AMRAP Giveaway Winners and #TBT Race-Day Style

Helloooo all!  Welcome to the Thursday edition of my randomness.

My first order of business today is to announce the 3 winners of the AMRAP bars!

CONGRATULATIONS to:

Amy S.
Lisa C.
Alyson G.

I will be emailing each of you individually to get your info (address/etc).  Thanks to everyone who participated.


Secondly, since completing the race on Sunday, I started thinking about the 5 half marathons I've run so far and thought it would be fun to look back at my photos from each of those races.  So lucky you, you get to walk down memory lane with me.

1st Half Marathon:  Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, November 2011:

This happened in the midst of my break-up/depression.  I never before considered running 13 miles.  It's amazing what heartbreak will spur you to do!

 

 

2nd Half Marathon:  St. Luke's Half Marathon, Allentown, PA, April 2012:



Shaved 11 mins off my time from my first Half!  Insane.

 

 

3rd Half Marathon:  Nike Women's Half Marathon, Washington DC, April 2013:

Stoked I got in the lottery and was able to run the inaugural East Coast version of this race.  Fun fact: I have yet to wear the coveted Tiffany necklace! Haha, what can I say, I rarely wear jewelry.  (Note to potential suitors: This makes me a real catch and a cheap date)

 

 

4th Half Marathon:  Runner's World Half, Bethlehem, PA, October 2013:





My PR!  And hilliest race to date.

 

 

5th Half Marathon:  VIA Half, Easton, PA, September 2014:

Looking like a true nerdicus maximus here.

 

 



I wonder where #6 will take me?!


And finally, I haven't run at all since the race on Sunday.  That's 4 days without running, or any workouts really, except a few walks.  I just felt like my body could use a little a break.  It's amazing how much free time you have when you're not working out in the evening.  It almost makes me want to take up a new hobby, like cooking.  HAHAHAHAHA hahahahahahaha  NOPE.  Just kidding.  I did not do that.  Don't worry, I'll be running again by the weekend which means I only have to distract myself from picking up any cooking utensils for the next day or so.  SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.

That's it for me.  I worked a 14 hour day today starting at 4:45 AM so I'm actually delirious right now.  I apologize if none of the rambling in this post made any sense.  I'm off to bed.  Wake me at Christmas.  G'night!


Do you participate in #TBT?  Can you email me some throwback pics please?!?!

Current Thoughts

Once again, today's post is being brought to you by the random thoughts swirling around inside my head over the past week...Enjoy!

1.  I just finished this book:

 

It's a YA novel that I'd heard a lot about on the internets and was touted almost as highly as The Fault in our Stars.  I'll admit it took me longer than I thought to get into this one.  The beginning was a bit slow and somewhat overly cheesy for me (as YA romances tend to be, but admittedly that cheesiness is usually what keeps me coming back for more).  But as I kept reading, I became more and more interested and invested in Eleanor and Park's story and ultimately really liked it.  No spoilers here, but this is one of those books that just kind of ... ends.  With loose ends and no real conclusion.  I really dislike those kinds of endings in books. I mean I just invested DAYS of my life reading all your words on all of your pages and you're just going to leave me like that?!  There better be a sequel here. And I can promise you this - when I write my first book, whether it be the next Great American Novel or a children's picture book - there will be a neat and tidy definitive ending people! 

 

2.  Came across this video of the one and only TSwift serenading a little boy in the hospital.  Just one more reason she is my favorite ever:

3.  Was at the park with my NannyKid this week enjoying the sun and sand(box) and a perfect stranger told me he thought I was a really great nanny!  DAY MADE  I love my job, but even more than that I just love my kids and am invested in making sure every day is the best day it can be for them :)

4.  Last night I was lifting free weights in the ladies gym (I don't do my free weights in the main gym because that area is overrun with meatheads and their grunting is just too much for me), and a nice older woman approached me because she wanted to know if I could show her some exercises for the back of her arms (tris).  Can I just tell you HOW excited I was to give her some one-on-one demos and instructions on how to do this?!  I kept it simple and just showed her overhead extensions, kickbacks and dips.  Then had her try each while I watched her.  Well I'm quite sure this was the Universe calling me out to get started on my PT certification.  Why exactly have I been putting this off for the past two years?!

