Thursday, December 27, 2012

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!!

I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and really got to enjoy their families and friends...I know we did here!  My boys had an amazing Christmas and made out very well..they definitely made the NICE list this year! And once again I was reminded how amazing my parents are!  They are truly the two best people I know. 
Bro, Mom, Dad, Me
Best Grandparents and the boys

So here are what my past few workouts look like:

On Saturday I did a nice 7 mile tempo run in 49 minutes..warm up mile @ 7:53 then settled into my MP ( marathon pace )..Luckily my girl Jen came and ran next to me for 4 miles and helped me push it! And a HUGE thank you to my Mizuno Wave Rider 16's for getting me there:
LOVE

On Sunday I met Angel and Dawn for a little 20 miler!  I ran the first 10.5 with Dawn and Angel then went and begged Angel to run another 5 miles with me then I finished up around her neighborhood!  All in all I did 20 miles in 2:31 and felt pretty good.  After the run I enjoyed a nice cup of coffee and good company.  Love my runner girls:
Finally the 3 knuckleheads again
Post run I enjoyed some of my fabulous friend Lauren's treats...She is the best baker ever and totally spoils me with her delicious goods:
Monday and Tuesday were rest days and enjoying my family..We always do Christmas Eve mass and dinner with my Mom, Dad and brother and we always have Filet Mignon, baked potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts and asparagus, corn on the cob and DESSERTS!!  Trying to keep it healthy and clean but also splurge a little too.  I went all out and got dressed up for mass:
Mizuno's vs Vegas shoes
Well you can't take the runner out of me!  The heels made their appearance and it felt good to rock them again.  When we came out of church it was snowing and the boys were beyond excited!
Playing in the snow flakes!
I had to work Christmas Day night shift after a full day of celebrating with family and we were busy with post Christmas day babies being born!  Luckily the hubby was home and this momma slept a few hours and recovered.  I planned on a 10 mile progression run but stopped at 8 miles in 62 mins...I realized my hydration was way off and my muscles decided to rebel!  I had run around a lot over the past 2 days and really did not drink enough water.  So I did my kettle bell work and called it a night! 
All done!
So today I gave it another go and did 16 miles in 2:03 and wow what a difference hydrated muscles make!  My form was still a little stiff but once I warmed up and settled in I was good to go...the first 3 miles were slow and at 8:12-8:23 pace then I increased my speed each mile until I felt I was good.  I have to say the TM was not my friend yesterday but today we were bff's! 

Now I am getting ready to go into work on call because the baby factory is on overdrive!!

Lesson of the day:  HYDRATE and hydrate well!

What was your favorite Christmas gift or moment?!

Happy Running!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Lots of Miles and Tears..

So this week has been filled with lots of tears and confusion...I am at a loss for words about the Newtown tragedy and those sweet little innocent children and teachers who were so tragically killed. 
Have two young children I just cannot imagine what those parents are going through.  As I was running on the TM on Sunday CNN was showing the pictures of the victims and I kept getting choked up.  Please know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers Newtown, CT. 
Races2Run is hosting a Newtown Charity 5K on 12/22/12 @ 10:30am located @ Rockford Park in Wilmington, De and proceeds will go to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund....so if you have a chance please attend this event!

 Sunday: 10 miles in 75 minutes with the first 6 miles of hills then the last 4 miles were on the decline. 

Monday:  10 miles in 78 minutes.  I have been extremely tense in my right shoulder since Saturday and really felt it today...luckily I was able to see my PT and get things straighten out asap.  I am the type of person who carries all my stress in my shoulder and neck especially my trapezius and scalene muscles.  RockTape has become my new bff and is so versatile!  I felt like a new person walking out of PT and felt like a weight had been lifted off my neck.
This is my tense spot!

Tuesday:  13.5 miles in 1:45..I had so much going on in my head today and I just could not shake it.  This was suppose to be 20 miles but I had to cut it short and I just could not find my relaxed form...I have been battling a head/chest cold and some emotional stuff this past week..I decided instead of risking injury and a crappy run I would listen to my body and end it @ 13.5 miles.  We also had our first lacrosse meeting today for the upcoming season so I kind of needed to shower and look presentable for the meeting!  This is such a fun sport to coach and I truly LOVE the game of lacrosse!  I gave the team fair warning that they need to start running/conditioning now so they are not shocked the first week of practice starting in March. 

Wednesday:  I attended school mass with Chase and the message really went straight to my heart  today.  With all the Christmas hustle and bustle I think sometimes we forget what Christmas is truly about and today it really made me focus on that message and put many things into prospective for me.  On Chase's Christmas list of just a few items he listed one that really was special..he wrote "Food for the poor".. I have to admit this made me so proud of my 8 yr old and I really feel like he is seeing the bigger picture and not just the material side of Christmas! ... After mass I begged Angel to come run with me today because I needed a partner in crime on this run especially after yesterday's heady run.  It was a little chilly and windy out but with great company and a good run it doesn't matter what the weather is like!   We threw in a few big hill climbs and just really enjoyed the run!  It is amazing how much running is like therapy and how it can really clear your mind and soul.  We did 8.5 miles in 66 minutes and it felt great!

