Week in Review (Dec 12-18)

In this edition of Week in Review:

Days of Running: 2

Days of Cross Training: 2

Miles Logged: 8

Monday

Back still feeling really crummy.  Lots of time on the heating pad with ibuprofen while studying.  No running, no cross training.

Tuesday

Same as Monday...starting to feel bitter about this whole back hurting thing.

Wednesday

Back feeling ok today but opted to continue rest and finish cramming for my Epidemiology final at 8 tomorrow.

Thursday

Got up at 5 am with Hubs today (he had to orchestrate commencement at his university) and then Epidemiology final at 8 am.  Came home and CRASHED.

Then picked myself back up after lunch and made it into my office to start working on my 10 page paper due tomorrow.  Took at break to go to the local running store's Ladies Holiday Night shopping event.  Running Store + Wine + Making a Shopping List for Santa.  Woot!  I'm sure Chris bought my Xmas gift months ago but still a fun thing to do.  I needed to go try on new shoes anyway because my daily trainers (Mizuno Wave Rider 13s) are nearing 350 miles.  I tried on the newest Wave Rider 15 and was shocked by how much toe roll there was.  They are good normal daily running shoes, but my WR 13s are pretty warn across the toe/midfoot from changing my form and stride and just having high mileage on them.  The WR 15 seemed a bit too cushy for me.  I've really enjoyed the Minimus shoes but want a little more support for doing daily runs and long runs.  So the next shoe I tried was Jenny Barringer Simpson's New Balance 890.  Not only are they super cute, but they rock!  One of the lightest daily trainers on the market and had just enough support to them.  The footplate is more rigid than my WRs and there is a lot less toe roll - great for midfoot striding!  I can't wait to get a pair sometime soon - probably just after the new year.

Back home to the couch and heating pad (back feeling bad again today) to snuggle Oliver and continue working on my paper.  Yes, I fell asleep mid-typing at 11pm...that's what happens on an 18 hr day during finals week I guess.  

Friday

Turned in paper and vegged out.  Really intended to do a celebratory run but was far far too lazy/zonked after this week.  Not feeling so great about the whole lack-of-running situation going on right now...

Saturday

Saturday brought gorgeous weather and a morning run of 3 miles!!  I told myself to keep the pace easy because I had not run all week.  And I did keep the pace slow, but my heart/lungs were screaming half the time.  I kept doing a mental check of what was going on - why was it taking more effort than it should?  Came home to find both my boys snuggling in bed :)  Chris spoils Oliver far far too much (but I'm just as guilty).  As I got ready for my shower the light bulb finally went off - I saw the sharpie marks on my inner elbow...oh yeah - I donated blood yesterday!!  DuH!?!?  Running is also so much harder for the first few days after donating blood and I had completely forgotten.  Smitten with my answer to the question that plagued me the whole run, I hopped in the warm shower and got on with my day.

That afternoon we ventured down to Charlotte for a quick visit with Chris' parents and a haircut for me.  On our way back, we battled Christmas Shopping traffic at the mall and went to REI.  My favorite running glasses are from there and since I am a member I can return/exchange damaged goods anytime (so worth the membership!)  The nose piece on the sunglasses came unglued a few weeks ago and it's been driving me nutzo not to have them running.  These sunglasses are polarized, don't bounce while I run and are overall really durable given what I put them through.  Plus they are a great deal at $35!  While we were in there we became victim to the sale REI was having - 30% off one REI-brand item.  We checked out separate to maximize the benefit.  Chris got some trail running shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt off of the clearance racks and I found a pair of running capris.  I have been shopping around for a pair and didn't realize REI made some as well!  They have a zippered pocket about the rear and mesh behind the knees for some ventilation.  Going into REI is like going to Whole Foods when you're hungry...

