Lets Get Serious: Marathon Time!

I was lazing around upstairs soothing baby Darren to sleep when a feeling came over me: a feeling not unlike the moment of inspiration and clarity I had when I started this blog last Spring.  I walked downstairs and told Tom we were biting the bullet tonight and signing up for our marathon.  I can now announce that indeed we have signed up for the Buffalo Marathon on Sunday, May 25, 2014 at 7AM.

It's been a while since I have written here.  It's actually been a while since I thought about writing here.  My thoughts have been filled with visions of sugar plums I suppose.  I have run some.  I have not been faithful.  I had really high hopes of exercising like a maniac.  I burned out after about 2.5 weeks.  I have been in and out of funks.  I have not run since a crisp- 18 degree - Thanksgiving morning "Gobble Gallop".

We have our treadmill set up in the garage next to the car.  It's cold out there but once you start running you get really hot and sweaty because of the lack of a breeze.  Guess I'll be out there more often.

Better break my funk, but for tonight I think I'll just Veg! :P


Happy future reading everyone!  And thanks for being there!

1/2 Marathon High

So it's been over a week since I finished my first half marathon.  I'm not sure what has held me back from writing about the experience because it was awesome.  I think maybe I have just been trying to come up with the right things to say to explain how happy I was and am and maybe I just need to start writing and stop thinking.

So here is the story of my first 1/2 marathon:

We attended a wedding the night before the half which was also in Syracuse.  We spent the evening socializing, carb loading, and drinking pitchers of water.  Fun!  I danced, which I was not sure would be a good idea.  I had some pain in my right TFL (top of the IT band) again and I didn't want to aggravate it.  When we got back to the hotel I rolled out my legs really well and especially the pain in my hip.  When I went to bed my hip felt pretty great actually, so maybe the dancing and foam roller was a beneficial pre-race activity!

Here I am in the hotel before leaving for the race (in reverse b/c I took the photo in the mirror).  The weather was MUCH cooler than I had anticipated.  Mid-40s at the beginning and Windy!  I had not packed a long sleeve shirt so I wore the race shirt.  Thankfully it fit and was very comfortable.  

We arrived at the race with no problems and in time to sit in the car and enjoy the heat on high for a few minutes and then stand in line for 20 minutes for a last minute bathroom break.  Below is a photo Tom snapped of me right before we started running.  I'm so cold but excited!

After the gun, Tom quickly faded into the crowd (he's so fast!) and I focused on finding people to try and keep up with.  We ran down city streets and to highways that led us to the Onondaga Lake Park trails.  While the view was very pretty along the water, here we began our encounter with one of those mysteries of nature where you are somehow able to run into the wind in both directions of an out-and-back race course.  The miles passed away quite well.  I carried pretzel sticks, honey stinger chews, and two bottles of orange flavored Nuun on my person and munched on pretzels every so often.  I stopped frequently to get sips of water and drank my Nuun.  

After the first few miles my splits got slower.  I started with a 10 min/mile pace (mistake) and slowed to 10:30 and couldn't keep that up so I slowed to 11:00.  My plan was to try and turn it on when I had 4.5 miles left to go.  So with anticipation and trepidation I put in my time waiting for the 8-9 mile point of the race. 

The male leader returned when I was at mile marker 4 (phew, so fast!)  

I watched and watched for the return of Tom.  Eventually I saw him, screamed his name and we slapped a solid high five.  I kept dreaming that the turn around must be right around the next bend, but of course 6.55 miles is pretty far.  I was ever so glad that I did not have to turn off onto the full course when I passed the fork in the road that led me to the left and marathoners to the right (they had a 30 minute earlier gun time than the half peeps).  

At mile marker 8, I decided to try one of the Accel chocolate gels they were handing out.  I was feeling pretty beat.  I would not normally feel so ready to try something new on a long run, but I had taken Imodium after breakfast to try and quell any "issues".  The gel went down really well.  It was very much like taking a swig of Hershey's Chocolate Syrup.  

Somewhere around here the male marathon leader passed me!  He was thin with long hair and man was he booking!  He looked happy and focused.  Everyone cheered and you could hear the cheering move down the runners he passed like a "wave" in a football stadium.  

Back to me.  I felt pretty great after the gel at least until after mile 10, where I really felt OUT OF GAS.  This is the point where the race became grueling.  This is where my mind kicked in and kept me putting one foot in front of the other.  I just kept telling myself that the fastest way back to the car was to keep running -as quickly as physically possible!  The great running quote that this came from is:

"The best way out is always through" -Robert Frost

This is also where the dark thoughts and inner pleading dialog started.   A sampling of my thoughts follow:

"What was I thinking signing up for a 1/2 marathon?"

"I will NEVER be able to run a full marathon"

"I'm going to have to end my blog because I'm NEVER running EVER again!"

"Dear God, please, please, please, help me have the strength to keep running"

"I HAVE to beat my goal of 2:30 -Keep running!!!"

I trudged and trudged those last few miles.  I even found deep strength to pick up my pace for the last mile and to pick it up even faster for the last quarter.  I passed the finish at 2:26!  YAY I beat my goal of 2:30!  My average pace was 11:05!  WOW  That's 30 seconds faster than I used to run 1 mile!  When I stopped running I found that I was completely physically exhausted.  I had poor mental focus and getting my finisher medal and picking up post-race food and finding Tom are a pretty big blur.  Once we found each other we decided to go right back to the car and head home.  I could barely walk.  It was a pretty good hobble to the car.  We drove to Watertown and got some Wendy's.  I felt pretty weird and exhausted for the rest of the day.  It was great to see the kids again.  It was my first night away from baby Darren.  We had a huge pizza dinner at 4 :)

Props to my amazing husband who took running by the reins when I asked him to do the half with me.  My dreams of beating him in a race may never come true.  He finished in 1:50!!!!! Over 35 minutes faster than me.  I'm amazed and proud.  

That's it for now.  We're already formulating plans for a Spring marathon and I'm starting Insanity today... I'll let you know how that is going soon!  Thank you all for reading!  Happy Monday!

The tapering has begun!

I guess it has been a while since I updated you all on my progress.

Lets see:  Oct. 3 was another 5 mile run.  I had another run that felt much harder than the numbers appeared.  I'm getting faster and faster on "short" (snort) runs.  That weekend we went to an indoor water park with the kiddos and their cousin in Lake George, so no cross train on Sat.  We got back at around 3 on Sunday and decided to postpone our 9-mile runs for Monday (Tom took a long weekend).

Monday the 7th I set out to run my 9 right after Tom.  It was sunny and beautiful in the morning and almost right as I was about to go out the door a cold front and rain moved in.  I sat for 5 minutes completely ready to go looking out the window trying to decide what to do.  I ended up just going out into the rain.  I did a large 9 mile loop that took me out into the country before looping back into town.  This run was miserable.  I was exhausted after 4.5 miles.  I was soaked to the bone and jogging into driven cold rain.  I completely misjudged what I should wear.  I should also mention there were wind gusts up to 30mph and the general wind was at least 15mph.  I ran into the wind for 5 miles straight and up what felt like endless hills.  I was exhausted from trying to avoid puddles and eventually just slopped through them, my feet were soaked anyway.  I was barely jogging the last 1.5 miles back through town.  I didn't breath correctly and could barely open my lungs and abdomen to breath -maybe because I was so cold.  I had pain radiating down my left hip, buttock, and leg.  I can think of few times previously in my life I have been so thankful for a hot shower.  Despite all of this I made it! I am satisfied.

I shifted my mid-week 5 mile runs to Weds. and Fri. I killed my run on Wed. with a 10:03 min/mile average.  Friday I thought I was going to die but still pulled in a 10:16 min/mile average.  These numbers are amazing to me.

Saturday I finally got back to Zumba.  I can honestly feel my irritation creeping up when I have not gone to this class in a while.  There is something freeing about dancing that brings happiness to my soul.

