Category Archives: Running

Shelburne Spring Half Marathon

Posted on by

On Saturday I completed my fourth half marathon in Shelburne, VT. The morning was very cool and overcast which is actually great running weather. I always have to get a pre-race photo with my little guy. So here we are. He is actually really mad that he can’t go play on the huge school playground behind us.

Pre-race Mommy and Carlos shot

There was enough wind to make me put my sweatshirt on at the start of the race even though I knew I would want to ditch it a few miles in. This was a very small race. They cap registration at 450 runners, but only 162 runners signed up this year. It is touted as being one of the most beautiful courses in New England. The race descriptions reads, “The course will run you through some of the area’s most picturesque scenery including a portion of Shelburne Farms, the historic Ti Trail and along Shelburne Bay. ” It was indeed a gorgeous run. It was also an incredible hilly run. I absolutely loved the mix of trail and on road running. Running alongside the lake was so tranquil. The scenery made up for the lack of spectators.

The race started promptly at 7:30. It was extremely well organized from start to finish. There was no lack of volunteer support on the course and adequate water stations. As I mentioned in my last post my plan was to enjoy the race, have fun and run safely so as not to re-injure my shin. I had no pain in my shin as the race began. I started out at a moderate pace to get my breathing under control. Soon I found my groove and I flowed nicely through the first couple of miles before the first big hill.

I never wear my Garmin when I race and there were no time clocks along the way. I felt a bit slow especially with the constant uphill climbs and minimal downhill returns. By mile 8 I was ready to tear off my sweatshirt. I was in need of fuel and there was no water station until mile 10 so I ate my Gu while walking up a steep incline. I changed my bib to the front of my T-shirt and tied my sweatshirt around my waist. That made me feel instantly better and I picked up the pace again. I’m proud to say that was the only hill I walked up.

I played some mental games between miles 9-11. I kept telling myself that it is ok not to achieve a PR (personal record) in every race. I started to feel some discomfort in my left shin, but no pain. For the last couple of miles we were on a quiet trail. I loved it so much. I felt like I was alone on a training run.  I felt my pace quicken naturally and before I knew it I was back on the road. The finish line was only about a half mile away. I turned down the drive to the finish line and as I entered the chute I saw Carlos and Orlando. As bad as I am at taking photos, my dear husband is worse!! He did manage to get this one, just as I noticed the time clock ahead.

Shelburne Half Marathon Finish Line

Tears welled up in my eyes and I felt a surge of energy rise up inside me. I bolted for the finish and crossed with a new, very unexpected PR.

Time clock as I neared the finish line

I know it’s really hard to read but if you squint and hold your computer right up to your face you might notice the 2:14. Here is what my finish looked like in numbers.

Official finish time: 2:14:47 (10:17 pace)

Overall place: 139/162

Gender placement: 85/104 females

Age group (35-39) placement:  8th out of 9

I don’t usually break down all the stats for a race, but the results page for this race made it very easy to do so. I also pulled up all of my half marathons to visualize the progression of my times. They are in order of first to last.

Hartford ING Half Marathon in 10/2010 – 2:21:49 (10:49 pace)

Old Sandwich Road Half Marathon in 6/2011 – 2:16:51 (10:27 pace)

Monson Memorial Classic Half Marathon in 11/2011 – 2:22:57 (10:55 pace) – 1st race after the broken rib saga and super hilly course so I didn’t expect to PR, but I actually did much better than I thought I would

Shelburne Spring Half Marathon 5/2012 – 2:14:47 (10:17 pace)

I am really proud of my time. Despite the shin issue I felt well trained for the race and I am pleased that the speed training I have been doing since the Disney Marathon seems to be effective. I walked around the rest of the day with a huge grin on my face. Running challenges me in a way nothing else in my life ever has. I am in awe of what my body is capable of doing. Running truly makes me feel amazing.

This was a wonderful race experience and overall a great run. Of course I also used it as an excuse to enjoy a mini family weekend getaway. We stayed in Burlington for two nights. The weather perked up as the sun came out on Saturday afternoon. It turned out to be a very pleasant and relaxing weekend.