Sunday

Got up early and let Chris take the morning run shift while I watched Oliver and got some things done around the house.  I battled a headache all day and tried to take a nap after lunch which only made it worse. So around 3 I got up, popped some ibuprofen and hit the road.  Reminding myself that I was probably still going to feel the effects of blood donation + my low mileage for the week I went out for an easy 5 miles with several long inclines and declines.  The weather was in the 50s which was perfect to try out the new running capris with a tech T - the capris were very comfortable and I'm happy with my purchase.  Now I have full length tights AND capris to rotate through this winter.  The run went well and by the end, my headache was gone.  Amazing what a little exercise (and ibuprofen) can do.  The last half mile was uphill as I had to return to Ardmore from Buena Vista and my right glut was getting tired - definitely an area to strengthen up, but I'm glad I'm recognizing these deficiencies now before my mileage gets too high.

My weekly total was only 2 runs but I managed to get in a quality 8 miles...will def keep to it next week.

And that is my Week In Review - thanks!

Week in Review (Dec 5 - 11)

In this edition of Week in Review:

Days of Running: 3

Days of Cross Training: 2

Miles Logged: 6

Monday

Foot still tender today and it was dark and rainy by the time I got out of the black hole that is my windowless office so I decided to switch today's scheduled run with tomorrow's cross training.  Oliver will be in daycare until 6pm tomorrow so I'll have 5 glorious hours alone at home tomorrow to get a run in and get some schoolwork done after class!

But, back to today!  I cued up the Exercise TV on Demand and quickly clicked on Jillian Michaels' 30 Shred Level 2.  Chris and I watch the Biggest Loser and while I think I'd prefer to have Bob as my trainer, I'd kill at any opportunity to have either of them.  So today, it was Jillian via TV.  Not 100% sure what her 30 Shred program is, but this 25 min cardio/circuit/stretch/strength episode kicked..my..booty!  Loved it!  By the end my legs were wobbly, my arms were shaky and I knew I had earned every minute of workout.  Oliver wasn't so crazy about me doing jumping jacks in the living room, but it felt awesome on my foot - I had never considered jumping as a strengthening exercise to add for my foot.

I followed up this high intensity workout with a 15 minute yoga-based "Athletic Stretch" aimed at exercise recovery/stretching.  It had a good mix of stretching with a little strengthening.  I may keep this one in the rotation for post-run stretching too - nice and short, but focused.

Now for some grub!  

Tuesday

Today was Mr. O's first full day at doggie daycare and I decided to take advantage of my puppy-free rainy/dreary afternoon by heading to my favorite coffee shop downtown after class.  It's in an old warehouse and they were roasting beans the whole time I was there - the place smelled amazing.  After getting some work done, I headed home to find that my new running jacket had arrived!  I got this $90 jacket on a steal-of-a-deal at REI Outlet for around $30 with free shipping.  Now that the winter months are here, it means running in the dark and I can't tell you how frustrating it is that runners aren't visible enough - from both a runner and driver perspective.

Oooh!  So bright and shiny :D

The weather was warm (mid 60s), dreary, and drizzly - just about perfect weather to test out this jacket! It's waterproof and the right sleeve has an extra blinky LED light which I found to be a neat feature.  I went out for an easy 2 mile run to test it in the afternoon and found that it was extremely lightweight (about 6 or 7 oz) so if you wanted to take it off and tie around your waist, it wouldn't be a bother.  It breathes decently for a waterproof jacket, but I did get a little warm in it towards the end of my run.  It's probably best for really rainy runs or for when the temps are below mid-50s.  I'm ready for the temps to drop a bit (it doesn't feel like December when it's this warm) and when it does I'll be ready!  Pace was slow today- legs felt like lead, but that's ok - kept it comfortable and paid attention to form.  Sometimes it's good just to have a workout focused on form!  

Wednesday

Got 2 fantastic miles in today.  The cold front went through leaving beautiful running weather (50s) and the new jacket was much more comfortable.  Ran the same route as yesterday and averaged 30 sec/mile faster.  Chalk it up to looser legs & better weather.  That was some fun running!  Came back and did two 10 minute abs workouts on FitTV.

Thursday

Cross training day.  Really a very light cross training day.  Just did a few ab workouts and hit the books in prep for finals week.

