Marathon Monday: 10/22

Monday again.  Yeeks.  I’m not excited about it!  But on to other things… like a Marathon Monday recap post!

Here’s how I have spent my last 7 days:

Monday: Ripped in 30 – Week 1
Tuesday: 2 mile run + Ripped in 30 – Week 1
Wednesday: 3 mile run
Thursday: Ripped in 30 – Week 1
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 8 mile run + upper body circuit
Sunday – 4 mile walk

Total weekly miles run = 13!
Times doing Ripped in 30 – 3!  (Would have been 4 if I wouldn’t have forgotten it when I went to my parents this past weekend…)

I finally feel like last week was more back on track with some sort of routine.  As much as I like having a varied workout routine, it’s hard to really focus on something and make improvements in certain areas when I’m doing a little of this or that.  So for the next few weeks, I’m going to mainly focus on running and working through Ripped in 30.

So, for the next week I am going to aim to run 15-16 miles and do Week 2 of Ripped in 30 3-4 times.  Hopefully all goes well!  I also hope to sneak in some yoga or extra stretching this week to help ease my legs back into running!

I’m really not looking forward to another crazy week at work but I do have something fun to look forward to this Saturday, the Monster Dash 5k with by blog buddy Allison!

Step One.

Start running.

Step two…

There is no step two!

I think this might be my favorite running quote from the running genius, Barney Stinson  Clearly I am really fond of his training techniques.  Ha!

All jokes aside, I set out on an 8 mile training run this morning.  This was my first real training run in… um…. awhile?!  Because I am so awesome, I forgot pretty much everything I need to do a regular run.  Well, everything I thought I needed anyways.  My Garmin, handheld water bottle and sunglasses.  I ended up being just fine without them though so I guess they were not as essential as I thought they would be!

Since I ran 8 miles in my parents area last year, I just set out on that route again with plans to turn around earlier if needed.  I’m not 100% sure it was 8 miles and I don’t really know how long it took me but I followed Barney’s words of awesomness and finished!  Step one, start running.

Wait for it…

I’ve gotten really dependent on the walking breaks on my long runs which has really helped me but today I wanted to just start running and run all the way.  I think I’ve taken the walking break thing a little too much to heart and as soon as running turns 2% challenging, I walk.  Well, today, I got out of my own head and just ran.  And you know what?  It was just fine.  Even with the hills, by just putting one foot in front of the other and not letting any of my thoughts get me down about not having everything I usually have, I still made it and actually really enjoyed it!  (I was a little overdressed but I guess it couldn’t be a perfect run, right?)

It’s amazing how much your head can mess with your running game.  I was in the depths of this for most of this year but now that I am working more at getting back to when running was just fun, it seems like it’s going much better.  Not having my long run essentials this morning could have really messed with my head and talked me into skipping this run, running less, having a bad run, etc.  (Luckily, that was not the case but I think I’ll still try to remember by stuff next time )

Now I am going to spend the rest of the day watching my newest addiction TV show, Friday Night Lights.  Clearly I am a little late to this party but I am LOVING it so far.  Kyle Chandler from Early Edition + Connie Britton from another new favorite of mine, Nashville + written and produced by Jason Katims = Awesome!

Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose. – Eric Taylor

Begin Again.

103 days.

16 weeks.

4 months. (+/-)

Until…

I haveget to run another marathon

I’ve written here before about this race and I really am excited for everything about getting to be in Orlando, going to DisneyWorld, etc.  But I am extremely nervous about training for and running another marathon!  My last marathon took everything I had running-wise and I’ve been really struggling with getting my running mo-jo back ever since.  But something happened last weekend at my half marathon, I realized I am totally capable of running this 2nd marathon if I just decide I am going to do it.  I didn’t stress out and train for this half marathon but I was still able to just show up on race day and have fun.  I don’t kid myself that the same thing would happen with a full marathon but I did realize I won’t have to give my whole life over to marathon training to make a finish happen.  And finish time does not matter – at.all!

So I logged into my favorite training program creator, Smart Coach, and put in all my specifics and it put out a plan that only requires me to run twice a week.  I’m not sure if that’s the best idea ever but it seems so much more doable for me at this point in time!  I’m also not going to stress about getting all my long runs done either, probably more like 80% of them or so.  I don’t want to hate running by January 13, 2013 like I did by the time I toed the start line on June 24, 2012!  I’ll likely add a few shorter runs during the week in lieu of those long runs.

