Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Surprise in the Mail



This came in the mail this weekend!  This totally made my day when I opened it.  Last year I mentally psyched myself out for the marathon.  I felt like I was surrounded by "serious runners" and I run because I LOVE to run.  I have never been one to focus on my pace or mile splits.  I prefer to go out and run 18-20 miles verses run for time!  But just recently I starting focusing on my pace and doing speed work.  I feel I have become a stronger runner and my times have improved during my runs.  I am really pumped up to go to Boston this year and race this marathon.  I am going up with my AMAZING cheer squad and we are going to have a blast for sure!  My best buddy's made t-shirts for all of us to wear and they ROCK!  We are staying at a fabulous hotel right at the finish line and have a ton of fun things planned including Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston Red Socks game and lots of yummy meals!  Even if I don't reach my goal time I am going to have a once in a lifetime experience with amazing people I love!

Today's workout was a fairly easy 8 miles @ a 7:37 pace and felt pretty good.  I am a little sore from TRX Tuesday especially my hamstrings so I didn't push the pace too much today.  I also squeezed in a quick 4 mile shakeout run prior to TRX class.  Now I am off to lacrosse practice!

Anyone else heading to Boston?

How do you mentally get through a tough race?

Happy Running!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Caesar Rodney Half Marathon plus 9 miles!

I used friday and saturday as rest days since I was running 22 miles today.  My peroneal tendons are still a little unhappy but getting better.  I have access to a physical therapist at the high school where I coach so she has been wrapping/taping my ankles for me!



The tape adds extra support especially for when I am doing drills on the fields with the team.  Unfortunately we do not have turf fields but good ol' regular grass with lots of divots.

On Saturday we played the #1 team in the state and totally had our rears kicked!  On top of the loss the school is a 2 hour bus ride away and it RAINED!!!  So needless to say I did not get a run in today but definitely could have used one.  Saturday was also my BFF's birthday so we rushed out after I got home from the game to meet them for her dinner and cupcakes!



I went to bed fairly early ( 9:45pm ) and really got a good night of sleep before the half marathon.  I was using this race as a training run for Boston so I wasn't my crazy race day self!  Angel and Dawn picked me up at 7:45 and we got to the race close to 8:40 a.m.  Luckily we were able to hang out in the YMCA and use their facilities prior to the start!



Thank you YMCA!!!!

The weather was a little rainy and about 48* - 50*.  The start of the race was at 9:30 a.m. and started right on time.  There weren't any specific corrals and close to 1600 runners total.  We were able to get pretty close to the front and really never felt crowded or unorganized!  I started off running with Angel and Dawn... our first mile was downhill at a 7:08 pace.  My hubby and boys were driving by right as we started and I could hear them beeping and cheering for us...LOVED that!  The next few miles were sub 7 pace and I felt great.  Around mile 3 I noticed that Angel was not near me...We started to reach some hills at this point in the course and then ran along the riverfront which was pretty flat.  A man in front of me totally wiped out and fell but was so graceful and bounced right back up!! I would still be laying on the ground if I fell!

Miles 4-9 flew by...This is a very hilly course and l have to say I loved it!  I was surprised by all the spectator support and I was able to see my hubby and boys 4-5 times throughout the run.





Just a little excited!

At mile 9.5 I was able to see my runner girl Donna who was out volunteering at the race!!  Thank You Reds!!

Miles 10-11 were pretty much all uphill but I was still feeling pretty good.  Then we started with the downhill...I am not the biggest fan of downhill running!  I guess all my hill training is paying off because I felt strong and my quads still had more to give.

The last .25 - .50 was pretty much straight uphill!  I have lived in Delaware my whole life and had no idea we had so many awesome inclines/hills!!





After finishing and getting my hugs and kisses from the boys I ran back down the hill and found Dawn!!  She was charging up the hill and looking so strong!  She PR'd on the course and was a total rock star!



Go Dawn!!

I met up with Angel and we charged up the killer hill together!  Angel also PR'd on the course and killed it even though she was having some knee issues and pain!



Go Angel and your HOT pink socks!!



