Weekly Roundup 11.23-11.29

Week 9 of 16

I’m getting closer and closer with each and every run!  I scaled back a bit this week as I have my 4 hardest and most important weeks coming up. 

Last week I ran 4 half-mile repeats on the treadmill so this week I went for 5 outside.  It was much harder running them outside as I was pushing myself to faster times.  Next week I have 6 repeats scheduled.  I think I will go back to the treadmill.  Eee!

My long run was a 14-miler, which I ended up running on Thanksgiving morning with my dad on the bike.  It was fun to get out for our own little turkey trot and then head to their house for a big, delicious Thanksgiving meal, beach walk, dessert, and Thanksgiving meal #2.

Georgie ran a mile with me twice.  Both runs were in the dark, both with a few sniffing stops and bathroom breaks.  My neighborhood is so dark and even with my headlamp, flashlight and her flashing collar I don’t feel seen so I ordered her a pink reflective jacket on Black Friday!  Can’t wait for that to come in.  She’s going to love it.

Upcoming events:

·      The 4th Annual Jingle Jog is this Saturday morning!  Looking forward to digging out my Christmas compression socks for a fun 5k in Falmouth!

·      7 weeks until the Houston Marathon!

Monday 11.23.15

6 miles with 5x800s (43:56) <--3:11, 3:04, 3:15, 3:10, 3:05

20,742 steps

Tuesday 11.24.15

4 miles treadmill (32:00)

Taught spin class. The playlist: We Are The Champions Spin Playlist

10 push ups

17,685 steps

Wednesday 11.25.15

1 mile with G (8:31)

13,472 steps

Thursday 11.26.15

Happy Thanksgiving

14 miles with daddo on the bike (1:52:13)

2x60” planks

32,363 steps

Friday 11.27.15

3 miles (22:34)

1 mile with G (8:56)

15,255 steps

Saturday 11.28.15

3 miles (22:43)

16,465 steps

Sunday 11.29.15

Taught spin class. The playlist: Troublemaker Spin Playlist

Burdenko H2O

10 push ups

10,031 steps

G mileage disclaimer: None of the mileage reported with Georgie is straight, consistent running. We may run 1 mile in 9 or 10 minutes but in reality we probably covered a 2-3 mile distance with a mix of walking and running.  I stop my watch every time we start walking.

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16

Week 2 of 16

Week 3 of 16

Week 4 of 16

Week 5 of 16

Week 6 of 16

Week 7 of 16

Week 8 of 16

This week’s mileage: 32 miles

This week’s G mileage: 2 miles

November Totals: 128 miles

2015 Totals: 668 miles

Weekly Roundup 11.16-11.22

Week 8 of 16

Halfway to Houston!  8 weeks down, 8 weeks to go!  I have 5 more weeks of hard work followed by 3 weeks of taper and then it’s race day!  Training has been going by SO FAST and I am feeling SO GOOD.

I was nervous heading into this week, as it was my highest mileage week and longest long run in my training.  I started out with 4 miles on Monday and Run Club on Tuesday.  Oh my god it was cold on Tuesday night but it was Dave’s birthday so we couldn’t miss.

Wednesday I had my first real workout planned.  4x800s at 10k pace (7:00) with recovery at marathon goal pace (8:00).  I really wanted to take my time with this and not feel rushed so I opted for the treadmill.  If you’ve been following along, I am not a fan of the treadmill but I thought it would also give me a really good idea of where I’m at with a steady, set pace in a controlled environment.  It went by surprisingly fast.  Incline set to 1.5, warm up/recovery/cool down at 7.5mph and half mile repeats at 8.5mph, 8.5mph, 8.6mph, 8.8mph.

That same night I went home and took Georgie out for a mile.  It was dark out and she did awesome!  We ran the mile in 8:40 and only made ONE quick bathroom stop.  She was totally focused in the dark with no sniffing and hardly any distractions.

A late Friday morning phone call from Lindi Lou lead to a change in weekend long run plans.  It was a crappy morning but the afternoon turned out to be beautiful.  The sun came out and there was a slight breeze.  She offered to ride with me on Friday if I wanted to get it over with and that’s exactly how I looked at it—let’s just get it over with!  I felt great.  The last 3 miles were a bit of a struggle but that was expected.  My goal was 8 minute pace (2:08:00) and I ended up running 2:07:52.  Right on!  It was wonderful going to bed on Friday night knowing I only had a short run planned for Saturday.

Upcoming events:

·      8 weeks until the Houston Marathon!