I’m going to restart my Marathon Monday posts so we’ll call this week one!  Next week I will recap all my workouts from the past week, a little running, a little biking, a little whatever!  Somehow I’ll make it work and be a marathoner x2!  And Sister will be a Marathoner x1!!!!  It’s going to be a busy couple of months but now it’s game on!

Four Day Week Friday.

Yikes.  Where has the last week gone.  I can’t completely blame my lack of blog posts on my level of busy-ness but rather because I am pretty lazy + sort of busy!  So to recap the past happenings of this week, here is another edition of random information Friday!

1) On Saturday I did my last long training bike ride before my upcoming 36 miler!  (it’s tomorrow, btw!)  I made it 26-27 miles in a little less than 2 hours and realized the kind of speed necessary to run a marathon in that time… crazy, really.  I can’t even bike that fast, let alone run!  I felt OK for most of the ride and I am pretty sure the ride tomorrow will be fine but towards the end, I started getting a little flare up of back pain.  I think I should be able to help that by taking a couple of breaks along the way and resetting my posture.  I’m hoping that’s all it takes anyways!  Looks like the weather is going to be very fallish which I am not ready for yet on my bike anyways?!  I have summer-y bike things but what about for cooler weather?!?

Pretty view on my 26 miler

2) My “long run” of the week was supposed to happen Sunday with sister.  Now, I am not sure if the utter failure of a run had more to do with the ride on Saturday, not eating enough carbs Sunday or some other outside factor but this run sucked.  Like mega-sucked.  Like I don’t really ever want to run again sucked.  I think I made it 7.5 miles and hated it the whole entire time.  I am clearly in a running funk and nothing seems to be able to help me break out of it!  Yuck.

3) In lieu of said horrible run, I am once again taking an extended break from rigorous exercise.  I just feel so burnt out most of the time lately and I am not sure if it’s just being lazy and out of shape or actually being “overtrained”, etc.  I am only taking walks this week, nothing else.  I’m hoping a little more rest will set me right again in the running department.  If not, I will either just cheer Sister on in the 1/2 marathon in two weeks or attempt to walk/run it also.  I’m planning to play it by ear until the very last minute.  Whatever is going on is so not like me that I can’t really force myself to run because I just loathe it if I do.  But this loathing feeling is now spreading to exercise in general which is REALLY not like me…  Maybe being in a race environment will re-kindle my love for running?  Either that or it’s going to be a long 4 months “training” for the Disney Marathon…

4) Last night was the first time I got to meet my Girls on the Run group!  We start next week with official lessons but this week was a meet and greet and it was so cool to have this opportunity to introduce ourselves as coaches before the actual training starts.  Hopefully all the girls enjoy the program, it seems like a very promising group of girls and the coaches also seem like people I will be able to get along with… although that could always change at a moment’s notice  But in all seriousness, I am very excited for the opportunity to make a positive impact in these girls’ lives and I am hoping I can live up to my intentions.

5) I’m headed out of town next week and I am going to miss this little butt so much!  It would be so much easier to leave him if he didn’t give this incredible guilt trip every time the suitcases come out… Poor bud!  I will miss you!

Irrational love of blankets and the color pink…

6) When did it get to be 1 week into September?  Just when I think the summer went fast, the fall proves it will fly by even faster!!

7) As proof that I am incredibly lazy + this year is going fast, my winter boots are still sitting in my office.  I really did plan to bring them home in like April.  Whoops.

Also envelopes I intended to return about 6+ months ago. #procrastinator

8) I am so, so, so sick of this election bull already… blech.  Still like 2 more months?!?  I am so anti-politics it’s got to be unpatriotic.  But when you are picking between a rock and a hard place… And seriously Mr. Ryan?  How in the heck can you not remember your marathon time by over 1 hour.  Why lie about something SO DUMB!?  Or why even talk about it at all…  But I bet with enough training he could probably pull off a 2:00 marathon, nbd.

9) This is the first year since I graduated college that I had zero sadness about not going back to school now that it’s fall!  And when did all the freshman start looking like small children?  I swear I am not THAT old.  Maybe a little but I still get confused with being a high schooler so apparently it’s just really hard to judge a person’s age?

10) That’s all I’ve got this week!  Hope everyone had a speedy 4-day week if you had Labor Day off and are now ready for another September weekend!  Happy Friday!

Workout Recap.