I love running and racing with runner girls!

This event also had some pretty good post race treats...soft pretzels, h2o, Gatorade, chocolate coconut milk, bagels, fruit, cliff bars, dole pineapple treats, pizza and more!!

After I changed and refueled I headed back out to finish up my 22 miles.  So overall this was my mileage for today.. 13.1 in 1:38,  1 mile back to meet girls 7 mins, 9 miles in 1:10 for a grand total of 23 miles in 2:55.  

This was exactly what I needed before Boston!  I just hope and pray my peroneal tendons stay happy between now and April 16!

How was your weekend? Any races?

Happy Running!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Oh my how time flies!!

On Wednesday I had a 10 mile step down tempo run scheduled.  It went like this

Mile 1 - 8:06

Mile 2 - 8:00

Mile 3 - 7:47

Mile  4 - 7:35

Mile 5 - 7:30

Mile 6-7 - 7:24

Mile 8 - 7:19

Mile 9 - 7:13

Mile 10 - 7:03

Overall this was a great run!  Everything felt right today!  I worked Wednesday night and only got a few hours of sleep on Thursday plus we had our 1st official lacrosse game of the season on Thursday afternoon.

We WON 17-5!!! The girls looked great and everything clicked with the team.  I wanted to squeeze in a few miles before heading back to work so off to the treadmill I went!  I was able to get in 4 miles in 28 minutes but the whole time my left peroneal tendon was throbbing!  I am very nervous and unsure why this is flaring up right now!  I went home and iced my ankle, took some ibuprofen and massaged my calf and ankle.  Now off to work I go.

Happy running!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

TRX Tuesday and Happy Spring!

Today started off a little rocky!  My 7-year-old son decided to walk out of the house with his book bag and lunch box only to turn back around and leave them on the living room floor.  So when we got to school (25 min drive) he said "oh no Mom I left my book bag and lunch box in front of the TV".  So back home I go to get bags and take them back to school...1 hour 30 minutes spent in the car = Not a happy mommy!  I made it to TRX with 2 minutes to spare and was more than ready to get my workout on.  We did a nice variety of total body movements on the straps then added some weights to make the moves harder.  One of my favorite moves are deadlifts...I really like the way these work my weak hamstrings!

After class I got busy on the stair monster for 20 mins and really worked up a massive sweat.  I can run for an hour and not sweat as much as I do on this machine in 20 minutes!

My mom sent me a text...Lunch?  Don't mind if I do!



My  4-year-old suggested Famous Dave's...a BBQ joint that is pretty good.  I was starving by the time we got there and really enjoyed my BBQ pulled chicken salad.  It comes with cheese and shoestring potato chips on it but I opted for them on the side.  My brother got the sausage and my oh my it was a big sausage!!



It did not look appealing to me but he said it was tasty!  I love spending time with my family..we always have a blast!



Aren't they cute?!  This is my little guy and my brother...aka "the best uncle in the world"!!

How was your workout today?

Happy Running!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Bowling and Step-down Tempo Run

This morning my little man had a bowling field trip!  We had so much fun and it is hysterical to watch a bunch of 4 year olds bowl!  I definitely think I need the bumpers next time I bowl!  Mr. Leo, the bowling attendant, definitely got his workout in this morning!

After our field trip I squeezed in my 10 mile step-down tempo run.  This is one of my favorite runs to do!  I started out with a 1 mile warm up @ 8:06 pace than bumped the pace down to 7:53, 7:47, 7:41, 7:35, 7:30, 7:24, 7:18, 7:13, 6:40...My first 6 miles were on an incline of .5% and my last 4 were on a decline of  -1 to -2.5%.  I am an awful downhill runner!!  I have started to get a lot better but holy moly may quads and hamstrings really dislike the decline!

After my run I refueled with a protein shake and then headed out to lacrosse practice!  It is BEAUTIFUL here today with perfect weather!  I gave the girls a challenge and had them run 2.5 miles in 20 minutes.  They panic themselves out about the "distance" but 2.5 miles in 20 minutes is nothing compared to the hard work and running they do in a game!  So to provide some motivation I ran with them..I was ahead of them by a half a mile and even lapped a few.  But they did very well and all but 6 of them finished under 20 minutes!  We had a great practice and our 1st official game is this Thursday.