Monday 11.16.15

4 miles (28:56)

17,231 steps

Tuesday 11.17.15

Marathon Sports Run Club! 3.25 miles (25:21)

Taught spin class. The playlist: Old Time Rock & Roll Spin Playlist

10 push ups

18,204 steps

Wednesday 11.18.15

5 miles with 4x800 treadmill (37:58)

1 mile with G (8:40)

20,445 steps

Thursday 11.19.15

0.92 miles with G (9:08)

Power Water

13,880 steps

Friday 11.20.15

16 miles with mama on the bike (2:07:52)

36,896 steps

Saturday 11.21.15

3.78 miles (28:25)

18,700 steps

Sunday 11.22.15

Taught spin class. The playlist: Jumpin’, Jumpin’ Spin Playlist

Burdenko H2O

10 push ups

14,495 steps

G mileage disclaimer: None of the mileage reported with Georgie is straight, consistent running. We may run 1 mile in 9 or 10 minutes but in reality we probably covered a 2-3 mile distance with a mix of walking and running.  I stop my watch every time we start walking.

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16

Week 2 of 16

Week 3 of 16

Week 4 of 16

Week 5 of 16

Week 6 of 16

Week 7 of 16

PS Let's go Buffalo!  #BillsMafia

This week’s mileage: 34 miles

This week’s G mileage: 02 miles

November Totals: 96 miles

2015 Totals: 636 miles

Weekly Roundup 11.9-11.15

Week 7 of 16

Daylight Savings, I do not like you!  I met with a new client on Monday afternoon and got a really late start to my run.  Instead of going right to the treadmill, I decided to see how many times I could make around the Industrial Park (about a half mile loop) before total darkness.  I was super rushed and felt like I was sprinting but made it 4 of my 5 planned miles.

Tuesday brought rain and high winds so I skipped Run Club and took a rest day.  It was still raining on Wednesday but seemed to let up to a light mist at run time so I bundled up and battled the wind.  I was happy to get outside but also so happy when it was over.  I usually pass the CrossFitters while out on my run and even they stayed inside today.  Wimps

Thursday was GAME DAY!  Bills Nation was asked to wear red so of course I had to on my morning run.  My all red pants were in the wash—silly me wore them for Veterans Day!—so I went for my next best option.  Love those pants.  I got in 4 solo miles then grabbed the pup for a half mile.  We did make a lot of stops but our actual run time was 4:19 which has to be one of her fastest.  Go G!

I spent most of the day on Friday with my mom at IKEA while Georgie went to her first day at Doggy Day Care.  We got home and I did not want to run!  Good thing Lindi Lou was over because she made me.  Practically pushed me out the door!  This lack of motivation carried over to my Saturday long run when my dad didn’t want to bike with me either.  I went out with some Run Club friends the night before (Anejo, holler!) and slept in but just was not feeling like moving…for 2 hours straight.  We met at my work and headed out for 3 loops in New Seabury.  The loop is surprisingly pretty hilly and each loop it seemed to get colder and windier but we survived and I was under my marathon goal time for my longest run since 2012.  Thanks for pushing me along, Daddo!

Week 8, bring it on!

Upcoming events:

·      9 weeks until the Houston Marathon!

Monday 11.9.15

4 miles (28:26)

1 mile treadmill (7:56)

19,013 steps

Tuesday 11.10.15

Taught spin class

10 push ups

8,103 steps

Wednesday 11.11.15

Happy Veterans Day!

5 miles with 3 miles Fartlek (36:39)

21,227 steps

Thursday 11.12.15

4 miles (31:50)

0.5 miles with G (4:19)

Taught spin class. The playlist: We Are The Champions Spin Playlist

Power Water

10 push ups

23,850 steps

Friday 11.13.15

3.5 miles (26:36)

15,954 steps

Saturday 11.14.15

14 miles with daddo on the bike (1:50:59)

33,773 steps

Sunday 11.15.15

Taught spin class. The playlist: Old Time Rock & Roll Spin Playlist

Burdenko H2O

12,367 steps

G mileage disclaimer: None of the mileage reported with Georgie is straight, consistent running. We may run 1 mile in 9 or 10 minutes but in reality we probably covered a 2-3 mile distance with a mix of walking and running.  I stop my watch every time we start walking.

