Rain Rain Go Away!!!

Lately it's been raining a lot. Typically it's not that big deal, but I've been getting more annoyed about the situation. I love being outdoors and hate when I have to turn to the treadmill. The good thing about my new place is that I can have everything setup so I can have a gym at home.

On Monday one of the local running stores was having a run for Boston. Nothing crazy, just a fun run where they were selling shirts to raise money for the Boston victims. As I was getting ready for the run, it started down pouring and so I figured it would get cancelled. Instead I went for a three mile run on the treadmill. Yay (sarcastic tone). The next day I found it the run never got cancelled. Epic fail lol.

Tuesday I did some spinning on the bike. Nothing really planned. Just kept a steady cadence the whole time for thirty minutes.

Today I was planning on doing some sprints, but after an afternoon full of root bear floats and ice cream.. I wasn't too motivated, plus my day flat out sucked. However, I'm planning to kick butt tomorrow in the morning.

In other news, I did but the Boston shirt and it's super cute :) I might just wear it on my sprints tomorrow.

Getting Focused

My best workouts happen when I'm focused; most days I'm not focused. It's hard to be focused when you've been working out at least 5 days a week for the last 10 years. However, today I was focused. I got on my bike and wanted to pour out every ounce of energy into my workout. Why? Because I was frustrated, anxious, and annoyed. The last couple of weeks small frustrations in my personal life have been building up. So today I let it go, and it felt amazing. 

Letting go of things is not very easy for me. I'm notorious for holding grudges and writing people off who have wronged me, but it's funny how your perspective changes as you get older. You become a little bit more tolerant and I'm assuming it's because you can put yourself in other people's shoes. Let me tell you something, if you can learn to let things go by taking it out on your workout, then not only do you have a badda** workout, but you also experience a little bit more peace in your life. 


So what was my workout today? An hour long cycling session at home with my headphones on. I started with a 6 minute warm-up followed by 5 minute "hill intervals." Every time I hit one minute in my 5 minute hill interval, I increased the gear. My last gear increase made my quads sting, but it only made me want to go faster.  After each hill interval, I slowed down for 3 minutes of a recovery spin in between sets. The headphones definitely helped me with my workout, and I definitely learned that I need newer upbeat music. A new playlist can always put a boost in your workout.

Yesterday's workout was also fantastic. I participated in a 5K for the Broward Victim's Rights Coalition  and they had put together blue and yellow ribbons to pin onto your shirt for the Boston victims. It's crazy how runners can unite for other runner's (or fantastic spectators) they've never even met. I wore my pin proudly :)   


The race itself was humid and muggy. It was the same kind of weather we had last year, but I tolerated it much better this time around. Again, I started off way too fast, but I leveled it off before a mile and a half. I remember looking down at my Garmin for 1.5 miles and seeing it say 11:15. If only I could maintain that pace the whole way through, eh? One day :) I ended up with a 24:08 which was pretty amazing considering the type of weather conditions. The sucky part was that I placed fourth overall for the women's division, getting 1st in my age group. Top four women were only a minute apart, which isn't too bad. 

My next race is Saturday: a 6K for Heroes in Recovery. However, what I'm most excited about is the fun run tomorrow to memorialize the Boston Marathon victims. They're even selling shirts in which all proceeds go towards the Boston Marathon victims. You know I'm getting one :) I'll post a picture up in the next few days!!

The Aftermath

It has been two days since the Boston Marathon tragedy. In these past two days, police have been working hard to try to find clues, while runners of every level try to process what happened.  There have been lots of articles that have come out which have been helpful to read. These articles help people to cope and creates a sense of unity among the community, not just the runner community but the spectator community as well.

Here is an article that has been circulating around: http://jezebel.com/the-people-who-watch-marathons-473405924

And even now I still don't know what to think. Will copy cats try to mimic this explosion at other type of running events? Did they really catch the person behind these attacks? What was the reason behind the attack? All of these questions are still left unanswered. It's a scary time to be a runner. However, anyone who knows any type of runner will know that we are not quitters. We will not be defeated.

Speaking of defeated, that is how I felt after this afternoon's run. It completely sucked. I tried running sprints, key word here is "tried". My sprints consisted of a 4 minute warm with 30 second sprints followed by 30 second recovery jogs. I ended up doing 20 minutes all together which panned out to over 2 miles. I mean it was an okay run based on my time, but I was just so tired and drained that it wasn't fun. Once I came home I jumped on my bike and spun for 20 more minutes.  

Tomorrow is another day.. and a week until my closing... sigh.. there's still so much left to do lol..

Praying for Boston

Today tragedy struck Boston during the Boston Marathon. Two explosions went off at the finish line causing harm to over a hundred spectators and killing three innocent people. It is absolutely appalling and heartbreaking. My prayers have been sent to that broken city.

