16 weeks of training.

Training begins today! Training begins today!

Last year I was following a 30 week beginners marathon plan. It was totally what I needed to start as a very overweight beginning runner.  By the end of it, I was so burnt out and was OVER it. I didn't run after the marathon for more than a month and it was very sporadic.  I still haven't been running a ton, but I've done two half marathons already this year with no real training.  While I didn't PR, it showed me what I could still do and that this marathon thing IS doable.  I chose a 16 week training plan from MarathonRookie.com because I feel it's a plan I can actually follow while working and wedding planning.  Obviously Runner's World has many plans but they have three 20 mile runs over the course of 16 weeks and I think I can only handle one of those in a training cycle.  It's much better to train with all those long endurance runs, but I know some people never run above 16 miles and can finish (and faster than I did last time around, too) so I think one single 20 miler will be enough and the mental aspect is more important.  Not only have I completed a 20 mile training run in the past, but I've done a whole 26.2 and finished upright on two feet and I'm more mentally prepared this time around for what that's going to feel like.

I'm sad to have to cut back on my weight lifting but this is something that's once in a lifetime - running the same marathon in two consecutive years but in the same year of my life.  HOW COOL! Seriously, I can't just not do it.  Too many *signs* point to me doing it.  My renewed inspiration will hopefully last me through training and I can hopefully hit my goal time and run the majority of the race.  By "goal time" I mean my original goal of 5:30 but definitely anything under 6 hours will be fine with me.  They changed the race course a bit and I'm excited for the changes and not running straight up High Street for almost 5 miles! After this race I will be ready for all the fun wedding festivities that will be in the weeks that follow.  The rest of this year is going to FLY by!  Here's to ALL the miles and memories - new and old - that come with this training cycle. 421.2 (+) miles to the finish line.

Another 26.2

While I was in Louisville for the Huntington's Disease Society of America National Convention this last week, I felt inspired. This was my 4th convention and it's been several years since I've seen old friends. My first three were in a row starting when I was 14 and I've stayed in touch with several of the friends I made who we're going through the same things with HD in their lives. I had found my home and I felt understood.

I was fortunate enough to be able to go back to convention this year for part of the long weekend and meet all the new young people and the next generation of HD warriors. I had been contemplating switching my Columbus Marathon registration from the half to the full marathon, and being around all of these other inspiring people made it clear to me that I needed to go for it.

I'm officially running all 26.2 miles of the Columbus Marathon for the second year in a row. 364 days after my first marathon. It's so cool to think about running the same race twice in the same year of my life - both my first and last day of my 26th year! Too many signs and feelings about the event made me realize I have to do it. I feel it in me to keep doing it. To do it for my Dad and those who can't. I will again be fundraising for the Huntington's Disease Society of America and I'll be documenting my training again over the next 16 weeks. 

If you find it in the kindness of your heart to make a donation, my fundraising website is at www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/lindsayintraining/lindsayrunscbus

Here we go!

Musings from the elliptical.

Life happens all around me, faster and faster each day. I can't believe it's June, let alone almost 1/3 of the way through the month. I'm doing some cardio - hello from the elliptical!

I've been working super hard in the gym, and I mean KILLING it. I'm lifting more weight, getting lower on my squats, and in generally just really, really putting in the work. I typically lift weights 4 days a week since I work 3 of the other days and 12 hour days and nights don't lend themselves to working out with any real benefit. I did ask for a 5th workout for weeks where I find myself working the end of one week and the beginning of the next and end up with 5-6 days off in a row, one of the perks of 3 days a week. Crazy, huh? I remember working out with Kyle's sister, Carrie, about 3 years ago and hating EVERY MINUTE. I wasn't mentally prepared to be doing this at that time. My mindset has changed. I LOVE working out. I love a good sweat. I love the soreness of spent muscles. I love seeing the changes that weightlifting brings to my body.

Just a few weeks difference! Welcome to the gun show!

My coach, Darin, is fabulous. We track my weight every single day to make sure things are happening like they should be. Not too fast, not too slow. I hit my all time low weight of 188.0 the week before last and I was thrilled. I remember being 175 my sophomore year of high school and when I get there that will be a huge milestone.

I asked everyone to share some non-scale-victories....things that are worth being proud of that AREN'T related to the number on the scale. Mine was the fact that I crossed my legs without thinking of it and I could actually do it AND my leg didn't fall asleep! Woo hoo! I want to hear more?

What's your most recent non-scale-victory?

Mine for this week was upping all my weights I was using at the gym! I did 105 pounds on the leg extension machine for 10 reps x3 sets! Woop woop!

Wedding Wednesday - June Edition.

HOLY MOLY.  It's June!  Only 192 days til the big day and I'm getting more and more excited as the days pass.

This last month we got our engagement pictures taken, got our wedding website up and running, did our online gift registries, booked a hair stylist, and started working with an invitation designer. It's been busy!

Our fab-u-lous photographer, Erica, wrote the loveliest blog post about our session - here!

I'm THRILLED with the way our pictures turned out and I definitely ordered all of them! My absolute favorite one is this one - it just is so…us.

They all turned out amazing!  Here's another and a blooper that I just adore as well.

The "dressy" ones were taken close by our wedding venue so we hope to recreate some of the same shots on our wedding day - that's the idea anyway.  Lets see if mother nature cooperates, it will be December after all!

Our wedding website went live last week as well!  You can check us and our bridal party out, as well as read our story and how we got engaged.  I put a mix of some new and old photos on there as well! You can get to the wedding website here!

We also are choosing to do a Honeymoon Registry and our photographer has a registry through Gively.  We have been living together for several years now so we don't really need a lot of the traditional stuff - so we thought we'd ask for help with making our honeymoon as amazing as possible!  Erica offers a registry to help us with the cost of prints, some of her time for the day, and keeping our album accessible for more than standard length of time. What a great idea!  We'll likely also do a small registry at Kohl's for things like matching cups, plates, and silverware since all of ours is from the college years and absolutely nothing matches!  We'll also request luggage and maybe sheets and towels but that's pretty much it.

Next up is finalizing our save the dates and invitations from All That Glitters invitations and get the save the dates out! We'll soon be scheduling cake tastings and a meeting with a florist and we're getting together with my bridesmaids for their dresses in June as well.  Things are coming together!  I only have 1 DIY project I want to work on myself and it's a small project - I'm totally not a crafter!  Before we know it, we'll be in double digit days and fall will arrive and the holidays will roll around and the day will be here before I know it.  Things are getting exciting!