Wordless Wednesday- Runner

2 Better Halfs

I know I said I would blog more now that I have time. But.....in all honesty I'm kind of tired of sitting in front of a computer all day. Plus most of the time I have spent now has been job searching. Well, since I have not been working and after talking to Keinan he said it would be ok for me to have a light jog daily after bootcamp, we agreed on 2 miles. Last week those 2 daily miles were great, obviously the distance was short so naturally my pace was faster than when I go long. On Friday I did 2 mile run with yoga after. I want to continue to do yoga at least once if not twice a week, I feel it is great for stretching plus I noticed my posture has improved.

I wanted to get up early on Saturday to get my 1st half done and have plenty of time to eat after rest maybe nap and have a snack before I got started on the 2nd. Since my 1st half would be a trail I'm not too familiar with I decided to wait until the sun was out to get out there. During the week I had made some wheat pancakes from Skinny Taste I had one before I headed out with some honey it was good and filling hoping it would do the job like normal sandwich thin with almond butter, banana, and honey.

1st Half
It felt nice to get out the weather was perfect, not cold not hot, a little chilly but good. I was wearing a new shirt I got (I'm still trying to figure out what I'm wearing the day of) and my running gloves. So my arms were a little cold but my hands were warm. Of course once I actually started running I didn't feel the temperature. I was surprised to see how many people were out enjoying the weather and being active. It was nice distraction to keep me from thinking on how much longer I had to go. The 13 miles is nothing but doing another 13.....might be! I was on the San Diego Mountain to Sea trail it took me from Irvine to the back bay in New Port saw the fancy yachts and that was about mile 7, turned back still feeling good without pain or concern. I was running and a carefree state of mind and I loved every minute of it. Once I hit the 13.1 miles I stopped. I still had .9 miles to get home and used that as my cool down and walked. It felt good and relaxing. Not to mention nothing hurt me oh and my time was the best time I have had on my long runs 9:56 min/mi

Break
Got home around 10am from the 1st half. Soon as I got home....more water and my recovery drink Nestle Chocolate Milk!!! So once I had that I was good, took a shower then was ready to eat. Lately I have been on breakfast food after long runs so I made Norris and I a fancy breakfast sandwich with canadian bacon, egg, and pepper jack it was mmmm mmmmmm delicious!! Stretched a little after and let me food settle then I got cozy in the bed and took a small nap I want to say maybe a 20min. Got up and got dressed I started to get hungry again so I made myself a smoothie with oj, banana, and mixed berries. I enjoyed my smoothie stretched again and rolled out a little bit. Packed my lunch bag with water and my chocolate milk and was ready to go. I want to say it was about a 4hr break. I didn't want to run in the dark since I was running by the canyon and to my luck I'd prob see coyotes!

2nd Half
I started to feel my quads and hamstrings extra tight. Keinan gave me a text pep talk during my break. Get a good stretch, it's gonna be tough, do the hill non-stop, have a nice cool down. Oh GOD all I can do was think of him saying it's gonna be tough and that hill. Got a warm up in and started running. I am gonna say one thing those first 6 miles of the 2nd half were the hardest!!!! I don't know if it's because I had in mind what he said, the fact that I had a long sleeve and it was hot, me not getting enough rest, not having enough water. It was probably a combination of all. Once I got past the hill it got flat and cooler I went to 7 miles before I turned back so I can get the cool down walk. I turned back and was feeling good. I didn't feel my legs tight, I must admit after mile 7 was feeling myself....my music was great I kept getting songs I liked and I was on one! I completed he 13.1 miles with a smile on my face! I honestly felt good, more like I felt great and even greater when I checked my time 10:32min/mi ooooooooooooooooh yea once I was done I sent Keinan a text to let him know I had this shit done and felt great! I once again enjoyed the .9 mile walk back.

