Running to the beach

I was very lucky to get to run to the beach today.  My mother-in-laws house is so close to the beach that in order to get my 11 mile run in I had to add a few extra twists and turns.  The weather was perfect and it was so great to run in shorts and a t-shirt in December.  I left early then Todd packed up the kids and drove over to the beach.  I got there shortly after them and then we all got to play in the sun and sand.  I tried to stand in the freezing cold water to ice my ankles and knees - but it was just too cold. Even though the kids were soaked and having a ball. They are tougher than me.

The crazy lady on our run today

This morning on our run we had just climbed quite a hill (going around the Temple) and were heading back down.  As we passed the parking lot a car did a "friendly" honk at us then we heard some lady yelling for us to come back.  So we turned around and went back.  It was very dark and about 6:30 am - what she was doing is beyond me.  Anyway, she asked if she could take our picture since we were all dressed in white and blue to help her kids want to move to Provo.  We told her we were all in white and black (typical morning uniform in the winter) and she said it was close enough.  So she pulled out her iPhone and proceeded to tell us what a great phone it was and how great it took pictures.  All the while we were getting colder and colder and anxious to get the run finished.  Finally she got her photo and we were on our way.  It was one of the crazier things I've had happen on a run but it did make for some fun conversation the last 3 miles of the run.

Today's run:  7 miles

You need to work out more

A few days ago I was helping my 5YO pick out a shirt to wear and I picked one that she calls her "workout shirt".  It's a cute cotton t-shirt that I guess she has worked out in before.  Then she turns to me and says "mom why don't you workout anymore?"  What?  I workout all the time - as a matter of fact I get up at 5:00 am to get workouts in.  So I said "I workout in the mornings when you are asleep."  Then she said "well you should workout more like you used to."

Last summer I used to do Insanity after work and was getting lots of double workouts in.  There is no time or energy for that right now but really to be called out like that by a 5 year old was a bit disturbing.  She used to love putting on her workout clothes and doing it with me.  So I told her that I would start doing it again after Christmas.  I guess I'll be adding some home workouts to the schedule soon :)

Increasing Mileage

So on this plan every 4 weeks there is a week with no tempo run and no long run.  It is just 4 runs but every cycle they get longer (I think we get up to 13 miles each run).  This week the schedule is 8-7-7-8.  I can't decide how I feel about how many miles I will be adding on over the next few months. This morning came too early and it was tough to want to run 8 miles.  As always I was glad when it was finished....but I still have lots of questions with this new training program. 


Can I stay motivated?  Can I stay injury free?  Will it make me faster and stronger?  

Yesterday's Run

I love doing long runs on Saturday. It's nice to run when the sun is up. Today's run was very cold. 18 degrees. I wore 2 pair of pants. 2 long sleeve fleece tops. A ski beenie. And gloves. I even put hand warmers in my gloves and they were heavenly. I was actually warm enough the entire run.

When we stopped at mile 5 to gu (orange vanilla rocktane) mine was nearly frozen. I totally had to chew it! My gel was in my outside jacket pocket. Maybe next time I should put it in a pocket closer to my body. And my water was so cold it actually had ice chunks in it. It would have been the most amazing drink on a hot afternoon run. But it was so cold I didn't even drink it all.


Today's run was a 10 miler. Even with stop lights and a few water breaks we were still at an 8:45 average. I'm pretty happy with the fact that I'm getting faster.

Merry Fitness

I saw this on Pinterest this morning and I love it! The best way for me to get through the stress and food of the holidays is by keeping up my workouts.  I know that some of my runs won't get done during the week of the holidays and I'm not going to let that freak me out. 

Today was a rest day tomorrow I run 10.

Longest 7 Miles Ever

Today's workout was a 7 mile tempo run.  The training said 5 miles at 8:20 pace with a warm up and cool down.  I decided that I don't love doing a full mile cool down so today I did 1 1/2 mile warm up then my 5 miles then a 1/2 mile cool down.  I liked it better and I think I'll do it that way again.

The whole workout was an hour and I don't know why but today's workout was just mentally brutal.  It seemed to take forever and the gym just didn't entertain me at all today.  It's hard to talk on the treadmills because you have to yell and you can't see each other and there is so much going on.  So we chatted for a few minutes at the beginning then it was all iPod from there.  I just watched the numbers on my treadmill screen.  By the end I started speeding up just to make it go by faster.

After the run I did my quick weights workout and now that it's over I am so glad I did it.  Most weeks the tempo or speed workouts are my favorite.  Not today.

My new shoes

I realize it's Christmas and I shouldn't be shopping for myself...but I really wanted a new pair of "gym" shoes and since I was already at the mall I figured I should get these. I don't run in Nike but I think they are so cute and they are my favorite wear to the gym shoes.  

When I was comparing 2 pairs my brother said "those shoes say look at me I'm your awesome spin teacher" so I went with this pair over a basic black Nike Free.  I love them!

P.S.  today's workout was a 7 mile run - check that off my to-do list!  

Working out while prego

Nope I'm not prego (thank goodness).  But in the past few days I've had some funny things happen with working out and pregnancy.  I got the following message from a dear friend that is currently expecting who was around during a few of my pregnancies.

Hi friend,
I thought I would tell you that you have been in my dreams for the last couple of nights. You have been there with a pregnant belly while being my trainer and telling me "work harder, its good for your baby, it will help you during labor, let's go"! I love that even though I wish I where able to go to your spin class, I at least get to have you motivate me in my dreams!