I cannot believe it is less than 1 month away from Boston and now my nerves are starting to kick in.  We are going with two amazing friends and I know we are going to have a blast!  My super awesome friends had t-shirts made for the race also and I cannot wait to see them.  We are visiting the Sam Adams Brewery and definitely going to try the 26.2 brew!  I am very thankful to have the support system and family that I have.  Bring on Boston 2012!!



Getting in the spirit!!

Anyone heading to Bean town??

Happy Running!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Oh My Hills and Peroneal Tendons

Last night at work was CRAZY!!!  I think every pregnant person in Delaware decided to go into labor!  We got slammed and I ran my tail off at work.  So when I came home my head hit the pillow and I was out like a light for 4 hours.  On my days off I try to just take a quick nap then have some quality family time and get in a quick run.  My boys had a birthday party to attend so I headed out for a hill run.  I did 7.5 miles in 57 minutes and varied my incline from .5% to 5%...Hills always make my quads burn and shake!  I noticed my peroneal tendons were a little aggravated from yesterdays speed work.  I torn my right peroneal tendon back in November after the Philadelphia Marathon but recovered very quickly with the help of my amazing physical therapy.



I am not sure exactly why this issue is starting to flare up but I am already on top of trying to correct it before it gets worse!   Ice, rolling, Ibuprofen,  massaging out my trigger points and strengthening my ankles are all parts of my routine.  Hopefully this will get better and not worse!

My two running buddys went out on their 10 mile run today and saw a few men picking up trash on the side of the road....one of the men was doing a "happy dance"!  Guess what he found?  $50 in the same exact spot we found of $$ a few weeks prior!  I think we found the "gold pot" at the end of the rainbow!!



Dawn wants to know where her cash money is!! I love this picture of Angel and Dawn!



My brother's girlfriend ran her first 26.2 today in 4:27!! She did the Virginia Beach Marathon and said it was a great course and had a blast.  And the medal was cute too!



 

 

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Speedy Saturday

I am working back to back weekends and I am not thrilled about it but I had to adjust my running plan and family time to balance it all out!  Today I got off of work at 8 a.m. and we had our lacrosse play day.  I had to jam in my 8 miles of speed work today also.  I was having some belly issues at work last night and just not feeling 100%.  After a few hours of sleep I felt much better.  I was able to head to the gym before work and did some intervals of speed.  I started out with a warm up mile @ 8:06 pace then I did 2 x 800 at 9.5...I realized after my 2nd 800 that today was definitely not a 800 kinda day.  So I adjusted my plan and did 4 x 400 at 9.3 - 9.5...I then switched it up again and did 1 minute sprint followed by 2 minutes recovery pace for the last 3 miles.  I ended with 8 miles in 57 minutes and was a big sweaty mess!



Gray always shows off all of my sweat!  After my run I foam rolled, put on my compression and iced before heading back into work!

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!!

Two of my good friends ran the DC R & R half marathon today and I cannot wait to hear all about it!!

What is your favorite stretch or post run routine?

Happy Running!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Past few days!

Thursday's workout: 7 miles at recovery pace followed by 3.5 miles coaching 10K relay group.  Since I had my LSD run yesterday I decided to take today's miles easy I kept the pace @ 7:53.  I felt pretty great but was starving during the run...My stomach was actually growling!  I didn't have a chance to grab anything between my run and the training group so when I got home I was super excited my hubby was grilling some homemade Gorgonzola Burgers.  Delish!  I usually am one of those people who always has a cliff bar, peanut butter or a piece of fruit in their car at all times but of course today I did not.  Lesson learned!

We gave the lacrosse team a Captain's Practice day because they had a half of day from school!  I had visions of them having a picnic and sun bathing rather than practicing lacrosse!  So since I had a few free hours this afternoon I went to Nordstrom's and did a little shopping.  I got a great pair of wedges and some much-needed dark nail polish for my black toenails!!

