good reads – The Celiathlete

August 25, 2019

Project BQ – Marathon Training Week #9

dreams-hopes-poster-rhino-treadmill-unicorn Ever feel like a week was out to get you? I felt that way the moment my coach sent through this week’s plan. It was stacked. It was asking a lot on my speed work days. It was challenging me. I knew it would require earlier bedtimes and early wakeup alarms. And I was prepared for it. But…it seemed the universe had other plans for me…

Let’s dive in…

Monday: INSTRUCTIONS: BASE RUN – 6-8 MILES – GOAL 7 MILES – EASY EFFORT – TRY NO WATCH AGAIN

After spending so much time last weekend in the heat and humidity, the last thing I wanted to do on Monday morning was get up and head out into the heat and humidity. I was happy to have the easy, recovery run. I got up and got dressed to head out on my run and…thunder and lightning started. I was NOT happy with that. I was prepared to head to the gym if needed, but it seemed to pass as I started my stretches. Without the sound of thunder or lightning flashes, I headed back out and just took it easy. My watch was covered…and I started to concern myself a little more with a strange white truck that would just pull around and park and sit…and it kept doing this. I ended up looping my mace over my hand just in case, but it ended up driving off and didn’t return as I finished up. Despite the late start, I got in an easy 7 miles. I was soaked because it was SUPER humid outside, so I went inside to shower and finish up my stretches with the additional hip strengtheners. I also met with Corey that afternoon for my personal training session. He had some fresh hell in store for me. Plyometrics. Box jumps. Push ups. LOTS. My knees and, strangely, my ribs felt those box jumps the rest of the week.

Tuesday: INSTRUCTIONS: MARATHON PACE – 1-2 MILES WU; 6-8 MILES MP; 1-2 MILES CD

What can I say? I really, really wanted to push myself on this and test my endurance. It was HUMID and close to 80 degrees at the start of this run…which happened to start prior to 3 am. No joke. I did go inside to get extra water and electrolytes and stopped just a few times to utilize them. But this run went better than I anticipated. Considering my legs were really feeling my personal training session, I was a bit nervous about how this would go. That being said, the longer warmup did help and once I got loosened up, I started to feel better and better. I did use my Aftershokz headphones again…and loved that when it started to get hard, John Parr’s “Man in Motion (St. Elmo’s Fire)” came on, followed immediately by this year’s theme song, Panic At The Disco’s “High Hopes.” It was enough to keep me going and pushing a little more. My iPod keeps dying though on some of these hotter runs, and at first I thought it was the headphones, but now I’m pretty certain it’s the iPod. Probably from the amount of sweat my body is producing. Can’t help that. But I got in just over 12 miles on a Tuesday morning. Went inside to shower and stretch.

Wednesday: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF THE RUN = RECOVERY! GO AS FAR OR SHORT AS YOU NEED, AS FAST OR SLOW AS YOU NEED, WALK OR RUN AS YOU NEED.

Same run as last week. Same instructions. One month of it now. This time, however, I didn’t opt to go to spin class. I really wanted to go, but I needed to fit in a second round of my hip strengtheners AND…I had a major speed workout on Thursday, so I needed refreshed legs. My personal training session was cancelled because Corey comes over from Kentucky and…Trump was in town and shutting down roads. This is also why I didn’t get a soft pretzel. MEH! So, I put in 4 miles, just like the weeks before, and then showered, did my PT exercises and stretches with the additional hip strengthening stuff and called it a day. I was still sore in my knees (weird for me…my knees never bother me). I hope to get back to spin this coming week.

Thursday: TEMPO RUN – 1 MILE WU; 3X2 MILES AT TEMPO (7:20-7:50); 0.5 MILES RECOVERY; 1 MILE CD

If there was any doubt that this wasn’t my week…try waking up for the second time to thunder, lightning, strong winds, and heavy rain. It was insane. It was loud and violent enough that my friend, Melissa, texted me to make sure I wasn’t outside in the storm and if I was if she needed to come get me and take me home. Do I have amazing friends, or what? I kept hoping that the storms would pass, but they hung around all morning. So, I did my morning stretches and then got my stuff together and…drove through light rain, but the lightning and thunder, to the gym. Where I did my speed work…on the treadmill. This was a huge step for me. Running fast on a treadmill gives me A LOT of anxiety. But, my friend, Jim wasn’t able to swim due to the storms, so he came up and ran on the treadmill next to me and kept me company. I started off with an easy run and when that first mile was done, I pushed the speed up to 7:47. It was all I dared to do on the treadmill. In hindsight, I could have pushed it more, because I did get comfortable with this pace in the 2 mile pushes. When I started the first one, I really, really wanted to stop…but Jim was there…and that would be really stupid to stop so soon into the push. So, thanks to Jim…I actually did the workout as I should have. YAY! I was happy to have it done, and started to get some confidence back about working some speed and distance on the treadmill.

