You've got this. You want this.

I had a sub today for spin class - and was initially disappointed not to see Ed there. But Molly who subbed for him was fantastic, and the workout was super hard. We did two sets of hill climbs, one seated and one out in third (basically standing and leaning forward on the handles - how you climb a really long or steep hill), with sprints in a low gear as our recovery period. Basically working during our recovery from the climb. SUPER DIFFICULT, but also an amazing way to build endurance and strength. Molly started our class by telling us her motto - you've got this. you want this. She says it a lot in class, and encourages us to tell it to ourselves. Getting to the gym on a Sunday morning isn't easy - so making the class worth the investment requires working your ass off.

I ran to the gym, per usual, but this week was also able to RUN the whole way home. Even up both hills!! There are two short but steep hills on my run home from the YMCA - I usually walk up them but today powered right through. The sense of accomplishment was unreal - to actually feel my body getting stronger. Not in the pumping iron kind of stronger, but to feel my body be able to work through the fatigue - that is a different kind of strength.  My legs were screaming on the run home - quads, glutes, calves were all sore and burning. But it didn't slow me down, and in a weird way I kind of thrived on it. This desire and ability is what fuels the endurance athlete. To be able to work when your body is tired is a sign of being in great shape, and also the major goal in training for a triathlon.

The Tri is a month from yesterday.  I'm thrilled the progress I've been making, even though this past week was difficult in terms of managing the work/life balance. I took four days off from working out, but it hasn't seemed to affect my endurance, and I actually need to start tapering in two weeks (a whole new blog post!).

The best part about working on Sunday AM?? Guilt free brunches, and beers with football all afternoon. Happy running!!

Newton Hills

I ran almost seven miles this AM - on the hilliest route I've planned so far. Brian actually was the one who mapped it, so I'm not surprised that it was painful as hell. Not to mention, that running with Brian is exhausting because I can't keep a pace I'm comfortable with, I have to keep up with a pace that is faster than normal for me. Even considering that I was running harder than usual - this route still took me over an hour - around 10 minute miles. I was pretty disappointed with my performance, but I'm coming off back to back 12 hour days at the office.

I didn't get to put in as much time as I wanted at the gym this week, because I was at work until almost 8 PM both Thursday and Friday. I was able to make it in for a swim workout and yoga earlier this week.  I swam 300 yards further this week than last week, including a longer warm up and cool down - so 200 yards of consecutive swimming. The good news is that I  swam the distance of the race on Tuesday - although it was broken up and not in open water. I'm feeling more confident in the water, and had no problem reaching my goal times for the sets of 50's and 100's.

It's off to spin class in the AM - the first time in a couple of weeks since hurricane Irene and the wedding in VT last weekend prohibited me from my Sunday AM routine. I also have trouble making it to spinning during the work week because the YMCA closest to my work doesn't offer spinning :( I'm vowing to try to ride my bike around the city more often, on errands etc.

Happy training.
E

Rain Rain Go Away

UGH - rain is forecasted all week for Boston, and most of the East coast.  Today I swam 900 yards, and ran 2.1 miles on the treadmill - basically my idea of torture swimming and running on a treadmill.

I am getting surprisingly better at swimming though. This week I did a 200 yard warm up and cool down (double from last week). For my sets, I swam 6X50 yards on one minute - so swimming 50 yards, and using the left over time up until 1 minute for rest. I was able to swim most of my 50s in 45-50 seconds, so I had 10-15 seconds rest. For the first two 50s I focused on my pull - making sure I was really reaching out long in front, and then pulling my arms down towards my body in an S shape. For the second set of two, I focused on my kick, making sure it stayed below the water, and that I was using my whole leg and not just kicking from the ankles. For the last set of two, I focused my efforts on breathing, and not lifting my head too high when coming out of the water for air - my number one problem. For my 100's I did them in 2 minutes (same concept as with the 50's) and really focused on putting it all together. I felt great in the water, but still am having trouble with flip turns and breathing consistently. Brian says that I need to practice breath control, and I need to be thinking about the wall WAAAY before I get there - swimmer talk?? Luckily in an open water swim there aren't any flip turns :)

Week 3 of my hard-core training is going well. Schedule got a little bit off because of the wedding in VT this weekend, BUT I ran 5 miles and hiked over 3 miles up a mountain on Saturday, so that's at least two days worth of work...

Don't forget to donate!!!! :)

SEPTEMBER?!?

Welcome to September!! My favorite month of the year because it means fall, changing leaves, apple picking, warm cider donuts, hayrides and Oktoberfests start hitting the taps. September is also my birth month - so I basically celebrate starting now.
Brian and I are in Stowe for the weekend for a wedding and started our day off with a challenging yet rewarding 5 miles. The views in every direction were Aaaamazing, but with mountain runs come steep climbs and rolling hills. The 5 or 6 long trails I drank last night at the rehearsal dinner probably didn't help either :)
With only 7 weeks to go until the big race, I've really been cracking the whip (on myself) at the gym. This was week 2 of my 8 week plan - so that means 3 nights/week at the gym after work and dinners at 9PM. This week I stuck to my schedule pretty well, although I traded a workout this AM for my swim/bike yesterday (we were traveling).
I found this awesome new website called www.dailymile.com. On it, you can log your daily workouts, and it will tell you how many calories you burned, how much electricity you produced, pounds lost, total miles etc. It's a really fun tool, and you can post your daily workouts to facebook - which I've been doing in an effort to encourage people to follow my training.

