What's for Dinner? Week of 8/24

1,000 apologies for not posting a workout recap and weekly menu plan last weekend. We were extending my birthday celebrations a week, and hanging out at the pool - and I didn't get something scheduled ahead of time. Bad blogger.

View from our pool cabana

We bought a Groupon for the pool cabana, and had a great time hanging out all day in the shade of the cabana and the cool water of the pool.

Last Saturday, I finalized my marathon training plan, so last week was my first official week of training for RnRVegas.

I think I've got my #marathontraining plan all figured out. 14 weeks until #stripatnight. Who else is training for #RnRVegas?
— Clarinda (@EnjoytheCourse) August 16, 2014

Why I don't believe in goals

Do you know what tomorrow is? LOL. If you've been around these parts at ALL in the past few weeks, then you know that tomorrow is my 3rd marathon and 1st in 10 years.

I'm beyond excited. Obviously.
Even despite the nasty cold spell that has descended upon the race course.

When I started training, I set a goal to run a sub-4:30 marathon, but about 7 weeks into training, I decided to scrap that idea.

Training had already started to be tedious, and that just wasn't any fun. I'm not ashamed to admit that I run for fun! I'd wanted to run at a 10:00 min/mi, but too many of my training runs had fallen closer to 11:00 min/mi paces. I was starting to stress out about that, and I didn't want to spend the rest of my training with that kind of pressure.

Instead I choose to run by feel.

Some runs are faster and some are slower, but as my blog name suggests, I prefer to just be out there enjoying the course.

So, I don't set race goals. Unless you count having fun a goal, but I prefer to think of it as a state of mind. :-)

My hope for tomorrow is simply to have fun, stay warm, and finish.

Even though I don't have a race goal time, I know that Katie was hoping to get a sub-5:00 at Chicago, but ended up having some issues and didn't run the race she'd hoped for.

I do think we have a pretty good chance of getting her a sub-5:00 this time around for 2 reasons.

1) It's fricken cold outside. Nothing like 20-degree to put a little pep in your step.
2) It's a mostly downhill course. Not the kind the kills your knees, just the kind that doesn't kill your lungs.

But even if we don't. We're going to HAVE FUN!

And, though my training wasn't all I'd hoped it would be, I know I'm ready enough.

Anyone else racing in the cold this weekend?
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Marathon Monday #18

IT'S TIME!! Marathon week is HERE!

I'm super excited and a little nervous, but mostly just EXCITED! I'll get into that more, but first, let's look at last week's training.

Without further ado, here is the final Marathon Monday (at least for this time around).

I kind of took tapering to a whole new level. AKA babying my shin, so I don't die on Saturday.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 11/25	2	2
Tue, 11/26	4 Hills	REST
Wed, 11/27	REST	REST
Thu, 11/28	3 Speed	REST
Fri, 11/29	REST	REST
Sat, 11/30	7	REST
Sun, 12/1	REST	REST
TOTAL	16	2

See what I mean?

So, you can probably guess why I'm a little bit nervous for Saturday. Last week, I was experiencing a sharp pain in my right shin. Even when I was just walking. It's feeling better now, so I think I'll be okay on Saturday. I intend to keep massaging and icing this week and hope that helps even more. :)

My longest training run was only 19 miles, and I straight up walked the final 3-6 miles.

I wasn't as consistent with the training as I'd hoped to be setting out, but I've done this before (10 years ago), and I KNOW I can do it again.

I'm going into this with NO expectations - other than to HAVE FUN!! I'm so stoked to share this weekend with Katie, and I know that no matter what happens on Saturday, we'll have a blast.

Up this week? The marathon. Duh! Of course, to prepare for a successful marathon, I need to be sure and eat extra healthy this week and drink LOTS of water. I'm hoping to get in a 5 miler tomorrow for Laura's Fall 5 or 10 virtual series, but other than that I'll probably do a lot more resting.

What's the most fun you've ever had during a race?
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Marathon Monday #17

I think you'll really be pleased with my training last week.
I know I am. :)

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 11/18	2	2
Tue, 11/19	4 Hills	4
Wed, 11/20	REST	REST
Thu, 11/21	5 Speed	5
Fri, 11/22	REST	REST
Sat, 11/23	15	REST
Sun, 11/24	REST	15
TOTAL	26	26

I GOT IN ALL MY MILES!!!

I decided to skip the hills and speed work after the previous weekend's killer half marathon. My legs needed some rest + the marathon course isn't very hilly + it's the start of taper = easy running.

