Ah, Monday morning

I had a lovely weekend.  Saturday, I planned to go to the gym and it just never happened. I was so incredibly sore from getting back into my routine last week that I couldn't even walk without being in pain. This made me cranky and I decided a rest day to recover was the best idea.

Sunday, the soreness was a teeny bit better and I headed to the gym to do my scheduled training run. There is a super fabulous cinema room where the movies are rotated daily and I was delighted that I got there just as Return of the Jedi was starting.  Princess Leia in that slave costume is certainly a motivator!  4 miles later, I was done.  The run also helped alleviate more of the soreness. 

After that, I headed home for a shower and a quick protein shake before taking my oldest daughter to her first soccer class.  It was a lot of fun to watch her despite the hot day and she had a wonderful time.  She has ADHD and Aspergers so she has some trouble with her attention span but she did really well and I couldn't be more proud of her.  She seems to love sports and I've also signed her up for a running group.  She's really excited about that so I hope she gets in.  If so, she will complete her first 5k in November. I'd love to have her as a running buddy, but I suspect she will be a lot faster than  me!

I ended my day with 2 1/2 hours of belly dance classes to start off the fall session. It was nice to have a break after summer but I was really happy to get back into that again as well. I managed to get home in time to watch a DVR season premiere of Boardwalk Empire with my husband before showering and bed.  

I got to bed late but still planned to go to a 6AM Body Pump class. Yeah, no. I needed more than 6 hours of sleep. Workout will have to wait till this afternoon. 

Now, to work.  Happy Monday! 

P.S. I love this!

Back into it

Ah, Fall ... My favorite time of year.  My girls went back to school yesterday and I miss them already.  The house is quiet, but that also means I can work uninterrupted and I can go back to the gym on a regular basis which is a good thing because I'm supposed to be training for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November.

I'm taking it slow, but I'm surprised that I don't have any knee pain anymore like what plagued my body this past spring.  Maybe time off was necessary. Decisions on the London Marathon will be sent next month and I'm cautiously optimistic that if I'm chosen that I will be able to accept. I'll just have to wait and see what happens. 

I put forth a valiant effort to eat healthy his summer, but I admit that I completely lost it by August especially during our big trip to Vermont and need to lose a few pounds I gained.  Deep fried Oreos, anyone?  But, being back in my old fitness routine makes healthier food choices a lot easier. That said, I felt like I needed a little guidance so I'm loosely following the food plan from Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 while doing my own workouts, trainer appointments and race training.  It the amount and foods I already eat, but having it laid out makes it super simple.  I will have to eat more because of race training but at least I have a basic guide. 

I started the day with Greek yogurt topped with strawberries and almonds. It was incredible. Like dessert for breakfast!  I plan to run 3 miles later today. Happy Wednesday!

Nike Women's Half-Marathon 2013

So, the inaugural DC Nike Women's HaIf-Marathon.  

First, the Expo or as Nike called it the "Expotique".  I thought about this for days.  It was in Georgetown. Great for Nike so that they can get people to go to their store nearby, but not so great when there is limited parking and no metro nearby (the closest about 1/2 mile away). I only had 4 hours during which my daughter was in preschool. Metro would have taken about 90 min each way.  A little close for my comfort.  I took my chances and drove. I found street parking but had no change and couldn't get the automated system to work. I ended up having to use a garage at the bargain price of $18.  

Anyway.

It was Friday morning and the expo had just opened.  I got my bib quickly (separate area) and headed over to the expo tent. I was honestly really disappointed.  Lots of empty space and a bunch of Nike displays and sponsors.  Bare Minerals doing makeup and some hair company doing hair.  Things that don't interest me. Luna Bar was there as well as a company that is new to me called Somersaults whose snacks I really liked. Besides that, no vendors advertising other races, selling gels or running gear like at other expos.  It was a big turn off and I took one quick walk through and left.  Kind of a waste, but I got my bib and took a couple pictures. 

My friend had been to the expo and told me about this sign on the side of the Nike store. From a distance this is what it looks like ...

... But up close it was the names if all the participants!  That was very cool. 

On to race day.  I got up at the usual ungodly hour, caught a cab to the metro and headed into the city. Upon arriving there were a ton of porta potties and they weren't busy so I took the opportunity to use one.  After that, I walked around a little found my corral, and checked out the finish line area before heading back to bag check and using the potty one more time. 

I was as ready as I was going to be but my knee was still achy. I expected to suffer but I was determined to do my best. Two friends I went with went to their corrals and I headed to mine.  It was chaos getting into the corral.  It was way too crowded but I made it in and I found myself right by the 2:20 pacer.  I started thinking. My goal had been 2:15, but I no longer felt like that was possible with the knee situation. On the other side of the sign the pacer held was 10:40.  A nice easy pace.  I looked for a 2:15 pacer over the heads of everyone but I never saw any other pacers. I decided to stick with 2:20. I could do 2:20. 

You can just see the starting line here and the Capitol way in the distance. 

Me. Ready to go. Shoe laces in honor of Boston. Speaking of Boston, there was a moment of silence before the race.  13,000 people so quiet that all you could hear were a couple of birds chirping. It was incredible. 

So the race. 

