Thursday, May 31, 2012

random thoughts

  • for some reason lately I've been thinking of why my marriage ended. I know the reasons, but I wonder why it didn't end earlier. I guess I kind of held out hope that things would change. that he would change. I wonder how different my life would be if it had ended earlier.
  • I really hate how my life still revolves around my ex-husband and his schedule. 
  • being unemployed sucks. I miss work. I still see other adults, so I don't crave that time...but I miss feeling useful and like I'm helping someone.
  • boot camp makes me run at a better training pace. it makes me run slower, which frustrates me, but is good for me
  • I think after the half marathon in October, I'll only be doing 5k's for awhile. I just won't have the time to put in.
  • I went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel today. awesome movie. go see it.
  • I sometimes wonder if I'll ever date again. I had made a goal at the beginning of the year to go on 2-3 dates this year (went on one last year). five months into the year and no dates in sight. don't even expect any.  
  • I'm coming up on almost 3 years of being on my own and while I don't know if I'll ever get married again, it'd be nice to have someone.
  • sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who worries about the kids and making sure they have a good childhood.

Monday, May 28, 2012

monday menu

I am exhausted after the long weekend. Did intervals this morning and nearly wiped me out, hell, they did wipe me out. Ended up with a massive headache, but ibuprofen and caffeine are doing their job and keeping it from being too horrible.

best part of the morning (other than the post-run donut)? having my last interval be faster than the first one by almost 3 seconds. L (one of the fastest runners) ran two of my run intervals with me and she did the last one and busted my butt, but it was worth it.

I think I'm suffering from a tight left hamstring and left IT band issues. but its feeling better after running, stretching and some ice. will rinse and repeat a little later today.

on to the important stuff...FOOD!

Monday: some kind of grilled chicken, homemade mac n cheese, and forcing vegetables into my children
Tuesday: son #2's actual birthday, so they'll be having pizza with their dad
Wednesday: something quick, probably chicken nuggets since I have softball at 6:30
Thursday: fish with their dad
Friday/Saturday/Sunday: on my own, will probably try something either Margarita Grilled Chicken or Cheeseburger Salad...might invite friends over, because I'd rather cook for more than one person.


Running Schedule for the week, and if the pool opens in my development, some swimming will be tossed in here.

Monday: 8x320 (track we use is only 320m)
Tuesday: boot camp, 4 miles
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: boot camp, 4.5 miles
Friday: rest
Saturday: 5 miles
Sunday: 4 miles

Sunday, May 27, 2012

long run and cross training

Saturday was supposed to be my long run. I had planned 6 miles, but ended up getting in just shy of 4. It was already about 70ish out when we started the run at 6am. yes, 0600. too early. My calves were hurting again a bit when we came back around to the running shop where we started and didn't want to push it too hard, especially since I had a hike planned for the morning still.

After my friend and I went back to her house, we changed into our hiking gear and ventured to Natural Bridge to hike with some of our other running friends (who hadn't run that morning, I think we're crazy). I think we ended up hiking about 6.5 miles, which made up for the 2 I missed earlier. It was so nice to get out onto the trails and hike. I am just starting to rekindle my love for being out in the woods. I'm looking forward to many more hikes in the near future.

orange leaf 800's

I skipped the tempo run on Wednesday, figured I should give my body a rest. I was thankful come Thursday. Went to boot camp in the morning, where I am beginning to think the instructor dreams up torture in his sleep. It was a good workout, but a little more difficult than Tuesday's.

Thursday evening, my local running group had an interval session planned with Orange Leaf frozen yogurt to follow. I was more in it for the frozen yogurt than anything else, ha! Basically, it was Yasso 800's, but renamed for the night. I had set my Garmin to run 800, recover 400. I was hoping to do between 6-8 intervals, but stopped after 4. With the warm up and cool down I think I got around 4.5 miles in total. It was horribly hot outside and I don't do well with the heat even when hydrated. Friday morning I was thankful that I had stopped. I started getting dizzy and almost couldn't stand up. I had to have my daughter get me water while I was lying on the couch. It was the weirdest feeling. My legs also cramped pretty bad after the run Thursday.


