Weekly Workouts & Happenings 1/13 – 1/19

Week of January 13 – January 19:

This post is going to be short and sweet.  I wasn’t very good about taking pictures this week, so I don’t want to bore you with nothing but text.

Monday (1/13): Yoga, 60 minutes.  Bought my mom her very own yoga mat for her birthday and it was enough to convince her to come to a class with me and my friend Katie.  Unfortunately, I failed to notice that this was a Level II class and my mom didn’t look to happy with me as we sped through sun salutations and flows and other more complicated asanas.

Wednesday (1/15):  No workouts.  However, my mom, her friend, and I attended the ’50 Shades! The Musical. The Original Parody.’  It was a musical joking the book and how ridiculous the plot is and taking stabs at the absurd drama that unfolds.  I mean really, the writing level was equivalent to that of an eighth grader.  The musical was raunchy and hilarious. It was a fun girls night out with my mom!

Thursday (1/16):  3 miles (intervals)/Hot Yoga (75 minutes).  Met up with RunFriend and another runner from our local running club at 6AM; it was freezing!  We ran to the local high school track and took on some intervals…

• 1/2 mile warm up run to the track
• 4 x 400 sprints with 400m recovery after each (first interval @ 6:20 pace; the average pace for intervals was @ 6:41 pace)
• 1/2 mile run back to cars, for a total of 3 miles

After work, I headed to Hot Yoga for 75 minutes of pure sweat.

Intervals

Saturday (1/18):  Meg’s Miles.  2.25 miles (21:35; avg pace:  9:35). Ab workout. I wasn’t planning on running on Saturday, but I woke up and wanted nothing more than to go out, get some fresh air, and have some quiet alone time.  I knew that although I was alone, I was really in the company of hundreds, even thousands of runners who were out there running for Meg.  Usually when I’m out running, even when I’m on a crowded trail, it doesn’t occur to me that there are countless runners out doing the same.  Saturday’s run, although quiet, was tremendously loud.  Right now, the Facebook page for Meg’s Miles says 99,003 individuals declared themselves as “going” to run last Saturday.  That’s a very loud run.  The running community continues to surprise, fascinate, and warm my heart everyday.  It’s undeniable that we, runners, are a breed/species/type of our own.  I will continue to appreciate every stride, every run, every ache and pain that I experience, and every runner who does the same.  We just need to keep on running, and keep on running loud… for Meg, for every runner who’s passed on, and for every runner who can no longer run.

Sunday (1/19):  10 miles (Long run with fast finish; 10:19 pace).  Ran the local sidewalks Sunday morning with RunFriend and another runner from the local running club.  The plan was to run 14 miles but my knees and ankles were giving me some issues unfortunately, so we cut the run to 10 miles.  I decided that I needed to end on a good note, and ran the last two miles fast (9:18, 9:27).  Then I headed straight to Starbucks for my favorite drink:  Grande Non-fat Cafe Misto.  Nice and strong!

Week’s Stats:  15.25 miles, 135 minutes of Yoga, Ab workout

Run This Year, 2014KM Total:  78.38 km

2014 Race Schedule Update

I posted earlier this month about my “goals” for 2014.  In that post I mentioned a few of the races I was planning on running and a few tentative ones… Welllllllll…. I am excited to tell you that I have officially signed up for two (well, technically 5) races in the upcoming year!

First, I will be running the Flying Pirate Half Marathon and 5k in the Outer Banks, NC, May 2014.  I will be running both races for the Flying Pirate Double Dare Challenge!  

The challenge is to run the First Flight 5k on Saturday and the Half Marathon on Sunday.  Luckily, my boyfriend, Trae will be running the 5k with me, as he promised he would run a race with me for my birthday… this is a month late, but I’m not complaining.

The 5k route is being changed from last year, so as of right now, I don’t have a course map, however, I know that it will take place somewhere around the Wright Brother’s Memorial (hence the name, First Flight).

Photo taken from Flying Pirate Half Marathon Website

The Half Marathon starts in Kitty Hawk and takes you through the Wright Brothers’ Memorial Trail.  This runs along the Albemarle Sound.  A few miles in, runners will make their way through a residential area of Bay Drive.  Mile 8 takes runners to the Wright Brothers Monument (this marks the location of the first aviation flight – December 17, 1903).  Mile 10 begins the trail portion of the race, leading runners into the Nags Head Woods Nature Preserve.  Mile 12 is where things get a little tough, a narrow trail leads runners out of the woods and onto an off-road route that includes sand…  Here’s a look at the finish:

Photo taken from Flying Pirate Half Marathon Website

Then, in October, I will be heading to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for the Runner’s World Half & Festival to run the Runner’s World Hat-trick (5k, 10k, & Half-Marathon)!!!