Friday: Per the usual…complete rest day. Sleep in. Shower. Stretch. Read. Drink coffee. Head into work. Get magical sushi. Prepare for Saturday long run. This is how I rest day. I take it super seriously. I used to think I could ignore actual rest. Do that “active recovery.” Let’s face it, friends…active recovery is basically not resting. IT. IS. OKAY. TO. TAKE. A. DAY. OR. TWO. OFF. I promise, you’ll actually be fitter for it. So, I kept it lowkey. I got my sushi. I stretched. I did it all…and I went to bed early so that I could get up early and head out for my long run. Alone. Again.

Saturday: INSTRUCTIONS: 17-20 MILE LONG RUN – EASY PACE – DON’T PUSH IT! AND PRACTIVE RACE-DAY FUELING STRATEGY.

Okay, first of all…this run was pretty much done at or under my marathon pace for MOST of the miles. But I honestly wasn’t pushing the pace at all. Not one bit. I wanted to be super careful because my left hip flexor is acting up after pushing some speed work for 9.5 miles on a treadmill during Thursday’s thunderstorms. The important takeaway from today was that I felt good. The temperature was perfect. The sun was out and the sky was clear, and yet it didn’t really wear me out or kill me on the run. I hit hills, because they make you stronger, right…with the hardest hills coming in the final three miles of this particular route. I felt good. I did practice my fueling and really think I have it nailed down. I am really thankful for finding Maurten and having something work SO WELL for me. I seriously have endless energy…even at the end of a run. I never crash. I never feel like I’m dragging. I can’t say enough good things about it. So, my pace might not look like I didn’t push it, but I honestly didn’t. I feel good about this. I am starting to have a phenomenal feeling about Monumental. Then I went and sat out in the sun to watch Louisville City FC win against North Carolina at Slugger Field. WOOT!

Sunday: INSTRUCTIONS: 3-4 MILES EASY, RECOVERY RUN. SLOW!!

I, surprisingly, felt pretty good on Sunday morning. I woke up, did my stretches and got ready to head out to chase my Sunday morning sunrise. I didn’t push any pace. I just took in the beautiful sky and headed up to the park to watch the sun come up over the lake. It’s my favorite Sunday summer tradition. It keeps happening later and later as the summer draws to a close. It makes me sad, because I used to be able to get it in before there was much traffic or people milling about. But not these days. I did get to wave and say good morning to three very attractive firefighters on my way into the park, so I count that as a win! I focused on the purpose of this run: recovery. The hip flexor was still slightly sore…but it felt way better today than yesterday. Will definitely do a couple rounds of rolling again today.

And with that…this week of training draws to a close. I’m proud of the effort I put in this week, and the miles that I managed to log. This was a stacked and really tough week. Again, I think that my coach is getting this out of the way now…so that when I’m on vacation, on a cruise, at Disney World…I can be a bit more relaxed with the training. Crossing my fingers anyway. Because a long run around a cruise ship is doable…but not my idea of a relaxing vacation.

Now I sit here and wait for what fresh hell this week brings. I hope you all are having a good training cycle this time around!

August 18, 2019

Project BQ – Marathon Training Week #8

dreams-hopes-poster-rhino-treadmill-unicorn Guys…it has been a week. A crazy, unpredictable week. And here I am, trying to plan how to work training in while I am gone over my birthday weekend and it’s just a little overwhelming and stressful.

I went into this week with a little bit of trepidation. Not over what I needed to do during the week. Nope. The weekend. The weekend was what was truly weighing on my mind. Why? Because it is the series of workouts that I have yet to actually execute perfectly or near perfectly. The heat/humidity has killed me the past three…yes THREE…times I have attempted this. And this weekend was shaping up to be…you guessed it…both hot and humid.

So…let the slog being!

Monday: INSTRUCTIONS: BASE RUN – 6-8 MILES – GOAL 7 MILES – EASY EFFORT – TRY NO WATCH AGAIN

Covering my watch has definitely become my new normal. So if you know of anywhere where I can buy cute/fun wristbands to go over my Garmin…clue me in. I want to stock up. Since this was an easy run, I decided to try out the Aftershokz Bone Conducting Headphones out. What I do love about these is that they don’t go into the ears…so you can still be fully aware of the world around you. That’s perfect for me. I’m not going to make a habit out of running with music…but I might pull these out for my speed work on Sunday…just to see if it gets me out of my head. My recovery miles were definitely a little faster than they needed to be, but I felt really relaxed and good the entire run. Later that day I met with Corey for my personal training session. And he kicked my butt with some dynamic exercises to activate the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core. I love/hate core exercises. I love a good strong core…the exercises just aren’t always fun. I went ahead today and did my bonus hip strengthener exercises with my usual stretches as well. Busy day.

