29.9.17

All the posts are coming. This is just a warm up.

Thanks to HRG for the survey. 

Favorite place you’ve traveled to?  South AfricaHands down.

Worst pain you’ve ever experienced? I remember a couple migraines I'd rather not.

Who was the last person you took a picture with? According to my computer, it was these selfies with the Dungeon Master. (I'm pretty sure that's going to be her blog name.)

If you could talk to ANYONE right now, who would it be? I want to call Mom and Dad and tell them I had a nice day.

Ever had stitches? Yes

Nail polish… yay or nay? No. Because when I do it, it looks like a five year old did it.  Sigh.

If you could have any career, what would it be? I actually really like the career I've got right now. Again, I am lucky.

Does pineapple belong on pizza? I hate pizza in general. Therefore I am unqualified to answer this question.

You have the remote; what channel? Right now it's between BBC America, HGTV, and catching up on The Voice.

If you were an animal… what would you be? Everyone thinks I'd be a bat.

Did you grow up in the city or country? I'm a city girl all the way.  It makes me nervous to park on people's grass.  I will walk around the house to get to the front door versus knocking on a back or side door.  Because I'm a city girl.

Are you taller than your mom? No, and this has always made me a little sad.

When was the last time you cried? Mercifully, I can't remember.

What percentage of the time are you listening to something while you work out? 
Outside running - about 10% of my workouts.  
Inside if I'm running more than a mile, or on the elliptical - 100% of the time.  
Inside if I'm only lifting - about 10% of my workouts.    
There was a time I couldn't make my body move without music.


24.9.17

Loony Challenge 2 Weeks To Go

Weekly Miles Planned: No more than 30
Actual: 27+


Long Run Miles Planned: 10
Actual: 8.4 miles on Sunday. I know I can go the distance, these runs are just about fitness, so I'm not worried this run was a bit short.

Sunday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF, Sunday Kettlebell Workout
Actual: 8.4 miles in the morning.  Not all at MAF, but most of it was. Sunday modified Kettlebell workout because a) my knee still hurts so no lunges, b) I slept on my arm funny so no windmills.  I added double bell squats instead.  Foam roller at the end of the night.

Monday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF
Actual: 7.2 miles, 13:53/mile, 136HR.  This was a really solid, very low HR run.  In the rain.  When I woke up and looked at the radar I was all "maybe I can squeeze this in... I'll wear clothes that can get wet just in case"  And it was raining before the first mile.  No downpours, just light rain all the time.  (Before the run and After the run radar images)


Tuesday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: Tuesday weight lifting routine first at 5:45am, running 4.5 miles after lifting weights.  That first downhill after heavy squats was really fun.


Wednesday Planned: 1 Mile Run, maybe Zumba?
Actual: 1.2 miles in the morning. No Zumba though I did consider it.

Thursday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 4.16 miles in the morning, 13:20/mile, Avg HR 138.  Lift weights and a brief turn on the spin bike in the afternoon.

Friday Planned: 1 Mile Run
Actual: 1.2 miles in the morning

Saturday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Maybe Zumba?
Actual: 1.2 miles in the morning.  It was already like 80* and too hot for anything else.


17.9.17

Sunday Not So Long Run

Plan: Totally didn't have one.  I woke up around 9am and went to the Farmer Market.  And had all of the thoughts:
  • I was sick yesterday, do a shorter run today and swap mileage for later in the week.
  • Then after the farmer market: It's still cool out, just go run, do your 4 mile for Tuesday
  • Then: Oh no, Tuesday I have friends after work and an 8:30am meeting.  I don't want to do a long run that early in the morning.
  • Then: Maybe you can do 6 today.
  • Then: Maybe 7? Lake Nokomis? 
  • Then: I'm at the point in training where I don't have to go 10 because I'm not worried about being able to go that far, now it's just keeping up the fitness... 
  • By the time I was actually running, I decided I could do 8 no problem without food or water and I was basically right.

Route: This was also largely undecided when I headed out, but wound up being along Minnehaha Creek almost the whole way.  I had to cross paths with the Minneapolis Bike Tour twice which was fine. Ask me about the up hill at the end.

Weather: Low 50s when I started, high 50s or 60 when I wrapped up. A bit of wind from the west which felt good.

Wardrobe: Reflective shorts, short sleeve shirt, pink Altra shoes

Execution: I turned off my beeping watch around mile 4 because it was pissing me off.  This was mostly at MAF, and a solid run.  This was also a music assisted run.  I decided if I was going to run with music on race day, I should practice which ear buds etc at least once before hand.

Nutrition: I had a hard boiled egg before the run, carried no food and no water.  Lovely cup of coffee after the run was heaven.

Bonus: I bumped into a girl I went to social work school with at Lake Hiawatha.  We're neighbors apparently.

