Hot Stuff

Not to complain, but it was too hot for my run today.

Ok, so it was really only around 65 degrees, but I need a little more of a transition period to get used to warmer weather.

I had a tempo run on the plan and wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pick up any speed at all until a little over a mile in. It was weird to be running in shorts and a tank top again. If you don't count my amazingly slow first mile, I averaged an 8:47 pace. I'm always happy with any time that starts with an 8.

Buddy and I hung out in the yard for a bit after I got home. I was too hot to go inside.

I don't know why Buddy looks angry in this picture. He's been loving all the sunshine we have had lately.

My first half marathon of the year is coming up quickly! It's the Sleepy Hollow Half Marathon, which is a little over two weeks away. You can read my recap of the 2014 race HERE. It was my first half in NY and I basically trained on the treadmill. It was before I joined my weekend running group and before I gained any speed.

It is a fairly hilly half, so we'll see where I'm at come race day.

When/what is your next race?

Did anyone get into the NYC Marathon lottery today? I didn't apply this year, I have other possibilities for a fall marathon that I'm considering.

Apparently, I'm Awesome

Speed work seems to be paying off!

I had a tempo run on the schedule for Tuesday, and I was not feeling it until over a mile in. Once I got going, I started to feel better, and ended up having a strong run.

Look what a warm up mile can do for you:

As a side note: my brief moment of tank top weather is over. It was snowing in my face on Tuesday and absolutely pouring this afternoon.

I had 3 easy miles on the plan for today, and it seemed like the rain was letting up, so I hit the road.

The rain did not let up. There were a couple of good downpours while I was running, but you can really only get soaking wet once, and then it doesn't matter so much.

You would think that drivers would use a bit of common sense (pouring rain = water on the road = maybe slow down as you drive by a runner), but only one car actually slowed down as they passed me.

Thanks neighbors.

We do have one nice neighbor who informed me that I'm awesome as I ran by her in the rain. I'll take it.

I hit up my yoga mat and reintroduced my legs to the foam roller after I got home.

I did not miss the foam roller, in case you were wondering. 

On a happier (than foam rolling) note: I have definitely noticed an increase in flexibility since I started doing yoga consistently at the beginning of the year. It's pretty cool. 

A Fast Run!

A quick blog pet peeve: when you have so many pops ups (ads, newsletter sign ups, etc.) I can't read the post I was genuinely interested in reading. It's the quickest way to get me to hit the x in the corner, not make me want to subscribe to your newsletter.

I REALLY did not want to run yesterday. I was super tired, and oddly sore. My training plan called for a tempo run, and I wasn't sure I was up for it.

Tom was taking Buddy out for a couple of miles, so I decided to go with them and see how I felt. Once I was warmed up, I actually felt pretty good and decided to keep going.

I'm so glad I did, because I ended up having a really good run, and even hit a 7:58 minute mile in the middle of my 3+ miles! It's the fastest I've run in a while, and I needed that boost after some lackluster runs lately.

I was definitely slow on my run today, but it was supposed to be a recovery run anyway. I'm taking it as a good sign that I'm not instantly ready to go the day after I do speed work. Maybe that means I am finally pushing myself hard enough. I definitely fall into the habit of doing all my runs at a moderate pace, even though I know you're not supposed to.

Hard days should be hard, and easy days should be easy, right? Right.

I got a new pair of slippers today (my olds ones are falling apart). They're super cozy and extra stylish with my running tights ;)

Buddy has been making paths in the snow. It's pretty funny to see his patrol area, he really follows the same track most of the time when he goes out.

Tom made pad thai for dinner last night (I helped by cutting some things and generally staying out of the way). It was a combination of several recipes and turned out really good!

Dinner tonight is pizza, because time got away from us and we didn't feel like cooking.

What are your favorite pizza toppings? My absolute favorite (lately) is onions. Tonight we're getting meatball, mushroom and onion.

Buddy vs The Peanut Butter Jar

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I love when Buddy lays like this. Crazy frog legs.

He was following me all over the house and driving me crazy earlier. I gave him a peanut butter jar so he would get out from under my feet.

It worked.

So, I got another pair of fun tights. But, in my defense, they were free! Victoria's Secret was having a sale where if you bought a sports bra, you got a pair of workout pants for free! Plus, I actually needed a new sports bra. They're super comfy, and they're thicker than some of my other tights.

They apparently also glow in the dark.

I had to shift my runs around for the week so I could spend hours at the laundromat yesterday. I had put it off longer than usual, so everything took forever to dry. I can't wait until we have a washer and dryer again!

