Author: Fallon @ Slacker Runner

2- Baby Steps

Last week was more of keep on keeping on.

I made a few better choices while eating and still some bad ones. I ran a little more. I ran a race. I knew I was out of shape but wow…. but more on that next post. I forgot cross training. Oops.

Oh, and I learned that multi vitamins make me sick so that was fun. I am trying to make healthier choices here! Just don’t ask me about the Carl’s Jr. Sometimes a burger is just needed.

Monday– Vitamin fallout. What’s sad is it took me a few times to make the correlation, ha!


Tuesday– Nada

Wednesday 3.33 miles I changed as fast as I could to enjoy as much of the sunset as I could. Which wasn’t as much as I would have liked as I had to still drive to my running route but it was still kind of glorious. I feel like every day is getting so much brighter. I enjoyed a few easy miles with the sunset and the dark.

Thursday– Honestly have no idea what I did this day.

Friday– As if.

Saturday- Castle to Coast 8.2 miles.
More to come on that. Oh and a 2 hour nap that may have resembled a coma.

Sunday- 2.6 miles Ooof. I was feeling tight post race and my stomach had hated me since Saturday after the race. I struggled out the door and managed to straggle out 2ish miles. Truthfully they ended up mostly a walk. My stomach let me know running was not an option. But I did something.

14ish miles for the week. Slowly going up but I am also coming to grips with just how out of shape I’ve let myself become.

How was your week?

Rambling On 64

It’s 10 days into January and what have I accomplished?

No, I’m kidding. However I have quit Hulu, Ipsy and Beachbody. All good things in my book and a step in another direction.

I’ve been tracking my food mostly every day. More as a way to just get a better understanding of how deep my denial runs. And it’s deep, very deep. Why I am carrying extra weight? Because I eat too much! And too much crap. Reality slapped me in the face.

Oh and I have a race I’m completely unprepared for this weekend. Even if I’m running it as a long run.

But I did have a run this week with a pretty awesome sky.

And how are we 10 days into 2020??

Share something random!!

1- New Year

I sent 2019 out with a migraine for 3 days. Or did it see me out with a migraine. Hmmm.

One thing I want to change in 2020 is these weekly recaps. Part of me likes them as it helps me remember what I did and how I felt. Also it is the only way I have ever effectively stuck to a training log. I’ve tried various forms of diaries and log books but they’ve never lasted more than a few months. So I know that I want to keep it but I also want to change things up. However, I am not sure how so until I figure it out, I’ll keep on keeping on.

Outside of the migraine, I think last week went about as well as everyone else’s- I had no idea what day it was half the time. Holidays in the middle of the week with work on both sides mess with your head. The fact that I worked the Saturday before New Year’s too just made things seem screwier.

Monday and Tuesday were spent at work and then hiding in the dark in the evenings. Wish I could say it was the migraine that kept me from a New Year’s Eve celebration but it wasn’t. #introvert

Wednesday– Best thing about winter and days off is the running in the afternoon part. I headed out for a few easy miles but they just felt hard. Which is fine as I know I am very out of shape right now but a wheezing 4 miles done.

Thursday and Friday– work, work. Plus it kind of hurt to breath.

Saturday- 7 miles Hey, look who ran a baby long run! I headed out in the early afternoon again and the weather was pretty good. It wasn’t exactly easy but it wasn’t exactly hard either. If that makes sense. I may have overdressed a bit but I have a paranoia of getting sick.

Sunday- 7.ish miles on the bike. I meant to do the recovery run on my training plan but it was crazy windy. Did I mention the paranoia? I spent 3-4 months sick at the beginning of 2019 and I am not going back. I used an interval option and for once I feel like I got in a decent workout.

So 11 miles running for the week. Doesn’t sound like a lot or hardly anything at all but it’s my first double digit week in 2 months. Yep, gonna be a tough road back.

How was your week?

Rear View- 2019

2019 was not what I would have expected. Nor was it what I hoped for at the beginning of the year. It is what it is, however it’s up to me to how I respond to it.

So what happened in 2019?

shiny–

  • Ran 8 races
  • Met some great running peeps in real life
  • Promotion at work
  • Transfer to a much close location
  • Finally made it to California Adventure
  • I ran.

dull-

  • DNS’ed 2 races- Castle to Coast in January, RnR San Jose in October
  • Spent January through March sick
  • Both parents in and out of hospital
  • Gained 20ish pounds (on top pf the 20 I gained in 2018)
  • Beachbody
  • Fewer miles than previous 3 years
  • No 1st 50K- my only real goal of the year
  • Not enough trail time
  • Nowhere near 1000 miles- yes, an arbitrary goal- actual total- 591

2018 was kind of a mess- I didn’t even write a year review, my usual Shiny and Dull. I had high hopes for 2019 but I also never even published my goals post. It’s still in my drafts folder even now.

2019, I aimed for something higher. But I didn’t really try. I don’t even know if I can say I phoned it in. Admitting it is only half a start. I need to make a change if I want 2020 to be different. Even if typing 2020 just broke my brain a bit. This is no new year, new me bit- merely me admitting that I’ve become a little comfortable being lazy. So comfortable, it’s going to be very hard to follow through. And hard. Some of the weight gain is on me (literally, ha!) and some is due to my lovely GI disorder but the docs are stumped, yay me. However I have become a little too comfortable using that as an excuse. The Slacker will find a way, haha.

So now I need to unlearn all my bad habits (ok, most of them) and stop rationalizing everything I do or eat to increase my Slacker-ness. It’s going to be an uphill battle and likely a long climb.

So here’s to a lackluster 2019 and lessons hopefully learned.

Ok, 2020, what you got?

Heading off to Napa

I am 2 weeks into training for Napa Valley Half Marathon. Which makes me realize I forgot to tell you about Napa…

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Napa Valley Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Silly Slacker.

Napa Valley. People, I live in wine country but it’s not Wine Country. Prior to running, I actually paid little attention to the hundreds (not an exaggeration) of vineyards in my area. My first half marathon was lined with vineyards and vines. I learned harvest patterns thanks to a house I run past with a couple acres of vines. Vines grew on me you could say.

I am so looking forward to running in Napa. I’ve thought about it for years but for some reason, don’t go north as often for trips. Oops. Napa Valley Marathon has been running since 1979. In 2018, they added a half. Which is what I will be running. The race course runs down the Silverado Trail from Calistoga to Napa. The half starts around the midway point. I do love a good point to point race. Throw in rows of vines along the way and I am in!!

Now if only I spend more time running than taking pictures. It’s a toss up. I am a picture hoarder after all. Also this may be half marathon #40. Or 41…. I do have a tendency to throw races in at the last minute.

Oh, did I mention this will be my time trying the VIP experience at race?????? I’m excited!!

Want to join me on March 1? Use code BIBRAVE10 to save $10 on registration!