Buddy The Running Dog

Have you seen my motivation anywhere? I seem to have lost it.

The last couple of days I have just NOT been feeling my runs/workouts for some reason. I have mostly been getting some decent workouts in, but I just don't want to.

I took a total rest day yesterday, and was well on my way to saying goodbye to today's run too when I saw this face:

Ooooookay, fine.

We hit the road and ended up having a nice, if slow, run. Buddy was doing really well, and every time I tried to let him take a walk break he would just keep running. He hit a new distance today - 4 miles!

He's a little tired now.

A kiddo in one of my classes gave me chocolate covered pretzels and holiday scented hand sanitizer today. Sweet.

I sent most of my Christmas presents off in the mail today. The woman at the post office was not very friendly (there's a guy who works there who is much nicer), but the end result was the same.

Oh, and if you need/want anything from PRO Compression, they're having their year end sale right now - 42% off (and free shipping!) with code: YEAREND

The code is good until the 31st - go get some socks!

The Best of Both Worlds

One of the preschoolers I teach has decided that my name is Miss Betty. I tried correcting her the first few times, but have since given up.

Miss Betty at your service.

Buddy is a ridiculously good dog when it comes to food.

That chewy box behind his bed is his food, there's another bag of food behind it, and his new favorite bone on top. He leaves all of it alone, even when we're not home.

I did pretty much all of my marathon training without my iPod. People in our neighborhood drive like maniacs (even though the speed limit is 30mph) and I like to be able to hear if they're coming. Since my runs lately have been a little depressing, I decided to see if having some music would keep my mind busy so I could actually get more than a few miles in. The music definitely helped (I only had one headphone in so I could still hear cars) and I got a pretty good 5 miles in.

I used to tell my running friends that I wasn't happy until mile 4. Maybe I just haven't been running long enough lately.

I'm loving the new Pro Marathon Elite socks that Tom bought me for my birthday! They're the best of both worlds, cushy on the feet and tight on my calves. 

It was WARM and I ran in shorts and a tank top - what is happening November?

My TomTom decided I didn't nee to worry about my pace and refused to track anything other than the running time and my heart rate. The distance/pace showed 0.00 the entire time. Thanks watch.

Buddy and I spent some time working on his fetch game this afternoon.

He still prefers keep away to fetch.

Only a few days left to enter my hemp hearts giveaway - get over there and click on some things!

My Marathon Training Must Haves

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Now that I've (mostly) made it through my marathon training, I thought I would share a few things that helped me make it through this training cycle.

Shoes (duh) - I used to do most of my running on trails and the treadmill. This time around I was 100% on the roads, which meant that some of my favorite shoes didn't work as well for me as they had in the past. I used to do most of my running in Brooks PureFlows, but for most of this training cycle I have run in Mizuno Wave Riders and Saucony Zealots.

I have mixed things up shoe-wise for shorter runs, but for long runs, those are my go-tos.

Calf sleeves - This is the first training cycle I have run with calf sleeves.

I love the compression and support of PRO Compression Marathon socks (and wear them for post-run recovery), but the foot part doesn't work for me when I'm running. I need more cushion. I have had problems with my calves cramping during half marathons before, so I figured these couldn't hurt. I wore them for all of my long runs and I really feel like they have helped me. It's possible that it's all in my head, but either way works for me!

Shorts - Until this summer I pretty much always ran in capris. I could do that because I had my treadmill in our air conditioned basement. I haven't used my treadmill since we moved because it's currently in the garage, which is definitely not air conditioned. Every single run has been outside, which means I had to find some shorts that worked for me. Loose shorts ride up, move around and generally drive me insane, so I ended up finding a couple of pairs from Oiselle (the Long Flyte and Vela shorts). They have perfectly respectable inseams, so I don't feel like things are exposed. They're also super comfortable and don't ride up.

Body Glide - No matter how in shape I get or how thin I am, my thighs will always touch. That's just life. Body Glide has saved me from some serious pain this summer. It's cheap, it's easy, and it makes it so you can run chafe-free for hours. Necessary.

TomTom Runner Cardio - I'm addicted to the data. I need to know how fast, how far, the elevation, my heart rate (with no chest strap!) and anything else my watch cares to tell me. I have gotten better about not checking my pace every three seconds, but I love having the stats to check out after my run. Plus I'm terrible at planning my runs, so I'm a big fan of running out until my watch tells me I'm halfway, and then I turn around and head home!