Summary of Workouts:
Monday: Ran 4.3 miles to the gym; lifted arms and abs; ran/walked 1.5 miles home
Tuesday: Swam 600 yards (100 warm up, 8X50s, 100 cool down); abs class
Wednesday: Ran 3 miles, 90 minutes yoga
Saturday: Ran 5 miles

I need to start working in the bike/spin classes. I normally spin on Sunday AM, but last week Irene made that impossible, and this week I'll be in VT. Ideally, I need to start riding my bike to places, instead of walking/taking the T. I just got my bike tuned up last week, so I basically have no excuse.

I'm BAAAACCCCKKK

Hola!
Can't believe how long it's been since my last post. Unfortunately, my blogging (and training) was on a bit of a hiatus for the month of August. There is just so much drinking on patios, beaches and poolside to be done.
The good news is that I'm back, and have been training pretty heavily for the past two weeks. The triathlon is only 7 weeks away, so it's definitely crunch time. Luckily I was in great shape after the MA State Tri, so getting back into it wasn't overly difficult.

Here's the training plan for the next few weeks:
Sunday - Run 3 miles, 60 minute spin class
Monday - Long run (up to 8 miles), lift
Tuesday - Swim (500-1,000 yards), lift and bike (3 miles to and from gym)
Wednesday - Yoga and short run
Thursday OFF
Friday Swim (500 - 1,000 yards) and lift
Saturday OFF

It's going to be tough, as lots of this training is extremely time consuming. I didn't even get home from work on Wednesday evening until 9PM. I have joined a website called dailymile.com and I'll be sharing that on FB daily, so people can track my specific workouts.
I'll also be clogging up your emails and FB newsfeeds to solicit donations! If you haven't donated already, please consider donating to the cause. No donation is too small, my Mom and I really appreciate it.
Much Love, E.

Mass State Triathlon - Official time 1:52:26

WOW - so my first tri of the summer is DONE!! It was painful, but now it's over and I'm that much closer to kicking ass this fall for OCRF. The amazing thing about racing, is that no two courses are ever the same. Even if you're racing on the same course, weather changes can make it a whole different ball game. Since this is only my second tri EVER, I didn't really know what to expect - the distances were approximately the same as the tri I completed last fall, but the course was significantly different. I was disappointed because my time was much slower than last fall, but so was Brian's - so this leads me to believe that the course was more difficult.

For starters, the swim was a 1/3 mile - going into race day I thought it was 1/4 mile. It took me 9:33 - not bad. I came out of the water in the middle of the pack, which I was happy with, because the swim is usually my weakest leg. I managed to keep moving the entire time, mostly actually swimming, but I took a "break" and did some efficient side stroke for a bit in the middle.

It had me in a good position going into the bike, which turned out to be a total nightmare. My first transition was sloppy - and took me over 3 minutes. I don't yet have a tri suit - those one piece things that you can swim and then bike/run in. I haven't bought one b/c I didn't think it was possible to bike and run in wet shorts, etc. But, I talked with some of the girls in my wave, and they said the suits are designed to repel water, and that they dry very quickly so it's not uncomfortable. I am definitely considering buying one for my next race; beating someone out of the water, to have them beat you out of transition REALLY sucks.

There were two main issues with my bike - 1. was the bike itself, I was using my crappy hybrid and 2. I was NOT prepared. There was a mile long hill from mile 4-5, and I actually had to get OFF my bike and walk at one point because my legs were burning. It's amazing how much the quality of your bike will affect your race - people were definitely passing me on $2,000 bikes - that otherwise wouldn't have been able to pass me. The less efficient your bike, the more energy you're expending to do the same work. I can't blame it all on the bike though - I was ill prepared for the biking leg. I also am not comfortable feeling fatigued on a bike - I've been running competitively since 8th grade, so I know how to handle fatigue on a run. Changing up  a stride, focusing on form, using my breath etc. But on a bike, I'm a hott mess once I'm tired, and all I can think about is getting off the bike. This is something I KNOW I have to work on before October.

For the run, I felt great. I think partially because I sucked on the bike, I had some stored up energy left for the run. It didn't take long to get my legs under me, and was able to hammer out the 3.1 miles in 30 minutes - not bad for the end of a tri. This is definitely a bit slower than I'm planning on for October, so luckily I have three months to train harder and better! I'm also considering doing a tri next month and one in September to practice for October!!

Lastly, I want to thank everyone for all of the moral support. It is not easy to stay motivated, but to know that people are reading my blog, and donating to my cause makes it so much easier! Please consider donating if you haven't already!! http://www.razoo.com/story/Ericabformaryellenpace

Triathlon, WOOT!

My first triathlon of the season is this weekend in central Mass. I'm super nervous because I'm not even close to as ready as I want to be. Luckily, it's a sprint, so I know I can finish it!
I have barely been swimming, unless you count floating drunk in the ocean after taking oyster shots on the Cape last weekend. I've been running, intermittently. For those of you who don't live on the East Coast, there has been a SERIOUS heat wave happening SO it's only possible to run in the AM or late evening.
All in all, I'm happy with how prepared I am at this point in my training. It's about having realistic goals for yourself, so that you can succeed. I know that it will be difficult, and I haven't been practicing the bike to run transition as much as I wanted - but I know this is something I have to work on before October.
I also know that my swimming will need lots of work. For me the race this weekend will serve as a baseline to see where I can/need to improve. I'm mostly excited to try out my new gear, thanks SheROX!!
I will definitely be updating you post-Tri.

