Bitty and the Boy

Week 29

Just an FYI for those out there who are following. It is not possible to run, walk, or even crawl a half-marathon when you can not breathe. I did not get far today. I took 3 shots of emergency inhaler in the first hour of my run. I had to stop or die. :) On a related note, I went to the doctor this morning. I had a chest x-ray, got a steroid shot, and spent $100 on medicines to get me breathing again. Hopefully, I will have better luck tomorrow. Still, I think I will save the long run until next week. :)

Week 28

Last Week's Miles: 21
This Week's Miles: 24.1
Miles Completed: 363
Pounds Lost: 3

We are getting closer to the big event. I have my outfit ready. I have my iPod ready. I have everything ready. This week I will be doing a test run on Thursday. I will do 13.1 miles. I will let you know how it goes. There is one thing that I haven't figured out how to carry. I need to carry my asthma emergency inhaler. But where to carry it? I don't want to carry a fanny pack. I may have to change my jacket to one with a zipper pocket. I am sure that I will need my inhaler during the run.

Week 26

Last Week's Miles: 23

This Week's Miles: 19

Miles Completed: 323

Pounds Lost: 3

Week 25

Last Week's Miles: 35
This Week's Miles: 23
Miles Completed: 300
Pounds Lost: 3

7 weeks until the BIG DAY. I am getting very excited. I have bought and put together the outfit that I will be wearing. Pink is apparently the color of choice this year. This week I have a HUGE day. This week my long run is 12 miles. I am a bit nervous, but also excited.

I need to accomplish a few things before my 7 weeks are gone, though.

1) I need to get out and do some outdoor walking. This isn't really easy with my schedule of getting up at 3:30 am. I am still trying to figure the outside stuff out.

2) I need to get going with my Nike+ Ipod features. I would like to use them on the day of the marathon, so I need to actually open the box.

3) I need to find an armband for my new Ipod nano. Apple launched its new generation right as we bought mine. So, I got the new one. Yippee. However, it is a bear to find accessories for it.

4) I am sure there are more...I just can't think of any.

Week 23

Last Week's Miles: 10

This Week's Miles: 19

Miles Completed: 265

Pounds Lost: 3

I was hit with a cold/exhaustion/flu-like illness at the end of this week. So, I took some days to recover. I am having a repeat of this training week to jump start me back into the groove. Less than two months to go. I am looking forward to the run. I can't wait until I have accomplished this goal. These last 23 weeks have changed my life and I am looking forward to reaching my goal -- My First Half-Marathon. I will be so proud to be able to say that I did it -- not that I am planning on doing it.

(Hooray for me....it is actually Monday.)

Week 22

Last Week's Miles: 23
This Week's Miles: 19
Miles Completed: 255
Pounds Lost: 3

Again it is not Monday. But a girl does what a girl can do. Well, last week went well. I had read the training schedule wrong so instead of 9 miles on Saturday; I only had to do 7 miles. It was like getting a Christmas present.

My body is changing so much, but the weight is not budging. My clothes fit differently. I can see the muscles in my butt and my legs changing. These are things that I feel good about; however, the numbers on the scale would also be a nice benefit. I am not complaining though. I want to be healthy. I am accomplishing that goal. All else is vanity and I can deal with that differently.

I find myself wishing the run was in November instead of December. I am finding that there are too many weeks left and I am not really focused on what schedule to follow for each week. (I have only 3 weeks left on my training schedule. I have to start repeating some or something.)

Week 21

Last Week's Miles: 50 (last 3 weeks)
This Week's Miles: 25
Miles Completed: 232
Pounds Lost: 3

Ok. I realize today is Friday not Monday, but a girl has to catch up when she can. We have been busy these last few weeks. My grandmama passed away. We went on a long-weekend escape. Virtually everyone in the house has been sick at least once. Luckily, mine is a worn down feeling so I was able to continue my miles. I have a little over 2 months until my half marathon. We have booked our hotel. I have even booked our condo for my next half in April. I feel confident. I know that even if the race was held in 2 weeks that I could be ready.

I am getting up at 3am and 4 am (yes, AM) in order to get my long runs done in the morning. I don't do as well if I leave them to afternoon. I don't do them if I leave them to evening/night. So, I have been an early riser and getting over 5 miles done before sunrise.

Funniest Tidbit: When going on vacation, always remember your running shoes. My running shoes live upstairs in the room where my treadmill is located. I remembered all of my running/walking paraphernalia except the shoes. I did do my minimum number of miles/workout. In slippers. Yes, house shoes. I walked 3 miles at my minimum not allowed to go any slower speed. (This is my own benchmark.) Also, I did an hour on the elliptical and the bike for my extra workout for the week. You should not do that...EVER. My calves were on FIRE after the treadmill work. Always remember your shoes.

