Pre-Race Nerves.

Gee, I wonder why I am nervous for my half marathon on Saturday? Could it have anything to do with the fact I have not really run in the past two months? Probably not, right?? Oh well, I am starting to have a reputation for doing races I don’t train for and I feel like my luck has got to be waning but… I guess we shall see on Saturday! I have done a number of very long walks so I am relatively confident I can walk the course if needed.

I also need to remember packet pick-up on Thursday!! (or Friday as a back up if I forget) and also try to remember what else I might need to run 13.1 miles…

I did run a whopping four miles on Saturday that went surprisingly well so hopefully I only have to walk nine miles of Summerfest  I have a good crew to cheer me so that will help as well!

Five wake-ups until I will be running over the Hoan Bridge again… *shudder*

I hope it’s not this hot again…

18 Weeks.

So my first half marathon of this year is in 18 weeks. That gives me hope for warm weather! But it also got me thinking about half marathon training. I’m pretty sure I’ve never really done it… oops!

My first attempt at Summerfest and also probably the last time I semi-trained for a half marathon. – June 2011

So maybe I should actually try to be a good runner and train for races, no? Well, at least this one. I am revisiting a training plan that I loosely followed two summers ago when I ran this race but with less focus on speed-work this time around. I’m also going to follow the 6 week lead-in option since I haven’t done much running since the marathon in JuneJanuary. So the 12 week program + a 6 week lead-in = 18 weeks of training which = THIS WEEK!

The first 6 weeks are pretty low mileage and even the peak week is not that crazy high so (knock on wood) hopefully, I can avoid injury and ease my body back into training and running consistently again. I’ve been such a bad runner this past year it’s really sad…

My week has not really started out on track already… Monday was supposed to be 2 miles but… it was black-ice galore and 40mph winds. Let the excuses begin!

Here’s to making 2013 different than 2012, or at the very least trying

Disney Race Freak.

I think it’s time I finally just accept the fact that I am a Disney race junkie and get over it.

Never running again…never running a marathon again…never running a marathon within 10 years… 5 years… 2 years?!

I love to hate them or hate to love them or something.  I complain about the crowds but within a day after leaving, I just want to be back… And I am apparently not the only one!

Moving to Florida.

I touched on the fact that Sister and I signed up for the Dumbo Double Dare to be held in Cali this Labor Day Weekend while we were at the Expo in Florida but didn’t delve too deep.  Well, they were letting people sign up early for this race (registration just opened yesterday for everyone) so we decided to go for it knowing it would fill up fast once the time came for public registration to start.  Well, yesterday the challenge sold out in less than 60 MINUTES!!!  I want to know how many slots they have (5,000 sis said?) but regardless, this was obviously a hot race to sign up for!

It sounds so cool though… inaugural 10k race on Saturday followed by the Disneyland Half Marathon on Sunday!  19.3 miles within 2 day!!  I think once I start training for this one, I will try to find a plan that includes slow/easy runs the day before a long run and attempt that.  I know those kinds of plans are out there!  Plus I can just walk both of them if need be…

As icing on the cake, Sister and I will also receive our Coast to Coast challenge medals that weekend for doing a FL race + CA race within the 2013 calendar year.  FOUR MEDALS IN ONE WEEKEND!  Love me some race shine!

Now I just need to spend the next few months working on decreasing my expectations for people in public spaces + crowds.  For some crazy reason, I expect critical thinking to occur and it never happens… Guess I will just start trampling people/being loud and annoying/budding in line/doing all the things like everyone else!

2012 1/2

(Now I need to forget about this race for awhile because it is far away and will be the next time I can take a vacation day at work.)

Have you ever run back to back longish runs? – for some reason the Goofy Challenge idea scares me way more than this one.  I mean it’s just a 10k the day before, right??  HA!

Happy 13th Anniversary in 2013!

I’ll be back later this week with my resolutions/ambitions for 2013 but New Years Day is more important for me for another reason… it’s the anniversary of the day we picked up a little puppy dog at a shelter and brought him home for a “trial run” of apparently 13 years!  He was not too amused by the late bedtime last night and was not afraid to share his displeasure.  However, he was really into our theme for the night, which was BACON!