The beginning was a little crazy. They didn't space out the corrals. They let ALL the corrals go at once. It was a little slow, but nothing terrible. However, the pacer was really moving. I started thinking that the pace didn't feel like 10:40. Well, it wasn't. Her pace was 9:30!  I knew I couldn't maintain that.  I wondered if she would walk water stops and I kept up. The water stop came ... And went!  She never stopped and between trying to get around the mob at the water stop and trying to stay with the pacer, I missed the water.  What the heck was she doing??

I was irritated. 

I ran with her a bit more, then decided I was going to do this on my own.  I ran on and went with what I've always done. Run comfortably and walk through water stops. I couldn't deny that the pain in my knee was getting worse. I just tried to focus and keep moving. I got really hot and started regretting missing the water stop and thinking that I needed to get more at the next stop. 

Eventually, I got to Hains Point. There is so much hatred of this area from runners.  Granted, I've never done a marathon but my 2 experiences there have been good ones. I find it beautiful running along the water and this day I have never been so grateful for the BREEZE that came off the water. That saved the race for me. 

I was in a lot of pain and after Hains Point there were a couple of hills.  I swore under my breath and walked. My knee simply couldn't handle the hills. 

Made it to 10 miles. Thought - only a 5k left.  At mile 11, I almost started to cry. The pain was excruciating. I told myself to stay strong and not cry. What if an official saw me and tried to stop me?  What if another runner saw me and tried to offer support?  I didn't want anything to stop me or break my concentration.  2:15 was gone but 2:20 was still possible. 

I made a turn and I could see the finish line far off in the distance.  I was going to do this.  I thought of the blue Tiffany box waiting for me and it was so close.  I ran and ran and the finish line never seemed to get closer. It was further than it looked even though I could see it.  Still I kept running and gave it all I had. 

As I approached the finish line, I was struck by the incredible number of spectators lining the course.  Just days after the Boston, so many people there to  support us. It was wonderful.  I finally crossed the finish line.  Time 2:20:36. Not the time I had hoped for but a 3 min PR.  I did it with an injury and I fought for it.  I was proud. 

The finish line was mobbed but I collected my blue box from a man in a tux carrying it on a silver platter and walked on picking up some food and finally the blue bag to carry everything.  I made my way through the tables of finisher shirts picking one up and headed out of the finisher area. 

I started heading back toward bag check and found an information volunteer who told me where to find a medical tent. I went there and got a bag of ice and picked up a few snacks I'd missed weaving through the mob at the finish line. After that I picked up my bag and parked myself to ice my knee at the meeting point my friends and I had decided on prior to the race.  

There, I opened my box.  

Not the best pic, but the pendant is sterling silver and has a woman running through flowering trees on the front (very DC) and the back says NWM Half Washington 2013.  I love it more than I thought I would. I haven't taken it off!

I met up with my friends who both did great (they are both faster runners than me) and we headed back to the metro.  At our stop, we came upon a runner whose knee looked to be in even worse shape than mine so I gave her my ice. 

I hobbled to brunch where I had an omelette and a mimosa and it was absolutely delicious. 

I finally hobbled home and relaxed the rest of the day. The rest of the week actually. My knee was in bad shape for a couple of days so I took it easy and just did my session with my trainer. She mentioned to me how she had gone through a period of doing a lot of races and she had hurt her knee too. She is in great shape so somehow, that made me feel less pathetic. She also suggested trail running might be less stressful on my legs. Something to try. 

I had planned to do the Frederick half this past weekend but after trying a short run Saturday, I knew there was no way without going back to the pain from the previous weekend or worse.  So that's it. No more races until November (Wine and Dine Half in Disney)!

Oh my, Where have I been?

Still here. Barely.  

On a positive note, the GW Parkway Classic 5k went great! I wanted to beat 30:07 from last year.  that 8 seconds killed me last year but I knew I had a better time in me this time.  the weather was perfect.  things couldnt have gone better and I did it this year in 28:34.  Personal best!

It's a special race for me because it was my first race 3 years ago.  I really can't believe how far I've come.  Me.  A runner.

After this race I tried to really rest my knee and kept my workouts to a minimum. I'll share my Nike Women's Half experience tomorrow. 

5 AM

Just me and Delilah up bright and early.

Awesome playlist ready to go.

 

Ready to RUN!

Race Tomorrow!

My knee is feeling a lot better. In fact, I managed to get in 2 - 45 minute elliptical workouts (plus a mostly upper body training session) this week. Of course, the elliptical was probably too much since my knee was a little sore. I took today completely off because I'll be running the GW Parkway Classic 5k tomorrow. This was my first race 3 years ago so it's fun to see my progress each year. Someday, I'd like to do the 10-miler, but not this year since I'm running the Nike Women's Half next weekend.

Tomorrow is Sunday, but I'll be up at 4:30 to find consciousness, eat, dress and gather my things before heading out. It's going to be rough getting up that early when I could be sleeping in, but I consider myself lucky to be able to run at all since the horror in Boston. Boston is actually the reason, I have to get up earlier than usual. Despite the end to the fear of a perpetrator, there is added security that might add to the time I need to arrive on time.

Looking forward to ending my 2 week running break!

Idle

3 years ago, I had one pair of sneakers. I never wore them so they lasted for years. Now, I have an expanding collection. 2 for running, 2 for the gym (retired running shoes), casual sneakers, trail shoes ... And they last about a year at most.  I wish I could have more but budget and closet space don't allow.

