58 days.

by

(running tights + running shoes + sporty long sleeve = POSER misfit)

 

Once upon a time, in a land where it was hotter than a motherfucker something really hot, there lived a woman who loved the iron.

A twenty year long torrid love affair kind of love.  

And yet, on those nights when sleep eluded her, she often pondered the seeming freedom of being a runner.

The yanking on of the shoes and going.

The ability to run anywhere, anytime and without any equipment.

And, on those nights when sleep REALLY eluded her, she’d reflect deliriouslyfondly upon her Disney Princess race & the fun she’d shared with her WorkoutMommy.

And, on one of those nights where sleep flipped her the bird simply did not come, the Lady Iron Lover climbed out of bed & signed up for a race.

And, as with all stuffs done late night in a bleary state (nudgenudge winkwink), she promptly forgot about it.

Rather than serve as motivation & a chance to role model for her Little Lady Iron Lover To Be—–SHE FORGOT ABOUT THE ENTIRE THING COMPLETELY.

Until she realized, thanks to an e’minder from race people far more organized than she, there were 58 days left.

And now I look to you, Oh readers wiser than I, to let us all know how this none-too-smart tale should end.

Is there time to train with so few days left? (our Lovely Iron Lady has not run a step but is somewhat in cardio-shape)

Or, even with only the goal of finishing the race, is our none-too-young-Lady setting herself up for injury success?

Possess any tips or blog post-links youd be willing to share?

PLEASE to hit us up in the comments below.

 

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Comments

  2. First thing to do, pull on those shoes and get thee out for a run! You can’t tell what kind of running shape you are in until you give it a go.

    Just begin and give it a go. Run every other day and see how you feel, how your knees feel and whether it feels like freedom.

    If it feels great, I would say go for it, and decided you’ll complete the distance even if it means some walking.

    Listen to your body and I would say it’s totally do-able.

  5. oh, Miz….
    you can SO do this. run/walk is a great strategy, as mentioned above. you will NOT be the last person across the line, and you will have a BLAST. the event has YOU written alllll over it…..

  6. Yes, you can absolutely do it and you can do it without injury. I’d recommend a run/walk plan (and hitting up every single character you see for pictures). And don’t run fast during the running parts.

    Good luck! You’ll have a blast.

  7. Of course you can!! I agree with all the advice given above. Get there & go for a test drive. I’m sure you’ll do better than you think. A walk/run strategy for the race is definitely wise, not because you’re not in shape, but to save some pounding on your joints. The hardest thing about prepping for a race is getting your body accustomed to the impact. So don’t over-do it. But you can certainly do it!!

  8. Find a training plan like Hal Higdons and see where you stand with the first week and go from there!!

  9. Your writing is hilarious, Miz.
    I’m no help on the run, but think YES YOU CAN if only for the reason you put on Facebook about being a role model.
    Who cares if you even finish?

  10. Lace up & go for a run. It will tell you how much work you need to do. Nothing wrong with the mentality of 3:1 for the race. Run 3 walk 1 or 2 whatever you need to do to get through it. Heck you can probably walk it faster than some. 🙂 just go for it & if for nothing else to not let your entry fee go to waste & enjoy your race premium aka swag

    You got this!

  11. Here’s the deal: You WANT to do this. So train. And if you’re NOT ready, or not feeling it on race day, there’s no one at the side of the road with a gun, or running behind you with a whip. If you don’t feel the race is working for you once you’re in it, you can just STOP RUNNING. Really. If you stop in the middle of a race, what’s the WORST that can happen?

    If you go, you’ll have been there, you would have done what you planned to do, regardless of the outcome. If you were super well trained, that wouldn’t preclude the possibility of being ill or having an injury, and I know you know well enough NOT to continue beyond the point where you’ll do yourself damage… so why not go for it?

  13. Uh oh.

    I hate to be the one dissenter, but why are you doing the race then?

    Skip it and try next year.

  14. Well, nothing left to say. It’s all been said in the comments below. But I must say that since I started reading your blog, I’ve always been amazed at how strong you are, how determined.

    Like everyone else has already said, throw on the running shoes and just get out there and go. AND intervals are DEFINITELY an option. I am currently running 8, 9, or 10/1 intervals and still coming through with a great pace, completed my first half-marathon in October.

    You CAN DO IT, Miz! You know it. Do you want it?

  15. of course you CAN do this!