Road ID - Especially if you're like me and you don't usually run with your phone (I pretty much only take it on long runs), a Road ID is a great idea. Mine has my name, birth year, Tom and my mom's phone numbers, my blood type, and the fact that I don't have any known allergies. All great information to have readily available just in case. You can personalize them however you want, and there's even space to add a motivational quote if you want. I keep mine with my watch so I actually remember to wear it on my runs.

Sunscreen - You don't need me to tell you to wear sunscreen, right? I'm a fan of the spray kind for my body because I'm lazy, and I absolutely love the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF for my face. If you read the reviews, you'll see that some of the bristles fall out, and that if you don't follow the directions you can make a big mess with it. Neither of these things is a big deal to me, and I love not putting goopy sunscreen on my face. I somehow made it through summer marathon training without getting a sunburn this year - gold star for me! The only sunburn I've gotten is when I was spectating at Tom's adventure race and completely failed to put sunscreen on my legs.

Hydration Pack - I hate carrying things when I run. I will do everything in my power to not hold anything. I have a Nathan Trail Mix fuel belt that has worked alright for me in the past, but the water bottles are tiny, and I knew they weren't going to cut it for my longer runs this summer. Enter the Teton Trailrunner 2.0 - you can't escape the sloshing sound no matter how you carry your water, and there is a slight plastic taste, but this pack does the trick.

It has a small mesh pocket on the front where I keep everything from my fuel to my phone (in separate ziplock bags). It is open at the top, but I never once had anything fall out. The only thing I really wish this pack had is a place to clip my house key.

Race day is officially a week away - I can't believe it's already here!

17 Miles and A New Hydration Pack

Did you know that there is nothing on tv at 5 am? It's all infomercials. I was up early this morning to get my long run in before it got too hot out and had very limited tv options.

I started watching The Walking Dead until I realized that watching zombies before I went for a run outside in the mostly dark was probably not the best life choice. I found some I Love Lucy episodes to watch while I drank my coffee instead. It was super dark out, and I didn't want to start out in the total darkness. I had to look up when sunrise was going to be, and the sky had lightened up a bit by the time I was out the door.

I know I say this after every long run, but 17 miles is far you guys! I took my new hydration pack (it's a TETON Sports Trailrunner 2.0) for a spin, and I like it way better than my fuel belt that I have been running with. It's easier to take sips of water, and I don't feel the weight of the water as much as I do with the belt. The best part is that it was less than $24 from Amazon (depending on color choice).

I've given up on worrying about the pace of my long runs. I can't seem to find anywhere near the house that isn't insanely hilly. This week was even worse than last week - over 1700 feet of elevation. I can't help but walk on some of the steeper sections - it's usually faster to walk than to try to run up them, and walking is not good for my long run morale. I like to be able to keep my legs moving.

Every once in a while I get caught up in all the blogs and social media and start to feel like it's no big thing to wake up at 5am to run 17 miles. Doesn't everyone do that, and don't they do it faster than me?

No, they don't. And even if I'm not the fastest (I'm not), it's still a really cool and very hard thing I'm doing, no matter how run of the mill social media makes it seem.

I ran 17 miles today, and that's the most I've ever run at one time - how cool is that? :)


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Killed It.

Check it out: I did yoga again today, and I waited to run until it was a reasonable temperature out. 

I absolutely killed my run today! 

Go figure. 

I didn't look at my pace at all, though I did check the time every few miles. I was pushing myself a bit because I was feeling good (for the first time in a few weeks), and I was pleasantly surprised by my 8:44 average pace. Check out my splits! 

1. 9:42

2. 8:54

3. 8:57

4. 8:46

5. 8:18

6. 7:45

I was pretty happy when I got home.

Buddy helped me stretch.

And then he took over my yoga mat. I'm not sure what pose he was going for, but I think his form could use a little work.

Since I pushed a little harder than I probably should have on my run, I spent some quality time with my new socks. Hopefully they will keep my legs from hating me tomorrow.

Fingers crossed!

Just Plain Stupid

The downstairs bathroom confuses Buddy. If you go in there, he's pretty sure you have left the house. He patrols upstairs and checks all the rooms to try to figure out where you've gone. The upstairs bathroom he understands, and if the shower is on, he knows someone is in there, so he'll hang out at the top of the stairs or in the office to wait for you to come out.

