Marathon outfit?

Can't decide what to wear. My mom bought me a new skirt and arm warmers for my birthday at the expo yesterday at the Running Skirts booth. Thanks Mom! But, I might just go with a skirt I already have and wear the new one at my half marathon in 6 weeks. What do you think?

Go! Halloween 10k

We had a great time running with 5,000 others. I met my sister J and we ran from her house to the start, about 2 miles. There we met up with my parents, sister K, brother-in-law and nephew. The plan was to run together and NOT race. It is just too close to marathon day.
This was the also the first 10k for my sis and BIL. My parents hung out watched the race and my nephew. The girls stayed together with my BIL right behind. We ran fairly even splits, right around a 10:45-50. We had a great time seeing all the costumes, I felt relaxed and just enjoyed the day. Here is an after pic and finish line pic. I am in orange. We (the girls)went with a pirate theme.

I am SUPER nervous about the marathon Sunday do I am trying to channel my energy toward other things, like sewing and laundry. Oh, and I am trying to blog from my phone, we'll see how this turns out :)

Three Things Thursday- Pre Marathon

1.  TEN days until the marathon.  I am getting nervous already.   Last night we ran way too fast so I am going to have to really focus on not going out too fast as usual.

2.   I still have not planned my marathon outfit.  The good news is that my local running store is now selling Running Skirts  and Running Skirts will also be at the expo.  I have been wearing skirts for my long run so I don't think it would be an issue to get a new one as long as it fits the same as the others.  I may pick up a skirt at Big River Running so I can run it a couple of times to make sure it fits the same.  Right now I am leaning toward this one.

Isn't it pretty?

3.  I am running in a Halloween 10k this weekend with two of my sisters and my brother-in-law.  We are running it for fun, no racing!  We are going to wear some sort of pirate theme but all we have right now are matching socks.  Any suggestions for a pirate themed running outfit?

School finally started!

This week has been going well.   Sunday was a 14 miles at marathon pace.  We ran the first 2 at 11 minute miles, per our marathon plan.  Then ran the rest at 10 minute pace, pretty even splits.   My watch broke and I have yet to replace it so I am relying on what my sister tells me wile running and my memory:)

She doesn't like to have her picture taken

Monday was finally the first day of school!!! Yay.  The preschooler had a great day and I did stroller fit with the baby.  I worked the night shift Monday then got my 3 hours of sleep before being up with the kiddos the rest of the day.
 Tuesday was the first day of soccer so I planned my run around that.  I got a head start and ran to practice while the hubby and kids drove.  I got in 4.5 and still got to see the last part of practice.

Today has been crazy, I got up early so I could drop the baby off with grandpa.  Of course it was raining so I had to leave extra early.  I then had to drop of at preschool then I headed to work.  I ended up driving 90 minutes before I even got to work.  Luckily, I only had to work 5 hours then it was back out it the rain to pick up the kids. Of course, on my way out I slipped and slid down a muddy hill.  I was covered in mud.  I was wearing my white labcoat too so I am hoping that it will come out in the wash.  It rained all afternoon.  I was really dreading going out for a run.  My sister texted me she was still going to meet me.  Ugh, I was whiny but I got my crap together.  Workout was 4 miles at marathon pace then 4 miles fast.  We did the first 4 in 40:29 then did the next 4 in 35:xx. It stopped raining right before we started and was cool and overcast for our run.  So that's my week so far.  Our first 20 miler of this training cycle is this weekend!

Friday: a brief update.

Yup, it has been awhile since I blogged and I have a race report yet to do.  I have been running.  I also worked a few extra shifts the last couple of weeks.  Add in a wedding and a funeral all in one weekend and you get the gist.  I can't seem to add in blog updates as well:)  Today, however, I feel like crap.  My allergies are awful and I have a sinus headache.  My awesome hubby dropped off some meds for me, we were out here, so I wouldn't have to get the kids up and out just to run to the drugstore.  The baby is currently down for a nap and my 4 year old is watching way too much Dora.  I'll make it up to her next week when I am NOT working any extra shifts and will hopefully be feeling better:) She doesn't start school until after Labor Day so we have some summer left.
We have our long run of 17 miles this weekend so I hope that will go well.  Last weekend was a drop back week but we ran at marathon pace (10 miles).  We ended up with a 9:50 pace so I was thrilled with that. I think our actual pace will be in the 10-10:30 range but we will se how it goes.
My brain is still in a fog and I cannot for the life of me think so that is all I have for now! Have a good weekend!  Looking forward to some Hood to Coast recaps next week!

Chicago Trip

A mostly non running update with lots of pictures. We went on a short family vacation to Chicago. My parents went with us so that was fun. The weather was great. It was easily 20 degrees cooler there. I felt like I could actually breathe again. We still have the stifling heat here, it has been 100 degrees without the heat index. Ugh. So I was happy to be enjoying the breeze from Lake Michigan.

After we got there late afternoon on Monday, We walked down Michigan Ave and over to the beach. The kids got to play in the sand for awhile. We watched the triathletes in there wetsuits doing an open water swim.



I got up early Tuesday and ran from the hotel, down to the Chicago Riverwalk which led to the Lake Shore Trail. I only covered about 3 miles but I figured the kids would be up, which they were.



We started out early for the Shedd Aquarium. The kids had a great time.


We did everything we could possibly do before leaving mid afternoon and taking a water taxi to Navy Pier. We had some Ben and Jerry's before heading back for a quick rest before dinner. We had some Chicago style pizza. I had some spinach and broccoli, while the family had sausage. My 4 year old did not like the "brown" stuff(the sausage) and picked it off, you can see in this picture. The baby however, loved it.


Wednesday we headed to Millennium Park where they had free music,crafts and activities for the kids.


My kids were a little worn out this day and not so into it. It also started raining so we had to regroup before we decided to head back toward Navy Pier. I was going to take them to the Children's Museum there but by time we got there it was time for lunch, then my 4 year old wanted to do the ferris wheel. We decided to start her on the smaller rides, the carrousel and the lighthouse.


