Staying motivated - final tally!

Remember back in September when I shared how I was going to stay motivated to train for Dopey?  If you need a refresher, the full details are here, but the quick version is I bribed myself to run.

And let me say it worked really well.  I only missed 2 runs total for the training schedule and now it's time to tally it and see how much spending money I have!

and the total is... $499!!! Holy cow!  That's means since the September 9th, I have run 499 miles.  I am suddenly feeling much more prepared for Dopey!

So excited to hit the expo now!  Think of all the merchandise I can buy...

Training recap week of 12/9 (Dopey Week 14)

This week was rough.  Coming off my back to back long runs last weekend, my right hamstring was really tight.  I did stretch and roll (but I skipped the ice bath, which I probably should not have done).  I ended up taking it really easy on Tuesday so I could recover.  This was also the first week I really struggled with motivation.  I did not want to go out for my 8 mile tempo run.  My hamstring was still a little tight, it was cold and dark, etc, etc.  But, I forced myself to do it and, let me tell you, I was really glad that I did.

While being properly training for Dopey is of course incredibly important, I think more important is going to be the mental aspect of it.  And I think this week I pushed through it mentally.  I had the excuses in my head of why I could bail on it, but I made myself do it.  I am starting to feel truly prepared for this race - both mentally and physically.

Looking to next week, it will feature my last long runs and my first 4 day in a week schedule.  I am slightly nervous to do 10 and 20 back to back, but I know coming off my 9/19 miler last weekend, I can do it.  And then, after that, it's taper time!  Holy cow!

Monday

Scheduled: Rest or Cross Training

Actual: Rest

Tuesday

Scheduled: 5 miles easy pace (10:09 - 11:09)

Actual: 2.00 miles, 32:11, 16:13 pace

My hamstring was really tight and it was slightly painful to run, so I ended up walking for 2 miles to get some miles in, but still allow myself recovery.  

Wednesday

Scheduled: 8 miles tempo pace (9:09ish)

Actual: 8 miles, 1:16:55, 9:37 pace

My leg felt better, but I didn't want to push it too much.  As I said, I had some trouble motivating for this run, but once I did it, I was happy I did.

Thursday

Scheduled: 5 miles easy pace (10:09 - 11:09)

Actual: 5.00 miles, 49:37, 9:55 pace

Friday

Scheduled: Off

Actual: Off

Saturday

Scheduled: 13 miles long run pace (9:54 - 10:29)

Actual: 13.00 miles, 2:09:59, 10:00 pace

It was snowing during this run.  While snow can look magically, I don't particularly love running 13 miles in it.  It was also pretty windy.  I felt like I was in a snow globe for a large portion of the run.  

Sunday

Scheduled: Cross training

Actual: 3.00 miles, 31:24, 10:28 pace

I decided to make up the missed 3 miles from Tuesdays run.  I probably could have let them go, but I really want to get them in (see - motivation back!).

Total miles: 31.01

Total December miles: 77.79

Staying motivated

Any runner goes through the struggle to stay motivated when training.  I struggled with this over this past winter and early spring before getting into my groove.  I had a really solid summer of training, which resulting in hitting my goal half marathon time at the Philly Half Marathon.

As Dopey training progresses, I really want to make sure I stay motivated.  It's been going well so far, but as it goes on it is going to get harder.  It'll be darker out and weather will get in the way so I'll be doing more miles then I'd like on a treadmill.  I have never trained for a marathon in the middle of winter.  A spring marathon?  Yes.  A true winter marathon?  No.

So I've come up with a little system to stay motivated.  Bribery.  Seriously.  I have seen this on a couple of other blogs (Kim did it while training for Dumbo) and it sounds like a winner to me.

I am going to give myself $1 for every mile I run.  I am going to use an empty Disney Coffee can as my "piggy" bank (although I will be depositing it every now and then.  Let's be real, there is no need to keep that much cash in my apartment).  And then when I get to Dopey in January, the money saved will be my spending money for the expo.  I think this will be a good motivation for me as the training progresses.

Any other suggestions on how to stay motivated?

PS - Did everyone watch this epic (and yes it deserves that description) lip sync contest on Jimmy Fallon this week?  Amazing.  I love me some Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  If you need convincing, check out this link.

Is it Spring yet?

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Depending on where you live, you may already have gotten or will be getting soon some kind of massive snow storm (basically the entire East Coast).  It hasn't started snowing in New York yet, but I know it will.  Is it spring yet?  I am so ready for spring.  Any who...

I'm back from another successful Disney trip!  I had such a great time at the Princess Half Marathon weekend and a great trip with my mom.  A full race report will be coming soon, I promise.  I've been back a week and am getting back into the swing of things.

While I had a great time at the race, it was by no means a PR for me.  Yes, I did stop and take pictures everywhere which affected my time, but even if I hadn't, I was no where in PR shape.  I knew I had been half-a**ing my workouts for a while now, but this race really hit home for me that I am not in the best of running shape.

So this week, I am stepping up my running workouts.  Going to start doing speedwork again and really focusing on cross training.  On the cross training side, I took a Refine class this weekend.  I'm not really sure how to explain a Refine class.  It's kind of like TRX.  You use a pulley system attached to a wall and kettle bells and other items for an hour of interval training.  Think lots of squats and lunges and the like.  It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I have to say I really enjoyed it.  So much I am going to try and go once a week (I'd like to go more, but it's not that cheap and I am not made of money).  I was definitely sore on Monday!

And in terms of running, I am going to start adding speedwork (starting slowly since it's been so long since I have done it) with a 'B' goal race of Flying Pigs in May and then continue to build on the base I have been building with some more intense speedwork with a 'A' race sometime in the fall (not sure what that will be).  I am using a race plan for Flying Pigs I found through Nike and am doing some research for a race plan for the  all.

It's not going to be easy, my speed is definitely off.  But for the first time in a long time, I am excited to run again.  Might be because it is starting to get warmer or because I didn't do speedwork for a while that I am excited, but I am glad I am.  I even got up this morning for an easy run before work.  I haven't done that in so long (in all honestly, I actually can't remember the last time I got up and ran before work).  It felt awesome and I am excited to get back into the habit.

Tell me, how do you get motivated to run?