Branwen's Feather

Branwen's Feather is a great color for runner's and black/purple toenails!  I also had a gift card to JCrew (thanks Mom) so I went there and got a pair of HOT PINK shorts that I love.  I would show you the picture but I am working on my 6 pack abs to look like EMZ!

On Friday I had planned on doing 8 miles of speed work but I had a Chiropractor appointment that ran longer then I thought it would so I decided to take a rest day.  I always feel taller after my adjustments and relaxed so when my mom called and asked me to join her for lunch I did not hesitate to go!  I picked up my little man and we headed to CPK for a bite to eat.  I got my favorite salad again...



Massive and delicious...Caramalized peach salad!  After lunch I headed to practice to see how well the girls practiced on their own!  I have to say they did seem a little more confident with their cradles but still need to nail down the basics!  We have a huge lacrosse play day tomorrow so hopefully we do well!

What is your favorite nail polish?

Happy Running!

 

 

 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Running and running and running.....

I normally do my LSD runs on the weekend but since I worked every day this past weekend and I am working this coming weekend also I had to fit in my 20 miles today!  So here is what my day looked like... Wake up at 6:30 a.m. and my wonderful hubby says go back to bed until 7:45 because he was taking my oldest son to school for me!  I wake up at 7:45 than drink 2 cups of coffee and grab a bite to eat for me and my little guy...I take my little one to school then start my 20 miles.  It is another beautiful 70* here today and I was able to fit in 16 miles before I had to pick up little man from school.  Oh, I almost forget to tell you....I found a pair of car keys on my run today!!!  Last long run I found $$ and now today I find a car!  I am LOVING my long runs lately. 

 I was able to run home grab a shower ( really for what reason? ) then head out to lacrosse practice.  Today I made the girls run a TIMED mile!  For some reason they all panic when I actually time them.  I did run with them to get in another 1.5 miles...I lapped a few of them which made them push harder.  So at this point my mile total is 17.5 in 2 hours 10 minutes!

We had a great practice and went over a lot of field work and transition passes ( we stink at this currently).

So now it is 5:30 p.m. and I head home to grab my boys and head to swim lessons. I was able to squeeze in 3.10 miles in 22:03 for a grand total of 20.6 miles today!



This is how I refueled after my 3rd run of the day!  Red Robin....I left out the massive basket of bottomless fries!!

How do you refuel?

I did have my beloved chocolate milk and also pb and a banana!

Happy Running!

 

TRX Tuesday Plus

Today is my TRX class that always kicks my rear! Since yesterday was a rest day I squeezed in 7 miles in 53 minutes before class and kept the pace fairly easy.  I thought this sounded like a great idea until half way through class when my muscles started to rebel against me!

We started with a total body warm up then went straight into class!  She had us working every muscle group...Lots of chest, shoulders, legs and abs.  After each set of exercises we had a cardio burst on the Bosu ( jump squats, straddle squats, and lateral hops ).  Once we finished round one we got to pick our favorite exercises and complied them into round two of exercises!  We finished class with almost 2 minutes of plank/core work!! Ouch...just about sums this workout up! 

On the bright side my lacrosse team has their second scrimmage today and I am super confident they are going to do well!  We are playing another tough team but I think my girls have really improved their skills and have worked hard on our defense.  Let's Go Raiders!

And it is 70* here today! Perfect running/lacrosse weather!

Happy Running!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Friday, Friday, Friday!

So today I am taking a much needed rest day!   I woke up and my left hamstring was pretty sore and tight.  Yesterday's tempo run was pretty intense and then I added another 4 miles helping coach the 10K group last night for a total of 13 miles.  I love new runners who are eager to learn the sport and are willing listen to improve! 

 

 

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Happy Me!

So after yesterday's failed attempt at 10 miles I decided to retry it again today!  I hydrated very well last night at work and even wore my compression socks!



I LOVE these socks and the way I feel after wearing them!  I tend to be on my feet a lot at work and my legs can feel very heavy and slow after working all night but if I wear my compression socks I feel 100% better at the end of my shift!  And I love the hot pink color.

