Weekend Update

Happy Monday!  It's hard to believe that it's so cold again after it was practically spring like yesterday!  I hope everyone got to get out and enjoy a little fresh air!  I'm linking up with Tara at Running 'n' Reading for her weekend update!

Friday night was really laid back.  My sister and I ichatted while catching up on Scandal and HTGAWM <--don't want anyone finding my blog by typing in the full name haha!  I started Lickety Split by Mary Kay Andrews (written as Kathy Hogan Trocheck--her name before she became Mary Kay!) as my "book by a favorite author" category on my reading challenge.  To be honest, I'm really glad I didn't read this one first!  The books she writes now are fun, girly, and total beach reads (a new one comes out in May!  I can't wait!) and this one is nothing like it!  While it's been a quick read, it's not exactly my kind of book.

Saturday morning I woke up fully intending to go to my group run.  After looking at the temperature and impending snow, my coffee and pancakes were looking better and better.  I opted for a treadmill run later and was really glad I did!  It started snowing a lot earlier than predicted and the roads in my neighborhood were a mess.  My walk to the gym was probably more of a workout than the actual run because of all the snow!  Can't tell you guys how thankful I am that I bought my boots earlier this year. Seriously guys, they are the best ever!

Sunday was the day to tackle my long run.  Even though it was a lot warmer, my side walks were still super slushy and I wanted to stay on the safe side.  I opted for the treadmill once again and it ended up being a fantastic run.  I even ran a little further than I had set out to because I switched treadmills after my favorite one freed up about two minutes into my run.  I wanted to see those double digits and figured 10.5 was better than 10.2.  I'm actually a little surprised with how not bored I was this week on my treadmill long runs.  I think the combination of music and Wait...Wait...Don't Tell Me! helped.  It probably doesn't hurt that Shamrock is getting closer and I'm thinking a PR is more doable than I had originally thought!  My brother and sister included me on a massive group text as well, and it's really hard to be bored when you have constant alerts going off.  Thanks, guys! :-)

I felt great this whole run! Can't wait for Shamrock!

Maddux and I got in a short walk Sunday afternoon (he wasn't a fan of getting his paws wet) and then I made it out of the house for a Petsmart and Target run.  All in all, a great weekend!

Ignore my weird hair and the angle of this picture.
 Maddux's face was too good to not share!

Tell me something good about your weekend!  Any other treadmill warriors out there?  Stay warm and have a great week!

No Dreadmills Here!

It's Friiiiiiday!  That means it's time to link up with some amazing bloggers for the Friday Five!  Make sure you check out the blogs of the fabulous Mar, Courtney, and Cynthia!

Because I am a pansy super safe and stay away from things like running in the dark by myself, I have had to spend lots of quality time with the 'mill since the days have started getting shorter.  To be honest, it doesn't really bother me.  I know there are a lot of people who DESPISE the treadmills, but here are a few things that get me through my workouts:


1. Listening to Wait, Wait! Don't Tell Me! Guys, this seriously makes my treadmill time fly by.  As embarrassing as it is laughing out loud and getting the funny looks from fellow gym goers, it really does make for an entertaining workout.  If NPR doesn't cut it for you, Runner's World recently posted an article about some other great podcasts (I'm going to have to check these out as well!).

2. Filling my playlist with music I love.  I don't listen to music often on my outside runs for safety reasons, so running with music is kind of exciting for me.  I think a lot of people would laugh at my workout songs, but they are the ones that I never get tired of listening to.   They may not all be "pump you up" songs, but they get me excited about my workouts.  Some of my favorites on it are:

• Uncharted - Sara Bareilles
• Feel So Close - Calvin Harris
• So Good - B.o.B.
• The Mixed Tape  - Jack's Mannequin
• Play it Again - Luke Bryan
• (Kissed You) Good Night - Gloriana
• Switch - Will Smith (hehe)
• My Life - Billy Joel
• I Would Be Sad - Avett Brothers

You'll notice Reba did not make it on there.  She's been banned from my playlists after way too many impromptu concerts happened....oops.  

Definitely in the top 10 greatest moments of my life.

3. Playing with the Speed/Incline.  I hardly ever run at one speed when I'm on the 'mill.  I use my indoor workouts to push a little harder than I might outside.  Some of my favorites are the "Run at a 'Normal' Pace for 3 minutes, Push for 2 minutes" and the "Change Your Speed for Every New Song."  It keeps me from getting bored and makes sure I get an extra good workout in.  I think this has also helped me improve my speed outside!  I haven't done much with the inclines lately.  The treadmills at my little fitness center aren't the best and if you mess with the inclines too much they start acting a little weird.  On a happy note though, there are FINALLY notices on the two (of the three ugh) broken 'mills saying that they will be fixed in the next week or so YAY!  It has been a bit of a pain sharing one treadmill with the entire complex.