5k Start – Photo taken from Runner’s World Half & Festival Website

I will be heading up there on Friday to check out the Expo.  Saturday morning, 8:00am I will run the 5k, followed by the 10k starting at 9:30am.  Sunday, I will finish up the weekend with the half-marathon.

The Stacks – Photo taken from the Runner’s World Half & Festival website

The race weekend also hosts seminars, live music, movies, and guest speakers like Bart Yasso.  You might even catch the editors running next to you during a race.

The race courses feature Bethlehem’s historic neighborhoods, including some of the town’s original 1741 settlement, two renowned colleges, Lehigh University and Moravian College, and the former Bethlehem Steel complex–where the backbone of the nation was literally forged. – Runner’s World

Here’s a tour of the course compliments of Bart Yasso and David Willey (this video has the dates for the 2012 race, so ignore those!) :

I have some really awesome races to look forward to this year!  I am ridiculously excited for all five of these races and can’t wait to experience them all.  I am a little nervous about running the Hat Trick, that’s 22.4 miles in two days, but I will be in the last portion of my Richmond Marathon training, so I’m thinking this will be the perfect endurance challenge.  However, after seeing how many hills are incorporated into the Runner’s World course, I really need to go find some hills to run!

Anyone else running these races, or have run them in the past?  Which races are you most excited about this year?

Weekly Workouts 1/6 – 1/12

This post is a little delayed, Monday and Tuesday were non-stop days for me and this is the first moment that I’ve had some free, sitting still time.

Monday (1/6):  The beginning of the FREEZE, and day after the 10-miler = Rest Day.  I did, however, discover Orange is the New Black on Netflix… and I can’t stop watching it.  It’s a little risqué and therefore cannot be watched while running on the YMCA treadmill. But, if you have Netflix (and you like a lot of the shows on HBO and are not offended by the things seen on HBO) you should definitely check out this show.  I feel a little behind because apparently the Season 2 trailer is already out and about.

Orange is the New Black, Netflix

Tuesday (1/7):  Deep Freeze.  There was no way I was going out in the morning before work.  I read a lot of blogs from runners in the North that deal with these temperatures daily, but I am not quite used to that, nor am I extreme winter-weather gear prepared.

Wednesday (1/8):  3.95 miles, (5k:  30:23, 9:48 pace).   Headed to the gym to run on the treadmill.  Did some warm-up jogging, ran a 5-k, and did some cool down jogging.  Now that I have Netflix on my phone, I can basically watch whatever I want to, so I decided to watch a movie that I have been meaning to watch for a long time, The Spirit of the Marathon.  (I know, I know, I can’t believe it took me this long either…) The people on the treadmills next to me probably thought I had some crazy running obsession (hmmm…), watching running while running; seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Spirit of the Marathon, 2007

Thursday (1/9):  2.31 miles, (2.11 miles, 19:14, 9:06 pace, .20 cool down) and 75 min Hot Yoga.  It was a really really nice day compared to the beginning of the week and I took complete advantage of that.  I woke up and went on a short run around the neighborhood.  After work, I met my friend Katie for some Hot Yoga.  It has been awhile since I’ve gone to a yoga class, so it was much-needed.  (And geeeeeez I was sore the next day!!!)

Friday (1/10): Unbelievably stretched out and sore from yoga the night before. Plus, I had some plans for today… For the first time in 11 years, I went to a hair salon and had my hair cut.  Until Friday, my hair went past my hips.  It was very long.  I was gifted with a certificate to get my hair done for Christmas, so I thought I’d be brave and finally go for it.

 I told a lot of people that I was doing this to my hair

(Yes, that’s my face and Gwyneth Paltrow’s hair):

But this is what really happened (before on left, after on right):

I know it isn’t super drastic, but that was a lot of hair for me to part with, especially after having that same haircut for 11-ish years.  Maybe next time.

Saturday (1/11):  Had to work all day… and then I indulged in this delicious cookie… No shame, it was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

And then THIS happened… Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet from Chili’s

Sunday (1/12): 13 miles (2:33:00) It was a GORGEOUS day here in Virginia Beach on Sunday.  RunFriend and I met up and headed to the trails.  We decided to change-up our normal route and take a completely different trail.  We both had run it before, but not in a long time.  It was tough, lots of hills, and due to the storm the night before, LOTS of mud.  We even had to basically forge our own path through the woods on the side because there was about a mile of pure mud on the trail.  It was a tough, slow, but really great run.  On nice days like this, you have to stop and admire the scenery.  It wasn’t a race, I was out there enjoying the day and nature and my run.

