London prep (and other life drama)...

So the London Marathon is in 10 days and training for it is pretty much done. I have one tapered long run left but at this point if I'm not ready I will never be ready so mentally I'm feeling ok. I definitely do NOT feel overtrained and I'm not dealing with any nagging injuries or lingering pain/discomfort (which I think is a great place to be going into race week next week). My flights are booked, accommodations are set, and I have a list of activities for the "touristy" side of the trip.

On a non-running related note... two days before the marathon I'm presenting at an international trauma conference...

(I'm really excited about the opportunity to present a keynote lecture!)

So apart from wrapping up my training, preparing for all aspects of my trip and my presentation for next week, I've been spending a lot of time juggling various other life things. My baby turned 18 so I'm officially the mother of an adult. It's freaking me out a bit because time has really flown by quickly. She's off to college this Summer and I'm both excited for her and sad for me (it's going to be hard not having her around).

In anticipation of my impending empty nest syndrome I've been trying to plan the next few years of my life. I spent the past two years wasting my time and emotional energy. And then the past two months dealing with the emotions of that relationship coming to an end. So recently (after considering feedback from family and friends) I decided to dabble in the world of online dating.

So here's the thing about me and online dating:
- I'm not looking for a hook-up so the "tinder" type sites were a definite NO.
- I hate paying for things that don't provide a guaranteed return on my investment, so I avoided sites with a subscription fee that rivaled a monthly car payment.
- I have already found the process to be exhausting and tedious.

Anyway, I signed up for a site that claims to "cater to professionals" and filled out a lengthy profile. After my profile details were reviewed and approved by the site administrators I started to get "matched" with men who were (apparently) an ideal fit for me.

Well. By the time I deleted the men who:

1. Had several grammatical errors on their profiles
2. Had profile pictures that were not oriented correctly (it's not that hard people!)
   
3. Answered yes, definitely to the "children in the future?" question
4. Had profile (or gallery) pictures with other women (it could be their sister but how am I supposed to know that?!)
5. Looked like serial killers...

...there might have been about five potential "matches" left. I'm almost tempted to delete the account and request a full refund. However, I was advised that I need to "be more patient it's only been a few days". So instead I updated my profile a bit to provide a little more clarity...

I've already given up hope that this particular approach is going to result in anything meaningful but no one can ever say that I'm not clear about what I want.

Apart from my initial online dating disaster, life has also been busy with job hunting and binge watching Dexter on Netflix.

Next week this time I will be in London (maybe a guy worthy of me will be there), and a week from Sunday I will be finishing my 4th Marathon Major, and 5th full marathon!

Have you ever tried online dating? (share your good and bad stories!)

What's the #1 tourist thing I should do in London next week?

My Current Status and Race Predictions...

I'm 56 days away from the PGH Marathon and this is my current status at the "less than two months to go" mark:
⃢ I have completed 3 moderately long LRs (16 miles x 2; 15 miles x1)
⃢ I have 3 longer LRs left (18 miles x1; 20 miles x1; 22 miles x1)
⃢ I have 2 more races prior to the PGH Marathon weekend (Sunrise 1/2; Carmel Marathon relay)
⃢ I have 1 major trip that will somewhat interrupt my training cycle (FLL>>SEA>>PDX>>FLL)
⃢ I have 0 doubts in my ability to complete the PGH Marathon (based on how training has been going)
⃢ I have 1 tiny concern about getting a sub-5:30:00 finish (since I haven't been doing a lot of hill work)
⃢ I have 2 "back-up" race goals just in case (beat my Chicago marathon time; or get a sub-5:45:00 finish)
⃢ I have 3 minor things to finalize before my PGH trip (but the major stuff (flight & hotel) are taken care of)
⃢ I have 3 major work things to complete before I can start tackling those minor things

So about my race goals - I've been planning for a sub-5:30:00 finish time, which will not only be a PR for me but also a major accomplishment after the disasters of the NYC & Berlin marathons. For NY I was under-trained and for Berlin I got injured during the race. Not fun. Both those races had finish times of 6+hours and I'm not in the mood (or emotional frame of mind) to deal with that again. Not when my goal (for both) was 5:30:00 (I've been chasing that goal for a while). Anyway, choosing Pittsburgh to PR in may not have been the wisest idea (being from Florida with no hills and considering the entire second half of the race (pretty much) is nothing but hills...

