Great Way to Start the Weekend

Hey Hey! How goes it? 

This morning started off bright and early with my all time favorite breakfast.

Wheat toast with jam (peach this time), runny eggs, and Siracha. Deeeelish....People are constantly telling me I eat the weirdest things......They just don't know what they are missing.

I woke up early on a Saturday because I had three appointments at the gym this morning. Unfortunately, my first client had to cancel last minute, so I decided to make use of my extra hour and get my run done. Today's run was supposed to be a 3 mile "pace run". Since I haven't committed to a pace for my half marathon, I decided I'd just run a bit faster than I usually do and see how it goes.

The temperature was 12 degrees and the trail was not as tidy as usual.

I almost turned around. The snow wasn't terrible to run it, but it got pretty icy where the sun had hit it the day before. I stuck it out though. I was already out in 12 degree weather! Might as well make it purposeful, right? 

So I ran, not expecting to much, but to my surprise....

Not to shabby! I feel like I'm finally getting my stride back! Which makes me very excited, yet very nervous.....One of my biggest goals in 2014 is to really listen to my body and respect it's needs. Take it easy when it tells me to and push it when I have it.

Perfect way to start my weekend.

After a couple of clients at the gym, and a trip to the center of the universe (aka: Costco), I was home and starving! 

**I would have gotten food before this time, but let's be real, who doesn't get a million samples at Costco? The best ones today: lentils, chickpeas, and Skinny Cow Chocolates....So GOOD. I may have tried more than one, just too be sure! (Please tell me you do this, too)**

I had a Morningstar Chipotle Spicy Black Bean Burger topped with Greek Yogurt Guacamole. (Promptly smothered in Siracha after the picture, and eaten with an Apple and PB).

The rest of the day has been spent lounging around with my awesome little family and enjoying quiet times after the hectic holidays. Sometimes a lazy afternoon is just needed. 

8 miles on the agenda tomorrow. Longest run in over a year.....wish me luck:-)

Do you ever go to Costco? Do you ever take more than one sample? 

Do you run in the snow? 

Throw some new breakfast ideas at me!

I bought english muffins today and want to try a french toast bake tomorrow. Breakfast is definitely the best meal of the day!

Lake Ridge Turkey Trot -2013

Today was my first race in a little over a year. (My last one is here).

 

I wasn't overly excited about it, which is why I didn't mention that I had signed up for it. It was a 10K, I'd been told the course was "brutal", I hadn't been training specifically for it, and I wasn't anywhere near the shape I was in for my last one.

 

But I just wanted to race. It's Fall! It's what runners do when the leaves start to change...... We race, carb loading with every pumpkin bread and muffin we can find.

 

The race was Sunday morning at 9 AM, located in Woodbridge, VA (my old stomping grounds!). The temperature for the race was perfect, low 50s. The clouds were out though, and the humidity was at 97%. Yuck.

 

This race kicked my ass. In a serious sort of way. I can't exactly pin point what happened, but I just didn't feel strong, focused, or like doing it in general.

 

The first mistake I made was going out too fast. I didn't have my Nike App turned on, but I knew I was going too fast.

 

Check out the elevation on this bad boy. Any smart runner knows to save their reserves for the last half of the race.

 

 

Around mile 2 I started to get a side stitch. I was cussing myself out with every 4-letter word in the book.....I'm pretty sure I got this from mistake #1.

 

The last, and most fatal mistake I made was that I quit mentally. I told myself I couldn't do it. I wasn't conditioned enough and I let the negative thoughts creep in and keep reminding me that I wasn't.

 

I pulled it together for the last mile, finished fast and strong (my legs had WAY too much umph left in them for somebody who was supposed to be racing) .

 

My chip time was 49:49. (Average pace of 8:01).

 

 

and to my surprise I won 1st place in my division.( Yay for medals!......and being materialistic)

 

My goal for today's race was to hit 8 minute miles. I got awfully damn close to that, but I just don't see this as an accomplishment. I wanted 6 STRONG 8-minute miles. I wanted performance and consistency, and I didn't.

 

My next goal is to run a half marathon in Richmond this February. It may be a long shot, especially based on today's performance, so I'm going to start training early December and see how it goes before I register myself for it and commit.

 

 I didn't, however, have any issues committing to this bag of popcorn as big as a toddler.

 

I saw it at Costco and even though I'd never had it, I love popcorn any way I can get it (except with fake cheddar powder - orange or white- it's a disgusting. The kind of disgusting that makes one gag,)

 

Plus, it's "Biggest Loser Approved" so it's obviously good for me:-)

A Legs Workout to Make You Uncomfortable.

 

Anybody here love having sore muscles? If you're reading this blog, I'm pretty sure you do because all of us runners are crazy like that.

 

Crazy enough to do a workout like this.

 

 

Fortunately, I only had time to do one round because, just being honest with you and myself, I don't think I could make it through 2-3.  Every single move was challenging. I'm talking burning muscles, shaking legs, the whole nine ....I definitely ended with jello legs. 

