Monday, April 30, 2012

Week 13 Training

Week Thirteen for Jess:
Monday: Yoga (last day of Get Fresh!)
Tuesday: 2 miles
Wednesday: Barre 3
Thursday: 6 miles speed work
Friday: 2 miles
Saturday:Yoga
Sunday: 11 miles
Total: 21 miles

Week Twelve for Jess:(fourth week of the Get Fresh Challenge)
Monday: Yoga Done!
Tuesday: 3 miles 2.5 miles
Wednesday: Barre 3 Done!
Thursday: 6 miles tempo 5 miles
Friday: 2 miles  gardened
Saturday:Yoga 2 miles
Sunday: 10 miles Done!
Total: 21 miles

Reflection:
I just ran my 10 miler a few hours ago (Sunday night). It was slow, steady, and just what I needed to build my confidence. This week's long run is my last before tapering. I am feeling a little pain in my hip, yoga seems to help but I'm nervous! The Get FRESH challenge is over but I still am putting a work out for each day, chances are it won't happen but I like a good plan!

Week 13 training:
This week will be different without the Get FRESH Challenge. Wow, I can't believe it's the last day! I also can't believe we are in the final weeks of training for the Portland Rock n Roll Half, woohooo!!

Mon- 5 mile run
Tues - abs and arms
Wed - 3 mile run
Thurs - rest
Fri - Workout video
Sat - 9 mile run
Sun - 20 min walk

Reflection on week 12:
This was a bad week, both in terms of sticking with the Get FRESH Challenge and just in terms of working out altogether. Traveling, plus 2 year old duty, plus 100% humidity made it near impossible to workout, I was so bummed! Then when I came back and headed out for my long run, I was so jet lagged and blah that I had to cut it short, what a bummer. Here's how it actually went...

Mon - 20 min walk - Nope. Travel day in car and airplane all day. 
Tues - Yoga video - Approx 40 min walk (pushing a stroller I might add)
Wed - 3 mile run - Nope. Nada. 
Thurs - 20+ min walk - Ran 2 miles (20 mins)
Fri - 2 mile run - Nope. Travel day
Sat - 8.5 mile run (hopefully!) - Ran 5.3 miles

Friday, April 27, 2012

snarky lady...that's me.

 

I promise, I don't really think this way. But I will admit that I am a people watcher at the gym. Tonight, I had several neighbors on the treadmill. Each only stayed about ten or twenty minutes and then they'd scoot off to pursue weights, or another machine. Half way through my run a young girl took the 'mill next to me. She looked to be about 18 or so, and about half my size. I automatically assumed she'd be cranking that puppy up and leaving me in the dust. But as I spied observed her progress I had to swallow my giggle. I think she was new at running and her pounding steps could be heard through my headphones. She held her arms awkwardly, with her hands in fists and unmoving. Her elbows bent and her hands glued high near her shoulders. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. 

But then I caught myself assessing this girl and I was ashamed. Seriously, this girl was working it out and I was teasing her in my head.  I realized that my snarkiness was by far a bigger reflection of me than her. I had been worried that I would look slow, sluggish, and past my prime as I pounded it out next to her, young lil thing. Which I probably did.

And with my contrite frame of mind, I also remembered how good it feels to be in a community of other runners, runners that are much speedier, much more experienced than I. I also thought about how it is a sport that can last a lifetime and my PRing days are still ahead. Two things to take away from that experience....extend the courtesy of kindness to new runners, and also...don't be intimidated by the "looks" of someone, you never can tell what a person is capable of.

I did give the girl a quick smile as I disembarked the 'mill and headed home. Maybe I'll see her back there and can get a "re-do".

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The LONG run

All of you fellow runners who are training for a race or who have ever trained for a race know what I mean when I say "long run". The long run is the run you do once a week to build your miles, it's the longest run of the week and gets increasingly longer as the weeks pass and race day approaches. For most of us, the long run takes place on a weekend due to the amount of time it takes to complete.

The long run is a commitment, not only for yourself but a commitment from your spouse, your children, your pets, your friends or anyone else who may count on you to be there. Personally, I dread the long run. Not because of the run itself (well...sometimes) but because of the time it takes to actually complete that run, sometimes hours. I hate to miss a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon with my family. Weekend family time is the best and I feel guilty and selfish missing out. The good thing is that I usually feel good once I am out there running and never do I regret going running. The long runs are necessary for distance running, they make us stronger, keep us committed and build our endurance.