Almost half my life has been spent with this little guy!  Happy Anniversary, Bud!

 

Ringing in 2013 with a very happy dog…

Happy?! New Year!?

Happy New Year, Everyone!  Hoping it’s a lucky ’13 for everyone

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

 

May all your running dreams come true

Marathon Monday: 12/24

Merry Christmas Eve!  +1 for my job, we are closed today and tomorrow!  And I am loving this extra long weekend even though it’s already too close to over…

Here is how I spent the week leading up to Christmas with my training:

Monday: Weight Circuit in my basement
Tuesday: 4 mile run
Wednesday: Personal training session @ the gym
Thursday: Lazy
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: 20 mile run
Sunday: Yin Yoga led by the sister to stretch out.

Total Miles = 24
Gym Trips = 1
Yoga Sessions = 1

Mileage-wise it was a good week… gym and yoga and weight wise… not so much.  Knowing the 20 miler was coming up made me feel really uninterested in doing anything so I didn’t.  Oh well  Maybe next week – hahaha!

Goals for this coming week include lifting weights 3 times (at least), running 20+ miles and 2 times of yoga/pilates.  I will accomplish these goals this week!  I need to end this year on a good note (Hopefully)

Are you ending the year with any fun goal?  I’m hoping to run 12 miles to end 2012 to match my running 11 miles to end 2011 last year!  This tradition will be limited from here on out…

Good Bye, November.

My favorite month of the whole entire year.  Over, just like that.  Last year I blamed Hawaii on taking my favorite month from me but I’m not sure who’s to blame this year.  I love everything about November (except for any premature snow) and it’s always hard for me to face the impending doom of winter driving in a commute that involves driving into Milwaukee traffic.  But since I still have one last day, that happens to be a Friday, I will try to embrace it with a random Friday post!

1) Decaf Lattes from Starbucks have too much caffeine for me.  WTF.  I am all hyped up all afternoon after I get one.  I love lattes and I can’t stand the idea of never being able to enjoy one again

2) I forgot to mention in my Marathon Monday post that Sister and I went to see the new Twilight Movie and it was AWESOME!  Kristin Stewart even had one scene were I believed she was an actress with emotions!  It was quite shocking really!  Now this series is added to the Harry Potter Vault of re-watching/re-reading when I am feeling nostalgic.  I will always remember I read the very first chapter of the very first Harry Potter book the night I brought my puppy home!

3) It’s felt really weird having my Christmas tree up for almost a week already when it’s just now turning into December… I love the lights on the tree though and always miss them when I take them down in January

4) Someone got new jammies for Christmas.  And so did I!  (Thanks sisser!)

5) I’m braving the shopping world tomorrow to try to get my Christmas shopping done.  If I don’t find it tomorrow, I’ll order it online.

6) I was browsing Etsy yesterday and kept thinking of my blogging friend, Allison and her love of owls!  They are everywhere on the site and actually kind of cute ones!  (Coming from the girl who has been terrified of owls since I was 5 years old and my grandma had a mirror/picture of an owl that terrified me!)  If you are looking for a good random Christmas gift idea, check etsy!  So much cute stuff!  And it gave me really cute ideas for the kids I babysit!

7) I’m going to tackle an 11 mile run tomorrow.  I don’t know if I am looking forward to that or scared of that.

8) I received a $50,000 check in the mail yesterday, at work.  Unfortunately it was inadvertently addressed to me.  Darn it.

9) I finally have a new driver’s license where I don’t look like a 14 year old!  I almost got stuck with a picture where I had my eyes shut and my tongue out but “because I asked” they took another picture.  Seriously.

10) I am completely obsessed with Downton Abbey!  I tried to watch the first episode a year or so ago when I hurt by back and thought I hated it.  I started re-watching it over Thanksgiving and now can’t get enough!  New episodes start Jan 6!!  (Although I already read spoilers, oops!)

10) I think that’s all I have this week.  It was a rather boring but fast one so I’m not going to complain about that!  Happy Friday

Marathon Comparison.