Sadly, none of these are seeing any action these days (except the casual ones). I went to the gym and rode the stationary bike yesterday since my knee was feeling better. Well, by last night I was achy. 

More rest for me.  *sigh*

Cherry Blossom 10-miler 2013

I had quite the eventful weekend.  I admit, I haven't exercised much due to laziness and the "I don't have time" excuse, but also because of injury.  Last week, I managed to squeeze in a trainer appointment followed by a 3 mile run and that's about it.

Friday night, the minute my husband walked in the door from work, I flew out in a hurry to make it to packet pick-up for the Cherry Blossom 10-miler.  I made it there in an hour.  The building was beautiful and packet pick-up was a breeze with no line. 

I like how Metro added the Cherry Blossoms to their stations. I made it back home with my packet and a Smartrip card for race morning.

Saturday morning, I took my girls to a kids dash.  It was freezing, but so much fun.  My older daughter, Zoe, took off like a flash and she loved it.  My little one, Sydney, cared more about the cute clothes but she finished the race like a little star.  I'd love to take them to do it again sometime - maybe when it's not so cold.  It's one thing for me to suffer in the cold for a race, but my girls are too young for that misery. 

I spent the night at my running buddy's apartment since she lives closer to the city.  We feasted on pizza and snacks and eventually went to sleep.  I got up around 4:30AM, had some coffee and 1/2 bagel.  I also realized that I forgot my emergency TP stash so I asked my friend for a ziplock and some paper towels.  I mention this because it is critically important later in the day.

Rather than walking, we cabbed over to a Metro stop for the ride in.  I think I had too much coffee, because this situation was happening on the train ...

Normally, we try to stay warm in the station but the police booted us out into the cold.  It wasn't terribly cold, but the wind made it feel pretty brisk.  Here I am at the starting line trying to avoid hypothermia ...

After bag checking and the requisite potty stop, we headed to the corrals which were empty but filled to the brim fast.  The race started and the corrals were off one by one.  We were in the corral for about 30 min. and by that time, I had to pee again (too much coffee!) and my friend - well, she had other issues.  Finally, our corral was off with only my fingers and feet suffering frost bite.

Everything was fine and as we got to the first water stop, I asked my friend if she wanted to stop at the potties there.  She said she did, but she didn't want to stand in the line.  I hadn't even noticed the crazy line.  We ran on.

Passed another water stop.  Same situation.  This whole time we were on the look-out for bushes, but things were pretty bare.  Finally, at the third water stop, there was a lovely group of large bushes and we headed toward them.  My friend asked for the ziplock bag.  I asked her how many she needed - ALL of them!  I took one since my situation wasn't dire and gave her the rest.  I went right onto the bushes ignoring the fact that they were thorny and tearing at my arms and legs.  I was pretty well covered but I figured if anyone saw me, it's not like I was ever going to see them again.  I found relief and was glad I no longer had to think about how bad I had to pee. 

I came out to see my friend only backed up into the bushes and still clearly visible to the world including the hundreds of runners that passed.  I told her this and she didn't seem at all concerned.  As I waited, a man approached me and asked if she was ok.  I looked up and realized he was a medic.  I told him she was fine and he just said, "Oh, just mother nature?"  Yep.  Then another runner came over in desperate need of a relief.  She seemed really concerned about whether people would see.  I told her what I'd just said to myself - You will never see any of these people again.  Off she went.

We returned to the course and there were some people cheering for us.  It was all such a comical sutation!  As my friend said - Gotta take care of business. 

That's bad?  Well, to me, what happened next is worse.  Around mile 7, I started having serious problems with my knee.  I had been running slow expecting to speed up in the final miles, but I ended up having to slow way down.  I was in serious pain.  I tried walking, but that was actually worse, so I just decided to run to the finish as best I could.  On the way there, we saw a woman on the ground surrounded by medics and later an ambulance on the way to get her.  I figured things could be worse for me.

I told my friend that I needed to head to the medical tent at the finish.  I was ok, but happy the race wasn't a half and that it was over.

We walked and walked and walked ... and finally got water.  I didn't see food anywhere and figured the next best thing to do was to get my checked bag.  It was windy and cold and I knew my temp would drop fast.  After wandering around in the general direction of bag check, I finally found a very small banana and a small muffin.  I was starving so I scarfed that down quickly.  Luckily, I had thrown a Clif Bar in my bag so I ate that as well.  I was a little surprised by how little food there was compared to other races I've done.

The race was really crowded.  To me, this was nothing more than a long run so I didn't care much about speed, but it was tough running surrounded by so many people.  I mean, my worst race experience was running from the last corral at the Disney Princess half which was so bad that I had to walk in several places and ran in the grass most of the race but this wasn't too much better.  For this reason, I'm not sure I'd do it again.

I ended up skipping the medical tent because I was feeling ok walking at that point so instead we headed to the Metro.  We went for breakfast and when I got up to walk out, the pain was really bad.  We stopped at a running store for a patella strap since it was on the way back so I can try that in the future.  However, the pain at this point was so bad, I could barely walk.  My friend even carried me part of the way back to her apartment.