Back to another grueling long run on Sunday.  10 miles.  The longest training run in my program for a half marathon.  I decided to switch it up and take salted pretzels out for fuel.  I carried Nuun in my water bottles on my belt.  I really liked the pretzels.  I ran the loop I ran for my 9 mile run in reverse and it wasn't as bad to run not in the rain.  I had to add an extra loop at the end to get 10 miles.  I was barely moving at the end.  This was the first run where I seriously doubted my ability to run the actual race.  I felt sad.  That's not fun.  Once it was done I was ok.  I was pretty stiff for the rest of the day and I ate lots of food and drank tons of water.

Since my run on Sunday I've been eating more than I usually do and drinking as much water as I can stand.  It's taper week and the race is Sunday in Syracuse.  I think I'm just hungry and have a hard time running that way.  I've been trying to lose baby weight and at least for this week I'm just going to eat :)  I tested my theory this morning with my first taper run of 4 miles.  After eating a lot and drinking lots of water I was SO fast!  I think my body and mind also exulted at the idea of not running 10 miles -and loved the extra carbs and hydration.  HA!  I finished in 35:26 with an average pace of 8:51!!!  That's AMAZING!!!  I can say one thing for sure about the LONG slow runs: they sure have made my short runs FAST.

Next up on the agenda is a 2 miler on Thursday.

Thanks for reading!!!!! Have a great week!

5 mile bleh/ I caught a leaf!

I should have known my regular Tuesday run would be more difficult after such an effort on Sunday, but the fatigue was still surprising when it roared it's ugly head after mile 2 of my 5 miler.

I left the house with a disquieted mind.  Jer was having a fit because I turned off all visual devices.  In the last month he has learned how to get almost every appliance in the house to play him a kids TV show... I didn't mean to drop the hammer on TV watching right before my Aunt arrived so that I could go run, it just happened.  To say he was upset about it is an extreme understatement.  There was that "mom doubt" in the back of my mind that I should not leave Jer with my Aunt while he is having a fit. Thank heaven my Aunt is a Saint and takes very good care of both of the boys despite their moods (when I got home Jer was fine and Darren was already down for his nap -woot woot).  The clamor in my head made me run a very fast first and second mile, which I should not have done.  I was to the point of wanting to stop -which hasn't happened in a while, after only those 2 miles.  I hunkered down and just kept it going.  My splits got slower and slower but the crazy thing is that my average pace was actually better than my "miraculous" run last Tuesday.  Go figure.

Other things of note for this run (which all happened within .25 of a mile from one another):

I had to stop for a car.  Strangely that hasn't happened before either.  I was seriously worried I wouldn't be able to get my legs to move again. But they did!

I got a rock in my shoe right behind my heel.  I had to stop and pull that out.  Once again I surprised myself with being able to get moving again.

I caught a leaf!!!  Right after pulling the rock out of my shoe and having dark-funky-fatigue-i-should-just-stop thoughts I reached out for a leaf and it fell right into my open hand.  Mood lifted!

The rest of the day went swimmingly.  I'm very glad I stuck it out. The weather has been so beautiful lately!

Happy Hump Day and Happy Reading!

6 Miles. Fast!

I'm so excited to be writing about this past week.

I concluded my weekday workouts with Zumba on Wednesday night (LOVE) and then a really nice 5 mile run Thursday morning.  I was worried I would not be even close to my great pace Tuesday, but I beat it!  I finished 5 in 51:42, which is just faster than Tues. with a 10:19min/mile pace.  Amazed!

I guess I was feeling particularly energetic this week because I went to Zumba Thursday night and had a blast.  I wanted to fit in another workout, but this weekend was Darren's first birthday! and I just knew I would not fit my Sat. morning Zumba class in.  I was surprised that I didn't feel dead after Zumba and was only slightly sore Friday morning in my quads.

I relaxed Friday and Saturday.  Darren was very cute eating his cake at his party Sat. :)  What a blessing to be able to celebrate these milestones with our babies.


Today for my long run Hal Higdon suggests a 10K at race pace.  I don't really know what my race pace is but I really was dreaming about 10 minute miles -especially after my 9:30ish min/mile 5K a few weeks ago.  I broke the 10K down to 6 miles just for the mental edge of trying to beat an hour doing 6 miles at 10 minutes/mile.

The long and short is that I did it!!!  I finished 6 miles in 59:59!!! Only 1 second to spare!  I think I was "sprinting" the last quarter mile watching the clock.  I was pretty sure if I pulled it all out I just might make it.  I am so happy!

The first mile felt pretty good, but I was just sure I would never be able to hold the pace.  I felt even more sure I would crash and burn after the second.  I just kept telling myself to keep it going.  I pushed from my glutes as much as I could and kept my arms going.

I tried to just keep thinking about my movement and breath.  I was in an in for 2 steps, out for 1 step, in for 1 step, out for 1 step breath almost from the beginning.  I usually run with in 3 steps out for 2 steps, but that wasn't enough to push me through a 10 minute mile.

I meant to wear my heart rate monitor, but I also was trying to get out of the house as quickly as I could so that I could get back to the kids and Tom.

I feel great.   YAY!  

Have a great week everyone and thank you for reading!

Looong Run fever!

I killed my 8 miler on Sunday!  When I had completed 5 miles I realized I was going to have extra gas in the tank when I got home so I picked up the pace.  I'm not saying it was easy breezy, but I wanted to feel like I left everything out there.  I was very tired when I finished. It was the end of the day-chasing daylight home and Jer had been particularly crazy all day.  I wasn't sure how the run would go when I started, but I was very pleasantly happy with the results.  

I love my long runs!  This spring, if you had told me I would run 8 miles this fall I would have had a hard time believing!  Thank you thank you Hal Higdon.  Your program is spot on!

Yay!

Also this morning I ran 5! And for me I was fast!  Yay again!

Nice splits! Woot woot!  Happy Tuesday!

Getting myself excited

I'm going to run 8 miles today.  I'm trying to remind myself of all the great reasons I run so that I don't psych myself out and instead get excited!  

Here's one.  The view of my flashy shoes is pretty great :)

Happy Sunday!

Lets get up to speed

I have sat down at the computer several times over the last week only to be pulled away by my 3 year old.  He has just stopped taking his afternoon nap and we are both adjusting!  Anyway, I have a lot to bring you up to speed about.

Tech

Shoes:  The Tri-noosa Asics came and they were tight and stiff even an entire size larger than the shoes I have been wearing.  They were VERY pretty with all of their crazy colors, but it wasn't enough.  Thankfully Zappos is very easy to return shoes to.  I was back to square one looking for Gel-nimbus 14s.  On a whim I looked at Zappos because they seemed to have the best price (easiest return policy) and THEY HAD THE CRAZY COLOR Nimbus 14s!!! only in my size!  I was so excited as I quickly purchased them!  Someone must have returned them knowing I needed them.  HA!

They have arrived and I have worn them to Zumba twice and out on my run once.  They seem just fine.  I hope that continues to be the case!

Heart Rate:  I used my birthday money from my parents to buy a Polar heart rate monitor.  It is the FT4 model.  I have used it at Zumba and out on my mid-week and long runs.  I was mostly interested to make sure I was working hard enough on my "hard" runs and not too hard on my long runs.   What I have learned so far is that I go a little too hard on long runs and I'm at about the correct heart rate % of max for my hard runs.  I have also found that at Zumba is a very nice HIIT workout.  During some of the songs I'm at only 60% of max and others I'm at about 90%.  It's also really  nice to see how many calories you are burning!

Road ID:  I also purchased a bracelet with my name/ birth year, emergency contacts and my allergies to wear when I'm out training.  I have actually decided to wear it all of the time.  Sometimes when I'm out with the boys I think crazy things like, "what if I was unconscious and no one knew who to call for the boys?".  They are too young to tell anyone who they are.  I try not to be a crazy anxious person but it makes me feel a bit better wearing the bracelet.  It's the slim from RoadID.  It was not expensive and it's pretty cute.  (Also, I have put quite a bit into my little running habit and had sort of overlooked the "what to do in an emergency" part -I highly recommend getting one)  They also have non-bracelet options.