SUMMER!

SOO, it's been a while since I've posted - which means a couple of things.
1. I'm super busy with my new job, getting used to the new commute and hours (much longer than 40 hours/week).
2. I haven't been working out as much because it's SUMMER!!

I promised some of my followers a blog post about the "Let's Be Fit and Have Fun" summer run series race I participated in on June 16th .... 10 days ago I KNOW! It was a 4.2 mile course in Cambridge and I finished in 37:32. This is right on my 9 minute mile pace (actually a little bit under :)). Shortly, I'll be pushing for an 8:45 min mile pace during training runs and ultimately races. For the Tri in October I want to be running 8 minute miles. The course was great, and there was a BBQ, kegs of Harpoon AND a live reggae band waiting for me at the finish (hint hint to all you supporters out there - I will run faster for rewards!). I felt great on the run, even considering the heat. Brian blew me out of the water with his 28:00 time -- 7 minute miles on a FUN RUN???

This morning I went on a 3.5 mile run with Stash for his birthday. Since it's light out so early now, it was surprisingly easy to get up and moving. I think I REALLY like working out in the morning - which is shocking. Tomorrow I want to go to the 6AM spin class at the YMCA. I can run there, and back - which basically doubles my workout. 2.8 mile run (round trip) plus a 60 minute spin class. I also get to work on the bike to run transition, which is the hardest part of the tri for me.

OOO, and the most exciting part... I got my pre-race packet today! An OCRF tri top, teal swim cap, black sports bag, swim goggles, one of those waist bands with a water bottle (OMG!!) -- it's all so nice and I'm so excited to be doing this. My first tri of the season is on July 17th - just three weeks away! It's a sprint distance - 1/3 mile swim, 12.5 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run.

My sweet gear

Your Body Does What Your Mind Tells It To

"Your body does what your mind tells it to!!!" That's what Ed (my spin instructor) was yelling at us today during minute 10 of our 12 minute interval. I seriously think Ed might be a sadist; EVERY single time I go to his class it's a hill interval workout. His motto is that resistance makes us stronger, which is technically correct. Every time you push yourself beyond the limit of what you thought was possible, you get stronger.
I've been on a workout high since the half marathon, because it really IS true, that your body will do whatever you tell it to (obviously, there is a threshold but it's significantly higher than you could ever imagine). Everyone who competes at endurance sports knows that it's 90% mental and 10% physical. Since the half marathon, every time I feel like I'm getting tired I just tell myself to suck it up, and that a week ago I was significantly worse off. For example on my 5.5 mile run on Saturday, at mile 4 I was starting to feel uncomfortable and it was almost laughable to me that I would consider slowing my pace. I slapped myself in the face (figuratively, of course) and realized that less than a week prior I had run THREE TIMES that far, in 90% humidity no less.
I did some abs today prior to my spin class, and was definitely regretting 20 minutes in. It's amazing how time flies though. I get into the zone, my legs are burning and all I want is for class to be over, and then it is.  It's unreal how much I LOVE that feeling, that feeling of being close to total exhaustion and then taking a huge breath in and using all of my energy to push myself just a LITTLE bit harder. And then it suddenly gets easier. Maybe I'm just as crazy as Ed, or maybe the chemistry of a runner's brain is a bit different :)

Official race photo courtesy of bright room. Bad Ass!!

Recovery 201

Since the half marathon last week I've been on two short runs, and then a 5.5 mile run this morning. On Monday (one day post race) I didn't run because I was in enough pain just trying to walk. I spent a lot of time stretching, probably 90 minutes broken up throughout the day. If you feel like you can, you're supposed to run a short run the day after the race, but I wasn't feeling up to it.

Tuesday AM I woke up bright and early and went on a nice 2 mile run. My left hip and foot were still bothering me a little, but I was able to complete the run. I took time to stretch my left hip flexor. Some really great stretches for your hips are:

• the warrior pose (basically a deep lunge), where your back foot is turned out perpendicular to the line of your body. you can modify warrior based on where you put your arms. for the deepest stretch, you can lift your arms straight up over your head, and while looking up sit into the lunge as much as possible. it really helps to take some deep breaths to get the most out of this stretch.

• pigeon pose where your front leg is bent at the knee and perpendicular to the body. you want your shin to be parallel with the front of the mat. if you're really tight, or not experienced in yoga, make sure you place a pillow, blanket or yoga block under your bumm to support you.

• down dog (no picture necessary), we all learned this one in gym class. to stretch the outside of your hip, you can modify down dog by lifting one leg at a time as high as possible without rounding your back.

• the butterfly stretch. trusted for so long because it works.

• another stretch that I like to use is a pilates move. face down on the mat, laterally rotate your legs out. then, lift opposite leg, opposite arms slowly, and do not crunch the lower back. you don't have to lift very high to feel the stretch, especially if you're SUPER sore from running a half marathon!