Sunday evening we celebrated my mom’s birthday at HK on the Bay.  It was delicious as always.  I enjoyed a Dragon Fruit Masonjito (the drinks are served in Mason jars) and some Chicken tequila lime fajitas, a few bites of steak nachos, fresh tuna steak, and lettuce wraps.  We had a smorgasbord.   The guys were happy because they were able to still catch the playoff game.  Happy Birthday Mom!!

Masonjitos! … and my sister’s finger?

Week’s Total Miles:  19.26 miles

Run This Year 2014km Total:  53.84 km

Just Run: The No Watch Theory

Going back to the run from New Year’s Day… I forgot my Garmin that day and ran the 1.4 mile loop I knew from previous measurement. I looked at the clock as I walked out of my parent’s garage and then again when I finished. It was a great run, and I could tell that it was faster than my average. Sure enough, when I got back into the garage I calculated that I had run the 4.2 miles in a little under 39 minutes, 9:17 pace.

…This Run

So I have a theory about this run. I didn’t wear my Garmin and I didn’t take my phone with me, and I ran faster than I have since being injured this fall. It made me question my electronic running devices. Was that the reason I ran faster than usual? Or was I just having a perfect settings kind of day? It wasn’t too cold, there wasn’t much wind, I had good company, and I felt good. But maybe it was the freedom of not having a number looming at me from my wrist…

Sometimes I wonder if we define ourselves and our runs with the numbers displayed on our watches and GPS devices. When I look down and see a number that I’m comfortable with, is it possible that my body automatically feels as if this is the definite pace it can or should only go ? Could a faster, lower number look wrong and therefore, I subconsciously feel the need to slow down?

The New Year’s Day run felt great, I wasn’t struggling to maintain pace. Quite frankly, pace and time weren’t even on my mind because I wasn’t constantly peering down at my watch face, I was just running. Maybe we all need a “free run” every once in a while. (I guess in all honesty, my run wasn’t completely free because I noted my time of start and finish.) However, during my run, that was the last thought on my mind. I was just out there running because I wanted to…because I was enjoying time with my family…because it felt good…because I love to run… I was not running to meet a certain time…a certain distance…to meet someone else’s preconceived ideas about what a good pace is…

I was simply running.

& I loved it.

So… I dare you to go take a run without electronics, without a GPS watch, without your Garmin. Even if you take a route that you know the exact distance, and even if you take note of the start/finish time on the clock, just go run and don’t keep track of your pace. It’s an experience that every runner should have. I think it brings you back to the reasons why you fell in love with running in the first place.

Tell me how the experiment goes. Or tell me if you’ve already done it, did you find that it was a different kind of run?

Weekly Workouts: 12/30 – 1/5

Hills for Monday

Monday (12/30) – HILLS! 7.00 miles running, .75 mile walk cool-down.

Met up with my running friend/partner, from now on will be referred to as Run Friend (it’s easier than having to explain who she is every time I discuss a run we did), at a coffee shop.  We like meeting at this spot because 1. There are clean bathrooms, 2. When it’s cold, we can grab a cup of coffee/tea/croissant to warm up 3. If we forget snacks, fuel, water, we can always just grab it there.  Plus, we live on opposite ends and it’s a spot right in the middle.  We were shooting for 7-8 miles, with a hill thrown in.  We headed for the hill first and it was tough; I hadn’t purposely gone and run hills in a very long time.  By the time we were over the hill, down the road, and then looping back over the hill we were at 4ish miles and my stomach was misbehaving.  The temperatures had dropped at least 5-10 degrees at this point and rain clouds were moving in.  We decided to do an out and back loop of the two side neighborhoods we would pass on the way back to the cars and then call it a day.  I couldn’t find a good rhythm or a comfortable feel during this run.  I was more concerned with my stomach, how cold it was getting, and the wind that was picking up.  Needless to say, this was not my best run by a long shot.