4. Being able to wear shorts and a t shirt.  Sometimes I really just hate getting all bundled up.  I'm not a girl who loves the cold and I appreciate that the gym lets me not worry about 17 layers for a quick run.  I also like that my water is in the cup holder ready when I'm ready.

5. I usually don't pay much attention to the TVs at the gym, but I know a lot of people do.  Some of my fellow gym goers bring their ipads in and set them up to catch up on shows.  I kinda prefer just listening to my music, but every once in while I get caught up in a show (i.e. that time Curious George was running a race...and let's be real, Judge Judy can be pretty funny sometimes).  

Any other great tips to beat treadmill boredom?  I know nothing beats a gorgeous run outside but sometimes we have to work with what we've got.  Happy running!

Slow Motion

The past week has been a little crazy.  I was excited to head to my parents' house on Friday to spend time with my family for Mother's Day and the week went by surprisingly fast leading up to it.  I seriously have the best mom in the world and I couldn't have asked for a better weekend with the family.

This is not from this weekend, but gives you a picture of the best mom ever.

I only made it out the door to run once (the time flies when I'm with my family), but those hills kicked my butt.  It may have been from the massive blueberry pancakes I had earlier in the day, but I kept catching a cramp.  It was hard to want to be outside because it was so dreary and was misty the whole time.  I finished a slow 3.1 miles and then called it a day.  Even though my run was less than stellar, I did get a couple good walks in over the weekend.  One of the benefits of having three dogs around means that we have exercise time built into our days.  On Sunday we timed our walk on the trail around Happy Hour at Starbucks so that we could take advantage of the last day of half priced fraps!

Happy Frappies come with gangsta' names.  You can call me Linzle.

This week is going to be another busy one, but I started it off with a run on the 'mill.  While it was pretty nice out today, I really wanted to do some intervals and I push myself so much harder when I'm doing them on the treadmill.  It's that whole if I can't make it another step I just have to crawl back to my apartment thing.  Plus I really needed some water close by.  It has been way too long since the half mile repeats have made an appearance in my life.  I laughed at one point because I felt like I was really flying and I looked over at the mirror and it looked like I was hardly moving at all!  Talk about slow motion.  Oh well.  I ended up doing 3 miles of total running.  Half a mile of warm up and cool down with 4x800 in between.  I walked for 3 minutes after each repeat which made each one significantly less painful than it would have been had I forgone the breaks.  

Hope your week is off to a great start!

Gym Etiquette

Things have been really busy lately.  This weekend I had a whirlwind girls' weekend to shop for bridesmaid dresses for my best friend's wedding!  While it went by way too fast, I was so happy to get to spend some time with my bestie!  We found gorgeous dresses, got a little planning done, and had some fun.  I call it a successful weekend.

The beautiful bride to be!

Today it was back to the grind, and the night ended with a trip to the gym for a 4 mile run.  Here's where the etiquette part comes in:  We're down to one treadmill and luckily when I got to the gym it was open.  After 30 minutes of running the gym was pretty crowded so I turned and asked if anyone was waiting for the 'mill.  I got a bunch of blank stares, so I figured it was ok if I at least finished up my fourth mile.  When I got done with that one, there were a ton of people in the gym who were all doing something or other, but all the other cardio machines were taken.  I get that not everyone is comfortable asking for their turn on a machine, but what is the right thing to do?  Is it ok to keep going or was it better to give it up?  It just kind of makes for an awkward situation.  Hopefully they will get the issues with the other ones figured out soon so that gym goers have more options! 

Have a happy week!

Two Reasons I'm SO Glad I went to the Gym and Good News!!

My gym experience was not as pleasant as I would have liked, but let's cover some highlights of the week so far.

On Saturday my nice friend and I went to his work party.  It was really fun getting dressed up and the company had the sweetest idea.  They had a build a bear station so that you could make a stuffed animal for a sick child in a local hospital.

Guess which one was mine!

I was pretty tired (cough lazy) on Sunday (this grandma is not used to staying up so late!), but I managed to make a delicious new recipe (not pictured because it looks about as appetizing as my soup) and run 5 miles.  Guys, I thought I was going to DIE on this run.  I never really got into my groove and just struggled the whole time.  I ran the 5 miles in 45:24.  I have a lot of work to do.  That shouldn't have felt so hard.

Today I wasn't feeling a run at all.  I knew after Sunday's run that I desperately needed this, but it took a lot to get out of the door.  When I finally got to the gym I thought I was going to pass out it smelled so bad.  Ok, I know I smell nothing close to roses and sunshine at the gym, but come on macho men, at least try.  Wear some deodorant, please.  I am begging you.  After I got over the intense urge to run right back out the door,  I hopped on the treadmill for some incline work.  After warming up for 5 minutes, I ran 2 minutes at 1.5 incline, 2 minutes at 2.0, 2 minutes at 2.5, 1 minute at 3.0, 1 minute at 3.5 and then back down the same way.  I finished the last 10 minutes of my 30 minute run nice and strong.  I made a new running playlist and it really helped having some new tunes to jam to on my run.