So I decided to not push the pace too much on this run and really focus on the hills.  I started at an 8:10 pace and stayed there for 2 miles then increased to 8:06 for a mile.   I was running a hill program which was pretty tough with inclines from .6% to 3.2% and the duration of the hills varied also.  I increased the pace every mile also..mile 4 : 8:00, mile 5 : 7:53, mile 6 : 7:47, mile 7 : 7:35, mile 8 : 7:30, mile 9 : 7:24, mile 10 : 6:48.  This run was exactly what I NEEDED after yesterday's run. 

I have to shower quickly, stretch, grab my beloved coffee and head into my third midnight shift.  Life is good!

Happy Running!

 

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Epic Fail

I had a pretty busy night at work and was working off of little sleep.  I got home around 8 a.m. and was in bed by 9:30 a.m.   Last night I felt like I could not drink enough water!  I just felt the more I drank the thirstier I got.  I planned on running 10 miles today but I only made it to 6 miles.  My mouth felt like cotton and my legs started cramping around 4 miles.  I absolutely despise when my "runner" brain tells me one thing and my body says the complete opposite!!!  I debated pushing it to 10 miles but I had "phoned a friend" and she said STOP RUNNING and go drink a Gatorade! 

Logically I know my body was telling me to stop but it is so hard to get over the training schedule that tells me 10 not 6 miles.  Also, my mom had my little guy and my hubby, dad, and my oldest son went to the beach for the day so I didn't feel so guilty about fitting in a 10 mile run.  So part of me felt like I wasted my resources and failed on my run today! 

I usually like to stick to my training schedule but I also know flexibility is needed sometimes to.  This weekend is hard to adjust my routine due to my work schedule and trying to balance my family time as well as getting a few hours of sleep.  I am very blessed with such a supportive husband, parents who go above and beyond, and my children who think I WIN every time I go out for a run. 





My Crew!

Since I have to work again tonight I really am glad I listened and went home and hydrated!

How do you overcome your "runner" brain?

Happy Running!

Friday, March 9, 2012

Friday, Friday, Friday

So today I am taking a much-needed rest day!   I woke up and my left hamstring was pretty sore and tight.  Yesterday's tempo run was pretty intense and then I added another 4 miles helping coach the 10K group last night for a total of 13 miles.  I love new runners who are eager to learn the sport and are willing listen to improve! 



My lacrosse team had their first scrimmage yesterday also and well...let's just say we have some things to iron out!!  So for today's practice I put together a ton of footwork drills, speed work drills, and plyometric exercises to help them with their overall performance.  We did lots of ladder work, lateral movements, shuffling, drop steps and fast twitch movements.  They LOVED it.  I could see the "lightbulb" go off when they realized proper footwork and body positioning.  These moments are the reason I coach.  I love to see them improve and grow.  I also participated in the drills with them and ouch my calves felt it. 

My mom treated me and my little guy to lunch and luckily I was all carbed up and ready to go for practice!



Thanks mom....

Tonight starts my weekend of midnight shifts..Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the hospital.  Boo.

Happy Running!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

First Scrimmage of 2012

Today's workout was a 9 mile tempo run in 66 minutes with my average pace of 7:19.  I started off this run feeling very sore especially in my hamstrings and quads.  I think my hill pyramid from yesterday and TRX from Tuesday really worked out my lower body!  After the first mile things started to loosen up and I found my pace.  I finished with a 6:40 mile and was glad to hop off the treadmill and go through some stretches.  I am really starting to like dynamic stretching  and have noticed increased mobility. 

Today is our first lacrosse scrimmage of the season!!!!!!!!!!!  We have only had 6 days of practice and a lot of the girls have never ever picked up a lacrosse stick before the first day of the season.  I am nervous for them but I know this will be a learning experience and it will help us to narrow down the skills we truly need to focus on.  One good thing about my team is that they are the nicest group of girls I have met and they really never complain!!  Lets Go Raiders!!

After lacrosse I am helping coach a 10K running club at our Y.  Tonight is a 2-3 mile run and I am super excited to share my love for running with this group!  I just hope I don't scare them with my energy. 