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

bootcamp and running schedule

So because of Krissie, I signed up for bootcamp thanks to a groupon. I was scared out of my mind. for the last year, I've really only done running. I don't lift weights. I don't do push ups/sit ups. Basically its running or nothing. I've known that I need to add in some cross training, but just haven't had the push to do it. Krissie and that groupon kicked me in the rear and got me towards that.

I had my initial consultation last week. He had me to a 5 minute practice boot camp and I was sore for about 2 days afterward. Which made me really nervous for the actual class which started today. I'll be going on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 6 weeks. However, it wasn't as bad as I thought. Thanks to all the running I've done, the cardio aspect wasn't a problem. The other stuff wasn't as hard. Planks are difficult for me. I have no abs to speak of (at least that I know of). But it was good to get out and do something different.

Schedule for this week:
Sunday- rest
Monday- 4 miles pushing 30+ lbs of child in stroller. It sucked. My pace sucked. However, when I uploaded Garmin info it showed that when I was running my pace was in my goal range.
Tuesday- boot camp (45 min), 4 mile run
Wednesday- possibly 40 minute tempo run
Thursday- boot camp (45 min), torture...I mean Yasso 800's. Most are doing 10 reps, I'll probably do 5-6.
Friday- Rest
Saturday- 6 mile run, hiking

Monday Menu (late)

Monday- had a picnic dinner with friends at a playground
Tuesday- kids requested chicken nuggets and fries with their dad
Wednesday- Creamy Garlic Pasta with chicken
Thursday- spaghetti with their dad
Friday- on my own
Saturday- Chili's with my best friends from nursing school
Sunday- son #2's birthday party, either pizza or cookout food

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

finally, an age group I'm faster than!

Monday- I attempted to run. It didn't happen, well I got 1.34 miles in before I had to stop. I think I'll have to drop my Monday runs and just exchange it for some sort of cross training, its too much.

Tuesday- 3.75 out Polo Club, which I kept my goal training pace that the McMillan calculator said I should based on my most recent 5k time. Averaged a 13:18 pace, I needed the slower run yesterday.

Today- went for a walk/run at son #2's school. at the end of each school year, they invite families to come walk/run the track with them during their regular gym time. I had a blast chasing down kindergarteners, then walking with them. I am faster than a kindergartener. go me! when I got home, did my regular intervals, but halved it because I'd already put in a mile at the school. my Garmin didn't kick in for some reason until nearly the end of my first rest interval, so it missed the whole first set. thankfully RunKeeper (used it to tell me when to run/walk) tracked that first one. it said I was booking it in a 6:22 pace. went 400m in 1:37. holy crap. wish the Garmin had caught that as well. I didn't think I was going that fast. The rest of them were more in my goal pace of 10ish/mile.

Softball tonight. here's hoping we don't get slaughtered again.

Monday, May 14, 2012

monday menu

I'm trying to get back into making new recipes.

Monday: Garlic Lime Chicken
Tuesday: kids will have hot dogs/mac n cheese with their dad
Wednesday: kids will have spaghetti with their dad
Thursday: Baked Ziti with Chicken, Veggies, and Herbs minus the artichokes, kids wouldn't eat them...and will probably halve it.
Friday: we usually do movie night with pizza on the Fridays they are home with me, but we have a high school graduation to go to, so dinner is unsure at this time.
Saturday: best friend supposed to be in town, probably dinner out

running in the rain

well the LexRunLadies were kicking off their Summer Runners, where ladies (and some dudes) are starting Couch to 5k or some are looking to train for the Bluegrass 10,000 (me!). By the time we started our run, it had been raining for about 24 hours already. I had 3 miles planned so off I went by my lonesome, there were two others that weren't doing C25K, but they were speedier. I enjoy running in the rain. Though, before yesterday, I always had to deal with the rain dripping down my face. I finally invested in an awesome RunTheBluegrass visor and it worked wonderfully. On the way back, I met up with another runner who was running with me and busted my tail back.

Mile 1- 13:30
Mile 2- 13:08
Mile 3- 11:32 (see, she busted my butt!)