The lighthouse one cured her of wanting to do the ferris wheel and we headed over for some more beach time. This time the kids got there feet wet before we headed back. I should mention we had a stroller and an Ergo carrier so we let the 4 year old walk as much as she could and when she got too tired we either put her in the stroller or on Grandpa's shoulders and I carried the baby in the Ergo.

We ended Wednesday with dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. The kids enjoyed that very much and I had a veggie burger with guacamole and a beer so I have no complaints. We even had time to stop at the Sports Authority where I used a coupon and got a hat(free). Yay for awesome coupons!

On Thursday, it was time to head home but on the way back we stopped at Starved Rock State Park for a short hike and a picnic lunch. Did I mention there was a Trader Joe's a half block from our hotel? My four year old seemed to really enjoy leading the group and we wore her out so she slept almost the whole way home. The baby was a little more difficult. Lets's just say it was a long drive.




My little hiking partner.

On a running note, I got a 6 mile run done on the treadmill at the y. I was avoiding the heat:)

What We Are Eating- Lunch

I was reading on Lil' Runner that she was looking for vegetarian lunch ideas for the kids, other than peanut butter.  My 4 year old doesn't like peanut butter *gasp* so I felt inspired to post what I give my kids for lunch.  I have been a vegetarian for 19 years. I generally give them a serving of dairy or protein,fruit and/or veggie for lunch depending on what I have on hand.  I try to sneak in some healthy (monounsaturated) fats too.  Those are found in olive oil, avocados,nuts.
My kids are good eaters so I can give them just about anything.   My 4 year old loves yogurt in any form. She will ask for it several times a day so I have to limit her to 2-3 servings a day.  I usually buy plain greek yogurt and she picks from the fruit we have on hand, fresh or frozen, to add to it.  Sometimes we add granola, chopped nuts, she has even added sunflower and pumpkin seeds, not my idea.  Other times we make smoothies to have either as a snack or to freeze into pops.  Today she picked an apple and baby carrots to go into the smoothie.  I just peeled the apple and chopped everything up a little, tossed it in the blender to puree then added some plain yogurt.   I am used to cooking fruits and veggies before pureeing them.  We made our own baby food.  But it really didn't turn out bad.    If she goes to the store with me she like the little cups so I will let her get a couple that don't have high fructose corn syrup.  The 17 month old is liking the yogurt now too so I go through a lot of yogurt each week.

I take random pics of our lunches.

Another staple is chickpeas or hummus.  They love dipping veggies, pita,chips, whatever into hummus.  The baby will just bypass the dipping and eat the hummus plain, like with her hands, really gross to clean up.  They also eat chickpeas just tossed in salads, or in couscous.  I used to make couscous a lot more but the baby hasn't quite perfected the spoon thing and she makes a huge mess with it.  Couscous all over the floor is a pain to clean up.  Today I had some chickpeas leftover from my lunch so the baby ate them as a snack, plain.

  Last week I had goat cheese and they enjoyed putting that on their strawberries, grapes, and blueberries. The 4 year old likes salads too.  I usually use spinach as the "lettuce"  My 4 year old actually calls spinach, lettuce.  I let her pick what she wants to put on it.  She likes veggies raw.  If they are cooked, she is likely to turn up her nose.  She doesn't like them "mushy."
There are also the old standbys of cheese quesadillas, grilled cheese, chickenless nuggets, or leftovers from last night's dinner.

Now this is what I give them.  Of course when they go to grandma's or great-grandma's they get things like cinnamon rolls, yes for lunch.  My grandma gave them american cheese for lunch on Tuesday and they didn't like it.  She was shocked and asked me about it, I don't like it, so I don't buy it.  I usually give them cheddar or string cheese.

So that's what we are eating here.  And know you know we are a vegetarian, make our own baby food,cloth diapering family:)

About last week..

Where did the week go?  Yup, I managed to get in all my runs and cross train.  Yay me! It has been super hot here.  It is 8:15 PM as I write this and look at this temp:

93°F
Feels Like: 109°

The heat index got as high as 114 today.  Yuck! So thankful for central air in this house.  When we moved in there was only one window unit.


This was my workouts for the week of July 4;
Monday: race day 1 mile race (7:06)

Tuesday:Rest

Wednesday: ran with single stroller, made it 3 miles before the baby started to get upset.  I finished up at 3.6 miles.

Thursday: ran with single again only had 3 miles on the plan then added in some cross training later.

Friday: cross training

Saturday:  5 miles after I worked the night shift. I felt like a rockstar getting that one done.

Sunday: I didn't make it out yesterday until morning nap time.  Ugh, it was hot luckily, this was a drop back week for me so I only had 6 miles to cover.  I drank so much fluid.  I refilled my water bottle twice!

Today was a rest day so I hit the pool with the kids.  Got to see a friend in from out of town and her kids.  The four kids played together nicely.  So sad she doesn't live here anymore.  She is also a runner and training to do a crazy Colorado Relay in August!

This week more of the same and continue to try and cross train.  Long run on Sunday will be 11 miles!

Can You Say PR?

Happy Fourth!


I did my 1 mile race this morning in 7:06, my watch.  They haven't posted the official results yet.  


P.S.  Check out the sticker they put in the packet.  Love it!

Week in review ramblings

This was a busy week for me.  I only had to work one day so I wanted to get some things done around the house.  I was cleaning out drawers, getting rid of furniture, making the spare bedroom into a playroom.

Tuesday I had speedwork.  The workout was 5x1000.  It went fairly well.  I did a 5:05, 5:03, 5:05, 5:08, 5:05.  I was fairly consistent.  The only bad thing was it was supposed to be short rest.  I jogged the 200 meters back to the start but would then have to wait for a couple minutes before the group started the next one.  Of course, I wouldn't have run as fast if I didn't have such a long rest period. I figure doing any speedwork is better than doing none and I certainly wouldn't be going to the track by myself :) I can't complain that I may have to wait a few minutes for the track to clear.  (There are 5 groups on the track at the same time).

