Runninghood

30k Marathon Pace Run Win, Slumber Parties, Celebration, and Sweaty Pits

2012-03-04T13:03:00.006-08:00

What a week! First 70 mile week I've ever run, a house full of sick kids, husband out of town, a fun "sweaty and embarrassing" March story hour, a successful 30k race with 13.63 of them @ marathon paceish,watching The Lorax with my girls, and ending it all with with some good solid girlfriend time by having an old school sleepover (ice cream, movies and plenty of laughter included). I was able to dodge this sick bug for the entire week until this morning and now I'm left with this:

This girl played TOO HARD! Poor Nicole... I went on a recovery run with her this morning and she was kind enough to stick with me for five miles at an incredibly sloooow pace while I whined the entire time about how sick I was. But I ran 70! Woot woot!

Training, Training, Training, Running, Running, Running
If you don't count that this week is ending with being sick, it's been a good week of training and I was feeling strong (hope to be feeling strong again by Tuesday).

Mon. 2/27: 10 miles
Tues. 2/28: 11 miles w/5@1200's @ 6:19 pace with the 5th @ 6:15 pace. Quarter mile AR in between.
Wed. 2/29: 15 eye poking miles on the treadmill.
Thurs. 3/1: 10 miles
Fri 3/2: Off
Sat. 3/3: 30k with first 5 easy and then last 13.63 @ 7:29 average. 7:36 Average for all of it.
Sun. 3/4 VERY slow 5 mile sick recovery run.

Saturday's 30k:
First off, I will admit that I was a little mathematically challenged this week. I'm usually quite good at math actually but for some strange reason, I had it in my head that a 30k was 18 miles flat. Um, DUH! Of course it is 6.2 x 3. Hello Masters Degree! It is working for me. And then I was supposed to do 12 miles @ marathon pace with 18 total so in my head I decided that would be running the first 5 easy and then I'd have 12 left. Hmmm, not sure who taught me math but I think I might blame it on my self-taught years. What?! So needless to say, I ran more miles at marathon pace than intended AND, the entire run (a 3 lap course), I kept thinking how horribly AWFUL I was at running the tangents. This is true but not bad enough for me to be adding on .64 to my assumed 18 mile run. Okay, forget blaming my self-taught years because I think that actually served me quite well in life. I'm blaming being a solo parent with VERY sick kids all week. Obviously my brain was affected but my body was waiting to crash until AFTER the running weekend.

Despite my way-off calculations, this 30k was a success!

Here's the skinny:

I had the pleasure of heading out to this ORRC 10k/30k race with Nicole from I Dream of Running. What a fun morning. We both brought home first place awards and a load of confidence and SMILES. It was really neat to share this good day with a girlfriend. If you get a chance, head over there to congratulate Nicole on her first place win in the 10k with a new PR of 40:59. This girl is only getting faster. And this PR was off of a 75 mile week for her.

Shoes I wore:

The Brooks Pure Flow shoes proved to be a great "ride". I was a little worried about wearing them for such a long run with so many faster miles since I haven't worn them much yet, but I'm glad I did because they "Flowed" and felt so smooth. Like floating. Thumbs up! The only issue with my feet today is that I am losing a toe nail or two and it HURTS! But that has nothing to do with the shoe choice.

Fuel:

I tried out these beans in a plastic tube this time. I held it in my hand while running. Honestly, it got annoying as the container emptied and I could hear the sound of the beans jostling around. Annoying for me AND the people I passed. I took two or three of these every 2 miles or so starting at mile 4.5ish. I finished them all by mile 12.4. Luckily, I wore my Nathan water belt and it fit so nicely and SO nice to have my water on hand when I wanted it!

Luckily I had one of these in my "Fanny Pack"...Ha! Or Water belt. Whatever you want to call it...it just isn't very sexy. But it works. I pulled one of these out at around mile 14 and took most of it by mile 15. I definitely felt myself needing a bit more fuel than the beans provided.

Stats:

Distance:	18.63 mi
Time:	2:21:40
Avg Pace:	7:36 min/mi
Elevation Gain:	288 ft

Average Pace for my 13.63 of Marathon Pace was 7:29. This sounds like a good goal for Boston but this was also off of a 70 mile week with tired legs so perhaps being tapered could mean running a bit faster. At the same time, I'd celebrate greatly if I could pull off a 7:29 pace for 26.2. We shall see. I'm not setting any definite goals for anybody but myself this time. I have a few numbers that I'm playing with in my head.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	2:21:40.3	18.63	7:36
1	7:50.5	1.00	7:50
2	8:05.9	1.00	8:06
3	7:56.1	1.00	7:56
4	7:54.1	1.00	7:54
5	7:53.6	1.00	7:54
6	7:28.0	1.00	7:28
7	7:30.1	1.00	7:30
8	7:28.6	1.00	7:29
9	7:26.5	1.00	7:27
10	8:01.3	1.00	8:01
11	7:13.7	1.00	7:14
12	7:20.0	1.00	7:20
13	7:34.5	1.00	7:34
14	7:25.2	1.00	7:25
15	7:37.3	1.00	7:37
16	7:47.1	1.00	7:47
17	7:27.0	1.00	7:27
18	7:18.7	1.00	7:19
19	4:22.0	0.63	6:55

Celebration
After a great run for both of us, Nicole and I celebrated with a good old fashioned "Slumber Party" at Nicole's house since her family was out of town and I didn't mind leaving my sick family to go to bed early. My friends that know me well know that I am not usually one to give up my own bed too easily. OR leave my family on a Saturday night (granted, I did't leave until 7p.m). And after a hard run, I am a little surprised that I got myself out the door for a sleepover and dinner without having a nap or much rest. Besides the fact that I woke up sick this morning, I'm glad I got outside of my social box and spent some time connecting with a girlfriend. Relationships are priceless. I realize more and more that there is so much value in having close girlfriends to get us through life.

Nicole treated me to a FABULOUS dinner at this cute Italian restaurant called Boccelli's. I enjoyed a yummy glass of Syrah and we both had this pasta that was INCREDIBLE to go along with the best bruschetta I've ever had. Thanks Nicole. Great memories.

And just to make you feel better about yourself:

WHO SWEATS LIKE THIS?? How embarrassing to be leading story hour in front of a bunch of parents and kids with pits like this. Good thing it was just sweat and NOT smelly. Suppose this is what happens when I'm hot and dancing around and doing the Bear Hunt with a bunch of preschoolers....in front of adults who are sipping on lattes. But GOOD GRIEF Lady!! It might be time to use the antiperspirant with nasty aluminum in it on occasions like this even though I refuse to wear it all the time. Funny thing, AFTER story time, I felt the need to go up to all the parents and talk about my sweaty pits. I made an awkward situation even more awkward as I mentioned how I wear deodorant but just not the kind with aluminum which keeps you from sweating. I think I mentioned the aluminum thing a couple more times. All the while, these ladies just smiled politely while probably biting their lips in hopes that I'd let them finish their conversations and stop drawing attention to my pits. What's my problem?

1. Who raced this weekend? Or had a great long run?
2. Anyone see The Lorax? What did you think? Overall, we really liked it. Made me a bit sad about the truth in the movie when it comes to environmental issues.
3. Do you still have slumber parties with your girlfriends?

Amanda

"Today You are YOU..." Thank you Dr. Suess!

2012-03-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to Dr. Suess! If you use facebook, go to book stores, or watch any kind of television, you might have picked up on the fact that today is a day when people all over our world are celebrating Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Suess!

source

The first thing you might think of when you hear Dr. Suess is that he wrote a lot of fabulous and fun books for kids. But in addition to all his children's books that have made reading come alive for so many, many of his words have become timeless quotes that are remembered by children and adults alike!

Dr. Suess quotes are some of my most treasured words and so I thought that today would be a good day to share some of them and have you share some of your favorites too!

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way."

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities."

This morning I asked some of you on my Runninghood facebook to share your favorite Dr. Suess quotes. I loved what quotes you had to share.

Allison: "You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes

Debbie from The Run Home (go like this page..she makes some great stuff :)) says:

Thinking about my favorite Dr. Seuss Quote today and it is just so true!

“Being crazy isn't enough.”
― Dr. Seuss

If you are training for a race, running for a team, trying to prove yourself, thinking of getting fit. BEING CRAZY IS NOT ENOUGH. Being crazy enough to want it, crazy enough to dream it, crazy enough to join your team, crazy enough to get off the couch. Not enough. You have to put that one crazy thought into motion. Live it. Breathe it. Want it. More than anything. BEING CRAZY ISN'T ENOUGH. Thank you, Dr. Seuss.

1. What are your favorite Dr. Suess quotes or books?

2. Do you celebrate Dr. Suess Day with your kids? Any traditions?
Amanda

Good and Bad but Thankful

2012-02-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

1. Good News:

I actually made time to read a book just for fun. It had nothing to do with running and it wasn't to learn about something. I read it just to enjoy a good story. OH, and because it was our book club book (not always a good enough reason for me to find the time to read fiction lately since my book club is cool like that if I don't read the book). But the biggest reason that I made myself read this book is because the author is coming to our book club for dinner, conversation and book signing.

More good news is that I liked this book and it made me grow and think.

BAD NEWS:

Cathy Lamb (the author) is coming to our book club TONIGHT. In fact, she's there RIGHT NOW. And I'm NOT. I'm home with sick kids and no hubby to help. Sad to miss out.

2. Good News:

Training seems to be going really well. I've already run 36 of my 70-75 miles for this week. Yesterday was my first day in this plan to have a speed workout that isn't a tempo/threshold run. I ran five 1200's with a total of 11 miles. My splits were 6:19 pace for the first four and 6:15 pace for the last one. I jogged a 400m active recover between each 1200. On Saturday I will run in a 30k race and use it as a training run with 12 of the miles at marathon pace or around there. Looking forward to it.

Bad News:

All of my running this week has been on the Treadmill in my garage. I almost poked my eyes out today while running 15 miles on that thing. I ended up taking several small breaks to help get kids involved in new activities, take care of my sick daughter, put my son down for a nap, and post a facebook status on Runninghood about my eye-poking treadmill fun before I decided to stop whining and get the job done. I'm so very thankful for that treadmill though. I couldn't do these miles without it.

3. Good News:

I've been having a really great past couple of days with my kids. God has given me an incredible amount of patience and love...more than usual...and I've been enjoying having all three of my kids home. We've done some fun crafts, cuddled lots on the couch, and read lots of books.

Bad News:

The reason it has been so low key around here and my kids have all been home is because they are sick.

4. Bad News:

My roses from Valentine's Day were wilting.

Good News:

I used the flower petals for some fun flower art. This activity provided peace and quiet for at least 5 minutes.

5. Bad News:

I've been eating way too many of the wrong kind of calories lately. Just stuffing my face. All the freaking time! It is ridiculous and I must get it under control by getting back on track in eating lots of good carbs, veggies, and good fats!

Good News:

A lot of the stuff I've been eating has been really delicious and baked with love. Two of my friends brought "food gifts" this week. Homemade bread and red velvet cupcakes. A perfect week for it too since my husband was out of town and my kids have been sick.

Things I'm Thankful for:

Girlfriends. The close kind. The kind that you can trust. The kind that are there for you. The kind that accept you and love you for who you are. The kind that you can laugh with. The new ones that feel like old ones. Even the ones that you've never physically "met" before but still feel like you've known them always.
Training is on track for a really great marathon.
Going to the beach this weekend for a night with good friends.
My 30k this weekend. Even though I'm not racing it, it will be fun to be in a race atmosphere.
Hearing "I love you Mama" many times this week. It feels good to be needed and loved.
Art and creativity coming back into our daily routine.
Having a treadmill.
Not being in a rush to be anywhere but where I'm at in life. I'm happy.

What are some of your Bad News/Good News statements? Or what are some things you are thankful for today?