I've invested a lot of time in my training plan for Pittsburgh; making edits and tweaking things as training has progressed; taking rest days when I feel myself approaching the "over training danger zone"; and adjusting for life (a lot) to accommodate competing priorities; and creating as much work:life:marathon training balance as I possibly can. So in keeping with my investment of time, and my desire to remain realistic about what my body can do, I decided to look at a couple of race predictors to see if I'm still on track for a 5:30:00 finish time.

Tool #1 from RunningAHEAD

(ok, not bad... especially since the 16 & 10 milers were my last two LRs)

Tool #2 from Chicago Endurance Sports

(so right under the goal time, but still... not bad)

Tool #3 from Runner's World

(RW asked for different info (13.1 miles & 10 miles) & had a significantly different estimation)

I'm not a big fan of the Runner's World prediction (as you can imagine) since it's worse than my time for the NY Marathon (during which I walked all the bridges... and then some) and Berlin (where I got injured at mile 21 and walked most of the remaining 5 miles). But, it also used different statistics for it's calculation so maybe, just maybe, I still have time to improve the prediction before race day. Plus, the distances and times I used for all these predictors weren't exactly race times, but rather my LR times over the past two weeks; and according to Hal's tweet...

Worst case scenario, if my Plan A, B, and C goals fall through, I will still attempt to finish under 6 hours (which will be a big improvement over both NY and Berlin).

All-in-all I refuse to let negative finish time predictions dampen my excitement about this trip (and this race). A lot of things will be different about this event, including my official blogger status...

(link to page)

I'm looking forward to meeting all the other amazing bloggers and organizers in person when I go, and (hopefully) getting to spend more time at the Expo fully exploring everything it has to offer (I've been rushing through every race expo so far this year). 

I also got my "I'm In!" yard sign recently so I've had that up on display...

Less than 2 months to go!!!

Have you ever used a race predictor when training for a race?

How often do you modify your training plan (during your training cycle)

Have you ever been to Pittsburgh? I need some restaurant recommendations please :)

A Match Made In Training Heaven...

You know what's better than running? Well, nothing. But you know what's almost as great as running? Cross training! And I'm not just talking about the dynamic stretching that most of us runners do say we do before our runs. I mean an actual cross training activity that's fun, non-impact (or minimal impact), and one that helps strengthen all those under-used non-running muscles.

My go-to cross training activity is swimming. When I do it consistently I really feel an improvement in my endurance level. But, to be honest, it's also the activity that I opt out of a lot. When I feel like my body needs rest I'm more likely to skip a cross training day than I am to miss out on a run...

I'm even worse with body weight strength training and CrossFit type activities cause let's face it... squats suck, burpees will kill you, and no box is low enough for me to jump on it without immediately falling off.

The problem with being inconsistent with cross training (mainly because I'm not good at it) is that I will NEVER be good at it without being consistent. I really have no excuse because consistent cross training with steady improvement will help me run better and stronger. And when I’ve stuck with it during my marathon training I’ve noticed those exact results.

Over the past few years and training cycles I've complied a list of my top 7 cross training tips that (when I actually follow them) have proved to be beneficial. My goal is to follow them as I train for the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 6th because I have some serious PR goals for that race...

Hopefully some of these tips will help you when training for your next big event!

1. Choose a cross training activity that you LIKE to do

Nothing is worse than dreading your workout. And, if you choose a cross training activity that you hate, you're less likely to do it (and certainly less likely to do it well). Try and incorporate a form of cross training that you like to do! Make it a "break from running" that will ultimately help improve your running.