Buddy is extra fancy right now with his new pirate bandana from the kennel where he stayed while we were at the lake house.

I came home to fun mail the other day - a pair of Pro Compression Marathon socks that I won off of Sally's blog. She also has an adorable dog, so if you need more cute dog pictures in your life, you should definitely check her blog out HERE.

I think my body glide is officially dead. It's been limping along for a while, and I should probably track some down one of these days.

I finally hit my breaking point on running in the heat today. I made a promise to my body that I would stop trying to run in the middle of the day on hot days. It's not intentional, it's just when I like to run. I hate waking up early, and when I try to run later in the day, I tend to skip it. But these last few weeks have shown me that I need to suck it up, listen to my body, and run a little smarter. Trying to push through the heat is just plain stupid.

So, at least on super hot days, I'm going to either run early, or late. It's going to happen.

Probably.

Buddy helped me with some yoga after my run today. Looking cute is helpful, right? He's really good at it.

Well Then...

Our water stopped working this morning. Luckily, we already had coffee made, so it wasn't as dramatic as it could have been. 

Buddy was unconcerned. 

Good thing it happened before I went out for a run - things could have been a lot sweatier.

Fortunately, we were able to get some guys out to check out the well this afternoon. They pulled some really, REALLY, rusty pipes out of the well (no danger of anemia in this house!).

I don't know what all is getting fixed and/or replaced, but they're still working away. Fingers crossed that we have running water again soon!

In less dramatic news, my PRO Compression grab bag came today, and I am really excited about the colors I got! I can't wait to take them for a run - you know, when I know I can take a shower afterwards. 

We'll see how the well progresses, it may end up being an unplanned rest day for me.

Running Negotiations

It was almost cold this morning. Buddy was curled up in a little ball, so Tom gave him his blanket.

My run today was full of negotiations. First it took me absolutely forever to actually get changed and get out the door, and then there was a whole lot of lying to myself.

Ok, you can take a break at the two mile mark.

Just kidding, keep going.

Ok at the turn around point you can stop for a minute.

But then you would have to start going again up a hill. Just keep running.

At the top of this hill you can take a break.

Are you kidding me? It's downhill now, you don't need a break! 

Long story short, I ran the whole 7 hilly miles without stopping (and it was hot out!). Ok I stopped for a split second so I could jump into a ditch rather than get hit by a car, but that doesn't really count.

In case you're in need of some compression sleeves, PRO Compression has a deal going on right now. 3 pairs for $33 using the code CSGB - plus free shipping! Check it out HERE. (I gain nothing by you clicking this link, I just like sales).

Mine are already on their way :)

We're having Chinese takeout for dinner and I'm more than a little excited. I don't know if I've mentioned it, but running makes me hungry.

Tom is running a Warrior Dash race tomorrow - I'll try to get some fun pictures again!

1,000 Miles in 2014

This morning I watched my absolute favorite Christmas show.

Growing up, I had a Christmas tape with several different shows (Garfield's 9 Lives, A Snow White Christmas, a snippet of Fat Albert, Care Bear's Nutcracker and A Muppet Family Christmas). At some point in high school, I sat on the vcr remote and RECORDED OVER my Christmas tape.

It was not a good day.

The best of those shows was A Muppet Family Christmas, it had the Muppets, Sesame Street characters, the Fraggles, and had a Jim Henson cameo at the end - plus it had all the excellent 80s commercials. It originally aired in 1987, and because of poorly thought out song rights (they only secured them for airing on television) all the versions available to purchase are seriously edited (and obviously don't have the awesome commercials).

I managed to find someone online who had the original version (commercials and all!), so now I have it on dvd.

It's pretty much the best.

I did it! Today I broke 1,000 miles for 2014! It's definitely the most I have ever run in a year. I ran 4.5 miles and called it good. I may cut back on my mileage now that I've hit my 1,000, but I'm kind of in the middle of the Runner's World Holiday Run Streak (at least 1 mile a day Thanksgiving-New Years) and I don't really want to stop.

My falling injury is looking better, mostly. There are some good colors in the bruises.

I got fun mail again today. Jan sent me some KT tape for my ankle, and also some really tasty looking corn salsa and some treats for Buddy.

He was pretty excited to get the mail too :)

A Big Chicken, Fun Mail, and Good Food

Buddy is officially afraid of the smoke detector/oven. He was home alone a few weeks ago when the low battery warning started going off...every 60 seconds the alarm would sound, and the voice (because it talks) would say "low battery." We don't know how long it was going off before I got home, but he's been afraid of it ever since.