We were supposed to go to a wine tasting, but since I couldn't move fast, time was short and we decided to skip it.  We ended up just hanging at my house with ice on my knee.

 

And so, I won't be doing much of anything this week.  Also, this does not bode well for my next few races.  I'm definitely worried. 

Spring Break

I'm feeling pretty good. No knee pain or any other pain for that matter. However, this week is spring break for my daughters so getting to the gym will be a challenge. My husband and I have also planned a little getaway to Cape May for the weekend. I'll have to see how things go.

Today, I'm just trying to figure out what the following from my training plan means. I'll probably just take my best guess. Heck, if it's wrong, it's still some kind of running.

Sunday Night

There are 182,000 other people out there watching Swedish House Mafia play their last show ever at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami. I'm not sure if that's an amazing or pathetic way to spend a Sunday night especially since I'm going to pay for this when I try to get up for work tomorrow morning.

But this is the music I love. The music that gets me through the last painful miles of a race so I'm going to call it amazing. Farewell Swedish House Mafia. And thank you for the inspiration.

Edit: The feed reached 210,000 viewers. Spectacular!

New York-bound

It's been an interesting week. I figured that since I took it nice and slow on Saturday that I could just go on training like usual. Not so much.

I struggled through a cycle class on Wednesday. My training appointment went great (got that good kind of soreness) but yesterday I had 10 miles on my training plan and it wasn't so good. I decided to use the treadmill at the gym to avoid hills since my knee isn't 100%. I started running out of steam around mile 5 and also had some tummy issues. I spent the next 3 miles thinking of what could possibly have done it. Ice cream the night before. Ugh. I can't have dairy before a long run. Still, glad I did the 8 miles.

I guess I need a little more recovery time and it works out because I'm actually headed to NY for a funeral and its going to be a quick trip with no time for workouts. Sunday, I have a belly dance show so that's not looking good either and next week is spring break for the girls so it might be a tough week to get workouts in. I'm hoping a few days rest does me some good and I can get in a few good workouts in the evenings.

I'll end here with this lovely tile at the station. Happy Friday!

Health and Fitness are not luxuries.

Since I was a teenager, I've had periods of exhaustion affecting my daily living.  I even remember my parents taking me to the doctor because I slept so much, only to find every test come back normal.  It wasn't a big deal because when you don't have kids, you can just take a nap after work and sleep in on the weekend.

The real probem began after I had kids, especially having kids who have emotional challenges and don't sleep well (more on that another day).  Giving birth brought the blues which I managed to recover from ok, but it also highlighted my own sleep issues.  I even developed insomnia at one point after my second daughter was born and quite by accident I discovered that birth control pills were causing it.  However, dropping that medication and getting past insomnia didn't solve all my problems and even though I could sleep now, like before, I just couldn't get enough sleep. 

I eventually got to the point where I couldn't function as a mother because of the exhaustion.  My husband was understandably irritated and overwhelmed having to be both father and mother while I was essentially incapacitated.  I felt awful, but what could I do when I was so tired I couldn't see straight?  The exhaustion dragged me down emotionally.  I didn't feel like it was depression (having experienced that after my divorce) but there was a sadness and weariness to my daily existence.  Again, doctor visits yielded nothing.

One day at a routine visit to my gyn, I mentioned it to her and she asked me what I ate, especially for breakfast.  She suggested that I might try eating more protein throughout the day, including for breakfast.  I thought, "It can't be that simple."

It was.

I started paying more attention to what I ate and noticed that on days I ate protein for breakfast - eggs, greek yogurt, etc. vs. a bagel or cereal, I didn't feel like I was going to collapse at 3PM.  I can't believe that all along what was happening was a major sugar crash every day.  I guess I'm just really sensitive to carbs.  Around this time, I also started running for the first time.  My energy level went through the roof and I was happy.  REALLY happy! 

I can't understand why I had to struggle for 20 years when the solution was so simple.  Since making that small adjustment to my diet, I've never felt better.  More doctors need to be aware of how important nutrition is and that it's not always something that they need to throw a bunch of tests and medications at.  I am so incredibly grateful to my gyn for her knowledge.  She changed my life! 

This brings me to an article I came across over the weekend that really captures exactly how I feel. I took a quick phone pic because I didn't want to forget the exerpt, but of course, I forgot which magazine it came from.  Maybe Health?

Sometimes, I feel guilty that instead of going home and cleaning, or doing mom-type things like it seems the other moms do, I head straight to the gym after I drop my girls off.  Then I think of how this is not recreation like say scrapbooking or a photography hobby might be.  If I don't do this, I am left unable to function physically.  I can't be a good mother, a good wife.  Sometimes I wonder if people look at me and think of how selfish or spoiled I am when they see how I spend my time.  Yes, I am lucky to have the opportunity to work part-time and be able to get in 90 minute workouts, but it is truly something I need to live.

As for my husband, I have asked him more than once how he feels about what I do.  His answer is always the same - He is not a fan of mud runs or obstacle races because he worries about my safety, but other than that, he doesn't mind one bit.  He is a huge support and I could never train for or participate in races without him.  I am mindful of his time as well and as the article above mentions, we have a similar method to taking turns.  He goes to the gym during the week at a different time and on weekends, I arrange my workouts around his gym time. 