I’ve had a little over a week to think over the differences I noticed from running my first marathon compared to my second.  I don’t think I have a favorite of the two but there were still some notable differences and here are some of my top reflections!

1) Marathon #2 Medal > Marathon #1 Medal.  Sorry but there is no denying…

2) Marathon #1 had about 200 +/- runners while Marathon #2 had about 2,100.  Neither one of these races was very large compared to other large races but a 10x increase from marathon #1 to marathon #2 was pretty notable.  During my first marathon, I ended up running along the route on my own quite often.  During #2, I was never really far from anyone even though I was towards the back of the crowd during both races.

3) My parents, sister and puppy dog all spectated during marathon #1 but for #2, I was totally on my own!  I drove myself to and from the race finish and it made it kind of boring in ways… yet at least while I was running, it was easier to zone out and not have to worry about spotting my family.  But I would rather have someone out there cheering for me

Taking pictures of yourself is awkward…

4) After marathon #1, my legs hurt but I still tried to keep active with walking and other forms of working out and that just prolonged my recovery for like 4+ weeks… After the most recent marathon, I hurt so bad, working out was really not even an option so I was forced to take full rest days.  And one week out, I feel almost 100%.  My only complaint is a small amount of nagging hip pain.

5) The weather!  Marathon #1 was pretty warm and I ended up pretty sun burned.  Marathon #2 I almost ended up wind burned because it was pretty COLD!!  The temps in the morning were in the 30′s this time compared to the high 60″s last time!  I would rather run in the cold though so I kind of liked the change!

6) The mental struggle was much less during marathon #2 than it was during marathon #1.  It didn’t help that marathon #1 came right on the heels of a total marathon disappointment…  Even though I was totally untrained for this second marathon, I just knew that I was going to finish.  I knew it would end eventually so even when I was tired, I just needed to keep moving.

7) My second marathon was paced so much better than #!!!  Half #1 of marathon #1 was done in 2:08 but I finished in 4:38 (+ 22 mins).  Half #1 of marathon #2 was done in 2:23, finish in 4:51 (+ 5 mins).  It is really amazing how much easier that second half is when you start off the first half much slower than you think you should be going.

8) Marathon #1 left me wondering if I ever really wanted to train for and run another full marathon again.  Marathon #2 has left me wondering how soon I should sign up to tackle another

What a difference a few months can make.  And only a few more months until I can add marathon #3 to the record book!!

Marathon Monday: 10/15

Marathon Monday again!  This past week was pretty low key on the workout front because my legs were still requesting lots of recovery time after last weekend’s marathon.  I did lots of stretching, foam rollering, and resting.  It was kind of nice but now I am ready to get back to working out!

Monday: Foam Roll, Ice, Stretch, Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Yoga Body Boot Camp – minus 50% of the actual moves
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 2 mile run
Saturday: Weightlifting with Bowflex
Sunday: 30 day Shred + 2 mile walking DVD

I had wanted to get a longer run in this past weekend but it never stopped raining all weekend!  It was pretty ridiculous actually and I was seriously worried we were going to float away

To get myself back into a weightlifting routine, I’m thinking of working my way through the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD this coming month.  I probably won’t attempt to do the workouts 6x a week but I am planning to fit them in 4x a week.  Between that and running, it should keep me active this week

Only 89 days until Disney!!

Any good workouts happen over the weekend?

Quite the Week.

I don’t know why but this week has been exhausting.  Or at least this last half of the week.  I’m going to go ahead and blame the weather because after 3ish months of sun, it has been gloomy and stormy for the last few and it must be hard to adjust to that, right?  Probably just an excuse but I’m gonna go with it!  Since it is finally Friday, that means it’s time for me to expel all my random thoughts and happenings from the week!