Shelburne Half Training – Week 6 and 7

Posted on by

My half marathon training came to a screeching halt as of last Sunday when I stopped all formal exercise due to left shin and ankle pain. I rested, I took my homeopathic remedies, I iced, I ate healthy and drank lots of water. I did not exercise at all on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.  I really babied the left leg. By Wednesday I was ready for something but not running. The pain had diminished to a vague awareness that something had been sore. While Carlos was in school I went to the gym and did some upper body strength exercises as well as 20 minutes on the Arc Trainer which placed no impact on my legs. The weather was sunny and cool. I was itching to get outside so I left the gym and headed to the college for a walk around the pond. I ended up walking a very leisurely two miles while reading blogs on my phone and soaking up the sunshine. In my calendar I jotted down that I felt no pain just an awareness of sensation on the inner aspect of my left ankle. The shin actually felt fine, but I still returned home and iced my lower leg and ankle immediately.

Not wanting to push it I took Thursday off completely from exercise. By Friday I was pain free, no twinges of pain or sensations so I decided to run. I didn’t wear my Garmin. I just took off at a slow pace and I ran one full loop around the reservoir. I told myself before I set out that if I felt any discomfort or the slightest hint of pain I would stop running. It was ridiculously windy at the reservoir, but that didn’t stop me. I ran at a very comfortable pace. I was really just happy to be back out there. I walked at times because of the wind pushing at me. There seemed to be no escaping it. I felt like I was in a gigantic bowl and never once had the wind at my back.

This photo doesn't really show how windy it is, but the waves were kicking up with the wind.

After the run I went home and iced. I felt fine throughout the day and into the night at work. However, I decided to take it easy over the weekend and just do strength training and the Arc Trainer at the gym. I’ve discovered the medicine ball recently. Thanks to my Nike Training app and a Tone It Up workout posted by Errign the other day. I know it’s no big discovery but it’s new to me and I like the variation of exercises. Both Saturday and Sunday mornings were spent at the gym doing whatever I wanted except for running. I had no plan, just kind of winged it. It was a welcome change for me.

The weekend was busy but very enjoyable. On Saturday morning Orlando, Carlos and I were on clean up duty at the park where Carlos plays soccer. We raked and packed bags full of leaves and other debris still left over from the crazy fall weather last year. We returned to the field later in the day for Carlos’ soccer game. He scored his first goal and his team won!!! It was so exciting especially considering his team did not win one game last season. Carlos has been on cloud nine since, but not so much about scoring the goal. He is just really loving soccer this season. His new coach is fantastic. Many of the kids are the same and all the parents are super nice so it’s a good time at practice and the games.

My little soccer player

On Sunday Carlos and I played outside all morning into early afternoon. We played catch, cars, lounged on the grass and chit chatted. Later in the day Orlando and I walked along a local rail trail while Carlos rode his scooter. Despite the chill in the air we hit a nearby farm for local homemade ice cream on the way home. I had the honey ice cream. It was delicious. I’ve learned to order a kids size cone so I can enjoy myself without going overboard, plus I try to keep dairy to the bare minimum if possible. We were all exhausted that evening. Everyone chuckles when I tell them that my child goes to bed around 6:45-7pm most nights. It’s true but he’s also usually ready for bed by then. He sleeps really well because he is so active all day.

My precious boy...peeking in on him sleeping never gets old.

Since my longest long run throughout this training was 11 miles I woke up Monday itching to get a longish run in. I had absolutely no intentions of running a double digit run so I settled on about 7.5 miles, half of the half. Again I didn’t bring my Garmin, I just ran at a comfortable pace. I felt great throughout the run and after. I iced and took some Ibuprofen to ward off any exercise induced swelling. Perhaps it did its job or maybe I’m healed. Whatever the case I plan to take it easy the rest of the week. Today I did some strength training at the gym. Tomorrow I will do something, not sure what yet, maybe a walk while Carlos is at school or possibly a light short run. Thursday will be a rest day and Friday a walk.

I think it’s important to have goals and to strive to improve in everything you do, but not at the risk of injuring yourself permanently. I’m not an elite athlete, hell I’m not even an athlete. I cannot afford to hurt myself and risk being unable to work or care for my son. I hope to continue running comfortably for a very long time. I will always set goals and try to get better, but I assure you I will only push so far. If running has taught me anything it has taught me to listen very carefully to what my body is telling me.

Saturday morning is the half marathon in Shelburne, VT. I will be running this one for fun and with complete gratitude to my body for healing itself once again.

Friend Makin’ Mondays: Cooking Habits

Posted on by

If you have taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s questions on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: http://www.alltheweigh.com so others can see your FMM questions and answers. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers by posting your own FMM post and commenting on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Cooking Habits

1. What is your favorite meal to prepare at home?  I love preparing anything that be made in one pot or pan like a stir fry or big hearty salads. 