I hope we are setting an example for our daughters.  I want them to see how important eating well and being active is and wish for their happiness and health without having to experience the struggles that I endured.

Week of March 17th

I plan to take it easy this week to rest my knee and I'm heading to NY friday for a funeral so there is a little interruption there, but I think getting the half in puts me a little ahead of the game.  Sometimes life happens and that's ok.

March 17th - 23rd:

Sunday - Weights (ended up being a rest day post half)

Monday - Stretch

Tuesday - Rest

Wednesday - Trainer appointment and cycle class

Thursday - 10 mile run

Friday - Weights (Will be traveling.)

Saturday - 6 miles (Funeral and travel home.)



Rock 'n Roll USA

I had the greatest time at the Rock 'n Roll USA half-marathon yesterday!  

I spent the night with my running friend since we had to be up and on our way to the train so early in morning - 5:30 AM.  We were pleasantly surprised by how warm it was and that it wasn't raining given the expectation that it was almost certainly going to rain and we would probably have a very soggy race.  

We checked our bags, got some food and water provided (loved this!), and headed to the potty lines.  After that, we went to look for the pacers but couldn't find them.  We didn't actually want to run for time so we just decided to do our own thing and went to our assigned corral.  As the race started with corrals moving, we both wanted to use the potties one last time and finally found some that didn't have super long lines.  This is one of the things I always hate about races.  There are NEVER enough potties.

Once we crossed the starting line, we took a nice easy pace (this was more of a training run for us than a race).  I actually looked around to catch the sights and stopped at the Washington Monument for a picture.

Yes, those are socks on my arms.  I use them for almost every race.  They're effective and cheap enough to toss if I don't want to carry them.

We crossed the bridge and made the loop around to cross back over.  The best thing about this race was that it was such a great tour of D.C.  The only other race I had done in the city was the Army 10-miler but I really liked this race more.

The race started heading uphill around mile 4, but it wasn't anything terrible and I wondered if maybe the elevation map looked worse than it actually was.  Then, we hit some big ones after mile 6.  Luckily, we weren't going at a hard pace so it wasn't so bad, but my knee started feeling it a bit because of it.  Once we got to mile 7, it was flatter and downhill for a while.  We stopped so my friend could hit the bathroom and I took the opportunity to take in a gel, some pretzels and some water while I waited.  

A couple of things to note - At a lot of the water stations, you had to pour your own water.  This didn't bother me since I wasn't in a hurry but if you were running for time, this might have been a problem.  My guess is that they just didn't have enough volunteers.  What can you do?  Also, I can't say I was terribly impressed by the bands.  I liked a couple of spots on the course, like the pumpin' dance music at one of the tents (not a band) and there was a group of girl drummers that was great but that was about the only things that made an impression with me.  I didn't really care much because I had my own dance party going on with my iPod.

The spectators were a lot of fun - the most fun I've experienced to this point.  Below is my favorite race pic ever.  It really captures the fun mood!

We started heading towards a gorgeous view of the Capitol but the hills started again. I was fine, but since it was the later miles, I could feel it more.

My friend and I stopped chatting the last 3 miles.  She was feeling it and I tried to let her run her race.  As we approached the finish line there was a heck of a hill going up.  She just said, "We aren't walking this." and we didn't.  We finished together and got our medals!

Post race, we got quite a lot of food and drinks - water, Gatorade, chocolate milk, bagels, chips, Powerbars apples, bananas and a bag to put it all in.  I was really hungry so I was happy to have food.  Then, we headed to packet pick-up.  Some of the lines were insane, but luckily our lines were short and we made it through without a problem.  

Here's were the bad part comes in.  The signage wasn't great so we went the wrong way trying to leave.  We had to walk quite a way to get out.  Then we got to the Metro.  It was a mess.  There was a giant mob just trying to get into the station.  We decided that rather than wait in that, it would be better to keep moving and try to find another station or find a cab.  Cabs were scarce.  Lots of other runners were looking for them too.  So while we tried to figure out which way to go, we were joined by another woman who decided to join us for the long walk to the next Metro station.  I think we walked a couple of miles.  My hips, knees and feet were killing me.  I was dying and miserable but we finally made it and I've never been so happy to sit down.  Once we got to our stop, more walking back to my friend's house to retrieve my car for the drive home.

I have to say, I would do this race again because I felt that it was well supported and I didn't think it was as crowded as some people said, BUT I would pay for parking next time.  The Metro situation was just unacceptable.

All along, we had planned to go to Shamrock Fest afterwards, but we lost HOURS due to the Metro mess. My family wondered where I was and I wasn't even sure I wanted to go anymore.  I just wanted to go home, shower and die.  Once I got in my car (more sitting) I felt a little better and finally getting a shower and a little more food made me feel like a new woman.  We decided to head out to Shamrock.  

Shamrock was pretty much the drunk-fest I expected it to be and we got there so late that we missed some bands we'd hope to see, but we had a really great time watching CelKilt.  I'm not a beer drinker at all, but I had been saying all along that I was going to celebrate with a Guinness.  They actually ran out at one point, but my running mate came through and found some for us!

It was really cold so we went to the DJ tent to warm up for a bit.  We all wanted some food, and none of us were interested in carnival food, so we decided to head out and hit a restaurant on the way home.  After that, we were all pretty beat so we headed home.  My parents (who had been babysitting) headed out, my friend crashed on the couch and I went to bed.  I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.  All-in-all, a really great day.