Last weekend was so dreary outside. I've really become a huge sunlover. When the sun doesn't come out to play, neither does Clarinda apparently. :( I went to bed early Friday night. Slept in late(r) on Saturday. Got up for a few hours and went back to bed for a few hours long nap. Lounged around the rest of the afternoon, and then hit the hay early Saturday night. Guess my body really needed some REST!

I probably would have had much more energy on Saturday if 1) the sun was bright and shiny and 2) if I'd just gone for a run.

Usually I'm tired after a long distance run, but it's a different kind of tired.

The kind that pumps you up. :-)

My 15 miles on Sunday were long and a little boring - despite my music. I wasn't really feeling it, but I kept plugging along. I kept thinking about how great it was going to be at the marathon when I'll have a running partner. Can't wait to meet you, Katie!

I know I'll need someone there to keep pushing me. To help me forget how many more miles there are. Someone to distract me so that the miles really fly by.

If you've been following along my Marathon Mondays since August, you'll know that I skipped quite a few weeks of training and my longest run was only 19 miles, of which I walked most of the final 6. I definitely could have done better.

Saturday, we watched a trailer for Ender's Game. The following quote really resonated with me.

So, while my training wasn't stellar by far, I know I'm ready enough.

Bring. It. On.

Up this week? The taper continues. My right lower leg has been a bit wonky today, so I think there will be a lot of stretching and rolling and icing along with my short(er) runs this week.

How does the weather affect you and your workouts?
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Marathon Monday #15

I promise I'll be getting back to the #Blogember prompts starting tomorrow.

But today, it's time for an update on marathon training.

Usually, I have no problem listening to my body UNTIL THERE IS RACE IN JUST OVER A WEEK!!

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 11/4	2	20 min yoga 2 with Sallie
Tue, 11/5	5 Hills	5 Hills
Wed, 11/6	REST	REST
Thu, 11/7	6 Speed	REST
Fri, 11/8	REST	1.5
Sat, 11/9	22	REST
Sun, 11/10	REST	REST
TOTAL	35	8.5

This was probably one of the toughest training weeks. I think because the end is getting so close AND my shins decided not to play so nice.

I can't pinpoint exactly when the shin pain started. I'm pretty sure it's been around for the last several runs, but I don't think it was around for my 18-miler a few weeks ago.

But this past week it got bad. At first, my shins didn't really hurt at all when I was running - only afterward when I was doing my normal day-to-day walking (i.e. from my desk to the bathroom, etc).

I ignored it for the most part and tried just running through it. I figured I'd continue with my training and use my TAPER time for the necessary healing.

Then I tried to go for a 6 mile training run on Friday. I'd already decided to skip the speed aspect and just run for fun. It was not pretty. Not pretty at all.

Even worse than the pain, though, was knowing I was facing a decision. Do I continue running through it, risking further injury, or do I rest, risking undertraining? Do I skip the half marathon? Do I skip the full?

The stress of these decisions was compounded when I ordered a new Camelbak hydration pack AND paid for expedited shipping, so I could use it on my long run over the weekend. It made me sick to my stomach knowing I'd paid the extra shipping for nothing. I simply couldn't risk a long run on Sunday - not after Friday's short run. I hate wasting money, and it seems so silly, but that really made slowing down and resting my shins an even more difficult decision. :(

I still haven't decided what to do about the half on Saturday. I spent the weekend icing and rolling my lower legs, hoping for some relief and some healing.

Last night I even broke down and ordered some Pro Compression marathon socks. I've heard great things about Pro Compression, so I'm kind of excited to try them out, but also nervous about wasting money if they don't help.

My fingers are still crossed for a miracle this week.

If no miracle comes, I'm still going to the race on Saturday. I'll volunteer instead. Last minute volunteers are always welcome, right?

If no miracle comes, I'm still going to hold out hope for the full in December.

Up this week? I'm not really sure. Continued icing and rolling, I'm sure. Maybe I should concentrate on some cross training and core work. Definitely lots of healing thoughts and hopes for a last minute healing miracle.

Have you ever had to make the difficult decision to take a DNS due to an injury? If so, how did you deal with it?
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Marathon Monday #14

I'm skipping the prompt for #Blogember today in favor of ...

Definitely wanted to do better last week, but sometimes you simply have to listen to your body.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 10/28	2	2 with Sallie
Tue, 10/28	6 Hills	45 min yoga
Wed, 10/30	REST	6 Hill-o-ween
Thu, 10/31	7 Speed	REST
Fri, 11/1	REST	REST
Sat, 11/2	20	19
Sun, 11/3	REST	REST
TOTAL	35	27

Monday was SUPER windy, so I while I did get my run in, I skipped riding my bike.