Back to the actual running!

Tuesday after I wrote about  my amazing 5K I ran a very solid 4.5 just under 11min/mile. It was pretty tough.  I really pushed it on Sunday with that fast 5K!

Wednesday was of course ZUMBA!!! I can't get enough of that stuff!

Thursday was another 4.5 that was even more challenging than Tuesday.  I was pretty slow but it got done!

Friday I rested and rested.  Ah

Saturday there was no Zumba class.  Instead we went to the hospital and had Darren's 1 year-old anemia/lead screen blood drawn... I would have MUCH rather been dancing.  Poor little guy!  We played the rest of the day and I didn't do a formal exercise.  Sometimes rest is so very good!

Sunday was long run day!  7 miles baby!  I was pretty slow but nothing horrible.  I ran along the river and then turned around after 3.5.  I was pretty tired at the end.  I have been eating honey stingers gummy chews during my long run and carrying an 8oz of water and an 8oz of Nuun.  Seemed to be a good combo.  I ate one chew after each mile with a gulp alternating Nuun one mile and water the next.  It also seemed to make the miles go faster.  "Another chew?  Already? Nice!"  Then all the sudden my run was over!  I was going to jump into our still open pool -which is very cold, but by the time I was free to do so I had cooled down and was actually "cold".

On Monday I spent a lot of time on the floor playing with the kids and rolling my body with my foam roller and a tennis ball.  They think it's so funny.  My calves were sort of sore.  I rolled and rolled.

By Tuesday I felt pretty good and ran a solid 4.5 without too much difficulty.  I did not take any water out with my and had a 12oz of fruit punch accelerade before the run and chugged a full 16oz of Nuun on my way to the shower.  That seemed to work out well.

Wednesday was ZUMBA!!!  I was tired.  But I rocked it!

Thursday was another 4.5.  I had to keep distracting my brain from the run but I held on and finished a little under 11min/mile.  I took water with me because I felt a bit dehydrated from Zumba the night before.  I also drank 16oz Nuun before my shower.  I didn't recover well from my run.  I was cranky even after a banana, an apple, a turkey and cheese wrap, and some milk.  I didn't feel right until I finally thought maybe a GU energy gel might make me feel better.  Then I was fine.  Maybe a little too sugar low?  I felt like I needed sugar and caffeine.  The GU had some caffeine and obviously sugar.

That brings us to today = rest day.  Ah.

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Fast! Hey, all this running is paying off!

Slated for my Sunday long run this week was a 5K race.  I didn't find an actual race to attend so I just ran it against myself.  I was really hoping to do a solid 10 minute mile for the duration of the 3.1.  I even did a little warm up "lap" to work out the stiffness I feel at the beginning of my runs so that when I started recording I would be fast!  I pushed and pushed and I did 9.30 minute miles!!!! WOW.  For me that's fantastic!  My phone died right at the end of 3 miles so I didn't finish the .1 of the 5K and instead rushed inside to revive my phone and save my run.  My splits were 9.39, 9.30, and 9.39 mins/mile.  I'm amazed and very excited.

I guess all this running IS paying off!

I felt like I was running pretty hard and I guess I was.  I usually do just under 11 for my typical training runs and a bit over 11 for my long ones.  

It probably helped that I took Sat. off from Zumba (it was canceled anyway) and so I hadn't exercised since Thursday morning.  Even my hip was feeling a bit better with two days off.  Back to lots of hydrating and stretching today also hopefully some strength exercises.  Probably ones to help with the IT band.  

Have a great week everyone!

Eastbay, you broke my heart

I just received and email from Easybay that my shoes are sold out...  I just looked all over the Internet and I can't find the ones I want anywhere.  I'm crushed.  I really wanted to stay with the same style shoe and just go up a half size.  This was great because they are now an old style and I found them pretty cheap (compared to what I paid in Feb.).  Then I became enchanted by the neon catastrophe and now I don't want the "plaine" colors that are still available in my style.  They mostly have the color I already have left.  Guess I picked some ugly shoes... Lol. I don't want another pair in the same color.  That seems way too boring.  

So back to square one I'm going with some Asics gel noosa tri 8s (shoes have the craziest names).  I had Asics gel- nimbus 14.  Of course it was the crazy colors that drew me in to the tri noosas, but they also had very solid reviews on Zappos (118 of them).  

Hopefully this isn't a horrible idea 6 weeks out from my half.

Crossing fingers!  

New Toys!

Oh!  I just got a heart rate monitor!  Super excited to take it for a spin and see if I'm in the right zone when I run!

Also, I ordered new running shoes a half size up because a toe on my right foot is contacting the front of my current shoes and has what I think is a blister on top of a very deep blister.  It isn't very painful, I would just prefer to keep as much of my skin as possible.  I was reading that a lot of people have to get bigger shoes once they start running 5 miles or more in a pop, and wouldn't you know I just got there and my feet are getting too big for their britches!  I was able to find the exact model shoe I have, but in a FANCY CRAZY color super cheap and I'm so excited for them to come.

I ran a race!

I'm from the small village of Heuvelton, nestled in the St. Lawrence river valley in (Very) northern New York.  We call this area "the North Country".  Heuvelton has a very nice small-town Labor Day festival.   Tom and I entered the almost 4 mile run on Saturday morning.  He pushed the boys.  It was a great morning for a run.  Pretty cool and there was a nice mist that was almost rain.  I like to run in the rain.  

I was pretty excited and anxious for the race.  Now that I have finished last in a race I'm so worried it will happen again.  Thankfully there were at least as many walkers as runners.  The walkers had a 10 minute lead on the runners.  It was fun to pass them.  I decided to try and run fast.  My first mile was a 9:20 min/mile pace.  I think this is the fastest mile I have ever recorded.  !!!!  I was pretty stoked, but by the end of two miles I was pretty dead.  The third mile was pretty grueling.  My pace dropped to about 11 mins/mile.  I remember literally telling myself I had to put a little more effort into it than a shuffle.  I pushed pretty hard in the last mile and finished in 39 minutes.  That's an average of 10.20 mins/mile.  Not bad for me!  Tom did a fantastic job pushing the boys and finished in 33?  I think that's amazing.  I'm sooo slow if I push the stroller.  The boys were troopers about the rain and were very content snuggled into the jog stroller with their snacks.  

I did the race instead of going to Zumba.  I was slated to run 6 miles on Sunday and I really wanted to do it because it would be the farthest distance I have ever gone.  I think Tom thought I was a little crazy since I had just pushed pretty hard the day before, but I set out and he strapped the boys in a pushed for a few miles himself.  It was pretty tough.  It was hot and sunny and the late afternoon.  I was maybe jogging a 11-11.30 min/mile?  I just kept putting my feet one step ahead.  I envisioned a clock face broken up into 6 pieces and watched the hands go around in my mind.  Once I hit 4 miles I felt like I was home free.  Two more miles wasn't that hard.  When I was finished I waded into the pool and Tom handed me baby Darren and I walked around for a while in the cold water.  I felt pretty good!  I recall thinking that I could probably do it again for a total of 12 miles (VERY slow ones, but it felt do-able). I used Nuun in my water bottles on my fitness belt and ate a honey stinger chew after each mile.  Switching to Gu and honey stinger chews is MUCH better than the gummy bears.  They don't bother me at all and seem to help me push past the sugar low feeling I usually get after 3 miles.  I don't think I could eat a Gu while running because they are so thick I think I would gag, but the chews are nice and the fruit flavor is nice and refreshing.  I washed them all down with a gulp of Nuun.  I also drank a gulp of Nuun at each half mile.  At the end of the workout I ate a Gu energy gel.  I did this mostly because right after getting out of the pool we took showers and went to the fireworks display -I figured I needed some energy before I could flop into bed later.  