I also went to an outside summer concert on Wednesday evening.  We met some of my family there and the kids had a good time running around while we got to relax and enjoy the uncharacteristically nice summer weather.  Of course to get there in time I didn't get to sneak in my run when the hubby got home like I planned.

I ran 3 miles pushing the double stroller on Thursday.  I went to a flat trail so it was much easier there.

On Friday, we had a rare evening out without the kids!  We went to see Eddie Vedder.  It was a great show,  definitely worth the ticket price.  Of course, when I got home at 11 pm, my 4 year old was still awake!    Didn't take long to get her to sleep.

Speaking of sleeping, she just left for a sleepover along with my nephew.  They are staying with my sister and her boyfriend at his family's lake house.  It is only about an hour away and we will be heading there tomorrow to get her but I am still a little anxious about her being away. I already miss her. The baby is taking a nap (and so is my hubby) so it is pretty quiet around here.  I know she will have a blast boating,swimming, fishing.

I ran my long run yesterday with my sister.  We did 9 miles on the marathon course.  We did an out and back so we didn't cover that much of the course.  It was hot, I looked when we got back, with the heat index it was in the low 90s.  And we started at 8 am!  I found my Nuun which worked out well.  I actually stuck a tablet in the pocket of my water bottle, so when I ran out, I just filled up along the route and put a second tablet in when I did.   I have gotten used to running with it now.  I drank about 50 ounces of water total during the run and still was down a half pound when I got home.  That is how much I was sweating it the heat and humidity.

Going to sneak in a short little workout this afternoon.  Might just do some core stuff.  I have a race tomorrow.  It is race #3 of the 5 race series I signed up for.  It is a one mile race which I think makes me more anxious than a longer race.   I think it is the run as fast as you can without puking for about 8 minutes part that freaks me out.  My goal is to go under 8 minutes, like 7:59 would be fine.  There are close to a thousand people signed up for this race so I guess part of it will be determined by how crowded and how fast those in front of me are running.  If I get behind a walker there isn't enough road to make up lost time.

Happy Fourth of July!

Any big plans, races this weekend?
Do shorter races freak you out?
Do you weigh yourself before and after you run to determine your hydration needs?

Week One of Marathon Training

 Check.  I got my 8 miles done today, 17 weeks to go.  I waited until the baby's morning nap to go so it was late morning by time I actually got out.  I forgot my sunglasses, couldn't find my Nuun.  I believe that this little 16 month old thief took it out of my bag, her new favorite thing to do is remove things from any bag or purse she sees.

Hard to believe she can be a menace

So, I had a little rough start but felt better after I got moving.  It had stormed last night so it was really muggy. No I didn't run through a sprinkler, that is all sweat:)

photo bomb by the baby

Oh and Laurie, I hope your kiddos are feeling better!  I hope you end up having a great vacation!

Three Things Thursday

1. I actually completed all three weekday runs as planned.  I did speedwork on Tuesday with Big River.  It was a ladder of 1200 at 5k pace (6:12), 1000 at 2 mile pace (5:04), 800 at 2 mile pace(4:04), 400 at 1 mile pace(1:47), and 200 all out.  I hit fairly close to the times I wanted.  I was a tad slow on the 1000 and 800 but I was really tired and did not sleep well that day.  Oh, and I put my running first this day because I skipped a bridal shower, yes it was on a Tuesday,   I made the decision that in order to successfully complete the marathon, I will need to make running a priority for the next 18 weeks.

2. Wednesday was an easy recovery run of 4 miles, I left the watch at home so I could just take my time. The weather is awesome here this week so I have even turned off the air and opened the windows.

3. Today I met with my running group.  I was pushing the double stroller with 60 pounds of kids and the weight of the stroller, I am struggling with that.  It is also pulling to the right so I have to push the handlebar  a little harder with my right arm to keep it straight.  I found the instruction manual and it has how to adjust it so it will track right.  I just have to do it when I am not about to run.  I always forget until I am on my way.  I took a few walk breaks up the hills but we still covered 5 miles in like 56-57 minutes.
 
On tap for this weekend an 8 miler.  Also looking forward to our neighborhood putting on a great party! It is Pridefest weekend so for all those getting out to their local parades and celebrations,

HAPPPY PRIDEFEST!  
  
Have a good weekend!  Good luck to all the racers,  especially all those running in Seattle Rock 'n' Roll!

Marathon Countdown Begins

I came up with all sorts of posts while running yesterday, but when I sat down at the computer yesterday, not one thing popped back into my head!  So,  Happy Belated Father's Day to my hubby and my dad.

Today I officially begin my marathon training for the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll Marathon!  It is a rest day, ha! But really, 18 week plan starts today.  I posted a new page on the blog so you can see the plan HERE.  It is Hal Higdon's novice plan that I will adjust to work for me.  The first thing I changed is I made a 19 miler a 20.  I want to do at least two 20s.  I will also switch the long runs to Sunday, I can't do long runs after working the night shift Friday nights.  I will continue doing speedwork once a week with Big River Running, as well.  So, I will be tinkering with it a bit.  I like that it is only 4 days of running.  I figure I will use it as a minimum amount of training.

I have lost a few pounds leading up to this point.  I am hoping to lose five more to lighten the load, so to speak.  I am down to 115, but I would like to be closer to 110 when I run the marathon in October.  Before you freak out, I am only 5 feet tall, yeah I mean 5'0".  So that is not underweight.  My weight now is fine for daily life, I just like to be a little lighter when I am running full marathons.  Less pounding on the joints, less energy burned just getting from point a to point b.

I am still struggling with staying hydrated enough to run with the heat indices reaching 100 and breastfeeding.  I need to drink more throughout the day, not just when I am running.  I got chills at 4 miles into my run yesterday.  It was a drop back week so I was only going 5, so I just slowed the pace and drank the water I had with me to finish.   I ran late in the day and we had been doing errands and running around prior to my run.  I had an americano from the coffee stand at the grocery store.  So, I will be working on that piece of the plan.

