With Motivation You Can do Anything!

It was 6:45 in the morning when my boyfriend dropped me off in front of TD Ameritrade Park. This was where the starting point of the Omaha Marathon was going to take place, in the heart of downtown. There were tons of people gathered, who were stretching and getting their I-Pod playlists ready for the marathon to start. I felt a rush of nervousness and excitement, because I had been training for this event for the past few months and the day was finally here. As I started stretching I spotted a woman dressed up in a banana suite and tutu getting ready for the race. I thought her outfit looked so cool that I just had to take a picture with her! 

As the speaker gave a few words and thanked everyone for coming out on such an early day, the National Anthem began.

"1 minute left" came through the loud speaker and with a BANG!, the marathon began.

At first it was hard to move since everyone was in a tight-knit spot trying to get through the starting line, but all of a sudden the pace started to pick up and people started jogging and running: Some alone, some with partners. I kinda wished I had someone to run with or talk to as I ran but I had my handy dandy headphones and Pandora playlist as my companions for this adventure. 

As we passed through the downtown area and into the neighborhoods, I saw groups of family members, friends, nieces and nephews standing and waving on each sidewalk as runners ran by. I felt the rush of excitement as they all cheered, yelling out, "You can do it!" or "Great job stranger!" There is something about someone holding a funny poster like the one below, that makes you wanna keep going. 

As I reached the half-marathon turn around and started heading back to the downtown area, I felt a sudden urge to stop because my legs were starting to get tired. I kept telling myself, "you're almost there" or "you can't stop now, you gotta keep going" to keep me motivated. The only times that I found myself stopping was when I had to tie my shoe, so that was pretty impressive. 

From afar I could see the buildings of Downtown Omaha which made me happy because I was almost to the finish line. People were still outside of their homes cheering as runners were making their way back. I started to smile because I got to see one of my old co-workers and my boyfriend cheering for me. It made me really happy.

As I approached the downtown area, towards TD Ameritrade Park I noticed that I had picked up my pace and started running faster. I could see more and more people crowding around the entrance of the stadium clapping their hands and taking pictures as we each entered the gates and into the stadium. As I looked up I could see runners being displayed on the jumbo-tron as they entered the finished line. A few moments after, I did, too! With a big hooray, I had made it through!

Overall, I had an amazing experience! I can honestly say that I am proud of myself and the hard work that I had done in keeping myself motivated. I know it wasn't easy training myself and I know there were times where I just didn't want to run anymore because I felt tired or got lazy, but one of the lessons that I learned through this experience was that you can't give up. With the helpful advice from previous runners and running various distances every week, I was able to do it!

What has been your most memorable marathon?

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

A Runner's Guide:

Running is about preparation and practice. It's about seeing how far or fast you can go without stopping. It's about having fun and accomplishing that personal goal. 

My personal goal this past week has been to run a mile or so for at least 30 minutes, non stop. It was kind of hard since I haven't ran in a while, so I just walked most of the time. I usually start off with a simple jog or walk around the track to warm up and then start to run. It's all about those baby steps!

But before I start doing any of that, I wanna take a step back and share some helpful running essentials.

Wearing comfortable clothes is always helpful when you are doing something active. Since work out clothes are meant to be light-weight you are able to be more flexible and some are even sweat resistant. I usually stick with a good ol' cotton t-shirt and some yoga pants. 

For all you shoe lovers out there, shoes are a basic necessity no doubt about that. But finding the right shoe for your feet is important, because not all shoes are going to fit the same, in my opinion. I remember in high school I had some running shoes that had air things on the heel and it was just uncomfortable to run with them. 

To find the right shoe you gotta take into consideration what surface you are running on such as on a track, on the road, on a trail, or even a treadmill. They are all important because of the footwork that you do, going up and down. I recently started wearing Nike running shoes. I find them to be really comfortable and give a lot of support to my feet since I do a lot of running on the sidewalk and on the track. They are also really light and it has a cushion for your heel, so that's a plus!

Water is important regardless if you are doing something active or not. It's good to keep your body hydrated with fluids continuously. Protein shakes are also helpful to keep your body moving and energized. 

Having a good playlist is a good companion when working out. It's a way to keep motivated and engaged with whatever you are doing. I find Pandora radio to be my best friend when I am on the go. 

What types of things do you use when you are exercising?

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

Run Like You Mean It!

Back in high-school, I used to be part of a running club where we would meet each and every week and work on distance running. We'd attend races of all kinds like 5k's, 10k's and so on, all in preparation for the LA Marathon. I had never ran a big marathon especially one that was 26.2 miles, so I was nervous. But, being part of a running club gave me the motivation and drive that I needed to train each week and watch my progress grow. I felt at ease knowing that I wasn't the only one that has never ran a marathon before. There were other running club members that had ran it before and gave us tips on breathing techiniques and what to expect on the day of the marathon. I loved the feeling of adrenaline rush whenever my running buddy and I would sprint to the finish line after completing a10k race and the constant support from my friends and family.

I feel really proud of  having completed my first 26.2 mile marathon back in 2008. It was one of my biggest accomplishments, other than graduating high school of course. (ha ha!) 

Today, I am training to run the 2015 Omaha Half-Marathon in September. I haven't ran in a while so the feeling of nervousness is back, but I have confidence that it will be a fun process to do all over again.

Nutrients

Training

Can't wait to continuing sharing with you all my experience and also marathon/race training tips. More to come!

From LA, With Luv
Fati <3