My post-laundry sock collection was pretty impressive.

These Balega socks are definitely my favorite running socks. Tom gets me new ones every Christmas. I have THESE and THESE. They're the best.

My run today was a kind of loose-y goose-y tempo run. It was only supposed to be 30 minutes, so I ran comfortably hard (such a runner term) for the middle 15 minutes. Aside from the headache I got from breathing the freezing air, it was a really nice run. As much as I always dread speed work, the more I do it, the better I feel about it.

Would you rather do speed work or run long? I will run all day long - just don't make me sprint!

National Running Day

Happy National Running Day! Did you get a run in today?

As a side note: Friday is National Doughnut Day - I just thought you should know. ;)

I had a tempo run on the schedule for the day and I put it off for so long it almost didn't happen. I finally made it down to the treadmill for some Gilmore Girls and 7 miles. 5 were at 8:49 pace. I probably could have stuck with a faster pace, but I opted to enjoy feeling strong instead.

I spent some time relaxing with my legs up the wall after my run. Buddy wanted to stay close, but he found it pretty boring.

We stopped by Home Depot and picked up some packing paper and foam padding for dishes today. That's almost like packing.

I also packed up some clothes that I'm definitely not going to be wearing in the next two weeks. Baby steps.

And it's a good thing this guy is cute, because he's been underfoot all day.

He's going to be really confused when we finally get serious about packing.

You're Welcome

I did another solo run around the neighborhood yesterday. It really is much nicer than the basement has been lately. Ever since it started getting warm out, the basement has been super hot, even with the fan. Now if only the neighborhood was a little less hilly...

I'm starting to develop a freckle line where my watch sits. I don't actually tan, so there are just lighter and darker freckles instead.

Today's run was a tempo. I did a 1 mile warm up, ran 5 miles @ 8:34 and a 1 mile cool down. The basement was ridiculously hot, but I got it done.

I am still doing the lunge matrix and leg swings before my runs, and I've done the myrtl routine after every run this week. After last week's race, I'm determined to finish faster at my next half. If a little strength/cross training helps, then I will absolutely do some.

In other news: here's a picture of a dog butt. You're welcome.

I hope you're having a great week!

I Clearly Didn't Learn

It was downright hot here today. I think we actually hit 80! Well, the back deck hit 80 anyway, I can't speak for actual accurate temperature recordings. 

I had a tempo run on the schedule for the day and after my usual putzing around, I hit the basement. There's no way I was running tempos in 80 degree weather. I'm not built for that.

My ankle has been a little off lately, and I clearly didn't learn from the last time one of my ankles was hurting (it's the other one this time). I barely made it two miles in before I had to stop and do some serious (seriously painful) stick rolling on my calf. It may have brought tears to my eyes, but it pretty much instantly helped.

I managed to successfully finish my run - 6 miles, with 4 @ 8:20 pace. My calf is sore from rolling it, but otherwise everything feels pretty good. We'll see about maybe doing some stretching - I hear that's good for you. Right, Jan? :)

Buddy and I spent a few minutes on the deck after my run until it became way too hot - I need to re-adapt to warm weather.

I'm glad you guys appreciate my endless pictures of Buddy sleeping, because I can't stop taking them.

I don't have a shoe problem, I don't know what you're talking about.

Also, look how uncomfortable this looks:

Weird dog.

Watermelon Bumblebee

Some days, I just don't like speed work. It's hard, and I'm lazy.

I had a tempo run on the plan for today, though it ended up being something closer to a progression run. I was dragging my feet for a bit and used a combination of angry music (Linkin Park) and Gilmore Girls to get through my 6 miles.

I did a 1 mile warm up, followed by four faster "tempo" miles and a 1 mile cool down.

These were my fast miles:
1. 8:27
2. 8:20
3. 8:20
4. 8:00

Not too shabby.

This little flower was pretty cute hanging out on its own by a tree. It's only about 6 inches tall.

And some requisite Buddy pictures:

I couldn't turn down this sherbet today - Tom says it tastes like watermelon bubble gum.

That reminds me of high school choir, anyone else learn the "watermelon bumblebee" trick for when you forget the words to a song? 

Running Things

I'm glad I spent so much time outside on Monday, because yesterday was rainy and today was overcast. Spring is so all over the place weather-wise. At least we're (probably) done with snow for a while.

I had a super short run (2 miles) on the training plan for Tuesday, and ended up doing 2.5 easy miles in the basement.

