Friday, October 31, 2014

One Run Stronger...

I wasn't sure what type of workout I wanted to do when I woke up this morning. This week has been a bit haphazard with work obligations and schedule changes etc. And I've also been extremely exhausted in the morning (not sure why) so early morning gym sessions were on hold on both Wednesday and Thursday. Today when I woke up I knew I would be running, but I wasn't going to mentally commit to a specific time or distance. I started out with a 1/2 mile brisk warm up walk and then started running using a 4:1 interval ratio. I slowly started to pick up the speed and aimed for a sub-10min mile...
(close but not quite there yet)

Then I turned off my Runtastic app and interval timer after the 1 mile run and did a "cool down" walk for 1/2 a mile. I considered doing another 1 mile "speed workout" run but decided to just listen to music and complete a slow run:walk session around my complex. I didn't worry about my time or the duration of my run intervals or my walking intervals. I ran when I wanted to, and walked when I wanted to, and then stopped when I was tired...

I'm happy to announce that the Wings for Life World Run US locations finally opened up for registration today!! So you know what I did during my lunch break...
I'm all registered and set to go on May 3rd 2015 in Sunrise, FL

With the amount of races/runs I have registered for in the past few weeks I think it's time to admit that I might have a tiny obsession with running. Just a tiny one, not "intervention worthy"....yet. I have a separate line item in my budget for running related expenses though so I feel a little comforted by the fact that I can go to my "running savings account" for all these race fees.

I also have an actual piggy bank that I use to save for my Athens Marathon in 2016 (that trip is going to be a major expense). I figured I would need to show photo proof for this one so here you go...

Today I felt extra hungry. I try and ensure I eat a balanced meal for every meal but lunch was very "carb heavy" today (butternut squash soup and sweet potato fries)...

Today is Halloween and although I don't typically celebrate/participate in this holiday (is halloween a holiday?) I took Kaiyu to my friend's house so she could collect the pre-requisites for a sugar coma. She decided to "dress up" as one of her favorite female Jamaica-American Olympic track stars, Sanya Richards-Ross...

This weekend I'm doing my taper run of 8 miles with my running group on Sunday, before my Ft Lauderdale Half Marathon next week (on November 9th). I'm looking forward to having a great session because it's with my group and it's only 8 miles...

I saw this on Instagram and LOVED it (and almost died laughing at how true this statement is)...
#SweatPink!

What are you running this weekend?

Anyone doing the NY Marathon?

What color Starburst are you??

Thursday, October 30, 2014

When the mail makes you happy & a Sweat Pink discount code!

I'm so happy to be able to relax and write this post after a hectic past two days at work. It was a fun and jam-packed two day session, but it kept me busy and away from running, the gym, and blogging (you have to balance it all somehow right?).

I had a great surprise waiting for me in the mail when I got home today...all my stuff from #SweatPink came!!!
I especially like the "Foot Notes" shoe charm I ordered. Can't wait to put it on!

In addition to the surprise for me I also have a surprise for you! Sweat Pink Ambassadors got a discount code for 20% off the following SweatPink branded Tribesports items...

In order to get the 20% off you just need to go to THIS WEBSITE and enter this discount code at checkout: SPTS-sf62565b. You will be able to pre-order these items until November 20th and they will ship during the first week of December (just in time for Christmas!). I'm in love with the black racerback tee so I'm adding that to my Christmas list!

Motivational reminder...

Happy Thursday!!!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Finish what you started..

I was tempted to snooze my alarm this morning but I resisted temptation and went to the gym to swim some laps. When I got to the gym the pool area was deserted...just the way I like it :)

My goal was to complete a mile in the pool (64 lengths of a 25m pool). The last time I swam a mile it took me approximately 40-45 mins (I didn't time myself but I glanced at the clock periodically). This time I was at about the same pace...
Definitely not fast...the whole this is my faster thing applies to both land and water activities

After swimming the women's locker room was being cleaned so I hung out in the whirlpool for a bit...
nice and relaxing after being in the pool (which is normally a lot warmer than it was this morning)

As a side note: I haven't done any strength training in a while (and I need to) but I think my legs are still tired from Sunday's LR so I'm going to try and incorporate weights later on in the week.

Milepost motivation for your Tuesday...
To be honest I just want to get "there". Sure, I would love to be a faster (aiming for a single digit minute per mile pace one day) but for now I want to be able to cross the finish line. I'm competing against myself in my training runs and in races, and the ultimate goal is consistent improvement. 

This article by Megan Birch-McMichael reminded me of the importance of focusing on completing your goals (no matter what they are...and even if you're the last one to cross the finish line). When you set out to finish what you started you are making a commitment to yourself to not give up on the goal you had when you began your running journey {that statement had a lot of "you"'s in it...because your training is about YOU and no one else}. This is a good reminder for anyone who is losing motivation.

