A Whole Week of Stuff!!!

Wow, it has been over a week since I have blogged it up!!!  Sooo, last weekend I did workouts as planned.  Saturday was 6 mile speedwork.  It was a ton of fun and I got in some pretty fast miles.  Then, on Sunday was a nice slow 3 mile run.  It was a good shakeout.  I then proceeded to not run until Thursday.  It was a low mileage week for me anyhow but I still have to give that an “oops”.  I did manage to get some workouts in though so I will tell you all about those:

Monday – Vinyasa Yoga, Tuesday – Nothing, Wednesday – Pilates, Thursday – Spinning, Friday – Pilates Yoga Fusion.  I also restarted my “100 pushups” workout, so I redid the initial test and day 2 of it was actually today.  Day one was on Thursday.

So, my runs were on Thursday and Friday.  Thursdays planned run was 5 miles and as my stomach got progressively more angry with me I ended up cutting short at 3.17 miles and then walking it up for .8 miles.  I was disappointed but I knew my stomach was acting up earlier and I probably should have taken something for it when I first noticed.  Oh well.  Friday I did about 3 miles and 1.5 of them was in 13:00flat.  That is an 8:40 mile/min pace for anyone paying attention.  I did the 1.5 mile military trial on the treadmill.  The other 1.5 miles was at about 11 min/mile pace so more in my usual slow run pace.  I always get excited about speeding it up a little bit and it gives me such a runners high afterwards.

Now today is a rest day from running only because tomorrow is a race day!!!  Woo-hoo!!  I am super excited and have some green stuff ready to go in the St. Patrick’s day spirit!!  I am really hoping to finish in under 50 minutes but we shall see how it goes.  It looks like it is going to be pretty chilly so maybe that will make me go faster, lol.  Even though today is a rest day from the run I did do day 2 of my pushups workout and then did a super ab workout that came in an app on my phone.  I plan on doing a recovery workout and stretch and roll stick later to get all the kinks out for tomorrow.

Well, no photos today but hopefully I will get some good ones from the racetime fun in tomorrow!

Happy weekend!!!

 

Friday Fun!!

Well, it is another beautiful day in the DC area!!! 

So, yesterday, I had an awesome spinning class!  Super fun!  And then I followed up with a nice 3 mile run.  All of it went great!!  And, I got to try out my sparkly new running skirt!  LOVE!!!

  

Okay, not a great photo but you get the idea.  Also, I am sooo excited about being signed up for two races that I am just giddy!!

  source

Next weekend!!!!  Woo-hoo!!  Ummm, I need to buy something green and awesome ASAP!!  This race looks fun and a pretty good distance for what I had planned on running that weekend anyhow.

  source 

And then this bad boy!!!

Oh yeah!  Now, this is supposed to be a warm up for my upcoming goal to kill that 2 hr 1/2 marathon mark.  Yup, I am going to go for a sub-2.  Let’s be honest though, unless I feel like hell that day I will still be trying to PR.  My last half in November was run in 2:23:59. 

McDonald’s sponsoring a Half Marathon seemed really weird to me.  So, that was a pretty good improvement on my previous time at the Disney Half Marathon (my first) of 2:37:21:

Disney is sooo much fun!!!

Oh, and I did very minimal training for Richmond.  i had just moved and while moving I completely slacked off.  And, after the Disney half I pretty much sat on the couch all winter.  So, although it seems like 2 hours is a big time jump, with the proper training, I believe I can get it done this June.  I haven’t picked out the half I am going to do yet but I am doing some looking around. 

So, I thought I would talk briefly about my goals after the sub 2 half.  My first goal after I get that sub-2 completed is to do a full marathon.  It’s pretty daunting to me but between awesome bloggers and my boyfriend (he has completed several marathons including 4 Boston (he is so speedy)) I really believe I can do it!  I want to do a sub-2 half first though.  I am hoping by building that good fast base I will be able to perform well in the full.  After the full, or maybe during the training for that I am thinking about exploring the tri.  I want to do a mini then maybe move on to bigger things.  I have been throwing around the idea of training for a big tri (Ironman before 35?) but it is still just a whisper of an idea. 

Source

Okay, so that is pretty ambitious and pretty far away but I think it is great to have dreams and goals!!

Well, it is time for me to get ready for some pilates-yoga fusion!! LOVE!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Race Plans and Long Runs

Well, I have not posted in a few days!!  It’s been pretty busy!  So, this past weekend I took a couple days off (Sunday and Monday) from running and gave my calf some time to rest.  It  definitely helped so hopefully I won’t have continued problems with it.  I did my 12 miler on Tuesday and was super psyched to get in that long mileage!  I’ve been to a couple great classes at the gym and am headed off to spin in a few minutes.