Amanda

Running in Narnia

2012-02-26T22:13:00.006-08:00

Off on a women's retreat this weekend with my church.
Ran both days in a winter wonderland. Softly falling snow, solitude, rushing rivers, heavy trees. Felt like Narnia this morning. Almost expected a wicked queen to come around on her sleigh and offer me some Turkish Delight before turning me into stone.
I ran VERY slow and easy. Just gave myself a break. Didn't run my 17 mile long run today. Instead I ran 7. I'm okay with this.
My head and heart are full. Heavy might not be the right word but I certainly have much to process.
It is somewhat easy for me to be open and vulnerable in most areas of my life. Except when it comes to my relationship with God. This is so very personal. This weekend stretched me in a lot of ways and I'm emotionally EXHAUSTED.
My Mom cup was FULL when I got home and it was so nice to be with my kids. I missed them. And my husband.
So thankful for my family.
Glad to have made new friendships and spent time in prayer and worship. But not so sure I'm comfortable with the walls coming down. I'm kind of private when it comes to my spiritual beliefs. This is a HARD thing for me. I'm feeling just a tad vulnerable and not so sure I like the feeling right now.
Thankful for comforts and familiarity. Good friends, family, routine, my home, TIME alone, My walls/boundaries. I am beginning to think I have more introvert in me than I ever thought. I think we all have a little of both but after this weekend, I'm realizing that I like being alone way more than I was aware. This weekend was fun and relaxing but it was also a lot of work on a mental and emotional level.
Running for two days through winding mountain roads was absolutely beautiful. Boston training was far far away from my mind and my running was just about being in nature and doing something I love. This was a good break and was perfect timing for a cutback week in my plan. I cut back a bit more in mileage than my plan called for. I think this was good for me.

Afterthoughts from this morning:

A weekend of retreat food totally gives me gas. My appetite was HUGE this weekend. Partly to do with the fact that I'm marathon training and partly to do with the fact that I'm a nervous eater. Stuffing food in my mouth is surely a habit I have when I'm not totally in my comfort zone. A church retreat would be one of these places.

I really would have enjoyed a glass of wine this weekend. Or a cold beer. I was convicted of several things this weekend but one of them was that the occasional glass of wine or beer is really nice.

Church retreats and church events can sometimes feel suffocating for me. Only because it seems like too many people have their HOLY masks on and it keeps them from being REAL. I have had some really awful church experiences so it has taken years to let my guard down and be open to new beginnings. It is easy to fall into a trap of having a church face and a real-life face because we think in order to have faith and have a personal relationship with God where we feel loved, we have to fit a certain mold. Overall, this retreat wasn't like that at all (it was refreshing)...people were real and down to earth from what I could tell from not really knowing anyone. But there were a few times that I just wanted to stand up and say: "Hi, my name is Amanda. I believe in God and want to grow in my faith. I also enjoy saying the F words sometimes, I lose my shit often, I like beer, and I'm really excited to watch The Bachelor tomorrow night." Actually, maybe I did say this at one point. The big thing for me is that I just crave REAL. I want to know people...the REAL them...not the "holy mask" them.

So nice waking up in my own bed this morning and getting up early to run faster than the slug pace I was going this weekend.

Oh, is it really only 7 weeks to Boston?!

Amanda

Finding My Color and Reconnecting With ME

2012-02-24T13:25:00.004-08:00

Every once in awhile I find that I'm feeling pretty far away from myself. I start feeling my world get cloudy and "blur-like". Almost like I'm losing touch with the things that are most important to being my best self. After rereading some posts that I wrote on here from last year about things like habits of happiness, making today great, or even refocusing on life with goals, I realize that I wrote these posts during a time of great inspiration. I wrote them at times where I felt most alive, grounded and connected with ME. I wrote them at times that I was making myself most vulnerable and sharing my personal journal reflections on a regular basis. Things have been different lately. It isn't that my life is out of control or even unbalanced right now. In fact, Life has been pretty darn extraordinary. But something has just been missing. My self reflection time has been taking a back seat as I focus on Boston training and checking things off my everyday lists. My journals have been collecting a bit of dust as they sit on the shelf untouched. And with this has come a very tangible DISCONNECT in my life that has dulled my inspiration and taken away just a bit of the color that makes my heart sing.

But this morning, I took advantage of a peaceful house and the sunshine streaming in my windows and I found a perfect place on my rug with my coffee, a pen and my journal to regroup and connect with myself. As many of you know, my journals (even my running journal) are my greatest tool for connecting with myself and living a goal driven life of gratitude and clarity. My time in my journals is KEY for me to be the best Amanda! This journal time left me feeling inspired, energized and deeply grounded. The whole day took on a new angle for me and life around me just seemed to be "unblurred". Clarity. Color.

Some things I reflected on today:

Motherhood. It is so easy to get caught up in the busy parts and lose the magic parts. Errands, appointments, homework, messes, chores, teaching manners and social skills, etc. But overall, I think I've done a pretty good job at pulling myself into the PRESENT enough to take the mental pictures and SAVOR this time. It goes too fast! I'm proud of myself in this area.
Boston Training. You know, I say that this marathon training takes a lot of time but really, I've been managing it all very well this time around. I'm actually ENJOYING it greatly as of this week. I do get tired and worn out with following a plan. Some days I don't want to run but overall, things are FUN and I want to keep it that way. A few weeks ago things started feeling like work and I felt discouraged but with a little mental shift, things became fun again. I'm fitting in my runs AND still making time to be a solid mother and wife most days. Other things have slowed down (blog for example) but I'm hitting the main targets.
Friendships...Another pretty solid thing in my life right now. I've made a point to reach out and keep my friendships growing. I feel blessed with some really great women in my life that are so very wonderful. A big thing for me right now is asking myself how I can be there for my friends and not being all about myself. I still need to work on this so that I'm not just taking. Even things a s simple as a note to tell them I love them. There is one friendship in my life that continues to hurt me despite all the people that tell me to just let it go. It is a friendship that has never been easy and one that always leaves me feeling UNIMPORTANT, misunderstood and used. :( I suppose that I need to listen to my husband and friends and just let this person go. I deserve better. And so does she. Our entire friendship as been a big ball of misunderstanding. Some people just weren't meant to be friends. And that's okay. No more self blame or defensiveness. Friends will come and go.

Some things I'm being conscious of and working on making REAL:

Bringing ART and creativity back in to our home as much as it used to be! This has involved buying a new art easel for the kids. This has just screamed "CREATE" and the kids are all about using chalk, paint, markers and more. This makes me smile.

READING. This one is for myself and my kids. I've kind of slowed down with my reading life and also with how much I was reading to my kids. The past few weeks we've read a novel a week as read aloud at night and the girls are loving it. Our current read is George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl. We'll have this one read in two nights. I'm also reading a novel right now...imagine that! Not a lot of time to read these days with fitting in the miles but I've been enjoying it. And I'm modeling reading for my kids...I like this. Growing READERS HERE! Realistically though, there are not many times during the day (or any really) that I have time to sit down and read for myself. So that usually comes at the end of the day and then I'm often too tired.
JOURNALING, REFLECTING, WRITING FOR ME! And Sharing With YOU TOO. I really want to get back to where my blog started. So much of it was just me sharing my reflections and most personal parts of my life with others. Yes, running was a part of it too but not just running. It is the vulnerable, reflective, raw Amanda that I see so much of a year ago and I miss her. I need this! Not so much the sharing part but the reflecting part.

I'm off this weekend for a women's retreat with a bunch of women I don't really know. Should be a very rich experience and I'm anticipating a lot of time to reconnect with myself as well as make some new friends. I'm excited.

My Threshold workout today:

10 miles @ 7:36 avg (not a true 7:36 avg since I stopped for a few minutes after 4 miles and before tempo part to turn on a 27 minute show for my kiddos so that I could finish my run)

4 miles @8:27-8:34 pace

1 mile 6:59

1 mile 6:54

.5 @ 6:44

.5 @ 6:27

2 miles to finish with last mile @ 7:14.

Feeling Strong!

Happy Friday!

Amanda

Boston Marathon Advice! Your Comments, Memories, Tips, Strategies, and Thoughts are WELCOME!

2012-02-21T16:35:00.000-08:00

Is it really only 8 weeks until the Boston Marathon? Wooo weee! I remember saying that it was only 20 weeks to go and that just seems like yesterday. However, it seems like forever ago that I ran Boston in 2004. And I don't remember much AT ALL. People ask me about the course, what I did before the race started, good restaurants and hotels, the expo, etc. and I really can't tell them much. This is pretty much all I do remember:

I didn't know anyone else running.
It was my second marathon.
I had just found out what the Boston Marathon was only a year prior to running it.
The expo was really cool. I had never seen so much running stuff on sale. And it was like a world created entirely for people like ME. In fact, there were tons of people there that looked just like me...the runner look. So exciting!
Some little kids handed me orange slices and some college girls yelled really loud when I passed their college that started with a W.
I took a bus ride on the way to the start and talked to an old man who had done this ride many times.
I was handed a sharpie marker while sitting on the grass waiting to start the race and was told that the cool thing to do was to write my name on my legs and arms. It was similar to what I imagine it being like at a concert when a joint is passed around. Only it wasn't a concert and we were passing around a marker. But everyone was really cool about sharing the black ink. Ha!
It was 80 degrees. Record breaking heat for the Boston marathon.
I had NO plan. None. I was there to have fun.
I could barely hit what felt like a 10 minute mile pace when I was finishing but I didn't keep track of my splits then and I surely didn't own a Garmin.
Instead of an ice bath, I took a hot bath and then went out and partied after the race. My husband almost had to get me a wheel chair in the airport the next day in order to make our flight. But I got really pissed and yelled at him not to even DARE. How embarrassing. Took me at least 5 minutes to sit down in my seat on the airplane.
When I got back to my third grade class, they all cheered and told me that they taped the race and hoped to see me. They asked if I won. They thought I was a superstar. I loved them for this.
I bought a really expensive jacket in a size or two too big since apparently I thought I was a medium or large back then or maybe it was the style to wear oversized clothing. Anyway, I never wore the jacket because I always felt funny about wearing a jacket with really big lettering that said BOSTON MARATHON 2004 on the back. Or at least it felt very big. Not subtle. I felt silly wearing it to races and stretching out and doing drills so I would save it for when I'd run around my neighborhood. But now I would wear it with pride and plan on getting another one. Luckily, it seems that they make the jackets a bit more on the modest side now.
I don't remember the race really. What is happening to my memory? I remember one mile before the finish line but not the finish line. I remember being at the top of heartbreak hill. And I remember the start and some random parts of the race but not much more. Oh, and I remember starting with a woman with a really nice body and being in Absolute AWE that she had three kids at home!!! I didn't understand how someone with three kids could be running the Boston Marathon and look like her.

Well, that's about it. NOT very helpful information if I were to be giving advice to someone who was heading to the Boston Marathon for their first time. In fact, I'm hoping some of you have some helpful tips, advice, or useful pieces of information to share! Even if you've never run the Boston Marathon but know about it.

What Will I Do With Your Information??

I thought it would be great to get as many useful comments about the Boston Marathon as I can and then compile everyone's comments into one post that can be used by everyone that is heading to Boston this April or in the future. Even the funny random ones that have nothing to do about the race itself but might be fun to know while we are in Boston. Like a certain stop light that drives you nuts or a good place to get bagels and cream cheese. Or the best place to drink a nice cold beer after the race. Or what NOT to do on the Newton hills. So....

What are some great places to stay?
Where are the most affordable places to stay?
Tell us about the most ideal spots to be near.
Tips about public transportation.
Where are your favorite spots to eat? Drink? Shop?
Where do you run before the big day?
Do you go early?
Favorite mile in the race?
Race strategy...this one is BIG!
After race ritual?
Good place to celebrate?
Fun restaurant to carbo load before the big day.
Things to PACK in your race day bag to take up to the starting line!!! I want to know this one.
Whatever else you can think of to share. Even your favorite kind of bra to wear or some kind of superstitious routine.

