What my day looks like lately

It's almost 3am and I can hear Critter starting to stir in the bassinet next to me.  I get up with her, change the diaper and feed her.  She is wide awake and "witching."  Critter will not go back to sleep so we hang out together with me singing songs, snuggling and just doing whatever to keep her somewhat soothed.  It's almost 4am and I am hungry so we are downstairs and I am shoving a Luna bar in my mouth while trying to keep her calm.  Eventually she spits up some stuff and stops "witching" but refuses to sleep.  Approaching 6am she is hungry again and we've been up since about 3.  I change the diaper and feed her.   She is out for the count before I have her swaddled up.  I put her back in the bassinet and change into my running clothes--leaving Manfriend to tend to her should she start to fuss.  He has been asleep through all of this.  

My Goofy training plan is in place and it starts in a few days so right now I just do what I feel and whatever pace I want.  This particular day I am happy because I was feeling speedy and went faster than the construction traffic cone dropping vehicle.  Upon returning home I grab a bowl of cereal, put dishes away from last night.  I brew a cup of decaf pumpkin coffee because I love pumpkin everything and just love the smell of coffee and holding the warm cup.  The house is quiet.  While eating breakfast I check e-mails, blog or play on Facebook so I can check in with the group I admin. 

About 7:45 I head upstairs to take a quick shower.  If it is a Tuesday or Friday I also clean the bathroom.  Critter is starting to stir so I change her diaper and feed her about 8:30.  We head downstairs for the day and I make Manfriend a lunch if we don't have leftovers from dinner the night before.  Somedays my mom stops over and I go grocery shopping or run an few errands.  Other days I might go over to my mom and dad's and then run my errands.  Somewhere between 2 and 3 hours later Critter is hungry again so we do the changing of the diaper and feed her.  

Around noon I am hungry again so I make a peanut butter sandwich with goldfish crackers and put Critter down for a little bit so I can eat and check e-mails and Facebook plus read some blogs.  She has been held by me almost non-stop since her 8/8:30 feeding.  If it is a Wednesday I vacuum the house (also done as needed other days) and if it is a Monday or Thursday I clean the kitchen.  If she is still sleeping we will blog, edit photos or just read news stories out loud.  

She stirs and we do the whole diaper/feed her thing again and then plop our bums on the couch for an afternoon of reading.  We have been reading chapter books out loud to her.  I will read for about 2-3 hours depending on how long she goes between feedings.  Other days I put on music and sing along while laying on the couch with her snuggled up.  We also toss in some tummy time just as she is starting to stir about 3 times a day.  

About 5:30/6 she gets another diaper change and fed before Manfriend comes home.  When he comes home he is "on duty" while I make dinner, put laundry away or do laundry.  We have dinner together and she sleeps in her bassinet.  He may or may not snuggle with her after dinner (sometimes he has to do more work from home).  I wash the dishes and finish up some chores in the house and get in more Critter snuggles.  

It's approaching 8:30pm and I change her diaper and feed her again.  She fusses a little after so I snuggle with her until she is asleep.  I put her in the basinet next to me and go to bed about 9:30pm.  If she is still fussing at this point I hand her off and Manfriend takes her until 11 when I will feed her again unless she is sleeping in which case I let her go until 12:30am and wake her if she hasn't stirred on her own.  

 

May Running by the numbers

May was a pretty solid month of training for me as I prepare for a July half marathon.  Not sure how that will go since it is kind of weather dependent.  Early in May we went for a Caribbean cruise and I didn't record any miles for that week but just ran a total of an hour and a half (so let's guess 9 miles since it wasn't break neck speed or anything).  Once we returned from our cruise I jumped right back into my training plan and racked up a total of 111 miles in 3 weeks.  If you add in the estimated cruise miles I am at 120 miles for 4 weeks with an average of 30 miles per week.
My workouts are about on pace for the most part.  I struggled with my track workout and tempo week 4 of May but am fighting a cold so I will take being about 20 seconds or less per mile slow for the week on all the runs.  Getting better and looking forward to the Mendon Mauler trail run that I have coming up this weekend.