Most importantly today I finally signed up for some races!!!!!  Woo-hoo!!!!  I haven’t done a race since my half way back in November so I am super excited!!!  In case the exclamation points didn’t give it away.  First, I signed up for the St. Patrick’s Day  8K in DC.  Yup, it’s a weird distance.  But, I was scheduled to do a slow 4 mile run that day so instead I will do this 8K as quickly as possible.  Yay!!  Next, I signed up for the Park 2 Park Half Marathon in Waynesboro, VA.  When I did my race in Richmond they were giving out the most awesome t-shirts from their last half and I decided I absolutely had to run it.

So, I will have some photos from recently and other stuff after today’s workouts and whatnot’s but for now it is spin time!!!

PS I got a new running skirt and I am psyched to try it out today

Spinning and Running and Rolling

So, I was pretty pleased with my long run yesterday.  After Tuesday being a terrible day for me as far as soreness, grumpiness and being way overtired I needed a good day.  And after an awesome nights sleep I had one!!  The weather was perfect and I was out in shorts.

Then, today started out great.  I slept great, I felt great, and I woke up with lots of energy!  I headed into spin and had a great 45 min ride.  My second class in and I may just be hooked!!  After spin I went for a 3 mile run.  Considering I had spun this morning and long-run yesterday it went pretty well.  My pace was 10:09 min/mi.  Then, I came home and brought the dog for a 2.2 mile walk.  Oh, did I mention it was in the mid 60′s out and sunshiny and wonderful!!!!!!  Here is a lovely photo to show you that I was in fact in shorts in February:

Then, later, the boyfriend and I went out on a 3.2 mile walk.  Phew!  That’s alot of cardio and leg work for today!!

So, after spin class today I saw a sign up for a foam rolling demo.  I have really been wanting to try out the foam rolling and was super-psyched!!!  So, I signed up and went tonight.  OMG!!!!  I absolutely loved it.  I have got to invest in one of those foam rollers.  And I hear there is a super pretty green one at the Target!!  So, with my recent hip pain after long walks and my cramped up calf of the last 4 days that roll made me sooooo happy.  Don’t get me wrong, it hurt like hell at first, but after rolling for awhile I felt so much better.  I have been using “The Stick” that I stole from my boyfriend for the past few days and that has been helping too.  I am hoping if I keep up with all this stretching, sticking and rolling that I will start to feel better.

Tomorrows exciting agenda includes Pilates-Yoga fusion class, a 2 mile easy run, some dog-walking and some enjoying the almost 70 degree weather that is forcasted!!!

Woo-hoo!!!  I will leave you with this amazing sunrise I saw the other day:

Happy Thursday!!!

Long Run a day late!

Well, I got that long run in today!  Yay, 10.26 miles in 2:01:03.  I even have the splits:

1.0 – warm up 15:07min/ml

2.0-12:26min/ml

3.0-12:40min/ml

4.0-11:31min/ml

5.0-14:40 (gu + stretch)min/ml

6.0-11:45min/ml

7.0-11:54min/ml (gu)

8.0-11:33min/ml

9.0-11:02min/ml

10.0-9:33min/ml

.25-9:33min/ml

Negative split?  Why yes, I will take that negative split.  So, my phone was in use as my GPS and was dying around 9.6 miles and so I picked up the pace at the end in hopes it wouldn’t completely die.  The GPS died towards the end anyways but did manage to keep the time running.  Also, I WAS going to do my long run yesterday but a pesky cramp in my left calf prevented that.  It was a little better today but bothered me up until about mile 5.  After my midrun stretch it really eased up and didn’t bother me the rest of the way.  That may have something to do with the negative split. 

Have a great day!!

Holiday Monday!!

So, it’s Presidents’ day and it is rest day.  Well, as far as running goes anyhow!!  Here is my workout overview for the past few days:

Friday Feb 17 – 2.5 mi intervals + 30 min upper body + 3 mi dog walk

Sat. Feb 18 – 6 mi run + 3 mi dog walk

Sun Feb 19 – 2 mi easy run + 20 min upper body + 3 mi dog walk

Mon Feb 20 – Push-ups workout

I like that I’ve been getting in the dog walk every day since it’s nice to add a few miles onto my legs.  Well, I went onto Smart Coach on runners world and made up a training plan to head into my next half with.  I have heard plenty of terrible reviews on smart coach but I think it gives me a nice outline to work with.  Granted, I don’t agree with all of the paces it gives me and whatnot, I’ve made adjustments.  So, I printed out what Smart Coach gave me and then made adjustments to the plan so that it is more in tune with me .  Mainly, I just wanted an actual training plan to follow instead of winging it.

A big milestone for me this week was getting over the 20 mile mark for weekly mileage.  That along with my 10 miler planned for Tuesday have me pretty psyched!!  I am almost 100% certain as to what my next half will be and I will post it once I sign up for it.

Well, I am off to get some errands done and probably head out on a nice dog walk.  Enjoy the day!!!

Spinning Fun!

