July Recap/Stats

July Recap/Stats

Miles Planned/Ran: 140±/ 115± M <-D@MN THESE LEGS!!!

Rest Days Planned/Taken: 5/9

Highest Mileage Week: 33 M

Long Runs Planned/Ran: 5/4

Hill Workouts Planned/Ran: 4/2.75 - One hill workout got interrupted because of a Creepy McCreeperson and this past weeks was nixed by Coach EK as ya'll know.

Pace Workouts Planned/Ran: 4/2 - One being a FAIL of my own doing at the beginning of the month and the other this friggin' leg issue I've got going on this week...

Xtrain Workouts Planned/Completed: 4/4

Current Book: - In progress: "Snow" by Orhan Pumak (required reading for next months book club selection) and "The Social Media Bible" by Lon Safko & David Brake. Finished: "Social Media Metrics" by Jim Sterne, and have listened on CD; "The Viral Loop" by Adam Peneberg and “The Last Empress” by Anchee Min; the follow up to “Empress Orchid” that I read a few months ago.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: "Teen Mom" its the worst kind of train wreck (I only hope it promotes abstinence or at the very least contraceptive awareness and usage!)

Current Colors: I've been giving purple a chance! (To much fan fare I might add...)

Current Obsessions: As previously stated and easily seen above in my recent literary undertakings, Social Media is my life!

Current Drink: The water, its all about hydration in this heat of the summer!

Current Song: I can honestly say I've haven't listened to the radio in almost a month thanks to books on CD!

Current Wish-List: A trip to Florida because I miss my peeps SO MUCH!!!

Current Need: A new hair did and a deep tissue massage of the calves...

Current Triumph: Being excited about my job and feeling accomplished with the progress I've made there!

Current Bane of my Existence: My unexplainable lower leg pain.

Current Goal: To make it through this injury of sorts ASAP so I can get back on track and if not headed towards a BQ at the very least the Finish Line!

Current Indulgence: Dark Chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups that Spike insists on keeping stocked in the candy bowl next to the couch! >:( If you loved me you wouldn't tempt me so!!!

Current Blessings: As always my family, my amazing friends and the love and support of my Spike. <3>

Current Excitement: A paycheck!

How'd your July shape up?!?!

Running is what you make of it; Make it an Adventure!™

3 Things Thursday

1. This week while out exploring the area around my new gig I found a runner's dream come true: REI next to Whole Foods!!! Healthy Food next to Running Gear?!?!? Yes please!!! I've heard so much about REI but they didn't have them in Orlando so I'm stoked to make my first trip and after I've worked up a healthy appetite I can get my snack on next door! Woot!!!
   
   
   
2. After my weekend recap post Coach EK shot me an email wanting the lowdown on my lower leg issues; after a few exchanges we decided I should take Monday off (Hills) to get some extra R & R. Unfortunately the extra rest didn't have the desired effect and my legs are still just as sore as ever. I'm getting beyond frustrated at this point because I'm doing everything I've been instructed to do by professionals, the distance and pace are entirely manageable and yet this never ending soreness persists. Melissa suggested D.O.M.S. but after reading up on it, I just can't imagine this could be an ongoing issue for weeks at a time. Anyone have any thoughts?
   
   
   
3. Thankfully, its another step down week for me and I only have 12 M on deck for Saturday, although as I stated above the pace and distance isn't whats bothering me. Nicole and I are trying to coordinate a run so hopefully I'll have someone to share the misery miles with again! :)
   

14 M, FAIL's and Week 4 Review

First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LUV!!! We celebrated by sleeping in (skipped my recovery run and everything), caught the afternoon Tigers game (they lost) and had uber yummy Sushi before we left D-town.

<3

So back to the subject at hand: Running.

Saturday I had 14 M on deck, 10 of which I'd planned to run with Sun Runner. The weather was particularly craptacular and we had a very busy day ahead of us so I decided to get in the 4 miles ahead of time and took off with Spike at 5:30 am. Because it was rainy I decided to throw on some crappy workout clothes for the 4 M and then I'd change into real running clothes as well as grab my water bottle and Powerbar Gel when I returned and met up with Sun Runner. I tied my key to my shoes, wished Spike a good run and we were off to tackle our respective runs. When I arrived home from the 4 M, my legs not the least bit loosened up and thinking the next 10 M were probably going to suck when I look down at my shoe to grab my... car key? FML. Or rather... FAIL!!!