Friday

Fast Friday (2 miles).  Ran with my New Balance Minimus shoes on.  Even though these are minimalist shoes without much cushioning at all, I feel like they are easier on my foot.  I land forefoot/midfoot and evenly distribute my weight on pushoff.  Also, I tend to take shorter strides (yay!) and with practice that has meant more turnover with my legs and a faster pace.  Without trying to push it too hard, I ran a 9:18 min/mile average on the same loop as Tuesday (9:54 avg) and Wednesday (9:24 avg).  Love these shoes and am really glad I can get out in them more than I used to.  I am working on slowly building up the mileage in them.  

Saturday

Saturday was packed with studying so I told myself I could do my long run Sunday (tomorrow) and hey, the weather would be nicer too!  Today was a rest day.

Sunday

Woke up with wicked back pain.  Spent the whole day on a heating pad with ibuprofen...studying...no fun.  Scratched the long run considering it hurts to walk.  Am I falling apart?
Did take some time off from studying to go to a movie screening (fancy right?).  It's a documentary featuring some of the world's best ultramarathoners at the Western States 100 Mile Race in 2010 - an epic battle.  The movie is called Unbreakable and was truly inspiring.  Also, fantastic scenery (both nature-related and sexy-trail-runner-related).  It was a really fun small screening at our local running store and lit a fire in me all over again to get out and do more trail running.  Maybe next weekend?  I really wish we had better trails around here...it always entails driving at least 30 min to get anything technical.  My poor trail shoes have <50 miles on them and that is a problem in my book.  I am teetering on whether to register for the Pilot Mtn Payback Heavy Half trail run again.  It's a FANTASTIC event (capped to 250 I think, all great trails, sweet race management) but the mileage may be a touch high for me come that weekend...I'll have to wait and see a few more weeks...

And that is my Week In Review - thanks!

By the Numbers

The Month of May By the Numbers:

Total Miles Run:       83.22
Total Calories Burned:  8,415
Max/Min Weight:     137/136
Longest Run (miles):  10.97
Hours Spent Running:      13.77
Number of Workouts:       25
Total Mileage on Shoes:  261

This month we ran the Biltmore 15k - it was a fantastic race and definitely the focus of training for the month with building mileage and then tapering/recovering.  From here through July (the hot months), I'll be cutting mileage back and focusing more on interval training and hill training to prepare for the shorter races this summer (Ryan's Rock N Roll 5k, The Bear, Beat the Heat 5k).  After I get through those races, it'll be time to start training for the OBX marathon!

Sunday I ran with Mom on the Boone Greenway, site of the Ryan's Rock N Roll 5k.  I'll be pacing her for her first 5k (June 19th).  While I won't be going for a PR that day, Chris will most certainly be able to on that course.  It is a beautiful greenway that weaves along the start of the New River.  The course is flat and fast and should be a fun one to run.  

By the Numbers

The Month of April By the Numbers:

Total Miles Run: 88.92
Total Calories Burned: 11,073
Max/Min Weight: 138/137
Longest Run (miles): 14.5

This post is a bit late due to hectic work schedule. The big event of the month was the Pilot Mountain Payback (also my longest run of the month)- the lead-up, the race, and the recovery. Overall it went well and I was able to jump back into some harder speed work after recovery. The next race is the Biltmore 15K so my mileage is dropping due to an emphasis on speed before this shorter race. Summer is creeping up on us and there have several medium-high ozone warning days which I always struggle with as part of my asthma. I am in a research study currently for asthma and my testing shows that my airways are only 85% of what a "normal" person with my profile would have. I can't imagine what it would be without running - am very thankful for the respiratory strength/capacity I've gained this year.