 Just a few highlights of our week:


 
We took the boys to see the Christmas Light house!! They were super impressed!
 
 
 
Angel and I rocking Mizuno Wave Rider 16's today on our run!!  I cannot say it enough how much I love my Mizuno's and I am totally a Mizuno Girl!! 



I decided to give myself a manicure today!!  This is huge if you know me...I do not paint my own nails or hardly even have my nails paint but we had my Aunt Ora's birthday dinner tonight so I thought I would be festive! 

How is your week going?

Are you ready for Christmas?

Anyone racing this coming weekend?

Happy Running!

Friday, December 14, 2012

Rehoboth Beach Half Marathon

Ok this race holds a  special place in my heart and the course is located on my summer running route!  The Rehoboth Beach Marathon was my very first 26.2 in 2008 and it sparked my love for distance running.  I love the small town and local feel of this race.  It truly is very well organized from the expo to the post race party.  MaryBeth Evans and her crew always do a fantastic job and really focus on keeping things running smoothly. 


Angel, Dawn and I met up at the packet pick-up...Unlike larger races this was cozy and easy to walk in and grab your bag, bib number and tshirt and not waste 3 hours at an expo! 
Rehoboth Beach Running Company



Love the bright pink race shirt!
 
We chatted with a few friends then hit up the Tanger Outlets to do a little shopping.  My mom and dad had come down also so we met them at Fins Raw Bar for our pre-race meal and my all time favorite beer...Troegs Brothers Mad Elf

Since I was only doing the half and just running for FUN, I did enjoy my beer and delicious salmon!  After our amazing meal we went to Dawn's and modelled our RockTape..
Since this is a smaller race we did not have any issues getting to the start and we even picked up our friend Dave on the way.  We go right into the bathroom with a small wait ( 3 minutes ) and lined up ready to start with about 10 minutes to spare. 
Pre-race
This is a truly flat and fast half and miles 6-10 are on the Breakwater Trail...My first few miles were on the slower end 8:06, 7:40's then it thinned out a bit and I was able to find my pace.  My main focus on this race was to have fun and remember why I run and just enjoy every step of the way!!  I truly did manage to do that...I also met one of my readers and she gave me a shout out that made my whole entire day!!!  So thank you so much for that! 

I really love this course and it could be my PR course in the future...
Angel and I looking fly in our space blankets
 After the race we cheered on friends who were finishing and got a great action shot of Dave:


 This was Dave's 1st half marathon and he totally killed it...1:54:25...GO DAVE!! And this is his awesome son..Who was the best cheerleader out there:
LOVE that face!
 
And here is my biggest fan:
Post race fun!
I finished the race in 1:38...this was not a PR by far but was a good fun run...I did place 2nd in my AG and 13th female overall!  After the race we went into the post race tents and enjoyed the free massage/stretching by Elite PT.  Then I totally enjoyed the 16 Mile Brewery beer and the live band!
16 Mile
 
We stuck around for the awards and enjoyed hanging out with friends!  But next year if I do the half again I will be going to shower and change my clothes prior to the awards since they didn't start until 11:30. 
Cute awards!
And I love that all the Rehoboth Beach girls wear matching Running Skirts!!  So if you are planning on a December race next year I highly recommend this race!  It is December 7, 2013 and I am sure it will sell out fast...And if you are looking for a BQ this could be your race!! Entry will open 02/01/2013.

Hope to see ya here next year!

Happy Running!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Quick Hello

Just a quick hello and hope everyone is having a fantastic week so far!!  I will have a full race report and recap up tomorrow...my computer had a few glitches so I have been MIA!  Here is a quick pic from this past weekend:
See ya tomorrow....

To all my Mizuno Mezamashii winners...I hope you all are picking out your fresh new kicks!!!

Happy Running!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Decline Running and Mad Elf!

Monday's workout:  11.5 miles with 9 of the miles varying decline and incline...1 hour 25 minutes.  This run was HARD!  It was gorgeous outside but mentally I didn't want to battle traffic or cars or really even think about running so I ran on the good 'ol TM.  Well thank goodness for friends and distraction because I got through this run and felt great afterwards.   This run got me to thinking "why is decline running so much harder for me?"  You would think that running downhill would be easier right?!  So I found an article on it and this is what I learned:
 
1.  Decline running or walking on the treadmill has been used for improving leg turnover and it is beneficial for both muscle building and cardiovascular training.
 
2. Decline training increases leg turnover which improves the acceleration and speed and it teaches your nervous system to achieve its maximal stride rate then allow you to run faster.
 
3.  Increased muscle growth in leg muscles due to eccentric muscular contractions...As the muscle lengthens, but contracts from the downward movement, an eccentric action is performed.  An eccentric muscle contraction is a means of decelerating as the body moves downhill. 

4.  Start of slow and run at a slower pace when first starting decline training.  


I also saw my PT and got to try out this amazing Rock Tape and Rock Sauce!