Running in Circles

Sorry about the lack of posting but Manfriend and I went on a cruise and I was confined to running on the upper deck of the ship.  Grand total of running this trip was 1 hour 40 minutes.  At 9 laps per mile I wasn't going to even try and test the limits of my hips and knee after 42 miles on a cruise ship with 7 laps per mile in December.

 I ran 30 minutes 2 times and the last night of the cruise I ran 40 minutes.  Fortunately it was a "down" mileage week for me so I wasn't too worried.  I am starting to build miles again now in preparation for some late spring and summer races.

 And I was fortunate enough to have my handsome Manfriend chilling in a lounge chair on the deck with my water bottle.  I stopped for a quick photo before finishing my run just as the sun set, leaving exactly 7 minutes to shower and make it to dinner... which we did make but were 4 minutes late.

Weekly Training Roundup Week 13 & 14

Running on a cruise ship is hard.  Not only physically but mentally.  Despite the challenge or running small laps or dodging wind barriers and lounge chairs I survived the week long Caribbean cruise that Manfriend and I went on.  I did not get in any workouts and just focused on hitting the miles as best I could due to the circumstances.  I tried the treadmill one day and that was a huge failure.  I couldn't even walk on the stinkin' thing without people thinking I was drunk--the ship is rocking one way, you're looking out a window with the waves going every which way and I just couldn't visually handle it and look coordinated.

Our first full day on the ship was my "weekly long run" and to be honest it wasn't my favorite despite the giant grin on my face.  I made Manfriend sit on the deck with my water bottle and help me keep track of laps.  The wind decided to blow my hat off (although I did catch it) so I spent the rest of the run semi-squinting.  It was hot and humid every time I ran (and I did run at 10pm a few times).

 Yup, they closed the "larger lap" deck on me every single time for cleaning and such forcing me to go on the short, jogging track.  Large lap Lanai deck was 2.5 laps per mile and the jogging track was 7 laps to the mile.

 Week 13:
Sunday     10 long
Monday    7 easy
Tuesday    5 easy (I was also quite seasick for the first 3 days)
Wednesday  off
Thursday   7 in 65 min (I tried to go faster but that's a small twisty lap)
Friday        6 easy
Saturday    7 easy
Weekly Total (all ship miles too!):  42 miles

Week 14  we arrived at Disney late Saturday afternoon to check out the holiday decorations.  Although it wasn't on a cruise ship I had a 1.25 mile course mapped out at the hotel and used that.  Sunrises at Disney are Magical and I highly recommend them.  Then we came back to reality and winter decided to arrive with real feel temps in the single digits.

Sunday      16 long (around the Generation Gap pond) 2:01 (might be closer to 15 miles or 15.5)
Monday     5 easy
Tuesday    workout of 2x3 mile that I converted to 1x3 mile and 1x1.25mile with 1 mile between due to heat and humidity   total for the day 8.5
Wednesday  off
Thursday   9 elliptical (icy and snowy yuck out)
Friday        4 easy (busted out the extreme gear and yak traxs)
Saturday    3 medium (the wonderful life 5k snowy and very cold)
Weekly Total:  35.5 miles

Weekly Training Round up Week 12

What a crazy week in terms of weather.  It has been downright frigid most days and lots of snow/ice this week.  So my training was a little "off" the norm and scheduled but I am proud of myself for getting in the miles (although not in their intended form).

Here goes my crazy week:
Sunday was to be a long run but with single digit temps and the windchill I opted for the elliptical for 13 miles.  I did maintain a 7min mile pace on the thing though so that counts for something.  Plus I watched a cheesy chic flick so it wasn't that bad but it really made me appreciate my running that much more

Monday 10 miles broken up into what was my best estimate of the workout scheduled for Tuesday since the track was an icy mess.  I got in 4 hard miles, about 3 medium paced miles and the other 3 miles of the day were easy and avoiding slush.  I also was told by an old man outside scraping ice from his driveway that I was really lit up, where did I stash the batteries.  (A headlamp, blinking arm band and hand held light as well plus reflective jacket).

