What I have learned.

So my first run back after a week off was Christmas day and it was a great one. I did 4.27 miles in 38 minutes. It was sunny and the perfect temp. Merry Christmas to me. It was a great day. My girls had fun. We enjoyed a lovely meal with the Konzelman family.
I went out again on the 26th and did a little 5 miler. I felt like I had lead legs. I wore my Newton Lady Issac S's. Last year at this time when I got them, I thought they were the most amazing shoes and they are still really great shock absorbers for those distant runs but dang if they didn't feel like they weighed over 2 tons.  I realize how much I like my Brooks Pure Connects. They are very light weight on my feet. I ran yesterday a little over 6 miles. It wasn't a fantastic run but I got out there and did it and was happy that I could.  I took today off as I am trying to listen to my body. Come first week of January starts my half marathon training. It's a four month training schedule. I am already ahead of the game this time. Last time this year I was struggling and just beginning to find my groove. This year I already have distance on my side. It's all going to be mental for me.
Looking forward to seeing how much I have improved from April 2013 to April 2014. I also am excited to see how I fair on the 10k I have coming up in Jan.  I ran it this last Jan in 1 hour 18 mins. I hope to by far surpass it this next year.
I also have the Feb 1st double bridge run coming up too. Excited as I only ran the 5k portion this last year. This time I am doing the whole 15k.
I can tell you what I have learned in the last few weeks.
1. listen to your body.
2. respect rest days for what the are meant to be.. (for those that are saying I told you so...hush, as some of us are more stubborn and want to go out side of our comfort zones and I am apparently one f them)
3. eating crap will make you feel like crap, shit, sluggish or however you want to word it, when you run.
4. Cyber running friends are the best. Thanks to Mona Dervin, Erica Montes, Dawn Pohlen and many more who encourage me to keep going and might I add, put up with my run challenges.
5. Nike + running app is a great way to log miles and to have that friendly competition to spur you on.
I am now 3.2 miles away from logging 365 miles for the year. I know I have done more as I switched apps from runtastic to Nike but it's nice to see it on my Nike app. I have 10days to log 35 miles for the 75 in 30 days challenge. Mona has already won but now I just want to get there. I can say I have already logged 67.3 miles for the month of December and I have a few days to go.
Thank you to all my motivating running partners, near and far.
so as the new year looms and you think of your goals, ask yourself, what is attainable? It makes you keep going if you set a goal that is attainable. If you surpass that goal, then you are on your way to being a 'rock star'
Happy Running my friends.

 my happy face on Christmas Day after my run.