I had a wonderful night's sleep that I really needed.  Today, it's all about my girls.  Taking them out to see Wreck it Ralph.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

Packet Pick-up!

Packet pick-up for Rock 'n Roll USA today was fun. I snapped this pic in a mirror after getting my bib. I got my hair cut and they straighten it when I go so I don't quite look myself.

I watched a video of the course. We signed up with a pace group but aren't sure we'll stick with it. There's an gradual incline between miles 4-7 that makes me nervous and it's going to rain but I'm excited!

I'm having family night with my husband and girls then heading over to my friend's house to spend the night since she lives right by the train station and we're heading out at 5:30AM. Hoping adrenaline gets me up. If not, I guess there's always coffee.

Piña Colada Smoothie

I am having special delishiousness for breakfast today. I found a recipe for a tropical smoothie and decided to tweak it a little to make it taste like a piña colada. So good!

Piña Colada Smoothie
1/2 cup milk
1 banana
1/2 cup pineapple
1 tsp coconut extract
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Ice

I put all this in my Magic Bullet and voila!

Yum!

Wednesday

I had a training session this morning and she was kind enough to spare my lower body since I have a race this weekend.  I did 45 min on the elliptical after that. My knee feels good so I'm hopeful resting has done me some good and the race will go well Saturday.

I was at the gym later than usual so I had to rush home and quickly shower before picking up my little one at preschool. Unfortunately, that didn't leave me any time to eat and I was starving when I got back home. I made a yummy tuna, hummus (instead of mayo) and spinach sandwich on whole wheat with a Fuji apple and yogurt dip. Devoured it!

5 days till Half

Last week's schedule didn't quite go as planned. 

                      Plan                       Actual
Sunday -       Strength             Pilates.  Nice easy start.
Monday -      Intervals            Rest - My knee hurts.  Not a good time for intervals.
Tuesday -      Rest                  Rest
Wednesday - 4 miles              It's snowing!  I can't make it to the gym but I have a race in
                                               a week.  Panic and do a 10 mile run on my treadmill.
Thursday -    8 miles              PM training session and 30 min on elliptical.  Knee isn't feeling so hot.
Friday -        Strength             Rest - Knee achy.
Saturday -    7 miles               Rest again.  My knee feels better but I'm resting so I can have a good
                                               workout Sunday.

Not such a great week.  My knee started bugging me a little the previous week and hasn't really recovered 100% So its dominating my workouts (or lack thereof).  Yesterday, I did Body Pump and 30 min. on the elliptical but it's going to be an easy week.  I'm following the training plan for the Nike Women's Half in April but I don't plan to do ANY running this week leading up to the Rock 'n Roll half-marathon on Saturday because of what's happening with my knee.  My friend and I are taking a nice, easy approach to this race but I don't want to take any chances.  The only other workout I have planned this week is a personal training session and some cardio (elliptical) on Wednesday.  Fingers crossed my knee feels okay but Saturday.

Daylight Savings

It was tough adjusting to springing forward today and I'm sure it didn't help that I spent the previous evening drinking a bottle of wine and snacking into the night with a friend. I finally got out of bed in time to make it to the gym but it resulted in a bit of a rushed breakfast. 1/2 a Power Bar.  I've said I'm not a breakfast person but working out on an empty stomach was resulting in migraines for me for a while.  A friend suggested getting some sugar in my body and it seems to do the trick.

60 minutes BodyPump. 60 minutes elliptical. Knee is still a little achy so I'll be icing and taking most of the week off so I'll be ready for my half next weekend.

It's gorgeous out and I'm lame to stay in but I really do want to stay off my knee.  Nap time.

Saturday snack

I normally eat apples and bananas with peanut butter but I found this recipe for  yogurt dip and decided to try it with almond butter instead of peanut butter.

Result?  Delicious!  Makes several servings and is a lot fewer calories too.  Yum!

Today is day 2 of taking off to rest my knee.  It is feeling better so I know I'm doing the right thing but I'm dying.  Cannot wait to hit the gym tomorrow.

Breakfast

I really struggle with breakfast. I know its important and I make sure to eat something (however small) every day. If I don't I know I'll pay for it later. The other problem is that I'm almost always running around like mad trying to get my kids out the door so my own breakfast is low on the priority list.

This morning I only had a couple of minutes so I tried a banana with a teaspoon of honey and some cinnamon. It was amazing! Thank you Pinterest for that idea!

Lunch

Mixed greens, cucumbers, egg, 1/4 avocado, fat-free balsamic vinaigrette. Have a training session tonight so I'll have to skip dinner until afterwards. I will probably follow this up with an orange and/or yogurt.

Rock 'n Roll USA Runner Tracking

My reaction to the email I got that says I have to pay for tracking. Thinking this might be my first and last Rock 'n Roll.

Snow Day - 10 treadmill miles

What a random storm. Last night they promised 5-10". Woke up to a couple of inches on the grass. It really started to come down as I was headed to the gym so I came back home to play it on the safe side.

Though I would have preferred the lovely wide mills at the gym, I had the fastest run I've ever done on a treadmill on mine at home. Its been quite a while since I ran a long distance on one and it wasn't so bad. I did a couple of extra miles than I needed to but now I feel better about the half next week.