Tuesday, I couldn't get to the treadmill. Gym was locked. So, I hit the yoga mat instead, and moved my hill workout to Wednesday.

Thursday, I was a mess, so I opted to make that a rest day. Friday turned into another rest day. I was still feeling sore and moving slow in the morning. I considered running after work and moving my long run to Sunday, but by the time I was heading home from work that no longer appealed to me. I probably should have done it anyway.

Instead I ate crap for dinner and stayed up WAY too late.

Needless to say, I didn't set myself up for a successful 20-miler. Not surprisingly, it turned into only 19 miles with LOTS of walking. I'm not beating myself up about the walking. It is what it is. I'm trusting my training, and I know I'll do better on Dec 7th.

In the meantime, I need to get my legs in check. My shins are kind of hurting me after Saturday's run, and my big toe is still a little tender. Good news is that my left quad seems to be better now. Here's to a week of massaging, icing, and hydrating!!

Up this week? This weekend is my last long run. I'm really hoping to prepare better during the week, so I can have a successful run on Saturday. After that, I have a super hilly half, and then it's TAPER time. A time I'm really looking forward to at this point. :)

How do you deal with minor aches and pains to prevent further injury?
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Marathon Monday #13

I'm not sure I could have had a more perfect week of training last week! Whoo hoo!!

Since I'd pretty much missed the previous two weeks, I did make a couple changes to the overall plan.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 10/21	2	2 with Sallie Yoga Bike Commute
Tue, 10/22	5 Hills	5 Hill-o-ween
Wed, 10/23	REST	Yoga Bike Commute
Thu, 10/24	6 Speed	6 Speed
Fri, 10/25	REST	Yoga
Sat, 10/26	18	18
Sun, 10/27	REST	REST
TOTAL	31	31

I'm just seriously so happy with how my training went last week. The only thing that would have made it perfect would have been if I'd commuted by bike on Friday as well. But one little hiccup is not enough to upset me at all.

It was one awesome week!

Read on to hear more about Saturday's long run + the Las Vegas Balloon Fest.

Marathon Monday #12

Remember how I said I probably wouldn't stick to my marathon training plan this week because my parents were in town?

Prophesy fulfilled. :-)

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 10/14	2	Walked around Hoover Dam
Tue, 10/15	6 Hills	Hiked in Valley of Fire
Wed, 10/16	REST	Walked down The Strip
Thu, 10/17	6 Speed	Walked  The Old Mormon Fort
Fri, 10/18	REST	REST
Sat, 10/19	20	--
Sun, 10/20	REST	REST
TOTAL	34	unknown

I'm not beating myself up about this at all. In fact, I feel pretty good about it. I may not have done any running or strength training, but I did walk a lot. I feel like I still have a few weeks for long runs that taking this week off shouldn't hurt my training too badly.

My parents actually flew home on the red eye Friday morning, so I really could have biked to work on Friday and done a long run on Saturday, but Mother Nature had other plans. Yep. I got my period on Friday and then had bad cramps on Saturday. I just wasn't feeling up to doing anything!

Today is a NEW week, and I'm bound to finish my training STRONG!

Up this week? I'm really, really hoping to get in a nice 20 mile run this weekend. If I can tackle that, then I can certainly finish marathon #3, right?
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Marathon Monday #11

Kind of a flop of a week last week, but at least I got in a long run on Saturday!!

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 10/7	2	1 w/ Sallie Bike Commuted
Tue, 10/8	6 Hills	--
Wed, 10/9	REST	REST
Thu, 10/10	6 Speed	--
Fri, 10/11	REST	Bike Commuted
Sat, 10/12	18	15
Sun, 10/13	REST	REST
TOTAL	32	16

I'm not sur what happened, but I experienced a sharp pain behind my belly button on Monday's run. I had to cut it short because it was so uncomfortable. Tuesday morning came, and I could still feel it a little, so I decided to skip the morning run. Not sure what my excuse was on Thursday. :)

I've discovered that I really like biking to work on Fridays. It seems like it sets me up for a great run on Saturday morning. I hope to keep it up for the rest of the training.