2. Do you like to experiment in the kitchen, or do you prefer to stick to the basics? I prefer to stick to a recipe though once I have the hang of the flavors and consistency of something I might get a little experimental. 

3. What is your favorite cookbook? The only cookbook I own is Sarah Matheny’s (aka Mama Pea) cookbook Peas and Thank You which features vegan recipes for the family. It’s fantastic. Everything I have made so far has received rave reviews especially the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls. 

4. Do you have any tricks to share that help you reach your fruits and veggies goal for the day?  I jam my smoothies chock full of spinach. I buy a huge bag of spinach at Costco and freeze half of it in a ziplock bag. I throw spinach in everything from pizza and pasta to wraps and soups. 

I keep fruits washed, cut up and accessible for all of us. I try to prepare salad fixings whenever possible to make it easy to put a salad together quickly. 

My son eats fruit but it’s like pulling teeth to get him to eat vegetables. I put a bit of spinach in his smoothies. I also chop it really small and put it on tortilla pizzas under the cheese or in a grilled cheese. I add Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood berry flavored powder to his smoothies as well. 

5. What’s the most interesting thing you made last week?  I made an arugula salad with Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn (thawed obviously!!), cherry tomatoes halved, black beans and avocado dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Simple I know, but the flavors were incredible. My husband and I dominated that salad and he licked the bowl clean.

6. How often do you watch cooking shows on TV?  I used to watch them pre-Carlos, now I don’t ever get a chance to watch TV. However, I do enjoy Roni’s Green Lite Bites videos.

7. When you’re hungry, where are you most likely to look first? The refrigerator, or the pantry? The refrigerator. I know that the healthier options are in the fridge.

8. List a few healthy staples that can always be found in your kitchen. I always have on hand nondairy milk, all natural peanut butter, rice, almonds, dates, oats, quinoa, spinach, whole grain pasta, granola bars, dry beans and canned beans.

9. Are you motivated to cook at home even when you’re eating alone? Yes definitely. This wasn’t always the case, but now I enjoy making food at home even just for myself.

10.  How often do you try new recipes? I probably try new recipes 2-3 times a week thanks to all the amazingly generous bloggers who share their recipes and gorgeous food photos. It changed my world. I went from not cooking at all to making really delicious, interesting and healthy meals. My husband was extremely receptive to the changes in our diets and he absolutely raves about my cooking. 

I use Evernote to clip recipes that interest me and I organize them in a recipes folder. Once I make a recipe in my folder it gets transferred to a new folder for taste tested recipes with any thoughts on the dish. Honestly if I didn’t work nights I would probably make something new almost every night of the week.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday. It’s a gorgeous day here. I actually enjoyed a pain free run this morning and I’m looking forward to a little game of catch with Carlos in a few minutes. On the dinner menu tonight is Tilapia, mango salsa, coconut black rice and sautéed green beans. What’s on your menu tonight?

Shelburne Half Training – Week 5

Posted on by

You might notice in my workout chart that as the week goes on the running comes to a complete stop. I’m officially side lined at the moment with left leg shin pain. The issue was brought on by ice skating not running. My shins were always a little sore after ice skating, but never as badly as when I started taking ice skating lessons. I’m not going to diagnose myself and declare I have shin splints because I really don’t know. I could walk with little pain and I could even run, but the pain after running scared me enough to finally cool it. I thought the elliptical was a reasonable solution, but then the discomfort began to bother me when I wasn’t working out. So I’m currently taking a break from everything.

Date

Scheduled Workout

Actual Workout
Sunday, 4/15/12 3m with speed intervals, 15 minutes on elliptical
  • .50 warmup at 5mph
  • 6×400(7.0, 7.0, 7.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.2)
  • Total miles = 4.10 includes warmup and 2min cool down in 45 minutes
  • Elliptical for 15 minutes – 2.10 miles
  • Some strength training
Monday, 4/16/12 5 mile pace run No workout. Went to Boston to cheer on the marathoners.
Tuesday,  4/17/12 60 minute tempo run 60 minute tempo run. 6 miles was done in about 1:01:30. I continued on and ran a total of 8 miles.
Wednesday, 4/18/12 Speed Training – 11 x 400 meters
  • 11×400 mostly at 7.0 but with some 8.0 and 7.5 thrown in on the last 3.
  • Total miles 5.10 in 54 minutes
Thursday, 4/19/12 Plyometrics Rest Day
Friday, 4/20/12 3m + strength
  • 6.55 miles on elliptical in 45 minutes
  • upper body strength exercises
  • 1.5 hours hike with Carlos
Saturday, 4/21/12 12 mile run
  • 8.70 miles on the elliptical in 1:05
  • 3.30 miles on recumbent bike in 22 min.
  • Total = 12 miles

I’m trying to look at the bright side of things. I have 11 days until the half marathon in Vermont. I feel a marked decrease in discomfort today. I am listening to my body and hopefully doing the right things to ensure a speedy recovery.

