Discipline is Allison's Key

My brother, Gavin, and I at his high school graduation

Ok, so I hate to admit it but the last couple weeks I haven't done so well with my training. This is the first week that I have started back full force but I have very good reasons for why I haven't been as disciplined. My baby brother graduated from high school last week so between his graduation, family coming to visit, and an overnight trip with my dearest friend, Pier, I just haven't gotten to run as much. When I finally stared back this past Sunday I was ashamed at how little I ran. It was really sad that I went from the 2 miles I had gotten to, to not even being able to finish a full mile. So last night I thought I'd start where I did at the beginning. I ran a mile straight on our high school's track and then did type writers on the bleachers which is between half a mile and a mile. So the fact that I was able to do between a mile and a half and two miles really made me feel better about myself. And I learned something: this whole training thing really is about discipline. I can't let things get in the way. Sure, stuff happens and most of the time it is really good. I wouldn't give up what I did last week for anything, but I know that I could have fit even a short run in there somewhere. It is amazing that even in a week and a half I can lose everything I had worked on. So now here is my goal: keep a running schedule even if I have to get up early to do it. Registration for the Tinker Belle Half Marathon opens next week and that is really showing me that I need to get my butt into gear! I know that Pier, Kat, Ron, and I can do this and I know that we all are going to do great!! It is nice to know that I am not doing this alone. Oh, and I have another reason to start running a lot now...Pier's wedding is in 93 days from today and I would really like to fit into my bridesmaids dress :)

Pier and I are such graceful runners! We are going to look awesome!

So, for all of you out there that may feel like you are having a lot of trouble getting up and getting out fear not because you are not alone. Keep at it and remember that it isn't going to come over night. Working up to 13.1 miles is going to be a lot of work for me and I am just taking it one slow half mile at a time. So whether you are wanting to run a full or half marathon or you just want to be able to finish a mile, remember that it takes time and discipline and you can do it!!! I am teaching these things to myself too :)

Keep runnin' the race!
~Allison~

The day has come. .

            Wednesday was the night that I came home from college for good. I am an official college graduate. It feels weird to say and anti climatic without sitting through 2 hours or longer of a ceremony in which my name is not called yet my college of health and human services is recognized. I watched my fiance graduate BA Economics and Business, honors in both all while playing 4 years of baseball. This weekend instead of my own graduation we are headed to the bay area to watch his best friend graduate with a BA in Business. It seems like just yesterday we were at our high school graduation excited about the future. So much has changed since then. I went to Fresno State, Fiance went to Whittier College and his best friend went to St. Mary's College. That was the last summer we were all in the same place at the same time. Once school started things changed but we all stayed friends and motivated to be done in 4 years. Although I am not graduating with high honors or a 4.0 I am just proud I finish at all. There were so many weeks I was just willing to drop out move south and get a job. I am glad to have remained motivated to keep up with these over achievers. Below is us at high school graduation and then at his graduation from college. 

     I now have a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology. May people ask what the consists of (I know you are wondering it as well) it is the study of movement mostly related to the body. It leads to Athletic Training, Personal Training or even Sports Management. I however took the road less traveled and went the general route. I had a little bit of everything from taping up an ankle to learning the molecular reason of why we move. It was a major that was average, I wish I could have choosen a different one but once I said no to Athletic Training any other major would have been a couple more years added in. 

    So I sit here now as a graduate and unemployed with plenty of time to start off training for a marathon. Yesterday was my 22nd birthday (so weird to say 22. . 22. .odd, anyway), on my wish list I requested running shoes since my other ones are now non-existent (more like sacrificed in the move). My brother, who is serving in Afghanistan, sent my mom and I to the store to get the ones I wanted and I am so excited to start running in them. I can no longer put off the inevitable, I must get my butt in gear and get a move on this training. 

     Starting Tuesday I am going to try and run every day (I've got the time so why not) it's been a solid 3 years since I ran for longer then a minute. Every kines major is required to meet a standard of running, sit ups and push ups in a certain amount a time this major is not for you. Ill be out of town tomorrow till late Monday so I'll be back tuesday with hopefully some motivation. 

    Wish me luck as I try to catch up to Allison and Katie in their ongoing work outs. 