Please share as much or as little as you have to share. Contribute to this bloggy conversation! I want to hear from you way more than I want to spend time googling Boston Marathon tips and advice and reading long articles by people I don't know. I want to hear from the people just like you, you and you that have, want to, or will run the Boston Marathon! I hope to get lots of serious, funny, fun, useful, and wise words that I can share in one big post in a few weeks that we can ALL enjoy. So, send your running friends over so they can contribute to this too.

Happy Tuesday,

Amanda

Lessons from the Long Run

2012-02-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

When I trained for my first marathon, I didn't think too much about running fast or setting a big goal. My big goal was to run a marathon. Time wasn't an issue. I chose the first training plan that I found when I googled "marathon training plans" and I went with it. My long runs were all run slow and easy and I never really thought of them as a key workout. They were just opportunities to fit in the miles. Now that I am on my fifth marathon and I am training to do more than just finish but rather to be faster, the long run has come to be perhaps the most important of all my weekly runs.

Each and every one of my longs have proven to be opportunities for me to not only grow and connect with myself on a personal level but also to gain more understanding of how I will will want things to be on race day. These long runs are my "dress rehearsals". Whether they are run with some miles at marathon pace or just slow and easy, they give me an opportunity to test out fuel, music, gear, strategy, mental cues, mantras, etc. And they surely give me plenty of time on my feet to fit in the miles AND have the time to connect with myself, God, and reflect on life.

My long runs these past two or three weeks have really given me lots to reflect on. I've been getting up really early on Sunday mornings so that I can fit my long runs in and still have time to make it to church with my family. I like the way things are working now. And I like that I've started seeing my long runs as more of a key workout instead of just logging miles. I've had a chance to test out marathon pace, new fuel options, and really think about what I want from this Boston Marathon.

Today's run didn't call for anything special. Just 18 easy miles. I did end up running it more progressively and finishing stronger and faster than just "easy". It ended up being 18.30 miles in an 8:05 average. Nothing jaw dropping for me personally but I learned a lot on this run and I came home with some new goals in mind as well as a bit more confidence in myself than I've been feeling lately when it comes to running. My splits were as follows:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	2:28:01.6	18.30	8:05
1	8:48.6	1.00	8:49 nice slow warm up
2	8:37.7	1.00	8:38
3	8:37.7	1.00	8:38
4	8:30.2	1.00	8:30
5	8:03.0	1.00	8:03
6	7:51.0	1.00	7:51
7	8:02.1	1.00	8:02
8	8:06.7	1.00	8:07
9	7:51.5	1.00	7:52
10	8:06.7	1.00	8:07
11	8:00.3	1.00	8:00
12	7:58.6	1.00	7:59
13	8:13.2	1.00	8:13 some muddy trail running here.
14	8:10.1	1.00	8:10 more trail.
15	8:09.0	1.00	8:09
16	7:50.9	1.00	7:51
17	7:16.7	1.00	7:17
18	7:38.4	1.00	7:38 steep hill
19	2:09.2	0.30	7:11

Here are a few things I've had a chance to think about on my long runs the past few weeks:

Fuel
Long runs are a GREAT opportunity to actually try out different strategies for fueling during these longer distances. The past two weeks I've tried just taking my water belt with 20 oz of water and using sports beans to fuel gradually over the course of the run. Today I tried these:

I'm not entirely sure what I think about the "Extreme" part of these with the caffeine but they served me well. My stomach seems a little upset compared to the sports beans without caffeine but that could just be because of other things. Some things I do know about experimenting with my fuel:

I'm convince that I it will work best for me to fuel gradually instead of taking gels all at once at different times. I'm not sure what this will look like yet but maybe it is just that I start with these beans at mile 5-7 and take a few every mile or two with sips of water. This would be harder to do if I don't have my own fuel belt. The beans can also slow me down since I'm fiddling with a bag. I could also do this with little bits of GU.
I'm not sure HOW MUCH fuel I will need to "race" a marathon and not just "run" it. I think it might be interesting to try a bag of beans up until mile 20 and then take a gel to finish strong.
I'd also like to try fueling off of just Powerade, Gatorade or some drink like this. Maybe alternating it with water if it is warmer outside. This is one strategy that my friend Nicole talked with her coach about.

Pace

I'm getting closer and closer to finding my hopeful marathon pace. I am fully aware that Boston isn't the easiest marathon course out there so I'm being realistic about my goals but after today I'm ready to be a bit more aggressive with them too. I plan on racing this baby harder than I did when I did it last time...that's a fact. Today's run was just a normal long run but just the fact that 8:00 pace felt so natural is a sign that I'm getting stronger. Mile 17 was 7:17 pace and while I was running it, I was saying to myself "I can't believe I'm NOT tired!! I'm not tired!" No joke, I said this out loud. I felt so strong and this made me very happy. Especially at the end of a long run.

Music

No music for me. I don't remember the last time I ran outside with music. And I LOVE it. Perhaps my head is just too full lately but I've really been loving these long runs with nothing to listen to other than my own thoughts. It has been a very peaceful and focused time for me. I'm probably NOT going to race Boston with music. In fact, as of today, I won't be. I'm learning that music might be a distraction for me that I can afford. It can be nice sometimes too but just not now.

Prayer

Connecting with God and having time to pray is always something that brings my life strength and clarity. My early morning long runs have proven to be a great time for this. I've felt such a connection with God lately when I'm running. And it is these long runs that leave me with the most time to be alone and reflect things. Oh, how this has helped me in so many other areas of my life.

Confidence

As I was running today and keeping things easy and comfortable, I just felt so strong. Things are solid right now. And I could feel my confidence coming back. Not that it was entirely gone but I've been having doubts in what I am really capable of. I've been setting my sights a bit lower than perhaps I'm capable of when it comes to ability. I'm realizing more and more that such a big part of this whole training gig and reaching big goals is BELIEVING WE CAN! Obviously this is within reason, but oh so much power comes when we just BELIEVE that we have what it takes! This is coming to me slowly but surely.

I continue to learn so much about myself and life through my training. Training for a marathon takes a lot of time and energy. It requires us to give certain things up and manage our time wisely but it also allows us to gain so much energy, wisdom, self discipline and satisfaction that can be applied to the rest of our lives. Yes, it all takes time, but in the "long run" it proves to be well worth it.

Amanda

Silence that is GREEN, Motherhood Reflections, and Week 4 of Boston Training

2012-02-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

Silence.
Not even sure I can imagine silence anymore. When my kids aren't talking loudly, asking me questions, or creating noise of one kind or another, my head is usually loud enough with my own thoughts to keep me from even recognizing silence when I do have it. I really should make more of an effort to just...
Be
Still
With Silence.
This would mean getting up extra early for some morning meditation. Or turning everything off at night and just sitting for a bit with myself before I fall asleep. Silence is most definitely not going to be found around here during the day. I'm certain this practice of BEING with silence would be good for me to start. After Boston. Until then...

Here's another kind of silence that I'm lovin' as of today:

The Green Silence by Brooks

I've been wanting a nice light shoe to use for shorter races like the 10k and 5k. It has taken me forever to get a pair since I've been content just racing in my Brooks Launch but after hearing about these shoes from several friends, I finally ordered a pair. It was hard deciding on a color because they come in some really cool designs! I went with the baby blue but I'm sure this won't be my only pair. My first thoughts when ordering these was that if they didn't work out for a racing shoe, they would surely make a great addition to my wardrobe and look cute with jeans, shorts, capris and even a sporty dress! You can read all about these shoes on the Brooks Running website. You can also read more about them by reading the excellent review of them on RunBlogger. I can't write a very good review of these shoes at this time since I've only run in them once. My initial thoughts:

I like that they are a "Green" shoe and are made with recycled materials.
They felt great in my tempo run today. I ran a total of 6 miles in them and then switched back to my Launches just to make sure I wasn't overdoing it on my first time in them.
They are only 6.9 oz
I think they will make a good racing flat for 10k and under or even up to the half marathon perhaps. The review that Pete from RunBlogger did says that he would give them a thumbs up for a marathon even.
They are so CUTE. I know, not the biggest reason to buy a shoe but with this shoe fashion meets function. I might have to break the rules and wear these out sometimes when I'm NOT running. Shhh, is that allowed? If anything, I'll just have to replace them sooner.
They look unique with the way the laces tie

Here's what Brooks has to say about them on their site:

"Make an eco-statement with the Green Silence racing flat. Each and every part in this fast, groundbreaking shoe has a sustainable element, including soy-based inks and recycled materials. And in this case, "green" goes hand-in-hand with the great performance you expect from Brooks. The Green Silence helps you take responsibility, and first place—with good karma to spare. Weight: 6.9 oz."

And if you're interested in seeing some of the other styles, here are just a couple:

Ooooh, I didn't even know until now that they have brown! After these have too many miles on them for running, wouldn't they be cute with jeans? Putting them on my wish list. And brown is easier to keep clean than the blue that I have.

I know that this SPEEDY GIRL loves these shoes and I'm pretty sure she has this color.

Boston Training
So far so good. I'm recovering quite nicely from my strains that I had awhile back. I've been eating lots of healthy (and some not healthy) food, making sure I get adequate recovery, taking time for core work (although still don't have a set routine), and really just enjoying running without OVER-thinking the whole thing. I'm not making things any more complicated than they need to be. Just running. And taking care of myself and my family. Thankful for good friends to keep me in check and help me keep things in perspective. Here are some randoms of training:

I'm still having to break up my mid-distance runs that are over 11 miles. I just don't have the time to fit in a 15 mile run in one stretch of my day but once a week I do go to the gym and do 11 miles while my little man plays in the gym daycare. He enjoys it and it gives me a chance to fit in a longer run and still have plenty of time to be with my kiddos and feel productive as a mom, self, wife, etc. Then later in the day I can fit in 4 more.
My body is handling the mileage very well and I'm glad I decided to only do the up to 70 miles a week plan instead of shooting for higher this time. I'm in a good spot for ME. No doubt that I could handle higher mileage but right now I am happy to just be healthy and strong. I'm not doing too much and I'm improving...isnt' that goal?
I'm still not entirely sure of my Boston goals. Part of me thinks I will just be content running strong and enjoying the ride without being too ambitious with my time goal. But this could also just be the part of me that is scared to shoot too high and then fail. If I'm ever going to see what I'm capable of, I have to get rid of the safety net. Not sure I'm ready.
I'm keeping on the weight. I always feel stronger and better about my body when I stay at 120 lbs without going under. I'm 5'4 and weigh more than most people think I do. If I got down to the weight that many people my height are then I would look AWFUL and not nearly as cute as they do at the same weight. 117 on me is probably the lowest I'd want to get and even that is pretty low for me. Weight is all relative. SO different for everyone! I'm just personally happy to be staying solid and strong without losing weight while I increase miles! Yay!
Core work often means playing with cars while in a plank position and using funny voices to make the cars talk and crash into each other. I'm okay with this. It's called multi-tasking.

And since I don't keep an online training log, I thought some of you might be interested in seeing some of my training. And some of you probably don't give two hoots. Here is this week (week 4 of 12 in Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger). I've been sticking pretty closely to the plan but last week I had to change some things around because of changes I made with my long run the week before. This is all part of being responsive and adaptive with training and I'm thankful that I'm learning so much about training so that I can make decisions that are best for me. This week has been spot on for following the plan.

Week 4:

Monday 2/13:

Off/Rest/Nada/Zip...a good solid Mommy Day! (20 miles on Sunday@ 8:13 pace and ending week with 68 miles)

Tues 2/14:

13 total A.M 9.5 on treadmill at 5:30 a.m so that I still had time to read to both of my girls' classes for Valentine's Day. Most at 8 min pace (7.5 speed) with lots of playing around with the incline. P.M 3.5 easy

Wed 2/15:

15 miles total. 11 miles in morning with some .25 pick ups @ 7:14 pace for first 5ish miles. Ran miles 6-10 @ 7:53 pace and mile 11 was 7:30ish. In afternoon I finished with 4 miles. Not sure my avg paces when I run on the treadmill and not outside with my garmin since I'm too lazy to do the math.