5.  I am addicted to cherries.  It's becoming a problem.  I eat them every day.  I really don't know how I'm going to survive when it's no longer cherry season.  Or for that matter, when all the summer fruit goes out of season.  It's really not fair that we run out of peaches, blueberries, watermelon, sugar snap peas and everything that is good and right in this world after summer, and are expected to exist solely on apples and oranges for 9 straight months.  Just another reason I need relocate to a warmer climate.

6.  I just read this article on my Runner's World Facebook feed, in which they made the RW Half course flatter and faster this year by taking out some of the hills!  Oh sure, the year after I run it, they make it flatter.  This kind of has me considering running it again this year to see if I could better my time.  Sooo, this one may be back in the candidate pool for my fall race.  If the hills scared any of you away last year, this just may be the year to get in on the fun in Bethlehem.  Come run in my hometown!  Even if I don't run, I'll show up to cheer you on and give you the grand tour of the Christmas City!  DO IT

7.  Came across this on my FB feed from a distance runner and plant-based nutritionist I follow, and life really is that simple: 

Source

That's all for now folks.  The end :)

Happy Weekend!

Training Update (Week 6) and Dr. Scholl's Active Series Insoles Review

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So here we are already in Week 6 of my abbreviated 8 Week training schedule for this little number!

 

 

 

My how the time flies.  And I'm not just talking about the past 6 weeks.  Where, might I ask, did the summer go? And for that matter, the first 9 months of this year?!  I have no idea how I ended up in Fall already, but I'm not too pleased.  I mean the downward spiral of our daily high temps has already started and it only gets worse from here.  Fast forward me to Christmas for 1 day, and then straight to Memorial Day pleeeeeease. 

 

Ok enough rambling.  So going into training for this race I was concerned with how my legs would hold up, namely the periostitis and tendinitis in my lower legs that started to resurface after April's Nike Women's Marathon in DC.  I was therefore also concerned with getting my mileage up in time for this race, since I had started later than I would have ideally wanted.  I'm happy to report that I am feeling pretty good and I was able to get my mileage up pretty quickly.  My running workouts for the past 5 weeks have looked like this:

 

Week 1 - Two short runs of 3 mi each; One 5 mi long run

Week 2 - Two short runs of 3 mi each; One 6 mi long run

Week 3 - Two short runs of 3-4 mi each; One 7 mi long run (at the beach, on vacation I might add!)

Week 4 - Two short runs of 3-4 mi each; One 9 mi long run

Week 5 - Two short runs of 3-4 mi each; One 11 mi long run

Week 6 - Two short runs of 3-4 mi each; Long run TBD this weekend

Week 7 - TBD

Week 8 - TBD

 

On non-running days I continue to cross train with any/all of the following: 

 

At-home circuits/HIIT/WOD (via Pinterest - you can follow my board here)

Interval biking workout (gym)

Weight lifting (gym)

Swimming (gym)

Walking (outside)

Monthly challenge (100 crunches/day for September)

 

I usually take a rest day each week as well. 

 

When I hit that 11 mi run last Friday, I started to feel a lot better about the race.  I have two long runs left before I taper in Week 9 leading up to race date on Oct 20th.  One thing that has really been helping with the long runs lately (though I loathe to admit it) is the cooler temps.  Fall is the season runners across the US rejoice because suddenly we're FASTER!  How does that happen?!  One day you're running in 90 degrees feeling like death, and then a few weeks later it's 65 degrees and you swear you are actually flying.  Either that or you suddenly inherited Usain Bolt's legs. 

 

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So, I was feeling pretty peachy about the race, until I spoke to someone who ran the RW Half last year and said it was her hardest race to date because of the hills!  And I quote: "It was 9 miles of hills. I cried."  Um, EXCUSE me, what was that?!  Oh boy.  Well, despite hearing that little gem of information, I'm actually trying not to think about it.  I will approach the race like every other half marathon and just get out there and run my best! Sure, it might be slower, but it will be a challenge and I will embrace it.  At some point, I would like a half marathon PR below 2:00:00 (my fastest thus far was 2:01) but I think I will have to choose a flatter course.  I know 2 people who ran the Philly Rock N Roll Half a couple of weeks ago, and they both PR'ed saying the course was fast and flat.  So perhaps that will be on the docket for next year!