Tuesday: INSTRUCTIONS: BASE RUN – 6-8 MILES – GOAL 7 MILES – EASY EFFORT – TRY NO WATCH AGAIN

I woke up early this morning. I was having trouble sleeping. It was speed work day…and I always have a little bit of anxiety going into speed work morning. But, I put in my contacts, got dressed, and was in the kitchen, eating something to give me some energy, while I hydrated a little and filled up my hydration pack when my Weather Channel app pinged and said thunderstorms with strong winds were coming my way. I gave it a quick moment of thought and decided that I could beat it. I rushed out the door and quickly started my watch. And only 0.15 miles into the planned 8 for that morning, the sky started to light up with lightning. Frustrated, I ran back to the apartment and decided to see if it passed over while I did my stretches and additional hip strengtheners again. It thundered while I was doing that, so I decided I was just going to have to switch my speed work day with my Thursday easy run. I wasn’t happy about it…but it was how it had to go this time. I thought about waiting and running on the track that night…but it was going to be in the mid-90s and there were more chances for storms. Not going to take chances, I went to the gym…despite there being no rain, thunder, or lightning happening when I went to my car. I hopped on a treadmill, once again using my Aftershokz to get the tunes going (I can’t do a treadmill without music. EVER! I can run outside (and prefer to) without music and go forever). And I did easy miles on the treadmill for just over an hour. Total of 7 miles, just like Monday. The same workout, two days in a row. One on pavement. One on a treadmill. I knew I would feel that treadmill on Wednesday…so I was thankful it was another easy day. Was I stacking this week against me or what?

Wednesday: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF THE RUN = RECOVERY! GO AS FAR OR SHORT AS YOU NEED, AS FAST OR SLOW AS YOU NEED, WALK OR RUN AS YOU NEED.

Same run as last week. Same instructions. Third week in a row. Spin wasn’t given as an option, but I went anyway. It really makes me so happy…helps me with endurance…and I get in a mentally tough place fighting for sprints and on climbs. I like to think it carries over to running when it gets tough. So, kept a VERY easy pace on my run, then hopped in the car to head to the gym again…this time for the Endurance Ride Spin Class. One hour and a lot of sweat later, my legs felt really good. Spin class always seems to take the heaviness out of my legs. Another reason I love going so much.

Thursday: SPEED WORK – MONA FARTLEKS W/ 1 MILE HARD EFFORT

I woke up so many times the night leading into this rescheduled speed work. I really, really was wishing this was done earlier in the week and I could just run easy today. But…nope. Speed work HAS to happen. And I needed to give it my best. I just didn’t WANT to. Typical. So…this week I did the usual Mona Fartlek workout. The difference was, right after the 15 second round, I was to go immediately into a hard effort mile before my cool down. I was toast in the mile. It was tough. I did my best to tough it out, but the humidity was weighing me down. I hate when it’s humid enough to make it hard to breathe. UGH. But…I did it. I got it done. My workout was simple: 2 mile warm up, 2×90 sec, 4×60 sec, 4×30 sec, 4×15 sec (with equal recovery after each at a pace faster than base pace), 1 mile hard effort, 2 mile cool down. They were hard this morning. And this is really the only speed work I actually enjoy doing. I didn’t hate this…but I was very happy to be done with it.

Friday: Per the usual…complete rest day. Sleep in. Shower. Stretch. Read. Drink coffee. Head into work. The usual. I was also having a checkup with my eye doctor just to see how the contacts were working. Guess what…LOVE THEM! I have a busy weekend planned, so tried to do as much prep work in advance as I could the night before. So, insanity…but hopefully these legs will appreciate the extra TLC, foam rolling, stretches and rest because I really NEED the weekend runs to go well.

Saturday: INSTRUCTIONS: 9 – 12 MILES WITH 2 MILE FAST FINISH – EASY DOES IT UNTIL FAST FINISH AT THE END

Fast finishes are one of my least favorite things. While I am usually very good about keeping my regular pace during the run easy, I still somehow struggle more than I should with fast finishes. With one of my running buddies opting to sleep in, I met up with Ron on my side of the river where we ran the Greenway early to try to beat some of the summer morning heat. Once that sun comes up…struggle bus. But we actually kept a pretty steady, regular pace to our turnaround and then barely slowed down on the return. Then, my fast finish was done running to the local coffee shop 2 miles away. My roommate was meeting me there for iced coffee and Ron joined us for some rest and relaxation while we drank coffee and discussed races in states and why to do or not do certain ones. After that, I headed home to shower and change because Cathy and I were meeting our friend Michelle and heading to Turtle Run Winery for a girls day out. I was the designated driver due to my workout on Sunday morning, so I basically had half of a glass of wine total over the 3+ hours we were hanging there. It was a really fun day. After a stop off for dinner for Cathy & Michelle at a local favorite spot (nothing there I can really eat), we went to let Amanda & Richie’s pitt bull puppies out to play before taking Michelle home, calling in my order for magical sushi (it’s becoming a pre-long run favorite) for a VERY late dinner. I ate at 8:30 pm. REALLY late for me. And then I went to get ready for bed…because I had an early wakeup the following morning.