2017 Loony Challenge 3 Weeks to Go

Weekly Miles Planned: 34ish.  This should be the longest and hardest week of training. 
Actual: 34 miles running, 3+ miles of walking.

Long Run Miles Planned:10-12
Actual: 10.83 miles on Sunday Morning

Sunday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF, Sunday Kettlebell Workout
Actual: 10.83 miles on my new favorite route for now.  Part of the Sunday Kettlebell workout, though I left out some of the leg exercise because, duh! Three mile bonus walk with Olive, ending at the Sculpture Garden.


Monday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF
Actual: 9.21 miles on the Minnetonka LRT Trail.  I had straight up been dreaming about this trail and it was just time to go back.  It's a good thing I went today because road construction teaches me it'll be difficult to get back out there any time soon.  This was mostly at MAF for 70% of the run, and then a fast finish.

Tuesday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 4.16 miles in the morning, 13:27/mile, avg HR 138.  Stretching after the run.  Tuesday weight lifting after work.

Wednesday Planned: 1 Mile Run, maybe Zumba?
Actual: 1.2 miles in the morning and then working like mad all day.  No Zumba.  Just, no.

Thursday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 4.15 miles or so. I had a user error with my watch because I found Running Neighbor in the middle of my run and went from MAF to "try and keep up".  Thursday weight lifting.  Including I did 3 sets of pull ups at 65lbs assistance for the first time ever.  And I dead lifted the big bar with 100lbs of weight and didn't die.  But I'm not ready to go up in weight yet.

Friday Planned: 1 Mile Run
Actual: 1.2 mile run in the morning before work

Saturday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Maybe Zumba? 
Actual: 3.25 miles on the Greenway.  Half hour of Zumba before returning to lay on the couch at home.


10.9.17

Long Run Sunday - Fun Run!

Plan: Running should be fun.  This should be fun.  Have fun.  PS - don't look at the watch.  Warm up, run at least 10 miles, cool down.


Route: This is my "thank god the roads are all open again" route from last year.  (Maybe I should really name it that?)  Ironically one side of Franklin Ave bridge was in fact closed to pedestrians, so I had to use the north side today, but it was early enough that crossing the streets was no big deal.

Weather: Low 60s and humid.  There was no wind to start but it kicked up out of the southeast around mile 4 or 5.  That was fine with me.

Wardrobe: NikePro shorts, reflective shirt, visor, compression socks and Green Silence shoes.  I'm realizing now exactly how many races I've run in these shoes.  They are getting to the end of their mileage.

Execution: This was a really solid run.  There was a moment where I realized that I was going harder than I normally go, but I wasn't hurting.  And I hung onto that feeling as much as I could in the run.   Hard but not hurting.  I can keep going at this pace. I practiced 'belly breathing' up the hills, and I did run up all the hills including the Sabo bridge at the end. I also practiced what I'm going to say to myself on race day while I'm climbing.  'Pick up your knees' because that seems to be what gives me the best form up the hill.

Nutrition: Little bit of a failure on this one.  I had half an avocado, salted, before I left the house. I know now that this will not be my race day food.  Because it felt like I had rocks in my stomach 'till about mile 4.  No, um, distress.  It just didn't feel good.  I had a couple bites or Larabar and a couple sips of water along the way, but not much.


Bonus: Like last time, I'm writing all this before I've seen my paces and other stats for the run, so I'm feeling good.  I'll go look in a second, so I can pull some screen shots in for pictures on this blog.  For 'hard but not too hard' this looks good and I'll take it.
#2 - I'm about 40 pages into Mind Gym and was trying to apply some of the principles he talks about to this run.  Mostly focusing on the positive and what I want to do versus all the stuff that could go wrong.
#3 - I had a brief lifting session after this run, not my full 'Sunday' workout by any means.  I decided I'd just do the arm stuff plus single leg deadlifts for balance.  And then I had a nice stretch.

2017 Loony Challenge 4 Weeks to Go - Training had to fall apart some time

Weekly Miles Planned: 34 Miles
Actual: 34+ miles running, 2+ miles walking

Long Run Miles Planned: 12 Miles
Actual:  11.67 miles on Monday. 

Sunday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF, Sunday Kettlebell Workout
Actual: 1 mile run, attempt to lift weights and stop after two exercises; walk two miles with a friend (she needs a name too, I think).   I have to go back and look, but I'm pretty sure this crap I feel is biological. Will be great if I feel like this on race day.  Hopefully adrenaline kicks in or something because this is not excellent.

Monday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF
Actual: 11.67 miles, definitely not at MAF, though more of it at MAF than I'd have guessed. I have considered and looked at calendars and medication and made a small tweak to my timing and cycle that I'm hopeful will make race day suck quite a bit less.  We shall see.

