Grown Up Stuff

I finally found my bed set.  Only been in the house two years, and have had the bed for a couple months.  I had been looking for awhile, but couldn't find exactly what I wanted.  I knew I wanted something blue/purple-ish, and no brown or red.  There is enough brown in this house, I wanted color and I wanted bright!  Most of the blue bedding I saw had brown in it or I didn't like the design - flowery crap.  Not really my style.  Finally searching some images, one caught my eye.  And the fact that it was on sale, I purchased it instantly.  It very simple, but totally my style.  The other awesome thing is it is a coverlet, more of a light weight blanket.  Here in Texas, we don't need the super thick comforters.

 

 

I only ordered the coverlet and none of the extra stuff, just to be sure I liked it, which I did.  So I went back and ordered the pillow shams.  Next up, is a gray bed skirt and some gray sheets.  Then some throw pillows - gray with teal and purple.

 

I also need to buy new curtains and I'm debating painting the walls.  Even just a light gray, maybe an accent wall, who knows.  But I am getting there!  Might be next year by the time it gets done, but the rooms are actually looking like they are supposed to.

 

The only thing left on my list is patio furniture.  And much like the bedding, I am ready to buy as soon as I find something I like!

 



Marathon Monday Week 3 –

Week August 18-24

Monday –

               Goal: Run 7 miles

               Actual: Ran 7 miles

First 3 were during lunch and then I waited until it got a bit cooler and went out for the last 4.

Tuesday –

               Goal: Run 2 miles and Body Pump

Actual: Ran 2 miles and Body Pump

At the gym I did 2 miles of sprint repeats, increasing the ‘sprint’ speed each time.  Body Pump!

Wednesday –

               Goal: Run 4 miles

               Actual: Ran 4 miles

Made it to the group run again, and this time I wasn’t the slow person, yay!  Not because I was any faster, there were more people.  I was actually in the faster half of the group.

Thursday –

               Goal: Run 6 miles (intervals) & Insanity

               Actual: Ran 5 miles & Insanity

The normal 3 at lunch.  At the gym I did 1.0 miles increasing every 0.25.  Then did the exact opposite.  1.0 miles decreasing 0.25.  Followed up by Insanity.

Friday –

               Goal: Run 3 miles

               Actual: Ran 3 miles

It was a nice and steady lunch run.  13:57 on the way out and 13:58 on the way back.

Saturday –

               Goal: Rest

               Actual: Rest

It was Mookie’s birthday, so lots of food and drinks.

Sunday –

               Goal: Run 12 miles

               Actual: Ran 7 miles

Started early in the morning, but it was still hot.  Thought about going back out later to finish the run, but it didn’t happen.  Oh well.  On the plus side, I discovered a new 6 mile loop that I will be using!

Even though I cut my long run short on Sunday, I am happy with where my running is currently at.  Total miles: 28.  I will definitely be breaking 100 miles for the month.  Add in the fact that I have been strength training 1-2 times a week, so far so good.  Can't wait to see where I am at in October!

Calm it Down

Tend to have to tell myself that a lot.  I am slightly high-strung, get wound up pretty easily, and can be a bit over zealous.  With that being said - I would really like to know W T F I was thinking creating this marathon training plan.  It’s a bit…..ambitious? 

I went back and compared it to my Chicago Marathon training plan, and Yikes!  I know I have done a lot more distance running now, and I do need to up my game if I want to PR, but dang – Fritz, calm it down!

Needless to say, I am revisiting it and making it much more realistic.

Marathon Monday Week 2 –

Week August 11-17

Monday –

               Goal: Run 6 miles

               Actual: Ran 6 miles

At lunch I got in my normal 3 miles at right around a 9:00 pace.  After work I went out for another 3 miles. I chose to run the park, which I haven’t done in a super long time.  It has shade over 60% of the time which is extremely nice.  Came home to a Redneck version of an ice bath.  Felt good!

Tuesday –

               Goal: Run 5 miles and Body Pump

               Actual: Ran 5 miles and Body Pump

Did my 3 at lunch as a 0.25 run followed by a 0.25 walk, and kept repeating.  At the gym I did a 2 mile progressive run.  Starting at 6.3 mph (9:33 pace) and kept increasing 0.1 mph every 0.25 miles.  Ended with 2 miles in 18:10.  Was surprised how good the legs felt.  Then did Body Pump after.  I am doing body weight on legs and lifting heavy on arms.

Wednesday –

               Goal: Run 6 miles

               Actual: Ran 7 miles

Lunch was a glorious 3 miles (25:43).  It was only 88 with 35% humidity.  I couldn’t believe how nice it felt.  Ran negative splits.  In the evening I finally made it to a Run On Group run.  I was one of the slower people in the 4 mile group and ran 9:10 pace.