This morning I ran 5.5 in about 50 minutes. I felt great cardio wise, but was struggling a little bit with pain in my foot and hip AGAIN. Sometimes your body just needs more recovery time than you would like. Another reason things can start to hurt consistently is because of your shoes. It's really important you buy new running shoes fairly regularly, every 4 months or so if you're a serious runner (running more than 20 miles/week). SO, I guess it's time to start looking into new shoes. THAT will be a whole separate blog post!!

Starting on Monday, I have a revamped workout schedule! It's time to start working swimming into the mix on a regular basis, AND cycling at least twice. It will also be important as summer progresses, to start stacking my workouts (remember, stacking means doing two different cardio exercises in a row).  Lots of exciting new stuff to come as I switch my focus from running the half, to prepping for my sprint triathlon in July!!

Half Marathon

Yesterday was the half marathon, and I'm feeling surprisingly good today, especially considering I could hardly walk after the race. There weren't any serious wardrobe malfunctions, which is great news. The glide worked well, and having the one time use packets in my pocket worked perfectly.... except that my hands were so sweaty I had to open them with my mouth.
When the gun went off it was 89% humidity and 76 degrees. By the time I finished it was in the low 80's and right around 90% humidity. Certainly not ideal race conditions, but I am happy with my time of 2 hours 13 minutes. That's not my official time, that's the time I crossed the finish line. I didn't cross the start line until almost 4 minutes, so I think my actual running time will be closer to 2:09.  This isn't terrible, but my goal was to break 2 hours, so I was disappointed. I was especially disappointed because I passed mile 10 in 1:28, which left me on pace to finish right under 2 hours. I completely fell apart around mile 11, and it took me about 14 minutes to run the 11th mile.
It's best to start at the beginning though...
Mile 1 was kind of a crap shoot, the crowds are thick and I was actually WALKING for a few minutes because there was no space to run. I spent the first three miles trying to establish a comfortable pace, and to find a decent pack of people that seemed to be running at my pace. I found two guys who had a watch, and were aiming for 9:30 miles.
Miles 4-6 felt really good, it started to get REALLY hot, and the sun made an appearance at that point. Since the course was an out and back, I saw the race leader run back by me at mile 4.5. It's amazing to see the leaders, he didn't even look tired. It can be defeating to see the race leader on their 9th mile, essentially running twice as fast as me, but I actually find it motivating to see them. At the halfway point I left my new found friends, who happened to be members of the Boston PD, and picked up my pace a little. Despite the heat, I felt comfortable pushing it a little harder.
Mile 7-9 I was completely in the zone. My legs were totally numb, but I was managing to put one foot in front of the other and keeping a 9 min mile pace. I was SO in the zone, that I completely missed the mile 8 marker, and was super happy/surprised to pass the 9 mile one.  Mile 9 was LONG and hot, but I managed to keep pace and like I said earlier, passed the 10 mile marker in 1:28.
THEN, it all started to go south. I passed my friend Laura and some of her friends right around 10.5, and got an adrenaline push to keep going. I thought it would be enough to get me to the finish, but after the water station at mile 11, I felt like dying. My legs stopped being numb, and I actually realized how much pain I was in. My left foot and hip were THROBBING, so I stopped to stretch my hip flexor and kept on running. I thought if I just ran through the pain, it would stop. Right when I was about to give in and walk I saw the mile 12 marker and turned the corner to see the bridge to the finish line. I was NOT stopping with 1.1 to go. I suffered through another 0.25, until I was able to hear the finish line, and the crowds on the streets started to get louder and thicker. About 0.5 from the finish I saw Brian and Sarah, who were screaming like crazy. That gave me the push I needed to make it to the finish. Unfortunately, at that point, my pace was totally screwed, but I'm still happy that I was able to finish in a reasonable time, AND that I had enough left to dig deep and pick it up into the chute.
Overall, I'm satisfied with my performance, and I can't wait to do my sprint triathlon in July!! Racing is such a different experience than training, and it really pushes you to your limits.

Sarah took this, about 0.5 from the finish. I managed to smile, but I'm dying inside.

Post race, practicing good form, enjoying an orange.

Fundraising. Woot.

After an extremely generous donation from the Turner Family yesterday, I'm officially at 25% of my fundraising goal!! This is extremely exciting, because it's only May and I still have 5 months to raise the rest. Don't forget to spread the word to your family and friends!
Tonight I'm planning on running at least 2 miles, and then going to play ultimate frisbee with Brian. There is a pick-up league in Boston, and this will be our first time attending. I'm super excited, and will definitely let you know how it goes. Ultimate is a great workout in itself, consistent movement, and some sprinting as well. I'm not great at throwing the frisbee, but I can catch it most of the time and I can certainly run around for a while :)
4 days until the half marathon, I'm starting to freak out!

The Rapture

After two awesome runs this weekend, I'm feeling a little more confident about what I will ultimately wear next Sunday for the half marathon. I ran yesterday morning in my favorite running shorts, and used the glide to prevent chaffing. Yesterday was super hot and I was really sweaty (YUM!) and the glide worked for about 4 miles. If the glide works for 4 miles, that means I'll need to re apply it at least twice during the race. Luckily, it comes in little one time use packets that easily fit in the pocket in my running shorts. Today was a bit cooler, so I ran in my 3/4 length leggings, and wasn't overly warm. I was wearing a tank, and experienced some chaffing in my armpit (WTF??) around mile 7, so it looks like I will be wearing a T shirt for the race (or using glide on my armpits, gross).

