Hot and Sweaty wins the race?

Whoops! I meant to have a post last week, but time got away from me and I didn't get around to it. Things happen!

I officially began half marathon training this past Saturday and... oh boy. When I started looking for training plans, I searched all over Google, Pinterest, and even asked friends on Facebook. I quickly became overwhelmed with all of the options and strategies available that I almost gave up.

I had a few people tell me about the training team that Sports Backers sponsors every year. I kind of thought it was silly to pay just to get together with a group every Saturday and run. I can run on my own, thank you very much. As the days that I needed to begin training started creeping up on me, the feeling of being overwhelmed took over. I bit the bullet and joined the training team. I mean... why not let someone else determine my training schedule. Sports Backers are the ones who actually organize the Anthem Richmond Half Marathon, so they have a good idea of what they are doing.

I was placed on team Falcons and we had our first run on Saturday morning. It was 3 miles, which I tend to do when I run by myself in the mornings so I thought I would be fine. Generally speaking, I was. I ran at a faster pace than I thought I was going to! I stopped to walk twice because I felt my body overheating and I wasn't trying to pass out on my first training run. 

For some reason, my body is extremely sensitive to heat and exerting myself in the heat is always a gamble. I've never officially passed out from heat exhaustion, but I've gotten pretty sick from it and it's not fun. 

Unfortunately, our route wasn't in an area that allowed for a breeze of any kind. The entire time I felt like I was running through and breathing in hot muck. It was disgusting, but I got through it. Other than the heat, my run felt really good! 

I was also able to try out my new running shoes and running watch. Consensus: Shoes - hate them; Watch - love it!

Brooks Ghost 6 - I miss these shoes

My running shoes were starting to wear out and I wanted to get new ones that I could train and run the half in. One of my work perks is 40% off Brooks shoes, so those are the ones that I prefer. I had run a few races in my Ghost 6s and LOVE them. I went ahead and got the Ghost 8s thinking that they would basically be the same shoe. I was completely wrong.

Brooks Ghost 8 - awful

The soles on the Ghost 8s are so thick and stocky and they gave me the worst blisters on both ankles. My Ghost 6s were so lightweight and the 8s were very heavy and clunky and awkward. Brooks is pretty good about returns and exchanges so I'm hoping to be able to work something out with them to get different ones.


My watch is a Garmin Forerunner 230 and my first impressions have been out of this world. I'll go more into detail about this watch in another post, so stay tuned! 

Keep on running! 

"A goal without a plan is just a wish" - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I am horrible at goal setting.

Okay, let me rephrase that- I'm really great at setting goals. Actually coming up with a plan to achieve my goals, not so much. I'm typically one to just let things happen as they do, planning just enough to get by.I mean, it took me 3 years to actually set forth towards my goal of running a half marathon.


Here are the few goals that I have for myself during my training. Not all of these are half marathon training related, but I think are good to piggy back off of:

• Finish the race in less than 2:05
• I'm nervous about this one because I never know how training will go, but this was my friend's finish time and I would love to give him so much shit when I beat it
• Eat healthier
• I want my diet to reflect my training and eat things that will help fuel my running. I want to make more conscious decisions about food.
• Cut out alcohol
• This one is going to be a hard one, I know, but I think I can do it. I've never had a problem with alcohol, but I'm usually the first to suggest going and getting drinks. Cutting out alcohol will help control my budget, remind me to drink more water and hopefully bring my tolerance down :)
• I am allowing myself to cheat on this one for my birthday and two weddings that I'll be attending during my training. I think that's fair.
• Don't skip a single training run 
• Only reason would be true injury or sickness.
• Fit back into my jeans from last year
• If I follow all of the above steps, I think this will happen
• Make more selfish decisions
• I want to do more things for myself and that make me happy.
• Make Ryan Kerrigan fall in love with me 
• #lifegoals

I somewhat have concrete plans for most of these goals and others... well, we'll have to see. I joined the Half Marathon Training Team, which I'll talk about in a later post. That will help me achieve most of these goals. What are some goals that you have set for yourself and how did you go about achieving them? I would love to hear your stories!

Keep on running!

Am I really only half crazy?

This has been 4 years in the making. Not the blog, but the fact that I'll be running my first half marathon. I've done numerous 5Ks, 8Ks, and 10Ks over the past few years, but this... this is insane. I've decided to write about my experiences in order to help gauge my own thoughts and feelings through the training process.

May 2012

I've been a spectator for the Richmond Marathon/Half-Marathon for four years in a row now. Every year, I'd watch and say "Melissa, you're going to do this next year." The next year rolls around and there I am on the sidelines again, watching the runners go by, while I sip on my mimosa. (hmmm... there's still time to back out...)

My fitness journey is a bit of a weird one. Growing up, I swam and dabbled in some out-of-the-norm sports such as horseback riding and ice skating, but I was never on your typical sports team. I always thought of myself as somewhat athletic, but nothing crazy. I played intramural volleyball and floor hockey in college, but I never just worked out. I especially never just went on a run. I always thought that I was just in shape enough that it was fine.

April 2015

In March 2013, I began running for exercise. I was challenged by a friend to do a 5K and figured, why not? Over the course of the next 2 years, I began running regularly. There would be days that I would come home from a long day at work and rather than grab a beer to decompress, I would go on a 3 mile run. It became my stress reliever and I genuinely enjoyed it. I also enjoyed seeing the results that came along with it. Each time my feet hit the pavement, my pace was getting faster and faster. I also ended up losing about 30 pounds, which felt amazing! I started CrossFit (yes, I hear your groans) and stopped running as much.

June 2016

Lucky for me, last year after spectating the Half Marathon in November (with a mimosa in hand), I got home and immediately signed up for the 2016 Richmond Half. I had so much motivation back then...

I thought that I had reached the peak of my fitness and could back off a bit from any activity. Oh and back off, I did. Fast forward a year later and I am back to dreading running and have gained back 25 lbs that I had lost. I am at the point now where I need to start seriously thinking about training. I run every now and then, but I am nowhere close to where I was or where I feel that I need to be, endurance-wise.


This blog is not intended to be about weight-loss or provide fitness tips or anything like that. I'm not a doctor or expert, nor do I pretend to be one. The idea of this blog is to help me collect my thoughts and track myself as I go through my Half Marathon training and find my way back on to the path of a healthy lifestyle.

Enjoy!