 

One other thing I wanted to cover in this post was a review of the insoles I have been trying out for the past 5 weeks.  These guys:



 

 

 

I liked them immediately, but wanted to give them several weeks of wear before I did a write-up on here.  As you know, I've been trying many different things to alleviate my stress injuries that seem to crop back up every now and then, and it was only recently that I thought my insoles might need looking at.  I have historically never bought separate insoles to put in my running shoes.  I simply use the ones that come with the shoe, although I know many people swear by separate or even custom insoles with each new shoe purchase.  There were 2 things that led me to believe perhaps I should give insoles a try.

 

First, I attended a nutrition clinic at Road Runner Sports in Columbia, MD earlier this summer and tried out their Shoe Dog fit service.  I always knew I had high arches but they told me I had extremely high arches (is there a difference?!) that required more support.  As part of their no-obligation Shoe Dog service, they created a pair of custom-molded insoles for me while I shopped around.  I didn't end up buying them because they were $80 but it was good information to know!

 

Secondly, when I was visiting my sister in Atlanta in August, we went on nightly walks (I didn't run during that trip because my legs has just started bothering me and I wanted to give them a few weeks' rest before I dove into training).  She had an old pair of insoles that she used when she did a 3 day/60 mile walk for breast cancer a few years ago.  But even using those old insoles and just walking, I could tell a difference in my legs. 

So upon returning, I decided to research insoles and see if there was something within my budget that might help.  I've heard good things about Superfeet insoles before, but they are also currently beyond my budget.  So after seeing several TV commercials for the Dr. Scholl's Active Series I decided to give them a try.  At $19.95, they were affordable, and I have to say I have really seen a difference in the way my legs feel after using them for the past 5 weeks.  The arch support is much better than the flat insoles that came in my Nike's and there is added cushioning zones in the heel and forefront.  If you are suffering from shin or knee pain, I would definitely recommend giving these insoles a try, if you are not ready to spring for custom insoles yet.   

I do continue to run in my ProCompression socks as well as ice my legs after each run.  I also am trying to imitate the Graston therapy I had in PT last year.  If you are not familiar with this, look it up.  A physical therapist uses plastic or metal instruments to scrape at scar tissue that is lurking beneath the skin's surface.  Sounds medieval and painful, right?  Well, it is!!  But apparently, I have a lot of soft tissue adhesions in my lower legs and they need to be broken up or they will continue to cause pain, so I've taken to massaging them with my hands or my Marathon Stick after each run:

 

 

 

Wow, this post turned out to be a lot longer than I had planned! I didn't mean to bore you with my training thus far, but if you are interested in or have any questions about the products I talked about here please let me know.  They are all things I purchased on my own, use regularly, and have found helpful.  Also, if you are currently suffering from any injuries and PT is in your future, beware the Graston treatment! 

 

 

Your turn!

 

Are you training for any fall races?  How is it going?

 

Do you use insoles in your running shoes, or do you just wear them as is?  Do you know what kind of arches you have??

 

 

 



 



Training Begins for the Runners' World Half and EnergyBits Review

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It's safe to say I was chomping at the bit these past few weeks to start running again.  I wanted to rest my legs as soon as I felt a hint of that tendinitis/tibial pain, but it's hard for me to rest altogether.  So although I spent the last 5 weeks swimming, biking, lifting, doing core and HIIT work, and walking, I couldn't wait to be reunited with my one true love - vegan soft serve - no, no, no - RUNNING! 

Last week I officially started up my 8 week training plan for the Runner's World Half Marathon.  After battling some injuries last year, and some new aches (a bit of medial knee pain, which unfortunately is starting to resurface a bit - I believe it is this) during training for the Nike Women's Half in April, I was hoping for some smoother sailing leading up to this race.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't been able to pin down the cause of some of my recurrent injuries so I continue to do my own research and in the meantime attend to them the best I can, while still preparing for the races I have planned.  I heard and read about the difficulty of the RW Half (lots of hills!) so going into this race, I didn't plan for a PR, and at this point realize I will be doing it more for the experience. 