So I'm soaking wet, wearing crap workout clothes, waterless, fuel-less, phoneless and Spike's somewhere far, far away on his run. When Sun Runner showed up she laughed with me at my misfortune, gave me an extra GU she had (a total life saver!) and we headed over to the Grand River Trail. Not even a few minutes after we leave she realizes she left her Garmin at my place so we laugh again at how the morning is NOT going so great...

The first few miles flew by and just a wee bit too fast! Because I was the only one with the Garmin she didn't know our pace and I figured she was just feeling good so I didn't want to hold her back. When she told me she was feeling sluggish and I informed her of our 8:30ish pace she was like HOLY CRAP! We eased back after that, fell into a nice relaxed pace and just chatted away the rest of the miles. At one point there was a guy in the bushes that kinda creeped us out but other than that, I seriously felt like the run was over so quick! Initially I had thought it was going to be rough but apparently I just needed a 4 M warm up? The rain wasn't too bad either, it was actually refreshing and I got to explore some new parts of the trail. All in all, not a bad run at all.

After the run, Spike made us breakfast, Sun Runner went on her way and Spike and I headed out for a full day of family festivities. I wore the VFF's around for a good chunk of the day, including to a Loon's Game where they were quite the topic of conversation. I'm definitely feeling more at ease in them and they are not leaving my legs as sore. I plan to wear them on a few more walks before I attempt a short run but so far so good.

And with that, Week 4 is officially run, done and documented in the training log. I'm so thankful to have it behind me. For whatever reason, it was a particularly tough week and every run kicked my butt. I'm hoping taking an extra rest day today will give me fresh legs to kick Week 5 off in the a.m.

I hope ya'll had a great weekend! Congrats to all the racers!!! I will be making my rounds ASAP to get caught up.

12 WEEKS TIL GRAND RAPIDS MARATHON!!!

New Kicks on the Block

"What are you doing? Why are you pumping your arms like that? You're supposed to be running not powerwalking!"

"OMG I am so embarressed for you right now!"

"RUN! Seriously, what are you doing? Did you forget how to run?"

Those are Spike's loving words of encouragement as I attempted to run in my new pair of Vibram FiveFingers Tuesday night. Sweet isn't he?

But I get ahead of myself.

As ya'll know I've been dealing with a ton of issues with my Lankle and Shinish-Calfish area lately. After multiple consultations at the Playmakers Injury Clinic I'd begun thinking a lot about additional ways I could strenghten my lower legs and last week at the Playmakers sale I thought to try on a Vibram FiveFinger. They only had one pair in my size but couldn't locate it's match so I left my name and number in case it turned up and we headed to the front so Spike could buy yet another pair of shoes... *rolls eyes*

At home I did a bit more research on the VFF's and turned this up:

6 Reasons to Wear Vibram FiveFingers:

1. Strengthens Muscles in the Feet and Lower Legs - wearing FiveFingers will stimulate and strengthen muscles in the feet and lower legs, improving general foot health and reducing the risk of injury.

2. Improves Range of Motion in Ankles, Feet and Toes – no longer ‘cast’ in a shoe, the foot and toes move more naturally.

3. Stimulates Neural Function Important to Balance and Agility - when wearing Vibram FiveFingers, thousands of neurological receptors in the feet send valuable information to the brain, improving balance and agility.

4. Improves Proprioception and Body Awareness – those same neurological receptors heighten body awareness, sending messages about body mechanics, form, and movement.

5. Eliminates Heel Lift to Align the Spine and Improve Posture – By lowering the heel, our bodyweight becomes evenly distributed across the footbed, promoting proper posture and spine alignment.

6. Allows the Foot and Body to Move Naturally, Which Just FEELS GOOD.


All of this sounded exactly like what I needed to combate the issues I'd been having! Fast forward to Tuesday and I received a voicemail saying they had located its match and they were waiting for me (at sale price)! Woot! Spike swung by to pick them up and when I got home that night we headed out for a jaunt around the neighborhood in our respective hobbit looking water shoes... I mean VFF's. Immediately I was overwhelmed by all that I could feel underfoot and the different muscles within my feet, ankles and legs. As we proceed along, Spike shared his wisdom and experience of easing into the VFF's and then suggested I test them out by running a few feet. What followed can only be described as a complete and total FAIL.