Up this week? My parents are in town visitng, so I'm not sure how good I'll be sticking to the plan. We are planning on hiking somewhere tomorrow, though, and overall walking a good deal. I may not get in all my runs, so it may just be a good cross-training week. :)
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Marathon Monday #10

Certainly not a perfect week of training, but I'm still pretty happy with how it all turned out in the end.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 9/30	2	2 w/ Sallie Yoga
Tue, 10/1	5 Hills	--
Wed, 10/2	REST	REST
Thu, 10/3	5 Speed	5 Speed Abs
Fri, 10/4	REST	Bike commuted
Sat, 10/5	16	16.5
Sun, 10/6	REST	REST
TOTAL	28	23.5

I'm not sure what it is about my Tuesday runs, but I've skipped them the past couple of weeks. Do I dread hills that much?

In reality, I probably do. My run on Saturday included several pedestrian bridges, which are essentially man-made hills. I find that I slow down both UP and DOWN the hill. Ugh! Why can't I be a normal runner and speed up on the downhills??

I finally dusted my bike off last week, and actually rode it to/from work one day. I'm shooting for 3 days this week. Fingers crossed.

I also did a little bit of strength training with yoga on Monday and abs on Thursday. Need to do more, but at least I didn't skip it all together this week.

Up this week? Really just more of the same. At least after this past Saturday, I'm feeling a bit better about running in Vegas. I found a running path/trail that I like!

How do you deal with hill training? Love it or hate it?
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Marathon Monday #9

So, apparently, I'm incapable of having two fantastic weeks of training in a row.

Last week, I missed a day of running + I failed to incorporate any strength, yoga, or cross training into my week.

Here's how it played out.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 9/23	2	2 w/ Sallie
Tue, 9/24	5 Hills	--
Wed, 9/25	REST	REST
Thu, 9/26	5 Speed	5 Speed
Fri, 9/27	REST	REST
Sat, 9/28	16	9
Sun, 9/29	REST	REST
TOTAL	28	16

Certainly not a complete disaster, like two weeks ago, but definitely some room for improvement.

I shouldn't blame the weather, but it got chilly here much earlier than last fall, and the cool morning air did not help my motivation at all.

It was a real struggle to get out the door on Thursday.

Post by Enjoying the Course.

I eventually did buck up and go for my run. The first mile was very slow, but I did mange to throw in some speed work. Yay!!

Saturday's long run was not so good. I don't know what possessed me to consider doing 16 miles on a dirt trail through the mountains. I made it 3 before turning around. Six total on the trail. I tried to continue running on the streets to get up to my 16 miles, but after 3 more miles, I was simply DONE!

Plus those initial 6 were much slower than I needed them to be, so I was starting to get short on time.

I spent Saturday evening at Bite of Las Vegas - a food and music festival. I was volunteering with the Firefighters of Southern Nevada, serving beer and collecting tips for the Burn Foundation.

It was so much fun! I was reminded of how much fun bartending can be, but also how much work it is. I was running around like crazy, and I'm definitely feeling it today.

I'm also definitely looking forward to doing it again next year!

Up this week? Getting back on track. Hopefully, I'll bike to work 3x this week and incorporate some strength training.

How were your workouts last week?
How do you deal with cutting a long run short?
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Marathon Monday #8

I've made a decision!

No worries. I'm not dropping out of the race, but I am changing my goals. When I started training, I mentioned I wanted to set a pace goal of 10:00 min/miles for the race, with an overall time of sub-4:30.

I knew I probably shouldn't make that goal, since it's my first marathon in 10 years, but I threw it out there.

And now I'm taking it back. I've decided it's just too much pressure. The majority of my runs lately have been closer to the 11:00 min/mi pace.

I don't want to spend the rest of my training beating myself up for not keeping that goal pace.

I want to ENJOY the marathon, and not feel bad for stopping when I need to. It's supposed to be a really beautiful course, and I want to feel good about stopping for an occasional picture.

So, I've decided I'm just going to run for the love of running.

No time. No pressure. Just running.

Last week was a fabulous week of training.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 9/9	2	2 w/ Sallie
Tue, 9/10	4 Speed	4.15 Fartleks
Wed, 9/11	REST	Strength Training Cardio, Abs, Arms
Thu, 9/12	7 Pace	7
Fri, 9/13	3	3 Abs, Arms
Sat, 9/14	14	REST
Sun, 9/15	REST	14
TOTAL	30	30.15

I've long since wanted to make my mid-week rest days as active rest days. I know that core and strength training are extremely important when training for a marathon, so this week, I was determined to incorporate some into my workouts.

Instead of resting on Wed, I did some strength training.

This totally kicked my ass. Literally. I could barely walk the next day from the squat variations. Made for an interesting 7 miler Thursday morning.

I did more strength training on Friday, but focused only on abs and arms. My lower body just wasn't ready. :)

Lots of Saturday morning errands prevented me from running on Saturday. That, and I really didn't eat dinner Friday night.