Tuesday I was supposed to work a half day but ended up subbing for the whole day.  By the time I exited school there was a mini-blizzard in the works and it was just not a safe to be running situation even though the temp was decent.  Big fat 0 for the day

Wednesday was an easy 8 spent slopping around slush and avoiding ice

Thursday  was 9 easy due to icy patches and lumpy sidewalks.  I ran on side streets as much as I could to get traction and avoid the sidewalks.

Friday  10 with my high school friend Kelly.  Decent pace and not that far off weekly miles at this point since I added a few miles here and there when I could.

Saturday  8 easy

Weekly Total:  45 out of what was scheduled to be 53

Weekly Training Roundup Week 11 Dopey

So far so good.  However looking ahead at week 12 there will likely be some major changes to the workouts and mileage due to the weather (hello single digits, lake effect snow and wind chills).  Anyways, I survived this week with some rain and blustery weather with chilly temps.  I guess the length of the run is the bigger factor for me with weather and exposure (my cheeks turn bright red and my face feels like it's on fire so we will try to avoid that as much as possible).

Sunday     10 long miles in 1hour 23 min so about 8:31 pace
Monday      5 easy
Tuesday    10 total including 6x1mile repeats with 400 between.  Miles were 7:25, 7:30, 7:33, 7:33, 7:35, 7:28
Wednesday  off
Thursday   5 easy (was supposed to be a tempo but it was dark when I got home)
Friday       6 easy (was going to do my tempo but it was raining buckets
Saturday    8 easy (prep for long run Sunday...and I should have done long run this am).

After my run on Saturday morning the wind kicked up and the temperature dropped followed by the lovely 4 letter word that starts with s.  Icky snow.

Weekly Training Roundup Week 9 of Dopey

This week went rather well although I am quite sure that I am getting a cold (but that is going around this time of year).  It was tough for me to breathe the other day on my tempo run and I figured it was just because it was so windy but then it was hard again on Friday with me waking up Saturday morning with a few sniffles and a slight cough.  Hopefully we kick it out of my system before I get any worse.

Sunday     15 long in 2hours 20 min.  Felt ok but strong head wind first half and second half temp dropped severely and rained just as I finished
Monday    7 easy
Tuesday    4x1200 with 400 between.  Hit my pace 4:20, 4:27, 4:27, 4:22 perfectly for the middle two
Wednesday  off
Thursday   5 mile tempo in 43 minutes, again strong head wind (dropped off to do a straight-ish line)
Friday        5 easy
Saturday    7 easy
Weekly Total:  48

Weekly Training Roundup Week 9 of Dopey

Week 9 went well and the weather turned cold and we saw a few little flakes on Friday.  Brr.  I swapped two days due to daylight savings time and knowing I was going to be working and doing the Girls On the Run program.  There is a reason I was scheduled to have a day off.  I felt sluggishly slow the next day and slogged through some miles.  Lesson learned and next time I just turn into a day-glow ornament with my headlamp, reflective gear and red blinking arm band.

Sunday      10 long in 1h30m so 9 min mile pace
Monday     5 easy
Tuesday     5x1000 with 400 recovery, supposed to be in 4:30 but nailed all in 4:15-4:22  6 miles
Wednesday  supposed to be off but did 7 easy
Thursday   supposed to be a workout but swapped for off and ended up doing just over 1 mile
Friday        6 easy
Saturday    5 easy

Weekly total:  38 miles

from the Sparkle Skirts website

And the sparkle mail fairy came and brought me Lucky Charm.  It is more lime green in real life (it looks more yellow from their photo).  My Manfriend loves me very much and knew that it would help my hard training workouts and long runs much more enjoyable for me.  A happy me is a happy Manfriend.  He's the best.   Can't wait til Dopey Challenge where I just might pick up some extra sparkle for my wardrobe.

Weekly Training Roundup Week 8 of Dopey

Here we are at week 8 out of 18 of training.  Going well so far although the workouts are tough but they make me feel great when I am done and proud of what I accomplished instead of just slogging through miles.