After the gym I was walking home and some sketch guy in the parking lot said, "hey good looking," as I walked by.  Dude.  Come on.  If you think this girl looks good after an incline treadmill workout you are seriously deranged. What really appealed to you?  My sweaty locks plastered to my forehead or my oh so pleasant stench?

Despite both stinky and sketchy men, I'm glad I ended up getting my run in.  I pretty much always feel better after a run and I needed it.

On to my good great awesome fabulous news!  Maddux is officially healthy and heart worm free!  We went to the vet last night for a blood test and got the good news.  9 months of stress and worry are over!  I cannot tell you how happy I am about this.

Look how healthy he looks!  Yay!

Have a happy week!  May your runs be amazing!

The Weekend is Here!

This week has gone by extremely slow and I am incredibly thankful that it is finally the weekend.  While there were definitely some high points to the week, I feel like it dragged on forever (although November seems to be FLYING by!).

On Wednesday night I got my butt out the door for yet another treadmill run.  I was feeling the need to get a really good sweat going, so I decided to try to push it and try to break my 27:00 5k time.  Guess what?

26:40 wooo!  Now I just need to get it done in real life.  As much as I use the treadmill, I know that it's not quite the same as running outside.  It definitely made me feel like reaching that goal in a future race is possible which made me really happy.

Speaking of 5ks, my "birthday" race is coming up next weekend!  I'm so excited because it looks like quite a few of my friends will be able to run, including Val who is running a half marathon this weekend!  Seeing all the posts on Twitter from different runners getting ready to do races lately has made me excited to start training for my upcoming ones in a few weeks!

The weekend has started off nice and relaxing.  I started off with a batch of pumpkin pancakes from a Target mix that I've been dying to try.  They lived up to my expectations and were delicious!  I even went gourmet and added a handful of pecans to the mix.  I even remembered to take a picture before I ate them.  I totally should switch to food blogging :-)

 


Now I'm off to the park to get an outside run in (this whole dark at 5pm thing really isn't working for me) and then see the new James Bond movie tonight!  Those are always better on the big screens :-)

Happy weekend!

Will Run for Food

I feel like my weekends have been perfect lately.  Every weekend since the end of September I have had something to look forward to and it's looking like 2012 is going to go out in a great way.  By the way, can you believe it's almost November!?  What is happening to our year?!

This weekend my nice friend and I went on a food tour in downtown, historic Frederick.  Once again, I remembered why I'm not a food blogger.  How do they wait long enough to take a picture before they dig in?  I got pictures of a few things, but the highlights were pizza and beer from a local brewery, a pastrami sandwich from an adorable shop, a seafood appetizer trio from a fun restaurant, olive oil and balsamic vinegar tastings, and CHOCOLATE.  I was a little disappointed because we went to a wine bar, and instead of wine they gave us a beet salad.  Eh.  Overall, Taste Frederick was an amazing experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone traveling in the area!  Sarah, our tour guide, was so knowledgeable about the restaurants and city.  It was fun learning about the unique places Frederick has to offer from a local!

One of my favorite parts of the tour had nothing to do with food.  We walked by the Community Bridge and it was incredible.  The bridge incorporated designs from all over the world of things that depicted community.  There were also optical illusions.  From across the river there looked like there were actual statues and even a duck!  Once you crossed to the other side you realized they were just part of the painting.  The pictures don't do it justice.

Probably shouldn't try to go through that door.  IT'S NOT REAL.

Not really stone.  It's concrete.  SURPRISE! :-)

Things on the running front have been ok lately.  Sunday I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill in about 31:30 minutes.  I tried to push it (gotta get used to running hard for about 30 minutes for my upcoming 5k!) and ended up being pretty happy with my effort.  Today I took it easier and while I played with the incline a little, overall it was a much easier run than yesterday's.  I made pumpkin spice puppy chow, and after the sugar overload I got from eating some this run was much needed!  The run ended up being about 3.3 miles in 30 minutes.  It's nice only HAVING to do 30 minute runs for the time being.  It makes me want to try harder with running faster.

Have a happy week! :-)

It's Only Wednesday?

This week has been dragging, even though I've gotten quite a bit done (dishes, laundry, vacuuming, woo!).  Yesterday I got a notice that my library book was ready to be picked up, so Maddux and I headed over to the library on the way to the park.  Julie from Peanut Butter Fingers has a monthly book club, which is how I heard about the book Gone Girl.  I LOVED that book so I decided to go ahead and read this month's, too.  Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher sounds a little depressing, but I was intrigued after reading the description.  I'll let ya know how it goes ;-)

Pretty park, I love you.

Once we got to the park, Maddux and I had an amazing walk.  It was such a gorgeous evening and he looked so happy.

I don't know how my body cast that huge shadow.  Perhaps I should lay off the ice cream.