New Year’s Eve Dinner

Tuesday (12/31) – 0 miles; New Year’s Eve.  Trae and I had tried to make reservations for P.F. Changs, but they were booked as early as 3:30PM.  Who wants to go to a New Year’s Eve dinner at 3:30?? Then we decided to try a local café, which we were sure wouldn’t be crowded… Much to our surprise, we walked in and it was PACKED! (2+ hour wait!)  So we decided to just go to Chili’s across the street and meet my parents for dinner.  We walked right in,  had no wait, and sat right at the bar.  Trae and my dad were very excited about this, the Duke and Texas A&M bowl game was on, and they could easily watch it from where we sat.  I certainly wasn’t arguing about going to Chili’s on New Year’s Eve.  I love Chili’s, especially their chips and salsa.

Wednesday (1/1) – 4.2 miles, Went over to my parent’s house so I could make use of their circular neighborhood loop.  I really like running in their neighborhood because I can go without a watch and know exactly how far I’m running.  It also allows me to go water bottle/pack free because it’s a short loop, and I can stop whenever I feel like it or add just a little extra distance.  The loop that I go around is 1.4 miles, perfect.  My mom decided to hop on her bike and join me; my dad even came out for a loop around.  I went a total of three times around for 4.2 miles, my first miles for 2014.   I was really excited to add them to the Run This Year: 2014 log as soon as I was finished.

9-Way Abs

Thursday (1/2) – Abs & Arms, Met up with my mom for a quick morning workout.  We both completed a circuit of 9-Way Abs.  Then we did our own circuits of arm workouts; I followed along to Blogilates Arms on Fire, and wow, this is killer (or maybe I just have really weak arms)!  When I got home from work later that evening I completed the Erin Motz:  Yoga for Abs 10-Day Challenge, Day 1 Video.

Race attire for the 10-miler

Friday (1/3) – 0 miles, saving up for the race tomorrow!

Distance Series Race #1

Saturday (1/4) – 10 miles, Tidewater Striders Distance Series, Race #1 (don’t want to spoil too much, as I plan to write a review of the race sometime soon).  I felt really, really good during this race.  My toes and feet were pretty much numb from the cold during the first 3 miles, but I warmed up enough over the course of the race.  I don’t think the temperature reached higher than 30 over the course of the race.  I finished in 1:38:58 (my watch), 1:39:00 (race clock), with an average pace of 9:53/mi.

Total Miles:  21.95 miles

Run This Year, 2014 km = 22.85 km

This week I plan to get a run Tuesday morning (3.1 miles) if the windchill isn’t too bad, Wednesday (4 mi), Thursday or Friday (5 mi), and a Sunday long run (12 miles), for a total of 24.1 miles.

How’s the wintry weather in your area?! It’s about to be very cold in VA! 

2014: A Peek into This Year

It’s officially 2014. Resolutions have been made, goals have been set, and today is the day they all begin. Tomorrow is today. To be quite honest though, I’ve never been big on New Year’s Resolutions, as I find that if I really wanted to change something, I shouldn’t have to wait for a Monday, or the first of the month, or a new year. While day turns into night and back into day, I believe that time is man made idea, so your new year could start whenever you feel like it… Anyways, whether it’s a new year, a new day, or a new hour, I hope that everyone who has made resolutions, or has accepted a challenge of sorts, begins on a high note today and sticks to their word.

While I have no “resolutions” that will be set into motion, I do have some plans for the new year…

14 in 2014

Jill from Fitness, Health, and Happiness is hosting 14 in 2014, a challenge to run 14 races in 2014. These can be any kind of race from 5ks to Ultra Marathons, virtual races even count. So far I am signed up for 4 races this year already, and the 14 in 2014 hosts 4 Free Virtual Races during the year, so that gives me 8 races already. I also have ideas/plans for what the other 6 races will be. I’ll be running the 14 in 2014 Combination goal. There are even sponsors and prizes to be won! Here are the details straight from Jill’s blog:

Details:

1. Pick a goal (5K, 10K, Half, Full, Combination, Trails) and sign up.
2. Run 14 registered virtual or real life races in 2014.
3. The number of participants will not be limited.
4. Prizes throughout the year. Hint: Some of my favorite running and fitness products!
5. We will have a 14 in 2014 Facebook group to support and encourage each other and share the experience.
6. To support everyone reaching their goal Jen and I will host 4 virtual races throughout the year.
7. Share with Instagram and Twitter using the #14in2014 hashtag.

JOIN THE 14 in 2014 Challenge and race 14+ races with me! So far the community that has been established has been so supportive, and we hadn’t even started racing yet.

Running 2,014 km in 2014

Run This Year (2014) is a free running community that challenges and inspires you to run as many miles as you can in one year! Run This Year is for anyone who strives to run all year and maybe even run the year in miles or kilometers!

