 17 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

I hope everyone had a nice Wednesday and are enjoying this pleasant weather. I believe that we are out of the 100+ degree days, at least I am hopeful. I do remember training in low to mid 30's in December (down at the canal in S. Scottsdale)... bbrrr, I am going to try and remember how hot the summer was and enjoy even those frigid days of training, too. Welcome in October...

I had a lovely run today (as you will see on the video). When my daughter was here and we ran together, she mentioned we may be able to upload a few video's while we are running the marathon to share "real time" with those who can't be with us. Today, as I was getting close to the home, I pulled out my phone to check the time and thought that I might try a very short video and see how it came out. VERY INTERESTING, I must say. I said I was a quarter of a mile from the home, although I was much closer than that. Did the jiggling of the camera make anyone sick? ha-ha just another way to share experiences in this amazing technically advanced world we live in.

Lots of great running tunes today. I think I will update the blog to compile a playlist of the training tunes that I share every few days. That way, at the end I can ensure that I have them all with me on the BIG Day... and, if any of you want to download the songs, you will be able to. I will do this in the next few days.

Today's Tune: Is it any Wonder by Keane I was turned on to this song after downloading a 40 minute coaching run from iTunes by Lance Armstrong called Run Longer (you should get this amazing download)! Lance had some great tunes throughout the run, Is it any Wonder being one of them, and he also chats in your ear along the way. He may say "Remember, Pain is temporary, Quitting lasts Forever". Very motivational and inspiring coming from Lance. I hope you enjoy the Keane tune... it definitely helps me run, run, run!

Until next time - Kelly

Training Day 16 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Nice training run today at 6.2 mph for first 2.5 miles and then pumped it up to 6.5 mph for the next 1.5 miles. That represents 9.41 & 9.14 min mile...
We intend to finish the full marathon (26.2 miles) in 4 hr 15 min or less, which is 9.45 min mile... so, that is very do able.

Anyone else out there had a cold yet this season? I am fighting off a cold and keep telling myself that I don't really have one : ) My goal is to think and exercise it away... burn it out.

I am motivated by a friend of mine who ran 2.3 miles today (for the first time)! Congrats, Barb!
She is following a 5k, 2 month training schedule and doing a bang up job at sticking to it.
I am getting very excited for PF Chang (azRNR) marathon in January, there are so many people out training and this is the perfect season.

Does anyone have any great running songs that they would like to suggest? Just click on comment and share them and I will in turn put them out here in the blog for everyone to enjoy.
Today I had so many great songs, it was hard to come up with just as as today' tune. But, I did come up with on: My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson ... I recently downloaded Kelly C's newest album (at the suggestion of Valerie Bertinelli who said that Kelly & Pink were great running cd's after her recent half marathon). I love all the songs and especially love "Life would Suck" ... so enjoy!

Speaking of Valerie Bertinelli, she and Olivia Newton John will be the key note speakers at AZ Womans Conference in Phoenix on 10/17 & 10/18 this year. I hope I can make it because I am sure it will be inspirational to hear either of them speak. My daughters and I have gone to this expo a few times and really is good with lots of great give aways and fun shopping ideas.

Have a great day, until next time - Kelly

Training Day 15 of 127 (Countdown to 1/1/710)

In week 3 of 18 towards my first big 26.2!
It was so nice to have another day off from training; I am now relaxed and ready for tomorrow's 3 mile run. I intend to get out early for my 3 mile run, and then Wednesday I have a 4 or 5 mile run, Thursday another 3 and Saturday is 5 or 6... I am wavering between the Novice 1 or Novice 2 training programs because I have been running on and off for a couple of years now and have completed 2 half marathons and a few other races as well. So, I feel that I can do a bit more than the novice 1, but I am not ready for the intermediate training schedule. Interestingly enough, Hal has a Novice 2 for those who are in between (like me.) So, as I schedule and train, I will combine the two based on how I am feeling. The 8 miles went extremely well the other day, I hope that means I am not over training for my current level of fitness. Today's Tune is a song that I am surprised that I like so much. It is a Britney Spears song; Radar. This is really a catchy tune and one that is easy to run to. You may want to add it to your play list and try it out on a run. Until next time - Kelly