It's all good since I ran Sunday instead. And it was a fantastic run! Whoo hoo!!

Up this week? I'm dropping down to running 4x each week. I'm hoping to start strength training on Mon, Wed, and Fri with the extra day off. You can view my training plan here. Since I'm dropping my Pace runs, I've modified my plan to include Hills on Tuesdays and Speed Work on Thursdays - instead of alternating those from week to week on Tuesdays.

Have you ever changed up your running goals mid-training plan?
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Marathon Monday #7

Last week was a big ole flipping bust. :(

When Wednesday rolled around, I hadn't run at all, so I decided to scrap the entire week - which, thinking back, really doesn't make any sense! I mean, technically, I'd only missed ONE day.

Instead of choosing to run in the mornings, I chose to stay up late and watch too much TV. I chose not to bike or workout.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 9/9	REST	15min Yoga
Tue, 9/10	4 Hills	--
Wed, 9/11	REST	--
Thu, 9/12	7	--
Fri, 9/13	4	--
Sat, 9/14	12 Pace	6.7
Sun, 9/15	REST	REST
TOTAL	27	6.7

Oh, yeah. It was a bad week.

I figure it happens at least once in every training cycle, right?

Well, I woke up this morning. I didn't want to run. I wanted to stay in bed just a bit longer, but I DIDN'T! I knew I need to get up and get out there. I knew I needed to set myself up for SUCCESS!

So, I leashed up my girl and headed out for 2 miles. Whoo hoo. :)

Up this week? This is my last week of running 5 days/week. I hope to make the most of it.

How do you get back on track after completely failing a week?
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Marathon Monday #6

It's a brand new week! I hope it flies by, because, sadly, I'm already ready for the weekend. Oops!

Week 5 of training went very well!

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 9/2	REST	65 min Yoga
Tue, 9/3	4 Speed	4 Speed
Wed, 9/4	REST	biked to work
Thu, 9/5	6 Pace	biked from work 6 Pace
Fri, 9/6	3	3
Sat, 9/7	12	12
Sun, 9/8	2	REST
TOTAL	27	25

I started the week out with some yoga, which left me quite sore for the next couple of days. I still managed to get in some speed work on Tuesday. I did an HIIT workout on the treadmill that was quite challenging

Wednesday was somewhat of an active rest day because I biked into work. The skies were looking very threatening at the end of the work day, so Jeff picked me up. Genie isn't big enough for my bike, so Lily spent the night inside at my desk. Jeff dropped me off at work Thursday morning, so I could bike home after work.

I ended up working 45 minutes late on Thursday. While biking home, I nearly talked myself out of going for my run. I had skipped it in the morning, and thought it would be okay to skip it at night, too, right?! I mean it was already 6:30 by the time I got home. My legs were already tired from biking. [insert additional excuses here.]

In the end, I decided to man up and just get out there quickly. Before I changed my mind. I didn't even hesitate, but changed into my running clothes as soon as I hung up my bike. I kissed Jeff, convinced him to make dinner while I ran, and then headed out the door.

It turned out to be quite a fun run! Sunset happened about halfway into my run, and there were portions that were pitch black, and I could barely see the ground. I'll have to remember my reflective vest next time I run after work. For sure.

It was supposed to be a pace run, and I did better than I expected! I went a bit slower after dark, but managed an overall pace of 10:08. I'll definitely take that!

Despite my late run on Thurs, I still woke up early enough Friday for a quick 3 miles. Well, they didn't turn out to be so quick, but at least I got them done. :)

Saturday's 12 were kind slow as well. I tried doing 7/3 splits. When I was training for my first 2 marathons I did 10-and-1 splits, and those were ok. This training cycle, I've tried 3-and-1s and now 7-and-3s. I don't think either of those are for me. I end up walking too slowly and taking too long to run again. My overall pace really suffers. I think I'll try 10-and-1s again to see how those will work this time around.

Other than slow, the 12 miles weren't bad. I had a few tummy issues, but nothing too bad. The worst was the number of stop lights. Ugh! I ran a route I'd never really run before, and the stoplights were killing me!

Up this week? Hills tomorrow, and I think I've decided on a great hill to try. Yay! 12 miles again on Saturday, and I'm hoping to do it at goal pace. I'm thinking I need to find an actual trail for this, so I don't have to deal with the stoplights.

Do you train with run/walk intervals? If so, what's your interval of choice?
How was your running last week?
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Marathon Monday #5

Happy Labor Day!! Hope you're all enjoying the last day of summer. I know, I know. Summer's not technically over yet, but Labor Day sure seems like the start of fall.