Sunday, May 13, 2012

throo the zoo 5k

why yes, another race. I signed up for this one before the one I did two weeks ago. one of my bestest friends just started running again after a two year hiatus. she's been training and we decided to do this race "together." she'll always be faster than me, but such is life. its just nice to have a great friend who supports my craziness since my family doesn't really get it.

I think there were about 2,000 people at this race, by far the largest I've ever done. The last two races I did had about 30-80 runners each...much more tolerable for my dislike of crowds. Because it was crowded, the first half mile - mile, it was a lot of weaving in and out, up on the sidewalk, run on the grass, go around the people who were just walking. Needless to say I was frustrated...still was running the pace I wanted though. The race wasn't as "through" the zoo as I had hoped, we looped around on outlying roads for the first two miles, then the last mile-ish was actually inside the zoo. I grabbed a bottle of water at the 2 mile mark, took a quick swig (they thankfully took the lids off for us), then kept it and proceeded down a hill. about a quarter mile later, took another swig and put it on top of a trash can. I walked for a few seconds here, just had to catch my breath. then back at it, there was a lady cheering at 200 yds to go and I just booked it to the finish. my faithful Garmin said I did that at a 7:59 pace.

First mile- 10:44
Second mile- 10:45
Third mile- 11:34 (due to short walk)
Last tenth- 00:49

their time 34:00:06, my Garmin time 33:51, sigh. I'll go by theirs though. still a PR by 26 seconds nonetheless.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

two run tuesday and other stuff

so, because I'm occasionally crazy (well my friends would say most of the time) I did the aforementioned run in the last post. then I went out and ran 3.75 miles with some friends Tuesday evening. I don't think I've ever run twice in a day...I think my total mileage was 6 miles. The odd thing about it all, was I felt like I still had more that I could do. In hindsight, I wish I had pushed myself a little harder, but its probably a good thing I didn't.

I then had to plot how to fit my run in on Wednesday. Son #2 had a field trip that took up most of the day, I had signed up for a workshop at the local running store at 7pm, then had a softball game at 9:30pm. I did get my run in around 3:30, did 3 solid miles then just had to walk. Averaged a 12:25-30ish pace for those 3 miles. walked the last mile around the Arboretum. It was one of those days where I had to just stop, I had wanted to do 5-6 miles, but sometimes you just can't. went and grabbed some dinner, then headed over to the running store.

The workshop was on how to use technology to improve your performance. It was rather enlightening. There is software out there that uses the data from your Garmin or other GPS device to tell you how your training is going. The specific ones he mentioned using were WKO+ and TrainingPeaks. There is an open source (free) Golden Cheetah, which I'm going to check out, I'll report back on that another time. The thing I found interesting that he recommended before ever starting to train for a specific race is that you should be able to run 45 minutes x 4 days x 6-10 weeks. That would give you a good base for training and you know your body can handle it.

I then had my softball game My team is horrible, but we have fun. I was the first person to get on base and I think I frustrated the person who tried to throw me out at first because they probably assumed that "short and stout" = slow. Ha! Those speed workouts are helping even with softball. We ended up losing 24-3...we'll try again next week.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

the mile

let me make it known, I despise running in the summer. despise it. give me a nice snowy day and I am in heaven. LOVE the cold.

so knowing, that I have a planned run tonight with some friends in what will probably be 70+ temps, I decided to go out for a short run this morning because I never got to yesterday's run. jogged 10 minutes, decided to run as fast as I could for a mile, then walk/jogged the last 10 minutes.

I ran a mile in 10:02. fastest mile time yet. 3 weeks ago I ran a mile in 10:56. not too shabby, eh?

Sunday, May 6, 2012

6 miles

yes, I know I'm having blog post diarrhea. forgive me, just hadn't felt up to writing much until now.

I'll start with Wednesday after my speed session. I had a softball game Wednesday night. I came home with the souvenir of a lovely strawberry on the back of my upper right thigh. My first thought after I slid was, "I'm not as young as I used to be." Now, I'm not old by any stretch of the imagination, but getting closer to 30 and realizing my body isn't what it was when I was trying this stuff in my teens. Ah well, it was worth it.  I was going to do my long run on Thursday, but due to the aforementioned injury...it wasn't a wise idea. Thursday night a group of people from the local running group went out for a carb loading dinner prior to everyone else (but me and one other) running in a half or full marathon this weekend.