Last weekend I planned to do my long run on Saturday, not sure when or how (my husband wasn't available to be with the daughter) but I had been coming down with a cold a couple days before and Saturday just felt awful. I put it off and finally by Sunday evening I felt well enough to run. Not great, but well enough. It had been an exhausting week and after putting my daughter to bed Sunday night, all I wanted to do was get in my PJs and chill out a bit. But instead I laced up and headed out to run 7.5 miles. It was a perfect evening for a run, I can't even tell you how perfect. It was warm enough to run in a tank top but with enough wind to stay cool. And with the sun setting over the mountains as I ran...ugh, amazing! I had been struggling to get my miles up for a variety of reasons while training for the upcoming half marathon and therefore I expected this run to feel hard and impossible but knew I would just keep going until 7.5 was accomplished. However, the opposite happened, I felt great! I didn't struggle, I didn't want to die and had it not been for the fact that it got dark at the end of my run, I may have even felt motivated enough to keep going. During my run I kept thinking "this is a perfect run"...besides the small side ache that was lingering, so the thoughts turned to "this is a near-perfect run". It was exactly what I needed and I was so thrilled to achieve the goal not only physically but mentally as well. So to all you fellow mother runners I encourage you to keep going and don't give up. If you can't do it one day, do it the next day. Just run!













Monday, April 23, 2012

Week 12 Training


Week Twelve for Jess:(fourth week of the Get Fresh Challenge)
Monday: Yoga
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: Barre 3
Thursday: 6 miles tempo
Friday: 2 miles + abs/pushups
Saturday:Yoga
Sunday: 10 miles
Total: 21 miles

Week Eleven for Jess:(third week of the Get Fresh Challenge)
Monday: 2 miles + abs/pushups Done!
Tuesday: Barre 3  Yoga
Wednesday:Yoga Done
Thursday:8 Thurs.& Fri.funeral and plane to and from OHIO, no workout
Friday: 2 miles + abs/pushups
Saturday: power walk Gardened
Sunday: 9 miles Done
Total: 21 miles 11. dang.

Reflection:
 Sometimes life sucks. We had a death in the family this week, and I hurried to Ohio for a memorial service. It was a quick, brutal trip but I am so glad I was able to go. After taking a few days off, I was thankful my 9 miles went smoothly. Well, it went smooth but it was HOT! I was soaking up family time and putting off the run until 11. Big mistake. But I just went slow and hydrated the whole way and was happy to complete it! Cheers to double-digits this week!!!


Week 12 for Katie:
This week is going to be a challenge as I will be traveling and am unsure what the setup will be like.  So this is just a guess and my long run may have to wait until the beginning of next week, let's see.
Mon - 20 min walk
Tues - Yoga video
Wed - 3 mile run
Thurs - 20+ min walk
Fri - 2 mile run
Sat - 8.5 mile run (hopefully!)

Reflection on week 11:
Mon - Run 3 miles - Ran 3.5 miles
Tues - Walk 20+ mins - 20 min walk
Wed - Yoga video - 20 min run
Thu - Run 4.5 miles - Ran 3.32 miles (ran out of time)
Fri - Walk or workout video - Sick day :(
Sat - Run 7.5 miles - Ran 7.5 miles!
Sun - Walk 20 + mins - Walk 20 mins

Besides getting sick and needing to take a day off, this week went pretty well. My biggest accomplishment being my 7.5 mile run (while I was still a little sick). This run deserves a blog post of it's own, so check back this week for a recap! I am bummed I had to miss a day of the Get FRESH Challenge, but sometimes it's important to take care of ourselves. We are less than a month away from the half marathon and I am getting excited! 

Sunday, April 22, 2012

GetFRESH challenge

 
Have you noticed how important communication with your family is during this challenge? I sure have. In fact it has inspired a new form of communication in our home.
Our chalkboard contact paper, which we are using for a family calendar
It's important to have a strong support system as we seek to be fit and healthy. It is important too, that we don't just expect the system be there for us as we reach for our health endeavours. Instead respect, and work on them.  I have found the more I communicate my plans and schedule with the Hubs, the better he can support me and my training. If you haven't already, talk through your intentions for this next week.