We saw a deer, which didn't bother him at all the first time we passed it, but when we came back he seemed really interested.  He was so funny and gave it a look like "what the heck is this thing!?"  We still have to take our walks pretty easy, but we're going to the vet tomorrow for a vaccine so hopefully she will say we can pick them up even more.  I'm even thinking about signing him up for another class in the near future...

Proof of said deer.  It tried to cross the road at one point and I tried to think of a joke to go with it.  I was unsuccessful.  Why did the deer cross the road?  I have NO IDEA.

As much as I love fall, I HATE that it is dark when I wake up and dark so early in the evening.  I think it's going to be a real struggle getting out the door for my workouts, especially when I have to start dressing in layers to go out!  I promised myself this morning that I would run though, so I headed out the door and spent some more quality time with the 'mill.  I ended up doing some different intervals to mix it up a little.  After warming up for a mile I bumped the incline up to 1.5 for 30 seconds, 2 for 1 minute, and back down to 1.5 for 30 seconds.  After a minute back at my normal incline (1.0) I picked up the pace from 6.5 to 7.0.  I took one more minute at my normal pace and incline and then started over.  I ended up finishing my 4 mile run in 36:14.

Here's hoping Thursday goes by quickly so we can finally get to the weekend!  Happy Wednesday!

Post Race Life

Now that there's no race to train for, I'm kind of at a loss of what to do.  Part of me is excited because I've had a couple of workouts I've wanted to try out, but kept pushing off to the side.  My thing is that if I want to get better at running, I need to be running.  Cross training is awesome, but running is where it's at for this girl ;-)

This week has been pretty laid back as far as workouts go.  Maddux and I have had some nice walks (he is LOVING this cooler weather) and on Wednesday I did a brief leg circuit, which was basically 1 minute leg lifts on each side, 1 minute bridges with this purple ball that made it SO much harder, and 1 minute of squats.  I repeated each exercise three times and my thighs definitely felt it!  

Today somebody has been very cranky.  I'll give you a hint:

Poor zebra.  He's in line for surgery the next time we visit my mom.

I don't know what's going on with this boy.  Maybe he just wanted to get a little crazy for the weekend.  My wild Friday night has consisted of quality treadmill time.  I ran ~3.35 miles in 30 minutes.  Not too shabby for the first run post race.  Although I'm not officially training for anything, I do have a 5k coming up in November and I'm hoping to snag a respectable time.  It's a few days before my birthday and I invited a few girlfriends to run with me!  Hopefully a few of them will be able to come out :-)  Overall, I just want to enjoy running until I have to start busting my butt for the Rock n' Roll in March, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than running a great local race with some good friends.  

I'm planning on running some tomorrow.  I have a number in my head, but going with the whole enjoying your run thing, I'm going to attempt to not focus too much on it.  I got the link to my race pictures today and it reminded me of why I run.  You know how I said I was smiling like a fool in my Crawlin' Crab Half Recap?  Those pictures are proof that I wasn't lying!  I don't think I've ever looked so happy in a race picture.  I remember my first half marathon photos kind of scared me because I looked like I was in such intense pain.  Yay running!

On a completely random note, but I mean I couldn't really leave it out, GO NATS!  

I WISH this was taken at a play off game.  

I'm hoping we can pull off another win tonight!  If the Pirates can't be on the road to the World Series, I'll definitely take the Nationals!  

Happy weekend!

Weekend Fun

This weekend was one of the most relaxing I've had in a long time.  Saturday morning after pancakes I went downtown to buy new running shoes.  I met up with my friend and her nice boyfriend after my trip to Pacers for Starbucks and some shopping.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back!  I got the via packs in hopes that I can save some money with a close alternative to the real thing.  It was so nice and warm on Saturday that I opted for the frappuccino version.  It was amazing!  I can't believe it took me so long to order one!

Please be good! 

After Starbucks we headed to Loft for the 30 percent off sale.  I probably spent way too much on this dress, but I loved it!  The zipper in the back caught my eye from across the store and I knew I had to try it on.  I probably should have taken pictures from the dressing room because the experience was kind of funny.  I had on my running shoes so that the people at the running store could help me decide if they were still the right fit.  Between the shoes and the messy ponytail I had quite a few joking comments from the other ladies there.

It was amazing how drastically the weather changed from the morning to the afternoon.  There was a pretty bad storm with some tornado sightings, so I knew my outdoor run wasn't going to happen.  I opted for a treadmill run after the worst had passed and ended up doing 6 miles in 55:24.  I felt like I pushed hard, but was still able to enjoy my run.  After running a warm up mile I did a faster mile.  After that I did a couple minutes of incline between 1.5 and 2 (I normally run with it set at level 1).  The inclines didn't feel too hard, but definitely added in a little extra workout.  I finished with a strong last mile.

My nice friend came up after my run to go to a jazz festival with me.  Even though we dressed expecting some rain, it turned out to be really nice out and we enjoyed a good hour and a half of Brazilian jazz.  Although I think I like a more traditional style, the saxophonist was amazing and the percussionist was really fun and even did some break dancing!

