Birthday Eve

Hi!  

I did a solo long run Saturday morning and it went pretty good even though my last few miles hurt a bit.  I did 14 miles but I set out for 15, that is what I get for forgetting my route.  I was perfectly happy with 14 since it was already starting to get really hot when I got back home.  It is officially sunscreen time people, please tell me you are all wearing sunscreen, it is serious yo.  OK back to the run.  I started off by listening to an old Marathon Training Academy podcast for about 40 minutes and ended up doing the rest with no headphones.  I find I am only listening to music at the tail end of a race and prefer a podcast or nothing for my day to day runs.  I did an easy 5 miles this morning and left my headphones at home, it was a really relaxing run.  It was also a very special run because it was my last run as a 28 year old!  AH!  Tomorrow I turn 29 (no really I do!) and I am excited to start my last year in my 20's.  

I wish I had something more interesting to say but I waited till 5 o'clock to try and sit down and write.  Have you ever tried to do anything at 5 in the afternoon with toddlers in your house?  I don't recommend it.  So I'll see you tomorrow and I'll be much more on top of it!   

Here are some highlights of our weekend! 

We came across a full on Barbie Jeep at Hagg Lake, the plates even said Mattel

Practiced our casting!

A very rousing game of memory

And no weekend is complete without ice cream! 

Do you listen to music when you run? 

Did you have a race this weekend? 

-Katie (my BFF!) blew it away this weekend at her 5k!  PR City baby!

    

Playlist Favorites

Good morning!  

I did a tempo run this morning and...wait for it...I think I liked it.  It was a 2 mile warm up and cool down with the 2 mile tempo in the middle, nothing fancy but it did the trick.  All of terms are new to me, when I trained for my half and full marathons last year it was mainly just endurance.  2013 is about working towards some goals and today was the first run towards that.  

I started with music but ended up back with Parenthood, anyone else watch Parenthood?  I found it last year and wondered why I haven't been watching since the beginning, so good!  It got me to thinking about what motivates me during a run and how it is different when I am on a treadmill versus an outside run.

Treadmill Run 

- I prefer to watch something, it takes my mind off of the fact that I am just running in place.  I can't read while I am running but have thought about downloading some audio books.    

Outdoor Run

- It honestly depends on what type of run I am heading out for.  If it is my Saturday group run I just leave my headphones at home, there is so much to take in and so many people to chat with there is no need for anything else.

  

- When I am running around town getting in miles or clearing my head I'll listen to a podcast.  My favorite podcasts are Marathon Training Academy, Runner's Academy & Another Mother Runner.  

- I also do a lot of my runs with nothing, no music, no podcast just me and the neighborhood.  I remember when I first started running I was heading out for a 5 mile run and by the time I was almost out of my neighborhood I remembered I had left my headphones at home.  At first I panicked thinking I couldn't run without music but found that half way through I was actually enjoying this run more than others.  It is nice to just be centered entirely on what you are doing, since then I started doing more than half of my runs with no headphones.  You should try it sometime if you don't practice it already.  I save my music for the last part of a long run if I really need it.  During the marathon I plugged in my music at mile 18 till around 23 and it helped me through those tough miles.  I really like country music, it is hands down my favorite kind of music but I also listen to a lot of other pop music while I am running.

My Current Playlist Favorites 

1. Coldplay - Paradise 

2. Bruno Mars - Locked Out Of Heaven (my current power song) 

3. Florida Georgia Line - Cruise           

4. Will. i. am. - Scream & Shout 

5.  Britney Spears - I Wanna Go 

6. Little Big Town - Tornado
7. Little Big Town - Pontoon
8. Nitty Gritty Dirty Band - Fish'n in the Dark
9. Miranda Lambert - Fastest Girl in Town (Always makes me think of Katie!)
10. Carly Rae Jepsen - It's Always A Good Time  

Do you listen to music while you run?  

Treadmill running, most either hate it or love it, where do you stand?  
- I am learning to really appreciate the treadmill, I think it is going to really help me with my tempo runs and speed work.  Plus its nice to have a bathroom and water fountain close!  

Any audio books you would recommend for me?  

Bad Breath

Good morning!  I did 5 miles this morning while listening to an old Marathon Training Academy podcast.  I haven't listened to actual music while running in a long time, I like to listen to podcasts about running while I am running because I am freak that way.  I highly recommend the MTA podcast they cover a wide variety of topics and aren't annoying.  You all know what I am talking about.  I thought they would be enough to entertain me last night while I broke in my treadmill but I was wrong.  I am going to need some serious entertainment to keep my butt on that thing.  I ran a mile just to try it out and get a feel for my speed/pace.  