I've seriously never felt so uncoordinated in all my life! Spike describe my "running" as my upper body trying to out pace my lower body. It was comical to say the least and he relentlessly badgered me to run again for his entertainment. Jerk.

I've done another turn of the neighborhood since and plan to take them out for further testing over the weekend. I've definitely noticed that even the short mile-ish long walks I've gone on have been enough to make my legs severely sore afterward. I've read enough about them to know this is normal and why you have to ease into them; walking first and then building up to running. Although I have no plans to turn into a VFF convert anytime soon, especially not right in the middle of a training cycle, but I hope they will become my secret weapon in building up my lower leg strength and eliminating injury. Wish me luck!

As you can see the Asics are not sure what to think of them.

I'll be sure to keep ya'll updated of their effect on my training as I ease them into my running life. If ya'll have experience with or suggestions for VFF's please comment below. Happy Weekend ya'll!

3 Things Thursday

1. Holy Slacker Batman! I can't believe an entire week has slipped by without a post! My new gig has wholly taken over my life and when I'm not at work, I'm either reading or listening to books on CD for work on my drive in. At home I'm usually talking about work and/or brainstorming for the next day. Who knew working in social media would cause me to be so antisocial outside of it. (Don't get me wrong though, I'm not complaining at all, I absolutely LOVE the job!) SO sorry guys! As a way of penitence, I promise you a fairly hilarious blog post tomorrow!
   
   
2. Besides lack of posting, I've also fallen behind on bantering with running frenemies, commenting within the blogosphere and general nerding out about that which I love so much. To get ya'll up to speed, while I was working/neglecting this blog; I ran another mediocre long run Saturday, a hellacious recovery run Sunday followed by quality time with family, had a botched hill workout Monday that required a redo on Tuesday, a decent MLR yesterday and finally a painful pace workout this morning. After wrapping up last week, Week 3 of training, with perfect marks on execution I've been having a rather messy Week 4. I've seriously felt like I've had "a case of the Mondays" all week long and right now my legs think amputation at the knee wouldn't be a bad idea...!
   
   
   
   
3. The well vacationed Sun Runner will be joining me for 10 of my 14 miles due on Saturday; I'm so excited to have the company, catch up and share the misery miles with her. Let's pray it goes better than our last run together...
   
   Man I'm just a ball of sunshine today huh? LOL! Have a tremendous "3 Things Thursday" ya'll! Check back tomorrow for some fun...
   
   

3 Things Thursday

1. You know you're a runner when... you get up at 5:30 am to hit up the Playmakers Annual Sidewalk Sale (Going on now through Sunday!) before your pace workout, before work!!! It was insane! They had a whole race set-up complete with count down clock until they opened, blow horn at the "Start" aka when they opened and the cash registers where the "Finish Line." I finally own enough pairs of real running shorts for every workout day of the week! (What?!? I'm broke, cheap and running clothes are expensive!) I also stocked up on some winter gear, Spike picked up another pair of shoes to add to his collection and then we headed home so I could hit the streets for a 5 M pace workout... all this before 8am!
   
   
2. "NEW USERS: Increase your fiber intake gradually. Gastrointestinal discomfort may ocur until your body adjusts." - Would you eat something that read this? This is the actual disclaimer on Kellogg's Fiber Plus Bars. I didn't notice the little yellow boxed statement and for the life of me, couldn't figure out why my stomach was taking on a life of its own or why I couldn't stop burping after I ate one. I would only recommend this product in the event you were in a belching contest. Got Gas?
   
   
3. Have you ever wondered about the origins of "3 Things Thursday"? Well one reader did, Ethan, of Rise of a Champion and he wrote this hilarious post about it. It'll crack you up and even I learned a thing or two about this weekly post I brain childed just over a year ago! If you don't follow Ethan, you should, cuz he's absolutely friggin' hilarious! Might I recommend his MC200 Recap or his Bulldog Dash 5k Recap... he's got some serious Paint skillz and can leave you in stiches with his graphs!
   