Today was a tempo run. It took me forever to get motivated, and I couldn't run as fast as my tempos a few weeks before the race. I still have the tail end of a cold and when I get running too fast I start coughing, so I guess I shouldn't expect to be at my best.

6 miles total with 4 at 8:34, I'll take it.

I'm running a 10k trail race this weekend that is being put on by REI. I have no idea how the trails are (rough/groomed), so I'm going to play things by ear and just enjoy it. It sounds like a bunch of other people from Rivertown Runners (my weekend running people) are going to be there too, so it should be fun.

Apparently Consistent Training Helps

Think winter is over? The weather has other plans.

We're supposed to get another 3-5 inches of snow tomorrow. And it was almost all melted off too! On the bright side, it's not supposed to stick around. 

Today's run was a tempo. I started off watching netflix and ended up playing angry music (think Linkin Park) instead. I needed loud music to keep me going. This is how it played out: 1 mile warm up, 4 miles @ 7:54, 1 mile cool down. I was definitely ready to stop when I hit my miles, but I was still feeling strong

I spent some time looking at my training plans from my races last year, and I can't get over how much faster my average pace is! My tempos were 9:30-10:00 miles - it's amazing what consistent training can do!

Something about this week is making me constantly hungry. It's not like I suddenly increased my mileage or anything, but I'm just hungry ALL. THE. TIME.

Since my mom complained about the lack of Buddy pictures yesterday, here's a picture of him surveying the yard in the sunshine.

And then he got tangled in his leash.

10 days until the West Point Half Marathon! 

Snow, Peanut Butter and a Tempo Run

Our "heat wave" was short lived - it snowed again today. The snow was wet and the roads were a mess. I spent a lot of time yelling about drivers who had no business on the road. Please take your convertible that you didn't bother to clear the snow off of back home if you're not comfortable going any faster than 5mph. Thankyouverymuch.

I had a much more successful tempo run today. There were still a couple of breaks, but that was because I can't drink water on the treadmill without spilling half of it. I ran 6 miles with 4 @ 8:00 pace. I'm pretty happy with that.

Buddy is perfecting his invisibility game. I came upstairs from my run to find him impersonating a pillow.

Nothing to see here, move along.

There was a ton of old ice building up in the freezer, so I decided to put it to good use by taking an ice bath. And then I had to add hot water because it was so cold that it instantly caused physical pain and there was no way I was sitting down with it that cold. It was still plenty unpleasant, so I feel like it did its job.

I think my fitbit is confused. I'm not sure how I ran 6 miles and only have 9 active minutes.

And let's not talk about how many of these I ate today:

Now that I think about it, I've had a lot of peanut butter today. I had some at breakfast on toast, some with an apple for a snack and an unknown number of peanut butter m&m's. I'm a peanut butter lover, I haven't joined the masses of almond butter lovers yet. I've tried it, it just isn't my favorite.

Are you on the almond butter bandwagon?

Buddy the Nap Coach

Yesterday was supposed to be an easy two miler, but I was tiiiiiired, so I decided to skip it. What's two miles anyway?

Today I was so tired that I actually tried to nap. Unless I'm sick, I pretty much can't nap. I just lay there and think about how nice it would be to be asleep.

Buddy is a professional napper, and tried to coach me, but it didn't work.

Check out these cute bird prints in the snow.

I was NOT feeling my run today. Not at all.

It was supposed to be a tempo run, but it ended up being more of an interval run because I took so many breaks. Also, I almost died because I wore capris instead of shorts to the basement - it was way too hot.

6 miles total, with 4 @ 8:34. I got it done, but it was not awesome.

I always try to remember that not every run can be amazing, and that toughing it out makes me stronger - both physically and mentally - but it still wasn't fun.

Tempo Thursday

I started a really whiny post earlier, but I thought I would spare you most of it. I was scared to start my run because I was worried my leg/ankle was going to hurt. I feel like every time I think it's feeling better, it knocks me back down again. It has been really unpredictable.

I sucked it up and hit the basement for my tempo run - and wouldn't you know it, I didn't have to stop early! I would be lying if I said it was perfect. There was some discomfort, especially at the beginning, but I started really focusing on pushing off more with my big toe and everything just clicked. The pain was gone! It makes me wonder if I have been running with a weird gait lately.

Finished my tempo run with a warm up, 4 miles @ 8:42 and a cool down - 6 miles total. Success!

I let Buddy stay upstairs while I ran. He stayed in the same place the whole time I was running.