After a long (but productive) work day I took Kai to her conditioning session with her track coach. I took advantage of the time she spent training and ran a couple of miles around the park...

Pace per mile breakdown...

It always makes me smile when I see a lot of "red" and very little "green"...

The next few days at work are going to be very busy. I am also working on a few surprises for you guys and will hopefully be able to post more info within the next few days.

I hope your Tuesday was great!

Monday, October 27, 2014

Just one LR to go...and WYR?

So it's Monday...the start of a new week...and I realized this morning that my half marathon is in TWO WEEKS! 
This is my "I'm not ready" face

I have one more LR with my running group this upcoming weekend and then the following weekend I will be attempting 13.1 miles again! The Ft. Lauderdale Half course map...(as featured in a previous post but in case you missed it...)
The beginning of the race will be a bit confusing I think...I'm going to have to pay close attention to the signs along the way.

Since Monday is my rest day I took it easy today. I iced my knee a lot and focused on hydration...then I ate half a bag of Skittles and had to re-focus on hydration. I also began the day with every intention of doing Paleo (80/20) today. Half-way through "tasting the rainbow" I remembered my Paleo plan and decided to postpone Paleo until tomorrow...
Rest days give me time to reflect and today I thought a lot about the diversity in the sport of running. Even if you are a recreational runner (aka "social runner") the activity of running is a sport that requires endurance, strength and effort. Runners come in all shapes and sizes (thankfully) and we all have different experiences, opinions, dreams and desires. In spite of those differences there is still a common bond that links most runners together...the fact that we run to live, and live to run...

Because our experiences are different the joy we find in different aspects of running will vary as well.  So I have a list of "would you rather" questions to get you thinking about what drives your passion for running...

Would you rather (WYR)...

1. Get new running shoes or new running clothes?
I would definitely prefer new running shoes! I wear my shoes down very quickly (a lot faster than most runners) not because of high mileage but because of a poor gait and a heavy foot fall. I can already see that I will need to replace my Brooks GTS 13s before the end of the year. They currently have 150 miles on them (give or take...I keep track of my shoe mileage because of my risk for injury). I love new running clothes, but I would absolutely prefer new shoes any day of the week!

2. Run in the early morning or run at night run?
I'm an early morning runner for sure. I like the crack-of-dawn morning runs because I feel like I'm starting my day off on the right foot once I have completed my run. I rely on that endorphin rush to get me through the day, and somehow the thought of working for the whole day and then having to go and run seems stressful. I wasn't always an early morning runner though. When I started running last year I would run after work...but there are so many factors that affect evening or night runs (the Summer-time bugs being a huge one) so I switched to running in the morning. Another great thing about running in the morning is that if you miss the run (for whatever reason) you still have a chance to "make it up" in the evening/night...almost like a "safety net" for your training.

3. Run a dull "no-fun" 5K with no water or support on the course (and no finisher medal!) or a fun-filled, music pumping, full-of-support marathon with as much cold water/Gatorade/<insert your favorite energy drink name here> and the best finisher medal you've ever seen?
It should be pretty obvious that I'm partial to the marathon option....after all the 5K doesn't give you a medal. But apart from that obvious reason, I would rather do a marathon because I haven't run one yet and it's my ultimate goal. I know many runners that dismiss the thought of running double digit miles...but for me I can hardly wait to run a full!

4. Use a running app or GPS running watch?
I've been sending subliminal messages to my family members all year about the Garmin Forerunner 220 watch that I want (the purple one). All year. I'm eagerly anticipating my dreams coming true on Christmas morning...I'll keep you posted. In the meantime I enjoy my Runtastic app. The challenge with using my phone is worrying about battery life (and the challenge with the GPS watch is worrying about getting a signal).

5. Run a destination race or run one closer to home?
I love to travel so destination races are my #1 pick! The familiarity of running in an area that you are (relatively) comfortable in is great, but destination races give you the opportunity to explore a new city, enjoy different scenery...sometimes different cultures. And, best of all, you can make your destination race trip into a "racecation"!

6. Run on the trails or run on the roads?
I am not a trail runner. Do you know what lives on the trails?...lizards, and all their critter family and friends! I'm definitely a "road runner" (even though the road is harder on your joints than running on the trails). I also am very wary of running on uneven terrain and trails tend to have that a lot.

7. Cycle for cross training or swim for cross training?
Definitely swimming!! And not just because I'm training for SwimMiami2015. As much as I have resisted swimming in the past it is a great cross training workout for me. The bike (upright, recumbent or road) is great, but if I had to choose I would rather be in a nicely heated indoor pool (or in an outdoor pool in the summer sun) than on a bike pedaling away.