2. Cross training should supplement (not impede) your running

If your cross training activities are too intense then you essentially won't give your body enough time to rest and recover. With marathon training "time on your feet" matters a lot. However, if your muscles are sore from your running miles AND sore from all the minutes you spend cross training, then eventually you'll be too sore to do anything at all! Cross training should complement your marathon training, not detract from it.

3. Schedule cross training with the same commitment that you give your training runs

It's easy to give in to the temptation to skip a cross training day. Try not to. Make it an essential part of your overall marathon training plan and tackle it with the same commitment that you do your runs. Of course, if your body needs rest or you're injured then take the time off you need. But don't skip cross training just for the sake of doing so. It's important so treat it as such.

4. Join forces with a friend for extra motivation

You know how those miles fly by when you're running with a friend? Well cross training can be even more enjoyable when you're working out with a friend. Use the opportunity to motivate each other while simultaneously supporting each other. Whether it's one more rep or one more lap in the pool, help each other get it done!

5. Avoid impact activities that don't allow your legs to rest

Running works specific leg muscles and they need rest. Doing high (and even moderate) impact activities can inhibit your ideal "leg rest" period. Try to incorporate cross training activities that work different muscles and are less taxing on your legs. It's especially important to work on strengthening your core and upper body (as those areas tend to be neglected when marathon training).

6. Track your progress just like you track your miles

Who doesn't like setting a goal and accomplishing it right? Cross training goals are important. Start off by determining your baseline (e.g. How many pool laps can you swim without stopping? What weight can you lift for strength training? etc.) and aim for steady incremental improvements. Do you max out at 20 squats? Aim for 25 the next time. Can you swim up to 800 meters? Aim for 1000 the next time. Focus on gradual improvement and celebrate those accomplishments!

7. Don't forget the goal is to become a stronger runner!

At the end of the day when you’re training for a marathon your goals should be to finish strong and injury-free. And, for many of us, we also want to finish as fast as we can while ensuring those first two goals are accomplished. Cross training should always focus on those end goals. It should be fun and, just as importantly, it should be beneficial.

Since we are at the official start of training for the Pittsburgh Marathon (did you guys do the kick off training run last Sunday?) now is the best time to figure out what cross training activity (or even a couple of activities) you're going to do to get ready for the big day! And if you still haven’t registered yet, use my discount code: YOUNGDSGPM18 for $10 off your registration fee (you can register HERE).

I look forward to seeing you on the course!

What’s your favorite cross training activity?

How many cross training days do you schedule in your half/full marathon training plan?

True/False: Squats are worse than Burpees (my answer – TRUE!)

Kicking Off My Pittsburgh Marathon Training...

This training week started off with a 4 mile run on Tuesday and ended with a 10 mile run this morning. My training plan for Pittsburgh includes 4 days of running + 2 days of cross training & 1 day of rest. I nailed the 4 days of running part, but my 2 days of cross training were converted to 2 days of "rest". Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day but we'll see what the morning holds.

Until then, I'm just going to focus on this week's runs and the fact that I was able to get through them all...

(not really the pace I'm aiming for but hopefully that will get better on future runs)

While I'm super excited about completing my runs and the start of my Pittsburgh Marathon training, nothing was more exciting than finding out I was selected to be an official blogger for the marathon!!!

I'm honored to be a part of this esteemed group of bloggers and I'm really looking forward to blogging for the marathon. Pittsburgh happens to be in May (my birthday month) which makes it extra special for me. It will be a birthday present to myself and I plan to train hard for it so that when I cross the finish line I can cross it smiling (not crying like I did for Berlin & New York). Deep down I really want to PR in Pittsburgh (so that's goal A), but I'll also be happy with a sub-6 hour marathon finish time (since both NY and Berlin were over 6 hours and I really don't want that to be a trend)...

(source: somewhere on IG) 

What's next on your race calendar?

How is training going?

What exciting things are you doing this weekend?

If This Nursing Thing Doesn't Work Out...

At Kai's Painting with a Twist (without the "twist") 16th birthday celebration yesterday, I tapped into my inner artist and created a masterpiece. Well maybe not a masterpiece, but it was pretty decent. We all started with a blank canvas...