Oh, and the course was announced last week.  It goes within a couple blocks of my house!  Yay!  It goes by 8-9 parks and all local parks I run in and around.  It will be close to family and friends' houses as well so I am hoping to see lots of people along the route.

Well, for not knowing what I was going to post when I sat down, I sure did come up with a lot.  So much for being productive with the baby's naptime;)

Any suggestions for hydrating?  Do you use a sports drink?  

Wussed Out

Yep I wussed out on the trail run Sunday.  I am glad I did though.  My four year old kept kicking me, bothering me all night so I did not sleep well.  My awesome hubby got up with the kids at 7 and I went back to bed ALONE and slept for 3 hours.  How awesome is that?  My knee was a little achy when I had gotten up to meet my parents and sister so I figured some more stable ground was probably better for the knee.  I woke up and had some quality family time, playing outside with the kids and the neighbors.  It was a fun morning.
My mom called me on their way back.  It was a challenging hike.  They ended up doing 10 miles in less than four hours. (They are training to do Rim to Rim at the Grand Canyon in the fall)  I did get my 7 miles done in the afternoon.  The heat wave finally broke and we are having some cooler temps.  The knee felt better after I started running.  It is slowly feeling better, just achy.  I am still icing a few times a day.

I finished reading My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon By Bart Yasso.  It was REALLY good.
Any other suggestions for inspiring running books?  I am gearing myself up to start marathon training in 2 weeks!
Have a great week, I'm off to work so no editing!

Sitting around on a Saturday Night

Hanging out watching American Pickers on Netflix. I am thinking about doing my first trail run tomorrow. My parents and one of my sisters are going hiking at a trail that is supposed to be good for trail running. So, I was thinking I might carpool with them. I could run ahead for a little and walk with them if it was too hard.
My knee has been a little cranky the last couple of days. I have been icing it like crazy. It feels much better after that, still a little creaky so we'll see. I took two rest days, I was going to do some strength stuff today but never got to it. Didn't get much sleep after working last night. The hubby ended up taking the kids to a graduation party, I stayed home and was going to sleep a little more but ended up sorting laundry and reading. I am on book number 2 on my goal of reading ten books this summer. I am currently reading Bart Yasso's My Life on the Run.  It is really good if you haven't read it yet.  I'm already half way through, it is a fun read.  He recounts many of his running adventures while working at Runner's World over the years.

Have you ever done a trail run, any last minute tips is I decide to go in the morning? 

TPNA 5k Race

I ran the Tilles Park Neighborhood Association (TPNA) 5k this past weekend.  I worked the night shift, changed at work, then went straight to the race.  Luckily, I picked up my bib number the day before so I was in no rush.  I got there in plenty of time then realized how flipping hot it was.  There was a heat advisory in effect and it was steamy.  It was already in the high 80s/low 90s by time the race started a 8:30.  I'm not going to lie, I did not warm up at all, it was way too hot.  I was questioning my sanity at being there at all. But, hey I wasn't the only one there.
This is a fun little race through a local neighborhood.  It is race #2 of the South City Racing Series.  It starts by going around Tilles park then wraps around, up, down the neighborhood.  It is a fairly small area and they keep you off the main roads so lots of turns, lots of little hills. It was well marked and the roads were blocked to traffic.  They had lots of volunteers and due to the weather they even added a second water stop.  Everyone was friendly and encouraging.  I knew I would not be running faster than my 5k four weeks earlier due to the heat and being up all night.  That one was 27:07.  So I planned on hitting around 9 minutes for the first mile than seeing how I felt, if i would try to push the pace to just below 9.  It was a group start and so I clicked my watch when the gun went off and again when I crossed the line.  9 seconds.  I hit the first mile at 9:04.  Perfect, not too fast, didn't feel bad, so I picked it up a little.  I ended up at 28:28, my time, 28:37 official time.  I was hurting that last 1/2 mile.  I cleared my watch and for some reason didn't write down my other splits:-/
Upon looking at the results, everyone had slowed down from the first race.  I talked to several people who said it was one of their worst 5k times.  It was due to the early heat wave we are having.  We don't usually hit these temps until July or August. So, I am happy with my time.  No complaints here.
They had a free kids race afterward and gave ribbons and prizes to the kids.  They had attendance prizes for the adults and a nice spread of bagels, bananas, and orange slices.  It was a fun morning and will plan on doing this one again next year.
Next race in the series is The Macklind Mile on the Fourth of July.

I'm Blogging!

Yup, I know I have not been blogging. I have been busy with kids,work,life.  You know, the usual stuff.  I have been keeping the kids busy.  Now that the baby is 15 months, she has FINALLY been sleeping through most nights.  I am starting to feel like I am getting out of that "survival" mode and into actually enjoying the life again.  I was feeling so worn down and crappy with her getting up sometimes hourly at night.  Preschool has been out for two weeks already so I have been planning daily outings just to keep everyone from having meltdowns from nothing to do.  Nothing major just trips to Grandma's, the library, playground, etc. in between the baby's naps.  The girls have been playing together more so that has been helping.  I signed up all of us for the summer reading program at the library.  I am doing the adult one, I need to read 10 books by August 8th.  So I have a few books on my list I am trying read instead of my computer/t.v. time.  Any suggestions to add to the list? Doesn't need to be running related. In the fiction area I usually like quick reads like chic lit or mystery novel. Or something free on kindle:)
  
I have been running some, fairly low weekly mileage. I have run the last 5 days in a row,   I guess I am on a streak, ha. But none of it was over 4 miles.  Just trying to get out for 30 minutes or so a day, more for stress relief than actual training. Speaking of training,  I have plotted out my plan leading up to the October marathon, yikes.  I am at 21-22 weeks out, I think I am going with Hal Higdon's Novice II plan.  It seems reasonable, given my mileage.  The one thing I will do is make the 19 miler on the plan a 20 so I can get two twenty milers done in training.  I need that extra confidence going in.  Unless I find a plan that fits better in the next couple of weeks.  My sister has been rehabbing her knee and will be training with me.  She is up to 5-6 miles with no pain.  Yay!