Done
Got to the car and enjoyed my chocolate milk! I really could not stop smiling I felt great my mind and my body and during the run for the most part I felt good! Now I can say it and mean it I AM READY for the  LA Marathon!!!! Well, I get home park the car and once I step out my legs start to hurt LOL it was like I cramped up and got stiff on the drive home. I wasn't hungry just thirsty so I took a hot bath with Epsom salt I had some smooth R&B on the pandora and just relaxed and sipped on a nice cold bottle of water! I started to get hot and was still thirsty I kept calling Norris to bring me water but he had headphones on playing video games so he didn't hear me. I wanted to rinse in the shower but once I stood up I felt light headed. I didn't want another episode like the one I had a few weeks back so I just stepped out, had some more water Chipins turned the fan on then about 30min later took the shower. Before I got in the shower I started to feel nausea like I did the other time I ran 2. I felt like that off and on through out the night but my body did not feel like it ran 26.2 miles. It continued into Sunday, but on Sunday I actually did puke so I skipped bootcamp Monday since I still felt nausea. I did my 2 mile jog and yoga and now feel good.

All and all my body felt great from the runs other than the nausea by Sunday I wasn't sore at all whatsoever like I usually am after long runs. I AM READY LA!!!!

Wordless Wednesday- Just Run

Relaxing 12 Mile Beach Run (it was actually 14 miles)

Workout for 2.11.12: 12 Mile run on the beach

When my trainer Keinan told me that my Saturday run would be 12 miles on the beach I was very excited and couldn't wait for Saturday morning to get here. I had a rough week I lost my job and well....running keeps me sane and is my therapy. I was hoping I could run more during the week now that I have time, but he said it wouldn't be a good idea since that has not been in my training plan and we cant risk injury with the Marathon so close. With that being said I really need that 12 mile run to clear my mind and relax.

I went to Huntington Beach and started off at the pier and just ran..... The time I did my 16 miles I went to Huntington Beach to Seal Beach and back so I figured about where it would be 6 miles to turn back. Well by the time I got back to where I started I checked my ipod and it was a good 14 miles. The run was amazing and so relaxing I felt great!!!! I couldn't believe how good I felt inside and out.... it was perfect minus my butt hurting towards the end, but I was so focused and relaxed I looked past it! The weather was great too when I got up it had just finished raining so the air was nice and crisp it was a little over cast I want to say about mile 6-8 the sun was peaking it felt nice then back again to cloudy with the breeze. The day of the Marathon I might have to reflect on this run since it was so relaxing to me. Just thinking about it and writing about it is bringing a smile to my face.....Pace 10:48 min/mi

Huntington Beach, CA

HB

Side Note: I'm starting to dig having chocolate milk after my runs LOL although when I was running an ice cold beer sounded so gooooooood! I got home and was craving breakfast food so I opened a beer and had one but for some reason it wasn't giving me the satisfaction I envisioned when I was running. LOL

6 Mile Run with the Longest Hill Ever!

Workout for 2.5.12: Run since Saturday got cut short

Since my workout got cut short on Saturday I felt I needed to get a run in on Sunday after all it was Super Bowl Sunday which meant food and alcohol! Norris had to go into work for a few hours so I decided to get up early and go with him. He works in Mission Viejo there is a lot of hills there. Actually I think every street has some type of hill so I figured that would be my best bet. Plus the view is nice... He planned on being there for 2hrs max I didn't want to push it and do the run I did when I was there last time (12miles) so I went for half.

It wasn't an easy 6 that's for sure! I had a good warm up and got started the star was the easiest (it was down hill. I want to say about half way done was with the hill started. I swear that hill has got to be longer than the one in Orange. But I got it done! No complaining towards the end was down hill again and I felt my hamstrings and butt get a little tight. Once I was done I had my recovery drink (chocolate milk) a good stretch and the pain was gone. For some reason eggs and pancake sounded soooooooooooo good! Once Norris was done with work we went for breakfast and I killed a short stack with eggs and bacon (I really only ate half a pancake but that's besides the point). All in all I would say it was a very good run!!! Pace 10:48 min/mi

1000 Steps in Laguna Beach, CA

I have been slacking on blogging again.....