    I’ll be there at Disney Princess in 2013 with Workout Mommy, we’re already talking about who’s baby/teen sitting!

    Oh and good thing w/Princess is there are photo opps w/the characters so you can stop for a few, take a pic, rest for a few, run…. 🙂

    You got this!

    • Tia, Jeff Galloway is known for teaching a run/walk method for marathon training…well for running in general, actually! Google him and that’ll give you a good place to start info-wise.

  17. I have never done a race so can’t be any help at all. But you are one of the wisest people I “know” when it comes to fitness and goal setting so I am sure you’ll do what is right for you and your body.

  18. I think you can do this, you are in good shape. But …. it’s December and that can be a busy month. First I would look at my schedule for this month and find out if you have time to train. If not, I would skip it. You would be running this for yourself right? There’s no one who would blame you if you decide not to run it.

  19. Hmmm has my comment disappeared?

    I’ll try again but shorter: I think you can do this, you’re in good shape. But it’s December and that’s a busy month for all of us. I would look at my schedule first to see if you have time to train for this. If not, I would skip this one.

  20. I am still amused by the fact that you signed up and FORGOT! That sounds like something I would do, but not about a race! 🙂

    You have plenty of time to train, and have gotten some good advice already. You do need to figure out where you are and where you want to be — crossing the finish line with a smile is my new primary goal for all races, even if that means not running as fast I might want to.

    I think looking at training programs is a good idea, but I’m sure I won’t have to tell you to make them your own. Use them as a guide or for ideas. I would err on the side of under-training rather than over-training to minimize the risk of injury. Many plans have 4 days of week of running, but I do better with 3 days, partly because I’m not good at doing that “easy” run that’s always on the schedule.

    I bet you will kick ass!

    Oh, and you’d better start sewing sequins on your tutu!

  21. I would say do what you can, Carla.

    Run the race you can at this point and then walk.

    What the quote? 🙂

    Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

  22. I’m no running coach 🙂
    Id think for me I’d first test out this weekend how long and far I could go.

    Any running coachs out there? LOL

  24. CRAZY moring in the ATX.

    Thanks so much for your thoughts.

    I’ll respond soon.

    If by ‘soon’ you mean when the Tornado is feddressedhappyandONBUS which I do.

  25. Fear not the run!

    But….ger up and start running…NOW! Run/walk is for sure your best bet at this point. Do as much as you can without increasing your mileage too drastically, as a stress fractor is an even bigger buzzkill than not training. Cut WAY back the week before the race (taper not usually necessary before a half but I would recommend that as your one semi-rest week in this 58 day plan). And you’ve got it. Hit me up anytime between now and then with any questions. I’m unapologetically a running addict 😉

  26. I’m amused by the fact that you forgot 😉 I could never forget a race hehe but I really would say yes you can do it.
    There is tons of plans, advice out there so you must decide what is best for you. I will say find tour happy pace and work with that. Do not stress out and or try to push too hard and I know you will do fine

    I’m a galloway method fan for myself because the run/walk method just works for me and my body 🙂
    Good luck! We will be cheering from Boston!

  27. peeking in and sucking up the wisdom and have realized for me the spacing (out. the forgetting) of the racing is all tied into my not being competitve or OUTCOME driven or motivated.

    Ren Man always teases me that I’m weird (a misfit :)) because it isn’t the END GAME that keeps me working out and healthy but the process.

    The journey.

    LIFE.

    Such a helpful insight for me about me (read: skim alert! skim aler!) and reminder who I am.

    So many IRL racer-friends were wholly unable to relate when I asked their input because they said they’d. NEVER forget…

    (Time to stop gazing at my navel and get back to making the protein pancakes)

  28. Tia – Google “Jeff Galloway”. He has a website about a Run/Walk approach to training for distance running. I have a number of friends who are true believers – but (of course) you’ll need to determine if its right for you 🙂

  29. Not every race has to be a PR, especially when you do not consider yourself a ‘real’ runner 🙂

    Jog, walk, jog-walk, run a little, walk the whole thing. Doesn’t really matter, it will get you to the finish line.

  30. I agree- you can do it! Might not be a PR or anything like that , but you can make it through. Train now and listen to your body during the race!

  31. I’ve done this several times, and it’s entirely possible! Just resolve yourself with the fact that you might feel better run/walking the race rather than running the entire thing. Just finishing is the goal, right?!