I have been having difficulty acclimating to the heat.  I am guessing part of it is hormonal.  Whether it is the late 30s hormones or the breastfeeding hormones I don't know.  Yes,  I am still nursing that baby. I just purchased some Nuun  and I am going to try that and see if it helps, worth a shot anyway.   Here is a pic of me and the girls going for a ride.  The baby did not like the helmet so we did not ride for long.

Happy Running and Riding!

Colorado Race

My friend Beth who is living in CO posted this on Facebook: Beth Any runner friends want to join the team?? Colorado is beautiful this time of year:) You would complete 3 legs over 24hrs (averaging about 16 miles). Anyone? Anyone? Relay Race - Wild West Relay - a Colorado 200-mile long distance 24 hour team relay race adventure www.wildwestrelay.com The Wild West Relay is a 200-mile team running relay race designed for athletes of all abilities. This Colorado relay begins in Fort Collins and passes through three National Forests and crosses two mountain passes, finishing in Steamboat Springs. so I looked at the website, Umm, no I don't think so.

Go! St. Louis Half Marathon

I haven't had time to recap yesterday's race but this local news clip summarizes the race well.


Go! St. Louis Marathon Closed Due To Warm Temperatures

I could not figure out how to embed this so you'll have to click in the link!

Cut-Down Tempo

 Did the Wild Wednesday workout with the training group.  It was a cut-down tempo.  Six miles with each getting 10 seconds faster, the last one supposed to be 10 seconds faster than half marathon pace.  Does that make sense.  So goal pace is 9:30, then I want to hit 10:10, 10:00, 9:50, 9:40, 9:30, 9:20. It went well, we progressed for the most part.  Ten seconds at a time, well, that is hard to do.  Our last mile was definitely the fastest.

I really was not wanting to go, feeling too tired to run.  I am so happy I ended up getting there and getting it done.  I really had to push myself out the door.  It was even warm enough to wear my new shorts!  I am liking the new shorts, bermuda style so they cover everything but tight enough not to chafe.  Wore them for 7.5 miles total with the warm up and cool down jogs thrown in.

Not only did the hubby have dinner waiting for me on the stove, he even had one kiddo asleep.  So it was a good evening!

wasn't talented enough to get all the shorts in but you get the idea

Did the recovery run today with my sister, no knee pain for her after 3.5 miles. She isn't planning on running the half at this point but at least it is promising that she had her first pain free run!

Happy Running! 

Snow again!

We are back to the cold. It even snowed several inches. Yuck. I made strides last night and put my clothes and gear out before I went to bed. I searched high and low for my favorite cold weather socks. I finally found them. So htat was a plus! I am slowly learning if I can get stuff out the night before I won't have to tiptoe in the dark and then drive like a madwoman to get there on time:)
For breakfast I had toast with pb and honey and one cup of coffee. No bathroom issues this week, yay!
The training group was unusually small this morning. My sister is still taking some time off to heal. I ended up joining two other women who were planning 13 miles. They were going to run one of the hard hilly parts of the course. We were going a nice easy pace, ran out 6, part of it on the course and stopped to gu. Then we ran back the hilly part of the course. I kept repeating,
I love hills! I think I am going to write it on the back of my bib so I can see it race day.
We had some ice/slush/puddles to navigate so all in all I am happy with how it went. We just had a little bit to add in at the end to make 13. Total time was 2:19.29. That is a 10:43 pace. I only stopped my watch for the gu stop, otherwise when we waited at lights and stop signs, I let it run. I knew I would (and have forgotten) to restart it. So it was a couple minutes faster.
I can cover the distance, now I just need to figure out pace. I am thinking 9:40s. Two weeks until race day!

Rewind: This Week's Training

Wow,  has it really been over a week since I posted?  I am sure everyone is waiting to see what I have bee up to, HA!  Anyway, on with the rewind:
Sunday Long run at planned half marathon pace.  I did a one mile warmup.  Then I ran the first few with my sis and her injured knee.  After she turned around I began the hunt for the porta-potty.  Found one, it was occupied.  I waited a couple of minutes, still in there, so I took off in search of the next one.  Finally found one.  It was just one of those days.  All in all, I wasn't terribly disappointed.  I ended up running these miles by myself after my sister turned around.  Here's the splits:
9:47
10:04
10:06
9:32
9:36
9:46 the turn around was into the wind
9:55
10:04
10:05
9:30
total 1:38.32
  I did discover that my favorite capris kept sliding down, they are old so I may need a new pair.  I don't think I'll be wearing them race day.  Oh and it was warm on Sunday.
Monday- easy 2 mile recovery run.  Played with kids outside most of the day, went for a short walk with the stroller.  It was nearly 80 degrees.

Tuesday Work/Rest day but playing outside with the kids counts right?
Wednesday Sculpt class, followed by work.  I had my running stuff with me but I didn't get out in time to make it to the workout.  And I hadn't fed the baby since the morning, I was getting rather uncomfortable.  So no run.
Thursday High in the 30s, yep 70s all week, then wham, 30s. I was not looking forward to making up my speed work by myself.  I finally dragged myself over to the park, it was almost 6 pm.  The planned workout 2 x 4 miles at HMP.  I talked myself into doing one.  I was going to at least bring my ipod for company, but I forgot it.  Grrr.  So after my warmup, I was off.
9:46
9:41
9:42
9:45
Then it was supposed to be a 5 minute break, I shed a layer, had some gatorade, walked back to the start.  3:30.  I decided I didn't want to jog around for 90 seconds so when my watch hit 4, I took off again.  I decided to run on the single grassy path to see how it was.
10:13 umm, back to the paved path
9:48
9:51
9:31 all out, And had I not had to go around some walkers at the end, I think I would have made it 1 second faster.
Total of 8 miles at pace.  Yay! Who needs an ipod.
Friday I will probably just do a dvd this afternoon.  It is currently snowing/sleeting.  Crazy flippin' weather.  I was ready to put away our winter stuff, I had started to get out the spring stuff.  The highs in the 30s-40s for the next week.  I am not organized enough to wear shorts one day and have gloves and hats the next:)  Oh well,  I guess I will deal with it.