I am taking on the challenge to run the year (2014) in kilometers. This equals out to about 1251.4 miles. In order to to this I basically need to run 24 miles a week or roughly 3.5 miles a day. Here is three different sample weeks (a “spread it out week,” a “weekend high” mileage week, or a “run to rest” week) for how this might work…

Go register to Run This Year! You can pledge to run 2014 miles, 2014 kilometers, or challenge yourself to whatever number of miles you want to run in 2014. This challenge allows you to log your miles daily, weekly, monthly, and will keep track of them for you. There are also lots of prizes to be won here too!

So now that you know what I am challenging myself to, I have no excuse but to get outside and start running. As for my races? Here’s what’s on my agenda for the year.

2014 (already registered) Races:

• January 4, 2014 – Tidewater Striders Distance Series Race #1, 10 miler
• January 25, 2014 – Tidewater Striders Distance Series Race #2, 15 miler
• February 22, 2014 – Tidewater Striders Distance Series Race #3, 20 miler
• November 15, 2014 – Richmond Marathon

2014 Virtual Races:

• 14 in 2014 Virtual Races (4 races) (FREE)
• Licorice and Olives Virtual 5k Race Series (1 per month, 12 races) (FREE)

2014 Prospective Races:

• February 15, 2014 – VA is for Lovers 14k
• Sometime in April – I need to find a 5k to do in April, Trae promised he’d run a race with me for my birthday!
• April 12, 2014 – Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon
• May 4, 2014 – Flying Pirate Half Marathon, Outer Banks
• October 12, 2014 – Charlottesville Classic Half Marathon

There is lots of running to be had in 2014!! I am definitely excited and can’t wait to tell you all about my race this weekend.

Tell me about your running, racing, and 2014 challenges!!!
What are you most looking forward to in 2014?

Did you miss me?! & Lots of Updates

Hello world. I’m back.

I don’t even know where to start…

Injury Update:

I’m sure you all know that I had tendonitis in my ankle. It was very upsetting. I was about to take my 16-mile long run that weekend, and things all fell apart during an interval run. I should have known better. I was feeling off that day, not balanced, and then I took off super fast, like 6:00min/mile sprints fast… (Ok, super fast for me…) And then I felt the twinge and ignored it. I was close to the distance goal I had set for this run. I learned my lesson, when you’re an athlete, your head can only tell you so much, it’s your body that you need to listen to. It is what it is, and now my punishment comes in the form of a deferral.

Marathon Updates:

Yes, with great disappointment, I will be deferring my entry to the Richmond Marathon to the 2014 race. There is no way I could catch up with my training in a month’s time. I’m still recovering and I think I’d be setting myself up for failure as well as another injury if I ran in the marathon. This is going to be so cliché and sound completely lame and completely cheesy but I want my first marathon to be great. I want it to be special and I want to do it in good health and with good spirits. I would be cheating myself if I ran it half-ready.

I haven’t quite decided if I am going to wait a year to run my first marathon, or if I’m going to run one in the spring. A seed has been planted in regards to running the Virginia Beach Shamrock Marathon in March… but we’ll see. I’m sure I’ll let you know as soon as I decide.

Half-Marathon Updates:

The Crawlin’ Crab Half Marathon is THIS WEEKEND, this Sunday to be exact. Call me crazy, but I did decide TO RUN this race. I will be hitting the expo and packet pickup on Saturday and racing at 8:00am on Sunday. I didn’t want to defer this entry because I felt that I could finish this race. I ran 5 miles on Monday (the last day to defer) and didn’t have any ankle/tendon pain or soreness, nor did I have any pain or soreness the next morning, so I am confident that I will make it through. I have no shame in taking walk breaks if needed. I am certainly not expecting a PR from this race and I am not expecting to come anywhere near my previous goal of finishing sub 2:15. I will be happy just to finish this race.

Luckily, this course is significantly flat. The weather is supposed to be beautiful on Sunday, and a portion of this race is along the water. I have been told by Kristy from Breath of Sunshine that it is a great course “to recover on.” (She’s also running the race) I’m taking her word for it. Look for a race review sometime soon! And good luck to anyone else running The Crawlin’ Crab!!

Yoga Updates:

This was the silver-lining of this whole injury month. I have rediscovered my love of practicing yoga. I’ve been doing a lot of home practice and I bought ten classes at two different studios. One is a very “authentic” studio where some serious chanting occurs at the beginning and end of class, the other is an exclusively “HOT” yoga studio. I have taken one class at the first studio and hopefully will have a chance to start at the second one soon. (I have been battling a Sinus Infection for the past week and a half and didn’t want to be sniffling and coughing the whole class).