Training Day 14 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Day 14, the end of week 2 and now on to the 3rd week of training!
Only 16 weeks of training left. When I look back over the last 2 weeks, it has flown by very quickly. It is very true that the time goes by whether we do something or not, I prefer the "do something" vs the alternative. When I look back at the photo on the left, I am reminded how I was training for my first half marathon 2 years ago. My running partner, Kelly (we were Kelly & Kelly), and I could have never imagined that we could finish 13.1 miles, neither of us had ever done pushed ourselves like that. But, with consistent training and working the program... WE DID IT! Words cannot express how accomplished and fulfilled you feel when you cross the finish line for the first time. No joke... it was really hard at times, but it is soo worth it in the end.
I hope your training runs and rests are going well (if you have started) and are energized by the process. Until next time - Kelly

Day 13 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Well, today's training was my l o n g run and the 8 miles went surprisingly well. 6:15 am down on the canal was the perfect time to begin my run; the weather was a cool 75. For Arizona in September, that is great. Because I arrived early, I ran by myself... the Scottsdale Running Club was starting their run at 6:35 am and I decided to get a head start. I intended to run 7 miles today, but the run was going so well, I kept with it and turned around at 4 miles. Also, the running club had set out gatorade at the 4 mile turn and it was a welcome break from the warm water in my water bottle. A nice stretch at the end of the run and an inviting cup of coffee for the drive home and I was able to check off one of the things on my "to do"list for the day. Until next time - Kelly

Day 12 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Although, considered a rest day, I don't think that was in the cards for me today. I did not run today, but, I do feel exhausted tonight. I went to UofA with my daughter, my husband, and 3 of my daughters friends for campus tours and information session. Tonight, I am working on school assignments and realizing that I have to meet someone to run at 6am in the morning. Tomorrow is the L O N G run and I intend to run 7 or 8 miles in South Scottsdale on the canal.
I love running along the canal and have many fond memories of training there over the last 2 years (when training for the half marathon). The longest I ever ran down there was 12 miles... to think that I will be running 20 in December (the day after x-mas), seems kind-of unreal.
I will trust Hal and Danny that the skills and techniques I have learned over the past couple of years and with the right training, I will complete my first full marathon in January!
I wish you all luck on your long weekend runs, however long they may be. Enjoy and until next time - Kelly G.

Day 11 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Hello running friends, I hope that where ever you are, you are having great fall running weather! Today, I ran 4 miles on a nice sandy trail with lots of little hills and surprises along the way. I got out later than I had wanted to, but the weather was still beautiful. The 2 miles down the trail were much easier to navigate than the 2 miles coming back up. There was a gradual elevation change (a few hundred feet 2080-2300,) but enough that it took your breath away on the way back up. I ran about 4 miles in 38 minutes and had to stop for water/walk 2 times for 15 seconds or so on the return.

Hal had a 3 miler planned for today (I did a mile more). He says "Still another 3-miler! It seems like we're in a rut, but don't worry: Next week the midweek workouts take a slight bump upwards in distance. Most of the mileage changes from week to week in this program are "slight." Slight changes will gradually get you in shape--and that's the best way. Slight changes will do it, but for the time being, be content with your third 3-miler in 3 days. The simplest and easiest way to accomplish a 3-mile workout is to run the same measured course each time. But consider having separate Tuesday and Thursday courses. Particularly as the program continues, you may want to bring some variety to your workouts." I agree, today was my third day running out my front door and wanted to go a different direction... the change was good.

Food program was not that good today; even though I had good breakfast (my favorite is Activia Light and 3/4 cup protein plus special k), I got busy after my run and didn't eat a proper lunch. Then, I snacked on a few things I shouldn't have and went to happy hour at 5pm and had 2 drinks and a couple of pieces of bruschetta. "Oh well", the good news is that as the mileage increases, we will be faced with the holidays. So, it is good to train through the holidays to help burn off those extra calories we will undoubtedly take in!