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16

Week 2 of 16

Week 3 of 16

Week 4 of 16

Week 5 of 16

Week 6 of 16

This week’s mileage: 32 miles

This week’s G mileage: 0.5 miles

November Totals: 62 miles

2015 Totals: 602 miles

Beginner Blog: 5 Essential Products for New Runners

Recently I have been talking about my cousin Michele, who signed up to run her first half marathon in Houston with me.  When I saw her last month in Ellicottville, I put together a little goodie bag with of my favorite running products from my local running store, Marathon Sports.  I wanted to include items that she probably didn’t already know about or something that she would never buy for herself.  It makes me really happy to share my love for the sport and hopefully motivate her to accomplish her goal.

Have you ever helped out a new runner?  What products would you put in a goodie bag for new runners?

Run Jen Run Essential #1: Anti-Chafing Stick

My go to anti-chafing stick is Body Glide.  New runners may think this is silly (I’m sure Michele thought I was nuts!) but any experienced runner will tell you it’s a must have product.  Find out your problem areas and roll it on before every run.  I need it more so on long runs in hot, humid weather and the freezing cold, raw days.

Run Jen Run Essential #2: A good pair of Running Socks

A good pair of running socks means happy feet!  Cotton socks are miserable and can lead to blisters galore.  I have been running in Balenga Hidden Comfort socks for the past few years and swear by them.  They are lightweight yet very cushiony and come in bright, fun colors!

Essential #3: Long Run Fuel

It’s important to bring fuel on any run longer than an hour.  That’s when your body starts to run out of its glycogen stored in muscles.  Blood sugar levels fall and your performance will start to deteriorate.  I have tried a few different products in the past but now consistently use Strawberry GU Energy Chews on all my long runs.  I love the flavor and the gummy texture allows me to take my time fueling instead of sucking down the gross gels as fast as I can to get it over with!  Find the product that works for you and stick with it!  Another one of my favorites if I need a quick energy snack before a run or before spin class are Green Apple Sport Beans.  So yummy!

Essential #4: A Running Magazine

The big 3 in running magazines are Runner’s World, RunningTimes, and Competitor Magazine.  While I love them all, the great thing about Competitor Magazine is that it’s free!  A lot of running stores and fitness centers has copies available, so you just have to find out where to locate them.  You can also view online and sign up for weekly emails featuring articles, tips, motivation, blogs, etc.

Essential #5: RoadID

I didn't include this in my goodie bag for Michele but I should have!  Every runner should own a RoadID.  I repeat—Every runner should own a RoadID! I've said it before and I'll say it again.  It's one of the best gifts you can give yourself or your family members.  We live in a crazy world.  It's better to be prepared.  Safety first!

[Related Post: Running Safety]

Side note: My cousin Melissa (you may remember her from Ellicottville too) is kicking butt with her weight loss challenge!  She lost her 21.5 pounds in her first 6 weeks and signed up for another 6 week 20 pound challenge!  Go Melissa!  She also rocked a 5k this weekend—her fastest time and didn’t stop to walk!  #proudcousin

Weekly Roundup 11.2-11.8

Week 6 of 16

Week 6 started up with a “racing daylight” run!  I ran a pretty speedy 6 miles remembering how much I hate winter and these long, dark nights.  Tuesday was a sad day missing Run Club and even worse—for a treadmill run!  My first of training and I have a feeling there will be many more in my future.  Ew.

Wednesday I had a brief turkey encounter but they were on their best behavior.  I think the Mashpee turkeys are nicer than the East Falmouth turkeys but I still don’t trust those evil creatures.

Lately my Friday runs have been a struggle and it was no different this week.  I got stuck in the rain this week and every step seems like tremendous effort.  I spent the miles counting down until it was over.  Get the bad run over with because my Saturday long run was great!  I mapped out 12 miles in Falmouth and Marky hung out with the pup while my mama road alongside me.  It was quite breezy but the temperature was ideal.  Probably similar to January Houston temps actually!  We had a good run/ride and averaged 7:59s on a day I had 8 minute pace in mind.  (I ran 8:01 pace on my 10 miler with daddo.)

Upcoming events:

·      10 weeks until the Houston Marathon!

Week 6 is complete!