Thurs 2/16:

5 miles SLOW recovery with Nicole

Friday 2/17:

10 miles in 1:14:31 (this is with stopping the TM for 3 or 4 minutes to stretch, get my kids situated, etc. so not a true 7:27 avg since I had a couple breaks)

First 2 easy

5 mile threshold:

6:59

6:54

.25 @ 8:34 for active recovery

6:54

6:49

Finished 10 miles with last mile @ 7:24.

Feeling STRONG

Tomorrow:

5 miles recovery

Sunday:

18 miles

Motherhood
I have some motherhood reflections coming soon. Hope to get inspired to do a blog post on managing motherhood and marathon training and ways I make it all work without losing my mind or ruining theirs. Lots on my mind as I am ramping up my training here. What I am I talking about? It feels like I've been training forever really. I miss some of the motherhood magic that comes for me when I'm not focused on a serious goal. Although I'm surely enjoying my training and having fun with it right now, I do know that I will welcome the transition that will come when Boston is over. I'm not rushing it or wishing it away. Just knowing that when I'm not specifically training for something, I will have more energy and inspiration to be doing some of the things with my kids that make me excited as a mom. Like creating forts, going on more adventures around town, PAINTING and creating art, coming up with performances to perform for our family. I'm still finding time and energy for lots of fun and memorable things but I'll tell ya, this marathon training takes a lot out of this momma!

Hope motherhood, running, and life in general is good for you right now! Happy Friday!

1. Have you ever heard of or tried out the Green Silence shoes?
2. How do you balance motherhood and training so that you still feel like your doing a good job at both? What are you tricks for making it all flow? (Blog post about this coming soon).
3. Anyone racing this weekend? I know that Nicole from I Dream of Running is racing a 10k for a speed workout so go wish her good luck. That girl has got some talent to go with her beauty and strength!

Amanda

Things I'm Loving Lately

2012-02-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

I love Valentine's Day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, it is a holiday that can surely be overdone and used as an excuse for card companies and stores everywhere to make an extra buck. Just walking into most stores around this time of year can be an overwhelming overdose of pink, red and white. Chocolates, cards, stuffed animals, flowers...we can't help but feel the pressure to buy something. Can we say consumerism? But Valentine's Day doesn't have to be about spending money. It doesn't have to be yet another holiday about "stuff". Not if we don't "buy" into that side of things. It can simply be fun to have a special time of the year to create some special memories with our kids, slow down a bit to reflect on those we love, have an excuse for a little romance and embracing all things love. After all, there isn't much in life that is greater than LOVE, right? So, it makes sense to have a special holiday just to wrap ourselves up in it even though we should certainly still celebrate it year-round. I like having Valentine's Day as a reminder that EVERY day can be romantic and worthy of celebrating such a powerful part of living...LOVE!

In honor of it being almost Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share some of the things I've been loving in my life lately.

My Valentine This is a constant love for me. Not just "lately" but "always". As many of you know, we have a marriage journal that we write to each other in from time to time. It was fun taking a few minutes to write to him this morning while my daughter finished her preschool valentines. Gosh, this man is special to me!

New Brooks Launches There are very few things in my running world as sweet as putting on a new pair of Launch shoes. Oh baby, I love these shoes. I really hope that Brooks never ever ever stops making them because they really are a great shoe for me. Right out of the box, they feel like a small slice of running heaven. And I LOVE the new colors!!

Early Reading It wasn't too long ago that my oldest daughter (now almost 7) was learning to read and now my almost 5 year old is too. It has been so fun to watch her pick up these little B.O.B books and sound out the words to simple stories like Dot and Dot and Mit. I'm so proud of her and my teacher heart is especially happy. I've also been loving this time in my daughters' life where we can all enjoy a good read aloud from a longer book at night instead of just picture books. This week been living in the book Matilda, written by one of my all-time favorite authors, Roald Dahl. I used to love reading this book to my students and now I'm having a great time reading it to my girls. We've flown through it and will be done in less than a week's time. It is really neat to see them both excited about it and have them beg for just one more chapter!

Story Time/Early Literacy I may not be teaching in the classroom right now but I'm still finding ways to fill my teacher heart. One of the things I've been doing that has made me feel connected with the world of early literacy and children is the leading of story-time once a month to a group of preschool kids. I always leave feeling happy and energized. How can one NOT be energized after being part of a Bear Hunt and the Bean Bag Dance?! I'm also excited to read some Valentine's books to each of my daughters' classes this week as well. So far, my passion for early literacy instruction, teaching kids, and helping kids love reading and writing is still a pretty HUGE part of my heart. This is a good sign that I'm not done with this field yet and I will most likely return to my graduate studies and teaching in the classroom someday after my kids are older.

Sports Beans I tried these sports beans for the first time on my 20 mile run yesterday. Although I wasn't running fast enough to "need" a lot of fuel, I do think that these little guys will be something I use in the future for racing. I used one bag gradually over the course of my run, taking a few at a time with sips of water. I'm pretty sure I will like this method of fueling better than gels. We shall see. I do think that I will want to wear my water belt in Boston or at least have a hand held water bottle that I can throw away if I need to. It is nice for me to be able to take sips of water when I WANT and not just at the water stations. Especially if I will be fueling gradually over the course of the marathon instead of taking my fuel in full doses at set times. Even with gels, I like to take a little bit at a time over a few miles as opposed to just taking the whole gel at once.

Training My training has been going really well these past couple of weeks. I've felt strong and my body is responding well to the mileage and workouts. Knocking on wood here as I hope it continues to go smoothly. Last week I finished the week with a 20 miler (yesterday) that brought me to 68 miles. 68 miles WITH some speed and tempo and an easy 20 miler @ 8:13 average pace ending with 3 miles close to marathon pace. This makes me happy! I felt strong the entire 20 miles and never felt like I was dying or too tired. For most of the run, I was pretty consistent with low 8's or 7's for my miles. And my average is with an almost 9 minute mile warm-up to start.

Sushi Dates Last night my daughter and I tried a new restaurant for our sushi date. I LOVE that my six year old loves sushi and that we can share it on our special dates. Last night she tried some salmon rolls and even gobbled up the fish eggs on top. So cool! Next time she said she'd try some octopus.

Movies I don't watch much television or movies but the other night I found this movie Morning Glory on netflix and really enjoyed it. I know it isn't new but it was new to me and I didn't want to turn it off even to go to bed at a decent time before my 20 mile run the next day. Made me smile and definitely entertaining.

Recovery Food Okay, really bad picture here. Gross even. But I had to take a picture of this dish as I stuffed my face on the way to church after my 20 mile run. This was the food my husband made for me for post run recovery. So Yummy! It consisted of quinoa and red/brown rice blend, chicken sausage, broccoli, spinach, Udo's oil, chia seeds and a bit of hot sauce.

I'd love to hear what you are loving lately!

So, What ARE you loving lately??

Do you like Valentine's Day and what do you do to celebrate? I already said that I love Valentine's Day but I don't make it about buying a bunch of stuff. We make our own valentines with the kids and my husband and I just make an extra effort to write a love note to each other, light a candle or two and sometimes enjoy a special meal together. Nothing fancy really. And he knows me enough by now to know that I would rather have a hand written note on scratch paper ANY DAY over a store bought card with a generic message in it. If he does get a card he knows better than to just sign his name after some message that was written by Hallmark (one of my greatest pet peeves).

Happy Monday! Hope to get caught up with you tonight.

Amanda

Recovery Days, Lucy Shorts, Marathon Plan, and Monkey Boy

2012-02-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Here I am on week three of my Pfitzinger plan and today is a recovery day! After a non-stop day yesterday of trying to fit in 13 miles in addition to all my parental duties of carting kids around, running errands, doctor visits, meeting up with friends and still remembering to eat, I felt like all I did was run. I am welcoming my measly 5 miles that I have on the schedule. Giddy really. And I'm extra indulging in this recovery day by not even planning on my run until this evening. At that point I will probably go outside and just plod through it at a very slow and sweet pace and not even take my Garmin with me.

Just a few reasons why I'm loving recovery days:

More time with my kids. Instead of heading to the gym or turning on Seasame Street so that I can fit my run in, I can ~~spend more quality time with them~~ write a blog post.
I actually put on make up and wear normal clothes instead of spend my day in workout clothes and looking like crap. On days that I have longer runs to fit in, I usually end up wearing my workout clothes for most of the day until I can fit in my runs and find time for a shower. It's funny the look I got this morning when I dropped off my kids without running tights and a workout hat on.
More time to sleep. I usually end up sleeping in a bit since I'm in no rush to fit in my longer runs and all the other stuff that comes with the day.
I don't feel as much pressure to go to sleep as early the night before since I don't have a ton of miles or a hard workout staring me in the face for the next day. I enjoy staying up later since that is my kid-free time.
More time in general! More time to read for fun, catch up on blogs, have one-on-one time with my kids, talk to friends, etc.
Running slow can be so fun sometimes!

Oh, and in addition to a recovery day today, my son slept in until almost 9. I'm tempted to use exclamation points throughout this whole blog post today. Can you tell I'm happy? !!! But I'll try to use periods and save my exclamation points for most appropriate places so I don't overdo the !!!. ! This was my facebook status this morning:

"AMAZING the time I have on my hands when good ol' Sam sleeps in late. Still sleeping. Usually by now he's already knocked over a few chairs, spilled some water, made me pull out a few hairs, put a few dents in my table, poked some random holes in my coach cushions, crashed a few cars into his sister and serenaded us with his loud loud 2 year old voice. Gosh, I love that little man. But it surely has been nice having some quiet reading/breakfast time with my little girl. Thanks little guy."

Marathon Plan

So far so good with the Pfitzinger plan. I'm on week 3 of the 12 week plan. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever follow a plan to a T. But I think that is the way it should be if we are being responsive and adapting to our personal needs. Our plans are simply a framework to go from, right? Playing my own coach means making changes as I see necessary. The biggest reason why I switched to The Advanced Marathoning Pfitzinger plan was because I felt like I'd missed so much with my Hudson plan with my injuries, time not specifically training, etc. I just felt lost. I wanted a fresh start to a more linear plan. And I like the way his plan looks all typed up in his book. His book also captured my interest a bit more. I have to say that I have learned a ton through this process of reading so many books and watching running videos on youtube. I could see being able to actually write my own plan in the future and not be so overwhelmed. In the meantime, gosh I'm thankful for some really wise and dear friends who seem to know their stuff! My new doctor seems pretty darn wise too and he gives plenty of advice when it comes to the training.

Things I'm digging about this plan:

I can see a very linear build up of how I will get from here to where I need to be.
Plenty of easy long runs but a few good marathon paced runs that I think are good for me if I can find a race to use to be more successful with them.
Plan seems pretty uncomplicated. Just fitting in the mileage. However, I have to break his plan when it comes to the medium long runs longer than 11 miles because I just don't have the time to fit these runs in. I try to do a longer run of like 10 or 11 miles with a shorter run later in the day to make up the mileage. This will have to do.
Silly little thing but I like how the weekly mileage numbers are written at the end of each column so I can see the progression without counting them up.

Lucy Shorts

Not too long ago I received these Catch Me If You Can Lucy running shorts. Have to say, I really do like them even though they are not a short that I would rave rave rave about. I think they are a quality item worth buying if you like them. At first I didn't know what I would think since I already had a pair of shorts that looked like this but it is clear that these are a much more quality short than the ones I own like this. They run around $35.

Pros:

Great fit. They don't bunch or blouse out around the crotch area like some shorts this style.
Light and great to run in in warmer weather (like Hawaii)
They fit really well around the thigh...I think they are good "make your legs look good" shorts.
The fabric feels good.
I like the little orange Lucy tag on their clothes. :)
I like that I don't have to roll the top to get the right length. These shorts lay nicely on the top of my hips unlike my Nike tempo shorts.

Cons:

I would prefer more pockets. Like maybe one more so that they would be better for racing in or going longer distances.
I like the key pockets to go horizontal instead of vertical so that my keys don't dig into my leg.