    • ok thinking long and hard about this today, but yes.
      JUST FINISHING.
      Showing the child that we can do things we dont adore and still enjoy the process & learn and grow from them.
      She remarked to me this morning at the bus stop:
      MAMA I’ll help you train, ok?

      more than anything, even if I dont make the start of the race by choice, THAT’S what I wanted.
      Her to see the process.

  33. Yes of course you can do it!!!!!!!!

    I trained for my first half marathon in about the same amount of time, with nothing more than 3-5 mile runs under my belt before that.

    A friend of mine just did a marathon by running 4 minutes, walking 1 minute. Do you have some sort of timer you can set up to do something of that variety? Or just walk the whole thing, power walk? Jog when you can?

  37. When I started running, my second race I signed up for was Disney Princess. I hardly trained. My longest training run was 5 miles. I would go with the walk/run ratio. It’s good enough for Jeff Galloway! Run 3 minutes, walk 1. Do it during training. These little “breaks” will rejuvenate you. The theory is that if you schedule these walk breaks, then your body will be able to handle longer distances. I still do this. But I do run 10 minutes walk 2. It really helps! If you are doing cross training with it, I don’t see why you couldn’t add 3-4 days of running in conjunction.

  38. I have a marathon runner friend here who LOVES that race – she and her gang won’t even run the Austin marathon anymore, but choose to do the one you signed up for. I’d say do it your way, but don’t push yourself too much on the training so you don’t get injured. NOT worth that, as we both (sadly) know!

  39. I don’t know if runners would agree with me I think you should do it just for the display for Tornado.

    I like that you don’t like running because I know with my 7 year old there are many things he doesn’t enjoy doing and it can be hard to teach the idea of doing them regardless and finding the joy in there somewhere.

    Keep us post what you decide.

  40. Oh and you didn’t ask this piece but I love seeing into your life and learning you struggle too.
    I mean no disrespect it just seams like things come easily to you and I like that you are human LOL

  41. I think run/walking would be the way to go. And I think your podcast partner and her business partner coach (the lovely ladies at upandrunningonline.org) might have some ways of helping you out, with the right training and the right race strategy. Enlist it 🙂

  42. First off- you can SO do it. You are already in shape with powerful muscles and other cardio work under your belt. You just have to get your legs trained for running. Also, I am SO proud of you and you ARE a fine example for the Tornado. And furthermore, I just might need to sign up for this race as well.

    I am a firm believer in the Galloway method and have been all along. Yes, it’s a run-walk method but my overall pace is still considered *running*. Whatever. I’ve gotten over comparing myself to other faster runners and wishing to be a Kenyan. Ain’t happening and that’s OK. Now I run for the pure joy of the emotional release I so desperately need and that running gives me….. plus, you know, I can call myself a runner : ). (You need to go read my latest post)

    Yeah, it can hurt at times (as in, man, my legs are sore). It can be hard to get the legs accustomed to that motion, but just like anything else- discipline and commitment play a huge role AND mind over matter plays an even bigger role (at least for me).

    Good luck Carla- you can do this…..and I just might too.

  43. theres a lag between when you press publish and when YOU see the comment. I get the notification right away…

  46. I think that you most definitely can. That’s about 8 weeks and I’ve seen half marathon training programs that long. You’re not a total beginner because you have a solid fitness base. I’m no pro, but I suggest finding a reasonable plan that includes 3x a week. Have one long run each week and you can build it up enough over 8 weeks by adding one mile a week. And, like others mentioned, take things slow and walk when needed. You got this!

  47. I’ve spent the past week going back and forth on signing up for this race! I think its the $$ and the fact that I’m running the Austin Half just 3 weeks later… which would be my first if I don’t the 3M. Maybe I’ll just come cheer for you haha!

  48. I say go for it! Try and get in as much running as you can before, but don’t go overboard, because as you say, you don’t want to get injured (again!). Then, just go into the race with a plan to *finish* (or, as they say “run to complete, not compete”). I’d also recommend doing a run/walk combo, as others have mentioned above. But above all else, just go out there and have fun and enjoy yourself. Because if you’re not having a good time, why are you doing it?

  50. I say it partially depends on the distance. Is this a marathon or a 5k? I would think 60 days would be adequate training for a 5k, maybe even a 10k for someone strong with a good cardio base like you. But either way, as long as you listen to your body and make your primary goal to remain injury-free, I think you should see what you can do!