And throughout the event we worked on building our own creative works of art. We started with the basics...

Then we added layers and dimensions...

My finished product was my "in case nursing doesn't work out the way I planned" back up career plan...

We all put our own spin on our paintings and at the end of the day everyone had a great time....

... including the birthday girl whose least favorite part was being the center of attention (so I'll resist posting all the pictures from the birthday cake cutting session 😉).

This morning's run didn't go as planned, thanks to blister pain and lack of sleep. And since the rest of my morning was busy with church for Easter Sunday, and the rest of my day will be busy with family activities (and occasionally watching a show on Hulu), I'll have to incorporate extra miles on my runs during this upcoming week. Even though the full six miles didn't get completed, I was still able to run my one mile minimum for my daily streak...

Happy Easter! (for all who celebrate)

How was your training/running this weekend?

Have you ever done Painting with a Twist (or any other version of this concept)?

Four Miles Later...

My run this morning went well. Before I started I decided to aim for an 11:30 min/mile average pace and to try and maintain a conservative effort. The desire for the conservative effort was because I felt a "twinge" in my left knee yesterday and I didn't want to push too hard considering I also have a longish run on Sunday. And I decided to do intervals (run 3 minutes: walk 30 seconds) for the entire 4 miles because I figured that would help with the conservative effort (plus it gives my legs a well needed break).

I'm happy to report that my effort did feel conservative AND I pulled off a sub-11 minute pace!

I never thought I would see the day that a sub-11 min/mile pace would feel conservative... especially for a distance longer than a mile 😊...

It would have been great to have gotten negative splits but that pesky mile four messed it up for me 😒...

The only not so great thing about the run was that I got a really bad blister on the bottom of my right big toe...

(just imagine this is me with black curly hair, darker skin, and pain to the other big toe 😉)

The blister is not going to be fun when I run tomorrow but I'm hoping I can still get my 6 miles in. It's Easter Sunday so I need to schedule my run before church, with enough time to get home and get ready to go to church. 

Later on I will be off to Kai's painting party for part 2 of her birthday celebration. She chose a nice sunset landscape scene to paint...

It will be fun to see what the "after" paintings look like once everyone is done. One of my favorite things about the painting party concept is that we all get to keep our paintings as a nice keepsake from Kai's 16th birthday celebration. It's kind of like a really great grown up version of a birthday party "goodie bag" 😉. 

Have you ever been to a painting party?

Do you get blisters when you run?

What's your current "conservative" pace?

Minimum Expectations...

Now that the blogging streak is over I've really been struggling to meet the minimum expectations that I set for myself. Granted, it has been a very busy couple of weeks... but that's life right? At least that's my life. I don't remember the last time I had a week where I thought "Oh I really wish I had more to do" 😉. Despite having my plan to do a post yesterday (and even starting one yesterday) things just didn't quite work out that way...

I take some comfort in the fact that I've at least been keeping up the minimum expectations with my running streak...

As the countdown to Ragnar continues my team has been losing runners (for very valid reasons) and as of right now my total mileage has increased from ~15 miles to ~26 miles. Training needs to start ramping up 💪. I have 4 more weekends that will facilitate "real" training for Ragnar (including this weekend but not including the weekend before Ragnar). The weekend before Ragnar is my birthday weekend so my runs won't involve a lot of mileage. And to be honest that works out well because I should be tapering the weekend before a race anyway 😉. 

So with only 4 training weekends left I need to work my way up to running 26 miles (over the course of 3 back-to-back weekend runs). My potential training schedule for the upcoming four weekends looks like this:

1. Saturday 4 miles; Sunday 6 miles = 10 miles (I should've run more than 1 mile this morning 😞) 

2. Friday 4 miles; Saturday 6 miles; Sunday 8 miles = 18 miles

3. Friday 4 miles; Saturday 8 miles; Sunday 10 miles = 22 miles

4. Friday 6 miles; Saturday 10 miles; Sunday 10 miles = 26 miles

And then on the weekend of my birthday & Mother's Day (May 13th & 14th) I'll just try and run as much as possible 😊. 