I had an amazing weekend, despite the looming threat of The Rapture. Brian and I ran 4.5 yesterday morning, and then went to Earthfest. We got to see Ok Go perform a free concert at the Hatch Shell (an outdoor venue in downtown Boston, along the Charles). It was amazing, there were tons of sailboats on the Charles AND lots of vendors giving out free food!! I got two reusable shopping bags, one full of free samples of granola, cereal, Clif bars, fruit bars etc.  It was sponsored by Whole Foods, which is kind of a bummer, but I was able to enjoy some live music and load up on enough portable breakfasts for the next two weeks!! We rang in the "end of the world" at Dillon's, on their outdoor patio with deep fried pickles and Sam Summers.
This AM, Brian and I ran a loop to the gym (4 miles) and then he lifted and played bball while I ran a second loop of 3.5 (so I kind of ran a figure 8). We met at Athan's, our fav brunch spot and I devoured french toast, half an omelet, and 2 pieces of baklava.
Coming up this week: one more long run (hopefully Tuesday), a Hill workout on Wednesday and two shorter runs (3 miles) and some rest on Saturday before the big race. O yeah, and I start my new job tomorrow! Laundry, cleaning and a bottle of red wine for the rest of the day.

For Well Endowed Athletic Women Everywhere

SO, it's Friday, AGAIN (already??). I had a productive exercise week despite the weather in Boston (rain, rain and more rain). I ran 4.25 on Tuesday (in the rain), and felt really good. I forgot my stopwatch, so I have no idea how long it took me, but I think around 40 minutes. On Wednesday I went to spinning, and even though I hadn't been in a few weeks, I felt really good. All of this is extremely POSITIVE, considering I have a half marathon next weekend. I'm supposed to be tapering, but I'm going to do one last long run this weekend, mostly to test out my running gear, and to see what's most comfortable.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm about to get into some of the down and dirty aspects of running long distances, if lady problems upset/disgust you, just stop reading now.
SO, a half marathon at the end of May in the NE is tricky to prep for clothing wise. I'm talking about pants vs. shorts here, which is huge, especially as a lady. I'm sure you've all heard of chaffing, and guys and girls get it in different places for different reasons.
As a well-endowed woman, I basically deal with chaffing anywhere you can possible imagine getting it. The worst kind happens on your inner thighs, and can be prevented by wearing long-ish shorts (which are hideous) or using an anti-chafing product like glide. Glide is essentially lube, that helps the skin "glide" off itself, to prevent any sort of sticking which leads to irritation. This is certainly no laughing matter, as I've actually bled due to chaffing on several occasions. I don't really like Glide because it's just gross, and long shorts are not flattering on anyone, except men who should ALWAYS wear them. SO what's a girl to do? I'm hoping I can wear leggings -- NOT the "fashionable" ones, the kind made for running. They come in different weights, so make sure you're getting some that are seasonally appropriate. BUT it could be like 90 degrees next weekend, so I might have to wear shorts. In which case, they make awesome running shorts with built in undies (I always wear reg underwear too), which prevent riding, which prevents chaffing. Mine are Nike, but other brands are just fine.
The other MAJOR issue is the chestal region. Those of you who know me can certainly imagine what I'm dealing with up top. Men deal with nipple chaffing (which sounds awful), but I also deal with chaffing around my rib cage, between my ladies and just general soreness from two hours of bouncing up and down. Step #1 involves finding a quality sports bra that properly supports the twins. I'm not talking about the $20 champion bras you buy at target. I like the Athleta Juno and the Under Armor Women's Endure. BOTH of these come in regular bra sizes, not S, M, L which is super helpful. Step #2 buy as many of the bra as you can afford, especially if you find one that you don't have to double up. Don't worry if the ladies in the dressing room are looking at you weird. Do jumping jacks, down dog, cartwheels, whatever you have to do to determine if this bra will work for you. Step #3 try it out on a long run. It's amazing how comfortable something might feel for 3 miles, but after 8 you're body is screaming in pain.
The LAST issue, which is gender neutral, is investing in some quality socks. You have to find what works for you, but I prefer thin socks. Nike came out with some socks that are as thick as tights, and I like them the best.
I'll let you know how all of this works out for the weekend, and if it doesn't I'll be out investing in some sweet new threads.
Happy Friday, Happy Running!