 

The next morning things didn't feel too bad so I decided to go for a midday run through D.C.

 

 

The weather was perfect, around 60 and partly cloudy.

 

 

and the scenery is always amazing. 6 comfortable miles and not a one of them was boring.

 

About an hour after my run though, the DOMS started to reallllly kick in. Everything hurt. Getting up from my chair, sitting down, walking stairs.

 

I love it because it means that I worked hard.

 

There is this line that Jillian Michael's says and it really hits home for me: 

 

"Get comfortable with being uncomfortable"

 

Your body is never going to change unless you force it to. Doing the same exercises everyday isn't going to get you anywhere. Our bodies are made to adapt to the stresses that we place on them. If you want to change, you have to change what you're doing.

 

Plus, you get to have awesome recovery meals.

 

This burger was topped with about a ton of different condiments post-picture. Ketchup, mustard, Cholula and relish....Delicious.

 

When was the last time you had DOMS? What were you doing?

 

Do you like Jillian Michaels?

 

What's your favorite condiment?

Are You Afraid of the Dark? & Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Do you guys remember that show as a kid?? I used to watch it with my brothers and sisters ALL the time. We loved turning all the lights off and just waiting to get scared! Ha. Good times.

 

But let's talk about running.

 

 I used to be a fearless runner, much to the protest of my boyfriend and family. I'd run in the dark because it's when I had the time. (How else are you going to fit in 15 miles before you have to be somewhere at 9 AM?) I know that there are stories about runners (especially female) having terrible things happen to them, but terrible things happen everywhere.

 

I'm not going to stop doing what I love to do because there are sick people out there.

 

I have made an effort to be better prepared though. I've been running with my mace (day or night) and I've also started to take my headphones off when it's dark, so I'm more aware of my surroundings.

 

Yeah, terrible idea. Apparently, I am in fact, afraid of the dark.

 

 

Do you know how many animals there are in these woods?? Deers, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, mice.....They are everywhere! Dancing along in the leaves just to scare the shit out of me.

 

 

They obviously did a good job.  I took my headphones off at the beginning of mile 3 and started booking it......Never in my life did I think I'd actually run faster without music.

 

It felt GREAT though. I should try "running away" from things more often.

 

Today, I'm running mid-day though. What a weekday treat! My daughter had a teacher-workday so I had to stay home with her. (She loves biking beside me while I run)

 

I fueled up with this delicious bowl of oats.

 

 

I don't know who I am these days, because I usually despise frozen fruit, but frozen mango is totally doing it for me;-)

 

and just because breakfast is the best meal of the day.

 

I made these pumpkin protein pancakes last week. I modified the original recipe a bit:

 

1/4 c. nonfat, plain greek yogurt

1/4 c. pumpkin puree

2/3 c. old fashioned oats

1 egg

1 egg white

TONS of cinnamon

A dash of nutmeg

A sprinkle of chia seeds

 

I let mine sit for about 10 minutes after I mixed it up, just to let the oats soak.

 

Topped with Sunbutter and bananas. Seriously good!

Spicing Up Your Workouts

My workouts this week have been amazing! I have been excited to do every single one that I had planned. As a runner, I think it's extremely easy to become bored with your routine, especially when we're training for an event. Everyday, day in and day out, we run. As much as I love running, it becomes sort of like a chore when I'm seriously into my training.

30 degrees outside? Too bad. Suck it up.

Raining? You ain't made of sugar.

Windy? Bring some chap stick.

Oh, so you're tired? You can sleep when you're dead

(haha. I may have gone a tad bit overboard on that last one.)

The point is, sometimes we need to switch it up a bit. Not only does it mentally recharge you, but it's better for you physically. If you don't challenge yourself, if you're afraid to feel uncomfortable, you're body is never going to change. You're never going to get faster, or lose those last 5 lbs, and you might end up with an overuse injury. (Lord knows I've had enough of those)

So I'd thought I'd give you guys a look at what I've been doing this week. How I've been switching it up, and why I'm having so much fun.

1. Run on a new course. I think this has to be one of my favorite ways to change up my workout. I usually run on the Indian Head Rail Trail, which is great. It always has traffic. It's close to home. It has porta potties and water fountains.....but it's a straight line. Seriously? Do you know how mentally challenging it is to run in a straight line for an hour? Sometimes I'm just not up to it, so Sunday I headed somewhere knew. I went to a new park, Smallwood State Park, and ran on the trails there.

My glutes were definitely a bit sore after doing those steps twice through.

Not only does running trails keep you constantly engaged (if I lose focus for a second I WILL eat dirt. Or slam a shoulder, skin a knee, you get the idea. I've done it enough times) but it was much more challenging then 3.5 miles on the pavement would be. There were hills, turns, declines, grass, gravel, dirt, etc.