    The nice thing about two months is that it’s less daunting to think about running for that long than four months, or whatever the recommended training period might be. See what you can build up in two months and if you don’t like running, you can stop without worrying about having another x number of months until that darn race you signed up for:)

  51. You can do it! 58 days, that’s a little under two months, that’s a little under 8 weeks? Most training plans are 12 weeks, you are already in cardio-vascular shape, you’ve done a half marathon before. YOU SO GO THIS. Just start training now!

  52. I would ask yourself why you are entertaining the idea of doing this.

    Is it the money?
    Are you driven to see if you can?
    Do you enjoy running at all?

    It’s seems like you want to be a role model for Tornado about working toward something. It could be a different something?

    Just my .02

  53. It’s seems like you want to be a role model for Tornado about working toward something. It could be a different something?

    I agree. I just cant right now think of something else I want to do and yet dont enjoy (if that makes any kind of sense) and I welcome the opportunity to have her see me struggle and push through.

    Id never had set it up like this—but it seems the perfect teaching moment.

  54. My first question: how does your butt feel?

    If you are healthy enough to train, then certainly begin. HOWEVER, promise yourself that at the first sign of pain again, you will NOT stubbornly try to train through it, but will honor your body’s saying No. Not This. Not Now.

    Hoping you’re gonna try to make it Chip’s Brutal Recess class tomorrow (which isn’t THAT Brutal -and is more fun…)…

  55. What Deb said!

    Injury recovery/prevention is so important, and it’s so easy to wander into overdoing-it territory when dealing with External, Fixed goals that have nothing to do with how your body is reacting. I’ve made that mistake too many times and ALWAYS regretted it.

    So if you do decide to go for it, I’d hope you could call a halt at the first sign of trouble. (And that could also be a great lesson for the Tornado!)

    • YES to you and deb and jody.
      That is on my mind as well.
      It sounds crazy but theres a piece here of knowing I NEEEED to run.
      I feel like my bod needs it and I actually got my booboobooty when I wasnt!

  56. Carla, I think you need to do what is in your heart. You have had a pretty serious injury that you finally recouped from so I think going into this with the one thought in your head that to try is good & to not do it is NOT failure if your body can’t do it without getting injured. I think it is a great lesson for you & Tornado to try but also another lesson to know your limits if the injury will come back. That is not saying you would not do it if you could but to know that you want to stay healthy long term.

    I see many posts on people that feel less so cause they don’t run & they consider running being fit. For some reason, I never even thought that way. For me, just doing all the different exercises I have done thru the years was being fit & weights more than any of them.

    I started running in my 20’s to see if I could do it & when I competed in 5K’s, I was proud of myself. I pushed myself way past my limits but honestly, I never “loved” the race. Then, my knees started to bother me so I told myself to pull back & run just for the cardio aspect & no racing & pushing myself to the hard core times I did before.

    I run now but it is just part of cardio… yes, I push myself in the gym with pace & HIIT at times but outside on the pavement, it is just to be out there.

    Try it Carla, but if it is not for you, it is not for you. You have many more things you can do AND if your body says NO, stop. It is not worth being injured over….

  57. I once ran a half with no prior preparation and it really beat me up. I was running about 30 miles a week at that point, at my goal weight, and 29 years old, so my advice would be to make sure you can run at least 10 miles before the race and then let the adrenaline take you the last few miles. And have someone at the finish line just in case you’re really beat and need someone to fetch sustenance for you! (I didn’t do that.)

  58. I would say do it. I’ve read what you are saying about role modeling and think the best thing might be if you end up training and deciding not to run.

    You will teach her a strong lesson there, too.

  59. REPOST in case mine got lost….

    Carla, I think you need to do what is in your heart. You have had a pretty serious injury that you finally recouped from so I think going into this with the one thought in your head that to try is good & to not do it is NOT failure if your body can’t do it without getting injured. I think it is a great lesson for you & Tornado to try but also another lesson to know your limits if the injury will come back. That is not saying you would not do it if you could but to know that you want to stay healthy long term.

    I see many posts on people that feel less so cause they don’t run & they consider running being fit. For some reason, I never even thought that way. For me, just doing all the different exercises I have done thru the years was being fit & weights more than any of them.

    I started running in my 20’s to see if I could do it & when I competed in 5K’s, I was proud of myself. I pushed myself way past my limits but honestly, I never “loved” the race. Then, my knees started to bother me so I told myself to pull back & run just for the cardio aspect & no racing & pushing myself to the hard core times I did before.