SUNDAY: INSTRUCTIONS: 1 MILE WU; 3X4 MILES MP; 1 MILE CD – TAKE 2-4 MINUTES BASE PACE/RECOVERY BETWEEN SETS AT MARATHON PACE

Honestly, this is the workout I dread. Anytime it pops up on my training plan it makes me die a little inside. Why? Because I have NEVER been able to actually do it properly. AND…on top of that, one of my best friends was doing her first triathlon and wanted me to come spectate and cheer. This meant an early morning so I could start with enough time to hopefully make it from Indiana to Kentucky and not miss her finish. I knew I wouldn’t make her start…I probably could have seen her bike to run transition, but I didn’t know where she was when I got down there. But my run…it was the best attempt I have had yet. While it wasn’t perfect, especially in the last 2 miles, which were a HUGE struggle bus because it was hotter and the sun was up, and there was no shade to be had. But…I executed this run better than I have in the past. I even got a high five from a biker as I was on the greenway, heading from Indiana into Kentucky. Amazing. My marathon paces were pretty accurate, even with hills. My biggest problem today was the extra fuel I carry to take at Mile 8…leaked. And it was halfway gone by the time I hit Mile 5. So, it became a use it or lose it decision so I took it 3 miles early. I don’t think it made too much of a difference, but I was really ready to be done once that sun got higher. It heated up really quickly today. But, I did manage to hit the paces with few to little stops. And, I was at the finish line to cheer in my friend, give her a hug, and hang out for a bit before heading out to do all the grocery shopping we still had left to do. It worked out to 15.6 miles when all was said and done.

Let me tell you…I’m tired. And my schedule for next week isn’t playing around. So…rest is going to be key for me this coming week. Wish me luck on that. Also…my coach and his wife just welcomed their third child. Exciting times. He warned all of us he coaches that he might not get schedules posted by Sunday night, but he actually had them to me before 3 pm. Amazing. And also…trying not to panic over the speed work that he assigned this time around.

Killer.

For now, I keep hoping for this heat to let up…just a little.

OH…AND WE ARE 12 WEEKS OUT.

No wonder I’m tired…

June 22, 2017

Sometimes You Just Need To Escape

Guess what!!??

As part of my self-care, self-esteem building, bettering-of-myself experiment that is an ongoing series of successes and (yes) failures…I’m expanding my mind and still attempting to squeeze in a bit of ME TIME, which feels almost impossible these days…but I work with what I have.

Therefore…I’m listening to music…

In fact, I was fortunate enough to attend the U2 show in Louisville, KY this past weekend. And while it was hot and I wilted and melted until the sun went down, the show was amazing and I (as always) cried during Where The Streets Have No Name as well as Running To Stand Still. U2 and I have been in a musical relationship since I was a child…and, while I have seen them numerous times in concert, this show was on my home turf and I wasn’t going to miss it. I’m glad I went.

u2joshuatree

Honestly, I needed that show. I’ve sort of given up finding inspiration in music. Why search for new music, when some of the best lyrics, some of the best songs, are in the old favorites? I stand corrected!

I’ve also started diving back into some books. In fact, I’m working on three at this very moment. Yes…at the same time.

book
So, what is on my reading list at the moment? Well, at the encouragement of my sister, I am working through 13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher, on my Kindle.

13reasonswhy
I’m sure many of you are familiar with this book, but in case you’re not…here is the synopsis from Amazon.com:

You can’t stop the future.
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

At work, I often listen to podcasts these days, but there is still room for my beloved audio books. It’s so easy to listen to a book while I do my work…so I can escape and still be productive. Let’s here it for multitasking. I am currently listening to Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow, which is the very book that Lin-Manuel Miranda was reading when he was inspired to write the Broadway musical Hamilton.

hamiltonbook
It’s fascinating and a nice escape for the first part of my day at work. Once again, here is the synopsis from Amazon.com:

In the first full-length biography of Alexander Hamilton in decades, Ron Chernow tells the riveting story of a man who overcame all odds to shape, inspire, and scandalize the newborn America. According to historian Joseph Ellis, Alexander Hamilton is “a robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charismatic and dangerous founder of them all.”

Few figures in American history have been more hotly debated or more grossly misunderstood than Alexander Hamilton. Chernow’s biography gives Hamilton his due and sets the record straight, deftly illustrating that the political and economic greatness of today’s America is the result of Hamilton’s countless sacrifices to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. “To repudiate his legacy,” Chernow writes, “is, in many ways, to repudiate the modern world.” Chernow here recounts Hamilton’s turbulent life: an illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean, he came out of nowhere to take America by storm, rising to become George Washington’s aide-de-camp in the Continental Army, coauthoring The Federalist Papers, founding the Bank of New York, leading the Federalist Party, and becoming the first Treasury Secretary of the United States.Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power. His is a Hamilton far more human than we’ve encountered before—from his shame about his birth to his fiery aspirations, from his intimate relationships with childhood friends to his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Monroe, and Burr, and from his highly public affair with Maria Reynolds to his loving marriage to his loyal wife Eliza. And never before has there been a more vivid account of Hamilton’s famous and mysterious death in a duel with Aaron Burr in July of 1804.

Chernow’s biography is not just a portrait of Hamilton, but the story of America’s birth seen through its most central figure. At a critical time to look back to our roots, Alexander Hamilton will remind readers of the purpose of our institutions and our heritage as Americans.