Other things:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  One of Trae and I’s favorite quick eats places, Tijuana Flats  is helping the cause.  If you donate $1 they will make your tacos and chips pink!  Here are Trae’s pink tacos and the cute pink ribbon chips…

This Bolthouse Farms Amazing Mango is my new favorite flavor.

I am so ready for fall sweater weather… I had to break out a big cozy one last Sunday… I was being lazy, but it felt so good.

Speaking of sweater weather… I cannot get enough chili these days.  One of my favorite Fall/Winter meals.

Saw Rascal Flatts… not my favorite band, but it was still a nice night out.

Enjoyed a date night somewhere new… Headed out to one of the Fishing Piers for dinner and drinks.  They had a great seasonal beer, Abita Pecan Harvest Ale.  It was really good, sort of tasted similar to Newcastle.

It feels good to be back and I’m sure this race in a few days will feel even better.  I have to confess that I feel somewhat lazy these days.  I was in such a good place right before the injury.  I had a schedule that I was very strict about, I ran with a plan, a set mileage for each week and now I’m finding every excuse to sleep in.  I need to just push myself and I’ll be back with it, I’m really hoping this race gives me a push in the right direction.  I think I need to feel the endorphins, the adrenaline and I’ll want to be right back to where I left off.

_____________________________________________________

What do you do to come back from an injury slump?  Or a running slump in general?

How do you find the motivation again?

How crazy am I for running this half after being in recovery for a month?

9/9 – 9/15 Weekly workouts, a silver lining, and an ankle update

9/9 – 9/15
Yes, technically this was week 14 of marathon training but considering this was another week without running, it just doesn’t seem right to count it as a “Marathon Training Week.”

Speaking of running… I FINALLY went on my first run since that dreaded Wednesday three weeks ago. It was only a short 2.25 miles, but at least there were mileS with an “S.” And not just miles, but miles that I RAN! I didn’t have any pain, or uncomfortable aches. But I can tell that my right ankle is weaker than my left. I immediately iced and ibuprofen-ed as soon as I was finished just for precaution. I was terrified that I was going to feel it the next morning, but I am happy to report that I felt perfectly fine. I am planning on taking a run outside today after work and that will be the real test.

Yay! for first run back this past Monday!

Silver Linings. The past three weeks have sucked.  If you read my blog regularly or follow me on Twitter, you know that I’ve been quite miserable.  And although I really wish I didn’t have to deal with those three weeks, I can’t say that they completely went to waste.  I used to practice yoga regularly when I was working out at the Y.  My schedule and life started taking over and running was more important.  These few weeks off however, have allowed me to pick yoga back up and for that I am thankful.  I even bought 10 classes at a local studio; my first class is tonight!

Monday (9/9):  1 hr. Beginner Combination Yoga

Tuesday (9/10):

• 20 min. Erin Motz Yoga for opening hips
• Tone It Up workout video x 2:  Butterfly lunges, Walkouts with tricep dips, plank push-ups, alternating side plank, tornadoes.
• Tone It Up move of the day:  Tabletop crunches
• 9-Way Abs
  

  I even convinced my sister to come join me in some yoga.

  

  I was thrilled that I was actually able to do this Half-Tripod Headstand

Wednesday (9/11):  Went to the doctor for ankle.  Had an x-ray which showed that there was nothing wrong.  Doctor determined I had tendonitis.  She told me that “sometimes it’s better to work or run through the pain.” Interesting theory, but luckily there wasn’t any pain when I attempted a run this past Monday.

I also made these EASY beyond belief Pumpkin Muffins…

Thursday (9/12):  Today was Trae’s Birthday!!!

• 9-Way Abs, with adjustments to switch it up… added 60 sec of toe touches, and another bicycle, both of which were 60 sec instead of 30 sec.
• Erin Motz Yoga for Opening Chest and Shoulders
• Beginner Strength Yoga via The Yoga Studio App

This is my yoga goal

Friday (9/13):  Work all day… Friday the 13th won.  This was a bad day.  Forgot my check card in my pants pocket from the day before.  Went to get coffee and was at the register with food and coffee in hand and realized I had nothing to pay with.  Thank goodness my mom was meeting me for lunch, because I would have starved… and it just went on from there.