   10 M on deck for Saturday (Yay for step down weeks!) and that's about it! Have a great weekend everyone! Rock those races and long runs! Catch ya'll on the flipside!
   

2 Runners, 1 Apartment

I've coexisted here in the mitten state for a little over a month now with my beloved and I can't help but laugh as I look around our apartment and reflect on our day to day life...

2 Runners training for a Marathon + one (small) apartment =

• 12 pairs of running shoes, of which only 3 pairs are mine. Spike is a shoe whore and I'm fairly certain there are more that I just can't locate at present count.
  
  
• Double issues of Runner's World
  
  
• 2x the stinky workout clothes
  
  
• Running clothes drying on every available surface edge on laundry day
  
  
• Owning every possible running tool of necessity
  
  
• An entire cupboard shelf dedicated to pasta
  
  
• Early Friday nights and even earlier Saturday mornings
  
  
• Industrial sized bottle of Ibuprofen
  
  
• 2x the whining about aches and pains
  
  
• Multiple ice packs in the freezer
  
  
• Mad dashes to get to the bathroom first
  
  
• Swapping Calf Massages
  
  
• Taking turns on the prime stretching real estate in the living room
  
  
• Vast supplies of Bodyglide, GU and Biofreeze
  
  
• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner conversation with heavy topics like; Pace, Distance, Training and Injuries.
  
  
  *Actual Redhead & Spike Running Gear Pictured
  

Do you coexist with another athlete? If so what things can you add to this list? If not, what does your spouse/significant other/roommate think about all your running accessories and routines?

12 Miles of Mediocrity

2 weeks ago I gave ya'll the break down of my Grand Rapids Marathon training plan and since then I have yet to get it right;

Week 1 (Plan/Ran)

• Monday: Hills / Xtrain
• Tuesday: Xtrain / Hills
• Wednesday: MLR (Medium Long Run) / MLR
• Thursday: Pace Workout / Rest (Celebrated new job)
• Friday: Rest / Recovery Run
• Saturday: 10 M Long Run / 10 M Long Run (of which I wanted to die the last 3 M)
  
• Sunday: Recovery Run / Pace Workout (during a race!)
  
  

Week 2 (Plan/Ran)

• Monday: Hills / Xtrain
• Tuesday: Xtrain / Hills
• Wednesday: MLR (Medium Long Run) / MLR
• Thursday: Pace Workout / Rest (Lingering Shin-ish-Calf Issues)
• Friday: Rest / Recovery Run
• Saturday: 12 M Long Run / 12 M Long Run
• Sunday: Recovery Run / Rest

So in review that's two Mondays down and I've yet to start the week with hills as prescribed. Took my rest days on Thursdays two weeks in a row and moved one pace workout around and skipped another completely (FAIL) and I ran recovery runs on Fridays prior to, instead of post long runs. Needless to say my training has been a bit of a discombobulated mess.

And then there was Saturday; long run #2, 12 miles of uneventful, darn near right on pace running. There wasn't anything incredibly exceptional about the run nor was it a sh*tshow of FAIL. I set out at 6 am with a route mapped out, within minutes I was lost in my own thoughts and just shy of two hours later I was done.

Some runs build your confidence. Some runs shatter your pride. And some runs... just get run.

12 Miles of Mediocrity was exactly what I needed to remind me that it takes about 3 weeks to get into a routine and heading in to Week 3 this morning I made sure to start it off right: with Hills.

How's your training going? Did you find it difficult to get back into the swing of things or did you take it in stride and everything just fell into place?

14 Weeks til Grand Rapids Marathon... ON ON!

3 Things Thursday

1. Your comments on yesterdays post about random encounters with the animal kingdom had me cracking up; being scared by your own shadows, being bitten by a turtle, cornered by coyotes?!?! But I gotta say that Jon of SwiCycloRun's comment took the cake:
   
   Had a black bear come out in front of me on the bike one time. He was more scared of me than I was of it, cuz it ran!
   
   Most random was a freaking GIGANTIC crawfish out in the middle of a trail. A crawfish? Wha? How? I guess it came from the creak nearby?
   
   How DID it get there??? And a bear? I would've soiled myself.
   
