how it's all "working out"

so, i figured it has been about a month since i did my last running post and i should probably let the blogging world know how it is going.

well, i am still alive. this is big!

i have been running just about every day for the last month. it's funny how when i first did my running post, i mentioned that i hate running. well, i'm still not a fan. i still have to drag myself out of bed at the butt crack of dawn to go running and i usually don't do it with a smile on my face. but i'm making progress and that's a big deal for me. also, when i first started running, i thought my 2-3 mile runs were tough and challenging and a major accomplishment. ha. my, how things have changed in a month.

so, what is keeping me going? my sweet husband has been helping me push myself further than i think is possible. bless his cute little heart- he gets up every morning with me around 6:00 (again, this is big... he is not a morning person). he doesn't run with me, but he is willing to get in the car, reset the odometer, and drive x amount of miles. and usually when i say 4, he says 4.5. i say 6 and he drives me 7.2. and what does he do? he drops me off, gives me a kiss, and says "i'll see ya when you get home". and i am left out in the middle of nowhere (ok, maybe that's an exaggeration. i'm out in the middle of a neighborhood way too far away from my house) and i am required to run all the way home in a reasonable amount of time so i can get showered up and make it to school by 8:30 or so. how sweet is that? poor josh has seen just about every sunrise with me for the last month or so, and although he is never thrilled to be getting up and doing this morning routine, he always does it and always tells me how proud he is of me when i get back.

he also sets the timer on his iphone to see how long it takes me to get home. right now, i am at just about (or even just under) a 10 minute mile. i know there are millions of people out there who can run faster than that, but 2 months ago there's no way i could run that fast, so i'm making improvements. and i've come to the conclusion that i'll never be a runner... but i can jog, and a darn good jogger i'll be.

i am also in the middle of making a good running mix (and i am totally willing to share it on my blog as soon as it's complete) and i appreciate the suggestions you fabulous runners have given me. josh has been so willing to download any and all songs that i tell him i want. he even uploads them on my ipod and then charges my ipod to make sure it's working perfectly for the next morning. again, what a dollface. one thing i have found that i absolutely love is listening to broadway musicals while i run. random, i know. but i love that they are usually fun and upbeat and they tell a story too. my all-time favorites are wicked and the little mermaid but i have also loved mama mia, the lion king, footloose, and legally blonde. beauty and the beast was no bueno. not upbeat enough for me. but seriously, i'm thinking broadway musicals are the way to go. they get me moving (sometimes i'm more-so dancing than running) and singing along. the only downside is that i'm usually singing the songs the entire day at school and work.

and last but not least, josh has decided to be my sponsor. haha, doesn't that sound so funny? well, last night after i came home from work, he gave me a gift card to al's sporting goods so i can go get some new running shoes, shirts, shorts, and anything else i need to be (or look like) a runner. i think it's great that even though he's not going to run a single mile with me, he's supporting me in every other way possible.

so today i ran 8 miles and it was long! seriously, who knew that hyrum to my house would be 8 miles?? but i was able to finish it in an hour and 20 minutes and i didn't stop and walk once. another huge accomplishment. if i can keep this pace up, hopefully i can finish this darn half marathon in under 2 1/2 hours. again, i'm not doing it to see how fast i can run (i just want to finish the darn thing), but i think it'd be nice to set a reasonable goal and hopefully stick to it.

the race is in one month from today and i still think i can do it. well, i have to do it because i am already registered for it and i'm not going to let that $30 go to waste. so hopefully this next month of training is as successful as this last month of training has been!