Monday I was sore sore sore sore.  I guess I have IT band issues.  For me there is no knee pain or tight feeling in my legs, it is all in the Tensor Fascia Lata (TFL) -the muscle at the top of the IT band, right up under my hip crest on my outer right side.  Looks like I need to strengthen and stretch my bum more and work on getting the kinks out of the TFL before it gets worse.  (I should probably see a Dr....) I'll see if I can keep it under control and go from there.  It has been bothering me from the beginning -even back when I was only walking.  I guess this is common and has to do with a gait that is more TFL and not enough glute.  I proceeded with my Tuesday and Thursday runs of 4 miles each.  The first mile is pretty stiff and then I feel pretty good.  Wednesday was Zumba.  I'm  not sure if it hurts my TFL... There is a lot of hip movement, which I think should be good to keep it loose and to work all the supporting muscles... We'll see.

That's it for now!

Could have skipped, but I didn't

My Aunt.  She's pretty amazing.  There is no way I would be training to run a half marathon if she didn't come over and watch the boys for me Tues and Thurs mornings while I run and shower.  (the shower part is the best)

She emailed me last night that she wouldn't be coming this morning as my Uncle needed their car, but that I could call if I still wanted to run and to come pick her up.  This morning I was stiff.  That hasn't happened in a while.  I think I might have overdone my dancing a little bit last night at Zumba?  I haven't felt like I was hit by a bus for a long time.  I could have just taken today off.  I could have not called.  I could have not gone to pick up my Aunt and stayed in my jammies a little longer.  But I didn't.  I called her up, put on my running gear, and then picked her up.  I'm not at all sorry.  It turns out the part of me that is stiff and sore is the Zumba part and that the Running part of me is still limber and able to go, go, go (4 miles today and on Tues.)!  I guess that's why Zumba is such a great cross train for me.  I can work really hard at Zumba and still have some running legs the next morning.  There is a lot of my body that running doesn't really "work" and Zumba seems to reach in and use it.  Like most Thursdays I'm ready for my rest day tomorrow but I feel really great and happy with myself.


Out running I was thinking about how much the tone of my blog has changed as I have been feeling better and better.  I was really at a low when I dragged myself out of bed the day I started this blog.  That deep inside happy me wanted out really badly.  I was really worried and upset after I started it.  I'm pretty sure I got back in bed for more napping while both boys were asleep.  But right from the start it has been so helpful and everyone has been really great and encouraging!  I hardly ever talk about the boys anymore.  They are still crazy (and so fun and awesome), but it doesn't bother me as much anymore.  Definitely not worth blogging about.

For sure running and Zumba-ing have been a great way for me to be a better Mom.

Happy Reading!  It's almost Friday and a long weekend!  Happy Labor Day everyone!

Born To Run

Go out and get a copy of this book.  It is so interesting.  I can't even describe how great it is adequately.  It's fun to read and brimming with interesting facts about humans and running and also about the current practitioners of ultra running.  Fascinating.  You will not be sorry!

They're here, they're here!

Excited to try these babies out!

When 3.5 feels like 5 and lots of other stuff!

Phew, just back from my Thursday morning run.  Today it was 3.5.  Oh man, Oh man was it pretty rough.  Somehow my body knows when 3 is up and it is a challenge to drag myself to 3.5.  I also went out a little fast considering the humidity and that the temperature was on its way to 80 already.

I have some things to chat about.

1) I have a new hydration belt.  It's an ifittness 16oz waist pack (two 8oz. bottles -one on each front hip) with a pouch for my phone and two loops that can hold gels.  I've used it twice now.  The first time I really fought it and was disappointed that it kept sliding up to where I did not think it should be.  Eventually during the run (Tues.) I just let it ride where it wanted to around my waist and it was just fine there and the gentle slosh noise of the water in the bottles was very zen.  I had also assumed that it needed to be against my tights because it has little silicone grab dots on the inside that keep in in place.  I had it awkwardly positioned under my top.  Not really the fashion statement I wanted to rock.  Today I started out with the belt high where it wanted to ride and over my shirt and it was fabulous.  Love it.  I used to just slip my phone in my bra between the girls and it was getting too sweaty and then I was putting it in a baggie first and that was irritating my sternum.  This is SO much better.  Also, I can't stand the slosh of water in a bottle held in my hand.  I really can't tell that the belt is around my waist.  It's very nicely balanced.  I haven't used the gel loops.  Gels brings us to #2

2)  I have been dabbling in mid-race fueling.  The "art" of eating, replenishing electrolytes, and hydrating while running.  I started with trying gummy bears (as simple carbs for my muscles), maybe about two weeks ago.  Maybe that sounds weird to eat gummy bears while running.  I thought so too, but thought it sounded like a nice cheap place to start.  Lets say, that I'm pretty sure it went badly.  Starting (probably the first time I tried to eat one) I started to have issues post-run.  This ranged from cramping pain, bloated feeling, to having to run to the bathroom.  (gasp for TMI)  I wasn't sure at first if this all just coincided with a little "bug" or if it was directly related to the gummy bears.  Then I read you need to not just eat simple carbs but also take in water with them or they will sit like a rock in your stomach and maybe go right through you -enter need for water on runs.  (see #1)  The water did  not seem to help.  Today I tried my run without gummy bears (water only) and I'm just fine.  However the run seemed really difficult without the carbs.  

3) So I ordered a variety pack of GU gels.  I'm really hoping they don't do the same thing as the gummy bears...  They have not arrived yet, but should before my long run on Sunday.  

4) I also ordered some Nuun tablets.  These are electrolyte drink mix tablets that you put into water.  They allow you to replenish electrolytes without carbohydrates -which I think for me will be a good thing considering the gummy bear debacle.  I'm a pretty salty sweater.  I'll tell you how that goes.  My plan is to have water in one 8oz bottle and Nuun in the other.  Then I just have to figure out the carb thing...

I know the reason my run was hard is because of Zumba last night.  I really push it, push it in that class.  I even got to "help" demonstrate the high impact moves last night because the instructor injured her foot!  Woot Woot! After a class like that Thursday morning comes really fast!  

SO

Does anyone use "fuel" -what do you use/do?

Hydration? 

Anyone else tried Nuun?  

Thanks for reading!!  Happy Thursday! 

What a whirl wind

I can't believe it has been two weeks since I last wrote.  We've been busy in a good way!  Let me bring you all up to speed.

I have been keeping up faithfully with my running and cross training.

Week 2 of my half marathon training went like this...

Monday: Pulled out my PM Pilates DVD.  That's different!  Haven't done Pilates since I was pregnant with Darren.  I took a class at the gym at Case Western that I really liked.  (but not as much as my other classes- I'm definitely a yoga girl rather than a Pilates lady)

Tuesday:  3 mile run.  Felt really good!  Just beat the rain.

Wednesday:  ZUMBA.  Seriously this is the best.

Thursday:  3 mile run.  Felt less strong than Tues, but it's always a beating on Thurs.  I think I did a few squats that night for strength and then I was like,  "ok, ready to rest" and fell into bed.

Friday: REST. No problems there.  HA!

Saturday:  ZUMBA!!! followed closely by a trip to Tupper Lake for a family visit.  Busy day!

Sunday:  Long run of 4 miles in the AM followed by tons of family time for Jeremy's 3rd Birthday Party!

What a great week!!!

Week 3 of my half marathon training went like this...

Monday: Performed my PM Pilates DVD.  I think it was easier this week.  It's still pretty difficult!  Phew they rely on those abs!

Tuesday:  3.5 mile run that felt pretty good!

Wednesday:  ZUMBA shake it shake it shake it!

Thursday:  3.5 mile run.  It's funny that 3.5 feels longer than 3... HA!

Friday:  REST.  Yes, please.

Saturday:  No Zumba so did Yoga Burn DVD with Rodney Yee.  I have had this DVD for maybe 7 years?  I have done it before and always barely made it through or given up when I couldn't do it any more.  It's pretty intense.  I made it and it was not that bad!  It's a full hour and a total body workover.  However, it's SO much more boring than going to ZUMBA.