Okay, onto my day. Gotta get to the bookstore to get a couple of books and spend some time with this little monkey of a boy of mine that is currently holding on to my back jean pockets like they are monkey bars. Pretty sure my butt crack is showing as I stand in a sort of chair position to brace myself as I type on the kitchen counter. He's really swinging now....These are expensive jeans so I better go so he doesn't rip the pockets off. Weeeeee...

Random here but anyone know the author Cathy Lamb? Just found out that she will be coming to our next book club. This means I really must find time to read her new book.
Are you as excited about recovery days as I am?
Anyone have any good 2 year old boy stories for me to make my child look more normal??

Amanda

Run For the Whales Half Marathon Training Run

2012-02-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

Aloha! As I mentioned in my last post, I have been spending the week in Maui with my family and a few friends. Although this has been super relaxing and wonderful, it hasn't been the most conducive to marathon training. I've found myself slipping into training apathy more and more each day. I did, however, make time for an almost 60 mile week IF you count from my 19 mile run on Sunday to my 15 miles total today. Not bad for vacation in Hawaii. But I'm still feeling apathetic about my Boston goals. Perhaps the "go get 'em" fire will come back to me once I get home. If not, I'm not too terribly worried because
Life
Is
Good...
with or without lofty marathon goals (I know, I know, a totally different tune than my "Like It's Your Job" post from a few weeks ago. See what Hawaii will do to this fickle gal).

Marathon Pace Training Run
Although some might disagree with Pfitzinger's training plans, he does call for several long runs with some miles at marathon pace. I think this sounds all nice and dandy if you can do that sort of thing on your own. However, I find myself needing a little push with these sorts of workouts. A race setting is the perfect opportunity for me to hit my marathon pace without having to race all out. If the race is at the right time and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, then I'm all about using races to help me with these marathon paced training runs. So, today was a good day for that!

Most of you on my Runninghood facebook page convinced me to get my lazy vacation bum out of bed at 4 a.m today to drive an hour south on Maui to run this Run For the Whales Half Marathon as my training run today. I'm glad I did. So, thank you to those of you that encouraged me. I think I'd already made up my mind but it helped to have so many people agreeing. It was a great end to a fabulous vacation!

Goal
To use this half marathon as a way to get myself up early and make the most of my day while still fitting in a solid longer run with some at marathon pace.

What is Marathon Pace Amanda?
Not sure on this one. I'd like to spout off some bad ass number like 7:15 but I know that isn't true. 7:20-7:25 even sounds too ambitious right now so 7:30 is a good number to shoot for. I'd be happy with breaking 3:20 in the marathon so 7:30 would be better than this. I'm sure I'll narrow my range down once this month is out but for now I've been thinking of MP as 7:20-7:30.

Can you really just "run" a race?
Yes and No. No, I couldn't just go out at an 8:30 pace for warm up but yes, I was able to keep myself close to marathon pace. I was only supposed to do it for 8 of my miles but I kind of tried for the whole 13.1 except for a couple of miles closer to 8 min pace due to stopping for water and fuel (by choice) and just sucking arse on a hill.

I begged an old lady to take my picture since I was all alone.

Pros

Beautiful course!
Overall 3rd place woman and first in age group even though they took me out of the age group pool.
Um, I'm in Hawaii.
Great bag, t-shirt, giveaways, etc.
Awesome age group ad overall awards. I won several really cool things along with a Whale Tour for 2 that I'll be gifting to someone in Maui.
Opportunity to see more of Maui and still have my whole day.
A solid 13 mile run @ 7:36 avg including stops and getting lost.

The Swag. The bags are really great! And the award bag for the winners were sweet! I think I might be getting a Columbia bag and shoes in the mail too. :)

The note and shell from my girls were so special to have during my run while they all slept in the wee hours of the morning.

The medals for winners were unique. I like this.

Cons

Badly organized in my opinion. They gave my number away, I couldn't figure out where to park in the dark early hours of the morning and missed my 4 mile warm up run.
The lead packs were directed in the wrong direction. This totally stunk and it threw me off for the rest of the race. I think this was close to mile 5 or 6??
I was really out of it for most of the race. No plan. Very wishy washy about what I would do. Part of the way I thought I'd race it and then I decided to stick with the plan.
HILLY! The profile course doesn't show how hilly it felt. Perhaps I'm out of hill shape.

This is the best my non-techie self could do right now to show you the elevation profile. It doesn't do it justice. :)

They don't have definite times for us since we got lost. They said to just take 3 minutes off of our times. How official?? Not too concerned since this wasn't for a race time and certainly not for a PR. I feel sorry for people who ran this for their first half marathon.

Overall, I had a great time and am glad I did it. I'm trying to focus on all the positives instead of the parts that were less than stellar! As you can see from my splits below, I ran a few of the miles too fast for marathon pace but the hills had something to do with that. With every uphill, there is a down hill. The 8 min miles were from stopping to take a drink and fuel (cliff gels) and not stop my watch. I didn't have 13.1 miles on my Garmin...only 13.0 or something but that was probably due to me stopping my watch when I got lost and kept running. But out of the 13 miles I ran, I'm happy with hitting close to marathon pace on most of the miles. Definitely not 100% confident that I could do this pace right now for 26.2. At least not today. Maybe 20 miles but not a full marathon. Good thing I have until April, right?

1	7:25.9	1.00	7:26
2	7:11.9	1.00	7:12
3	7:36.6	1.00	7:37
4	7:30.2	1.00	7:30
5	7:47.3	1.00	7:47
6	7:16.4	1.00	7:16
7	7:21.8	1.00	7:22
8	7:41.4	1.00	7:41
9	8:05.1	1.00	8:05
10	7:31.2	1.00	7:31
11	7:36.3	1.00	7:36
12	8:07.6	1.00	8:08
13	7:30.7	1.00	7:31
14	:03.6	0.01	6:34

Way better way to recover than a stinking ice bath!!

This was a pretty sweet part of recovery too!

Happy Weekend Peeps! Excited to catch up with so many of you.

Amanda

Recharging in Hawaii

2012-02-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

Only a few minutes left here to type before my sneak-away time if over. I'm typing away next to a pool and under a warm star-filled sky in Maui, Hawaii right now. I know, life is rough. Since I really have no time for a long post, I'll leave you with a few bullets:

Although I'm on vacation and I have dropped my mileage this week as I choose to focus on relaxing and spending time with family and friends, I haven't entirely slacked off with my training. I ran 19 miles on Sunday, 11 miles on Tuesday and have run a bit every day except today.
Does snorkeling count as cross training? I think YES! Especially while pulling boats that my kids are riding on.
Today wasn't meant to be a day off but time got away from me and before I knew it, the day was winding down and it was time for a walk on the beach at sunset with my family. My run didn't seem very important at this point and I'm choosing not to stress about it.
I plan on leaving my condo at 4:30 tomorrow morning to drive an hour south on Maui for a half marathon. No, I'm not racing it but I do hope to hit at least 8 miles at marathon pace for a training run. I hope to have a total mileage of about 17 miles tomorrow.
I don't really know what marathon pace for me is right now. I'd really love to say that MP is 7:20-7:25 but a more realistic marathon pace for me right now is probably 7:30 and I've never even hit that for an entire marathon so I really don't know what to shoot for. We shall see.
Gosh, I'm kind of tired of training. Ha! I know, I know, I still have over 2 months left!! Hoping that the training bug returns to me when I get home to Oregon. It will. I'm just in Hawaii mode right now. Sun-kissed and relaxed and not taking things too serious. I like this life-speed. It balances my faster-paced, over-thinking self that can come out at home. :)

More tomorrow AFTER my race/MP training run.

Aloha,

Amanda

Advanced Marathoning It Is!

2012-01-25T22:07:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling a blog post in me. It's there. Right on the surface. Quite a bit going on in my head actually and I can't seem to decide if I feel like expressing myself on a deep level right now or keeping this light and breezy. I have even been tagged a couple of times in a blog post going around where I am supposed to tell you some random things about myself and answer some questions. Don't worry Lindsay and Beth, I haven't forgotten. I've just been a little mentally tired. Perhaps this kind of "busy head" calls for a random bulleted post instead of a well thought out "beginning middle end/deserves a title" post. Bullets it is!

I'm officially starting the 12 week marathon plan in this book above. Yes, yes, I know...I was reading the book Run Faster by Brad Hudson and planning on using one of his plans. However, I was just feeling a bit lost. I hadn't even completed a full week of his training because at the beginning I was base building, then I switched things up so that I could try out a 10k, and then I was injured and now I just need a fresh start. It works out perfectly. Pfizinger happens to have a 12 week plan which means this week is a perfect week to start since it was 12 weeks to Boston. I also love the way the plans are laid out and I'm finding the book very easy to breeze through. Even his writing voice seems to click with me. Plus, I hear lots of good things about it from others so this makes me happy. There are so many great plans out there and all of them should get you to your marathon ready to race. For me, it meant finding something that just "felt" right. I'm a feelings kind of person and this feels right so I'm going with it and not looking back. Now if I can just stay injury free then I'll be all set!
Injury. Thankfully, my strains were not too serious and I haven't lost much time. I caught them before they turned into a monster of an injury. They feel much better right now even though I'm aware that I still need to be careful and continue to strengthen those areas and keep going to see the doc (more on this in another post too). Unfortunately, the other side of my body has taken a hit as I mentioned in some of my previous posts. I've still been feeling some pain and tightness but the past couple of days have felt really great.
Being able to run 8 miles today at a relatively normal pace without too much discomfort (except for this weird foot pain that I won't even bore you with) felt so wonderful.
Tomorrow I will be doing a threshold run of 10 miles with 5@15k-half marathon pace. Not sure what that 5 miles will look like until I'm doing it. I will go by how my body is feeling. If it gives me the green light then I will GO GO GO with it.
I should still hit 50-60 miles this week despite my bumps. I'm thinking that sticking to the 55-70 range for the duration of my training will be smart. No need to go a bit higher. I'll even take it down if I need to.
I'm not sure of my goals for Boston. Honestly, I will need to really think about this one. There is a lot that goes with this and I might be addressing it in another blog post. For now, I'm going to keep my priorities straight, focus on keeping my body healthy, enjoy running because I love to run, train hard, keep things in perspective so that I don't lose sight of the life all around me that is so much more important than running and just enjoy the process.

There are so many things I'd love to write about right now. But my bed is calling me. Gotta get up early to fit my run in since my son is no longer taking naps and the chances of him doing anything remotely calm and quiet for the length of time it would take me to run 10 miles is just hilarious.

Thank you for all the e-mails, personal comments, and overall support I've felt from so many of you lately. I know I've been really lame at e-mail and blog reading but thanks for understanding.

Happy Wednesday,
Amanda

Brooks Running! And My Brooks Wish List.

2012-01-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

If you would have found me three years ago and asked me what my favorite running shoe was, I probably wouldn't have had a definite answer. Truth is, I just went with whatever I'd always worn until they went out of stock or didn't make them anymore. Then I'd try another shoe based off a recommendation or review. But I never really had a shoe I raved about or that I thought was PERFECT for me. I didn't know what kind of runner I was when it came to all those runner terms...neutral, guidance, support, blah blah blah. So when I began my journey in this crazy running blog world, I started to learn all about new shoes, gear, fuel and races that I had NEVER even heard of. And I began my mission to find my perfect shoe. I tried out some Mizuno Wave Riders. They just never felt right. Then I got board with trying out the Saucony Kinvaras and ended up injured. They were not for me. After that, I dappled in a few other brands but never felt truly satisfied. And then I found the perfect shoe for me. It was love at first steps. The shoe that I will most likely always love. The shoe that started it all when it comes to my loyalty and love for Brooks shoes.

What shoe could possibly be this good? The Brooks Launch of course! This shoe is seriously fantastic. Although, I'm trying to alternate the shoes that I wear so that I'm using my feet a bit differently during training, I've worn the Launch almost exclusively for training and racing. It's that good. For me.

