So, after I went on and on about how important it is that we get our runs in any way we can and that we owe it to ourselves to do this right, I decided I would share my little secret for how I make it all work....RUNNING BUDDIES!!!  I am VERY fortunate to have found the very best and here's how we met....

After 10k last year I was determined to not let all my hard work go to waste.  I had truly worked too darn hard to just stop after race day.  I'd come so far from not being able to run the first mile that first day to running all 6.2 in 1:12...not what my buddy Dave would call a "blistering pace" but I did it!  Anyway, my old running buddy who got me through all the training last year suggested that we join one of the groups mentioned in a weekly training e-mail.  We decided to join the "West End Running Group" (coached by none other than our fearless leader, Head Coach Dan Blankenship!).  Unfortunately, she got tied up with other activities and life took over (as it has a tendancy to do) and she never made it out.  I went alone and was relieved to meet lots of friendly faces when I arrived.  This was a group of people who had been running for various amounts of time and at various speeds.  I quickly met up with Kim and Judy.  They had been running together since they met during the YMCA's 10K training in 2007.  They welcomed me into their little group without hesitation and invited me to join them during the week.  

At the time, they were meeting twice a week at 5:45am...."No thanks" was my initial response.  If there is one thing I am not, it is a morning person!  Anyhow, I wasn't having much success on my own so I quickly gave in and decided that if I wanted to be able to run the 6 miles we were doing every Saturday, I'd better run during the week.  You'd better believe that the only thing that made me get my butt out of bed those mornings was the thought of them standing there waiting for me to show up.  It eventually got easier, became habit just like anything new, and I couldn't be more grateful to them for just extending the invitation. 

Over the past 9 months, we have gradually increased our workout times and activities (key word being gradually!).  We now meet at 5am and we have added weight training twice a week and a cardio class once a week.  Just this week, we added a 3rd run in the morning to keep up with the Y's 10k training schedule...gotta walk the talk, right?!  In addition to all of this, we trained with the West End Running Group to do the McDonald's Half-Marathon back in November.  The three of us and Dave stayed together for all 13.1 miles and crossed the finishline holding hands...it was Amazing!!! 

So, ALL of that was to say...Find yourself a buddy or 2 or a whole group!  If you have somebody depending on you and someone to depend on then you are sure to succeed!  If you don't already know someone then introduce yourself to the person whose heels you are on during your next run...if you keep the same pace then who knows what else you may have in common.  My husband makes fun of me because I've turned running into a team sport and a "social hour."  In all honesty, I know for a fact that if it hadn't been for Judy and Kim's constant friendship and the encouragement of my coaches, Dave and Dan, I would probably be starting from scratch again this year, if anything at all.  I'm forever grateful to you all, my Buddies!!!!