Thursday –

               Goal: Run 2 miles (intervals) & Insanity

               Actual: Ran 3 & Insanity

Ran 3 miles (with some sprints) as warm up before Insanity.  I was trying to fit in the extra mile, so now I can take Sunday as a rest day (provided I get all my miles in on Saturday).  After Insanity the instructor told us to have some lean protein, good fat and good carbs.  I’m not sure beer is what she meant by good carbs, but it was a good carb to me.

Friday –

               Goal: Rest Day

               Actual: Rest Day

Saturday –

               Goal: Run 11 miles

               Actual: Rest Day

I didn’t get going early enough, so I just decided to take another rest day.

Sunday –

               Goal: Run 2 miles

               Actual: Run 11 miles

My alarm went off nice and early to get in my long run before the heat, but dang it if it wasn’t a torrential downpour.  There was a river running beside my house!  Ended up waiting until the afternoon, and went to start my run, but my watch was dead.  Did 6 miles on routes that I knew so I knew what my mileage was.  Took a break and waited for it to cool down and my watch to charge, and I went back out for the last 5.

Total Mileage: 32.  I still have to constantly remind myself not to get down because of my times, but to keep working and it will all come back.  The first 4 weeks of my training are all about getting my fitness level back!  So let’s look at the positives…

·        Hit my overall mileage and my long run mileage

·        I did both the cross training workouts I planned

·        I made it to the Run On Group run

Happy Friday!

Wednesday was National Left Handers Day!  Yay!

In honor of that, I finally decided to go to a Run On Group run.  Every Wednesday at 6:30 PM, every Run On store leads a group run.  They normally have 2 different routes, and the number of miles vary by store.  The Flower Mound store offers a 2 mile and 4 mile route.  I did the 4 mile route and was the slowest person running at a 9:10 pace (geez!).  Everyone was super friendly and two of the guys hung back with me (most of the way).  Several of them are also bikers and the girl who organizes the runs will be doing her first triathlon in September.  I’ve been missing my running buddies (Megan moved away and Lauren’s time is taken up by sand volleyball right now), so it was nice to have some company on the run.   Afterwards we all hung out in the store and drank beer – awesome!  I will be fitting more of these into my schedule.

Looking at my current running mileage:

July: 55 miles (whole month)

August: 62 miles (thru August 14)

It’s a lot easier to run when you have something you are working towards!  This week I have run every day I was supposed to and made Body Pump (Tuesday), Group Run (Wednesday), and Insanity (Thursday).  No wonder I have been sleeping like a rock!

Marathon Monday Week 1 –

Week August 4 – 10

Monday –

               Goal: Run 3 miles

               Actual: Ran 3 miles

Ran 3 miles at lunch in 26:02 (8:40 pace) which is an extremely good run for me at this point.  I passed a guy with about 0.50 miles to go and he stayed with me and we just kept pushing each other.  When I hit the end of my run, he said ‘Thanks’ at the same time I was saying ‘Nice run.’  So we both knew we were pushing each other.

Tuesday –

               Goal: Run 4 miles and Body Pump

               Actual: Ran 4 miles, 20 min spin, and Body Pump

I did my 3 mile run at lunch.  I ran out 1.5 miles and then did a run/walk back.  It was hot and I didn’t feel like pushing it the whole way back – I was hot.  After work I hit the gym.  I did a 1 mile progressive (warm-up) run and it ended up being 8:49.  That finished up my 4 miles for the day.  Knowing that I had time before Body Pump I decided to do a 20 min spin session on my own.  I set HIIT interval timer for 1 min of work and 1 min of rest – 10 rounds.  I did a minute seated flat road for speed, then did a minute standing climb.  20 minutes total.  After that it was Body Pump time.  Glad I didn’t lose too much strength after not going for 2-3 weeks.

Wednesday –

               Goal: Run 6 miles

               Actual: Ran 6 miles

Lunch I ran 3 miles.  I had to stop a few times in the shade because it was HOT HOT HOT, but overall I am happy with this run!  Then after work, I finished up the last 3 miles.  The first two I did in 18:33; then I proceeded to run/walk the last mile.  Summer is here and I wasn’t risking it.  Once my miles were done, I went up to Yucatan and enjoyed their pool.

Thursday –

               Goal: Run 3 miles (intervals) & Insanity

               Actual: Rest & 12 hours of sleep 

I was not feeling the workout.  Came home from work and slept from about 6PM until 10PM.  Got off the couch and went to bed.  Alarm went off at 6:30AM.  Guess I needed the sleep.

Friday –

               Goal: Rest Day

               Actual: Rest Day – thought about making up Thursday’s miles, but decided against it

Saturday –

               Goal: Run 9 miles

               Actual: Ran 10 miles

It was hot and tough, but I survived.  It was my first double digit run in over 2 months!  Then headed out to the lake.  My little fish weren’t biting, so I had to catch some of the bigger ones.  This was the second fish I caught that trip.