The treadmill quit after 99 minutes (I had to restart it). I, however, did not. I also realize now that I didn't capture the distance in my pic. Must have switched over just as I took that pic. 10 miles should be where that 40.5 is.

Oh, and the snow never did stick. Lamest winter ever. Bring on Spring!!

Snowquestration week

Last week went pretty well and I actually managed to pretty much stay on track.

Feb 24 - March 2:
Sunday - Strength - Body Pump + 30 min Elliptical
Monday - 3 miles / 10:18 pace.  This run felt "off".  I felt like I struggled to get through 3 measly miles.  Just one of those bad run days I guess.

Tuesday - Rest

Wednesday - Should have been 3 miles but I took RPM Cycle instead at the gym.  After Monday, I started having some knee pain and didn't want to put that impact on my knee.  I probably should have skipped cycle too, but it went ok.

Thursday - Should have been 5 miles but knee discomfort persisted.  Did BodyPump and 30 min on the elliptical.

Friday - I took a strength class called Chisel.  Don't love the class because the instructor plays music that is NMS for exercise (country?  80s metal?) and it makes it really hard for me to get into it, but I got through it.  30 min. elliptical after that.

Saturday - I didn't check the plan so I didn't realize that I was 1/2 mile short on my run.  Should have been 6.5 miles but it was 6 miles as I posted previously.  Went well.

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This week hasn't been great and doesn't promise to improve much.  I did Pilates at home on Sunday because I didn't have time for the gym.  I had plans to go to a flea market with friends that day and unfortunately, all that time on my feet wasn't good for my knee so it was aching by Sunday evening. I took Monday off since I didn't think it was a good time for intervals (or any running).  I have dance class tonight (Tuesday) so that's more time on my feet.  Plus, there's a snow storm coming.  I don't have high hopes for this week but we'll see how it goes.  Here's the plan ...

March 3 - March 9:

Sunday - Pilates

Monday - Intervals (Resting my knee.)

Tuesday -  Off

Wednesday - 4 miles + The Punisher

Thursday - 8 miles

Friday - Strength

Saturday - 7 miles

Saturday Run

Happy with this. Even more happy to be indoors. 36 degrees. Brisk!

This Week - 2/17 a 2/23

This was a weird week. I went to visit my parents last weekend but came back a day early because my mom had surgery and wasn't up and around. The kids were a little stir crazy so I didn't see the point of staying. This meant I was driving home and tired so I missed my scheduled strength workout for Sunday.

Monday - 3 miles. 9:59 average pace. This is awesome for me. I can only imagine the tough workouts The Punisher (the affectionate term for my trainer) has been putting me through is making a major difference in my running.

Tuesday - This is supposed to be a strength day. So far it's been a fail day. Tuesdays are tough in my house. Between work, kids and the dance class I take in the evening, it's been impossible so I've decided to make this a rest day from here on out. I'm going to miss my Friday rest day, but it has to be done.

Wednesday - Cross-training day. I was all set to do some boring elliptical but I happened to check the class schedule and saw that my favorite spin teacher was teaching RPM. I haven't done spin since I started running again and boy, was it ever punishing. Great workout though and I want to try to fit it in when I can.

Thursday - This was crazy. I failed to mention to The Punisher the I had 5 miles to run after our session. She had me do all kinds of squats and leg exercises (besides every ab exercise and plank) till I couldn't pick myself up off the floor. Lesson learned. I'll be sure to plan differently next time. On the bright side, afterwards I ran with a friend who is just coming off of a running break so she helped me slow my pace and the 5 miles was totally fine.

Friday - Rest day no more. I woke up super sore though. Did an easy hour on the elliptical and an hour yoga class. Yoga isn't something I do much but I wanted some stretching. I did get some stretching but it was a good amount of strength too which given my sore state was tough but it was ok.

Saturday - Woke up moaning and groaning feeling like my entire body is sore. The Punisher's baby is due next week and I won't see her for a couple of weeks. I guess this was her parting gift. Have a 6 mile run on the schedule. My husband is at the gym and I'm just waiting for him to come back before I go. I'm hoping the rain tapers off in the meantime.

Jillian Michaels is coming to town in April on a speaking tour. I thought it would be fun to see her in person so I think I'm going to spring for a nosebleed ticket. Hope it's worth it!

----------------------------------------
Next week - Feb 24 - March 2
Sunday - Strength - Body Pump
Monday - 3 miles
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - 3 miles
Thursday - 5 miles
Friday - Strength - Chisel class? And maybe yoga.
Saturday - 6.5 miles

Lunch!

30 minute training session today followed by a 5 mile run. Made up an avocado wrap with the sweetest orange on the side. I'm starving! Digging in.

2012-2013

Ah, 2012 ... So much happened.  My goal was to run 12 races and I just barely made it.  Why?  Well, injury and illnesses.  But let me back up. 

I didn't run a lot last summer.  I don't enjoy running in the heat and my kids are out of school, so it's not the best time for me.  Still, I did what I could to semi-train for the Tower of Terror 10-miler in September.  I wanted it to just be a fun run and a nice weekend for my husband and myself.  We really did enjoy our time away together.