I had every intention of doing a weekly workout log entry blog post but somehow it’s been two weeks and I have not yet caught myself up to date.  Luckily I have at least been sort of jotting it down on some paper somewhere!  I think it will be important for me to at least track what I do manage to get in running-wise especially since I am not following any training plan to at least be able to track week-to-week.  Plus, then when everything totally bombs for me, I will be able to look back and remind myself why

So to catch myself up to date, here are my entries from the past 2+ weeks:

8/13: Physique 57 + upper body weight DVD
8/14: 2 mi run + 15 min total body weights
8/15: 2 mi run + Physique 57
8/16: 2 mi run + Ripped in 30
8/17: Rest
8/18: 4.5 miles + quick upper body circuit (pushups, bicep curls, tricep dips 12reps X 3 circuits)
8/19: 12 mile bike ride + 300-400m swim + Yoga DVD
8/20: 3 mi run + 15 min upper body DVD
8/21: 2 mi run? + Ripped in 30 ( I either walked or ran this morning… for the life of me can’t recall for sure which!)
8/22: 3 mi run
8/23: Walks + Yoga
8/24: 2 mi run
8/25: 10 mi bike ride + 40 min weights
8/26: 30 day shred + 30 min Thigh and Seat Physique 57

Overall, I have not been hitting anything super hard lately.  I’ve been trying to get back to feeling normal and exercising less has been feeling better for me and my leg issue so I’ve been sticking with that for the time being.  Also, I’ve had too many after work events lately, it’s been messing with my routine

One quick note on swimming, man, it made my shoulders/body so tired and sore for DAYS!  Crazy how something new on the exercise front really manages to send your muscles for a loop!  I’m hoping to get a swim in 1x ever 2 weeks or so once I decide which gym to join!

Hopefully these next few weeks I can up the ante on running and biking.  I have my 36 mile bike ride in 2 weeks and then a half marathon walk/run in 4!  Time is sure flying and I would like to at least attempt to finish these things, even if I come in last place

The no plan, plan.

This is the post were I warn you that the next few months could be a total train wreck for me in the area of running.  I am still in a total funk and have less than zero interest in putting forth any effort to train for my two upcoming half marathons (Sept & Oct) and upcoming marathon (Jan)…

The January marathon is priority #1.  I’m hopeful that if I don’t force myself to run and train for these half marathons that I will be more inclined to want to train for the full marathon come October.  Hopeful being the operative word.  There is really no option of not doing the January Marathon as it is in Disney and I am already registered, hotel booked, plane tickets purchased and really do want to complete the actual marathon.  It’s the training leading up to the marathon that I am total uninspired to complete.

Such pretty bling that I will never ever take off as long as I am in FL.

I know this is 100% my fault for being so determined to complete my marathon this Spring/Summer despite the cancellation of the first one mid-way that I signed up for another one a month or so later, therefore prolonging the number of Saturday mornings I spent beating myself up running for 3+ hours.  I am happy I just got it done with and now can call myself a marathoner but in so many ways, crossing that finish line has totally zapped any and all motivation for running another one.  Running an actual marathon is “easy” compared to training for one.  That’s where the real work happens.

Training for a marathon makes me gain weight, feel all gross and hungover after runs, incredibly tired and hungryrungry all.the.time, nervous, anxious, overly competitive about paces, sore, over-trained, etc., etc.  These are probably the parts of training that get glossed over but right now, that’s all I can think about and have zero ambition to re-subject myself to so soon after recovering from the last.  I really need that post-marathon amnesia to kick in!

Ideally, if I just could figure out how to literally not care/worry about anything during training, I would probably do fine.  But I am incredibly type-A and as soon as I decide I am “in training”, all hell breaks loose.  I start to obsess about the weather, I start to over-think anything and everything I eat, I start to feel even more phantom pains than usual, the thought of missing or skipping a run is absolutely not an option regardless of how I feel…the list goes on and on.  (I’m a real loser, clearly )

So, my “plan” for the next 140ish days (crap, that’s close!) is to… not have one.  No training plan, no goal paces, no goal finish time, nothing.  I just want to be able to run by feel so to speak and run for fun.  If that means running a slow 2-4 miles three days in a row, taking 4 days off and then doing a slow run/walk as my long run of the week, so be it.  If that means I want to do a speed work run, great.  If I just want to ride my bike, swim and lift weights one week, all the better!  The only thing that I know is I will stay active.  This at least is something I don’t have to worry about (unless I get hurt) as exercise has never been something I force myself to do, I really do look forward to working out!  Lately though, running is moving into the force category and that’s what I want to fix.

The one thing that might motivate me to actual do something in preparation for this marathon is Sister.  She is signed up to run her FIRST full marathon in Disney!  So maybe I can talk her into letting me tag along on her runs and hopefully not die doing them!  I’ve already warned her I am joining her on her first 20 miler Thanksgiving weekend!!!