So that is my week in a nutshell.  16 days until the half.  Oh and if you can send some positive vibes to my sister and her knee,  she would like to run.  She is taking the week off then she will see.  We are hoping she can at least run, even if it is slower than she hoped.  Our marathon isn't until fall so she has plenty of time to heal, get back on track before then.

Have a good weekend!  Good luck to all those racing this weekend!  I know there are quite a few doing the National Marathon, can't wait to read about all the PRs!

Three Things Thursday- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good:
I ran last night. The workout was 3 x 2 miles at half marathon pace.  The first one went well, we were a little fast especially considering the standing water and mud we slowed to walk through.  18:25. We jogged the rest interval.

The Bad:
On the second repeat, my sisters knee started to bother her,  I kept going. We have had 4 runs where she has had knee pain. On two runs I stopped with her, two I kept going. I felt bad going on without her but I also want to get my run done.  So what do you do when a training partner is injured or has to stop?  Do you stop?  Tell them you'll see them at the end?
I hit repeat #2 on the nose at 19:00.  The third interval was hard.  I was running by myself and it was getting dark.  The first mile was 10:08.  Ugh.  I stopped for a second to adjust my shoe, something was rubbing and then off to finish that last mile.  Third repeat 19:48.  Eh.  It was done.

The Ugly:
My run today.  I was sore from sculpt class and run yesterday.  I seriously was sucking wind today.  I started to get a side stitch.  It felt like my second bra was too tight, hitting in the wrong spot.  I did a Jennifer Beal from Flashdance move and took off the top bra while taking a walk break.  I ended up getting 3 miles in but it was a rough one.  It was also almost 80 degrees today.  So maybe the huge jump in temperature had something to do with it also.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  

Forefoot Numbness

I am still fighting this nasty cold/cough thing.  I have been hacking up nasty stuff from my lungs.  I am going to run this evening with my sister for the first time since Friday.  Hopefully, it will make me feel better not worse.  I really can't take off any more time.  We are getting close to race day.  We are doing 3x2 mile repeats at half marathon pace. woo-hoo!

 I was reading on someone's blog about their feet going numb while running.  I can't remember which blog but I saw this article in an email from Fleet Feet this morning and thought I would pass it on.  Maybe the person will see it.

Sometimes my feet go numb when I work out. What's happening and what do I do?    In many cases, forefoot numbness or tingling is caused by the repeated pinching of nerves, either (1) under the ball of the foot due to downward pressure or (2) between the toes due to the forefoot being squeezed by the shoe.    Athletes who cycle or use an elliptical trainer are most prone to foot numbness because the forefoot remains constantly on the pedal - and thus constantly pressured and widened.  Treadmill runners who vary neither speed nor incline are also at greater risk because their gait is unusually repetitive.  Outdoor runners who often run on flat, concrete roads are also prime suspects.    If you suffer from forefoot numbness, consider the following the next time you lace up your shoes for a  workout: Is your shoe wide enough?  When standing, your forefoot should not spill over the side(s) of the shoe.  If you fear the toebox may be too narrow for you, ensure that your forefoot has room to spread by skipping the bottom set of eyelets (i.e., the ones even with the ball of your foot) and lace the rest of the shoe as usual.  Is your shoe long enough?  When standing, the widest part of your foot should be even with the widest part of the shoe.  If the ball of your foot sits forward of the widest part of the shoe, the shoe is too short for you and the toebox is probably too small. Is your arch properly supported?  If not, your midfoot is not carrying enough of the load and you are over-pressuring your forefoot.  Adding a supportive orthotic or switching to a higher-arched shoe will better balance the load. If you will be cycling or elliptical training, occassionally scrunch and stretch your feet and incorporate a set of backward spins every so often. If on the treadmill, regularly change the incline and speed to encourage changes to your gait and strike pattern. That's all I got for now. My fuzzy brain won't let me think anymore.  That silly baby still won't let me sleep at night.  Of course she is taking a nice long afternoon nap when I have to be awake.    I am thinking of investing in some earplugs for the family;)  Happy St. Pat's!

Saint Patrick's Day Parade 2011

Running

On Thursday I met my sis for a couple of easy recovery miles.  Her knee started bothering her again about a mile in so it was mostly a recovery walk.  Which was fine, I felt good after and we ran/walked three miles total.   In the evening I did some cardio, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, etc for 15 minutes.  

Friday, I was feeling good.  The weather was nice.  I did a quick 4 miles in less than 40 minutes so I was happy.  Felt really good. 

Saturday-rest day/parade

The girls had a ride

My daughter and nephew 

Yep, we were potatoes.

Waiting to start

At the end, time for a snack

We were in the parade downtown yesterday so I thought I'd share a few photos.   I wasn't able to do the run in the morning since I worked Friday night.  I took a short 2 hour nap and was up for the rest of the day.  We had tons of fun being in the parade, giving out beads.  I think pulling a wagon counts as a workout, right? Then we headed over to the after party, had lots of good food and beverages, mmm Guinness. Unfortunately, the baby had other plans for Saturday night.  She woke up congested and had a fever.  So I was up most of the night.  On the bright side, she is feeling better today.  Of course after so little sleep for two nights, I woke up with a chest cold.  I am of the above the neck symptoms, run.  Below the neck,  i.e. chest cold, rest.  So I got some sleep this morning.  Still coughing up crap so I will see if I don't feel better later.  I would rather miss one run than a week.  So in the meantime, I will be downing tea with honey and loads of vitamin C!  

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  Did you celebrate St Pat's? Anyone have plans to celebrate this week? 