    I run now but it is just part of cardio… yes, I push myself in the gym with pace & HIIT at times but outside on the pavement, it is just to be out there.

    Try it Carla, but if it is not for you, it is not for you. You have many more things you can do AND if your body says NO, stop. It is not worth being injured over….

    PS: Did not even notice the comment before mine so I guess I said the same thing….

  60. You have time. Don’t pressure yourself to run the whole thing. There is no shame in walking. Let the goal be to finish.

    “Will you succeed? Yes you will indeed! 98 and 3
    4 percent guaranteed.”
    Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”

  61. You have an extraordinary fitness base. I honestly think that will take you far.cross train on bike as bootay allows. Train with a run/walk plan,work hard,and make COMPLETION and enjoyment your goal. Totally doable 🙂

    And I’ll be running it too!

  62. I am late to the party, but do a walk/run. You obviously aren’t going to beat your previous time, but it is all about the experience in toto and not the time you finish in.

  63. Your amazing fitness level will definitely allow you to finish. Now without injury comes down to being smart enough to run your own race on race day 🙂 I am not quite as good at this as I would like to be and hence am still recovering from Philly while knowing I’ve only got a few weeks to get ready for Houston

  64. Hey Miz…have no tips for you but this I know YOU can do this, sending you supportive vibes or whatever else you need for support! (b.t.w. your post had my cracking up…love it) xoxox

  65. Late post sorry. Life gets in the way. Just Do It! My favorite slogan ever. Tornado is there for you and with you. Perfect opportunity for teaching and enjoying. GO Now!!

  66. Ok, first…where is that shirt from?
    My views on training go against most, but I focus on the long run. Then maybe 1 or 2 other shorter runs per week. Done. I over-train too easily. Up your long run each week and you’ll do great. Says me. LOL.

  67. As for the motivation and lessons, I’ll let someone else get to that. As for race prep…

    Go take a run (slow, comfortable pace) tomorrow. Try for 6 miles, but don’t worry if you can’t quite get there. Increase one mile per week after that. The week before, run about 75% of your longest run. During the rest of the week, run 2 more times, on non consecutive days shorter (3-5 miles). Continue to pump iron and cross train.

    You’ll be fine. 🙂

  68. You can definitely do the race in 58 days but you have to lace up those sneaks and get out running. I would suggest at least 4 days/week with one long run. You can do it!!

  69. Well, it’s already said many times over above but the answer is still “YES!” you can do this, especially if your goal is to finish and enjoy! I love that you love the running. I hope I will share your love of the iron some day.

  70. First off I would like to say HOLY CRAPATOLLA, ROCK N FREAKING ROLLA! You totally dropped the MF word and I LOVE it! lol You may have done so before, it just didn;t stand out to me as much. Next, yes, 58 days is enough time to train, especially for someone with your go-to attitude, determination, drive and positive attitude. And like the site shows, if you aren’t ready for that 13 miles by the time you’re 2 weeks away, see if you can’t scale it down a little. And keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be a race against other people to see who finishes first, it can be a race against yourself in a time trial or in mind where you can push yourself further than you have in the past.
    You CAN do this, MizFit. Your name even says so. You can even have the Tornado be your training coach. Give her an active role in your training, since she plays such an active role in every area of your life. (which I’m sure you’ve already decided to do, should you go ahead with the race)
    You are amazingly weirdly awesome and a great role model for many more out there than just your tornado and I hope you remember that from time to time. That may not have been your goal or even a thought in your head, but you’ve gone and done it and for that, you’re doubly awesome in my book.
    Have a great weekend and RUN YOUR ASS OFF! (but stretch a lot and HYDRATE! lol)

  71. Late to read and comment and you have gotten lots of great advice already. My first reactions is like Runfastermommy’s. Very doable but I would plan on walking some of it rather than the whole thing. Walking the distance is always doable! I totally believe that. As far as running, you need to build up gradually so you don’t risk injury or stress fractures. Pounding the pavement is different than lifting weights. Key thing is a gradual build up of long runs/walks up to 10 or 11 miles minimum. A couple days a week of shorter runs to get in more time on your feet. But also do what is right for you. If you aren’t going to enjoy the process, the training, then don’t do it. I love signing up for races as motivation and a goal but I truly enjoy the training and running itself to get there. Listen to your body and if it seems something is not right and you are risking injury, bag it!

  72. At least one person said this already: talk to Shauna and Julia at Up and Running!! Julia will get you ready in time 🙂

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