   
2. Knotty Calves - I've long had an issue with knotty calves but never thought much of them since they never really hindered my running and only ever hurt when Spike was giving me a torture session calf massage. Well lately, on top of the Lankle issues, my left calf, about shin height, has been bothering me. FML. So last night I paid another visit to the Playmakers Injury Clinic and consulted with the experts. Diagnosis: Knotty Calves in serious need of stretching and minor onset of tendinitis and plantar faciitis. FML! She wasn't particularly concerned and then proceeded to give me even more stretching/strengthening exercises to do and prescribed some inserts. After the consultation with the PT, a massage therapist gave Spike a demonstration on how to go about working on the knots (and confirmed he was in fact torturing me) and I left feeling looser and ready to tackle my 6 M MLR and break in the new inserts.
   
   
3. I can't believe I'm going to say this and my Florida peeps will surely smirk with contempt in my general direction but what the heck is up with this heat?!?!? I thought I moved NORTH!?! I'm not complaining mind you, just baffled. The past two nights it's been 90+ degrees after 8pm when I finally got around to running my workouts. This is typical of Florida but Michigan?! Really!? I know it's been a record breaking summer all over the country, I've seen ya'll's posts on DM, so as a friendly reminder to all: Make sure you are properly hydrated and fueled when out running and if possible, beat the heat and run early in the a.m.!
   
   That's it for me, 12 M on deck for Saturday and Tigers game. Woot! Have a great weekend ya'll, beat the heat for your long runs and I'll catch ya'll on the flipside!
   

Duck, Duck, GOOSE!

Running in Orlando my interactions with wild life were infrequent at best and limited to gecko's, bums, swans and the ducks around Lake Eola. (Oh and one time, an iguana. Random!)

Since moving to Michigan it's been a wild life free for all; I've had brushes with Jeri's infamous Black Squirrels, rabbits, deer, ill/under dressed running collegiates and most frequently geese. Canadian Geese to be exact and they're angry little b@stards!

One of my local routes takes me by two ponds that seem to be a gander hot spot and recently while running along, minding my own business, attempting to dodge all the goose poop (it's EVERYWHERE!) I had an altercation with an arrogant goose. He started huffing, puffing and... hissing.

I'd like to tell you I hissed right back and showed him who was boss but I have a profound fear of fowl (traumatic rooster attack as a child on the farm) so instead I jumped from the sidewalk onto the road and almost got creamed by a Fedex Truck. D@mn Goose.

Speaking of almost getting creamed, that was the second time that week! Last wednesday as I headed out for a 6 miler I was using a crosswalk, the light clearly signaling me across, when a car in the right lane pulls up, driver looking left to see if he can turn right and does a rolling stop, but never stopping. If I hadn't been paying attention to him I would've ended up being 10 pts. As it was, he never saw me. Not even when I yelled at him as I ran forward and across his path, to get out of his way, and not even when I smacked his car with my hand. Needless to say it was a pretty scary moment and only validated my fear of crosswalks.

Take this as a friendly reminder, make sure you're vigilant out there; whether it be wildlife or moving vehicles make sure you are aware of your surroundings and running on your guard. Run safe and always wear your Road Id.

Wildlife Encounter Tip from Spike: If a deadly goose threatens attack, raise your arms, yell and run towards it. Do NOT scream like a girl and run away. (Like I did.) What's the most random thing that's ever scared the crap out of you while out running???

Boyne City Independence Day Run 10k Race Recap

Pre-Race: I had forgotten Spike signed us up to run this race but it ended up working out well since I took Thursday, my usual pace workout day, off and still needed to get it in to round out Week 1 of Grand Rapids training. I was however a bit concerned that running back to back tough workouts might not be the best idea; See Saturday Sun Runner and I hit a local "rails to trails" for a 10 miler that really kicked my butt. Between tired legs from my first full week "on" the training cycle and the horse hoof pocked trail, I struggled through the last 3 miles and had to stop multiple times much to my frustration. (Sorry Sun Runner! Thanks for hanging with me!)

After the run Spike and I trekked up North for a Spike Family reunion to celebrate the holiday weekend. We had an absolute blast during the day/evening, but when it was time to sleep, there was none to be had. When 6 am rolled around I was sore from the 10 M and tired beyond belief. Thankfully I hadn't planned to race but rather run my pace workout as prescribed only substituting the final length.