Birthday Girl

My oldest turned four today. I can't believe it has already been four years.  Unfortunately, she also started feeling sick this afternoon. So she spent the afternoon/evening lying on the couch watching Dora and Toy Story.  Poor thing.  Hopefully, she doesn't spread it to all of us but I have been feeling blah all day.  Until my run that is.

Met the team for mile repeats at planned half marathon pace.  So we would run 1 mile, then jog back to the start.  The loop is actually 1.2 miles, so not quite 400 jog between.  These actually felt really good, pace felt comfortable.  I was aiming for a 9:30 pace.  We were supposed to do 3-6 repeats, I ended up doing four.  My sis was not feeling it tonight and I was anxious to get back home to the sick birthday girl.  I had some serious mommy guilt for leaving the house at all, much less to run.  My miles were
9:20
9:30
9:28
9:33

birthday

my big girl

Looking around the blogs I see quite a few with sick kids or sick themselves.  Take care everyone.  Hope everyone is feeling better soon.  Spring is just around the corner!

Two Parties and One Long Run

I started the weekend off with a bang.  Got to go to my sister's for a Mardi Gras party.  My parents had the kids for a few hours so we could stop by.  I had a good time especially since I got to work the door.  The drunk 20somethings were afraid of this old lady answering the door.  Haha! I am such a brute!

Sunday-long run
My long run started a little later than usual.  We had a kid birthday party to attend, It was an early start and a  30 minute drive.  Which meant I would have to be up and running by seven.  Which seemed doable until the preschooler decided to toss and turn and keep me up, grr.  I got out of bed in a foul mood at 6.  The hubby was nice enough to take the kids downstairs so I went back to bed.  Yep, I slept for two glorious hours in the bed by myself.  Ahhh.
Off to the party, where I skipped the pizza and cupcakes.  Back home and finally out the door for my long run at 1pm.    At this point I should tell you I had 2 slices of toast for breakfast but nothing since because I didn't want to start my run any later.  I did have some Honey Stinger Energy Chews and Gatorade, the low calorie kind so that probably was of no use. 

I ran from the house with the plan of doing 11 miles.  I have a 5 mile loop that I did and then added on shorter distances that I knew.  There is a grassy, muddy area that is about 1/2 mile long so I did some mile repeats there.  Not for speed just because I knew the distance and could rack up a few extra mile.  So I did three miles there.  Towards the end I know another path is 1 1/2 miles so I did that twice. So I ended up with 11 miles in 1:51:44.  I thought that it would take me a little closer to 2 hours so hopefully I didn't short my self any distance.  It is nice to run without a Garmin stressing me out about
How fast/slow am I running?  Has it been another mile yet?
I know the approximate distances of quite a few of the paths around the house so it isn't totally neccessary.  But sometimes it is nice to see the distance spelled out and not have to do math while running.
I am so happy I sucked it up those last few miles, let me tell you I wanted to bail.  I just had to keep moving, I was talking to myself by the end.  I mean out loud, to myself.  "One more mile. almost there, one more mile."  Hopefully none of my neighbors walked by but I don't think I would have cared at that point.  I was so hungry by time I got home.  I had a huge peanut butter banana sandwich.

Belly is full now and kids are in bed.  I am looking forward to getting more miles in this week.  I ran 3 times total this past week, for a total of 19 miles.  Not great but I'l take it.  I also did my DVD twice and sculpt class once.  So 6 workouts done this week.  I am going to try and run 4 times this week and continue with my cardio/toning workouts.  5 weeks until the half marathon!

What I have been up to

Wow, it has been a long time since my last post.  Everything is going well here.  Been getting in some running, working a little extra and the weather is improving so the kiddos and I have been playing outside more.  Which means less time for the computer.
Kid Update

Devouring the organic nut free,raison free, carrot cupcake

We celebrated Sweet Pea's First Birthday last week and this week she decided to start climbing stairs.  All of them. Up to the second floor.  Good times.  So I now have a make shift barricade at the bottom of the stairs.  We live in an old house so gates don't fit at the bottom.  The preschooler will be turning 4 next week.  She is counting down the days, I guess I need to come up with some big plans for her special day.
Running Update
I ran 10 miles on Sunday at around at 10:30 pace, Yay.  And the itb is still behaving. I have been doing my strengthening exercises, foam rolling, etc.  I barely have any miles in this week because I worked on speed work night so I missed that workout.  I did 5 yesterday and will hopefully am planning on getting out this afternoon without the stroller.  Also on the plan for this weekend is 11 miles.  I have been doing my DVD during Sweet Pea's naptime and the nearly 4 year old has been joining me. So lots of core work for me.

Happy Mardi Gras!  It gets crazy around here at this time of the year.  We are planning on celebrating this weekend so hopefully I will still be able to run Sunday!  Off to get a King Cake!
Happy Weekend! 

Jogging Strollers Recalled by B.O.B. Trailers Due to Strangulation Hazard

Saw this and thought I'd spread the word. I believe this includes our duallie but I haven't double checked yet.


Jogging Strollers Recalled by B.O.B. Trailers Due to Strangulation Hazard

Why my brain just doesn't work today

Or most days but this is what my last 36 hours has looked like.
After getting up at 5:30 Friday morning to get the hubby and kids off, I headed to work. I worked until 12:30, picked up the kiddos. Quick nap for an hour when the hubby got home then back up for dinner, baths, bedtime routine. Then it was time to get ready for my next shift, yep I then worked the night shift. By time I got home this morning, I had been awake for 27 hours. I was exhausted. I fed the baby, slept for a little while, fed her again, slept for a few more hours. By 1:30 I gave up on the elusive sleep and got up for the day. Luckily, my hubby had picked up a cupcakes for the baby's first birthday tomorrow and one for me today. So I had my "morning coffee" and this:

Chocolate Espresso Cupcake

In the evening the preschooler and hubby went to the daddy daughter dance. They had a great time while I spent some quality time with Sweet Pea. Had a good day but have realized I didn't get make time to exercise yesterday or today. Oops.
On the schedule for tomorrow is a long run with the training group. A six miler at planned HMP. Hoping for some good sleep tonight because I am so over tired that I can barely think. I have the alarm set early because I can't think about getting my clothes out right now.