I have stopped ice skating. I was disappointed to have to cut the lessons short, but I am 100% certain that it is what initiated the problem. I hope to return to the lessons next year because I really enjoyed them and learned a lot in just a few lessons.

As with my rib injury last fall I have reached out to my local herbalist. I’m taking a Complete Tissue & Bone supplement and a calcium supplement. I’m also drinking a mineral tea 2-3 times a day. I haven’t exercised since Saturday. Today is the first day I’ve felt a real improvement. I have had almost no pain. However, I am really feeling a strange apprehension toward running. I miss it a lot. I am anxious to start running again, but there is a whisper of a voice inside of me telling me to wait a few more days. So I’m going to listen to my body.

I plan to go to the gym in the morning while Carlos is at school. There are plenty of other activities I can do without aggravating my shin. Whenever I take time off from planned exercise it is difficult to get back into it. Losing momentum seems to make me lose motivation. I think just being back at the gym tomorrow will help my mood.

If the pain was increasing with the addition of my home remedies then I would make an appointment to see my doctor and have the leg X-rayed. My goal is to be active in the most healthy way possible. I do not intend on doing anything that will cause ongoing injury or additional injuries. I welcome any comments on shin injuries, shin pain or helpful treatments.

*I am not a doctor. I am writing about my personal experience. If you are experiencing pain, running related or other, you should seek medical attention.

Biggest Twist

Posted on by

I’m only 5 minutes into the most recent episode of the Biggest Loser and I want to punch the TV. Ooohh yes I am actually watching it on the TV instead of the computer. My husband just left to go to Home Depot, Carlos is in bed and I realized I hadn’t yet seen Biggest Loser this week. The sofa is all mine right now.

Anyway, what is the deal with these people? They are all pissed off that previously sent home contestants are returning to compete for a spot in the final three. They actually had to bring in a lawyer to review the contract signed by all contestants. Of course the contract made provisions for such a twist in the show.

The show is known for its twists and turns. Ultimately it is a game. The final five contestants don’t think it’s right that they worked so hard to get to this place and they don’t think it’s fair that they should have to go up against people who had the same chance but blew it. I get it, sort of, but at the same time these people were given an opportunity of a lifetime to lose weight, get healthy and come to terms with what caused them to gain the weight in the first place. Game or no game, at the end of this everyone wins if they have accomplished significant weight loss.

These people have made it to the final five and two of them just left the ranch. WTF?! I have never seen such whiny, entitled people in my life and believe me in my line of work I see a lot of whiny, entitled people. It’s been like this all season. When they had to switch trainers there was so much bitching and moaning it was almost unbearable to watch. In the real world you’re lucky if you can afford a trainer.

Oh what I wouldn’t give for 2 weeks on that ranch. Seriously it would be just enough to kick my butt into gear. I would do whatever Bob and Dolvett wanted me to do! In fact I would welcome the opportunity to pull an SUV around the ranch. Bring it Bob and Dolvett!!

The finale is only two weeks away. I have been very uninspired this season. There has been too much bickering, game playing and drama. If I had to vote for someone to win right now I would have to vote for Kim, the former professional wrestler. She has worked very hard each week. Damn girl lost 15 pounds this week to weigh in at 147! Amazing.

Clearly I have strong feelings about this tonight. If you watch the show feel free to share your feelings in the comments.

Shelburne Half Training – Week 4

Posted on by

I had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night off this past week which should have made me really productive. Instead I returned to work on Thursday night feeling exceptionally disorganized and unaccomplished. Indulging my sweet tooth made me feel tired. Hormones made me feel crabby. I think my husband and son would agree that I was not a joy to be around. The good news is that by the end of the weekend I was eating a healthy diet again and very quickly that bloated, heavy feeling disappeared once I cut the crap out of my diet.

I think because I was feeling so badly about myself I also projected those feelings onto my training for the week. In my head I insisted that I had an off week, but looking back at what I actually did makes me think otherwise.