Time is Flying, My Feet Are Not

OMG, I can't believe it's been two weeks since my last post!! I've been so busy, accepting new jobs!!! traveling, volunteering and adjusting to the Monday-Friday lifestyle. It's amazing how little cleaning and other things get done during the week when Brian and I both work. Last night, we didn't even eat dinner until 9:30. Running after work just pushes everything else back so late. I'm considering running before work, now that it's somewhat light out as early as 5:00 AM.  For those of you who know me well, you SHOULD be shocked by the fact that I'm considering waking up before work to run. Especially as my workouts get longer, it's really hard to get home from work at 6PM and want to go to the gym for two hours. Making time for running etc. is the hardest part, especially because the half marathon is in 2 weeks!!!
I have been trying to run at least 5 miles each time I go out, but sometimes because of the aforementioned time constraints, it's not always possible. I STILL haven't gotten in my 10 mile run, which I absolutely have to do this week. If I can't run 10 miles, then I may not be able to finish the 1/2. I ran with Brian on Sunday, and we did 4.5 miles in 41 minutes. Brian said that he thinks I'm getting faster, since when we run together he doesn't feel as slow as usual. Backhanded compliment?? I'll take it! We were able to maintain right around 9 min miles for the entire run, except for mile 2 when I messed up the stopwatch and we had to stop for a minute so Brian could fix it :)
I haven't been to spinning in a few weeks, mostly because I can't seem to get signed up in time. Ed (my instructor) said that because it's spring, people get crazy about working out for swimsuit season, and so it's hard to get into the classes (only 23 slots per class). ANOTHER reason to get up early, the 6:00AM spinning class is never full.
The weather all week is supposed to be crappy, rainy AND cold. Seriously, spring? Running in the rain stinks, but there are a few things that make it easier.
1. a lightweight waterproof jacket
2. good quality socks, to keep your feet from getting super wet
3. wearing shorts, or cropped pants. there is nothing worse than pants that get heavy because they're soaked on the bottom.
4. a hat with a brim to keep the rain out of your face/eyes AND to keep your head dry.
5. lightweight running gloves, if it's cold enough.
Sorry again for the delay, I know many of you are riveted by my blog. I promise I won't take this much of a hiatus again. Happy running.

Sunday Funday

I didn't get to run yesterday, because I spent my afternoon at a Tequila tasting, YUM! I DID run today though, six miles and it HURT. I'm not sure if it's because I was dehydrated from drinking too much tequila, or if it was the hills on mile 4, but it was definitely a hard run for me today. I mapped out a 6.2 miler (a 10K) on a route I hadn't run before. Unfortunately mile 4 was ALL up hill, so that slowed my pace a little bit. I ran the first two miles in 8:45, and came in at the three mile mark under 27:00. Mile 4 was a bust, and it took me almost 10 minutes, but I was able to pick up the pace for miles 5 and 6, and finished the whole run in under 56:00. I definitely didn't feel as good as I did on my 8 mile run last week, but that happens sometimes on runs. It can be related to what you ate, the weather, your mentality, the sleep you got. It could be a million different reasons, but the main thing is that I finished it in a reasonable amount of time, and I felt great for the rest of the day!!
All of this running has been going well, and other than some sore quads last week I've been fortunate enough to not have injuries plaguing me at this point. The problem is, I haven't been spinning as much since the weather is nicer... so hard to get motivated to workout inside!! I need to get my bike tuned up, and some air in the tires before I start riding it outside. Hopefully I can make that happen this week!!
Looking forward to more nice weather and a 10 miler later this week. Wednesday maybe?

SOREness

I haven't taken a day off since Sunday (my long 8 mile run). This is what happens to me, and I think lots of other runners. Running is actually addictive, it releases endorphins in the brain and has effects similar to opiate drug use. OBVIOUSLY, this is a much healthier alternative, but if you run everyday and don't get any rest, injuries will plague you.
On Tuesday I ran a quick 3. Since Brian was away all week, it was hard balancing working out, working and taking care of both pets! I get home from work around 6 and have to walk Stash for at least a half hour, THEN come home and get changed and run. Sometimes I'll take Stash with me, but dogs (at least mine) don't really understand the concept of pacing. A typical run with Stash involves being dragged around for a mile, followed by dragging him around for the duration of the run. I generally won't bring him on a run lasting more than 3 miles, and usually only bring him if he can run off leash for part or all of it. When I lived on the Cape he and I would run to the beach, then he could be off leash and swimming, chasing birds, or eating dead crabs while I cruised at my own pace down the beach. Unfortunately, city living doesn't really accommodate that, so the short of it is, I don't run with Stash as often as I would like to.
Yesterday I took a half day from work for ANOTHER interview (woot woot!!) and was home by 3. I took Stash to the dog park for an hour and then was able to run on my own for a decent amount of time, 4.5 miles. I was supposed to go to spinning last night, BUT it was the most beautiful day since I've lived in Boston (75, sunny, a little humid). The thought of going into a dark room in the basement of the YMCA to sweat it out seemed pretty silly and depressing, especially considering that over the past couple of days every tree and flower in Boston has bloomed. On my run last night I was so amazed at all of the flowers, LOTS of tulips!! I was able to maintain slightly under 9 minute miles for the 4.5, and was pleased with that. I'm definitely taking tonight off, mostly because I have Spanish class, but also because my left quad and hip flexor are hurting a bit. I will probably do some yoga/stretching tonight though, just to make sure I'm good to run on Friday.

MISSING: Toenail, last seen inside my running shoe, attached to my foot

After my long run yesterday, I was pretty sore. I decided it was a good idea to go on a short run today. It was really nasty all day, and for some reason when I came outside to run my 2.1 miles, the sun came out!! It was literally only out for a couple of minutes, and was gone by the time I was home. My foot kind of hurt yesterday, and I wore heels today at work because I had an interview. My little toe is kind of all curled from dancing and running, so that toenail has a propensity to fall off, and has fallen off after long races and runs before, GROSS. I was a bit surprised, but mostly sad when I pulled my shoe off today after my run and my toenail was missing again. I'm not sure how many times it will grow back, but it's almost summer AND a pedicure is kind of difficult without ten toenails. YOU'RE welcome, Mom.