So when I make no sense, now you know why.
Sweet Pea turns one tomorrow! Yay!

Spring?

Whew, been a busy week here.  The weather has been BEAUTIFUL!  It has been in the 70s the last couple of days.  We have been running errands, hanging out outside, enjoying the weather before mother nature remembers it is still winter!
Yesterday, I dragged the kids around in the wagon to see Grandma at work.  I should have taken pictures but I failed to bring the camera.  oops.  It was a good upper body workout.  I met the training team for a tempo run in the evening.  I felt good, the hip has been feeling good.  We (my sis and I) ended up doing 3 miles in 26:29
Mile 1 8:53
MIle 2 8: 58
Mile 3 8:38
So,  that was way under our planned half marathon pace but the weather was beautiful and it felt so good to be out running in a t-shirt.  We have a long run on Sunday that is supposed to be at our planned HMP.

Today, I met my sister for a recovery run.  We did a few easy miles pushing the stroller.  During the baby's afternoon nap I did my Shed 5 Fast DVD and some additional ab work.  Then it was back outside for more fun with the kids and the neighbors!

Are you enjoying the weather and getting out more?  Looking forward to spring?

Back in the groove

After taking the week off for my i.t. band to feel normal, I finally got off my a$$ and ran Sunday afternoon in 50 degree weather! It wasn't easy and I sucked wind but I got 8 miles done. I did a lot of walking in the last mile but I'll take it.

Today I got out and did a two mile recovery run. Again with no complaints from my i.t. band. Yay! I also did my Shed 5 Fast DVD so I'm feeling pretty good.

My hubby and preschooler also made me some chocolate covered strawberries for Valentine's Day. They were awesome and I shared so I didn't have all those calories to myself.

Looking forward to the rest of the week. I have tickets to see 9 to 5 with my bff and some of my family tomorrow. The temperatures will be in the 50-60s this week so I'll be able to take the baby out in the stroller.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The answer to yesterday's photos

So to answer yesterday's post. The ice covering everything meant we ran on the roads at the park. The roads are really cambered and my knee starting bothering me during the run. Called it at 7.6 miles (planned 8). Stretched the i.t. really well and felt good after that. Tuesday my hip started to hurt but I figured it was from working and a good night sleep would make me feel better.

Wrong.

My hip was really painful Wednesday. So I purchased a foam roller. Been using that, icing, and did an easy spin on the bike trainer last night. Btw, check out runners world website for video clips of how to use the foam roller.

It was too cold and icy to take the baby in the stroller today. Not sure what happened to the rest of the day, but here I am feeding the baby, hoping she will go to sleep soon, and no workout done yet. My hip is still sore but not painful like it was yesterday. Progress. It is finally supposed to get above freezing this weekend so I am hoping to get back out there this weekend. Might try the treadmill tomorrow. A little nervous about overdoing it, running too soon. Thought I'd give it a few days. It is definitely the i.t. band. I have had issues before so now I just need to keep it from getting cranky on me again.

My plan is to ease back into it. Continue the foam roller, stretching. I am going to have to make sure I do some dynamic stretching before I run and static stretching afterwards.

Any other advice for the cranky i.t. band? Should I be totally pain free before I start running? I still have like 9 weeks until the half marathon so I think I have plenty of time, I hope.

Wordless Wednesday - Can you guess the problem?

Ice, Sleet, Snow

For those of you not in the Midwest, we got first a layer of ice. After that rolled through we got a couple inches of sleet. Yep, the place was covered with these little white pellets, imagine puffed rice. On top of that a few inches of snow. I am thankful that we didn't get the blizzard they were predicting. Everything was closed Monday and Tuesday. My gym closed early on Monday and is not reopening until afternoon today. The bright side is my hubby had Tuesday off and a late start today. My preschooler had a fever yesterday and spent the day on the couch, napping occasionally. Good timing on her part because school was cancelled and we couldn't go anywhere. She is all better today, minus a little cough.

So where does that leave my running, a big zero for Monday and Tuesday. I just got an email that we will have a run with the training group tonight but it will be an easy run, no 800s. I am debating whether I will do that or head to the probably very crowded gym for a treadmill and do the 800 workout on that. I'll see how I feel later. Lucky for me that after several building weeks, this is a planned drop back week.

Anyone else stuck inside for a few days? What have you been doing to get through?

We've been watching too much t.v., staying in our pjs, eating, drinking warm beverages. Did I mention eating?

Hoping my running tights fit tonight...

Sunday Rewind

I typed this yesterday and failed to publish it.  oops.  
My sister and I had a great run yesterday Sunday.  Of course I started out not so hot.  The baby was up several times during the night.  In the morning, I was slow moving.  I couldn't find my hat, dropped a contact which took forever to find.   It was just one of those mornings. I did take the time to pump this time though. I was half hoping my sister wouldn't show so I could just turn around and go back to bed.  But she showed and I am glad she did.  Once we got moving, I felt much better.   It got up to the mid 30s. I didn't even need a jacket.  We did the to the Arch and back route.  Which is actually 13 but we decided to do 12.  We were trucking along  feeling pretty good.   We stopped at 6 miles to take in a gu, some water, and turn around.  At approx 9-9.5 my sister started with a side stitch that nagged at her off and on until the finish.  But, we got it done.
Total 12 miles  2:04  
10:27 pace
My sister is going to change her fueling for our next long run.  I am thinking getting a smaller amount of carbs (~ 15 g) every 30-45 minutes rather than the 25-30 g of carbs every hour.  I have a feeling the large   ingestion of carbs led to the side stitch.  We have plenty of time to get the fuel piece together before our half marathon this spring.

Anyone else have issues with Gu?  Anyone have experience with some sort of block, chomp etc?