Sunday was a very lazy day.  I invested in another Champion sports bra from target and a new running tank!  I'll have to post a picture later because I think it's actually kind of cute for a running shirt!  The way it is cut is girly and fun and it's nice and long.  No riding up here!

I had postponed the debut of my shoes because I felt like our first run together shouldn't be done on the treadmill.  I took them out for about a 4 mile spin (my Nike+ is definitely not calibrated...) around my neighborhood.  It was tough (agh hills....agh sore quads), but I powered through and my shoes felt great!  I'm really digging the green laces.

Hello, I love you.

This week I am planning on running a mile tomorrow, about 45 minutes on Wednesday, and 10 miles at some point over the weekend (outside fingers crossed!).  I stocked up on more Clif Shot Bloks and am planning on being smart about using them this time.

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Keeping Busy

This morning has been a little hard for me.  I dropped Maddux off for his next to last heart worm treatment and now I have to find something to do to fill the day until I can pick my boy up this evening.    He was so funny when we got to the vet.  We got there a few minutes early before they were officially open, so he stood at the door wagging his tail and even scratched at the door.  Then, he sat politely until they opened the door.  I know that they will take good care of him (obviously, he LOVES his vet), but my apartment feels so lonely without my favorite guy with me.

LET ME IN!

Yesterday I was busy running errands and just wasn't motivated to run outside.  It was so cloudy and ugly out, and I just wasn't feeling my run.  I hopped on the treadmill, and although it started out ok, my stomach really started to hurt around mile 2.  I toughed it out until I got to 2.5 miles, and then took a quick bathroom break (I know, TMI).  I still felt a little iffy after I started back up and told myself that I only had to finish up the best that I could and tried to relax a little while being very thankful I chose the treadmill after all.  In the end, I finished up semi strong and ended up running 5 miles in 46:19.

Today my quads are feeling a little tight.  I'm planning on giving my apartment a solid cleaning while the pup is out and trying to decide what cross training I want to do.  I have a few interval workouts I've been wanting to try out, but I'm not sure that alternating between running and walking is really considered cross training and will let my muscles recover a little.  Since I have a long (long, really long maybe I'm being dramatic) run coming up this weekend I want to try to give the legs as much help as I can.  

On a random note, ZOOMA has a cool give away on their website.  They are giving out a Bani Band, which is a super cute running head band.  I haven't personally tried them out, but am definitely considering buying a sequined one.  Honestly, I sweat so much that I tend to stick to darker running clothes, and I think it would be nice to have a pop of color/fun on my runs.  They could also be a cute stocking stuffer....it's never too early to start thinking about the holidays ;-)

Long Runs + Snack Packs

Did ya hear the news?

Yesterday was National IPA Day!  Did you celebrate?  Beer = Carbs.  Carb Loading = Energy for Long Run.

Flying Dog's Snake Dog IPA for me!

I'm pretty sure I have cracked the code that equals long run success.  Spoiler Alert: It was not the beer (I don't think).  Remember that time when I ran 10 miles and then got really sick?

Yeah.  That was no fun.  Today, I ran 11.5 miles and I have now been officially done for just about 2 hours and I still feel great.  The secret?

These babies:

I actually had the strawberry ones today.  I figured they would taste less like cough syrup than the cherry ones and therefore give me a better first impression.  My opinion?  They were a little softer/chewier than I expected, but honestly they reminded me a lot of the gummy fruit snacks I ate as a kid minus the fun shapes.  Just a thought Clif, but perhaps you should make some shaped like Disney princesses?  Please?

Today was all about the mental games.  I took it to the treadmill, which was actually smart distance wise because my Nike+ was more than a mile off!  Probably need to do a calibration run sooner than later..

I packed a small bag to take to the gym with me.  The treadmill probably thought Christmas had come early as I unloaded my belongings into the cup holders (ipod, water bottle, Clif Shot Bloks, sweat towel..).

I decided the best way to conquer this run was to break it into more manageable chunks.  I started by doing a 4.5 mile chunk and then stopped to eat 2 bloks.  Then, I did another 4.5 mile chunk and ate 2 more bloks.  This is going to sound ridiculous, but I kind of bribed myself with them.  Only 2 more miles and then you get a snack!  I should probably be embarrassed that that was running through my mind.

By the time I finished my second set of 4.5 miles, I only had 2.5 left.  The verdict?  I felt pretty awesome the first 9 miles.  I kept the incline at .5 and varied my speed between 6.0-6.1.  The last 2 miles felt really tough, but by the time I got to that last .5 I somehow mustered up some more energy and finished strong.  I ran 11.5 miles total in 1:50:43.  Sorry, no picture proof today.  It would have required three different pictures and then letting you do the math. ;-)

After my run, I had a few swigs of G2 and propped my feet up against the wall while I talked to my mom on the phone.  I laughed because I could hear the mail man singing Kanye's "Mercy."  I wonder if he knew he was singing out loud?