Even though the high today is still 99. :)

We've got no big plans for today. I already got some yoga in, but now it's time to simply enjoy the day off from work.

And share with you my training from this past week.

Week 4 of training is in the bag!

I had to make a couple of adjustments, but I'm still happy with how it's going. :)

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 8/26	REST	2
Tue, 8/27	3 Hills	3 Stairs
Wed, 8/28	REST	REST
Thu, 8/29	6	6
Fri, 8/30	4	REST
Sat, 8/31	10 Pace	REST
Sun, 9/1	2	10 Pace

Since I had skipped my run last Sunday, I didn't want to have two rest days in a row, plus I was itching to run Monday morning, that I started the week off with 2 miles. :)

I had the best stairs run on Tuesday, in place of hills, and I was really feeling it the next morning - and Thursday, too. Loved it!!

Wednesday's rest day was nice, and it was the only day I biked to work last week, so it was kind of an active rest day. :)

Thursday's 6 miles were super fun, but about two miles in I rolled my ankle.

Post by Enjoying the Course.

Possibly not the smartest idea to keep on moving, but I just didn't want to stop! I iced it, rubbed Biofreeze on it, and took Friday and Saturday as rest days to let it heal. It was feeling good enough that I was able to get in 10 miles yesterday.

Up next week? SPEED WORK!! I've been having a LOT of difficulty maintaining anywhere near a 10:00min/mi pace lately - even on my shorter runs, which used to easily be sub-10:00. I'm hoping that the addition of speed work will help.

What are you doing for Labor Day?
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Marathon Monday #4

Kind of a tough week of training this week. I'm chalking it up mostly to PMS. My whole body was so achy and all I wanted was to sleep and eat chocolate. I don't think I've never craved chocolate so much in my life. Not that I'm complaining.

So, here's how the week went.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 8/19	REST	REST
Tue, 8/20	3	3
Wed, 8/21	REST	REST
Thu, 8/22	6.2 Virtual Race
Fri, 8/23	4
Sat, 8/24	10	10
Sun, 8/25	2

I skipped the virtual race on Thursday and decided to just use the 6.2 miles from the 10 on Saturday for that race.

It was so difficult to get motivated for my long run this week. I slept too late and then took forever getting everything ready. Hopefully this week will be better. Since my legs were feeling tired and achy, I decided to do 3:1 intervals (run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute). I really feel like the intervals helped get me through, but it was very slow going.

Up next week? I start incorporating hills into my training. I still have to find a decent hill in my neighborhood. In the meantime, I think I'll run to the Strip and run stairs. It's not quite the same thing, I know, but I think it will still be good for me.

The good news from last week is that I finally got the flat tire on my bike fixed and was able to bike into work 4 days. I skipped biking on Wednesday in favor of folding the laundry, and Thursday, Jeff came to pick me up after work because the weather was stormy and my cell had died. I probably would have been fine biking home, but with the dead cell, I didn't want to take any chances.

How do you deal with PMS? Does it take you down or do you power through? A small part of me feels guilty for skipping three days of running this week, but a bigger part of me is totally okay with listening to my body. I'm going with the "my body must have needed the extra rest" theory.
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Marathon Monday #3

My 2nd week of training went really well!

• I pretty much stuck to my plan.
• I didn't feel nearly as tired as the first week. 
• I was much better about getting to bed early/on time.
• I took an active rest on my two rest days.
• I ended up taking a full rest day yesterday, and I don't feel guilty at all due to the active rests earlier in the week.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 8/12	REST	2.6 mile walk
Tue, 8/13	3	3
Wed, 8/14	REST	20 min yoga
Thu, 8/15	5	5
Fri, 8/16	3	3
Sat, 8/17	8	8
Sun, 8/18	2	REST
TOTAL	21	21.6

While I did the full 8 miles on Saturday for my long run, it was LONG! And it was HOT. I left at 8am, but I think it was already in the 90s. Ugh. I got way too hot, plus I forgot to near a sweatband.

I did discover a fun park, though. It was about 1/2 through my run, and there was a water play area for the kids. I'll admit that I jumped in there for a minute or two to cool down a bit. :)

Here are my splits from my long run:

Mile 1 - 10:16
Mile 2 - 9:53
Mile 3 - 9:40
Mile 4 - 10:36
Mile 5 - 16:14 (I walked half, if not most, of this mile)
Mile 6 - 11:08
Mile 7 - 11:26
Mile 8 - 11:08

Only two miles were sub 10:00. I may have to rethink my marathon time goal. We'll see how the next couple long runs go, and if running earlier helps at all.