Brooks Launch

It wasn't long after I fell in love with the Brooks Launch (Thanks to my friend Jenn who is a Brooks ID member), that I began to read more about the Brooks brand, vision and overall company. The more I heard about Brooks and tried out their gear and shoes, the more I loved what I was seeing. Not only do I love their shoes and gear that I have tried, but I love that Brooks is a company that seems to represent so many voices in the running community. The elite runners. The every day runners. The new-to-running runners. The competitive runners. I was particularly impressed with their Brooks Inspired Daily program where they sponsor athletes of all abilities. What a great way to really give the every day runner a voice...sort of a grass roots way of spreading the word about Brooks. One thing all the Brooks ID members seem to have in common is that they are passionate, strong, inspiring runners that love to run, love Brooks and can't help but share their love for running and Brooks with others. It was definitely because of these people that love Brooks so much that I was excited to try out Brooks for the first time. I'm so glad that I've discovered such a great running company and I can't wait to try out some more Brooks gear and test out some different kinds of shoes.

I decided to do some online shopping last night since I'm wanting a few new pieces of running gear and I'm hoping to find a pair of shoes for racing in. Right now, I'm still in "window shopping" mode so I have lots of things on my Brooks Wish List. I thought I'd share with you some of the things that I'm thinking look fabulous (I won't be getting all of them at once). I would love to hear from you if you've tried any of these items. What did you think of them?

Shoe Wish List:

These shoes are a must-have! I have not tried the Pure Flows but I know lots of you that have and I hear nothing but great things!

Brooks Pure Flow

Some performance shoes on my wish list that I'd like to try out:

Brooks Pure Connect

Brooks T7 Racer

Brooks Racer ST 5

I hear good things about these shorts. They have two pockets in the back and one in the front so they sound like they'd be good for long races. Can't have enough pockets! I also love the color choices. The prints all go along with the Brooks tops. I'm not always a color/print coordinated person but this could be fun!

HVAC Synergy Short

I hear that this tank has some extra padding for those of us that are not well endowed. I have nothing. My Brooks Glycerin bra has done wonders so hopefully this top will be similar. And it goes with those shorts above! Oh, AND it has a cool pocket on the center back...perfect for racing. One more extra pocket for those gels that I end up stuffing in my bra. No more bra stuffing in a marathon for me!

Glycerin Print Support Tank II

Women's Versatile EZ Racer Back

Brooks Glycerin Support Tank

A few other things that I don't NEED but I'd love to try out. I could surely use a good jacket to run in. Especially one that can handle that Oregon rain that we get so much of.

Women's Essential Run Jacket

Women's Nightlife Jacket II

Women's Essential Run LS 1/2 Zip

Brooks Infiniti Tight

I'm a big fan of vests. I only have one running vest but I wear it for almost every long run outside. This one looks way cooler than mine. And it has a pocket for my iPod as well as fuel.

Women's Essential Run Vest

I think I would really love these babies. I really like a good short like this and the boy short seems to be one of my favorite types of shorts, swim suits or undies.

Brooks Epiphany Boy Short

Brooks Versatile 3.5" Low Rise Knit Short

This Equilibrium shirt could quite possibly become one of my FAVORITES if it is a good as it looks. It looks long too...I like this!

Equilibrium LS

Equilibrium LS in White

This short also has some great reviews. It has plenty of pockets too!

Women's Infiniti Short II

So, there's my Brooks shopping "wish list" for the next year. Thanks for letting me share with you some of the things I love. I could add so many more things like gloves, hats, headbands, etc. One thing at a time or I won't have any money to eat. For now, I'll probably stick to a new pair of Pure Flows, a pair of shorts, and a shirt.

What is your favorite piece of Brooks gear?
Do you run in Brooks or wear Brooks gear?
What do you think I should get from my list here?

Amanda

Picking Up the Slack

2012-01-17T23:30:00.000-08:00

My husband travels from time to time. Sometimes it is for an entire week and other times only a short weekend or a couple of week nights. No matter how long he is gone, it always means that I'm the only parent on duty. Just me and our three rowdy kids. Ready for a good ol' time. Long days. Marathon bedtime routines that usually end up in some sort of argument over who wanted to pee first, what headband belongs to whom, or why each of my daughters thinks the other one is the meanest sister in the world. All this while chasing down my naked-from-the-waste-down two year old son who is singing the word penis in every octave he is capable of hitting. After all, penis is one of his favorite words. It is right there in the favorite word bucket along with Bad and Stupid. You know, words his sisters have taught him. The ones that get a reaction out of their reactor of a mom that knows perfectly well that when you react to something, it usually makes it worse and gives negative behavior MORE power and reinforcement. But it is what it is. After I finally wrestle my little guy down, put him on the toilet to pee, slide on his princess pull-ups (leftovers from sisters) just in case their is an accident even though he has been dry for weeks, say prayers and give last minute kisses, I AM SPENT! Done! I don't care about the blue trail of toothpaste lining my sink or the dribble of pee on the toilet seat. I overlook my nice decorative towels in heaps on the bathroom floor even after I've folded them numerous times throughout the day. And the sink full of dishes and food all over my floor aren't even noticeable anymore. I just want to rest.

Picking up the slack!

Anytime you take one working part away from a unified system, someone or something ends up picking up the slack in order to keep the system working efficiently. Eventually, things end up breaking, mothers have break downs, or things end up changing.

This is what is happening to my body this week. As many of you know, the left side of my body has been having a few issues. I have been working through a hamstring strain and an abdominal strain. Nothing too serious but it has still been frustrating and my body hasn't been able to perform like I'd hope it to. Because of this, my right leg has been "Picking Up The SLACK!" Apparently, it is fed up and is ready for its significant other to be home from vacation and start pulling its weight again.

Good News: My hamstring and abdominal strains are healing up nicely.

Bummer for Today News: My right leg, the one picking up the slack, is refusing to do anything today. It has declared today a non-performance day. It officially decided it was done for a bit after my hill workout yesterday. I was almost done with my last repeat and my right leg said "HELL NO, I WON'T GO!" No kidding. It just ran out of fizzle and I knew that if I pushed it one step further that I'd be injured.

So I listened. I'm still listening. I dished out some cash for a sports massage and let my awesome sports chiropractor torture me with his graston tools. Today, there wasn't much running. At least not at a decent pace or without that quiet little voice of pain yelling at me. Warning me to stop...or else. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm listening body. Yes, you've been picking up the slack. I get it. I'll take it easy. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Because I'm ready to run fast.

In the meantime, I'm still Joyful about living. Life is good. Especially when you open a package from Lucy and get to sample some new Lucy running shorts. I didn't even wait to change out of my other clothes before trying them on. And apparently, I thought it was necessary to lift up my shirt so you could get a full view of the shorts. I'll let you know more about the shorts soon. AND those rad Keen boots! Oh, you bet I'll be talking about those babies! LOVE them!

Peace Out,
Amanda

Inspiring Woman Inspiring Women #2

2012-01-16T23:17:00.000-08:00

Remember this? Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I may have started something and then dropped the ball a little. I do that sometimes. Anyway, for those of you that don't know what this is about, you can get a fill in by checking out Inspiring Woman Inspiring Women #1.

For those of you that do remember this little thing, it has been awhile! It's not that I haven't been inspired. I have. Especially tonight. This Inspiring Woman Inspiring Women post will be short and sweet but the two women I'm sharing with you tonight are ladies that are worth checking out if you don't already know about them. They are both gifted runners that just ran a pretty stellar marathon! And they certainly have inspired me greatly. In fact, after reading their race reports tonight, I'm all charged up and excited to run tomorrow.

Tia

It hasn't been too terribly long that I've been reading Tia's blog Runner Mom but I've come to look forward to her posts and reading about her training. I have often thought how nice it would be to go on a run or two with her since we seem to have a few things in common as well as pretty compatible running pace. Tia's got me beat though. She recently ran the Houston Marathon and met her A goal of breaking 3:20! Way to Go Tia! Not only is she an inspiration as a runner, but Tia inspires me with her faith, positive attitude that shines through her blog, and with how well she seems to be balancing motherhood with training. She just wrote a really great race recap that I plan on going back to reread.

Gracie

Talk about some raw natural talent! Gracie, from How I complicated my life today, continues to amaze me. I don't read a ton of blogs these days. In fact, I'm pathetic with blog reading so I have a lot to catch up on Gracie. And trust me, after her 3:09 marathon this past weekend, I plan on reading closely to see what exactly this girl has been eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Kidding. Kind of. Reading Gracie's race recap tonight made me want to just stand up and cheer! And, Gracie, if that is what you call hitting the wall, then WATCH OUT WORLD! Here comes Gracie! I've been reading her blog for awhile now and she inspires me for more than her running. She usually makes me laugh and I'm drawn to her sense of self-confidence. Thanks for sharing your life with us Gracie!

As I said in my last Inspiring Woman Inspiring Women post (the first and only):

"So, here's my invitation to you to join me! Grab this picture and link up (until I figure out how to create a button...anybody??) and choose a few women bloggers that have inspired you and that you are willing to share with US! Even posting a picture, or just a sentence about these inspiring women in your life...easy, meaningful, AND the rest of us get to meet new and inspiring women in the blog world. Let me know if you do it so that I can link you on my next IWIW post!"

Maybe I won't wait so long this time before I do my IWIW #3. In the meantime, thanks for sticking around even though I'm a horrible blogger these days. This marathon training and motherhood gig takes a lot of time and leaves me pretty pooped at the end of a day.

Amanda

Like It's Your Job

2012-01-16T09:32:00.000-08:00

A job worth doing is a job worth doing well.

Last night I read a blog post that got me thinking a lot about what training is for me. I'm not an elite runner. I don't get paid to do this. I'm not anywhere near being an olympic qualifier. I'm no longer running and racing for a college team. It isn't my job. But I find myself training like its my job sometimes. I find myself getting so wrapped up in my training and goals and it becomes so important to me that I can lose sight of the big goal ahead when things get hard. Like so many others, I get discouraged when I hit roadblocks like injury, lags in energy, and just forgetting WHY I'm doing all of this. After all, running isn't my job. Or is it?

What's a Job Anyway?
I suppose the traditional definition of a job would be something that we get paid to do. A regular form of employment. Something we do as a way to provide for our lifestyle or part of our regular living. We get something from it in return for our work. Some of us love our job and some of us hate it. Some have a job because they want a job and some have a job because they need it to live. No matter what, those of us that are successful in life, take our jobs pretty seriously. We commit to it. And the people that are good at their job, do it with a great attitude and work ethic. They bring their "A" game to what they do. These are the kind of people that go far with their jobs. The kind of people that go FAR with LIFE! The kind of people that make something with what they have.

Getting past the roadblocks.
I have to admit that I've been feeling slightly discouraged about my training the past few days. My abdominal strain has been a road block in this long marathon road and it has been several weeks now where I just haven't felt the "groove". My body just isn't moving like it should. I've felt lost with my training and desperately wishing that I had a coach to just do the "thinking work" for me and help me get to the end. The end result of all this training seems so far away and I've found myself making deals with myself to just settle for getting to Boston instead of truly training for a personal record or anything out of my comfort zone. I've wanted to "play it safe" and stop taking things so seriously. And I've found myself with a head full of self doubt and negatively tainted perceptions. Most of all, I've been questioning all the time and energy I put into this training. Reading, logging, researching, strength work, diligence with nutrition, and so much more. Hours and hours of mental and physical work. Although most days, my training is fun and I feel positively driven and focused on the goal at hand, I've recently been asking myself "Why?". Why am I doing all of this? It isn't my JOB! I'm not getting paid to do all of this. And what is the point anyway?

Perhaps it is my job. Or I should think of it as such.
After reading Meg's Suck It Up and Get It Done rant last night, I woke up realizing that, right now, Training is my job! If it is worth doing (which it is) then it is worth doing well and treating it like it is my job. Not my main job by any means. In fact, not even in the top of my priorities. But still a job of sorts. A job I enjoy. I may not be an Olympic qualifier or a labeled "elite" runner. I may not be breaking any records or winning many races. But when I do train like it is my job...with enthusiasm, hard work, dedication, a positive attitude, a proactive approach...I DO GET PAID! When I bring my "A" game to my training in the same way that I have always brought to anything that I do...undergraduate and graduate school, teaching, being a mother, friendships, high school and college track and cross country...I am paid in SUCCESS. My Success. Feelings of accomplishment and pride. Seeing how far that I have come.