Now I am going to continue to lounge and will probably eat about 3 more bowls of macaroni and cheese before the day is up.

Happy weekend!  


A Smile for Your Weekend :-)  Thanks, Baby Bro!

Why REI Doesn't Want Me as a Member

This week has been very relaxed.  I had to adjust my running schedule because I have some fun things going on this weekend that probably aren't going to allow time for running in between without me feeling super rushed.  Since I am on summer vacation I see no problems with moving things around.

Monday I took my run to a nearby trail.  I started my run at 8:30!  Probably a record for the summer.  I felt decent for the first 31 minutes of my run, which was exciting seeing that the outdoor runs have not exactly been anything to brag about lately.  After those glorious 31 minutes, my legs started getting pretty heavy, but I was really proud of my mental stamina.  I pushed through quite a few times when it would have been super easy to take a walk break.  My Nike+ said I covered about 4.25 in a little over 45 minutes.  That needs some work..

Yesterday, I did my cross training on the elliptical with the same work out as last week.  I actually haven't done much cross training until this past week, so right now the elliptical is still working out ok for me.  After the gym, I got to have a date night to see the new Bat Man movie.  I really liked it!  The story moved along quickly and there was some definite eye candy in it ;-)

Maddux may not have been my date, but I got some quality cuddle time in last night with my favorite boy :)

This morning Maddux was the perfect alarm pup, but when we went out for our morning walk it was raining pretty hard.  I took this as my cue to get back in bed.

Maddux didn't mind some extra snoozin' either.

By the time I woke up again, I decided I may as well lounge a little and enjoy some coffee and real breakfast before running on the treadmill.  I didn't get out the door for my run until almost 11:30!  So much for practicing running earlier.  It turned out to be a good decision, because it really boosted my confidence after having some less than stellar runs.  I ran a little over 5 miles and hit my 5 mile mark at 45:43 which is the fastest I've done it in a LONG time.  Yay running!  As much as I hate to say it, I am leaning towards doing my 11.5 miles on the treadmill...

But Mom, what about on Race Day?  You can't use a treadmill then!

I know it's taking the "easy" way out, if you can even call running 11.5 miles easy.  If you can, please tell me your secret.  I'm thinking it will be best for now and I can practice using my water and fuel (Cliff Shot Blocks!) one time before taking it outside.  I know...

Now, on to my REI story.  You may recall that I ordered a snazzy running belt a couple of weeks ago.  Needless to say, that company let me down.  I won't get into that too much, but basically they were quite rude and weren't even going to notify me as to why my order was cancelled (even though I got an email saying it had shipped!  Weird.).  Anyway, I decided to go with a company I knew and order a new one. 

I had the belt shipped to REI because there's one really close to my house (who knew?) and I saved like 8 bucks on shipping.  As I waited in line, the cashier was going on and on trying to convince this guy to become a member (apparently there are millions of perks).  When it was my turn, he just got my order and hardly said two words to me.  

Maybe he knew this was in the box and couldn't bear the thought of having its owner in his secret club.  OR MAYBE, he saw my log cabin t-shirt and assumed I was the president of the club.  Or something.

 

Yes, I promise not to wear it up that high, I just wanted to make sure it got in the picture.  You may not believe it, but my phone fit really easily and there was enough room for me to add other good stuff, too, like my car key or some shot blocks.  I haven't actually run in it yet, but I have a good feeling about it.

That's all the news from today!  Keep your fingers crossed for a good long run on Friday! :)

I Made a New Friend!

Today Maddux decided we should get up at 7am, an hour and a half earlier than I set my alarm.  After a quick walk and breakfast, he went promptly to the couch.  Guess he didn't want us to miss any more of the Olympics.

Lookin' good, USA

Today, no lies, is a rest day.  I kicked it off by volunteering with Maddux's mothership, which is where I met my new friend!

Meet Bama :-)

Bama is a sweet, sweet girl and I had so much fun hanging out with her today while she waited to find her forever home.  While she was really nervous around new people (there was A LOT going on, who could blame her?), we quickly became besties.  Even though I love getting to love on the adoptable dogs when I volunteer, I'm always thankful to be back with my pup when I get home.

Maddux, you are OBVIOUSLY my #1

Yesterday I took my speed work to the treadmill.  I was nervous to do it outside after my less than stellar outdoor runs this week, plus I knew that I would be able to push myself to meet my times if I was on the 'mill.  You know, run or fall off.  

My ~55 minute workout looked like this:

1.0 incline

.5 mi warm up at 6.3 

.5 mi 7.1 (3 minutes of walking between each interval)

.5 mi 7.1

.5 mi 7.2

.5mi 7.1-7.2 

.5 mi 7.2

.5 mi 7.2-7.6

.65 mi cool down 6.3

~4.15 miles of running total in 35:11

I was really happy with my effort.  It felt hard, but strong the entire time.  I'm actually surprised at how the intervals kept my interest.  I didn't get bored and it was fun pushing myself.  Hopefully this will come in handy on race day :-)

On a more random note, remember that time I made homemade granola?  Well, I found a recipe that I like more AND it was much easier to make.  