Today's Tune is by the All American Rejects; Move Along. "When all you got to keep is strong move along, move along just to make it through and even when your hope is gone, move along, move along just to make it through... Right back what is wrong, move along!" What a great song I was listening to when I was struggling back up the train and feelin' it!

Tomorrow we are off with 3 high school seniors to UofA for a full day of tour, classes, lunch, etc... This is that important time of the year when they are visiting and applying to colleges. I can't believe that both of the kids are almost grown! This sure is an exciting time in their lives.

Until next time, Kelly

Day 10 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Anyone in the Phoenix metro area knows how it felt walking outside today; AMAZING! I went for a run at 7:00 am and it was only 70 degrees. Everywhere I went today, it was the topic of conversation: "This is why we live in Arizona", "Can you believe this weather?", "I would want to live anywhere else"... but, just a few short weeks ago, it was terribly hot. So, you can imagine that a lovely 3 mile run was just wonderful for me this morning.

Wednesday(s) on Hal's program is typically the "hard" day of the week. Although this week, it was only 3 miles, next week it will be 4 and every other week it will increase by 1 mile until my Wednesday run is 10 miles. I will have to work hard to incorporate that kind of mileage into a "regular" day, a "work" day. Plus, as we move further into fall, the mornings get darker. So... "note to self - consider what the heck is the best plan to ensure the miles get put in." Actually, I find that running early is (typically) the best way for me to get through a work out. It accomplishes 2 things: 1) After I complete the workout, I have that success with me for the whole entire day, and if you remember what Valerie Bertinelli told me... "You never regret it when you are done," it is so nice to carry that with you for a whole day and 2) You don't have to think about it and have "the run" hanging over you for the whole day! When you run late, you have to consider what you are going to eat all day, what is okay for lunch, etc.. because, I have to still run later. But, when you run early, you drink your 16 oz. of water and run out the door. The rest of the day you are HOME FREE. But... I think that is all a personal choice, running early is just my preference.

Also, today I got a great recommendation to a watch that is both affordable and will track my pace, distance, etc.. I am soo excited to check into the Garmin 205 further...

I would like to put a quick "plug" out there for October's issue of Runner's World magazine.
If you have the opportunity to pick it up, do so. It (as always) has great information for runners of all abilities... plus, recipes and more!

Today's Tune is an oldy, but a goodie! Man... I LOVE this song. I can run my heart out to it. I have recently decided that Pink could do a re-make of this song and it would definitely work. The song is Promises in the Dark by Pat Benetar and it is AMAZING! I have always loved Pat's music and she never disappoints when I am running (Hell is for Children, the Ooh, Ooh Song & More). But Promises in the Dark is genius (I don't use that word casually). ENJOY!

Until next time - Kelly

Training Day 9 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Now in training week 17 and today's training run was with my daughter, Hailey.

We had a wonderful run, the temperature was perfect, there was a great breeze. We ran 3 miles, talked about the day we will be running 26 miles together and discussed "strategy". The strategy is to stick to the plan!

We discussed what we might wear, if we should walk through water stations, the music we would listen to, the time that it will take to complete and how we will deal with the challenges. But, we know we have what it takes and are looking forward to the process. When we got back, we signed Hailey up for the marathon before we took her to the airport for her return to Houston. She and I will be running together again next week when I go to Houston to visit her and we go to see Rob Thomas in concert!

I will run again tomorrow morning, Thursday and the long run this week (7 miles) will be Saturday. I am planning to look for a watch to begin tracking time and pace. I have set a goal to complete the marathon in 4hr 15 min or less; I like the "or less".

I wish you all the best during your activities, I love to hear your success stories.