8 miles :)

When I woke up this AM, I realized it was a perfect day for a run!! Sunny, 70 and a light breeze. Since I've been slacking lately, I got pretty ambitious and mapped out an 8 mile run for myself. For me, the best way to mentally prepare for a long run, is to set realistic goals for myself. I know I can run 5 miles pretty easily, so adding on three isn't necessarily going to break me down. BUT, I like to know where each mile mark is, and decided today I could walk IF I needed to, but only after I passed the six mile marker. Luckily, when I got there I felt GREAT!! I finished the whole run in a little under 70 minutes, which is right around 9 minute miles. Since the half marathon is rapidly approaching, I feel a lot more confident knowing I can maintain a reasonable pace for at least 8 miles. The goal for next week is to run 9, and to get back on track for my cross training this week. Since I had so many visitors last week it was hard to maintain a regular training schedule, but the key is to not let this continue. It's really easy to be afraid to get back into it, or to go easy on yourself on your first day back, but it's amazing how much of your endurance will be maintained even if you don't workout for a week. I am so happy I set out to run that far today, because I surprised myself, and that's the best Easter present I could get!

Lazy Lazy Lazy

UGH, I have been so busy the past few days, and now I realized it's been a week since the last time I ran!!! My family was in town visiting for the weekend, so definitely no working out going on. Lots of eating and walking though. Marathon Monday rolled right by with me watching everyone ELSE in the city run, then it was Tuesday (volunteer night), last night was Wednesday (Brian's last night before he left for a week) and NOW it's Thursday and my BFF is coming to town for the weekend!!! I'm afraid I won't be able to run until Sunday. I'm definitely going to have to make Sarah run with me.
In other news, the donations are still rolling in!! I'm now up to almost $400, or 20% of my fundraising goal. Thanks so much for all of the support, Keep it coming!!

Recovery Running 101

I just wanted to give a huge shout out to everyone who has donated so far!! As of today, I have reached 10% of my fundraising goal of $2,000. It's really awesome to see so many people excited about the cause, and some surprising donors so far!!! I can't believe how much progress I've already made, and the race isn't until October :)
Now, back to the running!! Brian and I suffered through a 3.75 mile run last night. I had forgotten how heavy legs can feel after race day. It's important to do a short/easy run after a race to release lactic acid buildup. It's ALSO really important to stretch well before AND after a your recovery run. I didn't think it would be so hard, because I didn't put forward a HUGE effort in the race on Sunday. It felt like I had two lead weights attached to both legs, and Brian even made the comment "this is what out of shape people must feel like." It was fun to see Brian on the other side for once, since I'm the one who is usually crying behind him. He even told me he hated me for making him run, HAHA. Moral of this story: don't be a hero. Definitely sticking to the 2 mile limit of a recovery run next time. Not really sure what we were trying to prove...

Doyle's 5 Miler

SO Brian and I ran the  Doyle's 5 Miler yesterday (Sunday) with a group of friends. It couldn't have been nicer out, mid 60s, sunny, nice breeze. My unofficial time was 48:20, which beat my goal of 50 minutes (10 minute miles). I think I definitely could have run faster, as my last mile split was under 8 minutes. Madi, Patty and I took it out nice and easy, and were chatting for a good part of the race, so we weren't taking it too seriously. There were also a LOT of other runners, right up until the chute I was weaving in and out of people. I even had a lady try to budge me in the chute, which I thought was pretty lame considering we obviously weren't in position to win the race or anything. I also want to congratulate Brian and Chris, who took out their first mile in 5:45 and were able to maintain 6 min miles for the duration of the race, finishing in 33 minutes. Their efforts were definitely inspirational, as I'm not sure either of them has been training too seriously. Like all great runners, racing was followed by lots of eating and drinking!! By 3PM I had run 5 miles AND had a buzz on, did I forget to mention the pitchers of Sam Adams Summer?? Between the Sam Summer and the weather, yesterday was a REAL spring day, hooray!!! This means lots of running outside, and more importantly, drinking outside :)

Heartbreak HELL

I have the "joy" of living about a mile away from the infamous Heartbreak Hill. I generally avoid it at all costs, but Brian mapped this nice little 4.25 mile run which includes it, so I figured I'd give it a shot today. UMMMM, yeah. I made it, but it HURT. A lot. It was included in mile 3-4, it's not an extremely steep hill, but it's LONG and there aren't any breaks, it's consistently going up for about a mile.   Although it hurt a lot on the way up, it's all down hill from there back to my house. I have a five miler this weekend, so I will probably only do a couple of short runs tomorrow and Friday so I can rest on Saturday before the race!! If you're in Boston and you want to come cheer me on, AND drink some Guinness let me know. The race ends at Doyle's in Jamaica Plain.