Date

Scheduled Workout

Actual Workout
Sunday, 4/8/12

 

 3 mile run 3.93 miles around home
Monday, 4/9/12 5 mile pace run 4 mile pace run around home in just under 40 minutes

 
Tuesday,  4/10/12 55 minute tempo run I ended up doing 5.50 miles in 60 minutes. I did take it a little easy because I’m still having discomfort in the left shin. I am pretty certain that it’s because of the ice skating.

 
Wednesday, 4/11/12 Speed Training – 10 x 400 meters
  • 9×400 at 7.0
  • 1×800 at 7.05 intervals at 7.5 for 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest

Total miles 5.8 in 60 minutes.

 
Thursday, 4/12/12

 

 Other cardio or Rest Hike
Friday, 4/13/12 11 mile run 10.65 miles in 1:44:25

 
Saturday, 4/14/12
  • Abs and arms
  • 2-3 miles with hill intervals
  • Elliptical 3.15 miles hills
  • Arms with free weights
  • Abs on ball
  • Lunges with medicine ball
  • Hip abduction & adduction machines

OK so enough whiny negativity. Let’s talk about something really positive like my long run this week. I had 11 miles scheduled for Friday morning while Carlos was in school. The bugger had borrowed my head phones the day before and when I arrived at the reservoir I couldn’t find them in my gym bag. That combined with a suddenly full bladder made my decision to return home easy. Back I went. I searched everywhere for the headphones at home to no avail. Lo and behold they were in the car all along stuffed in between Carlos’ coloring books.

I decided to return to the reservoir since it was such a gorgeous morning. My window of opportunity for a long run was closing quickly. Carlos had an early release day so his normal pick up time of 11am was 10:45 on this day and by the time I returned to the reservoir it was almost 9 o’clock. Off I went. Despite feeling really awful about myself all week I was feeling pretty good on the trail. The loop around the reservoir is about 3.5 miles. Although I had my Garmin on I decided not to look at it until I completed two loops around. I was more interested in going the distance rather than running for a good time.

My pace felt light and consistent. After two loops I checked my Garmin and discovered that I was pacing just under a 10 minute mile. My time at 7 miles was 1:08:43. Woo hoo! I high fived myself…not really. I knew I could make it another full loop around which would put me around 10.5 miles. I finished the loop and made it another .15 back to the car. I know I only had .35 to go, but there was no way I would be able to make it to pick up Carlos in time.

Nonetheless I ran 10.65 miles in 1:44:25 for an average pace of 9:48!!! Now that was a great run.

 

Shelburne Half Training – Week 3

Posted on by

I’m really glad that Easter is over. Despite my pleas candy was plentiful and my son now has a bowl full of it high on a shelf in the kitchen. I cracked yesterday and ate chocolate. That’s all I will say about that. I’ve decided it’s over and I’m moving on.

Here is what half marathon training looked like last week.

Date

Scheduled Workout

Actual Workout
Sunday, 4/1/12 3 miles on the elliptical and strength trainingIce Skating
  • 45 minute tempo run I missed the day before
  • Ice Skating

 
Monday, 4/2/12 5 Mile Run 5 miles in 50:39. It was really windy and I had to stop once because my phone fell. Shins and ankles a little uncomfortable from skating. 
Tuesday,  4/3/12 Plyometrics P90X Plyometrics DVD 
Wednesday, 4/4/12 Speed Training – 9 x 400 meters
  • 9×400(7.3,7.2,7.1,7.0,7.4 and back down to 7.0)
  • Speed intervals 30 seconds then rest 30 seconds (7.5,7.6,7.7,7.8,7.9,8.0,7.5,7.6,7.7,8.0)
  • Total miles: 5.76 in 60 minutes.
Thursday, 4/5/12 3 easy miles or Rest
  • 1.5 hours ice skating with Carlos
  • 2 hour hike to summit of Mt. Norwottuck

 
Friday, 4/6/12 50 minute tempo run Rest Day 
Saturday, 4/7/12 90 minute run 50 minute tempo run missed yesterday 

Ice skating has caused my shins and ankles to be sore. I ice them after skating and take some Ibuprofen which has been helpful. I’m not in pain, but it’s uncomfortable. It takes me a few minutes into a run to feel comfortable again. Once I get going I don’t even feel the discomfort. For the past week and a half it’s been only my left shin. I’m paying close attention to it and if it gets worse I will adjust my workouts accordingly.