Until next time - Kelly

Day 8 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Hola', One week of training has already passed, only 17 more to go! Plus, I have already accumulated over 17 miles in one week. That being said, I have not even run, in the past week, the total number of miles I will be running on 1/17/2010 in less than 4 hrs and 15 min (my goal finish time). My training today (Hal Higdon's Week 2 Novice Training Schedule) consisted of REST and to evaluate how I felt after my first week of training. My first job at hand was REST; CHECK , my second job was evaluation how I felt after my first week; CHECK. The no running/rest was great, and the evaluation of last week was super. I woke up today and was concerned that the ankle and foot pain might come back from yesterday, but I am completely fine. Neither foot gave me a problem, I walked a bit today and was grateful because it very
possibly could have side lined me for a while. When I look back over the week, I feel very good
about the training from last week and intent to stick to Hal's Coaching Rules: "Training is when you follow a schedule, such as this one, where each day has a purpose. If the weather is bad, you still run. If you have important business, you simply rise an hour early to run. Why? Because I told you to! And if Hal tells you to rest, you rest. Pay attention, follow my directions, and I'll get you to the finish line 17 weeks from today. That's a promise!" So, because he promises to get me across the finish line, I will agree to follow his motivating and carefully developed training program. Looking forward in my program for this week, I have a 3 mile run for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and a 7 mile "long run" on Saturday at 6am.
Today's Tune is one of my all time favorite running songs, it has been with me through both of the last half marathons and many other races as well (10k', 5k). It is Paramore's Born for This. Amazing... when I am having a hard run or hitting a wall, I put that song on and when Hayley sings, "sing, like you will never sing again," I imagine it is saying "run, like you will never run again" and then I feel grateful for just being able to be out there putting one foot in front of the other. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Until tomorrow - Kelly

Training Day 7 of 127 (Countdown to 1/17/2010)

An interesting couple of days have left me with a sense of accomplishment; I had some challenges that left both my left and right foot with some minor injuries which almost convinced me not to run long today. But, I reconsidered my recent published quote (on facebook) that asked if I was going to be a wimp or be strong today (-peter maher)... guess what I decided? Mind over Matter, You won't regret it when you are done (I hope), Just Do It!, Stick to it... these were all a few things going on in my mind as I contemplated all of my options.

I will share that I had very sore feet after a concert on Friday night and soaked them when I got home. I woke up the next day and the bottoms of my feet were very sensitive... nothing like I ever get from running. So, I soaked the feet again on Saturday and proceeded through my day and in the afternoon, I went out to the garage and got a shard of glass or cactus needle in my left foot... I attempted to get it out with tweezers (to no avail) and again, I soaked the feet. Throughout the day, I could not get the little bugger out, it was impossible. I continued to consider my long run for the next day (Sunday).... the most important training run of the week. That night, with something in the left foot and with the right ankle feeling the pressure of walking oddly from the day (because of the thing in my left foot and the bad concert feet). AARRGGHH... I decided to take ibuprofen and soak the feet, I looked up info on the i-net as to how to draw out the "little bugger" that was in the left foot. I followed the best suggestion I could find: find a bar of IVORY soap and cut off a few slivers and tape/band aide it to the area to draw out the foreign matter...then, off to bed with a plan established weeks before that said I was to wake in the morning and run 6 miles. I woke up at 6:30 and and when my feet hit the floor, I though... oh no.

My right ankle was really tight and I wasn't sure that I could walk (let alone run). I hobbled to the kitchen and got a coffee and sat down to take off the band-air... how was the left foot this morning? Answer: hard to tell... not as bad as last night, but - wait till I stepped on it or hit it straight on, I will hit the roof. Thinking positive, I dressed for a run and filled up the water bottle. I hobbled out the front door and was sure to take my phone (in case I got a certain distance and couldn't get back home). I hobbled for 5 minutes or so and then started a very slow job. My right ankle was really tight, like nothing I had experienced before (even after running a half marathon). After about 10 minutes, I was feeling surprisingly good and picked up the pace... I kept my options open on the run and gave myself permission to slow, walk, stop, turn-around, or whatever made sense while I was out there. Guess What? I continued to feel better and better and ran 5.7 miles! I was feeling great and had an awesome stretch when I got back. The Chi Running techniques that I follow taught me to be open to listen to my body, to relax, to allow chi to run through me... and it did. After my great stretch, I took the shoes off, the water belt off, and stuck my feet in the cool and refreshing pool AAHHHhhhh... SUCCESS.