Sunday –

               Goal: Run 5 miles

               Actual: Ran 5 miles

I didn’t get to start these miles until after 8PM, which majorly sucked.  But I was at the gym and enjoyed watching the Broncos/Seahawks game.

Overall: 28 miles on the week.  Most (running) mileage since Big Sur!  My times weren’t the best and there was a lot of walking, but I am not letting myself get discourage.  It will take a couple weeks of getting back in routine to start to feel my fitness come back.

HIIT Timer App –

In today’s world, a lot of conversations include the words, ‘There’s probably an app for that.’  Sad, but true, there normally is an app.  Last week, I downloaded a (free) HIIT Interval app.  You can set specific times for: Prep Time, Work, Rest, Rounds, Cool Down; and it totals the time at the bottom.  So you know when you set it up how long it will take to complete the entire circuit. 

Yesterday, I knew I had some time between finishing up my running miles and Body Pump.  Since I haven’t been staying for the spin class after Body Pump (too much), I decided to get in a quick spin on my own.  I set the time for 10 rounds, 1 minute of work, 1 minute of rest = 20 minutes total.  On the 1 minute of work, I had a flat road (minimal resistance), stayed seated, and worked on speed.  One the one minute of rest, I did a standing climb (increased the resistance).  And kept repeating – so not really resting.  I could have also set it for 20 rounds, 1 minute of work and no rest time, so it would just keep alerting me every minute.  Either way works.  It made the time go quickly and was a lot easier than focusing on the clock.  You can set it to either buzz or ding to alert you when each interval/rest period is up.

This is a great app to have, it’s simple and intuitive.  You can use it while traveling to do a body weight circuit. 

Marathon Monday

Today officially starts Marathon training for the White Rock (Dallas) Marathon. 

This training plan is quite a bit longer than normal because I have no done any runs over 3 miles in about 2 months.  So I know it is going to take awhile to build up the stamina and speed.  My main focus is not to get discouraged early on because I am not in the greatest shape.  I know I can get there and I know that once I get back into it, it will progress quickly.

I am also going to try and maintain my lifting during this cycle.  I normally quit because getting in the miles is my main priority and that takes a lot of time, and because I don’t want my legs super sore from lifting to cause me to miss a run.  I am going to try and push through it because strength training is an important part of endurance running.

Finally, do I go for the Sub4 time or not?  I REALLY want to run a Sub4 marathon, and I know I can.  It’s just actually doing it.  Everything with me is mental and I get too worked up and stressed over it, that I end up throwing it out the window.  Ultimately it is going to be in the back of my mind regardless of whether I admit it is an official goal or not…

New month, new things...

First of all, not sure how I was able to sleep with the AC off and windows open on July 31, but hey I’ll take it.

After a whirlwind trip back home, it was time to get back to routine.  But I was able to try out several new things this week!

At home (Illinois), my sister and I were talking about breakfast smoothies, and I mentioned wanting to adding protein powder to my smoothies to give it a little more stick-to-your-ribs effect and hopefully keep me full longer.  At that point she threw a thing of Usana Chocolate Protein Powder at me.  After checking that I could get it through security in a carry-on I went straight to work looking up smoothie ideas.  And breakfast for the rest of the week was found.  I am going to look into other flavors/brands of protein powders because unfortunately chocolate doesn’t go with everything.

The protein powder does have a bit more sugar than I would like, but overall not too bad.  It’s about 80 calories a scoop.  I made one batch that was 3 breakfasts.

Ingredients for the whole batch (filled 3 mason jars):

·        2 cups Silk Almond Milk (unsweetened 30 cal per serving)

·        4 scoops of Protein powder (might try using only 3 next time)

·        3 bananas

·        12 strawberries

·        Handful of ice cubes

  

The next new to me thing I try is ZOODLES!  Along with having an awesome name, they are extremely easy and yummy.  Basically is it zucchini noodles.  You take a julienne peeler or spiral slicer and go to town on zucchini.  One you have your noodles made, sauté them up on the stove top to soften them and you are set.  Next add any topping you want.  This week I just did halved cherry tomatoes and a small amount of spaghetti sauce. 

I am a big fan of this and will probably be making in the near future with some grilled chicken!

The last new to me thing was testing out Insanity.  I tried to go to class 2 weeks ago, but it was canceled because they forgot to find a sub for the normal instructor who was out on vacation.  At last I gave it a try.  It started with a 5-10 minute warm up, followed by 3 Blocks: Plyometrics, Strength & Endurance, and then agility.  Once we finished that, we were 30 minutes in, and my first thought – ‘Oh no, please tell me we don’t have to do all that again, I’m not going to make it.’  Luckily we did not.  Next it was on to abs and cool down.  The whole class lasted approximately 45 minutes.  Definitely something I will be looking at doing in the future.