So I realize it's hard to write every day :)

It's been a long time since I updated my blog. The initial excitement is still there, but my life has gotten very busy with various projects and the blog has landed towards the bottom of the priority pile. I apologize to all my fans who have checked daily for updates and found none.

I have to say that my training is not happening the way I intended it to, although I have managed to accomplish one run which I am really proud of.

Last week was March break and Tyler was gone on a business trip all week. He left on a Sunday and I hadn't actually had a chance to run since the Monday previous. Yikes! I knew with being on my own that I wouldn't be able to run, so I decided to put the kids in daycare on the afternoon of Thursday March 18th, in the hopes that I would go for a good run. That week was absolutely stunning with warm spring weather, and each day I was itching to go out.

On Thursday I was more than ready. I had downloaded some new songs from itunes and I was excited to go out. I was also looking forward to try my new toy: a Nike+ sensor that tracks my kilometres/times and that I can program to a specific training. I planned my run ahead of time and was hoping to complete my first ever 13 km.

The run was absolutely fabulous. I felt great and the new music was pumping me up! It was one of those runs during which you feel that you can go on forever and ever and ever. Mentally and physically, everything was aligned to give me a great run. I started slow, would speed up my pace every now and then, and when I felt it was too strong, I would pull back to a slower pace to recover. I felt I had great control over my run, the only dark side of which was trying to outrun a garbage truck which kept pulling in front of me and then back and then in front again. I eventually outran it, finally escaping the smell of exhaust which was not the fresh spring air I had  been hoping for!

Around 10 km I started feeling fatigue but I kept on. I realized that at this point, I should have planned for energy gel, or something sweet to eat in order to get a quick boost of energy to carry me in the last part of my run. I didn't stop though. I slowed down and kept going. Towards the end of my planned run, I checked with my Nike+ to see how far I had run. I was over 12 km and felt an incredible surge of pride. I decided to add another loop to my route to try and get to 14 km. I was cheering for myself and I did it!

When I finished the extra loop, I had run a little over 14 km, the farthest I had ever run before, and it was the most incredible feeling of achievement and pride I had ever felt. I arrived home and stretched for a good half hour and then had a bath with epsom salts. The next day, I barely had any soreness.

The high I felt from that run was beyond words. It gave me so much confidence.

On Saturday, two days later, I went for another run. The contrast between Thursday's run and Saturday's was like night and day. Saturday's run was tedious. I couldn't catch my breath, felt like I was dragging my feet and couldn't find my pace. I ran less far, a little over 8 km and it was a run I want to forget.

That's what I find challenging about running. One day you have the best run of your life, the next you barely make it and you hate every minute of it. I just hope that one race day, it is one of those great running days.

I haven't run since Saturday and am starting to worry about the race. I worked out in my house on Monday and am again doing a strength training workout today. Tomorrow, however, Tyler and I are doing our long run and I'm hoping to go one more kilometer to 15 km.

We'll see how I do!