Every Challenge is an Opportunity to Get Stronger

"Every challenge is an opportunity to get stronger, you wouldn't be here on a Sunday if that wasn't true." That's how Ed started our class off today, along with an announcement that today was 80's music day!!! Honestly, I can't get over how inspirational Ed is as an instructor and athlete. It isn't just the awesome Cure remixes and the Talking Heads soundtrack, every time I spin in his class, he somehow pushes me to actually work harder. I was nervous about class today because I ran to the gym. It's only 1.5 miles, but it's the first time I've stacked a workout in a while. DEFN Stacking: doing something hard, then doing something else equally as hard. For triathlon training, you stack your workouts to prepare for the race (since in essence the triathlon is one long stacked workout). Today I ran 1.5 to the gym, then did a 70 minute spin class, then ran another 0.5 miles. Getting off the bike and running is the most difficult transition, and for me it was the hardest part of the triathlon. Last Fall, I was unable to keep my desired mile pace for the first 1.5 miles, because my legs were so tired coming off the bike. I am trying to work practicing that transition into my training routine this time around. Luckily today, the 0.5 miles from the gym were to meet Brian for Brunch, so I had the thoughts of baklava and hazelnut lattes to keep me going. Reward for doing 90 minutes of high intensity cardio: hazelnut latte, a bowl of lentil soup, a chopped salad  (apple, walnut, golden raisin and gorgonzola with cranberry vin) and TWO pieces of baklava. YUM.

April Fools

I'd like to start by giving a HUGE shout out to mother nature for exercising her sense of humor on April Fool's Day. Snow, really? Unfortunately, the snow stuck me on the treadmill, so instead of my "easy" 4 miles, I ended up doing a 40 minute interval workout. DEFN Intervals: running fast, then running slow, then fast again, and doing this for a prolonged amount of time. I like to start my intervals with a nice jog that builds to my baseline speed (today it was 6.5MPH on the treadmill).  I ran a mile at this pace, and then started bumping up the speed for 2 minutes at a time. Something like 2 each at 7, 7.5, 8.0 and back down. Then doing some speed sets, 1 minute each at 7.5, 8, 8.5, each with 1 minute "rest" back at 6.5. I did my speed set two times, then ran for another mile at 6.5. 40-ish minutes later I was sweating my butt off, AND watching the red sox lose (although I still don't actually know the outcome of the game at this moment). The good news, aside from a possible red sox loss :), is that interval workouts not only build endurance and speed, but they are the most effective method for burning fat!
Food for Thought: I just learned yesterday that over 4.000 people from 30 different organizations have pledged to fast for the week to protest House budget cuts to food programs for women and children (mostly to WIC and school lunch programs). I am bummed I JUST found out about this yesterday, because this is something I definitely would have participated in. Check out a sweet public announcement from OxFam America. "You may think hunger is about too many people and not enough food, but it's not true. Our planet produces enough food to feed every man, woman and child. Hunger is about Power. Hunger is about inequality. And women and girls face the most inequality of all."

La Bicicileta

I have my first Spanish quiz tomorrow... If you couldn't guess, my workout today was spinning. DEFN: stationary bike, dark room, techno music, insanely in shape instructor making you feel bad about yourself. I started spinning back in January when I joined the Boston YMCA and found that I actually REALLY love it! I know it looks crazy, but there is something surprisingly relaxing about it; the whirring of the bikes, the consistent beat of the music. I have been trying to spin twice a week, on Sunday mornings for 90 minutes, and then Wednesday PM for 60 minutes. My favorite instructor is Ed, a professional triathlete! I found his classes the best for me, mostly because of his amazing music choices: Gorillaz, Jack Johnson, Rolling Stones and Dub Reggae. I also like that he makes the ride feel like a REAL bike ride, talking about head winds, and visualizing the hills. SPEAKING of hills, our workout today was an interval workout of HILLS. As a runner I'm familiar with dreading hill workouts, but a typical hill interval on a bike lasts 8-10 minutes, WTF! I made it through, but I had what Ed calls a "heavy ride" today. My second day of rest tomorrow, but I'll be back on Friday with an easy 4 miles. E

First Donation :)

Thanks so far to everyone who is showing their support. I set up a facebook page called E's Race for Ovarian Cancer. If you go to the page, please become a fan to make it more popular so that others will see it in their home feed!! Also, please feel free to recommend my page to your friends, anyone can donate!! I got my first donation today, from my Mom's friend EJ, so a huge shout out to him for getting the ball rolling. Only $1,975 to go!!! I didn't get to run last night because Moogy was sick and I had to take him to the vet :( Although today is supposed to be my day of rest, I will try to get in a quick three miles. This weekend I have a 7.5mile run planned for Saturday, and on April 10 Brian and I are doing a 5 mile race (it ends at an Irish Bar, so it's not super intense). If you're in the Boston area and want to come cheer us on, while enjoying a pint of Guinness shoot me an email and I'll send you the Deets. Thanks again for the support!!

Webpages, UGH

SO, this is my first post on my training blog, and actually any blog in general. I am just trying to get everything up and running, from my fundraising page, to this Blog, and a facebook page! Since you're here reading my blog, you probably already know that I'm training to do a triathlon to benefit Ovarian Cancer Research in honor of my Mom, who is a survivor. The triathlon is in October in San Diego, CA!! I'll be competing in a Half Marathon on 5.29, a sprint triathlon on 7.11 and several smaller road races in preparation for October. I'll be charting my training progress on here, but please don't read this blog for any sort of legitimate training suggestions, as I'm hardly capable of giving athletic training advice. Check back soon for the trials and tribulations of training in a New England Spring (22 degrees in March, anyone?). E