DE Running Mom: Epic Fail...But looking on the bright side

DE Running Mom: Epic Fail...But looking on the bright side: Since I worked all weekend and was not able to squeeze in my 20 miler on no sleep I was forced to do it on Monday...Well when I woke up to p...

Epic Fail...But looking on the bright side

Since I worked all weekend and was not able to squeeze in my 20 miler on no sleep I was forced to do it on Monday...Well when I woke up to pouring rain and thunder I decided to push my run back until the rain slowed down a bit.  I really would have loved to do this run at the Y but they are closed Monday-Thursday for cleaning...Boo!!  By the time it cleared up and I took the boys to my brother it was about 80* out but there was a slight breeze..Until I started running!  It got to be so hot and HUMID that I really thought I was going to have heat exhaustion.  I was ok for the first 4 miles then I had a encounter with a dog that spooked me and turned around to head back the way I came on my route.  This is where I decided to be smart and text Angel for help!  She is a saint from above!  She drove out to me and brought me water, gatorade and honey stingers...I swear once I saw her car I could no longer hold back my frustration and tears! 

I had run about 6.5 miles at this point and totally felt defeated!  I normally am ok in the heat and can tolerate running at least 10 miles before needing to refuel but not today.  I was feeling sloooooow and emotionally I just shut down.  Angel gave me a quick pep talk and devised a plan for me since I was all "I suck at running and I am a loser".  I knocked out another 7 miles stopped for a quick break:

Yes that is all sweat dripping off my hat.

Trying to look happy with the portapots

And look what I found while feeling unlucky

 

I ended back at Angel's house with 14 miles total outside (my first 7 miles were all under 7:48 pace) and then finished 6 miles on her treadmill in the AC!!!  All in all I got the mileage done but this was not the way I saw it going!  This was a day that I probably should not have been outside running especially with the humidity being so high.

Temperature 70f 72f 74f 76f 78f 80f 82f 84f 86f 88f 90f 92f 94f 96f 98f 100f Humidity 40% 80 81 83 85 88 91 94 97 101 105 109 114 119 124 130 136 45% 80 82 84 87 89 92 96 100 104 109 114 119 124 130 137 143 50% 81 83 85 88 91 95 99 103 108 113 118 124 131 137 144 152 55% 81 84 86 89 93 97 101 106 112 117 124 130 137 145 153 60% 82 84 88 91 95 100 105 110 116 123 129 137 145 153 65% 82 85 89 93 98 103 108 114 121 128 136 144 153 70% 83 86 90 95 100 106 112 119 126 134 143 152 75% 84 88 92 97 103 109 116 124 132 141 150 80% 84 89 94 100 106 113 121 129 138 148 85% 85 90 96 102 110 117 126 135 145 90% 86 91 98 105 113 122 131 141 95% 86 93 100 108 117 127 137 100% 87 95 103 112 121 132 So according to this is am a total DA (dumba$&) for running when I did! Tuesday morning started off with SCHOOL!  Yay...Chase was all ready to go and looking very handsome: While Chase was at school I wanted to swim but once again the Y pool is also closed for cleaning at the same time as the fitness center!  Ugh.   So I decided to do my PT stuff at home and go shopping with my mom and brother.  But I still felt like I needed to flush out my legs and do a little something.  I did a very very slow 2 miles around the track at football practice.  I felt fine until last night when my body rebelled.  I just feel week and not recovered yet...I took today completely off and treated myself to a much needed pair of these I have been wanting to try these back out for a long time I am leaving in the morning for California to go run the Disneyland half marathon. We shall see how that goes for me....Fingers crossed PLEASE!!! Anyone else running/racing this weekend?? What running shoes do you love? Happy Running!

Good Times...

I have had some pretty great workouts this week and have felt awesome!  I love the feeling of accomplishment after completing a run/workout where I was doubting myself before I started.

Monday I took a much needed rest day and laid pretty low with my boys.

Tuesday I revisited the Stair Machine and did a total of 60 minutes with interval sprints and a little core work.  This is a cross training machine I use to love to do but ever since my injury it seemed to irritate my feet...not today though and I got a killer workout!

Wednesday was speed work...2 mile warm up in 15 minutes followed by 5 x 1000 meters repeats with paces of 3:44, 3:44, 3:44, 3:42, 3:46...RI 400-600 meters in between sets...followed by a 2 mile cool down!  Ouch these hurt so good!   Before I start speed work I seem to always doubt myself and question if I can do it... Looks like I have to work on my positive thinking skills.

Thursday I swam 2250 meters in 42 minutes and focused on drills....we spent the entire day at the pool for one last time before my boys start back to school this coming week.  Apparently I was scheduled to work midnight shift and I had no idea so when my phone rang I leaped out of bed and ran out the door... I have NEVER EVER EVER in my life made a mistake like this before!!! I am usually 20 minutes early for work always but there is a first for everything I suppose!