The race itself?  Meh.  I had a good time with my friends, but the course was really boring highway miles and not so much fun.  Also not much fun was the fact that I spent way too much time on my feet trying to get in as much as possible in two days.  Every step I took after the race was pure pain, but I came away with this nonetheless ...

The next weekend, I did the Run for Parks 10k.  I finished in 1:03:17 which beat my previous time.  Happy camper!

Next was the Army 10-miler.  I was having leg issues at this point and didn't want to push it.  No big race time for me, but I finished it and that was my only goal.

After the Army 10, I was signed up to do the MCM 10k, but I got really sick that weekend and unfortunately, had to skip it.  Maybe next year.  This is an issue with having small children.  They're major germ carriers and bring home every virus imaginable from school!

Shortly after this, I had to confront something I'd been avoiding since I started running a couple of years ago.  Shin problems.  I have a pretty serious pronation problem despite support shoes and inserts.  I finally went to an orthopedist and he pretty much told me that there wasn't anything I could do that I hadn't already done (stretching, ice, etc.).  He said I needed 6 weeks off.  He also suggested custom inserts but he didn't seem to have much hope.  I went home heartbroken.

I listened to what he said though and took the 6 weeks off.  During this time, I decided to join a gym so at least I could cross-train.  I didn't have the best attitude about it.  Well, guess what?  I loved it!!  I started taking Body Pump, Cycling and using the Elliptical.  I also went to get fitted for those custom inserts. 

After 6 weeks, I threw in the new inserts and did a 5k PR.  My goal for the year was to do a 5k in under 30 min.  I knew this course was flat and I had a chance.  I came in at 29:41 at the Run for Shelter 5k.  I almost puked and fainted at the finish, but I was ecstatic!  I'm sure I shouldn't have run that hard so soon after the break, but my spirit needed the boost and I don't have a single regret about it.

I did another 5k in December and that wrapped up the year for me.  12 races in total.

This brings me to 2013.  My plan for this year was to do Disney Coast to Coast.  One half-marathon in Disney World and one in Disney Land.  My Disneyland race was the Tinker Bell Half in January.  I had never been to Disneyland (or California) so there was that incentive as well. 

I also signed up for the Neverland 5k.  A crazy mistake knowing that I would be on my feet too much (again) but whatever.  I actually had THE BEST time during this 5k.  It was untimed.  No chip.  No pressure!  My friend and I just ran and took pictures.  It was a good lesson for me to not always be so hard on myself and remember why I started running.  Because it's FUN!  We decided to dress up as Winter Fairies.

                                 At the Start ..                                                  After the finish ...

We had some fun in the parks and the next morning bright and early we were at the half.  I will likely never be in a front corral for any other races, but I was lucky enough to find myself in corral A at Tinker Bell.  This was great because it meant I wouldn't have to deal with the weaving that hurt me so much at the Princess Half when I started in the last corral (H).  It was bizarre to be in that corral and actually be able to see the starting line.  A much different experience from my last race.

I should also mention that besides the injury that had me out of training for 6 weeks, I was also sick with a terrible chest cold for 3 weeks.  My training for this was a giant failure, but I tried to run as much as I could when I was well, especially that last month.  I knew that starting in that front corral meant it was possible for me to beat the Princess time that was a huge disappointment for me, so that was my goal.  I knew cross-training and strength training had made me stronger.  I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. 

Oh, I suffered.  I had trouble keeping a consistent pace because I usually rely on the crowd to hold me back.  In the A corral, there was no one to hold me back.  I wonder if it would have helped to start at the very back of the corral, but I couldn't have known what to expect.  I may try this for my next Disney race though.  My feet were numb by mile 4, but I kept on.  I also had to pee and I was melting in the tall socks, gloves and arm warmers.  The arm warmers and gloves were easy enough to toss.  I finally found a bathroom at around mile 5 and took the time to peel off the socks and remove the final shoe pouf that barely clung to my shoe.  They were fun to start with but I was done with them.

I was pretty miserable, but I finished in 2:23:24 which beat my Princess Half time 2:32:something.

SUCCESS!

Next up, I'm doing the Rock 'n Roll Half D.C. in March.  This race scares me a little because the course includes some serious hills in the first few miles.  I will likely walk a lot because I can't risk hurting my legs.

Then in April, the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, and GW Parkway 5k (It was my first race and now tradition to do it every year) and the NWM 1/2.  However, I'm focusing my training on the NWM 1/2 on April 28.  For both halfs I've done, I've been pretty miserable, so my hope is to finish strong and not in so much pain.  I'm sure that not spending days on my feet like I have at Disney will also be helpful.

I've struggled a little bit with direction after races.  Over the weekend with the help of my running friend, I spent some time trying do decide on a plan and I've found one that I think works for me so I'm hoping this should keep me on track.  I'm tring to be really careful with my legs and so far, so good.  The inserts have really helped.  Just hope it stays that way.   

After the last April race, I hope to take a break from running races for the summer since I prefer running in cooler weather.  I'll start up again in September to start training for the Wine & Dine Half in Disney World.

Also of great importance ... In August, I will make a decision on whether or not to register for the Paris Marathon.  I want to do this as a gift for my 40th birthday.  Whether or not I think my legs and feet will hold up for this is to be determined.  I need to see how the next few months go for me before I decide.

To be continued ...