Now he acts weird when we turn the oven on and looks anxiously up at the smoke alarm. Apparently he's made the connection between the oven being on and the smoke alarm going off. When it goes off (it's sensitive, we don't just burn things all the time), he jumps on the couch, or runs upstairs to hide.

We have an 80lb chicken for a dog.

This is Buddy keeping an eye on the smoke alarm - he doesn't understand why we are not concerned by the woman in the ceiling.

I wore my Transcends to run today to (hopefully) give my foot/ankle a little more support - and then I complained about how heavy they are compared to my usual Mizunos. I think they helped though.

It was a fun mail day today.

I was a little disappointed that my Pro Compression grab bag ended up being two colors I already have and a pair of Ragnar socks (I guess now I should run a Ragnar relay?). It will still be nice to have new socks, a couple of my old ones are getting stretched out.

I got new Nuun to try out - Tangerine Ginger! And they threw in a fun holiday glass! :)

Dinner tonight was Egg Roll in a Bowl. It doesn't photograph well, but it's delicious! We make it pretty often, and switch up what veggies we throw in (I say we, but Tom cooks it).

I made more Eggnog cookies tonight too - my running group polished off most of the last batch, so we needed more to have for Christmas.

Are you ready for the holidays or do you still have tons of things to do?

Running in the rain

There are some days the world seems to be telling you not to run. It's generally best to ignore it.

I had a dream last night that I jumped off of something and broke my shin.

When I woke up, it was just starting to rain.

And then my car decided that it didn't want to start. I might need a new battery soon.

After it finally started, I opted to go meet up with the group and hope that the car was feeling cooperative when we got back. I figured the worst case scenario was that I would have to ask Tom to drive over and come help me.

We had a surprisingly big group today, especially considering the weather, and the fact that the NYC Marathon is tomorrow. The weather got progressively worse during the run, and our pace got progressively faster as we tried to get back to our cars as soon as possible.

The last mile was spent talking about all the things we were looking forward to when we finished. Seat heaters in cars, coffee, breakfast, and hot showers were the major topics of conversation.

My car started on the first try (hooray!) and Tom had a towel waiting for me by the front door when I got home.

I'm now at 19.7 miles of my 26.2 for the marathon challenge. Just 6.5 miles to go! Tomorrow is supposed to be cold, but dry, so at least it won't be pouring on me for my last run of the challenge.

I've been spending a lot of quality time with my Pro Compression socks since I'm really upping my mileage this week.

I have big packet of legal-speak (for a possible business opportunity) that I have been meaning to read for a while now. I finally sat down and started it this afternoon.

Legal-speak is boring.

We have someone coming to look at the house tomorrow, so we have some tidying up to do in the morning. We get advance notice of showings because of Buddy, which is nice.

I hope you're having a good weekend!

Magic erasers, Buddy naps and new leggings

This morning we went crazy doing last minute cleaning before our realtor got here.

We have used a ridiculous number of Mr Clean Magic Erasers. Once I start using them I just keep seeing more spots on the wall. They also kind of weird me out, they disappear as you use them. Where do they go?

I guess that's the magic.

The walls have never looked so clean. Hopefully all that erasing means we won't have to do any painting.

Mom and I took Buddy to the dog park to get him out of the way while Tom and the realtor took pictures. He had a great time running around and ignoring all the other dogs.

He has no social skills.

Once Buddy was wiped out, I drove Mom up to check out one of the houses we have been looking at so she could see the area. Buddy slept pretty much the whole time we were in the car.

And most of the time since we got home.

Mostly he sleeps.

Then I convinced myself that I needed another pair of Pro Compression leggings. What? That price is too good to turn down! :) The pair I have is all black, so I mixed things up and ordered the pink/black this time.

Tom is making shrimp tacos for dinner. Shrimp, cilantro, lime, guacamole, yes please!

Pro Compression sale alert!

Friends!

Pro Compression is having a sale right now. These leggings, which are my current favorites are on sale for $50 (normally $80), and if that wasn't good enough, you can use the code PINK to get 40% off your order.

That's $30 for a pair of the most comfortable leggings I own. I'm trying not to buy another pair, because I have SO much running stuff. I'll let you know how that goes. 

You can also use the code PINK for 40% off socks and sleeves too!

Also: Free shipping!