Sunday:  New record Alert!  I ran 5 miles!!!! without stopping!!!! 55 mins, 4 seconds.  I think this was only the third time i have tried 5 miles. Times were 1:09 and maybe 1:03?  So excited I was under 1 hour!!  So I felt horrible right after and got my shoes off and got into the pool completely clothed and float walked around for like 5 mins. Much better after that.  Re-hydrated and had some pretzels and gummy bears...  Then I felt great and was super happy!

There you have it.  Two great weeks!!!

Half Marathon Here We Come!

I did it.  Signed up for a half in Syracuse on October 20th.  Empire State.  Here we go!!!

Now to get Tom to register :)

An excellent week!

Just completed the first week of half marathon training with Hal Higdon Novice 1.  I feel really good!  I feel good in mind, body and spirit!  This exercise stuff is amazing.  

Quick recap:

Monday:  simple stretching and strength moves while I watched some TV with Tom and Jer.  I mixed up some yoga moves, added some lunges and squats and tried to stretch my major muscle groups.  My mantra was, "anything is better than nothing".  Sometimes I get intimidated with the idea of having a set workout, especially when I am exercising almost every day, so it was nice to do something loosely and in the clothing I happened to have on.  

Tuesday:  Three mile jog.  I felt really good!  I could feel my lower abs from doing bicycle crunches on Monday.  Otherwise all is pretty well.

Wednesday: ZUMBA!!!  rocked

Thursday:  Three mile jog.  Thursday morning jogs are pretty tough.  I have figured out that this is because it is only 12 hours since my prior workout.  Zumba is Weds at 7PM so running the next morning at 9 is pretty tough.  Not impossible or anything, it just feels totally different than running Tuesday which is after a "rest"-type day.  Also, very minimal strength stuff.  A few squats and lunges.  I'm pretty beat by Thurs.

Friday:  REST   no prob 

Saturday;  ZUMBA!!!  love it

Today:  4 mile jog.  It felt really good!  It was much cooler out today and I think that contributed to feeling stronger.  I took the pace nice and easy because I was trying to cover a longer distance.  Also, I should note that because Zumba is in the morning on Sat. it doesn't seem to bother my Sunday run because I typically have at least a 24 hour recovery.  

So that's the week!   Not bad!  In fact it's pretty awesome. :)

Good stuff

So I'm proud to report that even though I haven't been writing I have been running!  I'm going strong on Tues. and Thurs. thanks to my Aunt faithfully coming over to hang with the boys.  I did skip my long run last Sunday.  I'm not beating myself up.  I just moved on and had a really good week.  I am starting the Hal Higdon half marathon training tomorrow.  I haven't decided whether I should sign up for an actual race...  It's a 12 week program and it will culminate on Oct. 20.  There is a half marathon/marathon in Syracuse that day.  I just don't know.  I just got back from running 3.5 miles (isn't that amazing?) and it really like 4x that will be impossible.  The thing is that 3.5 miles seemed impossible before, so...

I also looked up the Jeff Galloway training programs (as suggested in comment from previous post) and they do look like something I should work on.  I might use them next year when I run a marathon.  What I think is the best part of them, other than being really long and steady (I think a marathon training program is 32 weeks), is that the Sunday long runs are not progressively longer every week.  The run is long every third week.  I think this would be good for me because after I run far I just don't think I can run it again, let along farther the next week.  If you haven't looked at his programs take a look!  They are also more geared for people that are interested in walking some of the race.  Also, during the week you only run for 30 minutes twice a week so it's really do-able to fit into your schedule.    

So now that I'm committed again I really need to fit those Monday and Thursday strength and stretches into my program!  I'm thinking of making a deal with myself that I can't go to Zumba if I miss them.  HA!  I think that will light the fire under my bum, because I really love my Zumba!!!

Happy running/walking/swimming/and playing.  The summer won't last forever so lets get out there and enjoy it!

Short Sunday Long Run

Just be glad I ran!  I jogged 1.3 miles and walked the rest of the way home.  I think for only 1.5 miles.  I was going to maybe do the 1.5 mile loop near our house twice, but my mechanics felt all out of whack.  My cardio strength felt pretty good, but my hip hurts and I felt like my head, shoulders were not in the right spot?  I think I need to be more faithful about the ENTIRE training and not just trying to fit in some running.  More stretching and more strength.  I think that is what has helped me thus far.  

My next goal is to find a new training program because I stopped doing the one I was doing when we moved at the end of May and now I'm all off schedule.  I'm going to look at the Hal Higdon site.  There are a LOT more training programs than the last time I used his site when I started running 5Ks.  

I'm icing the outer front of my right hip.  It is the only thing that has persistently bothered me even at the very beginning when I was only walking in April.  I'm not sure what it is?

Hoping for a great week!

It's finally time!

I thought that selling the house would be an instant relief that would allow me to focus more on training.

I really just want to build a base of running about 15-20 miles a week.  You are supposed to be used to doing this for at least 6 months before you train for a marathon.  I figure I  need to get up to strength training Monday, running 5 Tuesday, running 3 Wednesday (in addition to Zumba), running 3 Thursday plus a strength quickie, rest Friday, Zumba Saturday, and then at least 5 on Sunday.

I set out this week thinking I would really start pouring it on.  Somehow Monday slipped away and I did not do any strength training... I did do TONS of house cleaning.  Then Tuesday dawned with promise.  My Aunt volunteered to watch the boys for me so that I can run on Tues and Thurs mornings.  I took her up on the offer.  THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!  So I headed out planning on doing a nice strong 2 mile jog.

I felt horrible.  Could I have really lost that much that fast?  When I got home I felt sick and took a cool shower.  My head pounded.  I felt horrible the rest of the day.   Wednesday morning I realized I had a real problem on my hands.  Apparently I was having a migraine.  They can last several days. Thinking  back to Tuesday morning, I guess that's what it's like to run when you have a migraine...  Back to Wednesday, all the lights in the house were off and I could barely get off the sofa.  Poor little boys.  Thankfully my parents brought me lunch and some caffeine to go with my ibuprofen.  Also my niece came over to play with the boys.  Thank you!  I haven't had a migraine in years and years.  And when I did, I always got them AFTER a huge time of stress... can you say house sale??? Sigh.

Thursday I tried to walk and jog a bit but the second my heart rate accelerated the pounding in my head returned.  After pushing through my discomfort Tuesday and not listening to my body tell me to stop, I listened and walked back to the house for a nice cool shower.

Friday I was in the dumps.  I'm pretty sure the migraine was finally over but maybe that left me with a feeling of depression?  I'm pretty sure my crazy house cleaning on Monday was the pre-migraine mania now that I look back...  Anyway, I went to ZUMBA!!! saved my mood and started my weekend off the right way!

Saturday morning Tom and I played 9 holes of golf.  Between the golfing and prior night's Zumba I was stiff and had sciatica in my left hip and leg.  Ooops.  Oh well.  We went to the beach and played in the pool at our house.  It was the nicest day I have had in a very very very long time (despite the stiffness and nerve pain)!

It's Sunday!  Going to try and do some running later! :)  Feel much better.  No sciatica.  Weird how that stuff comes and goes.

Back to the pool I go.  My little fish son is calling me!

Ding Dong the house is sold! (a self reflection)

The greatest stress in my life has been relieved.  Our house in Cleveland has transferred to the new owners!!!  We listed the house for sale at the beginning of last July.  It's been a long year.  Not only did we sell our house, but we moved to a new state and had a new baby a few weeks later.  In the past year we have lived in 4 different houses.  It was a lot of upheaval.  We are still unpacking from our most recent move.  I think it's going to take a while to get everything back the way I like it.  Despite everything, I'm optimistic that we will recover from all of this very nicely.

I have no more excuses.