The Boston Marathon is one of the most prestigious races. You have to freaking apply to even be considered to run the race (even if you're qualified)!!! It's pure insanity and every amateur runner's dream. I've had friends run it in the past and have been in awe of their pure awesomeness :) Although, I've never wanted to run it, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to qualify for that specific race.

So today was just another year in the Boston Marathon. The city shuts down and the city stands and watches as it is taken over by runners. But this year turned out to be different as chaos and fear struck in  every persons heart when they heard the first initial explosion. The scene is absolutely devastating on tv, and I couldn't even imagine what it was like at the actual scene. They keep replaying the initial scene, where runners are just pulling together all of their energy for the finish line when an explosion throws them off their tracks. People fall, smoke is everywhere, and you see first responders running into the smoke. It's just sad. People physically train for months for this race, raise money, spend a good amount of money, and mentally prepare for the pain and cramps they will endure for 26.2 miles.

I've only done one marathon and I'll never do one again. I know the pain you experience those last final miles, the mental wall you hit at some point during the run, and the time you sacrifice training for months. However, it's all worth it once you cross that finish line and accomplish something you've never accomplished before. For those people in Boston who didn't get to cross that finish line, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that because of a stupid act from a coward you didn't accomplish what you set out to do that day. Instead, you were stopped and told to go somewhere else without any idea of where to go and probably in extreme pain. You couldn't reach your family and you had no idea what was going on. I would probably break down at this point, start crying and go to a random corner until I was able to remotely move again. I'd be scared and confused, just like everyone else. For those of you who were watching those runners, cheering them on, and part of the Boston Marathon team, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that someone or some people ripped that enthusiasm and encouragement right out of you. All you wanted to do is support your loved one and put together one of the best events in the United States. For those of you who crossed that finish line, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that someone or some people ruined your excitement and adrenaline. You ran your heart out, and then it was crushed. It was crushed because everyone around you was saddened and dazed.

I ended up running my measly four miles on my treadmill today, since the weather was bad. I turned on the TV and watched the replays of what happened in Boston today. I'm not going to lie it made me angry to the point where I was sprinting on the treadmill. It made me angry that whoever this was went after runners and their families. It made me angrier that they had no idea who it was or why they did it. I hope this find this moron soon, and throw the book at him.


Unwind

I plan my long runs during the weekend when I'm not in a time crunch. These long runs help me to unwind and clear my head from all the crap that happened the previous week. Depending on my mood, I might even go Garmin-free.

When I was training for my marathon, my long runs were about 15-20 miles long. Now, my long runs are 4-6 miles long. This distance is perfect for me since I'm training for 5ks. I never really have a training plan on my long runs, except to hit each mile under a certain amount of time. Today I wanted to hit each mile under 10 minutes and I hit my goal for each mile (I was not Garmin-free today). My distance was 5.13 in about 46 minutes. Yes I choose to do random distances.

Overall, my run was uneventful. I didn't really encounter people along the way, but then again, I never do around here. I was super excited to do a brick tomorrow, until I realized it was this morning.. Major fail.. Tomorrows I want to plan on doing a brick on the indoor trainer. .Sigh.. Why can't I pay attention to details???

Just Another Day in Paradise!!

Today I kicked my own arse doing sprints. I had high hopes for doing mile repeats, but died out after .35. Instead I did .35 repeats. I only did 4 of them but they killed my legs. I guess I've got to slowly build up to mile repeats if I want to do them right. Either that or I just have to start out slow (which is pretty much impossible for me to do).

I started off my workout by jogging almost .75. I then attempted to do my first mile repeat and died out about .35. Even though I was disappointed, I didn't want to overexert myself and die. So I rested in between laps and continued again. I knew I had to push it if I was only going to do .35 repeats, so I actually used the Lap button on my Garmin to measure my speed on each repeat. Let me tell you something, that Lap button on the Garmin is really handy! I kept my repeats in between 2.14 and 2.24 minutes. Not too shabby, but definitely need to improve my speed. I'm guessing that short and speedy runs will be in my near future. All together, I did about 4.25 miles today, but it honestly kicked my butt.

This week my legs have been shot since I started to get back on my bike. Yesterday I kept a continuous decent cadence cycling on my indoor trainer for 45 minutes and on Monday I did an easy Garmin-free four mile run. My focus right now is to start triathlon training again. I've got two this season lined up so far, and we will see if I sign up for anymore. As of now my 5K schedule is pretty full with races lined up the next couple of weeks. I'm hoping this will help me maintain my speed. I'll keep you all tuned on how my races go and the training I do to get there!

On a side note, here is an awesome shirt company that I discovered while browsing the internet: https://www.onemoremilerunning.com/?ccUser=

I definitely see a couple of shirt purchases coming soon :) Especially the "If you see me collapse, pause my Garmin" I love it!!!

Race to End Homelessness...