By the Numbers

The Month of March By the Numbers:

Total Miles Run: 83.64
Total Calories Burned: 8,644
Max/Min Weight: 142/138
Longest Run (miles): 15.07
Total Mileage on Shoes: 80.53

Most interesting distraction of the month: All of the budding flowers and trees. First it was the daffodil greens peaking out of mulch then budding with their vibrant yellow. The golden forsythia stood stark against the brown landscape signalling the beginning of spring. Then the trees began to bud out - little green specks above the run path. The blossoming tulip and cherry trees are magnificent this time of year and on my last long run in W-S I actually stopped to smell the blossoms because, hey - it's spring and that's what crazy me does! Somehow we went from frigid 30s/40s to gorgeous 60s and 70s. This last week has been in the upper 80s (!?>!?!?#L$JL#@!!!!) making it a little difficult to do the hard workouts since we've had no time to acclimate to the heat wave. I'm sure the sheets of pollen the wind is blowing from the trees does not help (yes - I saw SHEETS of pollen blowing yesterday). If this weather is evident of things to come, it's going to be a long summer - we're going to pay for such a cold winter!

This month had much lower mileage than planned due to a few setbacks. First - my allergies were getting the best of me and made me take a few days off at the start of the month. After recovering from whatever it was I had without missing too much mileage, I hit a larger setback. My acid reflux flaired up on account of some Jersey Mike's onions and I was having a lot of chest pain and reflux into my lungs which causes asthma forcing me to take a FULL week off - killer. I haven't had a "zero" week in almost 15 months of running now. I was itching like crazy to get out there and run through it, but the running/bouncing makes it even worse so rest is "best" if I can behave. What's even worse is the zero week fell near to my "peak" for the Pilot Mountain Payback (PMPB) training. It was a big bomb in the training plan, but one must adapt and move on (without making up mileage). With the PMPB nearing, I've been worried about over-training and injuring myself so close to the race day. So, with caution, I took off on the road again after Chris's marathon going a little easier on paces but fell right back into a 30 mile week - thank goodness I've been running through the winter because my endurance did not desert me during the Zero Week. I'll post more on the PMPB this week - race day is Saturday!

By the Numbers

This Month By the Numbers:

Total Miles Run: 101.11 miles First 100+ mile month!
Total Calories Burned: 10,886
Max/Min Weight: 144/142
Longest Run (miles): 13.35 miles
Total Mileage on Shoes: 390.24 (yellow Nikes), 14.29 on new Nikes

Most interesting distraction of the month:

Running down the hill on Knollwood on recycling day and seeing a (used?) plastic tampon applicator on the sidewalk by the recycling bin. The distraction/internal conversation that ensued as I jumped over it was quite interesting including questions like - what is that doing on a sidewalk? was the person trying to recycle it? are those even recyclable? oh good golly i'm glad i use a stainless steel water bottle each day instead of plastic water bottles made from recycled materials...

Although I didn't get to run my Half, it was good to have the realization that I was, in fact, ready for it and confident when the time came. Hopefully the next 6 weeks will prove to be challenging and help with speed, endurance, and strength. I have no races this month, just helping Chris get to/through his first Marathon on 3/20 while I keep trucking down the road to my Half. This Sunday we're going out to Bur-Mil park in G'boro to do some trail running. I've been a bit anxious to get out to the Pilot Mtn trails to see what the Half will be like, but alas, the trails are still closed until they dry out. The Bur-Mil trails should be fun though!

By the Numbers

This month by the numbers:

Total Miles Run: 90.58 Highest monthly total by far

Total Calories Burned: 10,945

Max/Min Weight: 148/145

Longest Run (miles): 12.09

Total Mileage on Shoes: 303.42 Finally hit the magic 300 miles on them

I adore my shoes - I got them at the beginning of the fall when Chris and I went to Fleet Feet and got fitted by the experts there. I also adore our local running store! They fit me into the Nike Zoom Vomero+ 4 and it's been easy breezy sailing since then. Between the shoes and my SuperFeet insoles, there haven't been the awful shin splints or sore feet. What a difference they can make! I'm sizing p my next pair of shoes now that these have 300 miles on them - not sure if I want to grab a few pairs of the Vomero+ 4 generations, or wait until the Vomero+ 5 generations come out.

Next month - 100 miles? We'll have to see how I feel after the Half!