Sunday     10 long at pace (little fast but will work on it)
Monday     5 easy
Tuesday    7 that included 6x800 in about 3:34 with 400 between
Wednesday  Rest
Thursday   7 with a 5 mile tempo at 8:20 mile pace
Friday       5 elliptical due to strong winds and power outages all over
Saturday   6 easy

Loving wearing my sparkle skirts on my Sunday long runs to hold my phone and a little snack.
Happy training and tell the snow to stay away.  I saw a few wet flakes the past few days.

Sparkle Mail

I love getting sparkle mail.   Sparkle mail is what I (and other sparkle fans) refer to when we get our running skirts in the mail.  The company Sparkle Skirts is based out of Florida and they make the most amazing running skirts.  When you get your package it comes with glitter tissue paper wrapped around your skirt and a quick note from the people that work there (usually a good luck with your upcoming race or happy running around town).  They respond to e-mails really fast too!

 This was my first Sparkle Skirt (pixie dust).  It is lime green with sparkley sequins all over it.  The best part is the spandex shorts underneath that have large pockets for carrying gels and such (a must for long runs and races).  I was hooked after this and bought their mud busters (just the shorts) for under other running costumes.

 I was going to order a whole new skirt for running but since I really love the zipper pocket in the waistband for my phone and with the cold weather requiring a jacket for my gels I got these two "commando" skirts instead.  They don't have the built in shorts so you can wear leggings or shorts of your own under.  Autumn and Purple Passion are great and really make me feel special on my weekly long runs.

This is me after my Sunday long run with purple passion.  I can pop my mud busters under it and have some extra carrying capacity and keep warm with double "coverage" on my legs in the chilly months ahead.

Weekly Training Round Up week 7

This past week I hit most of the training miles and definitely the paces for my workouts.  I also got some sparkle mail.  If you don't know what that is check in later this week to find out what I'm talking about.  Anyways, here is the weeks worth of training:

Sunday     long run just under 11 miles in 1 hour 35 minutes
Monday   3 easy
Tuesday   8x600 with 400 recovery.  Nailed the pace of about 2:39 for each 600 (7 total)
Wednesday  rest
Thursday  3 mile tempo at 8:45 pace plus warm up and cool down (5 total)
Friday      4 easy
Saturday  6 easy

Weekly Total:  36 and a bunch of quality in there.

Weekly Training Roundup Dopey Week 5 & 6

Sorry about missing my weekly training info for last week.  I went up to Vermont for a few days to be a leaf peeper even though we have gorgeous leaves here.  Then I had a smidge of a cold and it just was snooze mode for me for a while there.

Week 5
Sunday     6 medium pace (not easy but not hard)
Monday    4 easy and it was raining buckets
Tuesday    6 easy but my right calf bothering me a lot, very tight
Wednesday  6 easy but calf really bad
Thursday    0
Friday        0
Saturday    0
Week total:  16 and hoping the rest makes my calf magically better

Week 6
Sunday      7 on the track (scared of back country roads... people zing on those corners) calf a bit tight
Monday     0 this is the day I got whammoed with a cold.  head pounding, nauseous
Tuesday     5  supposed to do a track workout and swapped it with 3 miles of fartleck doing step counts
Wednesday  3.5 elliptical miles very easy
Thursday    5 miles with a tempo for 3ish miles in 24:45
Friday         4 easy
Saturday     7 easy
Total:  28

Weekly Training Roundup Week 4 of Dopey

Unusually hot temperatures for this time of year were happening in Upstate NY.  Not that I'm complaining about it but I do love me some crisp fall air to go with the changing leaves and to make me feel great on my runs (heat and humidity are hard).
Sunday     big fat 0 goes here (we were in Buffalo visiting hubby's family)
Monday    1  I just felt horrible with a headache that didn't want to go away even after asprin
Tuesday    6 easy but my right calf was bothering me and foot
Wednesday  5 easy and wore my old shoes
Thursday   7 medium-ish pace (not hard or easy) and wore old shoes, foot/calf almost all better
Friday       3 easy and perfectly fine
Saturday    5 easy
Total for the week was 27 miles

I had been wearing my Newtons prior to middle of this week.  They weren't comfortable but they weren't uncomfortable either.  I think they are just a half size too big but I had to go with that based on what info I was given when I bough having been new to the brand.  I am not writing the shoes off completely, but just for now as I need to start kicking up the pace and miles the next few weeks/months as I get ready to be Dopey.