Do you run on your birthday?

Do you ever split up your weekend long runs?

What are your plans for this weekend?

The End Of The Streak...

I ended my blogging streak on Friday. It was intentional so I'm only partially sad when I think about it. Friday was my 500th blog post and Day 90 of my blogging (and running) streak. It seemed like a good ending point... blogging every day isn't easy. I know a lot of bloggers that have new posts with fresh content everyday. But most of them work from home, or don't work, or work part time, or have more than 24 hours in their day. I made it a point to set aside time for each blog post but some days I just didn't have much to say. And rather than continue with quantity over quality I decided to just focus on my running streak, getting enough rest, and increasing the cross training aspects of my current training plan...

source

There were other changes this weekend... I went home (to Jamaica). It's a very long story but I needed to be home and made the decision to travel on Thursday and came down on the first flight on Friday. Which meant I missed the triathlon relay that I was supposed to do today (the team found a replacement though and they did really well). 

While I was home on a #FamilyFirst mission, I was able to continue my running streak. I've done a mile each day that I've been here (some a lot slower than others). Friday's run...

Saturday's run...

Today's run...

Saturday's run was after spending most of the morning at the beach so I definitely felt extra tired on that run. And even though today's run was mid-morning on a very sunny day, I was able to push myself to a sub-10 min pace. I'm always excited when I can do that 😊.

In between runs and family time I've tried to catch up on sleep. Last week was a busy work week and this upcoming week will be as well, so things are going to be non-stop for a while. I've also been applying to some online teaching jobs and the next sessions should be starting some time this month or next month (please keep your fingers crossed that I get one of them) so my days will be even more hectic. These upcoming changes also contributed to my decision to end the blogging streak.

Instead of blogging every day, I'm going to try and blog at least 3-4 times a week. Some weeks will be more, but hopefully no future weeks will have less than three blog posts. Especially since training will start to get a bit more structured so I'll have much more to post about from now on 😉. 

(If you blog) How often do you blog each week?

What's the longest blogging streak you've done? 

How was your running/training this weekend?

MY 500th BLOG POST!!!!!

When I started blogging in 2014 I had already been running for about a year. I still felt like a brand new runner at that point and, even though I wasn't new to writing, I had never done a blog before. At the time I wasn't sure where the blogging journey was going to take me...

I wasn't completely sure where the running journey was going to take me either. But I knew that I wanted to complete a marathon, and I knew that I wanted to write about my experiences along the way to achieving that goal.

Over the course of my 500 blog posts I've told you about my full marathon experiences in New York... 

Pi Day...

So first for foremost... HAPPY PI DAY!!!!

We did a Pi Day pie celebration at work today (yay team building!) and pizzas were ordered for lunch...

and people brought in actual pies for dessert...

I didn't bake. I don't have a working fridge so I used that as my excuse, but the truth is I was just going to buy something this morning and I totally forgot. In any event I gave up flour for Lent so I couldn't indulge in pizza 😔. But I tried a few of the fillings for the pies and they were pretty good. I sampled a little filling from each pie so I felt like I was eating non-stop...

And since I couldn't have pizza for lunch I munched on different snacks...

I had another night of interrupted sleep due to coughing spasms so I skipped my group Pi Day run this morning. I still wanted to get my 3.14 miles in though so I ended up doing an evening run...

Not a bad pace and with negative splits!

I ran a different route than usually do on my solo runs which was a nice change. Sometimes you just have to switch things up a bit to make the run feel a little more interesting. The only challenge with that is you may not know what the conditions of the route are. Today's route included two lizards crossing my path which was pretty traumatizing, but I survived unscathed...

I decided not to plan for morning runs for the rest of the week since restful sleep has been eluding me recently. Instead, if I wake up early enough to do an early morning run, great! If not, then I'll fit it into my schedule after work. I really need to get better. Two weeks is a long time to be sick, especially when you have training to complete 😉.

How often do you switch up your running route?

What did you do to celebrate Pi Day?

What's your favorite kind of pie?