To say I am excited for this race is a complete understatement!  First, it is taking place near Rodale headquarters in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania which also happens to be MY hometown!  I can't wait to run the streets where I literally grew up.  Runner's World also has an incredible lineup for the expo, which will include speaking engagements with the race director of the Boston Marathon and Olympic athletes.  Not to mention all the high profile athletes who will be running the race as well.  As if all this wasn't enough, I've seen the lineup of bloggers who will be attending, and I think I'm excited about this the most.  To actually have the chance to meet some bloggers that I have been following for months/years IN REAL LIFE is going to be like meeting legit celebrities! Hahaha  You can find the full list of bloggers who will be attending here.

So here's what my first week of training looked like last week:

Sunday - Out of town/Returned late night from ATL; 75 pushups
Monday - Rest; 80 pushups (I spent most of this day cleaning since I was out of town - that counts as a workout right?!)
Tuesday - 3 mi run
Wednesday - At-home HIIT workout; 80 pushups
Thursday - 3 mi run; 85 pushups
Friday - At-home HIIT workout; 85 pushups
Saturday - 5 mi run
Sunday - Lap swimming for 1 hour; 90 pushups

At the same time last week, I was testing out a sample of EnergyBits I had received while I was gone.  You've probably seen the buzz about this company and product on social media lately.  I connected with the company on Twitter and they were nice enough to send me some samples to try out:

What intrigued me about EnergyBits was that they are actually little bits of green food (spirulina algae) and not supplements.  I had read about spirulina in the past and had always thought about supplementing with it as it is considered a 'superfood', but just never did.  I take a daily multivitamin and a few other supplements, which admittedly are manufactured in a lab.  I like that spirulina is a food that naturally contains these nutrients because I know it's ideally better to get nutrition from food than from supplements.

A few other points about EnergyBits:

- made of organically grown, non GMO algae
- contain no caffeine, sugar, soy or gluten
- 1 calorie per tablet
- are naturally composed of 64% protein plus over 40 other vitamins and minerals

So, how did my first week back go?  Well Tuesday's run felt GOOD - really good.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder right? I just kept thinking "Oh, how I've missed you" throughout the entire run! This was also the first day I tried the EnergyBits.  It's recommended you swallow 30 tablets prior to a workout.  I was conservative and started with 15... and I chewed them. Oh yes, I had to go there.  Um, I would not recommend chewing.  The literature from the company says algae is an "acquired taste" and they recommend you swallow the tablets, but I thought oh they can't be talking to me.  They tasted like a mixture between grass and fish food (not that I have ever tried either).  So, if you get your own sample, I recommend following the enclosed instructions :)

I don't know if my great first run was due to my own elation or to the EnergyBits but everything came together for me.  My legs also felt pretty good (minus the knee issue).  I am also trying out a new pair of insoles in my shoes and I want to give them a few more tries before I review them, but after three test runs, I can feel a difference in my lower legs, so here's to hoping!

Saturday was my first long run back - 5 miles - so I doubled the dosage of Bits and took the recommended 30.  I struggled toward the end of this run.  Up until mile 4 I felt good, but the last mile was hot, heavy and just bleh.  I checked my MapMyRun workout log and the last time I ran 5 miles was in June so that's probably why. 

Tonight, I used the last of my sample Bits (I had 14 left) and ran a naked 5k and felt GREAT!  Something about running 'au naturel' if you will, without music or GPS, lets me reconnect with my body better and reminds me why I love running. 

Since EnergyBits are mostly protein, I didn't get the sudden rush of energy that I do when I take a swig of Gatorade, gels, or other carbs during a run, but in terms of nutrition, I don't think their vitamin, antioxidant and mineral profile can be beat.  I think in the long term, they would be a great dietary addition and would probably eliminate the need for other forms of man-made supplements.

Week 1 down, 7 to go.  This training schedule is admittedly a bit more abbreviated than I would like but I'm just hoping to stay somewhat conservative and keep any lingering issues at bay.  I've been icing the sore spot on the inside of my knee nightly so I'm hoping that calms down as well.  I trained for and ran Nike with this issue (and an elastic knee sleeve) and did ok, so we'll see what happens.


Questions for you tonight:

Are you training for any Fall races?

Anyone doing the Runner's World Half and want to meet up?!!

Have you tried EnergyBits?  If you are interested, you can connect with them on Facebook or Twitter and request a free sample.


*Disclosure:  I was given a free sample of EnergyBits, but I was not compensated in any way.  The opinions expressed here are entirely my own :)