Lucy's vet visit yesterday was easy peasy.  She did great, except for the crazy spinning in circles and covering me in her hair.  She weighs 20 lbs...sigh, yes I know that is to much for a dog her size.  I should put her butt on the treadmill!  This vet also has a really funny book in their lobby that cracks me up every time.  Its called "Dog Breath", I think it's name explains what the book is about, Katherine loved it!

I was trying to get Lucy to look at me, but she was so spaztastic that just wasn't going to happen.  She laid around the house most of the day afterwards, poor little bubs.  She is back to her old tricks this morning, so all is well!  When we got home from the vet I heated up my new find from Trader Joe's.  All together now, yuuumm!  It was pretty good I have to say and a nice mid week lunch treat.   

I got some great comments from everyone about my balanced diet question and my friend and challenge group coach Amanda gave me a great website to get some answers.  I was able to figure out how many grams of protein I should be eating along with fats so I can get the most out of my workouts.  It was all laid out in pretty simple math equations and I am going to track my meals for the next few days to get an idea of where I am at.  The Chalean workout is all about creating long lean muscle tone all over your body and I want to get the most out of what I am putting into it.  Speaking of Chalean I need to still do my Push 2 today, I put off Push 1 on Monday and ended up not getting it done till yesterday, not cool bro.  

Do you track your calories/fat/proteins?  

- I never have before, this is all new!  

Slogging

Good morning!  Soooo about cross training, ya I didn't do that, sorry.  I just didn't want to!  Ok?  Jess got home and the sun was shining, it was 60 degrees, the pavement was calling to me and I just couldn't let it down.  I am runner and therefore I run.

Well last night I was a slogger (Slug+Jog) I felt as if I was running through deep water the whole time.  I ran 5.3 miles but it could have been any distance because I never really loosened up or felt that great.

I've read its pretty normal to be a little stiff and sluggish after a long run like a half marathon or full marathon so I didn't let it bring me down.  I just kept slogging along!  I listened to my Helvetia play list and also realized that I enjoy my podcasts more so I think I'll stick to those on my solo runs.  When I run with Sharol on Saturdays I don't listen to music since we have a weeks worth of stuff to catch up on.  I notice I listen to music less and less on my runs...am I becoming a big girl?!  OMG, sniff sniff.  

I also finally downloaded (as I type) The Adam Carolla Show podcast, Katie says its hilarious and she knows funny.  I loved him on the Apprentice this year and his wife has twins, hello we are like soul mates?!  Anyone with twins automatically goes up about 10 notches in my "your so cool!" book, you have 5 year old twins in Kindergarten, OMG, you are like amaaaaaazing!  I am obviously very easy to please.  Plus in my younger years when I wasn't in bed by 10 and awake by 5:30 Jess and I would listen to him and Dr. Drew on the way home from any late outing, they were hilarious!  Now I just watch Dr. Drew on Teen Mom...and beg him to smack one of them say hello to Adam for me.

Such a pretty girl...but a really ugly cryer.  Stop it.

Well remember 5 years ago when I said we were going to the zoo that day?  Ya, we didn't go...so many reasons why.  But today is the day!  I hope.  We are meeting our good friend and her little boys to run around the zoo and annoy every other person there.  YAY!  Going to be a good time had by all :) 

I know there are so many podcasts out there, any particular one I just have to download?!  

Anyone else a major zoo lover?  I am not, but I'll go every now and then.

Click it! Or Ticket!

Good afternoon!  I did a soggy and humid 3.75 miles this morning.  We got one day of nice weather yesterday and in true Oregon fashion today was crap.  I've started to mix in podcasts while I run instead of always having music and I now almost only listen to podcasts on my solo runs.  My current favorite is Marathon Training Academy that Katie recommended to me.  Any other running podcasts out there you think I just have to follow?  I am a literal sponge right now when it comes to running and I love to listen to information about running while I am out running...because I am a freak, nuf'said.

When I got home I made sure to stretch!  I have got to start making this more of a priority as soon as I walk in the door.  I always put it to the side and say I'll get around to it, but I know how important stretching is to avoid injury and yet I keep ignoring it.  My reward for getting my stretch on?!  Trying out my sample packet of Click!  I was a little apprehensive and didn't have much hope for it being all the great honestly, I had a feeling it would taste a little like aspartame...and I was WRONG!  It tastes like that International Delight I use to drink as a kid and it is really good, I was pleasantly surprised.

 

I can see myself buying a tub of this caffeinated goodness in the near future.

So I really do want some recommendations on other running podcasts out there!  

I also have been hounding the Nike+ people like a wounded animal trying to get my Nano situation figured out, turns out its their issue not mine.  Which is good!  But seriously peeps, lets get this fixed ASAP!  Gracias.