Week 17

Last Week's Miles: 21
This Week's Miles: 15
Miles Completed: 167
Pounds Lost: 3

Our house is in a chaotic state right now. The Boy is battling his first virus since starting school and has been running me ragged since Thursday. So, I am tired. My grandmama is not doing very well and probably will pass away in the next few days. I went to see her twice last week. (It is a 2hour drive or I would have been there more often.) Plus, this weekend we have super big spectacular Labor Day plans that are looking like they will have to be cancelled or postponed depending on when the events unfold. So, I am giving myself a reprieve on my training. My goal is to do 5 days and at least 3 miles each day. We shall see how the week goes.

Week 16

Last Week's Miles: 16 (missed one day)
This Week's Miles: 21
Miles Completed: 146
Pounds Lost: 1

Four months. I have changed so much in the last four months. Jason and I were discussing my training for the week. I missed one day of training because I was called away to help a friend in need. Since it was the end of the week, I had no "extra" days where I could make it up. I told Jason, "Well, I am just happy that it was my short run day." Jason looked at me and said, "Aren't you proud that you consider 3 miles a short run day?" And I am. Four months ago, I would have never uttered that statement. Now, when Jason asks if I am going to just go down to 4 miles a day after my half is over, I get weird and shrug. Weird because I really can't see just doing 4 miles a day and really feeling like I am being active. I am already looking at April and considering signing up for my second half. The Country Music Marathon looks very enticing. I love Nashville and know just the place for my Friday night carb load. Demos' is my favorite. You should try it next time you are in Nashville. So, this week is a week of hope. I am not as tired as I thought I would be, but I do feel better than I thought I would.

Week 15

Last Week's Miles: 17
This Week's Miles: 19
Miles Completed: 130
Pounds Lost: 0


I have decided that I can make the training easier if I do a breathing treatment the night before. Problem is that I never remember in time to do the nebulizer treatment before my bedtime. Saturday I found myself doing the treatment while on the treadmill. I used my son's dinosaur mask so that I didn't have to hold onto the apparatus. Believe me, I was a sight to see. Luckily, my husband didn't have access to a camera.

Last Week's Miles: 3*

This Week's Miles: 17

Miles Completed: 113

Pounds Lost: 0


Asthma has hit me early this year. Typically, in October, I have a serious control problem. I get sick and then the asthma flares up. This will send me to specialists who dispense 10 or so medications to knock the beast back into submission. I will then spend the winter taking a couple of medicines to control my attacks. This year I got sick a few weeks ago and it has started to flare up. I should just go to the doctor, but I don't want to go on so many medicines. I keep hoping the three I have will work. Everyday activities aren't a problem...just this marathon training seems to be straining my lungs. But I WILL persevere. I am woman....all that jazz.

This weeks training is going to be a repeat of week before last. 17 miles. Not bad. I can do it.

*Miles not added into total.

Week 13

Last Week's Miles: 17

This Week's Miles: 3ish (will not be adding these to the total)

Miles Completed: 113

Pounds Lost: 0

Week 12

Last Week's Miles: 15
This Week's Miles: 17
Miles Completed: 96
Pounds Lost: 0

This week our house got hit with summer colds. First it was me, then Bitty, and now The Boy is sniffling and running a fever. Jason has taken to wearing HazMat suits around the house. This being said I still did all but one of my miles. Way to go, Gina! I am proud of this development because I have been known to not exercise due to particularly bad paper cuts. I am pumped up about my dedication to this journey.

Last Week's Miles: 14
This Week's Miles: 16
Miles Completed: 84
Pounds Lost: 0 (you have got to be joking me!!)

I am on Week 11 in my training with about twenty weeks left to go. I am allowing myself extra time than my training guide suggests. It is a twenty week program and I will have thirty-one weeks to get ready. I could start over from the beginning and still be fine. Which means that you all can join me. :)

I am having to get up pretty early to get my miles in before my husband goes to work and my kids are thrown at me. I did not make it today. I was still on the treadmill when my husband left for work. Bitty graciously slept late and The Boy was content with playing in the playroom while I finished the last half-mile. I suspect that I should get up 15minutes earlier for my 4mile days. What worries me is the 30minutes earlier for the 5mile days. And do I just not go to sleep on the 7mile days? My 7mile days are weeks ahead of me. So here is my new motto,
"I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow." -Scarlett O'Hara, Gone with the Wind (1939)

Awhile ago, I read this book about running a marathon by Dawn Dais. Well, I hit the road running so to speak and I am on my way to walking a half-marathon. I have been training for 10weeks. This week I have finally begun to feel like I am training for a long distance event. This week I moved from walking a preappointed number of minutes to walking a defined distance. I did 6 miles over the weekend and I will do 11 miles more before the week is out. I am excited and pumped. Maybe now I will start actually losing some weight. My husband swears he can see a difference in my body whether or not there is a difference at the scale.



I am slowly getting my running/walking gear together. I recently went out and bought some good running shoes. My feet were hurting with my not-so-old New Balances. The friend who is running the half with me had raved about her Nikes and I decided to give them a try. I am in love with these shoes. They are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. You can buy a package that allows you to put a sensor in your shoes and then connect an adaptor to your IPOD nano to get your running statistics. However, I only have a regular IPOD and haven't decided whether to purchase a nano just for my walking. At any rate I will never go back to New Balances, no matter what the price difference is between them.