Saturday (9/14): 

• Erin Motz Yoga – 40:00
• Abs:  Leg Raises/Toe Touches/Bicycles routine

Sunday (9/15):  went on a road trip to Richmond to take engagement photos for a friend of mine.  (I’m also a bridesmaid in their wedding!)  We got a pretty decent walk in because we took the photos all over the Maymont property.  This place is huge, great place to go on a run, especially if you’re looking for some hills.  Wish it was closer to where I live…

A picture of a picture… Sam & Matt’s engagement photo-session.  The lighting was so perfect on Sunday, I barely have to edit any of them!  It was beautiful outside.

Also, this week I received an email letting me know I had been accepted as a Sweat Pink Ambassador!  && my pink shoelaces have been ordered and are on their way!  So excited and honored to be a part of this fabulous group.

It has been cooling off down here at the beach, so sweaters are on my mind.  I WANT THIS ONE!!! I love the long open cardigan ones like this.  You can appropriately wear leggings or jeans and look nice but still comfortable.  The perfect mixture.  Unfortunately, when I checked, Dainty Hooligan was sold out… If anyone sees a sweater like this elsewhere, let me know!

How was your week of workouts, runs, etc.?

Favorite fall recipes? Feel like sharing?

Any tips for yoga headstands?  Have a favorite yoga pose, or one you’re dying to master?

Marathon Training?? Week 13 (kind of)…

Week 13: 9/02 – 9/08

I am at a point with this ankle thing, I don’t know what else to call it, where I don’t even know if these weeks should be declared “marathon training.”  I haven’t run at all in the last two weeks, but of course not by choice.  I have even contemplated going for a run and just sucking it up, but then thought better of it.  You really have no idea how much you love something until it’s ripped right out of your hands.  Cliché as it may sound, I need to be running, I really feel incomplete without it. I hate to admit it, but it’s giving me a case of the blues too.  I just feel down; it must be the missing endorphins.

I have taken up yoga as my stress reliever until I can get back out there.  So far it’s been okay.  Don’t get me wrong, I love yoga.  But it’s a different sort of “rush” or in this case “calm” than what I feel when running.  And riding the bike, it’s a good source of cardio, but it’s just not the same.

I finally made an appointment with the doctor and will hopefully be finding out what’s going on in there on Wednesday.  It’s the strangest thing because it hasn’t hurt at all in the last 4-5 days when I’m walking.  I only feel the ache (I can’t think of a good word to describe what it feels like) when I’m running.  It happens right as I lift that foot off the ground.  Weird.  Anyways, hoping to get a good diagnosis tomorrow.

KT Tape work your magic.

Monday:  does walking around Dick’s Sporting Goods count? I went in for KT Tape and came out with all of this…  If and when I make it to the marathon, these are the shoes I plan on wearing.  Brooks PureFlow 2’s.  They are part of the Pure Project line, just like my PureConnect 2’s, but they offer a little bit of extra cushioning and support.  I figure 26.2 miles calls for a little extra support, especially if I’m coming back from an ankle injury.  I love the neon red color too!  They’ll match my new Pro Compression socks!

Tuesday: walked .5 mile, cycled 10.36 miles, 9-Way Abs.  Wanted to test out the shoes so I took them for a short walk on the treadmill, and I also attempted to run… failed miserably though.  Ankle wasn’t ready.

Wednesday: grad school took over on Wednesday 😦

My guest post Naked and Afraid and the Long Run:  Where the Mind Is Capable of the Most was featured on The Daily Runner today.

Thursday: Elliptical 3.33miles. Cycled 6.35miles. 9-Way Abs.

Perfect mid-day snack

This is only $2.00 at WaWa. Okay, maybe the caramel isn’t the best thing for you, but it tastes sooo good.

Friday: Cycled 11.35 miles. Had lunch with Sam.  She’s engaged!  And I’m a bridesmaid!  Super excited for her!

Saturday:  busiest day at the library ever.  That should count as a workout.  I was exhausted when I got home.  Trae had this brilliant idea:

2 Words:  Hell Yes.

YNot Stromboli

 

Sunday: Abs, Arms, Yoga

• LegRaise/ToeTouch/Bicycle Ab circuit, 10:00min
• 2 x 30sec Tricep Dips
• 2 x 15 “girl” push-ups, with feet crossed and legs up
• 30 minutes of Beginner Flexibility Yoga with Yoga Studio App

This app is the best one I’ve found so far. When you hit play, you only see the instructor and she walks you through the entire time. It’s like I’m having a private yoga session.