I picked up our Bountiful Basket Saturday morning, so I couldn't have really gone earlier this week. We're going to cut back to every other week or so for Bountiful, so that I can go for my long runs earlier on our off weeks.

And for next week:

My virtual race ends on Sunday. You can still join the fun! Lots of great prizes up for grabs!! Just shoot me an email or fill out this form.

I'll also be running Jill and Jen's Birthday Bash virtual run (10k) on Thursday, and my first double digit run on Saturday.

How far did you run this week?
Have you ever jumped into a kiddy water area to cool off mid-run? I really think I threw off the kids. They weren't quite sure what to make of me, but they were very friendly and helpful.
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Marathon Monday #2

I had such a wonderful birthday! One of my favorites for sure. :) I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. Right now, let's take a look at how my first week of marathon training went plus a recap of the Sprinkler Sprint 5k.

	The Plan	The Reality
Mon, 8/5	2	2
Tue, 8/6	3	3
Wed, 8/7	REST	REST
Thu, 8/8	3	3
Fri, 8/9	REST	REST
Sat, 8/10	3.1	9.7
Sun, 8/11	6	2

I'm pretty pleased with how Week One went. Whoo hoo!!

Unfortunately, by Thursday, I was already pretty tired. I chalk it up mostly to staying up too late. I'm really going to have to focus on hitting the sack a bit earlier.

Also, the back tire on my bike still isn't fixed, so no biking last week. I did a little yoga, but not every day. Or even after every run. I hope to do better this week.

When I was planning my training schedule, I wasn't sure how to handle my birthday. I wanted to get in a long(ish) run, but wasn't sure how to do it with the 5k Saturday morning and going out for my birthday Saturday night. I planned on the 5k and then doing 6 miles on Sunday, but then I came up with a different, brilliant plan.

Why not run to and from the race?

This would allow me to get my long run in on Saturday. Plus, we wouldn't have to worry about trying to find parking. AND I wouldn't have to worry about getting to bed early Saturday night in order to go for a long run Sunday morning. A nice 2 mile recovery run was much more appealing.

So back to the race. Jeff rode his bike slowly on the sidewalk with me while I ran. Jeff hasn't run a 5k with me since Feb 2005. And he hasn't really run much since. He didn't do too badly. We probably walked about 1/2 the race, but it was fun to be out there with him. Plus with all the walking, I got to snap some fun pictures throughout the race.

All the different water stations made the race go by much faster - and cooler. It was really awesome! I didn't get pictures at any of the water gun stations - mostly because we tried to run through them. :) One station even gave away ice pops. Yum!

Jeff and I skipped the slip 'n slide finish. There was a long line, and we didn't feel like waiting for it. There was no clock at the finish line. In fact, other than the slip 'n slide, the finish was pretty lackluster.

Except for the towels. Jeff grabbed a wet one, and I grabbed a dry one. The wet towel felt absolutely wonderful to wipe our faces after the race. Plus, we now have two perfect-sized sweat towels for going to the gym, etc. The towel was also much appreciated for my run home. :)

Overall, this was a really fun run. It was the first race put together by Downtown Runners, and founder Tanya "Tutu Tanya" Carrier, did a fabulous job putting it all together. I didn't even mind the lack of treats at the end of the race, and I'm looking forward to their next event. :)

Did you race this weekend?
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Marathon Monday #1

Today I started training for my marathon in Dec. My first marathon in 10 years!

I have 3 goals for training.

1. Follow my training plan. I'll get to this in a bit.
2. Ride my bike to work every day for the next 18 weeks.
3. Make yoga  strong part of my training.

Each Monday, I plan to check in here with an update on how training is going.

I'm already off to a great start! I've gone for my 2 mile run this morning and followed that with a bit of yoga. Yay!

Unfortunately, I did not ride my bike to work because I got a flat tire riding home Friday night, and we didn't have a chance to get it fixed over the weekend. Jeff is taking it in today, so hopefully I'll be able to start the biking tomorrow. :)

Now, on to my training plan.

Technically this will be my 3rd marathon. I should probably treat it as my very first marathon since it's been such a long time, but I'm not going to!

I am going to set a time goal. **gasp**

I would love to finish under 4:30, so I'm planning to train at a 10:00min/mi pace. Not every run will be at that pace some will be faster, some will be slower, but on the ones marked pace, that will be my goal.