8. Run in the rain or run in the snow?
Wow...this is a hard one. I have never run in the snow and I'm not a huge fan of being cold. But I'm not a fan of getting soaking wet either. I guess if it starts to rain or starts to snow while I'm running that would be better than having to start out in the weather elements. And if I absolutely had to pick then I would take snow over rain....I think.

9. Run solo or run with a group?
Also a hard one. I have had some amazing solo runs...just me and the road...but recently I joined a running group and I love running with others. When you have great company the miles just slip away. So while I can do my runs solo if I have to or when I choose to, my new favorite is running with others.

10. Run a flat race in the heat or a hilly race in cool weather?
I. Hate. Hills. I know I have to do them but I don't like them. I live in Florida so I'm accustomed to the heat and accustomed to running on flat courses. Maybe one day I will fall in love with hills (doubtful but anything is possible) but until then I would rather run a flat course in the heat over hills (no matter what type of weather).
P.S. I'll need to get over my "hill-phobia" when I start preparing for the Athens Marathon in 2016

11. Have chocolate as a post run treat or ice-cream?
Back in the day, when I used to be able to eat Coldstone Ice Cream this would have been a "no-brainer" for me. But now I have to stay away from dairy (migraines etc). I have tested and tried a wide variety of flavors and brands and for me Soy Chocolate is better than Soy Ice-cream, so a post-run chocolate bar would be my pick.

This awesome "would you rather" idea is brought to you thanks to Sara @ Life Between the Miles

Do any of these resonate with you? Tell me which ones you would rather do/have!!!

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Stimulation to get better...

Well I did it! Another 10 mile run completed in preparation for my upcoming half marathon(s). It was a painful run this morning, and the fact that I was not mentally prepared did not help. My running group participated in a 10K at another location today so I ran by myself. Although this was a solo run the course was quite crowded because of a 5K race taking place along the Boardwalk today. More people meant more security so I really didn't mind.

I started my run earlier than I normally do (to take advantage of the cool pre-sunrise weather). I missed sitting and watching the sunrise this morning but I was able to snap a few pics along the way...
(I have a new photo collage app...can you tell???)

I started off doing 4:1 intervals...but that only lasted for the first 2 miles of the run. Then I switched to 3:1s for the rest of the 8 miles...

Even though I don't feel great about my run this morning I am determined not to lose motivation. At several points during my run I thought "how am I ever going to do 13.1 miles in a few weeks??" So I decided to take a look at my past 10 mile runs this year in order to get a better picture of "where I am" in terms of training and preparation for my next half...
(July was after my injury, before my 1st half; March was before my injury)

Based on this I think I'm currently more physically prepared for the Ft Lauderdale Half than I was for the Zooma Chicago Half. But I still need to work on my mental training because it's just as important. I'm going to try and remember that...

Damian came with me and hung out on the beach while I ran and then I spent a few minutes lying in the sun for a post-run mini recovery session...

We also took beach selfies because...well why not right?

And shoes selfies...
(I was a little "Kodak moment" happy because the phone camera was actually taking great pics today!)

Hope you all had a Happy Sunday!

Do you ever look back at previous same mileage LRs and compare your performance?

Saturday, October 25, 2014

10 Day YOU Challenge: #10 Favorites

I saw (a form of) this challenge on one of my favorite new blogs (Kristina's Blog About Running) --thanks Kristina!-- So I'm going to borrow this challenge idea and mix it up a bit. Just think of it as the Ten Day YOU (aka Me) Challenge Remix...

So I'll start the challenge with my 10 favorite things. Some of these things might be obvious if you have been following my blog (or know me personally), but here goes....in no particular order:

#1: Favorite color
My favorite color is purple. It has always been purple for as long as I can remember. Every shade of purple is amazingly beautiful to me. You'll pretty much win me over if you get me something that's beautiful and purple...
#2: Favorite number
My favorite number is 16. This goes back to when I was growing up...sweet 16 seemed like the age when so many possibilities would materialize. It was a great time in my life and I have always loved that number (my second favorite number is 13 because I was born on May 13th so obviously the number 13 is just simply amazing)...
#3: Favorite fruit:
My favorite fruit is pineapple. There is no other fruit on this earth that is as delicious as pineapple. There's not much else to say about this because if you have ever had a piece of pineapple you know exactly what I am talking about...
#4: Favorite thing to do:
Well you probably guessed that I'm pretty much in love with running. My love affair with running started last year but I'm hoping that it will blossom into an amazing long term wonderfully fulling relationship that is a part of my life for years to come...