Today was the Race to End Homelessness 5K. It was an incredible race and I'm so happy that I could be a part of it and support a great cause. This is definitely a race that I will plan to do every year .

The weather this morning was cold: about 61 degrees with a wind chill. Since the run was on the beach, it felt extra miserable with the ocean breeze. When it's cold, I typically wear long sleeve shirts and pants because I'm always freezing, but today I had on only my long sleeve shirt. I stuck with this outfit because I knew it would get hot during the run because we were starting later in the day: 8a.m.!!


On my way to the race!

We line up to start and I decided to get up near the front. I usually hang in the back and like to weave up through the crowds, but it takes a lot of energy weaving through everyone. The race starts, and we're off. Everyone starts off their pace and the front group takes off. As we start running, a young woman gets a little ahead of me, and so I decided to maintain pace with her. I hang back a little, but try to keep strong.

I pass the first mile at 7:12 and I already know that I'll be burning out by mile 3. I had started too fast again and need to work harder on not starting too fast. When I start out too fast, I reach a point of exhaustion and fatigue early on in the race making it hard to pick up my speed and "kick" at the end. I keep going though and try to stay close to the woman in front of me. However, once we get to mile 3 it's over, this young woman picks up her pace and strides towards the finish. I try to maintain the same pace and run it in at a 23:59.

Now, during my races I definitely have a "kill me now" moment when I push my limits. My breathing hurts, and I have pain somewhere in my body. I always think about how easy it would be to give up, but at the same time I always yell at myself for even having that thought. This internal battle always happens during my intense runs. However, my determined attitude keeps me from giving up. I love pushing myself and challenging myself to do better. I don't think that part of me will ever go away. Even whenever we decide to have kids. I'm definitely happy about my time and have now entered the under 24 min 5K group. I eventually would like to get under 23 mins, but let's take it one step at a time.

On a side note: my friend N tore her ACL and MCL this past week. That type of injury is so incredibly hard, and I feel horrible that she is facing this injury. Not just because of how painful it is, but also because it forces you to be immobile. Now if you know N, you know she's always on the move, which makes having this injury that much worse. I've been praying that she has a quick recovery, and can slowly regain mobility in her knee. I'm hoping that the MRI results she receives is good news, until then I plan on checking in on her every day.




Corporate run!!

Today was the corporate 5k. For those of you who don't know what a corporate 5k is, it's basically a way for companies to race each other and have tents to give away trinkets. Overall, it's a pretty fun way for you to bond with your coworkers. In Orlando, the corporate 5k was stressful because I was a designated runner for our team and it was my responsibility to get a good time for our team. Bottom line, it was a lot of pressure.

This corporate run was definitely a lot more relaxed. I ended up walking the race with my friend k, and we had fun! Before the race, the weather was horrendous with tornado watches and torrential rain. Then about 15 minutes before the race, the rain let up and we darted to the start line. The race started with a gun shot, and off we went! We kept a decent walking pace and ended up walking a 50 minute 5k.

Now, I easily could have run that race. I could have possibly been the top runner for our group and earnesd self a wristband for our team next year, but honestly, it's not worth it. I had a good time just enjoying myself. This Saturday I have a 5k I want to race. I don't think I can do it in 23 minutes but I'll try. He'll, I might not even be able to do it in 24 minutes! However, I'll try my best!

Tomorrow I rest!!


Rainy days

Today was a rainy day. Well, it didn't rain all day, but later in the afternoon. Luckily it started thirty minutes after I got back from my run.

During my run it was drizzling, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. What am I, made of sugar? I wanted to run about four miles, and so I went in another run Garmin free :) the run felt great, not having the pressures of the Garmin weigh down on you whenever you look at your watch. I had my iPod on shuffle and all these good beat snags that I typically never get to listen to, popped up and really had me going. Overall, a nice solid run. 

Now for a debbie downer moment, lately I've been feeling kind of crappy about my weight. For those of you who know me, you know I usually don't care about my weight, but I feel like its slowly creeping upward. We all know I've got the working out part down, but the nutrition part of my life just plain sucks. My kryptonite is junk food (sweets in particular) and I've got to find a way to wean off of it. I'm trying to make little changes, but the biggest change has to come from limiting the sugary foods that I eat. Yes, that means you Oreos. If I do have those foods, I just have to limit my portion size. You don't want to deprive yourself because them you'll end up in a bad situation where you overheat or just plain binge one sunny afternoon. So starting off small is the way I'm going.

This weekend we went to public and we bought some Special K cereal and bars, back to nature wheat things, and back to nature crime cookie. They're alternatives are supposed to be healthier than the normal stuff. Today I started trying my new lifestyle and I was successful, but today is only day 1. I didn't really crave anything, but I'm sure the temptations and cravings are coming. I'm not sure if ill win or not, but I'm going to try my hardest. Sigh... Now off to bed!!


 
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