We all train for different reasons. In a sense, training does become a job if we take it seriously. And it should. It doesn't matter if you're a 10 minute per mile pace or a 6 min per mile pace. What matters is that you are training hard and "working" to be the best that you can be. If a goal matters to you and If you really want to achieve greatness and conquer your goals, You HAVE to treat your training like its a job. It doesn't have to be a full-time job or one of those jobs that we dread. Hopefully it will be a JOYFUL job most of the time. A job we look forward to putting time into. A job that we benefit from. A job we are fortunate enough to have! And a job that PAYS in more ways than one.

So, I'm choosing to shake off this discouragement that I've been feeling lately. I'm choosing to think of it as just another bump in the road. And I'm choosing to take my training and healing seriously...like its my JOB (second to motherhood of course)! As with all the jobs I have had in life, I will choose to give my "A" game, not settle for what just "gets me there", and strive to be extraordinary. My extraordinary. I will be my own best self. And look how I will get paid to do it:

Energy and feelings of accomplishment
A happy disposition that benefits my family
A great body and health
Modeling a goal driven life for my children
Brooks sponsorship
The joy and satisfaction that comes from reaching a personal goal or knowing that I pushed myself hard
Great SLEEP from pushing my body
Endorphins=happy pills
Inspiration

So, Let's DO THIS! Anything worth doing, is worth doing well, right? Like it's your job. A Joyful job that you love. A job worth getting up for.

I'm adding this comment after this post was published. Thank you Annette@(Running) in the Right Direction! You seem to get exactly what I'm saying:

"I love the post. I took that you meant job as something that you care a lot about, put effort into...take time with. It takes work. Work=job. The only thing is so many equate the word job something you HAVE to do..and don't particulary WANT to do. I like your theories...doing a job you love! Isn't that what we are all searching for? Now if we could all be the elite, get all those perks you wrote AND get paid...that would be ideal!!!!"

How do you get PAID to train hard and work towards your goals?

Amanda

Let's Talk Training Runninghood

2012-01-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

For those of you that read this blog mostly for the "hood" part and want to see more motherhood stuff...I did write a more motherhood related post yesterday. I suppose you could include it with training for running too since parenting my two year old son is quite the cross training. For those of you that have mentioned wanting to hear more about my training and workouts, this one is for you. Nothing too exciting really.

Training for: Well, this is obvious for most of you but for those that are new, I'm training for the Boston Marathon in April.

Training Plan: So far it has been mostly an Amanda plan with lots of base building. I'm using the bones of Brad Hudson's Run Faster plan. Today was the first day of week 8 of a 20 week plan. I have not officially followed a full week yet since I was base building and then had to slow down because of a hamstring and lower abdominal strain.

How's the strain? Feeling a lot better with my hamstring. No pain here when I run now and I'm feeling myself getting stronger. My abdominal area is still a little rough. Hopefully seeing my sports Chiropractor (he's really amazing) and having him do painful Graston therapy along with stem and laser therapy will get me feeling great in no time. I've just got to watch the way I'm moving and lifting my son around. I've also got to be more diligent in STRENGTH training.

What am I doing for strength training? Not a whole lot right now. Wish I would have built up some great strength this summer by following a weight program for my total body. But I didn't so now I'm just doing lots of planks, push ups, isolated leg work without weights, and thinking Core Core core in addition to working a bit on my legs and arms.

Goals for Boston? Honestly, I'm not entirely sure where I'm at and where I'm going. It is hard to make a time goal right now since I feel so far from where I hope to be by the time Boston comes. I'd love to break 3:20 and PR but as the weeks go by, I will be able to more accurately assess whether or not a more ambitious goal is in order. Otherwise, my main goal is to show up on race day INJURY free, feeling strong and healthy, and ready to enjoy my weekend with friends and my husband.

How many miles a week am I running? Before these strains, I was close to 70 miles a week. It was time consuming but fun. This mileage was mostly base building with some speed work. Last week was an easier week at 50 and honestly, I think that keeping my mileage right around 60-70 is a great place for me if I can stay injury free.

How do I fit my runs in? Time management! I'm not any busier than you, you and you. :) Just have a different lifestyle and I make it work. Having three young kids is a circus act most days but I find ways to make it work. I just recently got my first treadmill so a lot of my runs are on that. I also find a day or two a week to hit the gym when my girls are in school and my son feels up to going to the gym day care for a couple hours. He loves this and so do I. I feel very blessed to have this as an option. Getting in my runs BEFORE my husband comes home at night is a new thing in my running life and it makes all the difference in the world when it comes to enjoying training. The idea of hitting the gym at 7 p.m now just makes me tired thinking of it. This year is so much easier than ever before when it come to training for a marathon and being a mom if I consider that I have more time to workout during the day. Still trying to make a point to stay present with my kids and make being a mother my number #1 focus. It is easy to get distracted with other things and lose sight of what is most valuable to me.

Most recent workout:
Today's plan called for 16 miles with last 30 minutes hard. I really didn't do this right since I probably started off too fast instead of working my way up gradually.

I ran the first 6 on the TM ranging the incline between -2 and 4 and varying the speed between 7:40's and 8:34 pace.
I ran the first part on the treadmill because it was pouring cold rain outside and I just wasn't up for a hilly, windy, rainy run.
while on the TM, I watched Ryan Hall videos on youtube. Inspiring.
The hilly, windy rainy run happened anyway since I left for the last 10 miles outside because there was a break in the rain...until I got outside. Oh well.
10 miles outside were pretty good. I didn't do last 30 minutes hard but mile 12 and 13 felt hard for me after the other miles being low 8's and high 7's. MIle 12 was 7:22 and mile 13 was mostly uphill (quite the hill too) in 7:54 and felt really hard. I was happy to break 8 on that stupid hill. Then my lower abs hurt too much for comfort so I took last 2 miles easy @ 8:30 and 8:24.
Total 16.46 in 8:01 avg pace.

Best workout this week:

I've been taking it pretty easy the last two weeks so that I can heal these strains so when my 2x15 min@ half marathon workout came up this week, I thought that I might just do them at marathon pace so that it would be easier on my body. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was stronger than I thought. It ended up being a nice 9 mile run that made me feel good about my healing. This is how it went down:

2 miles easy

15 min @ 6:58 (last half mile @ 6:31 pace)

2-4 min AR going down to the gym childcare to take my son pee

15 min @ 6:53

3ish miles easy

Workout I'm most looking forward to next week:

I'm really excited about my threshold workout next Thursday. 2 miles easy; 5 miles @ half marathon pace (will try around a 6:53 pace even though I have not proven that I can run a half marathon at this pace); 2 miles easy. I really do like doing this workout on the TM. So much easier for me than on the road even though some would highly disagree. Others would also say that doing them on the road is better for you to get your body used to running this pace away from the TM. I would agree here. I'm not sure where I will do this workout but since running on the road isn't really an option for me all the time, I will probably have to do the TM. And I usually put it at a 1% incline with the 6:53 pace (or whatever pace) even though apparently this 1% rule isn't really agreed upon by everyone. I like how it translates to the road after training on the TM at 1%.

Fueling: I experimented with fueling today. Ate eggs with veggies and toast for breakfast with my coffee. Then at mile 5.5 and 11.5 I had one of these:

These have OMG caffeine Jenn! :) I have to say that these did work in giving me energy and making me feel good. However, they are not the easiest for me to get down. They are more watery than the other gels I've tried and I had to play tricks with myself to swallow it. When I got home, I ate cottage cheese, broccoli, half a tuna sandwich and some chocolate milk. Oh and I drank some water with some Hammer Endurolytes Fizz tablets in there. All this while watching the end of the women's Olympic Trial marathon. So inspiring. Oh, and then I took a cold bath. Not fun.

Next time I do a long run, I think I will go back to my new favorite gel. I thought it was a Hammer product but after doing a google search for an image of it, I realize it is a Clif product. So yummy! A much thicker consistency but it was like eating real food. Almost like frosting. And 99% organic...that sounds nice.

I'm a bit tired but I'm going to try getting myself geared up for a date night with my husband since our sister-in-law is visiting and we really should take advantage of the fact that we have an adult in the house when the kids go to bed. I won't last long though. Maybe a beer or two and then this lady is going to be hitting the pillow.

Who watched the Olympic Trials today? Who were you rooting for?
Any exciting races this weekend?

Good luck to all of you running in Houston tomorrow!!

Amanda

Two Year Old BOY. No Wonder I Run.

2012-01-13T21:47:00.000-08:00

I don't know how many times I've tried to sneak a few minutes this week to write down some of my thoughts in a coherent post. But just as I start to get a flow going and get some of that Runninghood mojo flowin', my writing wheels come to a screeching halt by

one
wild,
full of life,
ready to take on the world,
LOUD,
Always-HUNGRY

Demanding,
binky-loving,
purse-wearing,

penis grabbing,
mischief-making,
potty mouth,
spark-in-his-eye,
gum swiping (and swallowing),
lipstick borrowing,

Yep, that would be lipstick (MY Lipstick) on his face.

too smart for his own good,
flash of

TWO YEAR OLD BOY!!

He starts his day with a BANG and he doesn't slow down until he crashes somewhere. Or into something. This is usually at night but since his nap boycott, we've found him once or twice passed out...almost as if he were frozen in his action.

Gosh, I love this little guy.
But
I
AM
TIRED!

So Tired.

And Humbled Daily by this child that seems to push every last button and tap into every last bit of energy that I have. This two-year old boy train is a way different ride than the two-year old girl train was. And combining it with the four-year old emotional girl train...well, woooo weeee! I need my marathon training just to keep me SANE. But it really isn't working because on any given day, I'm pretty CRAZY.
Nuts
Pulling my hair out.
THAT MOM with crap all over her face and shirt,
You know, the one that can't control her kid in the store.
The mom that is basically wearing a sign that says "Do as I say not as I Do" since she is yelling at her kid to stop yelling and use an inside voice.

The mom that has obviously run out of tricks about a week ago or just too tired to use them and now just tries desperately to convince her toddler and everyone else that she really is the one in control even if she doesn't believe it.

Yep, that's me.

But life is still good. Just busy. My bundle of boy blesses me greatly and, as all my children do, teaches me about myself and all the riches that life has to offer. I wouldn't trade my days with him for all the money in the world.

I love you my sweet boy. Thank you for adding color to my life. You are a blessing.

This was my bear when I was a little girl.

Running
On a running note, things are still on the slow side since I'm trying to go easy until my abdominal and hamstring strains are better. I ran 50 miles this week and took today off completely so hopefully tomorrow's long run will go well. I did have a fairly strong threshold workout this week and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself running faster than I thought without pain. Wahoo! For now, I've been logging my workouts in my running journal. I've been pretty emotional lately and it has been nice to just keep my training and my feelings in a personal place until I can figure out something like Running Ahead or Daily Mile without it turning into another form of social media or more reasons to be on the computer. Less computer time is better for me so for now my running journal is serving me well. I will post training on here too.

I hope to get back to 60-70 miles per week either next week or the week after depending on how my strains heal up.
I want to take more time for strength work. Definitely core work like planks, push-ups, scissors, etc. but also some leg and arm work.
Trying to balance outside running with treadmill. If the weather continues to be as lovely as it has been, I won't have a problem with this.
I am really regretting the trip to the grocery store last night. Note to self: Next time you need tampons at 10:00 at night you should probably send your husband. A tired, hungry, hormonal, PMS laden woman has NO business in a quiet kid-free grocery store. She will surely come home with more than just a box of tampons. She might just bring home a large bag of salt and vinegar potato chips, some Twix bars, gummy bears and cheetos (crunchy of course) and she will probably eat almost every last bit of them before bed and then feel like crap the next day. Pretty sure that this is NOT the kind of fueling and recovery Raina was talking about in THIS GREAT POST.

