Almost time for MCM, Fallapalooza, Boys Birthday Party

So the difference between last week and this week is amazing!  I did a lot of reading and research on "mental outlook and training".   It is truly amazing how not only do you need to train your body but you also need to train your brain.  I don't know why I am putting so much pressure on myself to do something that I love to do?  I run for me and my family but for some reason I have changed my outlook and it made me become negative and question my abilities.  So after doing my homework and turning my thinking around I have a new excitement for MCM.   I mean who would not find humor in this course:

I also felt the love and support from all my friends and I THANK YOU all for you kind words and belief in me!!!!!!!! 

So this week was a busy one but what else is new for us?! 

Tuesday:  Amy's spin class ... she LOVES her hills and standing climbs!  I followed spin with core work.

Wednesday:  6 miles in 42 minutes and kept it pretty light and easy at the park.

 

Thursday:  I needed to flush out some speed in my legs so I did a 2 mile warm up at 7:17 pace then  I did some form drills and wanted to test out my 5K pace:

Unofficial PR

I felt great, the weather was perfect and my legs were happy! 

Friday: I planned for 8 miles but ended with 6 miles in just under 44 minutes.   I felt like I was going very slow and the headwind was very strong but actually I was going way faster then I wanted too!  I saw my friend Erin zipping around the park also so that made me keep going!   I also work the next 3 night shifts and have 2 parties this weekend so I didn't want to over do it and end up sick for MCM!

Saturday:  Fallapalooza!!  Every year we celebrate Fall with our friends and kids and have a ton of fun Fall activities.  We had a delicious spread of Fall foods including these beauties:

We also had "bobbing for donuts", a flash light candy hunt, and pumpkin carving!

My hubby carved this one

Rory's Scary Mermaid!

Unfortunately, I had to work all weekend and could not partake in the "pumpkin beer tasting"!

Sunday was our boys birthday party at our house!!!!  Boy was I suffering with the lack of sleep but it was so worth it!  Thank God for my mom ( made her signature meatball, homemade sauce, ziti and Italian sub salad ) , my hubby (for organizing everything) , my mother-in-law ( made the best Fall dips, spiked cider and drinks,  Lauren ( for making her AMAZING cupcakes and Pumpkin Ooey Gooey Bars ) and Nicole for whipping together spinach dip, pizza dip and beer bread!  And the boys loved their birthday cake!!

My boys are slightly hooked on WWE and love the ol' school wrestlers Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy!!  So when they saw the cake they were super excited!  It was the perfect day for a party and everyone had a blast!  I got an amazing workout jumping in the moon bounce with the boys and my hubby as we all displayed our BEST WWE moves!

I hope everyone had an amazing weekend... I followed along with Instagram and Facebook for all the blogger/runners at the Runner's World Festival ... I was very jealous of them but I hope and pray to be there next year!! 

Happy Running!

Negative Outlook and Running..

This past week of training has gone pretty well if you look at my workouts/paces but mentally I have been battling a huge case of self doubt.  Last Saturday I had my last 20 mile run to fit in between a soccer game and a football game... it just so happened to be 90* and HUMID.  I got the run done and pace wise I was close to right where I needed to be but this messed with my mind.  I wanted my last 20 to be EPIC and feel effortless.  So the rest of the week my workouts looked like this:

Worked Saturday and Sunday 12 hr. midnight shifts

Monday:  Easy 6 miles in 46:31 followed by core work and stretching.

Tuesday:  Amy's spin class... 20 miles in 60 mins.  Hills, speed, hard work!  My running body took a while to adjust to the bike but still a good workout with Angel.  I followed up spin class with a speedy 5 miles in 36 minutes ( 7:12 pace)

Wednesday: REST/ work 12 hr. midnights.

Thursday:  Quick 6 miles in 44 minutes ( 7:19 pace ) ... 2 mile warm up then 3.5 sub 7 miles then .5 mile cool down.  Had to squeeze this run in between 2 more midnight shifts.

Friday:  10 miles in 1 hr. 16 minutes.  Slow steady 2 mile warm up then picked up my pace until 5 miles then I tossed in some Yasso's 6x800 meter repeats @ 3:13, 3:15, 3:15, 3:12, 3:12, 3:13... I did  a quick 90 second RI between repeats.  This run made me very happy but I still was questioning if I am ready for MCM.

Saturday:  Soccer Mom and Football Mom mode!  And a trip to the Pumpkin Patch:

Can you find Cameron??

Sunday:  NEGATIVE STACEY in full effect.  I was very excited and prepared to run with my runner girls but they all ran Saturday instead of Sunday so I was feeling a little less motivated to run in the dark, rainy weather by myself at 6 a.m.  But I had to get it done and since my hubby is away for work I had limited time to squeeze it in.  I laced up and went out .. Angel was going to meet me for the last 8 miles of my run so I started and did 4.2 miles on my own before looping back to get her.  My goal was 15 miles but my mind kept me from achieving that.  My first 4.2 were @ 7:17 overall pace and I was filled with negative thoughts and questioning my training.  Angel quickly gave me a smack down and told me to " SHUT the BLEEP up"!!!  I have come to realize I am my biggest obstacle!  I normally am all "rainbows and sunshine" but lately I feel very "dark and gloomy" when it comes to my training!  I also was trying to hold out on buying new Mizuno Wave Sayonara's because I am 2 weeks out from MCM and did not want to change so close to the race but my feet and hips are telling me I NEED a new pair ASAP.  So the combo of negative thoughts and painful legs/feet did me in and I called it a day.  11.5 miles in 1:28 minutes. 



To top it all off I went to my favorite running company and they DO NOT carry Wave Sayonara's... Yup .... I almost cried right there in the store!!!!  The poor little girl helping me was so sweet ... I panicked and bought a pair of my trusty Wave Riders but lately I have been loving the Wave Sayonara!

 

So WHITE!!!

Thank goodness for Twitter and my friends out there... Road Runner Sports was right on it and so was Seth Mizuno!!!  They both have my shoes in stock and FAST shipping ... crisis avoided!  This is a prime example of why I love blogging and social networking!! 

I switched gears and went into Mommy mode for my boys "school birthday" party ... which involved lots of little boys ages 5-9, an open sports arena and tons of fun!!  We followed that up with a night at the WWE Philly wrestling event!  I cannot event put into words the excitement that I felt seeing my boys so happy!!!  This was the EPIC moment I needed! 

SO EXCITED

WWE BLING

WWE

I may not know all the wrestlers but my boys LOVED it and are very into it....so seeing them so happy and hearing them cheer and boo at the matches helped me put my thoughts into perspective!  At the end of the day running is my hobby, my "me" time but my boys are MY WORLD!!!  I will cherish this night forever!

So today I went and saw my PT friend and he adjusted my back and shoulder ... Ahhhh the relief in feeling better!  I was in a completely different frame of mind and ready to kill my run.  I did a 1 mile warm up at 8:00 pace then my miles went like this.. 7:35, 7:30, 7:27, 7:24, 7:20, 7:24, 7:18, 7:24, 7:30, 7:28, then a cool down my @ 8:34.  I NEEDED this run.  12 miles in 1:30.

Tonight I am doing my homework and reading many articles on negativity and running!  I need to workout my brain and positive outlook!

How do you stay positive and push away negative thoughts?

 Happy Running!