Happy Running!

 

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Hill Pyramid

Today's run...8.15 mile hill pyramid : 1 hr 02 mins

So my run today looked like this:



 

I started off with a warm up mile @ 8:12 pace then increase my speed to 8:06 pace and set my incline to 1%.  Every 2 minutes I increased my incline by .5% until I reached a max of 4.5% incline then I decrease the incline by .5% every 2-4 minutes until I reached a flat and cranked up the speed.  I finished with a 6:48 mile then cooled down, stretched, and foam rolled.  I was on an incline for most of the run and my quads and hamstrings were definitely feeling it from TRX last night.  One thing I have noticed is that my SI joint really does not like steady hill climbs and I have to really protect my joint and foam roll it out after I do hill runs.  Thank goodness my husband has been great and can adjust my SI joint for me! 

So now I am off to lacrosse practice and it is 60* here in Delaware today.  We have our first scrimmage tomorrow and I cannot wait to see how we look out there.  I am so proud of my girls already and I can see the progress coming along!  I am very lucky we have some extremely speedy girls and they NEVER complain about running!

Do you run hills?  What is your favorite hill workout to do?

Happy Running!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

TRX Tuesday

Lately my TRX classes have been really kicking my rear!  I had to go to TRX after lacrosse practice today since I worked until 8 am and sleep was definitely much need!  I am use to taking this class with a bunch of highly motivated,  ready to work individuals and this group of nighttime TRXers was completely opposite!  I love the instructors and have worked with them for quite a while so they definitely push me and make me work hard but I am a little competitive and feed off of the energy of my a.m. class.  We did a lot of push-ups, planks, single leg exercises, and cardio burst intervals.  I still got an amazing workout but I really love the group dynamics and positive energy in my other class.  If you haven't tried TRX I highly recommend you do or even just check it out on YouTube!

Happy Running!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Love getting the Mail

Today's workout : 9 recovery miles in 1 hr 10 mins.

I tried to keep my miles between 7:40 - 7:50 to help shake out my legs from yesterday's long run.  Everything felt great and I really wanted to pick up the pace but I reminded my self to look at the big picture and stick with the pace.  I have been trying to train smarter this marathon cycle and listen to my body.  In the fall I was in physical therapy from September to December for an SI ( sacroiliac ) joint injury that was pretty tough to overcome.  Thank goodness I had amazing resources and great therapists that got my to the staring line of the Philadelphia marathon (Nov. 20), the Rehoboth Beach half marathon (Dec. 10), and Disney's Goofy's Challenge (Jan. 7-8). 

This is my kind of mail

So when I got the mail today I was beyond excited!  I love when my runner's world comes as well as anything that is not a bill.  I was even more excited when I saw the Newton's article.  When I was in Disney for Goofy's Challenge I was able to talk to the Newton's shoe rep and learned a great deal about the shoes.  I had thought about getting a pair for a while but I couldn't find a store that carried them here in Delaware.  I am the type of person who has to try things on before I buy them especially running shoes!!  So when the rep told my to take the shoes and were them around the expo for a while I was in love.  I still wanted to get the feel of running in them so we went outside to the Wide World of Sports and I went for a little run.  They just felt "right" and I got a great price for them also. 



Now after reading the article I love them even more.  I felt like I was at a crossroads in my running shoes prior to trying on the Newton's Distance but now I feel like I have found my stride!



And I love the bright colors too!

What shoes do you train in??

Happy Running!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

It "pays" to run sloooooow!

Today's run was my LSD (long slow distance) with my two best running buddies!!  We headed out around 7:30 am and our plan was to run 16-18 miles.  I had the 18 miles to do and ideally wanted my pace in the low 8's...Angel and Dawn had 16 miles at 8:30 pace.  I absolutely love my runs with my girlfriends!!  We talk about EVERYTHING and anything.  Dawn has some killer hills back by where she lives so our goal was to hit some big hills early on then loop back grab our water then reverse the run to end with the monster hill!  Hill #1 at mile 2

Hill # 22

This is Dawn and Angel charging those beast hills!!  They are a pain to go up but a blast to come down.  I love this route because it is challenging and preparing me for Boston but also because of the surrounding.  There are tons of horse farms, rolling hills and usually very little traffic.  One thing I noticed today was the amount of litter on the side of the roads..people are so rude sometimes and it is just careless to throw out McDonald's bags and 40 oz bottles!  I am thinking of join the road cleaning crew or adopting a highway especially after finding this on the side of the road...