Friday after sleeping like a rock for 8 hours post my 26 hours of no sleep I completed my tempo run.  My goal was to run 7 miles with a pace between 7:00- 7:19... I finished with 7 miles in 49:56 with average pace 7:08.  I was very happy with this run and my body felt very efficient.  I am working midnight shift the next two nights and have a full day of events scheduled for today.  Hopefully I will be able to grab a few hours of sleep somewhere!

How many hours of sleep do you normally get a night??


Happy Running!

Girl's Weekend and Double Long Runs

Saturday morning was a cool 68* and overcast = perfect running weather!!  Heather, Dawn and I set out to run 10 miles.  My goal was to run 6 miles at race pace then just easy miles the rest of the run.  I hit 6.5 miles in 48:56 and felt great.  We were going to run a few miles on a trail but the spider webs and millions of horse flies chased us out of the trail!!  We made a friend coming out of the trail who is also going to be running the Philly 26.2.  He and I were chatting away running 7:15 pace comfortably.  I felt great but was starving the last few miles of the run!! I finished with 14 total miles.  Dawn and Heather did amazing as well and nailed their 10 miler!   Here are a few pics from our adventure:

Yes we have all had to do this!

 

Debbie was back at the house in her "happy place"  whipping up and amazingly delicious breakfast for everyone!  She is such and awesome Chef and I wish I could live with her for a week and learn from her!!  I could ask her any question about cooking/food and she has the answer!  So after our run this was exactly what we needed to refuel and then head to the beach! 

Angel made it down and all 5 of us girls headed to the beach for some sun but it was a little chilly so we went back to the house for some chips, fresh guacamole, and margaritas!! 

 

Few things I learned this weekend is I am very, very lucky to have such amazing girlfriends, I love my long runs again, and I am not a tapas girl!   My friends are all uniquely amazing and I love each and every one of them!  I felt my runner's high again on my long run.  And we went out for tapas but after running high mileage I wanted a meal...The tapas were yummy but this was the portion:

Scallop with Ravioli


 

   On Sunday morning Angel and I got up early while the other girls slept in.  We set out for our 17 mile run and the weather was perfect again!  68* and low humidity.  We ran a few miles on the road then found another trail so we decided to give it a whirl.  I loved the trail and the way my legs and hips felt running on the softer surface.  We came across a beautiful pond:

So we had to stop for a quick pic then started back through the wilderness....We did see the BIGGEST spider ever and I have a huge fear of spiders so I kept running and Angel stop to look!   We found another friend named Josh who is also running Philly too!!  So the three of us ran on the trails for a few quick miles until Angel got attacked by 30 horse flies...No joke she has the bite to prove it!!!  At this point we decided we were done with the woods and went back on the road...All in all we finished with 17 miles in 2:20 minutes.  We found the cutest little organic juice place called The Juicebox so we stopped and refueled with smoothies.

Heather and Dawn came and picked us up since we still had about 1.5 miles to trek back to the house and now temps were in the high 80's.   Debbie had an amazing breakfast waiting for us at home!

some of the yummy breakfast!



Do you like trail running or road running??

 

Happy Running!!

Last Thursday and Friday..

So Thursday started with a 9 mile tempo run in 68 minutes and felt great...I wanted to get done so we could head down to the beach and get some shopping at the outlets done!  This happened after a successful trip to the outlets:

 



Harvest Ale...Yum!





On Friday I decided to take a rest day and spend the day on the beach with my boys before heading out to Dawn's for a fun filled Girl's weekend!  We rode waves and played a lot of paddle ball.  Paddle ball is really quite the workout!

Game on!
 

Happy Running!

             

Girls Beach Weekend!

Down the beach for Girls Weekend!  Updates to come...

Speed Work and Hunger!

Today was my speed work day...this always makes me nervous!  Well, when I woke up and heard the thunder and saw the sky was black I was half tempted to stay asleep with my boys but I had a date with Angel at the Y.  So I drank my ginormous cup of coffee had a light breakfast and went to walk out the door when there was a huge down pour of rain and Angel text me her car battery was dead...UGH!!  I felt so bad for her and at this point I really wanted to bag the run but I would only have let myself down if I did that so out the door in my galoshes I go!  My workout looked like this: 1% incline 5 mile warm up in 38 mins ( I  needed the extra miles to convince my legs that they could handle the speed ), then speed work ladder 1200 M: 4:47 (400 M RI), 1000 M: 3:55 (400 M RI), 800 M: 3:06 (200 M RI), 600 M: 2:18 (200 M RI), 400 M: 1:28 (200 M RI), then cool down 1.5 miles.  This was challenging but not as awful as I thought it was going to be!  Even though I was mentally not wanting to do this today once I got out of my head and just started I felt great.  However I was burping up banana the last 2 miles. 

