What's new?

As has happened several times in my blogging history, I am coming back from a several month hiatus from blogging.  I honestly don't know why I stayed away this time - initially it might have just been about time, and there's always that nagging feeling that I don't have anything interesting to say.

But here's a quick recap of what's been up with me since my last post in NOVEMBER!!

First, and most importantly...

I am a marathoner!!  I completed the Walt Disney World Marathon in January, and am so happy I took on this challenge.  The experience was wonderful, and painful, but mostly wonderful.  My amazing husband ran with me, despite the fact that he can run a marathon much, much faster than me. He cheered me on when I was tired, and we jokingly would say "every mile is magic" every time I felt it was getting long, or hard.  I never wanted to finish anything so much in my life, and over those last miles, I decided this would definitely be a "bucket list - one and done" kind of thing.  It didn't take but a few hours for the pain to subside and the desire to run another marathon to rear its head.  In fact, in the first weeks after the marathon, I flirted with the idea of not just another marathon, but a 50K, because I felt the need to continue pushing the limits as a runner, and for a little while, I felt like "just" running half marathons would be weak and silly.

This is not the most flattering picture as I break into tears at the finish line, but I love it because I think it captures everything I was feeling.  And a few moments later...I was all smiles!

But the post-marathon swirl of emotions cleared, and I was back to training for my next half marathon, the Tom King Half in Nashville.  It was my third time to run this race, and my 20th half marathon.  I ran with my daughter, and didn't go into the race expecting to do anything but finish, even though my current PR was on this course in 2013.  However, it was a gorgeous day, and we had an amazingly perfect race, and I came within one minute of my PR.

I think I was channeling my inner marathoner by wearing the same skirt!

The last month, I've been sick and my training has suffered, and my monthly mileage for March was the least it's been since last June, before I started marathon training.  I have a half marathon on Sunday, in Knoxville, and I hope to have a good race, though given the last month, I know I'm not in PR shape.  

On the weight loss front, I managed to maintain my weight through marathon training (which I've heard can be difficult), but now I really want to focus again on weight loss, as I know even losing a few more pounds will help my running.  Other than my school's 5K on April 16, I don't have any other races on the calendar, so I am giving a run streak another go, to help with motivation.  I really want April to be another great mileage month, regaining whatever fitness I lost in March, and my goal is to lose 5 pounds.

Sorry for the LONG recap, but those are the highlights of the past 4 months or so.  I promise to blog more regularly from now on.  

Thanks for reading!