My workouts went half as planned. Towards the end of the week I took some liberties with my schedule. Thursday was a great non-running day. Carlos and I went to public skate for about an hour and a half of ice skating. He kept saying, “Mommy I’m having so much fun!” Then I got a text from a friend asking if we wanted to go hiking. I’m always game for get togethers. So off we went with my friend and her two kids to a local hiking spot. The kids were incredible. They charged right up Mt. Norwottuck and we all enjoyed the beautiful views.

Carlos atop Mt. Norwottuck

The next day I felt fine despite all the activity the day before. Carlos was off from school because it was Good Friday. We spent most of the afternoon at the playground with a friend. By the time we got home, I got dinner on the table and eventually got Carlos into bed I just didn’t feel like working out. I had some errands to run and when I went outside to leave my car was as dead as a doornail. I knew it wasn’t the battery because I just got a new one a few months ago. By 9pm my car was settled in for the night at the dealer thanks to AAA towing.

My husband’s pickup truck was also having problems and was supposed to have work done on Saturday. We postponed that in hopes that my car would be sorted out by Saturday afternoon. All looked good around noon. They were certain that it was the relay sensor and were just awaiting the part from another dealer. By 3pm we received word that the new relay sensor blew a bunch of fuses in my car and no one knew why so they would have to keep the car.

Saturday morning I was on edge about my car. My husband had things to do in the morning, Carlos had a birthday party at noon and we were supposed to go to my friend’s for dinner. I didn’t get out for my run until about 10am. I decided to skip the 90 minute run and opted for the missed 50 minute run from the day before. It worked out much better.

I have since tweaked the rest of my training schedule to avoid having a semi-long run followed by a long run which always seems to pop up on Fridays and Saturdays. Things will look a little different in the weeks to come.

My car is back and it wasn’t as financially painful as we anticipated thanks to Honda and our very helpful extended warranty. My husband’s pickup truck is another story. We are still waiting to find out if a few repairs will save the transmission. If not then he will need a new (used) transmission.

One of the things I loved most about living in Mozambique was the fact that I never needed to own a vehicle. I could walk, ride my bike or take a bus everywhere. Hitch hiking was also acceptable and relatively safe depending on how many people were already in the back of the truck!

Hitching a ride in Mozambique

Shelburne Half Training – Week Two

Posted on by

I realized while looking back at the calendar that I did two double digit runs this month. That made me smile. I tweaked my training this week to avoid running too many miles on consecutive days. I’m also trying to incorporate more strength training and alternative cardio into the schedule.

A note on what I mean by strength training; I do not follow any specific strength training routine which may cause some to gasp and cringe. Prior to my pregnancy 6 years ago I worked with a physical trainer for about 6 sessions. I learned how to use my gym’s equipment as well as some basic free weight exercises so I continue to utilize that information in my strength training workouts. I use the Nike Training App on my phone which demonstrates various exercises. I also mimic what I see others doing asking for tips if I’m not quite sure that I’m doing the exercise properly. Because my strength training is not very organized I don’t provide a detailed description of what I do. I am hoping to further my knowledge in this area once my son begins full day kindergarten in the fall and I have more time to spend at the gym.

It was a busy week with some workout ups and some workout downs along the way.

Date

Scheduled Workout

Actual Workout
Sunday, 3/25/12 Elliptical and Strength Training; Ice Skating
  • Elliptical – 3.05 miles in 26 minutes
  • Upper Body Strength Training
  • Ice Skating

 
Monday, 3/26/12 5 Mile Run

 

 5 Mile Run
Tuesday,  3/27/12

 

 Plyometrics Rest Day
Wednesday, 3/28/12 Speed Training – 8 x 400 meters
  • 8×400 (7.0,7.1,7.2,7.3 repeat)
  • 1 mile with interval sprints at 8.0, 8.1 and 8.5 for about 30 seconds each
  • Total miles 5.65
  • P90X Plyometrics DVD
Thursday, 3/29/12 3 Mile Run 3.5 around home. 3.10 in exactly 30 minutes. The rest I walked.

 
Friday, 3/30/12 10 Mile Run 10.01 miles in 1:41:56!!!
Saturday, 3/31/12

 

 Strength Training and Cardio of choice
  • Arc trainer x20 minutes
  • Elliptical x15 minutes
  • Strength training – arms and legs with machines

Sunday morning I hit the gym right after work. Since I had run 8 miles the day before and I knew that I was going to ice skating lessons that evening I decided to switch up my cardio activity. I haven’t used the elliptical in a long time. I tried to push as fast as I could and I was sweating by the time I finished.