Browned, not burnt

Basically, you melt 2 tbsp of honey and 2 tbsp of peanut butter together, mix in 1 cup of oats, 1/4 tsp of vanilla, and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, and bake at 325 degrees for 7-8 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.  No constant stirring required.  Thanks Julie at PB Fingers for making my life better!  Your recipe rocks.

I'll leave you with another picture of the love of my life since I talked about another dog probably more than he would like.  Hope you're having a happy weekend!

Running Thoughts

I've been thinking a lot about running the past couple days (probably because it's been extra hard) and I have some thoughts that probably won't blend together as well as I'm hoping so here goes:

Running is hard.


The past few days have been rough.  My legs have felt like lead.  Yesterday I couldn't bare the thought of running on the treadmill after all the quality time I had spent on it Sunday, and I had a 45 minute run to do.  It was hot, but it was also kind of sprinkling out so I figured that it might balance it out a little.  Turns out, it did not.  I felt like my entire body hurt (yes, that's probably a little dramatic).  The little bit of rain there was stopped pretty much as soon as I started so I was left with just thick, humid air.  Ultimately, the run sucked and I stopped.   I contemplated going and finishing up on the treadmill with a huge water bottle and my ipod to keep me company, but I decided it wasn't just a mental thing.  Which leads me to my next thought.

Rest days are important.


Sunday I was feeling pretty good about myself.  It was my first double digit run since March and I managed to hold down a pretty decent pace for a longer run.  My calves were crazy tight Sunday night, but by Monday afternoon I decided that I should do just a little run (literally a mile) to warm up for my yoga DVD I was going to do.  Instead I ended up doing a different workout that included a lot of squats.  Probably not my smartest idea.  I realize that 10 miles isn't all that long for some people, and some people are throwing down double digit runs like it's their job.  That isn't the case for me.  That was a huge deal for this body and I should have just let it rest.  I paid the price for it Tuesday.  Tomorrow I am giving myself a complete day of rest that will hopefully be enjoyed lounging by the pool.

Beautiful days are meant for trails, not treadmills.


Yesterday I checked out the weather and found that I would have almost perfect summer conditions to run in which made me happier than you will probably know.  I've been in a treadmill rut, and I've had this weird need to run outside.  I set my alarm so I would have plenty of time to walk Maddux, drink coffee, and eat breakfast  before I went.  I don't know how people run on an empty stomach.  I feel like I have to eat breakfast right away, even if it's just a granola bar to get me going.  Then again, I live to eat.

My alarm went off, and I promptly turned it off and went back to bed.  Maddux didn't seem to notice, and usually he takes over the job of the alarm clock.  I figured this was a good sign that I should sleep (lazy).  Maddux did pull it together about 20 minutes later and made sure I was out of bed ready to start our day.

Yeah, he got right back in bed after he got breakfast.    

Even though I was excited to run outside on the trail, it was still hard to get out the door.  I know 9:00 is not early by any means, but my body typically isn't ready to break a sweat until a little later.

Maddux refused to look at me until I was back from my run.  Where's the love?

Eventually I made it out to the trail.  Running outside was the best decision I could have made.  The shade made it pretty near perfect for a summer run and it was so nice to see so many people out exercising, whether it was running, walking, or biking.  Sorry for no awesome pictures, but I typically don't run with my phone, so you'll have to use your imagination. :-)  

Although the weather was fantastic, I can't say my run was.  I'm going three for three with tough runs this week.  My legs just felt tight (not as lead like as yesterday) and it took me a long time to get warmed up.  The downhills and flat parts were ok, but I could definitely feel it in my quads on the uphills.  While I didn't take any walk breaks this time around, I did take several water breaks.

When you have a corgi water bottle, you WANT to drink lots of water.

My Nike+ said I did about 4.5 miles in 47 minutes.  I hope this isn't accurate.  I know it was slow, but man.  I can kick out 5 miles in less time than that on a good day.  I know the longer run on the treadmill got me off track a little bit calibration wise, and switching form inside to outside messes it up, too.  One day, I'm going to invest in something with satellites so I get a more accurate reading.  Or I could start paying a little more attention so I can make a slightly accurate guess.  

The rest of the day is going to be for relaxing with my pup and hopefully getting some work done.  Summer is winding down and my to-do list is not.  

Beautiful days are also for lounging on the porch.

I am coming up with my game plan for my 11.5 mile long run next week to hopefully ease some of the boredom and issues I had with my last long run.  Stay tuned for what is sure to be a rock solid, golden plan.

Probably TMI

First off, Maddux is a survivor!  