And finally…at the encouragement of my amazing, inspiring, and brilliant friend, Melissa, I picked up a book this past weekend to read. She said that it would really help me through the struggle-bus thought process I am currently working through. So far, she’s right. I haven’t gotten far, but I’m going to make a point to sit down and power through this book. It’s called You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, by Jen Sincero.

youareabadass It’s very motivating, the bit that I have squeezed in to read. And I find myself nodding and cheering for myself to get this excited about my life. Maybe it will help. I think it will. I’ve already found SO many sentences that I can apply to my current struggles. In case you’re confused…here is the synopsis from Amazon.com:

Bestselling author, speaker and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, cuts through the din of the self-help genre with her own verbal meat cleaver in You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. In this refreshingly blunt how-to guide, Sincero, serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, life-changing insights, easy exercises and the occasional swear word.

Via chapters such as “Your Brain is Your Bitch,” “Fear is for Suckers” and “My Subconscious Made Me Do It,” Sincero takes you on a wild joy ride to your own transformation, helping you create the money, relationships, career and general all around awesomeness you so desire. And should you be one of those people who would rather take a bullet than get busted with a self-help book in your hands, fear not. Sincero, a former skeptic herself, delivers the goods minus the New-Age cheese, giving even the snarkiest of poo-pooers exactly what they need to get out of their ruts and start kicking some ass.

By the end of You Are a Badass, you will understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can’t change, how to change what you don’t love, and how to start living the kind of life you used to be jealous of.

So…that’s what is on my reading list currently, but why stop there? I’ve become so immersed in podcasts as of late. And while I love a good true crime podcast, I have been directed to, or even discovered through my own hunting, some uplifting and amazing podcasts that I’ve been diving into at work as well. These include:

Make Your Body Work: Live Healthier, Smarter, and Happier – Dave Smith, Canada’s Top Fitness Professional
Fit Bottomed Girls – Margo Donohue, Jennipher Walters, and Kristen Seymour
The Love, Food Podcast – Julie Duffy Dillon, Registered Dietitian, Food Behavior Expert, and Body Image Guru
Body Kindness – Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN

I really need to think more about working toward my nutrition degree or becoming a dietician. I love learning new things and also…learning how to be kinder to myself during these very trying, often stressful times as I attempt to get this body back to a place where I feel comfortable with it.

AND…I have been out to the movies and had to see, because…reasons, WONDER WOMAN. It was campy and fun and amazing and everything that it needed to be. I was nicknamed Wonder Woman years ago by my running store/group…so this was a must see. And if you haven’t seen it yet…I highly recommend it!

wonderwoman

I have numerous more movies on my TO SEE list…so we’ll see how many I manage to get through before they leave theaters.

So…that’s what I’ve been up to lately. And yesterday, I broke out my Vitamix and whipped up an amazing smoothie for breakfast that I’ll share the recipe for in a different entry.

What books/podcasts/music/television shows have you been enjoying lately? I want to hear all about them. Comment below!! I’m always looking for new things to get into!

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May 9, 2016

Weekly Wrap-Up

I know, I have been horrible about these weekly posts about good, shiny things with rainbows and sprinkles and all that lot.

But the truth is…

…I’ve been busy.

Like…very busy. On the road, racing, cooking, baking, seeing friends, living life…

That sort of busy. The kind of busy when I get home on Sunday from finishing up any and/or all grocery shopping and errands that were ignored Friday night and Saturday due to time constraints or whatnot…and I really don’t want to do anything except sit and veg, foam roll, and watch Game of Thrones.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

But…I do like my little roundups of what has been going on…so here’s one for this week. I’ll try to be a bit more consistent…

So, what have I been doing? Well…where to start?

1. Back-To-Back Weekend Half Marathons

Me running toward the finish line of the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon (in the rain, but still smiling) – Louisville, KY

Okay…I know, when coming back from a year off of injury, the last thing I should be doing is racing back-to-back long distances, right?! Well…technically…not in my case. My PT and I have discussed the importance of mileage as I attempt to build myself back up to a marathon distances. I already transferred my bib for the spring one that I signed up for, and have made someone a very happy racer to have that bib and chance to be part of a marathon I have been dying to turn. That being said, my training continues and last weekend, I was scheduled for a 16 miler…and this past weekend 13 miles. It just so happened that last weekend was the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & Mini Marathon race. I signed up because my friend, Deana, encouraged me to do so. With 16 miles on the docket, I got up and ran 3 ahead of the race and then completed the last 13.1 miles in the rain…with lots of people and a medal at the end. A couple of months ago, I signed up for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon up in Indianapolis. I ran this one back in 2012, and this year, Meb Keflezighi was not only sending off every wave of the race, but he was running from the back of the pack to the front. HOW COOL!! So, I signed up and went up to Indy this past Friday night to race on Saturday morning in the humidity. That being said, I had my first completely pain-free race and came within 1:06 of matching my PR time for a half. I never did get to meet Meb though. He started just after I finished…and I beat his time. Something tells me that he wasn’t here to all-out run this one, though, LOL! So, I’d say my return to running has been smart, slow, and steady. It’s been fun having races on the schedule again. I am not running any races this year for time or for PRs…just for fun. And that’s making a big difference in how I approach going into them. But it is nice to see that my fitness and strength haven’t gone to hell in the forced year off.