Weekly Training Roundup Week 3 Dopey

This week went pretty well.  We've had those wonderful, crisp Fall mornings that warm up nicely in the afternoons.  I am loving my pumpkin coffee and basically pumpkin anything right now.  The smells of fall are the best here in upstate NY.  After the Spartan Sprint my legs just felt like dead weight running for a few days.  I felt great but my legs were having none of it (thanks mountain).  Anyways, here is what my training looked like this past week:
Sunday      0 sore from the Sprint (you would be too after hiking a mountain and 30 burpees and obstacles)
Monday    4 very easy
Tuesday    4 easy
Wednesday  3 easy--felt just awful
Thursday     5 easy
Friday        0 I just didn't want to run despite the gorgeous weather
Saturday    5 and felt great- my legs are back :)

This was one of those weeks where I listened to my body and did a lot of walk/jog and easy days (even though those were what are scheduled anyhow).  I am hoping to get a few faster runs in the week coming up.

Weekly Training Roundup week 2 of Dopey

So week #2 of the Dopey training looked like this for me:
Sunday      5 easy and mow the lawn
Monday     3 elliptical miles with cold rain outside all day
Tuesday     5 easy
Wednesday 5 easy
Thursday    5 elliptical and mow the lawn
Friday        3 easy
Saturday death by burpees

Actually Saturday was challenging but I survived.  My friend Dani decided it was a good idea to do a Spartan Sprint.  I agreed a month ago to this and didn't train for it.  I ignored the workout of the days from them (ha, run a few laps and then do burpees.  I'll just run).  Should have done some stinkin' burpees to get ready for this since we hauled it up to the top of a mountain and back down plus some crazy obstacles and if you "failed" you did burpees.  After one failed obstacle I was not going to fail anymore since my arms were shot (30 burpess will do that to me).  Will post more and photos when they are available to me from the race.   Another tip if you consider a Spartan race... (it is fun) make sure you pick a non-championship event one since I believe it may be easier, but only slightly.

Cold Weather Long Run Must Have(s)

With fall in the air it is time to start thinking about those oldies but goodies that have been tucked away since late spring when most were no longer a blip on my radar.  

 My Brooks reflective windbreaker/jacket.  I love that it is light weight and makes me very visible to cars.  If I get warm I unzip and can leave it or take it completely off and tie around my waist.  Basically everything I own (shirt wise) that I run in is this color or hot pink.  I very seldom run in any other color.  Safety is most important.

 Baby oil gel is nice to have in the chilly and winter months.  I put it on my ankles since they always get so dry and red.  I love it better than lotion since it lasts longer and really gives me that layer of protection.  I even slather it on my face when it is really cold out to help with windburn.  Put a little in the ends of my hair as well so help with those dry ends since the cold just pulls moisture.  Another must is protecting my lips with some good old fashioned Vasoline.  It stays on longer than chapstick and doesn't melt off (well, it is cold out).

 Baby powder is a go to for many things.  This is for my medium length runs (up to about 8 miles).  Helps with chafing.  We've got those layers and it's cold while we are sweating.  It happens but most of us just don't talk about it.  Speaking of longer than 8 miles I discovered this wonderful item thanks to my sister having a baby.  Amazing and lasts for a long, long time to protect from chafing.

Of course if you are going to run for a long time you need to have some energy.  I've found that I love the orange blossom Honey Stingers the best.  They are not red so that is what works for me.  Taste great and are easy to chew/swallow.  It is like carrying fruit snacks.  The package keeps them fresh and not making a mess everywhere.  Even in the cold they stay a soft chewy unlike starbursts that I've tried in the past that get very hard and tough to chew.  

What are some of your go to winter/late fall running must haves?  I must have some Pumpkin anything for it to be fall (coffee, pie...)

