My Parents

Most mornings when I leave for work I see my dad and mom out walking.  I love that the go walking every morning to start their day.  I love that not only their dog goes with them but their cat does too.  I love that at 70 years old they are both active and make it a priority.  If they don't go walking they are out riding their bikes.  They both snow ski several days a week (black diamonds still....amazing).  I want to be like them when I grow up.  They are so full of life and I know a big part of it comes from their healthy lifestyles. 

Thanks mom & dad for being amazing examples to me!!

Yesterday's workout was a triple workout day.
Morning:  6 mile tempo run with 4 miles at an 8:00 min/pace with crossfit
Noon:  4 mile run
Night:  4 mile run

Today:  6 mile recovery run

Analyzing the race

I got this running quote in my email and I love it.  I love putting together and following training plans.  I mean I love training plans! Maybe I like it too much....but it's just me and I love it.  

However I finally feel like I can train hard and follow my plan but then race without the stress.  I love to just feel the run and I really do love running.  Not every run is going to feel good and that's ok but if I can't enjoy running why keep pushing hard and running so much?   I also love this quote because I love Kara!

Because of my love of training plans I always do best when I have a race.  Thank goodness I am already signed up for 5 more races this year.  And I might add 1 or 2 more - because I like to be just a little crazy.

Saturday we did 16 miles down the canyon. It felt great and I love running in the canyon!

Yesterday we met at the crack of dawn (5:30 am) and did 8 miles with hill repeats.  Then over my lunch break I met T at the gym and we did the crossfit workout together.  It cracked me up to be at the gym with my hair fixed and full makeup.  

Today I taught spin and then did crossfit.  I am so ready for summer so I have more time in the morning for my workouts.  I really like doing double workouts :)

Hero WOD for Katrina

 Today our crossfit workout was a Hero workout dedicated to Katrina Lawrence who lost her life earlier this week after giving birth to her 6th child. I don't know her personally but I know members of her family and friends of hers.  The workout was VERY hard and thinking about her and her loving husband and beautiful children is what kept me going and got me through all 6 rounds. 

"Katrina"

Cash in: 34 Box Jumps for Justus (24in/20in)

Then 6 Rounds of the Following:

-14 Kettlebell Swings / for KAI the Intellectual (53/35),
-12 Front Squats / for TE the Karate Man (135lb/95lb),
-11 HSPU / for MAYA the gymnast,
-8 Burpees / for DAX the crazy man,
-3 Squat Cleans / for KOA who loves to leave everything clean (NOT!) (135lb/95lb)
-1 Thruster / for Jet Li the new baby thrusting himself into this world! (135lb/95lb)

Cash out: 36 Box Jumps for Katrina (24in/20in)

Rep = Children’s and Parents’ Ages
Rounds = Number of Children

In other news: On Wednesday we did our night run - 9 out of 12 isn't bad.  It was a fun run but going to bed at 11:00 pm nearly killed me.  And yesterday morning when the alarm went off at 5:00 am to go teach spin I was dead to the world.  But I went and taught class then did crossfit after.  Talk about great Ragnar training :) 

 Tomorrow is long run day.  16 miles

I heart Ragnar Training

2012 Ragnar Training

I love training for Ragnar.  It's fun and different.  It mixes up hill work (up, down and trails), speed work, multiple runs on the same day and running at different times during the day.  Plus my team does lots of it together. Tonight we are doing our first group night run.  I am a total spazz when it comes to group runs.  I love love love them!!!  The more people the happier I am. 

This morning Traci and I met at the gym at 5:20 am and did speed work on the treadmills then hit the 360 fit class.  For speed work I warmed up for a mile then did a mile at a 7:47 pace, jogged for a half mile then another mile at 7:47 pace and then another half mile easy pace.  Then we did our crossfit WOD - 20 wall balls, 20 kettle bell swings, 20 pushups, 20 walking lunges 5 rounds for time.  Then I jumped back on the treadmill and did a half mile warm up, 1 mile at 7:47 and a half mile cool down.  Then tonight I am doing a fun 4 mile run with the team. 

A Bad Workout

Today I had a bad workout.  Every so often a workout pisses me off and I just can't get myself mentally over it.  This morning was one of those days for me.  This morning started off with teaching my spin class then I hurried to the 360 fit class.  Today's WOD was 5 wall walks, 10 cleans, 15 pull-ups and 20 double unders.  10 rounds with a 40 minute cut off.  

I normally use 25 lb dumbbells for my weights but today there weren't any left so I grabbed 30 lbs.  The difference between 25 and 30 was just too much for me mentally today and by the middle of my first round of cleans I was ready to quit and holding back tears of frustration.  More than once I dropped the weights and didn't want to pick them up again. I was mad at myself for feeling like that and even more mad at myself for not being able to just buck up and do it.  But I didn't quit. I just kept on going for the entire 40 minutes.  I finished 4 full rounds and part of a 5th.  

Usually when I finish a hard workout I feel satisfaction in what I made myself do and know it is making me stronger.  Today that wasn't the case.  I was still upset and couldn't get over it.  Lucky for me I have the best workout partner in the world and she knows me well enough to know just how crazy in the head I am and sent me a text with this image that said "And this morning, you didn't!"

I'm over it now and back in my happy world. Another day brings another chance for a great workout.

Go Housewives

Saturday was our first Ragnar team group run.  I love love love group runs! It's so fun to just hit the road with friends and chat about everything and nothing at all at the same time.  It was a beautiful morning too - I overdressed in a long sleeve shirt and capri's.  

7 of the Housewives of the UC

Because we knew Saturday had a lot going on we did our long run on Friday morning.  We did 14 miles at just under an 8:30 pace.  It was fast and after it was done I was glad we pushed it - but I am so not planning to push my next long run that hard. One thing I've read several times lately and heard from a few collegiate runners is that one long run a month you should do part or all of it at race pace or even faster.  So there we have it - now for the rest of May I can relax and not have to do fast long runs :)

Today we did hill repeats - we ran a mile over to State St. then headed up the hill (it was about 0.75 mile) then back down and up again.  Then added a few miles then did it one last time just for fun.  Ha ha.  Not really for fun but it was a great hill training workout.  8 miles total. I love the variety of Ragnar training.

Boston Strong

I'm not sure that I've talked enough about my Boston support group.  These girls ran miles and miles and miles with me training ran marathons with me. And helped me get my goal so there was no way I was going to run Boston without my girls there.  I am so glad I had them there.  On Saturday after we finished the Pink Series 5K we all put on our Boston support shirts.  We weren't together we were all being busy mom's - working in the garden, attending kids sporting events, cleaning, shopping, running errands and much more.  But when I texted the picture of me in my Boston shirt to them I quickly got pictures from them wearing their shirts too.  I love it. Running has always been a bond for us but now we have Boston too and it has tied us closer together as friends, runners and HUGE fans of Boston. We are Boston Strong. I have found that all of this has  made me love running even more than I did before.  I read this article today and absolutely loved it.  Thanks Runner's world for inspiring me daily.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures of the 4 of us partying it up in Boston. 

Having way too many cannoli's

Waiting for me while I was running - with a few other friends joining the party!

The subway with an awesome photo bomber

At the airport

Running along the Charles river

Today's workout:  6 mile run with 4 at 8:20 pace and crossfit