Workout for 2.4.12: 1000 Steps- side step right, side step left, skip a step for 1hr straight then 4 miles on he beach

My workout was to go up and down 1000 Steps in Laguna Beach for an hour then run 4 miles on the beach. It sounded great....I love running by the beach, I find the smell of the ocean, the sound of the waves, and the light breeze very very relaxing and comforting. I told Norris what my workout was going to be and he said he wanted to come along (I was very surprised) I planned on going very early, but since he wanted to join me and it was his day off we went a little later in the day....

Bottom of the Steps

Well what started off great was soooooooooo hard! I was scared to fall LOL it was scarier walking down the stairs since it is so steep and narrow steps. Long story short my workout had to get cut short because Norris couldn't do it. He started to feel sick he was able to do it 3 times. It was about a 30min on the stairs total of up and down 5 times maybe a 40min including the warm up.

Part of the Stairs

I wanted to try and get a run in later that day, but we were having people over for dinner that nite and I couldn't fit it in.

Wordless Wednesday- Life

Wordless Wednesday- Redefining

10 Reasons Running Doesn’t Suck As Much As You Think

10 Reasons Running Doesn’t Suck As Much As You Think

by Susan Lacke

The word “running” used to conjure up painful and awkward memories of gym class. My middle-school gym teacher, Mrs. Morey, would stand her roly-poly body at the top of the hill behind our school, barking through a megaphone between bites of beef jerky at us red-faced kids as we ran circles around the track. According to her, running  was supposed to build character, or whatever it is they teach gym teachers to say in gym teacher school.
Needless to say, most of the gasping kids on the track were thinking the same thing: Character? <bleep> you. Choke on your jerky, fatty.
Your first experience with running was probably in gym class. And it’s quite possible it left the same rancid taste in your mouth, with little desire to ever run again. But no more! I hit the reset button on my attitude towards running, and for the last two years, have gone from hating running to loving it (most of the time). Running really doesn’t suck as much as you think. Here’s why:

1. Most races and fun runs are full of hot bodies in very little clothing. Let me repeat that: HOT PEOPLE. WEARING PRACTICALLY NOTHING. Wear sunglasses, and ogle with reckless abandon.
2. You can lose weight by drinking nothing but hot water with lemon. Or you can run for an hour, treat yourself to a cookie and still fit into your skinny jeans. One of these options makes you bitchy; the other makes you rad.
3. Take your iPod with you, and your runs suddenly become a safe place to indulge your love of boy-band music. With enough practice, you can even blend in a couple dance moves from ‘Bye Bye Bye’. Don’t lie: You’ve still got that routine memorized.
4. When your boss, your melodramatic friend and your nagging to-do list won’t leave you alone, calmly put on your running shoes and head out the door. They won’t follow you. It’s a safer alternative to storming out with both middle fingers in the air (though you can -and should- still do this in your head, just for spectacular effect).
5. You’ll discover lululemon pants are good for more than just buying tampons and Cheez-its at Target (I know, ladies. My world was rocked with that discovery, too.).
6. Running is the last place you have to “be a lady.” Sweat, snot and sneaking behind a bush to pee is not only liberating it’s fun, in that giggly-childish-naughty kind of way.
7. Getting a run in before happy hour means you get tipsy on half a glass of wine instead of your usual two. That’s not being a lush, that’s just sound economic planning.
8. Studies have shown that runners have better sex. Sex counts as a cross-training workout, which in turn makes you a better runner, which – hello! – leads to even better sex. Really, the whole thing is full of win-wins.
9. Girls are lucky; there’s an entire industry committed to making us look awesome while getting our sweat on. Workout clothes come in all sorts of cool colors and designs. Jockstraps, on the other hand, will always be ugly with questionable stains.
10. Non-runners will sit on the couch and call you crazy. Those folks, sadly, will never learn what their bodies are capable of. You, on the other hand, will die knowing you completely, totally, unabashedly used up the body that was loaned to you. That’s not crazy. That’s freakin’ awesome.

Inspirational Quote

I joined a face book group Women Marathoners and I saw this quote on there and loved it because I feel with this journey I'm on I can totally relate! Not just the Marathon Journey......but the Journey of LIFE!!!

"Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing.” -George Sheehan

Wordless Wednesday-Thunder Thighs