2. Take a class. After my trail run on Sunday I headed to a 90 minute yoga class. Yoga is SO beneficial for everybody, especially runners though! We are so hard on our bodies, we need to give it a little relief. Even though I know this, I don't stretch as much as I should, or focus on my breathing (I think most runners are guilty of this). I HAVE to force myself to go to class to get it done most of the time. I always walk out of there feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and ready to conquer some shit.

3. Pick up some weights. Seriously. As strong as I feel running, I feel even stronger by doing weight lifting. I've really been focusing on weights for the past couple of months and I'm really starting to feel/see a difference. Plus, it's always a plus to walk over the free weight rack, with all the men surrounding it, and feel like you're just as bad ass as they are.

4. Do a speed workout. Most people hate doing speedwork. It's hard, it's uncomfortable. It may not last as long as their normal run. However, it's a necessary evil if you want to improve. You're legs are not going to learn to turn over quickly unless you force them too. Thursday's workout for me was 400s. I did a mile warm up, 4x400s (with an active recovery 400 in between each) and a .75 mile cool down. I finished with enough time to really focus on some foam rolling and stretching (things I'm usually lacking on).

5. New music. This one is pretty self explanatory, and I feel like the majority of people already know this, but it's worth stressing. I am a HUGE music fan and blasting some new tunes in my ears always get me pumped. I'm a Pandora user, so you never know what's coming and it's a great surprise.

I've been loving the Rise Against Station recently....

 

And just because every blogger loves food, I'll share a picture of today's lunch. I went to Truckeroo and had Korean BBQ for the first time.

 

 

Delicious Bolgogi taco with Spicy Kimchi Slaw.

 

I may have also had an Indian veggie empanada and some cappuccino crunch ice cream that I ate to quickly I forgot to take a picture of:-D

 

How do you spice up your workouts?

 

Ever had Korean BBQ?

 

Do you go to food trucks? (It's a huge thing in DC these days)

 

 

 

A Girl Obsessed.

Did you know that the crappiest weather really is the best to run in sometimes? Today brought chilllllly temps (especially compared to the 90 degree days we had this weekend) and sprinkles of rain all day. I wasn't looking forward to rushing outside and getting my run in.

But I should have been.

As soon as I started running I knew that I was stupid for trying to avoid it. It was one of the best runs I've had in a few months. While it was only 3 miles (wish I could have done more but baby girl had a 2 hour early dismissal today) it felt AMAZING:-)

 

Oh hello negative splits, it's nice to see you again.

 

I told myself that my last mile was going to be sub-8, just for shits. I could have done it, but I'm glad I didn't push myself too much. I need to remember that I'm not training for anything these days. I'm running just because I love to run.

 

I'll save the sub-8 and 7s for my next 5K;-)

 

After my run I did 20 minutes of ankle weights and resistance band work for the bootay.

 

I don't know what has been going on with me recently, but my hunger is out.of.control. Seriously. It's almost burdening. I mean, I allllllways have a healthy appetite, but recently it's been crazy. Time to check myself.

 

Perhaps it's all in my head though, and I just want to fill up on these goodies while I can.

 

Best Greek Yogurt Ever.

 

These pita crisps are AWESOME. Combine that with a pumpkin ale (who doesn't crave salty carbs with their beer) and you've pretty much entered.

 

What can I say, I'm a girl obsessed. And that's just 3 of the pumpkin treats currently in my kitchen. I'm not going to show you the pumpkin cereal bars, pumpkin ice cream, and pumpkin granola.

 

People say that they gain weight during the holiday season. Screw that. I'm about to put on 10 lbs of strictly this delicious, orange, fall gourd.......

 

You know the scene in Willy Wonka where Violet turns into a blueberry. Yeah. It's going to be just like that.  

AFSP Community Walk - Washington, DC

 

Saturday morning started bright and early for me (which is easy to do when you're in bed by 9:00 on a Friday night.) While the house was still sleeping I snuck off to the gym.

 

1 mile WU @ 6 MPH

Intervals for 10 minutes (1 minute at 6MPH, 1 minute at 9 MPH)

 

Back Extension

Ball Crunch

Single Leg Squat Touchdown

Step up to Balance - Frontal Plane

Box Jumps

Power Step Ups

 

I did 3 sets of 12 reps of the weights, 10 reps of the plyometrics.

 

Ever done power step ups? The box was decently high and those were TOUGH.

 

After my workout and baby girl's soccer game we headed to D.C.

 

Baby girl's first time on the metro.

 

We went to support a cause close to us. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Community Walk.

 

A year and a half ago my Brother in Law took his own life. He was a wonderful, caring man. I firmly believe that if he had just gotten the help he needed, he'd still be with us today.

 

You probably can't tell from the picture but my daughter and my BIL look quite a bit alike (it's probably the crazy, curly, firey red hair).

 

"90% of people who commit suicide have a treatable mental disease". They need our help.

 

The walk itself was beautiful! The weather couldn't have been better. It was a 4 mile walk that took us along the perimeter of the National Mall during sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

The AFSP holds events in many different locations. If you're interested in participating and/or donating you can visit here.