Friday, I dropped my kids off at school and daycare. I was dressed for my run before leaving the house so I would have NO excuse to not run. The weather wasn't looking too promising, so instead of the out and back route that I really wanted to do, I chose the Arboretum which has a 2 mile loop. That way if the weather got bad, I could fairly quickly get back to my car and get out of there. They also have indoor bathrooms and a water fountain which is always a plus!

So I set off. Originally, I was going to do 8, but then decided I wanted to test myself at 6 miles to see what I need to improve on since the next race I'm really training for is a 10k. I had never really set out to do just 6 miles before, I looked back over my RunKeeper data and the last 6 miler I did was on the treadmill in 1:30:00 back in February. The first mile I did in 13:30, I decided that was a good pace and figured I should try and stay around that. Second mile completed in 13:24. A little faster, but still keeping about the same pace. I stopped at my car after this mile for a quick swig of water. Went back out for my 3rd mile and did that in 13:17, progressively getting a little faster each time. Fourth mile completed in 12:55. I stopped and used the port a potty (which did not have toilet paper, ugh!) and swigged some water. Fifth mile was a little slower at 13:07, but not too shabby. My last mile was the fastest at 12:33.  So, my 6 mile experiment without really pushing myself was completed in 1:18:51.

J and L think I can complete the 10k in July in under 1:10:00. I'm not so sure, looking at the mile pace that I'd have to keep up...kind of throws me. But, I will push myself a bit more in my training runs. I know I can consistently run a 12:30ish for 4 miles. I need to get down to an 11:17 pace to make this possible. So, I guess when I go out for my tempo runs, I'm going to push myself to run 11 minute miles for the part where I'm pushing the pace.

Runs for this week:

Monday-hoping for speed work if possible.
Tuesday- 4 miles
Wednesday- long run
Thursday/Friday- rest or pilates
Saturday- 5k race...goal is 33 minutes. friend is running with me, she is faster and is planning on pushing me a long.

recipes I've tried

I've been slacking off on trying new recipes. However, I was one of those in charge of coffee hour at church last week which always gives me opportunity to try something new that I normally wouldn't make because my kids most likely wouldn't eat it.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
they were DELICIOUS. no joke. they were probably the easiest "fancy" dessert/appetizer to make ever. I think they took me tops 15-20 minutes? you will not regret making these, I promise. 

Not the best picture, but it works. again, delicious. tastes exactly like a snickerdoodle. note: I can only find the Hershey's cinnamon chips at Meijer. 


I will update with an image as I'm still making this as I write. The youth group at church is having a Fiesta tomorrow to raise money for a mission trip to Haiti. I was put in charge of desserts.
Update: I somehow screwed this cake up, not once but twice and was very disappointed. I rarely screw my baking up so completely frustrated by this.

also in the middle of making the filling for these...
Update: These were amazing. Instead of cutting in three like the recipe suggested, I cut them in four pieces. arranged them on a plate put some caramel in a cup and then had some homemade whipped cream in a container too. They went quickly at church. I'll definitely make them again and try to take pictures next time.



books I've been reading

As a result of unemployment, I have been reading a lot. I've always loved to read...but I tend to put it on the back burner when other things are keeping me otherwise engaged. I had just started to get my energy back after starting my previous job. Nursing takes a lot out of you mentally, physically, and emotionally. By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was sit in front of my computer or the TV and do something mindless. So, my reading got left by the wayside. I decided to remedy this by purchasing some books related to running. I almost purchased some completely mindless reading...because honestly, I've always been a fan of what my brothers referred to as "junk novels", which were any book that didn't have much substance. The books I purchased are below with the Amazon description of the books.  

Once a Runner really blew my mind in terms of how professional/serious amateur runners train. I guess I had always known they trained a lot more than I did, but the discussion of trials of miles. It talks about Cassidy who is a miler by trade doing 20+ mile runs. His one interval session ended up including 60 quarters. I mean, its crazy, but it made me realize that if I want to be the best runner that I can be, then I have to push myself to the limits. 