I took more ibuprofen after the run and have not taken any additional for the rest of the day.

Both of my feet and ankles are fine. WOW! It is important to say that if my injuries had been more serious or if I had signs that I should turn back, I would have. But, I went out with the hopes to stretch out the tight ankle and that I did. I have not felt another twinge in my left foot... the IVORY soap trick must have worked! The slow, gradual movement in the right ankle really was helped by my nice jog today. What a wonderful day.

Plus, my daughter Hailey came in from out-of-town today... She is also training for her first full marathon and will probably come to phoenix to run it with me in January 10. That would be soo exciting.

Today's Tune? Well, it has been a favorite of mine for years, was at Friday's Fall Frenzy at Tempe Beach Park. The amazing LOVE SHACK from the B52's ! What a great song and has incredible energy... I would say that the B52's definitely have CHI running through them!

Their flow of energy is magnetic and they were great in the concert the other night!

Week 1 is officially behind us and beginning tomorrow, I am only 17 weeks away from the BIG day! Until tomorrow - Kelly

Training Day 6 of 126 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Todays Training is "a day of rest", which is a good thing.
With such a busy day and because I have run for the last 3 days, I think a day of rest is goood.
But, I didn't really rest, I went to my Jenny Craig appointment where I finally met my 1st goal weight... ok, I started last July 29th, 09 - and as of today, have come down 27.4 lbs..
ya-hoo and I had an afternoon concert to go to and I just got home (2am).
I am tired and don't feel the ability to write more in the blog.
But, I will say that the long run for tomorrow had been rescheduled for Sunday (knowing in advance that I would have tired legs from dancing at the concert.
I will check back in tomorrow. Until Then, Kelly

Training Day 5 of 126 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, “Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?”
 - Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

Turned out to be a longer run than I had planned for today and I dropped the yogalates class because I was in a running high and decided to go with it.  Scheduled run was 3 miles today and I ran 5.5.  I went to the gym (Golds in Scottsdale) and jumped on one of my favorite treadmills.  I went later in the day (5:45pm) so that I could take the class at 6:30pm.  By the time I jumped on the machine and started running, the time flew by so quickly that 6:30pm came and went.  Again, music being such a big motivator for me while I run, I was enjoying many great artists: B52's, Matchbox 20, Toby Keith, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, to name a few. 
Although this is day 5 of my training schedule, this is the 3rd day running in a row.  I also ran the same schedule last week; 3 miles on each Tu, We, & Th and did a 6 miler on Sat.  So, as I approach the 3rd day of running, 2nd week in a row, I am feeling surprising good.  I am feeling just a few little twinges in a few places on my bod:  a bunion, an arch, my butt; but - overall I am feeling great. While I run, I continually remind myself of my Chi Running Techniques, relax, have fun, have good posture, lean while keeping the body in a straight line, take in my surroundings,  hold the imaginary ball to relax the shoulders and just have fun.  After I run, I always take a good amount of time to stretch; it really keeps you loose  and avoids the pain of tight muscles for the days following your run. 
Today's Tune of the Day is Matchbox 20 "How Far We've Come" and every time I hear it, it makes me run harder and faster while I consider how far I've come.  Also, as many of you know, I am a HUGE Rob Thomas/Matchbox 20 fan (part of his fan club) and tomorrow night he is playing at Tempe Beach Park. Guess who will be there?  Me and a few other crazy Rob fans... Not only is Rob playing tomorrow night, so is Colbi Calait, Gavin Rossdale, Jason Miraz, B52's, and Rob!  So, enjoy Matchbox and consider how far you've come! Until next time - Kelly G.