Later in the day I had ice skating lessons. I love it so far though I’m pretty sure people who know me think I’m a bit of a kook. I mean who takes up ice skating as an adult? Well me and about 30 other grown ups! We are learning proper form, falling and getting up, turning, stopping, cross over skating and backwards skating. It is not easy, but we are all quite serious and working very hard to learn. The instructors have the patience of saints. They are so incredibly nice and encouraging. It is a very positive and supportive environment. Learning how to ice skate at nearly 40 years of age is quite humbling. Raising a child, I now realize how much easier it is to learn certain things when you are young. I am so grateful that I am able to provide my son with the opportunity to learn a variety of activities while he is young as well as instill the importance of being active.

Monday morning I decided to run at the gym because of the weather. I noticed my ankles and shins were bothering me. I adjusted my sneakers and tied them a bit tighter. It helped a bit but not entirely. I pushed through because I wasn’t in pain but I could sense the discomfort particularly in my right foot. I assumed it was my sneakers. On top of the ankle/shin issue I had a little stomach trouble and had to abandon the treadmill after a couple of miles. I returned and kept going, but it wasn’t a great run. It took me over 55 minutes to do 5 miles. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized my lower legs were sore from all the bending we did in ice skating. I iced my shins and took some Ibuprofen. By work that night I was good as new.

On Thursday I had great intentions to get up at 5am and go to the gym, but the alarm never went off (probably because I accidentally never set it) so this meant a late in the day workout. I did my best to convince myself all afternoon that I wasn’t going to run. Finally I ignored the devil telling me to scrap the run and changed into my running garb so I was ready to hit the road once my husband got home. Before I knew it I was out the door. It was cold and a bit windy, but I maintained a decent pace. In no time I was home again feeling really great about having gone out for a run.

The week ended on a high note. My 10 mile run was fantastic!! Despite not going into it with a 100% positive attitude because I was tired from work I went out there and killed it. As I neared the end of the 10 miles I did some quick mental math and determined that if I could have held onto that pace for another 3 miles I would be looking at a pretty awesome PR for my next half marathon.

From a crappy run at the beginning of the week to a stellar double digit run that filled me with possibilities of a half marathon PR, this is why I love running. One day, one workout, or one run does not define me. It is the cumulative actions of my commitment to running and exercising that fills me with the confidence to run races, try new activities and challenge myself to go further, do better and become stronger.

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.  ~Edmund Hillary

April First

Posted on by

I stink at April Fool’s Day jokes and normally I spend the day praying I am not a victim of someone’s clever prank. Some people are so good at that kind of stuff. This was the first year that Carlos really understood the meaning of the day so it was full of 5 year old type April Fool’s jokes. Here’s one I’ve been hearing all week:

Carlos: “Mom why do you have a spider on your head?”

Me: Ahhhhhhhhh get it out, get it out!!

Carlos: “April Fool’s”

Me: Haha you got me!

We put our heads together and tried to come up with a lively prank to play on my husband. This is all we came up with. We are pitiful, but determined to get better by next year.

I called my husband last night from work and told him that I wanted to register for the Philadelphia Marathon as soon as registration opened at midnight. I also asked him for the credit card information. Half asleep he gave me his blessing. After work I went to the gym and then finally home where I found Carlos downstairs alone. I reminded him of our plan and we gave each other a high five. Orlando came down a few minutes later with some laundry to bring to the basement. When he returned to the kitchen I excitedly reminded him that I registered for the Philly Marathon. He gave me a hug and said congratulations. I replied, “Congratulations to you too!” He was instantly confused so I explained, “I registered both of us so we can run it together.”

My husband backed up and started to question me, what?, why?, how? Then came the uncomfortable excuses, “I can’t run a marathon,” “I don’t like running that long,” “I only want to do 5K races.” I started encouraging him with comments like “It will be great. We can cross the finish line holding hands,” “You can totally do it. Look at your muscles.” Meanwhile Carlos was cheering for his Daddy “you can do it Dad” over and over. 

I was seriously ready to burst into laughter the more concerned my husband got. He was pacing around the living room and got more frustrated when I told him how much the registration cost for both of us. “I just don’t understand. I never said I wanted to run a marathon. I’ll run 5 miles, but not the whole thing. Can’t we get a refund?” Finally I lost it and blurted out April Fool’s!!! Carlos tried to keep it going, but the jig was up. Orlando looked so relieved once I told him it was all a joke and of course started nervously laughing hoping we were really kidding.