It pays to run!

This will definitely go to a good cause!  Dawn and Angel also got some green bills too!

 After I stretched and showered my brother took me and my boys to Atlantic City for the day. I believe this was my 1st time there and we had a blast!  There was lots to see and do especially shopping.  We had lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe and meet up with some friends.

  

After lunch we went down to the shore and checked out the ocean.  This is when the boys spotted this.....



Which had this inside....

27 pound gummy bear!

NO I did not buy this!!!  Even though there was some begging... I gave up candy for lent and had to walk away for this beauty!

Have you ever found $$$ or anything unusual on a run??

Happy Running!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

North Star Saturday

Today started off at 6:30 am with a nice big cup of coffee and then I was headed out the door to lacrosse practice.  The skies opened up and started to pour rain just as we headed out for the run.  We finished 1.5 miles and headed inside to run some stairs.  Oh boy, I forgot had hard running stairs actually is!!  26.2 miles no problem but 15 minutes of stair running no thank you!  Indoor practice is one of my least favorite things...extremely bouncy balls on a hardwood floor x 35 girls = total chaos.  So we worked with what we had and got a lot of work done. 

After practice I planned on running 8 miles but when the time came I wasn't really in the mood.  This rarely happens to me...so I decided to listen to my body and I went to the gym and cross trained.  It was exactly what I needed!  I did get to talk about running and shoes with a new runner at the Y! 

Once I was showered and looked somewhat human again we headed out for a wild saturday night at church followed but dinner at North Star Bar and Grill with the Fam!   

 Me and my boys!

 I am very lucky that all my aunts and uncles and cousins all live within miles to 45 minutes away.  I have a pretty amazing family who is so supportive of one another and we all actually get along!

  Hello Stella

Thanks Angel for suggesting this beverage!  It is very rare that I have a drink but I figure it is sort of carb loading for my 18 miler tomorrow, no?

Does your family live close by or miles away?

Happy Running!

Friday, March 2, 2012

Rest Day Not So Much...

So today was my rest day since I worked last night and have to coach this afternoon...but when I got to practice the girls special requested a specific route to run which takes them off the lacrosse fields and off school property.  So needless to say I joined in the run.  Today's run for them was a LSD run which consisted of 3.75 miles in 30:40.  Not awful but definitely could use some improvement.  We worked a lot on skills and fundamentals and actually broke the team up into varsity and j.v.

Following practice I met up with my hubby, boys and my mom for a bite to eat.

.Yummy...Veggie pizza!

This was truly delicious!! 

Hope everyone has a fantastic friday night.

Happy Running!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Speedwork and First Day of Lacrosse!

So here is how my speedwork went today:

2 mile warm-up @ 7:53

4 x 800 @  6:33 with .25-.50 recovery pace of 7:47

1 mile @  6:30

1 x 800 recovery pace of 7:53

I followed up this run with lots of foam rolling and stretching.

Today is March 1 which marks the beginning of High School Lacrosse season 2012.   I absolutely love the sport of lacrosse and the skills it takes to play.  But even more than the sport I love leading the girls thru their runs and agility work.  We started off the season with full field ladder runs x 8!!  The girls had to run and a moderate pace when I blew the whistle they had to accelerate to a sprint until I blew the whistle again.  Oh my...We have some very speedy girls this year and they really impressed me today.  I had them follow-up the run with some agility work and mainly focused on foot speed.  I am really excited for this season especially after seeing their current abilities and potential.  Today was a beautiful day for lacrosse!!!

Now it is time to head to work for my 11 pm to 7:30 am shift :-(

What is your favorite speedwork drill??

Happy Running!