I've also thrown in some hills and speed work work to help me get strong. I plan to alternate these with treadmill and outdoor workouts. Hill repeats might be stair repeats using the pedestrian bridges over the Strip. I'm kind of excited about that because I hate stairs even more than hills.

I'm starting off running 5x each week for the first 7 weeks, then I'll drop down to 4x per week when my long runs break 15 miles.

I designed this training plan on my own, and I'm hoping it will fit my schedule and motivation levels. :)

Click the picture for a closer look.

For a little encouragement, I bought myself a new running outfit while at Walmart yesterday. I'm calling it a birthday gift to myself. :D It's actually a lot brighter in real life. Good thing it's reversible for those days when I'm feeling a bit more subdued.

Have you registered for my Factors of 36 virtual race yet? No? What are you waiting for? Lots of great prizes are up for grabs. :) Click here to read more about it, and to register today. Registration ends on 8/8.
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An Announcement + the ABCs of ME

Check out what I did this morning!

I registered for a MARATHON! I'm super excited. It starts in Utah, runs through Arizona, and finishes in Nevada. BOOM! Three States, One marathon. :)

This will be my first marathon in over 10 years!! More on that later...

If you want to join me, it's only $75 ($80.25 with the fees) until 7/15 and then it goes up to $80. Oh yeah, and the race is on December 7th.

Now, for a little fun. My blogging friend, Tyly (go check her out. she's pretty awesome.), tagged me, and I could have sworn I did this already, but I couldn't find the the post, so here goes...

A. Attached or Single:  ATTACHED! I ♥ being married. :)

B. Best Friend: Lame, I know, but I'll have to go with my husband.

C. Cake or Pie: Um. Both? I have a huge sweet tooth, and I probably wouldn't say no to either. Except for Thanksgiving that is strictly a PIE holiday in my book.

D. Day of Choice: I love Mondays because it's like starting over every week, a chance to get back on track and back into a routine, but I also love the weekends, because I can be freer with my time and spend more time with Jeff.

E. Essential Item: My phone. I take it everywhere and check it often. Though I rarely use it to make or receive calls.

F. Favorite color: Orange or Yellow.

G. Gummy Bears or Worms: Bears. Though I'm sure I'd probably say yes to either.

H. Hometown: Alexandria, MN

I. Favorite Indulgence: Have I mentioned my sweet tooth???

J. January or July: Definitely July. Yes, even in Vegas. Did you know it gets cold here in January?? Not MN-cold, by any means, but I'd much rather be sweaty than shivering cold.

K. Kids: No plans.

L. Life Isn’t Complete Without: Laughter. I love to laugh.

M. Marriage Date: 12/21/2004

N. Number of Brothers / Sisters: Hang tight. You ready? 1 sister, 2 brothers, 3 step-sisters, 3 step-brothers, and 2 half-brothers. Step, full, half. It doesn't really matter! They're all family. :)

O. Oranges or Apples: Bananas :-)

P. Phobias: Lots of things freak me out, but I wouldn't go so far as to call them phobias. Spiders, roaches, crickets, pretty much all bugs will make me jump, but not scream. The ocean kind of freaks me out, too. Probably not the best for a scuba diver (though we haven't made it to the ocean yet).

Q. Quotes: Quotes are great! I love them. But I rarely remember them enough to keep with me.

Except maybe this one. This one is almost always running through my mind.

R. Reasons to Smile: My life in general makes me smile. My health. My knowledge. The sunshine. I love Vegas! I love my husband! I love my Sallie-girl! Life is good. :)

S. Season of Choice: Summer. Or maybe Fall. I hate to choose just one. Definitely not winter, though.

T. Tag 5 People: I'm going to be lame on this one, and tag EVERYONE! Play along, if you'd like. :)

U. Unknown Fact About Me: I'm terrible about shaving my legs. One of the many reasons I love maxi dresses and skirts.

V. Vegetable: Surprisingly, if you knew my younger self, I actually like a lot of vegetables. My favorites are probably ones that I can eat raw as snacks - carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, etc.

W. Worst Habit: I don't listen very well. :-( My mind is always racing to other places.

X. X-Ray or Ultrasound: X-ray. Ultrasounds require that cold gel. Ew.

Y. Your Favorite Food: Pizza is the first thing that came to mind. I love that it can be so versatile. Of course, more often than not, it's simply pepperoni that we enjoy.

Z. Zodiac sign: Leo. One month from today. I'll be celebrating by hosting my first virtual race. It will be a bit different than a regular virtual race, so keep you eyes open for that. It's going to be great fun!

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