Where there's sun, you'll find Buddy.

He was less happy with snow blowing in his fact this morning.

Those Red Velvet Oreos from yesterday? Go buy some. I mean, if you like red velvet cake and you like Oreos, you can't go wrong. They're really good.

Dinner tonight was salmon (from Kodiak - thanks Mom!), asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower. Now I'm off to eat some tasty mocha cookie ice cream deliciousness!

Let's Talk Speed

It has taken me a long time to realize that speed is mostly mental. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely physical limitations when it comes to running faster, but a lot of the time, it's my mind that holds me back.

I used to warm up at a very slow jog. I thought, "I'm slow, so I have to start out slow." This past year I have come to realize that I don't have to be slow - it's a choice.

In the last 7 months alone I have taken my half marathon time from 2:16:26 to 1:58:05.

I'm not breaking any records, but I don't think I'm slow anymore.

These days my warm up is faster. I have found that I can run comfortably at speeds that used to feel like sprinting. I think part of the reason for this is running with a group. Running with other people definitely makes me run faster than running on my own. But I also started doing speed work for the first time since high school cross country, and I think that has made a big difference.

You can find speed workouts with a quick internet search, but these are a few of my favorites:

Fartleks - A funny word (it means "speed play" in Swedish) that is a good place to start. It's an easy way to add short bursts of speed into your workout. Pick something up ahead, a mailbox or a tree, and run faster until you reach it. Then slow down and pick your next mini-goal line. 

Progression Runs - I especially like doing these on a treadmill. Start out slow and gradually bump up the speed 1/10th of a mile every so often and see how fast you can go. Worst case, back the speed off a bit until you're running comfortably again. I have really surprised myself with how fast I can get going sometimes during progression runs.

Mile (or any distance) Repeats - Run/jog a warm up, then run two or three miles (or other distance) at 5k or 10k pace - it should be a challenge, but you shouldn't feel like you're going to die - with recovery jogs between miles. The breaks make the miles less painful, physically and mentally.

Tempo Runs - Tempo runs help your body get used to running at faster speeds for longer periods of time. Run a warm up, 3-5 miles at a set pace (I love the treadmill for this because I'm terrible at holding a consistent pace on my own, which I need to work on) and a cool down.

I still need to get better about cross training, and stretching, but at least I've made some progress when it comes to pushing myself to run faster. As Tom constantly reminds me, "You're faster than you think you are."

Do you do speed work? Do you feel like your mind slows you down?

Head Games

Sometimes I forget how much running helps my energy/mental state. I've been so tired when I get off work that I haven't run since Sunday. And the longer I go between runs, the more my mind messes with me. I get to the point where I'm convinced that I must be slower, and can't possibly run that far.

I didn't want to run today.

I made myself change anyway and headed for the basement to at least attempt my tempo run for the day.

And then, suddenly, I was 3 miles in and feeling more awake than I felt all day!

I did cut my cool down a little short, but otherwise my run went as planned. A warm up, 5 miles @ 9:14 (and a little faster), and a cool down. I feel so much better than when I started, mentally and physically.

I had a free giant coffee/sugar thing at work today. I maybe didn't need to drink it, and maybe should have eaten more real food.

Maybe.

Tom made a really good deep dish pizza in the cast iron pan for dinner. I didn't take any pictures though, because we were too busy devouring it.

I'm pretty excited that tomorrow is Friday - we have some fun things happening this weekend (and not just extra sleep, though I am looking forward to that too!).

Buddy says goodnight

Or maybe that's his "please stop taking my picture"face, it's hard to tell ;)

Mean teacher, a tempo run, and some tasty food

There was a lot of screaming at work today. A lot. 

I even had to be the mean teacher and take Tiger away from a kiddo at nap time. They were playing instead of sleeping, which isn't really a choice - especially after all the screaming.

After work it was time for a little tempo run.

It looked like this: 1 mile warm up, 5 miles @ 9:14, 1 mile cool down. I finished my cool down with some strides. Nothing like running super fast on tired legs.

7 miles in 1:05:44 - not bad for an after work run.

The basement was very sweaty.

Buddy was there to help me stretch when I was finished.

He's so helpful.

Tom is so good to me and makes sure I eat things other than cereal and english muffins when all I'm doing is working and running. He made some delicious fish tacos for dinner.

And then I finished up my night with some limited edition deliciousness.

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday, I'm ready to get some sleep this weekend. Of course, I never seem to actually sleep in anymore, but there's always hope!