-Pier-

Keeping On

Kat and I after our one hour training for the day. It was sooooo hot!! But, man, did we feel good afterward! It was so fun to notice that I could run for longer than I could before. My lungs didn't hurt as much but my legs are killing me tonight! Loving this <3

Allison

Allison's First REAL Day of Training

Good morning! Allison here. Because Pier did such and amazing job introducing us I'm just going to get down to the nitty gritty.

My sister Kat and I

Yesterday was my first real day of training for the Tinkerbell half-marathon. It is safe to say that if I was to try running the half right now I wouldn't even make it one mile! Yesterday was really good though! My trainer is my sister Katie (I lovingly call her Kat). She is an amazing athlete! She is only 14 but swam on the varsity team for her high school and she was recently asked to play varsity water polo in the fall. I am so proud of her. She is the perfect trainer for me because she pushes me but at the same time she is compassionate and knows that I have a long way to go. Kat is also going to be running the marathon with Pier and I so it is good training for her as well.

After jogging/walking a mile around the track at the high school by my house, Kat made me do typewriters. For those that don't know what that is it is running across each stadium step until you have reached the top (our stadium is built out of rock in the side of a cliff and really high!). By the end of the typewriters I had run another mile. So that was 2 miles total for me yesterday...that may not sound like a lot but that is a HUGE deal for me! One of the biggest "growing" experiences for me yesterday was something my sweet sister said to me. While I was running typewriters I was getting so tired and I started saying that I couldn't do this. After our workout Kat looked at me and said she wasn't going to train me if I said that again. She said if I kept saying I can't do it then I would start to believe that and I wouldn't be able to do it. She said to erase all my negative thoughts about running and turn them into positive. She told me to start telling myself that I CAN do this. She may be younger than me but she is super wise. After that pep talk I had a renewed energy and I am actually excited about our next workout! 

Does my body hurt today? Absolutely! I am about to go pop some Motrin to ease the pain in my legs but it is so worth it. Running this half-marathon with my sister and my best friend is going to be one of the best things I have ever done! 

Till next time,

~Allison~ 

We may die trying, but we WILL do this!

Let me introduce myself. .

     I feel like it is the first day of school when you have to go around the classroom and introduce yourself. I always hated that part, in elementary and high school everyone knew each other cause we've known each other since kindergarten. College it was just a waste I am here to learn not make friends with this kid I will never see again. Sorry off topic.

      Let me start off this blog by telling you about us. My name is Pier, I graduated from high school in 2008 and am just 2 weeks from walking away from Fresno State with my degree in general Kinesiology. I am engaged to the man of my dreams and getting married this fall. I have no idea what job I want in the future but you'll read about frustrations about that in later blogs. 

      Allison graduated high school in 2009 and not only works as a secretary at her church but also at a tanning salon. She graduated from Carrington College in 2010 in Health Care administration. This past semester she went back to college to finish up her AA degree.  

     In 2001 our lives changed for the better when her father became the youth pastor at my church. Being a year apart she was put into the same Sunday School class that I was in. We soon became friends, over the years has changed to best friends now to what some people might consider a "bromance" but for girls however that works. Although we have not lived in the same town for awhile we make our relationship work. 

     The goal of this blog is to keep us honest and for accountability. Yesterday we decided that we wanted to run Disneyland's Tinker Bell Half Marathon.  http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/tinker-bell-half-marathon/ (here is the link for anyone who wants to join us). I have been wanting to do a marathon of some sort for awhile now but none have been at the right time for me to run. Allison posted on her Facebook she wanted to do this and how could I not say yes when someone else would be doing it and that person being my bestie. I by all means am not a very athletic person, I never played a sport however I did happen to do ballet when I was little. Yet that doesn't require what a sport world. Allison however did play sports when she was younger and was a great swimmer all throughout her high school career. 

   

     Running is something that we both can take or leave, we are not the first ones to go out there and start running but when you want to do a marathon running is vital to its success. Allison found some great websites that help you train for a marathon (We'll post later about them) so following their lead by Jan 18 when the time comes 13.1 miles will be nothing. If we both just so happen to have a six pack after then that would be an awesome reward as well. 

     We will try to post often about our adventures in running along with fun stories about situations that arise in our lives (trust me there is never a dull moment when it comes to us). Feel free to leave comments, questions or ideas. 

     (sorry this is so long, yet fitting cause we can talk for hours with anyone about anything)

-Enjoy-

-Pier