Maddux was ok with resting.  We love naps :-)

I got in a run at the trail after I dropped him off to keep my mind off what was going on at the vet.  I don't know if I just had too much on my mind or if it was the fact that it was already over 80 degrees a little after 8am, but it was not the awesome run I was anticipating.  It just felt hard.  Normally if I am close to making 5 miles during my 45 minute runs I just keep going until I've hit it.  Not this time.  As soon as my watch hit 45 minutes I was done.  A few hours later the vet called and told me I could pick up my little boy.  I think the vet office workers may have made fun of me a little.  The tech said "Wow, I can tell you really missed him," when I went to pick him up.  Is it that obvious?  Maddux is recovering really well and except for the spot where he actually got the shot, you can't even tell anything is wrong with him.  Woo!

My run schedule got a little off again this week.  My little brother came to visit!  Wednesday it was 104 degrees out, so I managed to convince him to go to the outlets with me for a little shopping.  

There was also beer.  That probably made shopping a little better for him.

Thursday it was still a little warm, but we decided to go and see the sights of DC.  Since we were getting some quality walking time in I decided to put off my run until Friday.  Ben finally got to see the highlights.  We started at the Lincoln Memorial and made our way around the Tidal Basin to the Jefferson Memorial.

Hey DC, meet my little bro!

It was nice to have someone to explore with.  I feel like so often I miss out on doing cool things because I'm over the traffic in this area.  When you deal with it the entire work week you aren't too excited to go back in it later, but I'm pretty sure seeing the sights will never get old.  Days like this remind me of why I love living where I do and how lucky I am.  I like when people come visit me so I can pretend that I am an awesome tour guide.  

I'm pretty sure Maddux is going to be this big after he's done with steroids.

Friday I got my butt out the door for another run.  I ran on the treadmill (surprise) and I was pleasantly surprised that it went much better than I expected.  I had a little bit of a cold the past couple of days, and when I finished up my 5 miles in 46:19 I was pretty excited.  I felt a little tired going in, but after I eased into the run it was actually really good.  Ben is a huge Braves fans, and lucky for him, his visit coincided with the Braves/Nationals game.  

Ben tried to cut out my Nats shirt.  Also, we are happy because it wasn't raining yet.  The Nats also hadn't blown their lead yet.  Gotta say, it was not their best night.

The game ended up going into extra innings after the Nats decided it would be fun to blow a 9 run lead.    I think I hit a record for staying up late.  I'm an old lady when it comes to staying up, but made it until 2AM(?!?!).  Needless to say, I did not get up early to run on Saturday.  I had 10 miles on the calendar, but decided to push it until today because my friend and I were going to Gonzo Fest at Flying Dog.  I mean, "Good people drink good beer."  It was definitely worth postponing the run for good beer and fun.

I kept putting off the run today.  I got to another late start (lazy weekend, anyone?) and was in serious need of groceries.  My fridge looked so sad.  I reasoned that after running 10 miles I would need to refuel so of course I had to go shopping first.  I didn't end up getting to the gym until almost 5pm.  I decided to take it nice and slow.  I wasn't feeling confident at all about this run.  Physically I felt fine.  I was a little worried about my IT band because I could definitely feel a little strain on my run on Friday, but other than that I had no reason to think it would be a bad run or that I couldn't finish.  I foam rolled like a champion a few times today to help alleviate that worry.  I'm really happy to report that I didn't have an ounce of IT band pain this time around!  I kept the incline on .5 until mile 5 and then I wimped out and dropped it back down to 0.  My pace ranged from 6.0-6.2 (10:00-9:40ish) and overall there really wasn't anything remarkable about this run.  There were a few times when I struggled mentally.  I counted to 100 and back to 0 a few times and that helped pass some of the time.  I stopped for water every couple miles and then had a strong finish for my last mile.  I finished my 10 miles in just under 97 minutes.

Proof!

  

Ready for the TMI?

After my run I took Maddux out to the dog park.  I knew I should eat something really quick before, but my aunt called right when I was walking in the door and between trying to talk to her and get Mad Dog out to pee, I just didn't think about it.  As I went to pick up after my pup, it hit me.  My stomach cramped and I knew that I had to make a mad dash back to my apartment.  Later, I tried to eat a turkey sandwich and it took me a long time to choke it all down after my stomach finally settled down.  This has happened now several times after my longer runs.  I don't remember having these issues in college, and I will tell you they are very memorable ailments.  I'm not really sure what changed.  I think I'm going to talk to a doctor about it, but I'm thinking that I am losing too much salt during my longer runs.  I am a disgusting sweater (work hard, sweat hard, right?) and even though I try to drink gatorade, I think I need to do a little more to avoid this nonsense.  It's not fun and to be honest, it's kind of embarrassing, especially after races.  I practically had to knock someone out of my way in my haste to get to the bathroom at the Hot Chocolate 15k.  I know, nothing anybody wanted to know, but part of having a running blog is sharing the good, the bad, and oh yes, the ugly, too.

On that note, I will end this oh so lovely post.  Hopefully I will have some answers soon so that there will be more good (and even bad) and not so much ugly up here.  Have a happy running week!