1) So my bike ride on Monday was all happy and fantastic.  Well, let’s just say that feeling was a little short lived… When I tried to go for a ride on Wednesday, I first spent about 30 minutes trying to inflate my bike tires and only succeeded at DEflating them.  Then once I finally got going and across the scary busy street that I always panic when trying to start when crossing, I was stung by a bee!  And then proceeded to fall off my bike in my frantic hurry to remove the bee from my arm.  I bet I made quite the site!  Luckily I am not allergic to bee stings since I don’t remember ever being stung before!  But man, those suckers know how to leave a mark!

2) The Bike is also now 2:0 in causing me to fall off my bike… Last night I was practicing clipping my pedals in and out and well, I tipped over and skinned up my knee and bruised my hip.  Nice.

These are now all scuffed up They look innocent but they really know how to make me nervous…

3) I was also all excited to get cable on Wednesday only to call to confirm my appointment and find… I didn’t have one.  No work order set up.  Excellent.  So now it’s another week before that can happen and I wasted time off of work.  Also, it’s now going to be $20/month because apparently the person helping me before was totally not in the game.  I really am convinced Time Warner is out to make people’s lives more miserable.  For whatever reason though, I just can’t find an acceptable alternative so I have to put up with them

3) This weekend, my mom, sister and I are going to Billy Elliot!  I watched this movie on Netflix awhile back and it’s a really neat story.  Sister also saw this play when she was in London and loved it!  I am excited!

4) The Olympics start next week!  I am very much looking forward to this and at least cable “Should” be hooked up by then so I can record my favorites!  Winter Olympics are my ultimate favorite but Summer Olympics are for sure growing on me.  I am excited to watch swimming, track & field, running, cycling, diving, gymnastics, etc, etc.  There are are a few events I really get bored to death by but for the most part, I’m fascinated that people can be so good at such weird random sports that are not really considered “professional” and therefore make them a ton of money.  It’s clearly their love of the sport that keep them going!

But WHAT are these things?!?

5) And since I seem to be very London-focused this week, I am currently obsessed with Lyle’s Golden Syrup.  Have you had this?  I first had it when I visited sister in London and had not purchased it since.  Well, a week or so ago I impulse bought it and remembered why I love it to!  It’s like caramel sauce with one ingredient – sugar!  Not exactly a healthy food but man, it makes everything taste just a little bit better!  Try it on waffles, cereal, ice cream… you know, pretty much anything!

6) There is a special at Sweet Tomato’s this weekend.  WHY is this place so far away!!  I need to move…

7) And since apparently I am now thinking about food… Pesto + fresh mozzarella makes the best anything.  Pizza, sandwich, burger.  You name it, those two things together makes it amazingly delicious!

8) I finally broke down and purchased a car wash on Wednesday.  It them proceeded to storm when I was at acupuncture and negate any good I did there – oops!  Maybe the drought around here would have ended sooner had I went to the car wash sooner…

9) Sister sent me a link to this article about curing back pain.  I at first thought it was kind of wacked but then read through some of the 400+ 5-star ratings on Amazon.  Is a $6 book really worth a glowing review unless it actually works?  I think I need to order this book… Maybe it will work on my leg pain as well?  99% of the time I am convinced I am making shit up about my aches and pains but the pain is real so this concept actually kind of explains why that would happen.  Time to cry uncle on this bs my “subconscious” is telling me and see if it does anything. Ha!  Losing $6 is not really the end of the world if it does nothing…

10) One more thing for today!  I happened to look up some search terms that brought people to this blog recently.  Here are my favorites.  Hope they can give you a little chuckle!

“justin bieber i had a good day but I think we need to move on now” – yes, I am pretty sure he’s not worth losing sleep over!

“cold coffee we heart it” – yes, me too!

“body pump blah” – yeah, I fell ya there!

“at 20 miles I wished I was dead” – oh I am sorry!  I didn’t though

“remote control cars” – huh?

“how to make something with just cocoa pebbles and peanut butter” – who needs to make something?  Just pour the pebbles in the jar and grab a spoon! – and 5 people have found this site by googling “cocoa pebbles”  Wow, sad image that paints!  But now I want some!

That was one of my more random Friday’s but that kind of fits this week… One weird thing after the next!

Your turn!  What Olympic sport are you most excited for?  Any fun plans for this weekend?