We were definitely kidding, but only about his participation in the marathon. The other part about me running it, well that was the truth!

Registration Confirmation for:

Dear Aimee,

Congratulations! You are now registered for Philadelphia Marathon Weekend. Please check the event’s official website for updates: http://www.philadelphiamarathon.com/ 

 

MARATHON REGISTRATION

CONFIRMATION!

 
I have had the registration date on my calendar since I returned home from Disney. I wasn’t sure how difficult it would be to register for this particular marathon so I decided not to mention my intention until it was official. On November 18 I will participate in the 2012 Philadelphia Marathon. This will likely round out my race schedule for the year. 2012 started out with a marathon, my very first, and will end with another marathon like bookends holding between them the contents of what so far promises to be a very active, challenging and fun year. While I may not cross the finish line holding anybody’s hand, my son and my husband will be there to cheer me on as always!

 

Shelburne Half Training – Week One

Posted on by

I am currently training for the Shelburne, VT half marathon on May 5, 2012. My husband and I love Vermont so any excuse to visit is perfectly fine with us. Even though the race is early on Saturday we are taking advantage of the opportunity to make it a full weekend getaway. The main reason I chose this half is because one of my dearest friends lives nearby and there is a very good chance that we will get together so I can finally meet her beautiful baby boy. He was born in February and I am dying to squeeze his adorable little cheeks in person.

Here is week one in half marathon training.

Date

Scheduled Workout

Actual Workout
Sunday, 3/18/12

 

 Ice Skating No Workout
Monday, 3/19/12

 

 5 Mile Run 5 Mile Run
Tuesday,  3/20/12

 

 Rest Day Rest Day
Wednesday, 3/21/12 Speed Training – 7 x 400 meters 7.0mph to 7.6mph each x 400 metersTotal miles run = 5.7

P90X Plyometrics DVD

 
Thursday, 3/22/12

 

 4 Mile Pace Run No Workout
Friday, 3/23/12 3 Mile Run 7 miles in 1:07:56
(I combined Thursday and Friday’s mileage.)

 
Saturday, 3/24/12 8 Mile Run

 

 8 Miles

Sunday was the day after the St. Patrick’s Day Road Race which meant it was also the St. Patrick’s Day parade. We arrived at the parade at 11am. It was a nice day for the parade, but after watching float after float go by we finally left at 3 and the parade seemed to have no end in sight. I was supposed to go to ice skating at 4pm, but by the time we got home I decided to skip my lesson in favor of grocery shopping and dinner with my guys.

My runs this week were awesome. The weather was incredible and I felt speedy all week. Wednesdays have become my speed training days. I always hate the thought of doing speed intervals but once I’m done I feel great. I do these workouts on the treadmill at the gym. The goal is to run a certain number of intervals for 400 meters or .25 miles. I set the treadmill time at 60 minutes. I generally do about a half mile warm up before beginning my speed intervals. This week my first interval was at 7.0 mph for 400 meters. When I reach the distance I slow down to a fast walk to recover and have a few sips of water. I then return to a jog for about 45 seconds before beginning my next speed interval. This week I increased my speed by .1 each time so my second interval was 7.1, my third was 7.2 and so on until I reached 7.6mph on my last interval. After completing all 7 intervals I run at a normal speed until my time is done. This week I threw in some short bursts of speed at 8mph for 20-30 seconds during my last mile or so.

My 7 mile run on Friday rocked my socks off. I flew around the reservoir like there was a wind pushing me from behind. I loved it. I definitely wasn’t expecting to have a great run on this day. I didn’t get to bed until almost 3am and was up by 6. Why you ask? Well I was at the midnight showing of the Hunger Games! It was a fun night with friends, not something I would normally do. I enjoyed the book and really liked the movie.

On Saturday I decided to do something I rarely do, I lounged in bed. By the time I got out of bed it was time to make the little guy breakfast and get him ready for his ice skating lesson. I missed the window of opportunity to get my run done early. As the day wore on I toyed with skipping the run. Oh the mental conversation I had with myself. We got home late in the afternoon and I ignored my own thoughts, got my Garmin, headphones and ran out the door. Eight miles later I returned to the house feeling really great that I completed my run.

I have come to the conclusion that I thrive on a training schedule. I love having my calendar full of planned runs and workouts. It doesn’t stress me out to have to move things around or alter the schedule here and there. It does stress me out to have no schedule or plan. Since my first half marathon in October 2010 I have been consistently training for a race. Training for races keeps me focused and provides the structure I need to stick with a regular fitness routine.