Weekly Training Roundup

After Disneyland I took a few days off from running and then did a few easy miles for the rest of the first week.  I've been wearing my Newton running shoes and am adjusting to them but still not so sure of them.  I think I'd like them better with 5 lugs instead of 4 but I've adjusted the laces and that is helping a lot with the comfort.  I am starting my "Dopey" training now and it really won't be much different from my regular training.
9/8 Sunday    4 easy
      Monday   0 (I mowed the lawn)
      Tuesday   8 Hot and Humid, plus I only planned on 5 but a trail closure had me backtrack my loop
      Wednesday  3 elliptical miles with outdoor temps in the 90's
      Thursday  3 easy
      Friday       0 (painted at family members house, plus chilly rain)
      Saturday   4 easy
TOTAL:  19 miles

I also spent 7 hours on Saturday at a GOTR training and CPR/AED training.  My upcoming weekly mileage isn't much different but a few longer easy runs.

Hansons Marathon Method

Training for the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare I am using the Hansons Marathon Method.  In the past I've used other training methods and after reading this book have decided that I am going to follow this and see how things go.

The training plan basically has you running 5-6 days a week but the miles are more evenly spread between the days instead of like the plans I've followed in the past with most miles for the week coming from the long run.  A lot of what I read made sense to me since the training seems similar to what I did while competing in college.
I've written down all the workouts in my notebook with paces for my goal time based on what I ran Rochester in.  Knowing that I ran Rochester in 1:53 and 1:51 the year prior (both with little training) I've set my goal to be a 1:45 at Disneyland.  Of course weather will play a factor but I am going to train for that time.  If all goes well I will follow the Hanson Method for Dopey in January with a few little tweaks due to the 4 day event that Dopey entails.

Rochester 1/2 Training

I have signed up for the Rochester Flower City 1/2 Marathon on April 28th so that I can run a "decent" time to get put in a better corral for the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare in August/September (Labor Day Weekend).  After the times I ran this year for Goofy and the narrow course in Cali I need to be moved to coral A or B so I can "stretch my legs" and have a good race there.

old ad...motivation???

I put together a lose training plan based on Hal Higdon's Marathon book (for the 1/2).  It's nice since it has 2 rest/off days a week that I sort of take the liberty of floating to where I need them depending on life.  So far I'm not doing a very good job following this, but at least it gets me on the elliptical for the intervals if the weather is icky and I am hitting miles for the week.  I am hoping that since we are getting a bit warmer that 15 with a windchill my motivation to dress to go out will win more than the elliptical and some netflix.  

Here it is, stuck to the fridge where I see it everyday and can "quick check" what I should be doing and know what is coming up.  In a few weeks I will write out my Dumbo Double Dare training plan... I have been reading a new book about marathon training and I want to give it a try.

Favorite Things...

Time for another installment of my favorite things for running.  Since we are definitely experiencing some chilly temps here in NY I've busted out some old time favorites as well as some new favorites.  Tried and true standbys are Vasoline (for lips it's better than chapstick for those long runs) and some baby oil (rub it into the ends of your hair so that the dry air outside takes that moisture... also leaves hair silky smooth after a wash).

 Tennis balls.  They are tried and true.  They are great to roll your foot over to alleviate some tight arches and massage your foot.  You can also "sit" on them by supporting most of your weight with your hands and roll it around your tight hamstrings or butt.

My somewhat new favorites include Johnson's baby oil gel.  It is like baby oil but in a gel form.  This has been amazing instead of lotion after the shower at alleviating dry ankles and skin.  We are talking the moisture from this oil gel lasts all day and beyond.  The green egg shaped thing is EOS lip balm in honeydew flavor.  It's great for use during the day and it doesn't get lost in a bag as easily as traditional chapstick due to the shape of it.  It comes in a variety of flavors but let's be honest, I picked that one because it was green.  Last, a leave in defrizz serum from Ulta.  I rub this in my hair daily after my shower and it helps with tangles and keeping my hair protected from the elements.  I didn't have any in Florida for the marathon and my hair was very frazzled looking at the end of the week, despite my extra use of conditioner.