I really, really do want to run the Disney marathon!  I’ve always wanted to do this as long as I can remember being aware of what a marathon is!  But I think therein lies another problem.  I am terrified of trying and training as hard as I did last time to only have things falls apart come race day.  I think I’ve lost my marathon trust

I am fully aware this will likely be the worst plan, ever!  I’ll probably hurt myself by being under-trained, bonk at mile 12 or something equally ridiculous but right now, it’s the only thing I can think about without wanting to run screaming from!  The idea of creating a training plan and following one makes me literally sick to my stomach.  Luckily, the time cut-off on this marathon does make it walk-able so at least there is always that option!  Barring injury, I do know I will finish!  I also know I will get in some long runs.  Probably not every weekend but I am hoping for at least every third weekend or so.  Hopefully by spacing things out a bit, I can try to avoid killing my body again…

So anyways, I apologize for the rambles today but I have been wanting to post on this topic for a few weeks but kept holding off in hopes that I miraculously felt inspired to run, run, run!  But so far, no such luck so maybe by typing this I will help start to break the funk!

Marathon training train wreck will commence in five…four…three…two…one!

How closely do you follow your training plans?  Obsessively like me or more loosely?

A New Kind of Race.

Yesterday, I signed up for a race.  Not another running race luckily… although I always have to talk myself off of that ledge.  Also, not a triathlon even though I really want to give one of those a try too!  This time though, I signed up for a bike ride!  I guess you probably don’t really call it a race when I am involved but regardless, I am pretty excited!

I signed up for the Krankin’ for Kids ride which is held only a short drive away from my house and I picked to attempt the 36 mile route (a mid-metric century if you will!).  This should be a good distance for me with about a month more of riding.  I’m hoping this weekend I can fit in a 22ish mile ride and try to also get in at least one 25-28 miles ride before the race.  I think that should give me enough butt endurance to sit on a bike that long!

One thing that I am excited about for bike races is the whole rest stop phenomena!  In running, you only stop in the worst case scenario but in biking, it’s really no big deal to stop and stretch, drink some water, eat a little something and go back on your way!  This should be good for me to practice taking things easy and not making every single thing I do a stressful event.  Also should help with the stress of training for it as I always have the option to take a break!

I only have two main goals for this race:

1) Don’t embarrass myself; and
2) Get used to riding near other bikers.

Going to try not to crash!!!

I should be able to get a little experience with both of these without much training.  I will be practicing the whole clipping/unclipping at stops thing though… or #1 might be more of a concern that I can’t avoid.  I also should probably try to determine what I should wear that won’t make me look like a clown on a tricycle.  I seem to be very good at combining workout clothes combos to really set a new element of style for the fitness world  I should probably also practice riding up hills… so many little things to work on now!

I am mentally prepared for my upcoming half/full marathon(s) to not quite go as I would secretly like so maybe this biking thing will be a good diversion?  Since not all my eggs will be in one basket with determining what makes me feel like I am being active/setting new distance records for myself.

The race is in one month so I guess I should go hit the trails for a ride!

What kind of race/what particular race would you like to sign up for if there was nothing limiting your ability to do so?  (either physical, time for training or financial).  I would have to say a Half Ironman, as crazy as that sounds… I did say there would be nothing limiting me!

#FitStreak : Week 3 Recap.

FitStreak is still going strong in this house!  I’m on day 22 of the streak and still loving it.  My last week of workouts looks like this:

Monday: 30 minute walk
Tuesday: 2 mile run + Upper body weights
Wednesday: Walk(s)
Thursday: Physique 57 + 2 mile run
Friday: Long Bike ride + Physique 57
Saturday: 5k run + 30 day shred, Level 2
Sunday: 17 mile bike ride + 15 minutes upper body weight DVD

Also, every day of August has been complete with walking at least 10,000 random steps and doing a #plankaday.  I made it to a 2:00 plank the other day but it was so hard… I need to keep working at this until that’s not such a struggle to hold.  Who knew 2:00 could feel like forever!

I’ll likely try to keep runs short and slow again this week to max my healing potential before marathon training starts again!  I do have a 5k next weekend and only time will tell if I actually “race” this (comical for me to use that term, really…) or just walk/run it.  Either way, it should be runfun and is for a good cause.  I was hoping I could bring The Dog but was told no… Something about no animals allowed on school property

Only one more week of the official streak but I have grand plans to keep this going a little longer at least.  Even when I need a rest day, it’s still not hard to get in a slow walk for 20 minutes or a little yoga/stretching that counts towards the streak.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.  I really hate Monday’s but at least it’s only 5 more days until the next weekend…

What’s one workout you did last week that really challenged you?