2. Captain America: Civil War

I am totally #TeamIronMan. My roommate is totally #TeamCap. So, we have our own little Civil War as it is. That being said, today we went to the movie theater and saw Captain America: Civil War and it was everything I expected and more. I hate seeing a divided Avengers…but I love where they took this movie. I loved how everything played out and how they are setting up for future films on the way. If you haven’t seen it yet…GO. Do not hesitate. Do not pass GO or collect $200. (Monopoly reference there, LOL!) Buy a movie ticket (I know they are expensive…but OMG…WORTH IT) and sit your butt down in a movie theater seat with popcorn and a drink and just…ENJOY IT!

#TeamStark forever!

3. The AlterG Treadmill

Welcome to the spaceship!! That’s what AlterG tweeted back to me after I blogged about my experience running on an AlterG Treadmill. First of all, this is forever happening. Seriously, I am going to pay for package minutes to run on this thing because it is going to mean I can train like I need to and take all the pounding off my body and come out of it faster, stronger, and injury free. It’s totally worth it. After getting to take a spin, as it were, and test it out…I can see why so many elite runners make use of the AlterG when recovering from hard races and/or from injury. This machine has forever changed my way of training and recovering. I am very fortunate that my physical therapist office has one to use. Seriously…life changing. Regular treadmills tear me up. This one…I could fly…so fast…and when I was finished…nothing even twinged at me. LIFE CHANGING!

4. NuttZo

I posted week or so ago about the Spring Sale going on with NuttZo. I’m a #NuttZoAmbassador and decided I would take advantage of said sale. If you missed out, I even offered my ambassador code for a 20% discount. Stay tuned, as I am certain more sales will be headed this way. That being said…I purchased the big jar of the Chocolate Power Fuel and then one of each of their available varieties: Original Peanut (Smooth), Original Peanut (Crunchy), Chocolate Original Peanut (Smooth), Chocolate Original Peanut (Crunchy), Power Fuel (Smooth), and (my personal favorite) Power Fuel (Crunchy). If you are unfamiliar with NuttZo…you’re missing out. Nuttzo is a medley of seven organic nuts and seeds…all combined to make a healthy, omega-rich, organic nut butter. I love being a product ambassador for this amazing nut butter. It’s pricey…but it’s worth it. Take a chance and try it out! You can find it in local stores or find buy it in their online store. #NuttZoFanatic #NuttZoLove #EatNuttZo

5. Re-reading the Harry Potter Books

I blame the upcoming release of a movie, the new book coming out, and the fact that the best time I had in Universal Studios a few weeks back was at both Harry Potter Worlds. All of that has spawned me to revisit the entire book series. In fact, I just wrapped up the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and will be starting Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets this week. SO looking forward to it. This re-read was a long time coming. Been meaning to do this for awhile.

6. The new Goo Goo Dolls album, “Boxes”

I have been a fan of the Goo Goo Dolls since…well…forever. No joke. I was with them in their punk music days, and then stuck with them when they went mainstream rock. I love their music. And, somehow, they sneaked an album out on me. Seriously. But after my race on Saturday, I went and picked it up. This album is AMAZING. I have listened to it all the way through at least 4 times this weekend. If you haven’t heard it yet…listen to it…purchase it…enjoy it. Nice to have some new material from them.

7. Repaying an Act of Kindness

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So, just before the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon…like…Thursday morning (the race was Saturday), my Garmin 620…died. It refused to charge, hold a charge, or turn on. I was not a happy runner. I posted about it on Facebook and had a lot of beautiful souls offer to let me borrow their watches for the race. But, one of the race ambassadors, and a lady I came to know and count as a friend during the whole Norton Training Program for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & Mini Marathon, Melissa, offered just to give me one. It was a no-frills watch. In fact, it was the original Garmin I had before I got the 620, so I even knew how to work it. She didn’t ask for me to pay for it, she just said she’d give it to me. So, in order to repay her, I do what I do best…I made her Lemon Blossoms, picked up a soft pretzel from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe, and delivered them to her that Wednesday around lunch. It was nice to talk for a moment about our upcoming plans, and she and I are going to take a run together soon. I love having someone join me on my morning runs. We’ll have a good time. This woman has a big heart and a beautiful soul. I am so happy I got to know her.

8. The Return of Sweet ‘N Savory Food Truck
sweetnsavory
So…a month or so ago, I went online to find out when Sweet ‘N Savory would be returning to Louisville to serve up their amazing gluten-free crepes. I know they had mentioned they had their first event planned for April, so I wanted to be in on it. But, what I found instead was a message that the owners were pursuing their first love…training horses, and would not be returning. I was happy for them, that they were making a good living and doing what they love…but selfishly, I was sad because their crepes and their gelato were like none other. Well, this weekend while I was on the road, I saw messages about them being in Louisville and serving. Turns out, they are under new ownership. The new owner is Brandon Lutsch, who is very familiar with the importance of gluten-free foods as his wife is a Celiac. I am going to go and introduce myself once they have their May calendar up. I hope to become as good friends with them as I was with the original owners, Richard and Ashley! I can’t wait to get my hands on a crepe!! I’ve been crazing!!