Tuesday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 8.26 miles, Avg Hr 136.  This was slow still, but much better than yesterday's crap fest.  Tuesday weight lifting.

Wednesday Planned: 1 Mile Run, maybe Zumba?
Actual: 4.65 miles along the Rum River. 14:42/mile, Avg HR 140bpm.  I can't tell if I like that or not.  (Sunday's run was Wednesday miles, Monday was for Sunday, Tuesday was for Monday.  So now I'm all caught up I think.)

Thursday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 4.4 miles, with some intervals but on purpose.  Thursday weight lifting. 

Friday Planned: 1 Mile Run
Actual: 1.2 miles run after work in the sunshine.  I tested out a new pair of shorts.  Apparently mens M shorts fit okay, but I have woman sized hips.

Saturday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Maybe Zumba?
Actual: 3.25 miles on the Greenway.  I saw several of you out running your 20 milers for the marathon.  Congratulations!  40 minutes of Zumba.  Yes, totally surprised I got up in time.

4.9.17

Long Run Monday - Get Used To It

Plan: Don't Look At the Watch!  I realized that the way I feel about now in my cycle is the way I'm going to feel on race day.  That means I need to get used to running while feeling like shit. 
Last night I re-read the part of this book that talks about nutrition during different parts of the cycle.  It says to take in protein before and immediately after a run.  And to pre-hydrate with a drink that has sodium in it.  Since I'd never tried a pre hydration drink, I popped a couple of salt tabs last night, and added a small amount of salt to my water this morning.  The only plan for the morning was DONT LOOK AT THE WATCH.  Just run by feel.  Since I'm going to feel like shit and the watch is going to show me numbers I don't like anyways, just run by feel.

Route: Ft Snelling Route.  This route is like comfort food.

Weather: Low 60s and fairly humid.  Partly sunny, but mostly cloudy for the run.  Light winds.  (They felt good at the end.)

Wardrobe: Nike shorts, tank top.  And my Green Silence shoes.  I'm thinking those shoes may be my race day shoes.

Execution: I'm writing this before having seen any of my garmin data including my paces for the run.  It felt really good to just go out and run and listen to my body.  I think I noticed more of the nature on the trail too.  I pushed hard (it felt hard but again, I may not like the numbers) and I was really tired at the end.

Nutrition: I carried 8oz or water and a Larabar.  I did start eating the bar quite early in the run.  Surprisingly that felt correct.  I wanted food earlier in the run, and the more I pushed on the less I wanted later.  I had one, um, stop around mile 8.5.  I'm not clear if that's related to popping salt tabs last night, or the salt in my water this morning, or if I would've had to stop no matter what. I think I would've had to stop.

Bonus: Ok, now looking at the Garmin data.  Remember before I said I felt good about the effort, and that I pushed it at the end. And I want to cry.  That was a really slow run. Pretty sure this race is gonna suck.  How the eff was I going that slow for such a high heart rate?!?  Oh yeah, this is horrible.  14's?  The whole way? Well at least I've got the easy pacing down, but how will I freaking go on race day?  Oh sigh.

3.9.17

Before and After

Went to the State Fair yesterday.  It was my first time doing the Park and Ride.  And first time seeing the fair in the evening.  Here's a 'on the bus before the fair' and 'on the bus after the fair' photo op.






2017 Loony Challenge - 5 Weeks to Go

Weekly Miles Planned: 34
Actual: 34+ miles

Long Run Miles Planned: 12
Actual: 11.65 miles on Sunday.

Sunday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF, Sunday Kettlebell Workout
Actual: 11.65 miles that I'd rather not talk about.  Walking around all day at the State Fair.  No weight lifting because I was at the fair.

Monday Planned: 6-10 Miles at MAF
Actual: 7.35 miles around Lake Cedar and the Sculpture Garden, 14:19/mile, Avg HR 138bpm

 Tuesday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 5.65 miles, 13:10/mile, Avg HR 139.  This run felt much better than either of the other two this week.  Tuesday weight lifting routine.

Wednesday Planned: 1 Mile Run, maybe Zumba?
Actual: 1.21 miles in the morning.  That my Garmin promptly lost when it re-set itself. Awesome.

Thursday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 3.35ish miles.  I'd planned longer but it was hot when I started and my heart rate shot up, so I did a quick route instead.  Thursday weight lifting.  A few minutes of spin with a friend.


Friday Planned: 1 Mile Run
Actual: 1.2 miles in the morning before a busy day.

Saturday Planned: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Maybe Zumba?
Actual: 4.15 miles.  This didn't feel quite as bad as Thursday or last Saturday. But it wasn't great.  Maybe I need to have a carb before I run? 14:23/mile, Avg Hr 141.