TOTAL MILES & ACTIVITY: .5 miles walked, 28.06 miles cycled, 3.33 miles elliptical, 1 arm, 3 abs, 1 Yoga

13 weeks down, 10 weeks to go! My plan is to still be running the marathon.  I just might not make it to 22 miles during the training.  I have no shame in walking some of the marathon if I need to.  I just don’t want all of this to have to be postponed.  That would be the icing on the cake. Ugh.  I did however, check to make sure I could defer my entry in a worst case scenario.  I have until October 31st to figure it out. Fingers crossed that doesn’t need to happen.

How did your weekly mileage add up?

If you’ve been injured mid-training, how did you bounce back?  Did you ease back into it?  My last long run was two weeks ago at 15 miles.  Should I head back towards that number or aim somewhere closer to 10?

9-Way Abs Routine

Alright, here it is!  The past couple of weeks of training you may or may not have noticed that I’ve been adding an ab/core workout to my routine.  A few people have asked about this workout so I thought I’d share…

9-Way Abs

• 15 sec. Leg Raises
• 60 sec. Crunch/Sit-up
• 30 sec. Bicycles
• 60 sec. Left Side Plank
• 60 sec. Right Side Plank
• 60 sec. Forward Loops/Back Loops
• 60 sec. Plank with Moving Feet
• 30 sec. Jack Knives
• 60 sec. Plank Waves
• 15 sec.  REST IN BETWEEN EACH

Below are images showing you how to go through each set.

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Leg Raises: 

• Lay on your back with arms at your sides.  Legs and feet should be raised a few inches off the ground.
• Keep legs straight and raise them up so feet are parallel with the ceiling.
• Bring them back down to starting position, then repeat.

Leg raises starting position

Leg raises middle position. Bring legs back to starting position to complete one rep.

Crunch/Sit-up

• Laying on your back, bend legs at the knees.
• With heads behind your head, complete one crunch.
• Then complete one full sit-up.
• Repeat crunch, sit-up, crunch, sit-up…

Crunch

Then come into full sit-up

Bicycles

• Laying on your back, bring hands behind head as you would for crunches.
• Alternate meeting right elbow with left knee to left elbow with right knee.
• The leg not meeting knee should be lifted and kept a few inches off the ground.
• Keep alternating, hence bicycling.

Right elbow, left knee

Left elbow, right knee

Left Side Plank

• Lie on left side.
• Place forearm under shoulder, perpendicular to the body.
• Place upper leg directly on top of lower leg, hips and knees straight.  Upper arm can lay flat, or holding on like mine is.  This helps me to remember to keep my abs engaged because I can feel them.
• Raise body upward.  Hold this position.  Make sure abs are engaged the entire 60 sec.

Left Side Plank

Right Side Plank

• Lie on right side.
• Place forearm under shoulder, perpendicular to the body.
• Place upper leg directly on top of lower leg, hips and knees straight.  Upper arm can lay flat, or holding on like mine is.  This helps me to remember to keep my abs engaged because I can feel them.
• Raise body upward.  Hold this position.  Make sure abs are engaged the entire 60 sec.

Right Side Plank

Loops

• Start on your back with arms lying next to your sides.
• Pull legs in to your chest.
• Push legs up and out.
• Bring them back down like you would for leg raises.  Complete this forward circular motion for 30 seconds.
• For the next 30 seconds you will be making this circular motion backwards.

Starting position.

Pull legs in

Begin to push forward

Continue to extend and make full loop. Then bring them back in to start another cycle.  For the second set of 30 sec. make the same motion but backwards.

Plank with Moving Feet

• Start in plank position with feet centered and together
• Step one foot out to the side, and then step the next foot out to the side, you should be standing with feet apart wide (or to the edge of your mat)
• Step one foot back in to the center, and then the other foot into the center, you should now be back in the starting position.
• Keep moving your feet out and back for the entire 60 seconds.

Start in plank position

Start with feet centered and together

Jack Knives

• Start on your back, with legs straight out and a few inches off the ground and arms straight out above your head.
• Lift arms and legs at the same time and meet in the middle, as if doing toe touches.
• Come back into the starting position.
• Repeat.

Starting position

Lift both arms and legs at the same time

Meet in the middle, as if doing a toe touch

Plank Waves

• Begin in the plank position.
• Start by lifting one arm off the ground.
• Circle your arm out and back in, as if waving in a big circle. Circle back in the opposite direction.
• Perform the same movement with the other arm.
• Keep switching arms for the full 60 seconds.

Do you have a favorite ab routine?

Let me know if you try “9-Way Abs.”  What do you think?

Would you be interested in seeing more workout routines (butt, legs, arms, yoga, more abs)?