And that’s a wrap for these past few weeks. Logging off for some decaf coffee and some Game of Thrones.

Have you eaten anything fun, new, and exciting? Do you have a favorite food truck? Have you ever done or been a recipient of a random act of kindness?

March 14, 2016

Weekly Wonders

I usually post a little list of blessings, interests, loves, and other such nonsense in my blog on Sunday…but my weekend was SWAMPED. Race on Saturday, and then Sunday, I had to make the 23 hours that my roommate (Cathy) got to have to celebrate her birthday the best 23 hours ever. It sucks to lose an hour on your birthday.

It doesn’t suck , however, when you get to wake up and work out, finish up shopping, and then try out a new pub for dinner.

THAT’S how you birthday. I made sure she got nice and drunk and then I went grocery shopping. Because if she’s drunk and I go to the grocery store with her, I can buy ALL THE THINGS I want, but normally can’t justify putting in the budget.

No worries, she is very aware I do this. LOL!

So…this past week’s list includes:

1. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden. Are you familiar with Harry Dresden? If not…get familiar. The Dresden Files is a (currently) 16 book series written by Jim Butcher that chronicles the life of lead character, Harry Dresden, a private investigator and wizard as he recounts investigations into supernatural disturbances in…get this…modern-day Chicago. It strikes a bit of a blance between fantasty and detective fiction. And it’s awesome. I listened to the entire series on audiobook (it is read by James Marsters…and HOLY HELL…he does it well) while at work and…each book was amazing. They never really falter. And, you really do just all in love with the characters. And Harry’s dry humor is charming and downright hysterical. I cannot count the number of times I busted out laughing at the office. If you haven’t read these…start now. The first book is Storm Front.

Go.

2. Downton Abbey

With great sadness, I sat down last Sunday with a hot cup of tea and watched the very last episode of Downton Abbey. I have been an avid follower and viewer of this show. I’m not exactly sure what to do with myself on Sunday nights now. It feels like I lost a good group of friends. One thing I will say is that I was so happy that everyone got their happy ending. With all the crisis’ and craziness that this show went through in the 6 seasons it was on the air, this was the ending it needed and the one the fans deserved.

3. NUUN Natural Hydration Tangerine Ginger Vitamin & Electrolyte Drink Tabs

So, awhile back I was in Whole Foods, and I spotted a tube of a NUUN product I hadn’t seen before. It was up near the registers at the time, and I was intrigued enough to go ahead and just buy a tube. I now wish I had purchased more. The flavor is Tangerine Ginger (with my stomach issues, ginger is always a welcome ingredient)…and it was a part of their Natural Hydration line. This means, the formula of NUUN was created to hydrate the body naturally and “put back a little of what life takes out.” The tabs are light, low in calorie, and DELICIOUS! NUUN calls it “U.” And I have yet to find them on their Web site anymore. But…I can still find them (for now) at Whole Foods. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I poured a glass of water the other night and dropped a tablet in…but I was wowed!! Seriously. Just…a whole lot of healthy yum!! More, please! (I am a NUUN Ambassador as well, so this is a double YAY!) #nuunambassador2016 #nuunambassador #nuun #nuunlove #nuunlife #nuunhydration #makeyourwatercount

4. Birthday Fun

As I mentioned above, my roommate rang in another year this past Sunday. With having to turn clocks ahead, Cathy only had 23 hours to make the most out of her day. So, we started it off with a traditional visit to the gym. Hey…we’re a bit odd, LOL! We went

856962_987997090851_7173031538337037717_o — Allergen Free Candy Bar Cupcake from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe

shopping, where she bought Season 1 of The Monkees on DVD at Half Price Books. And then, I took her out to eat for dinner at the latest pub here in New Albany…the Floyd County Brewing Company, where she indulged in fish and chips and I ate a large and amazing salad that had berries and spinach and pecans…all the good things. Cathy even had a beer flight and discovered her favorite of the 4 she sampled was the Bavarian Rapture, which she then got a pint of. She was a little tipsy when we left, but it was a fun time and she got to try out a restaurant she’d been meaning to for awhile now. And we were both impressed. There was a delicious Allergen Free Candy Bar Cupcake from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe afterwards. We had no birthday candles…so I lit up candle Cathy got as a gift and she made a wish on that.

5. Racing…

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I ran a 10K race this past weekend. It has been awhile since I pinned a number on and went out to pound the pavement. I was pleasantly surprised with my performance, my speed is inconsistent, but it’s coming back. My hip is still weak so I am continuing to work on that. But it was SO nice to get back out there and race again. I had missed it. Thanks, Rodes City Run 10K, for the amazing morning!

And there it is…hopefully I’ll have some new things to share next week!!

I hope you guys all had a good week and some fun, new adventures!

February 29, 2016

Things happen in threes…

Don’t worry, this isn’t a post about something else going wrong with me. Quite the opposite. This is a post about how I am finally feeling like myself again. I am regaining confidence. I’m working hard to regain any lost momentum and strength and fitness that I have lost over the past year of being unable to run.