Seventeen Days

It’s been 18 days since my first marathon.

It’s been 17 days since I ran a single mile…

I’m not really sure what is going on but I’ve been a mess of ache or pain after ache or pain every since June 25th.

It started with regular run of the mill post-marathon soreness.

Then it was my IT Band.

Then, my shins started feeling weird.

And now my back… I am 95% sure my back is acting up again after a return to Body Pump last week.  Apparently that was also my grand finale for that class and more proof that I need to just drop my current gym and find a new one or go without for awhile.  I’d been back pain free for about 5 weeks… coincidentally the same span of time I had been boycotting the gym  Hmmmm….. But I am also worried it could be a pinched nerve in my back or something else that won’t go away.

I really don’t know what is going on.  I have guesses about how I got myself into this mess (speedwork, lack of stretching and yoga and too high of intensity cross training) but no clue how to get myself out.  17 days of rest that has been limited to just walking and no significant improvements.  Thankfully?! the pain is traveling though so it seems its not an actual injury of something but maybe it’s some sort of misalignment or something.  I really don’t know.  I’m hoping in another week or so, I am singing a different tune and happily running 2 miles in 30 minutes! (Yes, even that would make me very happy at this point…)

I really don’t know what’s in store for me with running.  I luckily have some time before I would need to start training for Disney and at least I have the fall back of walking that one because of an extended time for course cut-off there but I really don’t WANT to have to do that.  So I guess for the time being, it’s going to be a lot of stretching, icing and resting.  Three things that I am NOT very good at… Practice makes perfect, right?!

But regardless, I am starting to get a little frustrated with my body that is feeling more like the body of 76 year old than a 26 year old…

Fitness Goals.

On Monday I posted about my status on my yearly goals and that got me thinking that I need to think about my fitness goals now that my main goal from the first half of this year is over!

There is no denying marathon training gets you in relatively good cardio shape but to be honest, the rest of my fitness is completely gone right now.  I used to feel a lot little bit more toned/fit better in my clothes than I do now and I also used to not have so many aches and pains in my legs so I know the two main points of my current fitness goals are going to be:

1. easy on the legs
2. get toned

I also have a half marathon in September that I am planning to do a little bit of training for so I need to fit this in somehow.  I was initially thinking of targeting sub-2 at the September half but I think my body needs a little more recovery time right now so it’s probably going to turn into another half for “fun”  There is always next year and the year after than to target sub-2!

Adding all those things together and I am thinking I will take another 2-3 weeks completely off running and with minimal impact for the cardio I do attempt and then slowly start adding in a few shorter runs a week for another 1-2 weeks and then add in an abbreviated version of some sort of half marathon training plan in the weeks leading up to the Fox Cities race in September.  Hopefully I can at least cross the finish line in September  Even if I have to power walk the whole thing!

For cross training, I am planning to rediscover my kickboxing DVDs and also do a small amount of Insanity.  Insanity is an awesome workout but I am pretty sure it is far from low-impact so that is the reason I am planning to just do a little.  One a week, max.

Weight training will also be a much larger focus of the weeks to come.  I need to lift some serious weights… I can feel how much weaker I have gotten in the last 2 months or so I cut down on this.  I am not sure if I will keep up with the gym and Body Pump classes but I will be sure to lift 3+ days per week, focus at least 2 days a week on some serious core strengthening and try to really focus on my upper body strength as well.

I am planning my weekly routine to look like this for the next few weeks:

Sunday: Insanity or Tae Bo DVD + core
Monday: Walk + Tae Bo
Tuesday:  Body Pump or Weights
Wednesday: Insanity or Tae Bo
Thursday: Body Pump or Weights + core
Friday: Rest/Short Walk
Saturday: Long Walk + weights

I’m sure each week I will make certain little changes to this but I work best if I have some sort of plan to focus on.  Hopefully if I can follow this plan and actually make some fitness progress, I will be in a better, stronger state to run my September and October half marathons.  Then marathon training starts again…. eek!  Hence the extreme importance on recovering fully right now!!  I have an angryish IT Band and a whole left leg that is not too happy with me…

PS, a monthly goal I have is to get in 10,000 steps a day… Sister and I have a bit of a competition going on this one  We both started off the month by hitting that number and then some on days 1&2 of July!  Whoop!

What do you do to recover but also not completely stop exercising?  I know swimming is a good option but I am such a horrible swimmer it’s kind of embarrassing…