When I run I ponder whether I am running to a new self or away from my old self. And with lots of time to think, I have decided that I am running to a new self.  I think this is why my steps are still tentative, why it's easy to skip a workout.  I fear the unknown and where my life is taking me.  I think if I was running away from myself I would just sprint.  It's that fear of not knowing that keeps me from just leaving myself behind.  All the mental baggage.  All the anxiety.  What if the future me is no better off than the me of right now?

Tonight I feel like I have been cut free from a net that has been holding me down.  The stress of selling our house has been really hard on me.  Over time, each new "issue" with the house sale became harder and harder to deal with even though I think the normal me would have been able to handle them under different circumstances.  I dreaded the sound my phone made when I received an email because too often they announced something I didn't want to hear about the sale.

BUT IT'S DONE!  woot woot!  

I think it's going to take a while to crack away from always thinking something bad is about to happen.

One day at a time.  One mile at a time.

Happy Happy Happy Friday everyone!

35

This was the first thing that re-sparked my interest in running a marathon.  I tore this out of Shape magazine almost two years ago and stuck it to our refrigerator.  Three moves later, I just found it while unpacking a box that I hadn't unpacked since we left Cleveland last summer...

Be inspired ladies and gentlemen!  Be inspired!

Turtles want to be fast too

This past Sunday Tom and I ran in the 5 mile Father's Day Race in Shaker Heights where we used to live.  It's a great event.  Lots of fun for Dad's and kids.  Balloon animals, ice cream.  Really it's so well done.  We may make it an annual trip to Ohio just because it's so fun.

Jeremy did the Kids Sprint.  I was overcome by emotion watching him "run" his very first road race -a 100 meter. He was so excited he wanted to run it again.  I was impressed considering he won't be 3 until August.  

All of this was so great.  But there is a sad personal part to this story that I feel I have to talk about.  To cut to the chase, I was the last person to finish the 5 mile.  This is the third year we have done the race, and I have never even been close to being last.  I even ran it last year pregnant and had a slower time than this year and although I was near the end of the pack, I was not the slowest and I passed people.  This year, there were no 5 mile walkers.  There were apparently no 5 mile pokey puppies either.

So my finish was pretty disappointing to say the least.  At least I was running right?  Still rankles.

Also, my husband ran the race pushing both of the boys and did 9 minute miles with NO training... Congrats Dad... So happy for him, but sigh

I did however finish the course while it was still "open".  This is the first year I did not have to go up on the sidewalk at the end and wait for traffic lights instead of having a police escort across the intersections at the end.

Tonight my plan was to prove to myself that I am faster than my Sunday turtle speed.  I ran 2 miles as fast as I could and still hold the 2 miles without walking.  I had a 10:17 pace.  That's not too bad.  My lungs and legs burned a little bit, but it wasn't horrible.  I think I have finally put the didn't eat breakfast-pokey turtle-finish last-disappointment race to bed.  I guess if you run a lot you are going to have bad days and bad finishes.

I swear this too shall pass!

Really and truly I mean to do better.

Lets see.  Since last time I posted...

Weds.  ZUMBA was awesome

Thurs.  I think I did nothing?

Fri.  I packed all day long and we drove to Cleveland with the boys to clear out our house (what a long ride that is!)

Sat.  Packed ALL day.  Exhausted, I fell into dead sleep on my bed on the floor.

Sun.  Father's Day 5 Mile Race.  I did it, but I performed horribly.  I was pretty rested but we accidentally slept in and we did not eat breakfast.  I'm not used to running in the morning anyway and on an empty tank I was whipped.  :(  Not the highlight of my running career... Tom on the other hand pushed both boys in the jog stroller and had an awesome time on no training... sigh.  Then drove back to New York with the last of our possessions.  Finally all of our things are in ONE state!

Mon. Unloaded UHaul (think this counts as strength training...)

Tues. Should have run, but I didn't... I did wash and fold about 8 loads of laundry...

Weds. ZUMBA!  Ah Wednesday Zumba.  You really do make me feel like even though the last week was crazy I still have a chance to run a marathon.  I swear after this class I think everything/anything is possible.

I really hope that after I get my life a little more in order (cough cough the house in Cleveland is sold and gone -hopefully REALLY soon -I'll let you know when that happens!) and I get more of our stuff unpacked and out of boxes I'll be able to settle into a nice little routine that includes my running, zumba, and strength training.

Thank you everyone for the support, help, and encouragement.  This past year has really been a lot for me to handle.

Slacking fess-up NEW GOALS for the month!

So I've been slacking.

I'm supposed to do strength training workouts on Mondays and I'm pretty sure I have not done one in two weeks.  I also did not run last night.  I did however clean and mop the downstairs and was completely exhausted afterward for my effort.  It was raining outside yesterday and cold and I just didn't quite get out the door.  Do not imagine for a second that I was just laying around on the sofa.  I was cleaning and doing other crazy stuff.  Here's another excuse if you want one... Darren has been sleeping like poop for the past two weeks and I'm out of my mind tired.  Oh well!

Today the weather is so much better!  Sunshine!  I'm hoping to take the boys for a walk in the stroller and then ZUMBA tonight!  Woot Woot.

Have some new clothing I picked up from Old Navy from their 40% off activewear sale that I plan on rocking tonight.  (Also, Kent and Megan, if you are reading this, thank you for the gift card!  Merry Christmas to me from Old Navy!)  Excited.


Ok, so new goals!

1) Get back on track with the following weekly pattern:
Monday: Strength train (even something really short to get back into the groove)
Tuesday: Semi-long run
Wednesday: ZUMBA!
Thursday: Fast shorter run and strength train
Friday: REST
Saturday: ZUMBA!
Sunday: Long run

2) Have fun! :)

Bam!

I broke the glass ceiling of three miles!  Sunday night I kicked it into gear and switched my focus from 3 to 4 miles.  I told myself it was 4 miles or bust.  I was very close to bagging my effort at around 2 miles.  I had run figure 8s out away from the house in the neighborhood, but it was night and I didn't want to get too confused so I just ran back toward the house straight hoping to hit 2miles and then reverse my course.  I hit 2 miles almost exactly in front of the house... Half of my mind questioned my sanity thinking that I could repeat the distance I had just performed.  The other half kept it's eye on the prize.  Thankfully that was the stronger half.

The first mile was so easy.  All the sudden 1 mile was done.  The second is always hard and it was difficult, perhaps especially so because I was running back toward the house and thinking that I could not possibly do two more.  The third was my fastest mile.  Then I just tried to hold form on my fourth.  Not too bad!


The rest of the week: Walked Thursday night and then I rested Friday.  Saturday was ZUMBA!  Also a nice two mile walk Sat. night pushing the boys.

Hip Hip Hooray for Wednesday!

What a day!  This was a good day.  Definitely worth writing about.

I started the day with a morning jog and walk pushing the jog stroller with my boys, my niece and here babe.  We did a 3 mile run followed by an additional 2.5 miles of walking at a leisurely pace and talking.  Not bad considering I really did NOT feel like I could run at all this morning.  I was trying to make up for not running last night, (although we did all go for a walk after dinner).

The day progressed like any other day, but then Wednesday night in Ogdensburg is Zumba night!  Woot Woot.  Nothing like ZUMBA to make the day awesome!  SOOOOO all together that makes today easily the most "workout day" I have had in a long time and I feel awesome!

Now time for another shower and some sleep!!! :)

Long run

I was only going to run a quick 2 miles after I got Darren in bed, but when I got to 1.5 I decided to turn around instead of going straight home to make it a solid 3.  I felt pretty strong.  My toe didn't protest until I was almost done with mile 3.  Once I stopped running it let me know how very displeased it was about running.  Even the sheet and blanket felt heavy and painful when I got into bed.  

I'm pretty impressed that pushing out three miles seems "regular" now and that I should really try to get myself past the 3 mile mark.  Maybe next Sunday!

Family walk night?

(I just found this lost in my phone.  It should have been published Tuesday, May 28th!!!)