This week started off with me still dealing with the aches and pains in my left quad (aka: the leg that doesn’t have the torn hip labrum) which just got me all worked up all over again. I contacted Katie (my physical therapist) on Tuesday prior to running some hill repeats to get her thoughts on it. I didn’t hear back from her before I went running, but she managed to work me in on Thursday afternoon to take a look at the quad. We discussed cutting back on my mileage…just in case.

That being said, as I mentioned in a previous blog…it seems to just be a muscle strain, and it doesn’t bother me while I’m running. Sometimes when I am warming up…and cooling down…but not during the actual act of running. I purchased a (pink) lacrosse ball this weekend to help give some trigger point therapy to the spot and so far so good.

Despite all of that, I had a horrible treadmill run on Wednesday…rain. LOTS of rain. So, after that, I made it a point to get outside on Thursday for my 4 miles that morning. It wasn’t easy…but it was SO much better than the treadmill. And I don’t hurt like I do after running on a treadmill…so there is some helpful insight.

And so…with a bit of stress at work…a couple of good and bad running days…and lots of good food (that I cooked)…it was a pretty good week. And with that being said…here are three things I’m loving this week:

1. Running With the Gang

IMG_20160223_191025[1] — Me and Matthew after Tuesday Hill Repeats at Iroquois Park

So, there is this amazing group of fantastic runners that I used to go out and pound out some miles with…every Saturday. They were my training group. They pushed me, they made me better, they accepted me. I trained with them through cold winters and hot summers. They helped me through injuries and helped me with each comeback. Well, with a year of being mostly unable to run, I wasn’t up to running with them. My speed is lacking and I just don’t feel fit enough to keep up. BUT…that being said, on Tuesday, I ran 6 miles of hill repeats with Matthew (who trained hard with me the summer I was working toward my first marathon)…and on Saturday, I ran 10 amazing miles with most of the group. It felt awesome to be out there again, clicking off the miles. At one point, we even joined up with the Anthem 5K, relatively close to the leaders of the race. And as we ran through Mile 2 with them, we all commented on how this is what it felt like to be up front. We left the course shortly after that to round off the mileage. I can’t even begin to describe how good it felt to be out there with all of them again. I had really missed it and them. And Matthew has told me a few times that he and everyone else are so happy that I am back. Over 10 very strong miles later…I feel like my comeback is officially a comeback. Add on the 2 fantastic miles I added in this afternoon (it was SO windy, but it was too pretty not to go out and run…so I kept it short and easy)…and my confidence might slowly be building too. I owe a lot of that to all the people who have continued to tell me to be careful, to do what is best for me, to not rush anything…and who have been waiting for me to come back to them. Arms open. I’m back!

2. THIS BOOK!

I am a bookworm. And I love it when I’m walking through a bookstore or a library and a title or subject catches my eye. That actually happened on Friday. The book is Fit Not Healthy by Vanessa Alford, a true and personal account of the author’s downward spiral in an attempt to improve her performance in running, pushing her body harder and further, determined to be the best runner she can be. Even though she was a physiotherapist, she soon becomes trapped in a spiral of extreme dieting and exercise in order to improve her performance and maintain her ‘fit and healthy’ look. She ignored the growing concerns of friends and family, denying that there was anything unhealthy about her fitness training, until her body begins to rebel against her. She was offered a commercial sponsorship and attracted the attentions of elite coaches, but striving to become faster and fitter, she fell into the trap of overexercising and calorie deprivation. I have known and still know so many runners (and athletes) who do not fuel their body right…who take stupid risks with their helps because they are trying to fit into their idea of the “perfect” body, the “perfect” weight, the “perfect” athlete. Denial is a demon that is hard to defeat. This book has had me turning page after page. The disordered thinking, eating, and exercising that Alford did is not only scary…but an eye opener. My dearest friends…we are all beautiful works in progress. DO NOT try to better yourself by taking risks with your body. It will and does catch up to you! Take care of your body…it’s the only place you have to live.

3. SHOPPING!!

There really is something so therapeutic about shopping. Retail therapy is real and it is life-changing. This weekend, along with getting some upcoming birthday shopping done, my roommate and I both invested a little bit…in ourselves. I purchased some reflective gear (capris and a matching top) for running, as well as a pair of Adidas Grete Shorts. I usually am a running skirt girl, but I LOVE these shorts. And I got them for $10 at the Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass. I picked up shampoo bar and body wash from LUSH (LOVE LUSH!), and I picked up good eats at Annie May’s Sweet Café, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, Rice, Cellar Door Chocolates, and of course, the food of my own making…including getting some batch cooking done for this week. All my meals are prepped and ready. And it didn’t take long at all. NICE! AND…I also have indulged in some delicious berries and peaches this weekend too. LOVE my fruit for a snack. And some of my favorites are close to being back in season!!

All-in-all…what a fantastic weekend. And now…I’m working on some upcoming goals and plans…and feeling good. I haven’t been able to say that in a long time.

How did you spend your weekend? Do anything fun? Eat anything delicious? Read anything amazing? Tell me all about it!