Training Day 4 of 126 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

"Three miles, same as yesterday" were the instructions on my Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Schedule (Week 1 Novice). I already planned for it, actually, I know what days and how many miles I will be running daily for the next 122 days! The hard part was making the decision to do it... after that, it is just putting the plan in place and following it. Just Do It as Nike tells us (that was brilliant branding on their part)and a familiar motivational mantra that I repeat almost daily. I digress, back to Day 4 details. I ran out the door a little later than I had planned, the sun was up and it was about 80 degrees. I took off on a dirt road and took a nice slow jog down my road and then up a gentle hill. About 5 minutes into the run, I was feeling the body kicking it in gear, the legs were awake, I was beginning to break a sweat. When I reached the peak of the road, I made a right turn and headed North on pavement. I always run towards traffic and will often run in the road and as a car comes toward me, I will move to the dirt on the side of the road. Of course, this is when I am running on a road vs the dirt trails on the side of the wonderful canals of the Central Arizona Project. This day, it is a nice long, flat road up in the Rio Verde Foothills (where I live) that I can just relax, jog and listen to my music. When I reach my 1.5 mile turn around point, I am feeling oh so good and decide to go a bit further. Wednesday's will be a day that my mileage will increase over the weeks of training, so I decide to keep it going. I turn around a bit further down the road and am thrilled that the sun and heat are not putting a drag on my run. I have mountain views, fresh air, fresh legs and some great tunes. Before I know it, I am back home again and feel exhilerated and accomplished. I will be able to carry these feelings with me for the rest of the day, nice. A few months back, one day, I was fortunate to run into Valerie Bertinelli and her partner, Tom Vitale (the week after she showed up looking amazing in a 2 piece b-suit on the front of PEOPLE mag)and we had the opportunity to discuss weight loss, exercise and running. She and Tom had not yet run a half marathon and I briefly shared my 2 half marathon stories with them and offered encouragement that they can do it (remember... JUST DO IT)? Valerie shared some insight from her own experience that is oh so true & I will pass along to you. As we were discussing exercise and how it is not always easy to get started, she said "but, you never regret it when you are done" . Don't we all know that to be soo true? Those encouraging words get me out the door on the days that "I don't feel like it" or think that I am too busy to stick with the program. Now, it's TUNE TIME; It is here that I will link my favorite tune of the day. I received a few comments on how much you enjoyed SOBER from Pink yesterday and today's song of the day is Show Me What I'm Looking for by Carolina Liar. This song came at the end of my run & is always a favorite of mine. I just learned yesterday that Carolina Liar will be the opening act at the Rob Thomas concert in Houston on 10/4, now I am even more excited for the big concert.
Until tomorrow - Kelly G

Training Day 3 of 126 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

Well, the early wake up call came at 5:45 am and I jumped out of bed enthusiastically... My last thoughts prior to drifting off, just 5 1/2 hours earlier, were to get up early, have a nice half hour run, be back by 6:30 am to get an early start to a great day.  But, as I dressed I had a familiar, annoying sensation that I have felt a few times (or more) a month for the last 32 years; damn, I have a migraine. Because I have complicated migraine, and my occular symptoms are due to blood constriction, I knew that I would have to delay my run (at least for a while.) I had an 8:30 am meeting and still had to care for the horses so, I considered waiting till later in the day to run. But, I really wanted to STICK TO MY PROGRAM! I can't tell you how many times things can and sometimes will get in your way of sticking to the schedule you have established, but one of my main goals with establishing a training schedule is to Develop Self-Discipline. So - I pushed it, sucked it up, waited for majority of visual problems to go away and ran out the door at 6:45 am. I followed Hal's advise: run an easy 3 miles at a comfortable pace. He says that although it may seem easy, it is all part of the progressive buildup of total mileage getting me ready for the big 2 6 in January! This early 3 mile run was meeting all my expectations: it was cool out, I broke a nice sweat, listened to some newly downloaded tunes (Valerie Bertinelli suggested Pink & Kelly Clarkson during an interview after she completed her first 1/2 marathon - - she was right on), gave some road workers something to look at, and raced a HUGE Water Truck (Team Jensen vs. Team G) for part of the run. GREAT FUN - GREAT RUN - DAY 3 is now behind me. At the end of the run, a great song came on and as I listened, I danced in our courtyard; It was such pure joy... and I enjoyed the song so much... I had to add it to today's blog so that you can have your own dance for the day (just click anywhere on the colored font). Until next time - Kelly G

