Deva by Definition

Vlogging Half Marathon Training: Week Seven

2012-02-22T21:34:58-05:00

A few Things:

1. I definitely made a shout-out to my sister.

2. I got a couple text messages while making this video, and didn't realize the mic picked up the sound of my phone going off - that is the honking noise you hear twice in the video.

A long (birthday) weekend

2012-02-20T23:18:15-05:00

This weekend, The Boy and I took a few extra days off to celebrate my birthday – which fell today. We enjoyed a relaxing weekend, visiting with my parents, going to see The Secret World of Arrietty, picking up some new supplies to support my running habit, and taking a trip to Sephora so I could get some new foundation, bronzer, makeup brushes, and my Sephora birthday gift – some mini Fresh Sugar lip balms!

We also enjoyed some chocolate cake and cookies and crème ice cream, dinner at Montgomery Inn, and a trip to Jungle Jim’s to pick up some Meiji chocolate, soba noodles, and Japanese curry mix. It has been a very fun and relaxing long weekend and I am glad I took the time off to enjoy it. I’ve been able to sleep past nine almost every day I’ve been off, and even got to enjoy two very nice runs in forty and fifty-degree temperatures!

I am eager to get back to regular blogging as the week continues, and will be back tomorrow with another half marathon vlog. For now, though, I think I am going to wrap up my birthday weekend with some more cake and perhaps some Fraggle Rock on DVD.

What did you do this weekend?

Oh Sad Day

2012-02-15T21:53:11-05:00

Today, we said good-bye to a dearly loved member of my family.

Our beloved dog passed away today, and it is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I post this. She was a good dog, a sweet girl, a true friend, and I will always have a place for her in my heart. Today I look back fondly on the fifteen years of memories I have of her and am glad she got to enjoy such a full and happy life.

She will definitely be missed.

Half Marathon Training: Week Six

2012-02-13T22:34:11-05:00

Just a Few things:

1. I definitely put a shout-out to Meghann for her awesome PR at her half marathon this weekend.

2. The post I reference in the video is this one, about how I am an athlete.

3. I sound shaky because I am cold. We keep our house on the chilly side and when filming this video, I was waiting for the space heater to warm up our living room!

Enjoy!

Definition, Self: An Athlete

2012-02-12T17:49:05-05:00

When I run, I am not very fast. I ran my first 5k in 35 minutes, my second in 37. My fastest runs have an average pace between 10:30 and 11-minutes per mile. That is faster than I was in September – much faster, if I am being honest, but for many, that is slow. And yet, I call myself an athlete – why?

Based on the definition from the Free Dictionary, an athlete is “A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.” By this definition, I would consider myself an athlete.

The athletic traits I have may or may not be natural, and they may very well be acquired, but through hard work and training I have become faster, I have become stronger, more agile, and I have developed my endurance. Remember, just a few short months ago I considered three miles to be a long run, and now I am routinely running five or more miles at a stretch.

Through long runs and minor speed work, I have made myself faster, going from averaging a twelve-minute mile to averaging closer to ten-and-a-half minutes per mile. I have increased my endurance, now rarely taking walk breaks during runs, and running farther than I have ever run before. I am training my body and pushing it harder than I ever have, and I am seeing results like never before.

Continuing strength training has only enhanced my athletic abilities, giving me stronger calves, quads, and a good deal more upper body strength. Through discipline I have developed my strength, speed, and endurance, and through a well-written training plan I have ensured my dedication to my training, often waking up before the sun to go run or to go lift. I have developed a better understanding of my body’s limits, and then I have asked my body to go farther than I have ever asked it before, and the gains I have made have been amazing, especially in speed. A nearly two-minute per mile gain from October until now. Maybe in October I wasn’t pushing myself hard enough, or maybe, through hard work and continued running, I am getting better at running. I know I am getting faster and I know that my early morning runs are getting easier, even as they are growing longer and more challenging.

So, sure, I may not be able to bench press my body weight, and I may not be able to run a mile in single-digit minutes, but I am getting there through hard work and dedication. Maybe I will never be able to run a mile un under ten minutes, but I will know that I tried my hardest. I may never run a marathon, but I don’t think you have to run marathons to prove your athleticism. I may never bench press my body weight, but I will be strong, and I will remain dedicated to my sports, and for me, that is enough.

I am an athlete, and I am proud of it.