Pre's biography I chose, because I had a friend referencing him a lot and honestly I had not heard much about him (don't hit me, please!). It was a joy to read about him. I also watched the movie this past weekend. The friend referencing him, reminds me a lot of  Pre, or how Pre was described in this book. The cocky attitude, but not in a bad way. How running is what he loves. 

Running after Prefontaine is the one I am still reading. The first chapter captured me. The author talks about his first marathon and how he signed up for it and decided to do it a month or two prior to the actual race date. He was a fairly regular runner, but had never gone more than 13ish miles and his goal was to finish the marathon in less than 4 hours. He went into great detail about how the marathon went. It reminded me somewhat of my half marathon (which my goal was to finish in less than 4 hours as well!).

50 Shades of Gray was my completely mindless reading. All my friends were talking about it. Was it good? Yes. The actual writing was kind of eh. I'm still trying to decide if I want to read the other two books in the series. I probably will, but I'm not addicted to to the books and have to finish the series like I did with other series that I've read this year (Hunger Games and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo). 



  
Originally self-published in 1978, Once a Runner captures the essence of competitive running—and of athletic competition in general—and has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever published..
Inspired by the author’s experience as a collegiate champion, the story focuses on Quenton Cassidy, a competitive runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school’s athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes’ protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team. Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life against the greatest miler in history. .
A rare insider’s account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners, Once a Runner is an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man’s quest to become a champion..
The story of America's greatest running legend.

For five years, no American runner could beat him at any distance over a mile. But at the age of 24, with his best years still ahead, long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine finally lost. Driving alone at night after a party, Prefontaine crashed his sports car, putting a tragic, shocking end to the life and career of one of the most influential, accomplished runners of our time.

More than 20 years later, Pre continues to influence the running world.

From his humble origins in Coos Bay, Oregon, Pre became the first person to win four NCAA titles in one event. Year after year, he was virtually unbeatable. Instead of becoming one of the new breed of professional track athletes, Pre chose to stay amateur and fight for the adequate funding he felt American amateur athletes deserved.

A man of incredible desire and energy, Pre trained relentlessly. In his drive to be the best, he spurred others to do their best. As one racer said, "He ran every race as if it were his last."

But Pre not only touched runners; his exciting technique as well as his maverick lifestyle made him a favorite of the fans. A race with Prefontaine in it was automatically an event.

His brief but brilliant life is the tale of a true American hero.

This is his story.

"Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, 'I've never seen anyone run like that before.' It's more than just a race, it's style. It's doing something better than anyone else. It's being creative."--Steve Prefontaine
Like so many young runners in Oregon, Scott Parker came of age under the spell of the Prefontaine legend, which inspired his early understanding of running's purpose as being centered around discipline and will power. In Running After Prefontaine, Parker traces his running back to its roots in Northeast Portland and follows it forward in time as his relationship with running evolves to include a more nuanced approach to the sport. Whether he's literally running in Pre's footsteps in Coos Bay or Eugene, running on the beaches of Asia, or running himself past exhaustion in Portland's Forest Park, Parker is an astute narrator of the running experience. This intimate book, which connects running to the author's process of self-becoming, demonstrates how what we do makes us who we are.
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
 
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.




Wednesday, May 2, 2012

job hunting and more running

I greatly dislike job hunting. I'm trying not to use the "h" word. I've applied for 16 jobs in the last two days. I've been trying to find a reason as to why my position was terminated, not having much luck. sigh.

I think I overdid it this past weekend. I was on my way to do my speed work for the week when I got the call about my job. I think it only made me run faster when I got off the phone. I did the 5k on Saturday morning. Then ran 5 miles on Sunday morning. THEN walked 2 miles Sunday afternoon. What was I thinking?? Beats me, but I was super sore the rest of Sunday and all of Monday.

Went back out last night with one of my best friends and we did just shy of 4 miles. It was her longest run since she started running again. Super proud of her!!

Did my speed work this morning, however the Garmin is being a pain and not uploading the information. I did a warm up of a mile. Then did 4x400m with 400m walk in between each interval. I should have gone out earlier in the morning, but heat builds character. I greatly dislike running in the summer. I have a feeling that my dreadmill and I will be BFF's this summer as I run in air conditioning instead of in the blasted heat of the day.