Bikini Ready? Graston? Laser? Verbal Filter? Oh My!

2012-01-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

"It's only awkward if you make it that way." I've heard this a lot in my life. The only problem is that I do make things awkward. So much of my life is lived awkwardly. In a good way. The thing is, I'm just being normal old Amanda. I say what I think, laugh at things that might not really be that funny to anyone else, and say things that many might consider to be inappropriate. I can be quite impulsive and most people would agree that "verbal filter" and "Amanda" are NOT words that go together. I like to think of myself as endearing and candid. Refreshing even. Ha!

I guess today was one of those situations that I made awkward. For pretty much the entire chiropractic clinic. You see, I went in to get my buns checked out since I've been having a lot of pain lately in my lower left buns/upper hammy. I've also felt a fair amount of pain in my pelvic bone area when I wake up in the mornings. I've been through this drill before...going to the sports chiropractor.

What I expected:

Stem therapy and ultrasound
Probably some painful Graston therapy
Maybe some marching in place and mild adjustments

To prepare, I did the usual:

Wore short shorts under my pants
Shaved my legs
Made sure I was wearing clean socks and/or had my toenails trimmed...you know, the usual "I care what people think" side to Amanda. I like to think of it as courtesy.

What I didn't think of doing:

Trim the Bikini area. (UM , Because it is January. It isn't bikini season. I don't feel like I have to be trim and fabulously sexy down there for my husband. I've been married for 8 years...I'm not single and on the market...landscaping is not on the top of my priorities!)

Note: Now before you let your imaginations run away with you, I'm not a sasquatch by any means. I actually would be just fine in a bikini right now. I just like to make things awkward remember? Like right now. In telling you this. And I really don't even care that much.

So, when my doc told me that I had an abdominal strain in addition to a hamstring strain and he would need to do some laser therapy in addition to some graston therapy (a.ka torture) on my pelvic region, the first thing I thought about was:

"Holy Heck! What is the state of my BEAV right now?! I mean, really?!! I didn't think I'd have to be bikini ready. How embarrassing!" Okay, so a little vain maybe.

Most normal people would leave it at that. The internal dialogue. But not me. I lack that filter remember? So, in typical Amanda fashion, I say something like:

"Wow, I didn't think I'd need to be ready for bikini season. I've been married for 8 years after all. I'm not single and on the market. Gee....blah blah blah." Yup. Pretty awkward on my part.

Doc: "I didn't think I'd need to hire an arborist! I'll get one of the girls to do your laser therapy." As he leaves I hear laughter among the clinic workers. Yes, that would be that weirdo filter-lacking, emotionally unstable (when I tore my hammy completely a year or so ago, I was just a tad distraught) lady. Again, I'd like to think that they love me for this. I certainly provide them with someone to make fun of later...this beats working in a boring clinic all day with boring normal people that control their inner thoughts and emotions, right?!

So then Amanda was done talking about her Beav. That was that. Right? Wrong. I then proceeded to chat it up with every other person that came into tape me and do my ultrasound/stem therapy. All this talk and it really wasn't even bad at all.

Note to self: "Nobody cares about your untidy trim job Amanda! And nobody wants to hear you talk about how long you've been married and the fact that it isn't bikini season. Nobody cares. AWKWARD!"

Good News:

I'm done with my awkward appointment.
My beav is really only small steps away from walking out on the white sands of Hawaii.
I caught this before it got too bad. I just have to take it easy for a week or so and continue therapy.
My 2 year old son sat through 1 1/2 hours of clinic time. I am so proud of him. Definitely required some "mommy tricks" on my part so I'm proud of myself too!
Even though I can't run 70 miles this week (or shouldn't), I can still run easy miles and 50 miles this week is better than NOTHING! :)

Bad News:

No racing this weekend as I had secretly planned. Was determined to have a good race and run that 41 something 10k like I know I can do. But now I know one reason why things have been so hard for me...my body isn't working right for a reason!
Graston therapy hurts like a _____ (you fill in the blank). I will have bruises all over! Good thing it isn't bikini season!

Do you make things awkward for yourself? What is a most embarrassing moment for you? This wasn't embarrassing for me. Just a typical day in the life of Amanda. :) I have many many embarrassing moments though.

Amanda

Fresh Start and Breaking Up The Big Picture With Some Weekly Goals.

2012-01-03T07:44:00.000-08:00

I suppose every day can be a fresh start if we want it to be. We don't have to wait until the New Year to make lofty resolutions or attempt to make our dreams come true. We don't have to wait until our birthday to celebrate our life and truly pamper ourselves. Just as we don't have to wait until Valentine's Day and anniversaries to celebrate love. But these dates certainly are nice to have in place as a reminder that these things do matter...love, life, fresh starts...they matter GREATLY! They are huge parts of what make life great and I'm thankful for the special occasions to celebrate these things and more.

As I said, I didn't make 2012 resolutions yet but I still plan on setting goals for my days, weeks, and longer spans of time as I am ready. Here are just a few short goals and a list of gratitude to start my day before I wake my kids for their first day of school in 2012.

Thankful for:

Being up early before everyone else. Although I couldn't bring myself to run yet, I have enjoyed some personal time. It is nice to be back on routine.
Starting the year with a PR in the 10k even though I expected and wanted a faster time. It was still a PR and an AG win...reason to celebrate and focus on getting faster.
The past week of vacation. I slept until 10 once or twice and I felt like a lazy college kid again (minus the three kids I was responsible for).
Fresh starts and goals
Coffee
I'm feeling my writing itch return to me. I've missed it.
Training is going well.
Ice to sit on while I type so that I can ice my sore bum.
A family that is all safe, healthy, and here with me today. Every day is a gift and it is so easy to take for granted sometimes. Just takes a few nights of crazy dreams to make me wake up more thankful than ever for just the simple things....the basics.

Motherhood/Personal Goals for THIS WEEK:

Work on the way I respond to my children. I've gotten so lazy with this. The more stressful it gets and the more my kids fight and react in awful ways to each other, the more I find myself reacting in ways that are not so stellar. They sound just like me! We model for our children how to respond to stress and frustrating situations. I'm really needing to get my act together with this one!! Instead of reacting in a way that involves yelling, talking to them in a nagging and whiney voice, and talking over them, I'm trying hard to respond with a sense of calm and control. This is so much harder said than done for me.
To spend more time with God.
Read more. This will involve shutting off distractions and finding the time to sit down and really read something. Right now, I'm into reading mostly nonfiction...things I will learn from and be able to take away from immediately. A perfect time to do this would be after school where we all sit down together and have a 20 minute reading time. Good modeling for my kids. However, my 2 year old son might not think this is such a stellar idea. I might be managing him instead of reading. Better yet, I suppose reading to him would be a good idea. Can't get enough of Bear Hunt and Diego.

Running Goals:

Haven't officially followed a week of plans in my Run Faster book by Brad Hudson. I've used the bones of the plan. I like this...adapting a plan to my needs is easier than I thought and I trust myself here. I like the freedom of being able to switch things around based on my needs and my goal is to keep doing this and being conscious of what I need as an athlete. This involves listening to my body, thinking ahead, and bouncing ideas off of running friends.
Race more often. Although the marathon is my main goal, I do think that there is a certain physical and mental benefit to finding opportunities to race. However, this involves moving other things around in my plan so that I replace key workouts with the race. Not sure how much I will race but I'm not closing the door to racing just because my plan doesn't call for it.
Keep making more time for core work and strength training even if it is a little here and there.
Diet awareness! Being conscious of what I'm stuffing my face with is crucial at this point when I'm trying to run higher mileage. The past two weeks have been AWFUL and I'm ready to get back on track.

Amanda

Glorified Tempo, PR, and Time For Some New Brooks!

2012-01-01T19:22:00.000-08:00

I don't have one of those "Reflections and Recaps of 2011" posts for you. Nor do I have any New Year Resolutions to share yet. No goals and reflections for Runninghood?! What is this blog world coming to? I suppose I reflected and set goals so often in 2011 that I'm all reflected and goaled out for the time being. No, never. I'm just a little mentally tired. I'm sure the 2012 goal post will come soon.

No resolutions but I did start my year off right! My first day of the new year was actually a pretty awesome way to start 2012. I made the decision last week to sign up for a 10k just for fun and to see if I could start the year with a PR. Well, it wasn't really fun but I did set a small PR so I have to take that as a reason to celebrate.

Out with the old and in with the new! These shoes have seen their last race. Now time for some real racing shoes! Can't wait for a new pair of Brooks!

Race: Twenty Twelve Resolution Run--Portland Oregon
Weather: Clear skies, mild temps, windy. Besides the wind, it was actually some pretty great racing conditions. I was overdressed by a lot!
Weekly Mileage before race: 59
Goal: My biggest goal was to break 42 minutes but hoped for a 6:35-6:40 pace or better. I feel confident that this was a very realistic goal right now.
What really happened:

42:09 Chip Time (PR by 10 seconds)
20:54 split
1st in AG out of only 11.
4th woman out of only 65...I could have sworn I only saw 2 women ahead of me. Weird.

Some not stellar parts:

Nerves nerves nerves and self doubt. Lots of it. Even during the race I found myself talking all kinds of non-go-getum talk. I will have to work on this.
I honestly did run hard even though my splits don't show this to me. But my body was telling me differently.
A 6:40 pace felt like a 6:15 pace today.
I really shouldn't eat pizza and sweets all week and then expect to perform efficiently. Fueling correctly really can't be underestimated. At the same time, we shouldn't be overly concerned with what we eat either. Definitely didn't have balance this week.
My prerace meal was half of a Pizza Schmizza pizza with a beer. Ha! I don't think this really had that big of an impact on me to tell you the truth. Just funny.
I think that even though I cut back on the miles towards the end of the week, 59 was still a bigger week considering that I ran a lot of miles at the start of the week and my body is still adjusting to this. I know this wasn't a peak race so I won't dwell on this too much. My plan was to NOT run this race on totally fresh legs so that was expected.
Hope this isn't too much information but this weekend does mark ovulating day for me...not sharing this with you for any other reason than to bring up the topic of ovulation and the affect it has on our bodies. For me, I get very tired, irritable, break out, and just want to stuff my face with food. There are just a couple of positive things about it too but for the most part, I feel pretty drained. Does ovulation affect you in a negative way or do you even notice??

Positives:

I ran hard
I was running alone for most of the race (especially the second half) and I didn't sneak off into the trees and quit like I wanted to when I saw my splits being so much slower than my goal. ha!
Even though my husband claims that I didn't change my stride or pace at the finish line and look like I was working hard, I felt like I was working it. I didn't have a kick in me but I pushed it.
This served as a strong 6.2 mile tempoish run (a bit faster than I'd do my tempo but with a few 7 min miles in there, it felt rather tempoish and less 10k race-like)
I won a gold medal for first in AG. Who cares if there wasn't much competition. AG win is AG win. I'll take it!
I had my kids and husband to greet me at the end.
I got an awesome pep talk and pep e-mails from some great running gals! I feel really blessed with friendships recently. Lots of love and support after the race too.
I was inspired by some very beautiful and chiseled bodies at the starting line. One of them being someone I kind of know...Helen Rarick, who ran an impressive 17:12 in the 5k! Seriously, sometimes I bend down to stretch at the starting line just so I can check out all the pretty legs around me. Lots of shorts today too. I love runner legs! Helen's got some amazing ones.
Waking up to a crayon scribbled note from my husband. He left it right by the coffee pot.

Love the way that my four year old is dressed. If only we were all like four year olds in the way that they just are who they are.

Finish line...overheated and very tired. Ready to be done!!

1. How did you start your new year off??
2. Ladies, curious on your thoughts about ovulation and the affect it has on you? Do you get overly tired, emotional, or irritable? Does it make you want to crawl into bed and sleep like it does me? I usually have one or two days like this. I'm pretty sure today is one of them.

Amanda