Start Corral: The "Start" was a rather informal gathering on Lake Street without much fan fare. Those of us running the 10k grouped together and waited for the signal while the 2 M group waited on the sidelines for a later start.

The Race: As you can see from the pic/race map below, the course was a simple out and back along the bay and although beautiful, it was almost entirely exposed on a particularly hot and sunny day.

Pace Workout Plan: 5 M - 1 M W/U - 3 M @ Race Pace (8:20) - 1 M C/D

Mile 1: 8:41 P (W/U) - I ran the first mile with Spike's cousin and tried not to let the crowd pull me too fast. Once I hit the 1 mile marker I said farewell to the cuz and picked up the pace...

Mile 2: 7:47 P - Way faster than race pace but the easy start had me feeling GREAT!

Mile 3: 8:13 P - That's more like it...

Mile 4: 8:10 P - Once I hit Mile 4 I was going to decide whether to push it one more mile at RP or run it in nice and easy, but then I saw Spike pulled off to the side of the course and went to make sure he was ok. He was having calf cramps and I decided to finish the rest of the race with him.

Mile 5: 9:53 P (C/D)

Mile 6 (.2): 10:39 P (Extra Mileage)

Finish Time: 55:29 / 8:55 P

Post Race: Speaking for myself only, I felt great and couldn't believe that I was able to get up to speed so easily after struggling so bad on Saturday's 10 miler. I really wonder what I could have done if I had raced the entire distance but I am happy that I got my pace workout completed and got a rare chance to run part of the race with Spike. I def wish I could run all my pace workouts during races!!!

Post Race Thoughts: The Boyne City Independence Run 10k & 2 M is a pretty small town race and seems to be a holiday family favorite. The course is an out and back on Lake Shore Dr. and has picturesque views of the bay and downtown Boyne City. It was a little too hot for a 7:30 am start but otherwise it was a great race. Listening to the age group results afterward, I def would've picked up an award had I raced, so I'm looking forward to running this again next year!

I hope ya'll had a wonderful holiday weekend and as soon as I get home from *WORK* I'll make the rounds and see how your July 4th races fared!

15 more weeks til Grand Rapids Marathon!!!

3 Things Thursday

1. I haven't had a chance to tell ya'll about my Florida trip last weekend but let me just say that it made me so happy to see everyone! We had such a blast at Beaker Luv's b-day party and my 10 miler w/ Harold went surprisingly well considering I'm a month removed from the severe heat and humidity of Hades. (We had such a good run we even threw in a sprint at the end just for fun!) By the end of the weekend it was *almost* like I hadn't been gone... right up until I boarded the plane back to Michigan and got all homesick again. :(
   
   
   
   Here's a shot of all the girls, I heart them all so much!!!
   
   
   
   
2. 10 Miles on deck for the first official long run of the training plan and not wanting to go it alone I hit up Sun Runner to see if she was up for it... she was, so we're hitting up one of her local fav trails that's halfway between us. She is also training for Grand Rapids and this will be our first official run date and first time seeing her since I relocated, I can't wait to catch up and nerd out about training!
   
   
   
   
3. Most of you may remember the horrid shower curtain Spike made tribute to just before I relocated... Well it's been just over a month since I moved in and I have yet to be able to replace it with something more presentable because Spike and I made a deal; Once I got a job I could redecorate the bathroom as I saw fit and as ya'll know I have been plugging out resumes and going on interviews like my life depended on it. Yesterday I posted my June Recap/Stats where I listed my "Current Need" as "A 9 to 5" and shortly thereafter I got a job offer!!! I couldn't be any happier right now unless I just BQ'd Grand Rapids! LOL! To celebrate I went to Target...
   
   
   
   ... and when Spike got home last night this was how I let him in on the big news! "Operation Get a Job/Avoid becoming a Hooker" is a SUCCESS! I am now a gainfully employed Redhead! Thank you all for your encouragement over the last month or so!
   
   
   
   So what do you have to be excited about this 4th of July Weekend? Any fun plans? Rock those races and long runs, catch ya'll on the flipside!!!