 And then when I was at Runner's Corner I saw one of my old "regulars" from spin a few years back.  She is about 6 months prego.  While we were chatting she said "every time I think I can't do it I remember you up on your bike the entire pregnancy working out so hard and kicking all of our butts".  I told her that I just looked like I was working hard because of how out of breath pregnancy made me :)

I did workout through all 4 of my pregnancies.  I even taught spin on my 3rd's due date - since she decided to come a few days late!  I couldn't run after about 4 months with any of them because it hurt my back too much. But I taught spin through all 4, walked, lifted and did the elliptical all the way to the bitter end.  I know that working out regularly helped me physically and emotionally.  I was strong when I went into labor and I'm pretty sure that helped me get those kids out faster :)  

Funny story about teaching spin pregnant:  when my oldest was born he was a horrible baby (seriously, he was sooooo bad) and when we held him he always had to be bounced and moving and shaking.  He was totally high maintenance. My hubby always blamed it on me doing too much spin.  He said all the loud music and bouncing around made him crazy.  But then the other 3 came out more normal so it must not have been spin.  Ha ha.

This weeks schedule

Since nothing amazing like a lunar eclipse happened on today's run I thought I'd just blog the training schedule for this week.


M:  8 miles (easy)
T:  spin/weights
W: 7 mile tempo run (warm up then 5 miles at 8:20 pace)
Th: 7 miles (easy)/weights
S: 10 miles 


Today's run was long for a Monday morning and it was FREEZING!  For some reason even though the temp was warmer than Saturday's run it was really cold today.  Of course it was dark the whole run since we had to go early and I didn't dress right.  I need to do laundry so I was at the bottom of the barrel on workout clothes.  I guess I know how I'll be spending my evening tonight.


Speaking of laundry....I always wash my workout clothes normal and I air dry them so they will last longer.  I also never use a dryer sheet if I do dry them.  I hear that makes the dri-fit part not work as well.  Do you do anything special when you are washing your workout clothes?

The Lunar Eclipse

This morning when my alarm went off at 6:40 I looked at the temperature and it said 16 degrees.  I sent a text asking if we really wanted to run in that temp and got a text back that said: 

"it's 19 up here.  the sun is coming up plus there is a lunar eclipse.  We've never run during a lunar eclipse.  should be a little cool."  

It was enough to get me there for the run. We looked at the lunar eclipse for a minute before starting our run then the run took us the exact opposite direction so we couldn't see it all after that since it was at our backs.  But hey we were up and out of bed and saw it and so you can mark off "run during a lunar eclipse" from my bucket list cause I've totally done that now!!


I couldn't get a good picture of it on my phone - but here is one that looks pretty similar to what I saw.

P.S.  Today's workout was a long run.  We did 12 miles.  It was tough and very cold.  My joints were tight the entire run but it's over and I love it when I'm done!

To workout or go back to bed? That is the question.

This morning when my alarm went off at 5:15 am I really didn't want to get up.  I forced myself to go into the bathroom where my workout clothes were.  Then I sat there for a few minutes trying to come up with reasons I could go back to sleep instead of workout.  I was just too tired.  I could probably fit in a run later.  But in the end the guilt of not wanting to text the girls and give them a lame excuse made me just go.  


Because it's still in the teens we decided to run at the gym on the treadmills.  I did my 5 mile run (it felt much longer than yesterday's 7 mile run for some reason).  Then lifted weights.  It's always so good when it's over.  And the best news of the day is that tomorrow I get to sleep in!!!


I thought this quote and picture were great motivation for today.

Pretty in Pink

Today's workout was speed work. 7 miles total. 1 mile warm up then 1 mile intervals at 7:40 pace 4 times with a half mile recovery jog between each one. The last one was soooo hard! But I love it when it's done.


A few things about today's workout:


1. All 4 of us showed up in pink tops. It was classic. We all have a lot of pink running gear since its our Ragnar team color. I wanted a picture of all 4 of us side by side - but I felt silly asking some stranger on the ellipticals behind us to do it. So I just snapped one of 2 of the girls.

2. Around mile 3 while I was doing a fast mile the tv on my treadmill was on the news and it started a special on some new burger joint. I wasn't listening to it so I have no idea what it was even about. But every time they showed the food it made me sick. I had to turn off the tv to keep myself from throwing up. For some reason a big burger and sprinting just didn't mix. And I love me a good burger.  

Best news EVER!!

Today's workout was a 10 mile run.  I am pleased to say I was feeling well enough to run the whole thing with the girls.  YIPEE!!  It's good to be back.  On a side note:  one should NOT do a nettie pot rinse right before a run - yuck!  

Anyways, on our run today it came out that Traci signed up for the Utah Valley Marathon in June.  I am beyond excited!  She signed up back in October and didn't tell me because she was thinking of a fun way to tell me but then it just came out today and I am seriously sooooooo happy!!  She has been doing the training program with us the whole time but I figured that's just what workout buddies do for each other.  

Traci and I have been working out for over 7 years together.  She is simply the best workout buddy I could ever imagine!!  We love to do the same things.  We push each other hard.  We run & bike the same pace.  We are the same age.  It's a match made in heaven.  And she introduced me to an entire group of awesome friends who also love working out.  I can't wait to have this crazy girl training and racing the marathon with me in June!!

*not the best picture of us - but it was the only close up I could find of the 2 of us 

*Picture taken at the very end of Ragnar 2011

Skipping a workout...good or bad?

I can't seem to kick this cold so I slept in this morning and missed my speed workout.  BOO!  Today's workout was supposed to be a 7 mile run with 5 @ 8:24 pace.  I love speedwork days and I hate that I missed it.  

The problem is that now I will beat myself up over missing a workout and try to fit it in tonight or tomorrow (if I feel better) instead of resting before my long run on Saturday.  I'm sure it's fine to miss a run every now and then but the crazy in me takes over and I freak out about it. 

What do you do when you miss a workout?