While I was running I got a message from my mom:  Lunch today? 
Heck ya!  We went to Red Robin with the boys and I inhaled my Southwest Chicken Salad.  After I do speed work I am always starving for the next 24 hours.  I try and refuel with lots of veggies, fruit, and protein and occasionally some Red robin bottomless fries :-)

I am working night shift tonight then I am heading to the beach for some family fun/some girl's weekend fun!  Also a 20 mile run will be mixed into all the fun. 

How do you refuel after you do speed work? 

Happy Running!

Sad the Olympics are over!

My workouts since my last post:


Thursday: I decided to do my tempo run today since I will be working night shift the next 4 nights...Yikes.  I was did 8 miles in 58:36 and felt pretty darn good.  I have been scared to do back to back runs since my injury because of my fear of re-injuring myself.  But shockingly my legs/feet recovered quickly from my speed work and all was well on this tempo run!

Friday:  After a quick 1hour and a half nap me and the boys headed to the gym.  They got to play while I did a 13.5 mile ride in 48 mins.  I also did some core work and upper body lifting. 

Saturday:  Baby shower for my dear friend Alicia and a rest day!  OMG baby Under Armour!

Sunday:  15 mile long run in 1:58:00.  After 4 hours of sleep I was quite happy with this run!  My feet and calves started to cramp a little around 9 miles but I think a lot of that has to do with my gait on the treadmill.  I feel like I strike on the outer part of my foot way more on the TM verses running on the roads.   Lots of stretching, foam rolling and icing after this run.  Oh yeah and a brewski!

Prior to brew I did have this:

I am addicted to these shakes.  They pack a great protein punch and taste so delicious too!

Today's workout:  Swam 2500 meters with lots of freestyle but also some mixed strokes, kick boarding and pulls.  I am really loving the challenge that swimming gives me.  I just HATE seeing band aids and gum floating in the pool..Blah!

I am very sad the Olympics have come to a close!  I absolutely loved watching the men's marathon on Sunday.  It is so inspiring to see these athletes push themselves and achieve so much.   Stephen Kiprotich truly impressed me and that move he made the last few miles around that bend was awesome!  And Meb Keflezighi coming in 4th...he made me cry tears of joy when he came across the finish line.  Truly an amazing athlete/person in my eyes.  I really am feeling bad for Desi, Ryan, and Abdi.  I have never ever been in their shoes and cannot even imagine the pressure to preform that they have so I wish and pray that they have speedy recoveries because being injured is awful and very humbling.  So proud of USA!!

Happy Running!

Sadness, Swimming, and Speed.

Unfortunately my hubby's grandpa passed away this weekend.  He was such an amazing man, husband, father, grandfather and war veteran.  He always had the best smile and loved his family so very much.  It is hard to see a loved one suffer and death is such a difficult thing to handle.  The strength and bond that my hubby's family has is so unique.  We are truly blessed with amazing families and their support for everyone involved.  He will be missed more than words could explain!

Before we left for Pittsburg I was able to swim a few laps and loosen up before the drive.  I swam 1900 meters in 45 minutes with mixed strokes, kick boarding and sprints at the end.  This felt pretty darn good!

I took Tuesday as a rest day......but this was an emotional marathon.  The service and funeral were beautiful and very touching.  Like I said before we are very lucky to have such a close supportive family.

After the 6 hour drive to and from my hips and back were not so happy with me!  I had to be very good with my PT stretching today before my speedwork!!  My plan was to do 4 x 800 meter repeats today.  I started with 2 mile warm up then went right into my repeats @ 3:00 minute/mile per 800 meter.  I also added 2 x 400 meters and a mile cooldown.  So I ended with a total of 8 miles for today.  I felt great and the speed felt good but at the end my feet started to cramp up.  Looks like I have to stretch out my calves and legs a little bit more!

After playing pool football ( yes this is exhausting) we took a trip to Whole Foods.  I found my new favorite place!  It was love at first sight and they have a bar!!!  We just got a few things:



 I am so excited for my Pumpkin Ale....This is one of my all time favorite beers!  I love fall and everything that goes with it!

Do you love Whole Foods too ??

What is your favorite season?

Happy Running!

Swimming, Sadness, and Speed!

Unfortunately my hubby's grandpa passed away this weekend.  He was such an amazing man, husband, father, grandfather and war veteran.  He always had the best smile and loved his family so very much.  It is hard to see a loved one suffer and death is such a difficult thing to handle.  The strength and bond that my hubby's family has is so unique.  We are truly blessed with amazing families and their support for everyone involoved.  He will be missed more than words could explain! 

