Quiet Friday workout.

Since I finished my Half last weekend, I've been focused on recovery, but it was also nice not to be focused on "Training" for the first time in 8 months! I took spin on Wednesday (which actually may have been a mistake) and have done more with weights. On Friday I went to the gym to run 2 and warm up. I found this:

A nearly DESERTED cardio floor! Awesome-sauce!!! 👏👏

So I did my quick 2 which felt like forever (have I talked about my hatred of the treadmill?) and then did arms. Holy cow, so sore today!! Not in arms though, in my hamstrings! So weird.

Anyway, I've enjoyed mixing it up and ramping it up! 

Here's my W/O plan at the moment. So far, so good!!

Oh, and the monkey man wearing my medal. I mean, come one. So cute:

Have a great Sunday!!

In the Long Run: Thank you notes for the Dallas RnR Half

Well, I finished and frankly, I did it with FLYING colors!! It was not a PR by my chip time, but my Garmin showed the race was 3.30, so if you do the math to 3.10, it was a PR! Either way, I felt amazing the whole race and ran the most CRAZY negative split!

My gear

Carb loading at Campisi's

Damion found each other at mile 3!

Dan from The Biggest Loser

Tim and I at the post race party!

So proud of Nat for finishing her first!

Garmin!

Medal!!

With the race drifting off into the rear view, I can't forget to be grateful to all the people, places and things that made this Sunday such a success. Thank you...

Mile 1: Dick's Last Resort. (You know why 😘)

Mile 2: The singer from that 80's cover band

Mile 3 -5: Highland Park. Are you kidding me? Worth the race just for those HOUSES!

Mile 6: the Heckler. He told me to run "f*#€%+ing faster." Classy.

Mile 7: People outside a trailer with a stereo. Chariots of Fire was an awesome choice.

Mile 8: the Marine with his combat backpack. Felt honored just to run near him.

Mile 9: inappropriate no-shirt guy. Yeah. Some people should ALWAYS wear a shirt. Like even in the shower.

Mile 10: Gatorade. Literally saved me.

Mile 11: Boot Camp Police Officer, most just keep us safe, this one also motivated!

Mile 12: Double amputee (at the knee) working so hard, unwavering determination. I may have cried, and realized I needed to kick my butt in gear. Cause nothing I'll ever do is as important as what he did for us.

Mile 13: Garmin watch. You helped me see my REAL time and distance!

Time to start training for a full!

In the Long Run: Baby it's COLD Outside!

Why?! Why is it so cold! I live in the south for Pete sake! And it's March; not what I signed up for.

Anyway. I digress.

Today's long run is my last before next week's half. Also, it was the second consecutive bad-weather-run. This week was cold, really cold with high winds. Last week went something like this:

57 degrees. Logic dictates something with a cap sleeve and my compression arm bands. On the bottom I did nike run shorts with compression sleeves. Light weather-proof vest for good measure, there is, after all, a 30% chance of rain. In 4 hours.

Well, the run started great. Feeling good, feeling comfortable. Then, around mile 7.5, the wind shifted and it got chilly, fast! 

No, not just chilly, cold. And you'll recall, I did not say I put on a hat, or gloves. 

And I proceeded to run, what felt like, the fastest 3 miles anyone has ever run. Ever.  But I STILL couldn't outrun the cold. And then it happened;

Rain.

Now I'm soaked and freezing and everyone running by me is giving me that side eye, like, why is she half naked in this weather?!

But there are some upsides to running in freezing rain:

☔️ you don't have to do an ice bath after, because you basically took an ice shower.

☔️people shout at you, much like in a race setting. Of course, they are saying less supportive things like "what's wrong with you?!"

☔️racing the weather creates an instant PR! Seriously! The fastest I have ever run. (But I did pay for that the next day!)

Hopefully your weather is better than what we've been dealing with here!

PS-Scary-run-ninja loves her new Garnin!

Was it worth it?

Um, the answer is yes and no. Was it worth going out "sans-offspring" with the best buds? Absolutely. Was it worth the beer and giant soft pretzels?

Nope! Totally was not!

That is what I have found to be really interesting about my year of eating cleaner. When I make, um let's say "fun" food choices, I always end up feeling nasty for like at least a day. So why do it?