So, yesterday I tried out a 45 min spin class at the gym and loved it!  It was so much different than what I was used to.  I don’t spend much time on a bike but I keep throwing around the idea that I may want to do a triathalon one of these days so getting in some biking workouts sure can’t hurt.  I loved the low impact part of it as well.  I’m so used to the high impact of running that it was a strange feeling to be getting that cardio and leg workout without the  impact.  So, the spin class was definitely a win!

Then, immediately after spin was over I did the 5K loop run on the treadmill.  It went really well!  I was both warmed up and pumped up from the spin class and flew through my run.  Double win!!  I then did a .2 mile cool down and called it a day.  I am thinking that I could just do this workout plan every Thursday for awhile.  If I continue to do my long runs on Monday or Tuesday, then take Wednesday as my rest day, that Thursday would be a great way to jump back into it.

Today, the plan is to head over to the gym to get some upper body/core workout in and hopefully to get a run in a bit later today.  I want to hold off for when it gets to about 50 degrees out, as I can run in shorts then!!

Happy Friday!!

Valentines and a long run!!

Hello!  Well, I am doing my valentines day and today updates!

Workout:

2/14 – 8.01 mile run – 11:42 pace – 0.25 mile cool down

2/14 – 2.5 mile dog walk

2/15 – 1 hour gym workout – 10 min warmup – 40 min upper body/core – 10 min stretch

2/15 – 2.5 mile dog walk

So, basically the workouts have been going great!  I was thrilled to get in my long run on Tuesday and even threw in a nice super-pinktastic (technical term) outfit to support the holiday! 

In addition to an amazing pink outfit, I had a great package of sour patch kids to bring along as a snack during my run!!  This was courtesy of  http://www.hungrymeetshealthy.com/

and her valentines day swap!!  I received a wonderful package of delicious:

And lets just say that pretty much all of those packages have already been opened in the above photo!!  Sooo, these delicious goodies:

came along for the long run!!

Then, the boyfriend and I had a lovely valentines dinner at home and an all around enjoyable evening. Oh, and did I mention, I made delicious cupcakes.  I have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with cupcakes!  So, that is about all for valentines day.

Today, my workout went really well, and I even managed to get signed up for a spin class tomorrow morning at the gym.  I have never been to a spin class but I am pretty excited about it.   And, to make it even better, my favorite class instructor is running it!  Yay!!  So, the plan is spin, then do the 5K workout on the treadmill after a little break in between.  Hopefully that will work out okay, I am a bit nervous that I may have to save my run for later in the day as I am pretty sure spin will be quite challenging.  Other than that I have been thinking I want to get back to the pushup challenge that I started but never finished.  It is supposed to work you up to 100 pushups.  That, and the 200 situp challenge.  Neither one takes very much time out of the day so I think I can manage to fit those back into my schedule.

Enjoy the day!!!

Speed Intervals to save the day

So, I didn’t do ANY workouts this weekend.  I went for a long walk on Saturday and that was about it.  No long run that I had planned and no strength training.  Then, today, I felt crappy.  And I proceeded to pout and lay around until I finally decided that I absolutely had to get my butt to the gym and run.  Speed interverals.  Hello runners high!!  I read on another blog that sweating it out just works.  So, even though I didn’t get enough sleep and took crappy care of myself this weekend I went and did a 5k worth of speed intervals.  I did 8:20′s for the speedy parts and I felt challenged and good.  And, though I still feel crappy I am glad I went because at least for awhile I felt awesome.

I’ve noticed that I have been having trouble getting in my long runs on the weekends.  Or really any runs, it’s as if all my motivation goes right out the window.  So, to counter that I have decided to try to get my long runs in during the weekdays.  Tomorrow morning I will attempt the long run I have been putting off forever.  I keep psyching myself out about it and I have no idea why.  So, I am going to get everything ready tonight, eat a nice carbolicious healthy dinner and in the morning go for it.  I will of course be bundled up like crazy but I need to just do this!!!!  Wish me luck!!

S

Hello, well, I …

Hello, well, I got in that 3 miles at the gym on Friday.  And then threw in a 3 mile walk that evening!  I am pretty happy with that.  I was considering my long run today but I chickened out at the thought of the frosty weather.  I did do the 3 mile walk though and it was super snowy when I did!  Of course none of it is sticking but it was blizzard conditions for the walk.  At the time I was kinda wishing that I had decided to do my run as it was pretty magical out there in the snowiness.  Oh well, I will get in that long run tomorrow! 

The new route that I found running from my house into the park I like to go run at is wayyyy hillier that what I typically run on and I think that is a really good thing.  I know it will help me build up those hill muscles and hopefully in no time I will be able to run all the way up the ridiculously long steep hill at the beginning of the final mile. 

I am going to relax and watch some tv.  I know, exciting Saturday night right???  What can I say, I am not the most exciting gal in the world! 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!