Monday 11.2.15

6 miles (43:41)

19,249 steps

Tuesday 11.3.15

3 miles treadmill with 1 mile Fartlek (23:07)

Taught spin class. The playlist: Decades Spin Playlist #1

10 push ups

18,726 steps

Wednesday 11.4.15

4 miles (30:25)

16,203 steps

Thursday 11.5.15

0.5 miles with G (4:59)

Taught spin class. The playlist: Jumpin’, Jumpin’ Spin Playlist

Power Water

10 push ups

13,623 steps

Friday 11.6.15

4.5 miles (35:04)

19,969 steps

Saturday 11.7.15

12 miles with mama on the bike (1:35:53)

28,946 steps

Sunday 11.8.15

Taught spin class. The playlist: The Heart of Rock & Roll Spin Playlist

Burdenko H2O

11,244 steps

G mileage disclaimer: None of the mileage reported with Georgie is straight, consistent running. We may run 1 mile in 9 or 10 minutes but in reality we probably covered a 2-3 mile distance with a mix of walking and running.  I stop my watch every time we start walking.

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16

Week 2 of 16

Week 3 of 16

Week 4 of 16

Week 5 of 16

This week’s mileage: 30 miles

This week’s G mileage: 0.5 miles

November Totals: 30 miles

2015 Totals: 570 miles

Weekly Roundup 10.26-11.1

Week 5 of 16

Happy Halloween!  Week 5 was a fun one!  I feel like I’m starting to get in the groove of training—although I have the challenge of Daylight Savings ahead of me.  We turned the clocks back on Saturday night and we will see how that affects me and my training.

What I can say is that marathon training has been good to my sleep patterns!  Week 5 I averaged over 8 hours of sleep a night for the first time since FEBRUARY!  And when I looked at that week, I had one 10 hour sleep night—on a day that I called in sick to work.  I can remember the days when I averaged 10 hours of sleep a night every week!  That was pre-Mashpee Fitness days…

My run week started with a 6-mile Monday.  I had 6 miles on the calendar although as I was getting ready to run, I reconsidered shortening it to a 4 or 5 mile run as it was my first run since the Cape Cod Half.  I felt way better than expected and miscalculated my run distance and ended up running the planned 6 miles anyways.

Tuesday morning we celebrated Halloween in spin class and the party continued with a costume run at Run Club!  I even went out for a drink (and French fries) after!  Crazy!  I skipped my Wednesday run (I’m a wimp in cold rain) and didn’t feel like getting up early Thursday morning to run.  My work schedule changed so I go in a earlier on Thursdays which kind of forces me to use Thursdays as a day off now.  Friday morning I was excited to have company on my long run!  Jason and I ran 10 miles along the bike path and a windy, Chappy loop.

Saturday morning was the Screech at the Beach 5k.  You can see my full race report here.  To make up for my mid-week laziness I ended up running the course before the race and then came home to a 2 mile run with Georgie.  That was her longest run in a long time as I’m just starting to figure her out—planned walk breaks quarter mile or so helps keep her under threshold.  We encountered a black cat crossing the road in front of us (how ironic) and Georgie growled at it but other then that, we had a great run/walk and she was POOPED!  She barely made it into the house.  #winning

Other highlights:

·      Check out Run Jen Run’s Halloween Workout

·      Currently watching Flotrack videos from the New York Marathon.  So inspiring.  Did you see Meb get the American Master’s Marathon Record?  He’s incredible.

Upcoming events:

·      11 weeks until the Houston Marathon!

Monday 10.26.15

6 miles (45:24)

20,611 steps

Tuesday 10.27.15

Marathon Sports Run Club! 3.22 miles (27:53)

Taught spin class. The playlist: Halloween Spin Playlist 2014

10 push ups

18,296 steps

Wednesday 10.28.15

0.53 miles with G (5:00)

10,315 steps

Thursday 10.29.15

Taught spin class. The playlist: Halloween Spin Playlist 2014

Power Water

10 push ups

11,975 steps

Friday 10.30.15

10 miles with Jason (1:24:36)

30,237 steps

Saturday 10.31.15

Happy Halloween!
3 mile warm up (24:26)

Screech at the Beach 5k (20:24)

Race Report: Screech at the Beach 5k

2 miles with G (18:42)

25,235 steps

Sunday 11.1.15

Taught spin class. The playlist: I Like To Move It Spin Playlist

Burdenko H2O

10 push ups

11,846 steps

Happy Halloween from Georgie!

G mileage disclaimer: None of the mileage reported with Georgie is straight, consistent running. We may run 1 mile in 9 or 10 minutes but in reality we probably covered a 2-3 mile distance with a mix of walking and running.  I stop my watch every time we start walking.

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16

Week 2 of 16

Week 3 of 16

Week 4 of 16

This week’s mileage: 28 miles

This week’s G mileage: 2.5 miles

October Totals: 123 miles

November Totals: 0 miles

2015 Totals: 540 miles