#5: Favorite dessert:
I LOVE carrot cake. I confess that I don't have carrot cake (or any kind of cake) often anymore because the excess sugar does not make me run fast (and I don't need any help with not running fast)...

#6: Favorite article of clothing:
Apart from my love for awesome running clothes, my favorite article of clothing is (are?) jeans. I don't normally get "dolled up" and dressy (not many of those occasions come around). I like to be comfortable and a nice flattering pair of jeans has an awesome way of doing that...
#7: Favorite jewelry:
My locket. I have a gold locket that I've had for years with pictures of Kaiyu when she was younger. I don't wear it often anymore because the clasp on the chain broke and I nearly lost it a few years ago. It stays safe and sound in my jewelry box now...
#8: Favorite snack:
Popcorn!!!!! I love popcorn, especially home popped popcorn that's done old-school style (in a pot...with the kernels...and melted butter). When I was growing up my mom used to make popcorn from scratch (which is how I learned to do it) and no other types of popcorn will ever taste as good as homemade popcorn to me...

#9: Favorite thing to do on a rainy day:
My favorite rainy day activity is curling up in bed with a good book and reading for hours. If I'm not reading any books at the moment then the second best option is watching movies or tv shows. I don't usually sleep in on rainy days (although the temptation is there)...

#10: Favorite holiday:
My favorite holiday is Christmas. There is something about this time of year that has the element of being magical. I get to go home and see my family, spend well needed quality time with both family and friends. Give presents (get presents). Sing Christmas hymns and Christmas carols. I love everything about Christmas, even (gasp) the holiday travel ;)

So there you have it....ten of my favorite things! You might have noticed that almost 1/3 of my favorites are edible items. That's not a coincidence...food is beautiful.

One of the best parts about this challenge is to have others post their favorites as well. So feel free to comment and post your favorites to all or some of these categories; and look out for next Saturday's "9 Secrets" post!

Friday, October 24, 2014

Red skies in the morning....

I'm not a sailor but the warning signs were meant for me anyway. As I stepped outside for my morning running session today I immediately noticed the red skies...


And approximately 35 seconds into my warm up walk it started raining. Just lightly at first and so I contemplated not stopping (a light rain is nothing for me now after my last 8+ mile run (partially) in the rain. But a minute after that thought formed the rain got heavier. If I wasn't doing 10 miles on Sunday I probably would have stuck it out anyway (probably). But I want to be well rested and feeling good for this weekend so I'm going to attempt to run later today.

Since I was already dressed in neon colors...

I decided not to waste the morning (or the outfit) so I did a wall sit session...

And 50 sit ups...
The pictures are really blurry today (sorry)

I also did a few sets of this exercise (but without the weights)...
These work my hamstrings and glutes, and are the perfect exercise to complement the wall sit (which works my quads more than anything else I think).

It's finally Friday and since I am not working this weekend (not even teaching online) I am really looking forward to the next two days.

What are your weekend plans?

Anyone racing this weekend?

Thursday, October 23, 2014

In Case of Emergency....and more exciting news!!!!

My training days begin early in the morning, long before the sun even thinks about rising and when most people are still asleep. Because of the time of day and the very nature of the world we live in, I have to take extra precautions for safety. In the beginning of my marathon training I threw caution to the wind a lot...

However, after a close (and relatively scary) encounter during a midweek morning running session I decided to arm myself with better protection, so I bought pepper spray (something is better than nothing right?). Running with pepper spray is tricky because I have to be careful not to spray myself...so I wear it on my arm...

A few months after my pepper spray purchase (after watching something on tv) I bought a personal alarm (the kind that issues a piercingly loud sound (so they claim) if you pull the "clip")...

And then a few weeks ago I signed up for Kitestring...
Kitestring (as their website tells you) is a way for you to notify family or friends that you are going out for a run and provide them with an approximate time that you will be back home...
After a pre-determined length of time the website will send you a message for you to "check in". If you do not check in (or check in with your "duress code") an alert will be sent to the people you identified as contacts on the website...

I plan to train and run marathons for a long time so it's important to be careful and prepared in case of an emergency. Marathon training is challenging enough...

On a lighter (and brighter) note....I am officially a Sweat Pink Ambassador!!!
Sweat Pink is a fitness community that celebrates both the strength and beauty of a healthy lifestyle. It is an awesome group of women and I can't wait to meet more ambassadors locally and across the country (in the future). You can check out my Sweat Pink profile here. Or click on the badge (on the right panel).

And finally...(It's been so hard to contain my excitement)....drumroll please......
It's my 100th Blog Post!!!

I hope to be blogging (and running) for years and years to come!