I guess the 3.5 mile run I am supposed to perform tonight is going to have to wait.  Instead I think its a good night for all of us to go for a walk in the new neighborhood.  My toe feels secure in my running shoe but aches horribly if I flex too much.  I think other times I broke toes they felt much better within a week. Time will tell!

It's Saturday Zumba!

My toe feels so much better!  Tuesday I did not work out.  I pretty much hobbled around praying I wouldn't stub it again or get stepped on.  Wednesday I started to feel some relief.  I thought about going to Weds. night Zumba, but thought it might be pushing it a bit.

Thursday I went for a nice 2.5 mile walk pushing the boys along the recreation trail right here near the house in Ogdensburg.  I was hoping the trail was longer, but It was a nice walk with a nice cool breeze coming off the St. Lawrence River.  My toe felt pretty good!  Right after that Jeremy stepped on my bare foot with his sandals still on... Ok, so that hurt... I can laugh about it now!

Friday was my "rest" day.

I am so bushed from moving.  We are finally moved out of the house in Morley, but we still have a pile of stuff in the garage there that needs to go to the dump.  We have a nice pile of stuff here in our garage in Ogdensburg that looks like a dump... So much organizing and unpacking that needs to still happen!

And then it's Saturday again.  Ah, Saturday.  The day of Zumba.  How I love thee Zumba!  It was an extra long class because it was also a benefit for Relay For Life today.  I don't think I have been as sweaty as I was during that class in years and years.  It was in a gym and I really think it was about to rain it was so humid in there!  That class and the women that show up to shake it, they are the best.  Puts a smile on my face for hours and hours. I come home and I feel so great.  I haven't felt that way for a long time.  Having responsibility like a house and kids is pretty stressful and I haven't felt that really free feeling for a while.  Zumba makes me feel free again.  And then I bring that feeling home to my family.  That is the most awesome part of all.  It's hard to describe.  (and my toe felt pretty good too!)

Anyway.  Hoping for a run of some length tomorrow.  It's my "long" day, but I think any distance will feel long. We'll see what I have in me!  I'm hoping for good things.

5K and a bum toe...

Sunday was a 5K.  I ran mine last night at  about 9:30.  The first mile was "ok" the second I started flagging and then I pulled myself together and did the third strong.  It wasn't horrible or awesome.  I'm really glad I did it!

Eh, I wasn't anticipating a horrible stubbed toe...  This morning Jer woke up at 5 and I rushed out of our room to meet him before he came up the stairs (his room on first).  I slammed my foot into a box still sitting outside our bedroom door.  OMG I stubbed my toe on my right foot next to my pinky so badly.  It is large and purple and feels like a burning coal is inside of it.  Probably broken?  I am hobbling around.  We are on our way to our old house to get more things and it feels like a huge burning marshmallow of a toe.  I opted to put my running shoes on because the thought of bumping my exposed toe while packing and moving did not appeal to me in the least... Sigh

Well Hello Saturday Morning Zumba Class!

I really don't know what it is about this Zumba class but the energy in the room during the class is just amazing.  I really needed it.  I feel on track again.  I started to slide this past week.  Moving consumed all of my free time and left me drained.  The devil on my shoulder kept whispering that 26.2 miles is too far... One Zumba class and I feel like I'm back in the running!  I could hug every one of those women!

I track my outdoor runs with the "Map My Run" app on my iphone.  My phone chirps when my friends (people I am linked to that also use the app) finish their workouts and then I can go stalk their pace, time, and distance... (another story -LOL).  This past week when I wasn't logging miles I felt very left out when my phone chirped the end to another friend's run.  Glad that's over.

I'm back!

Dragging myself out of the loop

Yeah, I got thrown for a loop this past week.  

I formally ran last night.  That's it since Sat. Zumba.  Moving has been harsh.  We still have stuff in the old place and the new place is maybe 50% "done".  We have been packing and moving since Monday.  It's been a long week.  I'm tired, I've been eating poorly and not drinking enough water.  Hoping this week will be better.

This too shall pass.

  

Where does the time go?

We've been really busy lately.  Seriously it seems like every day is busy!  I am just catching a few moments to update you on my week and what is coming up.

Wednesday:  Went to my yoga class.  I felt really "off".  Struggled to keep the breathing correct with the postures.  We did some really cool core moves with partners though and that was new and fun.  In one you get into plank pose and the partner lifts up your ankles into "wheel barrow" and then they let go of one of your feet.  You use your core to keep your leg from falling.  We also did the reverse where you are on your back up on your hands.  They were challenging!


BTW I was sore all week from that strength training on Monday!  I guess all those squats were a good idea.  I will probably repeat that next Monday.


Thursday:   Thurs was run and strength train...  I ran 2.5 miles without stopping.  Dr. Brown, I got a head lamp.  What a great idea!  I felt lit and safe on my run.  It was at night after dark.  Then when I came home I did the roller workout that I performed a couple weeks ago for strength.

Friday: REST!!! YAY!!! Finally had some relief from the soreness from Monday.  I think the roller really does do a nice job of rolling out the lactic acid.  I couldn't tell I had a long "quick" run the night before.

Saturday:  ZUMBA!!! Rocked it.  TWO arm songs... One arm song was new.  Love my Zumba.  Sadly I forgot to drink lots of water when I got home and by 2PM had a seriously bad headache.  Thankfully it let up by evening.

That brings us to Sunday.  I have not gone for my long run yet.  It's a 3 miler.  I think I will have to do it later in the basement on the treadmill.  The weather is "OK" now, but I just dragged myself out of the basement, where I have been packing, and I need to go back.  It looks like it will be raining later.

Personal news:  We are moving on Tues.  I will soon be reporting to you from Ogdensburg, NY.  I hear they have some nice "trails" in the area and I think it might be flatter.  I'll just have to go find some hills when I need them.  Back to packing... boo

Breakthrough?

Just got back from my 2 mile jog.

It felt good!!!  

I ran my second mile an entire minute faster than the first.  It was even my "hill" run.  I jogged the first mile cautiously and then realized I was feeling pretty good and tested out a longer stride and bam! it felt like everything fell into place.  My 3-2 breathing (in 3 footfalls, out 2 footfalls in order to alternate legs that receive the exhale stride) felt natural -been struggling to get it to feel right, my stride felt confident and not tentative.  Very nice!  I was under a 10 minute mile on the second. :)

Woot Woot!

Know Squat?

We appear to be out of the woods. Sickness went through the entire house. Friday was not only my rest day, but my day to be completely out of commission. I think I would have been not so bad, but unlike the boys I had a very high fever. By Saturday I felt much better and then Tom was sick. I skipped my Zumba workout and hydrated and took care of all my boys instead.

Sunday I was double brave. Once because I figured I was well enough to do my two mile long jog without walking and once because I decided to do it outside even though it was incredibly windy, gusty and cool. I was an entire minute slower on my mile out into the wind than I was on my mile back. The hardest stretches were actually when I jogged perpendicular to the wind because it knocked my foot into my other leg with each stride. Very annoying. On the way out into the wind I was very cold and glad I had bundled up, but on the way back I was very warm. At the end I just was very glad I had completed the workout! The weather was so crazy I didn't think to much about how my run was feeling. Ha!

I will say that running all these short distances makes me really wonder how I will ever be able to string them together into something spectacular. Only time will show me.

So to the day at hand.

Strength day again! I chose a workout from Runner's World (April 2013). "Know Squat?" It's supposed to help keep your knees safe. It was a good workout! I won't belabor it. Off to fold laundry.

Happy week everyone! Thanks for reading!

Too busy!

Ok, quick update. I've been keeping it real and sneaking in my workouts. I have so much I want to write, but haven't found the time...

Tues. jogged 1 mile pushing the boys b/c went to Ottawa Sens hockey game at night. Good planning! What I didn't plan on was Jer getting a stomach bug... Two hours of sleep that night (poor baby sitters!!!)...