 I occasionally get some "cracking" in my knee from where I have scar tissue build up from my laceration to me knee.  So after having the scar tissue broken down he applied Rock Sauce which feels similar to icy hot but dries like a powder and instead of a lotion then applied the Rock Tape.  I am a fan of this stuff and it truly stays in place and does not move!!  I also like that I can feel this rock sauce reactivate when it gets wet! 

Tuesday's Workout:  I met Angel for Amy's spin class and some weight lifting.  This spin class kicks my rear and makes me feel depleted when I am finished!  My weight lifting consisted of a few PT exercises but mostly watching Angel do her ab work!  I was fried after spin!  My boys were off school so basically I was at their mercy for the day.  We went to lunch with my mom and brother then did a little Christmas shopping/looking. 

Today:  Ran 9 miles outside with Angel.  This was a tempo run but we kept the miles low because we are both running the Rehoboth Beach Half marathon on Saturday and both have an idea of a goal we want.  I had a text from my friend Dawn  who was sitting in the nice and cozy Starbucks enjoying gingerbread and coffee while we were in the wind running!  This run felt pretty darn good and reconfirmed for me that my body prefers outdoor running verses the TM. 

My find of the day:

I saw a sign for Troegs and decided to stop in and was so excited to see my FAVORITE beer of all times!  If you haven't tried this I suggest you do asap!

Anyone racing this weekend?

Happy Running!







 
 
 

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Baby Gabriel and WINNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry so late for this post but my nephew decided today was the day for his birth!!!  My sister in law did AMAZING and flew through labor and set a PR!  She got to the hospital at 4:30pm and delivered @ 7:07 pm!  Baby Gabriel Alessio Armideo weighing in at 8 lbs 6 oz and 21 inches long:
Pre-delivery

Cousins and Big sister Hannah!

LOVE!!

How you doin?

This could be trouble!
So much love in the bunch!  I am so proud of my sister in law and everything she has accomplished...she is an amazing mother, sister and soon to be nurse! 

Ok here we go....9 WINNERS: 

#2 Kelly Cimorosi

#101  Yo Momma Runs

#80 Lauren Horsman ( perfect for after having that baby )

#4 Angel

#18 Chelsie S.

#99 Kristy's Health Revolution

#95 Danny

#67 Bob Knox

#51 Slaxer723


Congrats and you WILL love Mizuno's!!  Please send me your Name and Email @ skoval21@aol.com  so I can get Mizuno your information and you can experience your own BRILLIANT run!!  I will need your info by Tuesday or another winner will be selected!

Happy Running!


Saturday, December 1, 2012

Tis the Season!

Wow,  where has time gone?!?!   This past week has been a whirl wind and jammed packed with lots of work, fun, exercise and family time.  It has been an emotional week for me and I just needed a few days to disconnect and figure some things out.  But now I am back in the blogasphere and ready to reconnect.  OK so here is was my workouts this week looked like:

Sunday:  10.25 miles in 74 minutes and this run just felt right and everything clicked!  It was pretty windy and cold but I didn't care because running at the beach is my all time favorite!  This also happens to be a part of the Rehoboth Beach Marathon course where I ran. 

Monday:  Worked Sunday night into Monday so after a quick nap I rode the Expresso Bike and did 11 miles of constant hills followed by the stairmonster for 30 minutes. 

Tuesday: 9 mile run that looked like this... ran 4 miles of hills with max incline of 4% with a pace of 7:47 then switched gears and ran 4 miles of speed intervals ( 800 m repeats with 400 m RI ) and finished with 1 recovery mile.

After my workout Nicole, Shirley and I loaded up and went to PA to go to our Annual Harrisburg PA Craft Show!  We have been doing this for, oh my goodness, 11-12 years now and always have the greatest time!  This is something us girls look forward to every year and we always have a feast of steak, salad, potatoes with cheese sauce and crab legs at Aunt Patty's house when we get there.  If you are in PA or close by I highly recommend going to this craft show it is amazing and has such great finds. 
Wow all the decorations!

My shopping battle wounds from carrying bags

Wednesday:  Craft Shower power walking!

Thursday: 8 mile run in 62 minutes with a average pace of 7:45...this was a rough day for me and I just laced up and hit the road.  It is amazing how running can be so therapeutic.  I got called into work and worked 12 hours on midnight shift and had the nicest patient who reminded me why I love my job!

Friday:  5.2 miles in 38 minutes followed by some much needed leg lifting!  I tend to get so focused on my running and cardio and sometimes slack off on the weights.  This reminded me today that I HAVE to start back up with 2 x a week of lifting!!  My hamstrings are practically non existent and were screaming after 2 sets of weights!  Oh boy!
Wall squats and walking lunges!
 
Friday was also report card day and I am so proud of my boys!  They also brought home there school pictures:
My 8 yr old linebacker!

My 5 yr old model!
OK I am leaving Mizuno giveaway open 1 more day and if you happened to comment as Anonymous please re comment with your name so I can contact you if you win!!!  I would hate for anyone to miss out on these AMAZING MIZUNO'S!!!!!

Happy Running!