Training Day 2 of 126 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

My second day of training consisted of "contemplating the training that will begin tomorrow" per Hal Higdon's training guide :  )   And, contemplate I did!  I considered the rest of the weeks training; the whens, what, wheres and whys...  When?  Tue, We, Th & Su.  What?  Tu 3 miles, We 3 miles, Th 3 miles, Su 6 miles Where? Tu morning 5:30am  North on  144th St, We morning 5:30 am from the front door, Th evening 6:45pm at that gym on the treadmill (followed by yogalates), Su 6:00 am from Troon Country Club to my front door & the very important...  
WHY?  
1) Because I can 
2) Develop Self-Discipline
3) Relieve Stress
4) Burn Calories
5) Listen to Music
6) Meet new friends
7) Challenge Myself
8) Increase Self Esteem
9)  Focus on Good Health
10) Spend Quality "alone" time
11) Enjoy the Great Outdoors
12) Keep weight off during the holiday season
13) Set a good example
14) Push myself farther than I have in the past
15) Enjoy others' success'
16) Learn from others
17) Believe in myself
18) Trust myself
19) Follow a program
20) Practice Chi Running skills & follow Hal Higdon's Training schedule (modified slightly to fit my lifestyle)
21) *run for fun, *run like a child, *run like its the last time you will ever run!
22) Work towards goal weight
23) Help others (not sure how yet... but, I will work on this important one)
24) Train with my daughter (from afar) - she is running her first full marathon as well
25) Have a Healthy Heart, Enhance my well being, and Lift My Spirits
26) Open the flow of chi in my life!

Wow, that didn't take long... I am sure there are soo many more reasons. 
Share your reasons with me!  If you are interested in developing a beginning running program, might I suggest: Chi Running site:  http://www.chirunning.com/shop/pages.php?pageid=2
and Hal Higdon's site: http://www.halhigdon.com/beginrunner/intro.htm


As I check out for the evening, I will set my alarm for my early wake up call and a refreshing 3 miler in the cool morning hours.  Until tomorrow...

Training Day 1 of 126 (Countdown to 1/17/10)

~ New Blogger has Arrived ~
     ~ A New Running Blog ~

Well, this is a first for me and I am excited to document my training for my first full marathon and share it with you. I guess I need to tell you who I am... Kelly G. in Scottsdale, AZ. That is me on the right in Jan 08 near the end of my first 13.2 mile half marathon run (25 lbs heavier than I am now). What an exhilarating day that was.... truly life changing. I had never been a runner before, actually, I always said that I couldn't run. Boy, did that first big run change my outlook on life and my attitude about so many things.

I have run 2 half marathons and have decided to step-up-my game and train for a full marathon at the age of 45. In Jan of 08, I ran a half at 2 hr 30 min and then Jan 09, I cut 15 minutes off of my time and ran it in 2 hr 15 min.

I invite you to join me on the journey and share your thoughts, advise, tips, challenges, and amazing success stories of your journey as well.

Today (Sunday, 9/13) was a recovery day from my Saturday 6 mile "long run" on the canal.

I am approaching the first of 18 weeks of training and will document my journey through this blog. I look forward to hearing from you who will be running with me on January 17, 2010 (rnraz / Changs Rock-n-Roll Marathon) and those who are interested in beginning a running regime.

Here is to a lifetime of fitness and another new adventure, - Kelly G