Weds. By morning Darren also wanted in on the stomach bug fun... I dared to strap them into the stroller to get them outside and blow the stink off them. They slept while I jogged 1 mile. I skipped yoga. It just wasn't going to happen and I hate spreading germs around.

Thurs. Kids much better. Lots of sleep for everyone last night. Pushed the babes in stroller while I jogged 1.5 miles. It's hard to push... Was worried I couldn't do it. Made it.

Now Jer is sick again and asleep on the sofa. Darren napping. Grabbed this second to write!

Hopefully Friday will be better!

Snapped this pic yesterday!

What to do, what to do

It's Monday again.  Time to strength train.  I hadn't picked out a workout to do for tonight and had to quick flip through some mags to find one I wanted to do.  I settled on this one.  I recently picked up a foam roller and have been playing with it intermittently.

Here goes!

Shape magazine, April issue.  Do each workout once.  Can do twice for extra challenge.  I did each once.

#1 is an inner and outer quad roll.  In and out 10 times for inner and outer quads.  It was difficult to keep my toes pointed in while rolling to get the inner quads.  It also was quite painful.  I think my quads are tight so maybe this will help.  Also it was a surprising shoulder workout.

#2 Pretty much just a wall sit against a roller while alternating raising your arms over head.  1 minute.  Not too bad.  Improvement?  Maybe!

#3 Glutes rollout.  OUCH.  Apparently I have a little tightness there...

#4 Bridges with your feet on a roller.  Not unlike a bridge.  It was a teensy bit more difficult to not have the roller against the wall.  I did 10 against the wall and 10 not against the wall and it felt like it worked different muscles.

#5 Rollout of the upper back.  Not difficult and it felt sooooo good.  I also detected a bit of core strength required to keep your head up as the roller moved toward your waist.

#6 Laying on roller bring arms up and down like a W... I'm really not sure why this is challenging?  I tried to get my feet as close together as possible so that I had the added challenge of keeping myself from falling over.

#7 Hamstring rollout.  This was not painful at all, unlike the hamstring rollout.

#8 Once I got the coordination down these side lunges were pretty good as an all over move.

This was a nice mix of stretching and strength, but maybe not as challenging as I need?





Trying to be quick here...  Very ready for bed.

Month Two Goals

I hadn't thought to make goals for my next month.  Thank you Bill for the idea!

I thought about what my goals will be for my second month and decided to keep it simple.  

Goals:

1) Stick with the program I have laid out for myself.  

-Monday; strength train (Do whatever looks "fun" to stave off boredome)

-Tuesday; run

-Wednesday; yoga (run if possible)

-Thursday; run (I think strength training gets added here as well at some point this month)

-Friday; REST

-Saturday; cross train (ZUMBA!!!)

-Sunday; long run

2) Stay injury free.

3) Breath and relax as much as possible.

Training update:

Friday was rest day.  I rested!  Done!  That was easy.

Saturday was cross train day so of course I shook my bod at Zumba!  Soooo much fun and felt great.  During the "arm" song I went to get weights and there were only 2 lbs.  I used to think just no weight was pretty hard, but have been using 1 lb weights.  I didn't want to go to the weight closet and come back empty-handed so I used the 2 lb weights.  I really did struggle, but I did it!  Thank you Natalie for giving me the following quote (that has been motivating/haunting me since you sent it),

"if it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you".

Thanks buddy!

Today was long run day.  I only had to complete one mile, but it was the first time without walking.  From here on out it is only jogging.  If I have to walk, I am supposed to keep it under a minute at a time and jog as much as possible.  I think that is more for the longer days.  The jog today was pretty challenging because I took the hilly country road and not the flat highway that I used last week.  I also continued to walk comfortably after the jog for grand total of 3 miles.  Tom pushed the boys while I jogged and then I took them when I was done my mile and then we walked together and enjoyed the sunny morning.

Hope you all had great weekends.  Thanks for reading and have a great week! 

One Month in Review

Yesterday marked the completion of one month of "training".  I thought I would do a quick recap of how the month has gone.  

Pros

Strength:  My legs feel much stronger.  I think I also detect tone that was not there at the beginning of the month.  Also my abdominal muscles seem much stronger.  I thank the Zumba and Yoga for this change.  I can also push-up better and my shoulders feel stronger and maybe a little better balanced (they are a little "off" from always carrying my bag/baby on the left).

Endurance:  When I started Zumba, which was before this month, I could barely get through the 60 minutes. I think I remember starting to really flag after about 40-45.  Now I make it through the entire hour and wish it could go longer.  That is a noticeable change in my endurance.  I'm also much less sore the next day.  My jog/walks leave me feeling charged afterwards.  It's a nice feeling.  

Flexibility:  I think my quads are tighter than they were, but my hamstrings feel looser.  Also, my right hip flexor feels tight, but overall I think I'm more limber so this falls in the "pro" section.  

Mood:  I am definitely feeling more even in the mood department.  Being around a roller-coaster two year old is stressful for me and the exercise and time for myself helps me be more patient and even minded.  It definitely takes a lot more to phase me.  

Sleeping:  I sleep really well at night in general.  It helps a lot that Darren does too!

Cons

Tender lower back.  I think I read somewhere this has to do with tight muscles.  Tight quads?  Tight hip flexors?  Anyone else have issues with this?  

There you have it.  The Pros definitely outweigh the Cons!  

Training update for Weds and Thurs:

Yesterday I performed a 1 mile, 5 min jog, 1 min cardio walk in the morning and then went to Yoga at night. I was not phased by this double train at all -especially because of the beautiful weather we have been having!

Tonight I did a 1 mile, 6 min jog, 1 min cardio walk after the babies went to bed in the dark.  Felt really good.  I could have gone longer but thought I should just play it cool for now.  I'm sure I will have plenty of opportunity to go further in the future.  HA!!! 

Tomorrow is rest day.  I will probably catch up with you Saturday after Zumba!  Happy weekend everyone!  

Tired Tuesday

I didn't sleep well last night. I fell asleep initially, but later spent time in and out of light sleep listening to my husband and cat sleep. Fiona (the kitty) had tucked herself securely between my knees and I didn't bother her. Somehow Darren must have sensed my insomnia from across the house and was up (for the first time in weeks) for two hours. He also went in and out of sleep. Finally around 4:30 Darren and I got back to sleep.

My goodness was I tired today. As a result I strapped the kids into the double stroller earlier and performed my mile of alternating 1 min cardio walk and 5 mins jogging. My rational was that I would get to go to sleep earlier tonight. (Also was thinking maybe my intense strength train right before bed last night kept me from sleeping well.) It was another beautiful day and the jog was quick.

I feel pretty good, just have can't-keep-my-eyes-open tired. Also, Jeremy update: the crazy two year old is much better this week.

Now time for bed I said!

Here's hoping Darren feels like sleeping tonight.

It's Monday, Again!

I think this is the beginning of week 5.  WOW, that went pretty fast.  I feel good.  My arms are a little shaky like jello right now from my Monday strength workout.  Let me tell you quickly about what I did.

I LOVE Jillian Michaels workout DVDs.  The only thing with workout DVDs is you need a bunch of different ones so you can switch it up, or it can get a bit boring.  Other than that I have to say they are the most awesome DVDs I have come across.  Tonight I got out "No More Trouble Zones".  I chose it because it has circuits and you can pick the ones you want to do to piece together your own workout.

Tonight I wanted to target my upper body and quadriceps as much as possible.

I started with the warm-up; your typical marching in place, jumping jacks, arm circles...

Then I selected "Shoulder and Legs"...  Simultaneous arm workout with 3lb weights while performing lunges/squats.  (She goes through the circuit twice).

Then I selected "Thighs and Triceps"...  Also with the 3lb weights.  Targeting the back of the arms while holding lunge and squat type exercises. (twice like above)

I followed this up with the cool down.

By the end of this "quick" 20 minute workout I was sweating like crazy and quite worked over.  She really knows what she is doing.  I highly suggest this DVD.

phew.  To bed!