Before we left for Pittsburg I was able to swim a few laps and loosen up before the drive.  I swam 1900 meters in 45 minutes with mixed strokes, kick boarding and sprints at the end.  This felt pretty darn good!

I took Tuesday as a rest day......but this was an emotional marathon.  The service and funeral were beautiful and very touching.  Like I said before we are very lucky to have such a close supportive family. 

After the 6 hour drive to and from my hips and back were not so happy with me!  I had to be very good with my PT stretching today before my speedwork!!  My plan was to do 4 x 800 meter repeats today.  I started with 2 mile warm up then went right into my repeats @ 3:00 minute/mile per 800 meter.  I also added 2 x 400 meters and a mile cooldown.  So I ended with a total of 8 miles for today.  I felt great and the speed felt good but at the end my feet started to cramp up.  Looks like I have to stretch out my calves and legs a little bit more!

After playing pool football ( yes this is exhausting) we took a trip to Whole Foods.  I found my new favorite place!  It was love at first sight when i saw it had a bar!!!  We just got a few things:

 

Hot and Humid Long Run!

On Sunday Angel and I had a nice long run on our schedule.  I was shooting for 17 miles and she was planning on 15 miles.  When we started at 6:30 am it was already hot and humid out.  To be honest, I am very bad about hydration on my long runs but I had to bring water on this one.  We planted water about 4 miles from her house and went on our merry way.  I was LOVING this run!  I have changed my outlook on my running since I was out for 8 weeks with my injury.  I am following the Run Less/Run Faster approach and so far so good.  I also look at my run as having a specific purpose versus just 'getting my miles' in.  Thank goodness our friends live right on the route we took because we were able to stop and rehydrate, wring out our clothes, and continue on the trails.  I finished with 16.5 miles in 2:15....I was pleased with this run and actually felt pretty darn good all day.

 Sweaty girls rule!!

The only thing that bothered me on this run was that we got to about 11 miles when this creeper guy in a white pick up truck passed us and honked.  This usually does not bother me BUT apparently he has been harassing other female runners and cyclist throughout this certain route.  I think it is disgusting that people do this!!  He has been reported and drives past multiple times and even stopped in the road as one of my other runner friends was out on her run.  She turned off the road and went into her neighborhood but why should we have to cut our runs short or take different routes because of a creepy person?!  Thank goodness I have my runner girls to go with me.  I always carry my phone and do not listen to music when I am running outside and I try to stay along high volume/runner friendly roads when by myself.  It just makes me sad that we need to be so cautious while doing something good for ourselves!

Be safe out there on the roads!

Happy Running!

Speedwork and Target trip.

Wednesday was my first real speedwork session since my injuries and I was a nervous wreck before starting.  I felt like it was going to be awful, painful and just not enjoyable!  But.....I surprised myself and it felt great!  I started with a 2 mile warm up @ 7:30 then my plan was to do 3 x 1600 meter repeats.   Mile 1 - 6:31, mile 2 - 6:23, mile 3 - 6:18,  I had 400 meters of recovery between mile repeats @ 8:00 pace, I decided to do 2 x 400 meter @ 1:36 pace and cool down at the end.  I love/hate this feeling!  It showed me that I can push myself to go faster and not be afraid of the speed.  I actually felt strong, light and quick on my feet which is a feeling I have not had in 4 months!   The only problem was my toenail didn't survive the run!

  Sorry gross I know!!

I had to work the past two nights and we literally ran the whole night in labor and delivery land!!  My legs were throbbing after I got off work and I actually put on my PRO compression socks when I got home!  I am having a hard time balancing everything with just 3-4 hours of sleep!  I am sure if you work shift work you understand but it is hard to sleep during the day when it is sunny and beautiful out.   I also have been having some Mommy guilty by not having "fun stuff" planned everyday and feel bad because I can get a little irritable with only 5 total hours of sleep in 3 days!

My boys wanted to go to the gym and play yesterday so I did an hour of total body lifting/cardio burst exercises.  It looked like this:

50 walking lunges/15 burpees

50 push ups/15 mountain climbers

50 squats with glute squeeze/15 burpees

50 kettlebell deadlifts/15 mountain climbers

3 grip triceps for a total of 90 reps

Swiss ball planks, tucks, and pikes.

I was toast at the end of this workout!  Good thing I had my muscle man to help me open the door:



Today was a rest/pool day and the shopping at Target!  How do people just get what they "need" in that store???  I ended up with a cart load of stuff!!!

 Some of our cart load!

Looking forward to my long run this weekend...Anyone else going long?

What are some of your favorite speed workouts to do?

Loving the Olympics and so excited for the track and field!!!

Happy Running!