No, not why eat clean, I mean why have "cheat day?" 

Ok, stay with me here. I think it's good to know what you're missing and the consequences that come with that. I don't apply that to my spousal relationship but I can apply it pretty universally to the rest of my life. 

If someone else's job looks better, I look to compare all aspects and inevitably it's a wash. Or another person's financial situation seems more desirable, they are missing out on something to get that. 

Bottom line is there are pros and cons to everything. So if all is weighed equally, you'll find there's just as much that's hard about doing whatever you want (overweight, tired, ill) as there is to doing it well (motivation, moderation, tough choices).

So. Am I glad we hung out with friends, YES! Am I glad I partook of some libations? No. Will I do it again someday?

Yes 😉

In the Long Run: a letter to my Best Friend on the eve of her first Half

NHB,

You're going to finish a half marathon! Congrats! No, I'm not psychic, but I have no trouble picturing you finishing. You have trained for this (not like 

Barney Stinson). 

 

• Barney: I can't move my legs. I've ridden the subway twice, end to end; I've seen where it turns around. Ted, you don't ever wanna see where the subway turns around.

A few things to think about before we go do this thing:

Math is your friend-

Since this is your first Half, it's an automatic PR! Congratulations on your fastest ever 13.1 miles! 

Want more math to make you feel awesome? Check out your mile times! It's highly likely you'll either go out too fast (and have a mile PR) or have lots of adrenaline at the end (and have a PR mile or less). And your chip times shows you how much faster you were than all those other people you finished before. And lastly, you ran exactly 13.1 miles farther than this guy:

You won't be last-

It is very unlikely you'll finish last. As there are around 10,000 people you have a .01% chance of finishing last.

And even if you do finish last, you'll be in the company of this badass:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-10-14/news/chi-chicago-marathon-latest-feat-for-last-finisher-20131014_1_finish-line-america-chicago-marathon-mats

He has MS and finished a MARATHON! We're only doing half that!

Looks don't matter-

Honestly, your race pics will probably be awful. You may get one amazing pic like these:

But it's way more likely they'll be terrible. And really, at least you won't be these guys:

And of course, infamous:

Yikes.

Anyway, have an amazing run, enjoy your race and most importantly, be proud of your accomplishment! I'm proud of you!

Jen

Change is never easy.

Even the thought of change can be daunting. I sit here writing this, not really being able to write anything, but wanting to spill my guts! I suppose enough said would be that nothing stays the same forever. Nothing. Not even good things. And things like marriages only stay the same if you work (hard) at them. And sometimes the changes you want most don't come, and the ones you need come, but much later. I am a big believer that God has a plan, the right plan for me. Sometimes, it's just hard to wait and see!

All this to say, I NEED a run. So bad. It's like a clean slate. Cleanses the palate. It clears the mind and cleans the soul. I may just get up from my office and walk away and go for a run. In fact, I think I will. Bye y'all! 😊

5 miles

Did an easy 5 on a treadmill at the gym today while (for just the second time) Ben went to "Kids Klub" and "worked out." So sweet, I love that he loves to exercise!

So Rock and Roll Half is coming up in a couple weeks, and I am SO pumped. There will be a big expo where I will attempt to NOT buy all the things, and pick up the race packet.

11 miles coming up on Saturday, I'll let you know how it goes!

Photo Dump

Hey y'all! 

Here's some of the good shots from Feb. Competition season is over for work, which means it's run season!! Yay!

Nat and I getting in the miles!

Feelin like a boss after a fast 5!

About 8 months post-baby. Working my way back to size 8!

Vaca with all 3 boys, bubs took this one!

My favorite "Sweaty Band!" It's wishbones, but whatever...

Love my Hal Higdeon training app!

10 Miles!

Something about 10 miles feels more special and different than anything before. I think it's cause you hit double digits. You could run 9.99 and it still wouldn't be as awesome as running 10. Why would you stop at 9.99? Questions I ask myself while running...

Anyway, I tried my new advocare running cocktail before I ran. Spark and Caralyst are normal for me. But I added a little bit Rehydrate to my spark, and O2 gold for the first time. Only took half a dose of O2 since it's new for me, and I LOVED IT!! I need a name for my new running cocktail, I felt like I was flying!