Weigh In Day.

Personally, I don't like doing this. But according to the book I'm reading about running nutrition, I should be weighing myself at least once a week. So, I announce Friday to be weigh-in day. It follows Thursday, which I typically try to make my long run day, and it precedes the weekend. Normally, I'd dread Monday and getting on the scale, but now since my eating is under control, and I don't over indulge in the weekend cocktails anymore, it shouldn't scare me that much. Still and all, Friday is a good day because it sets my up for my weekend activities and will dictate what I can and cannot do, or should do, as far as a workout goes.

I also bought an Ormon Body Fat Tester. This the one they recommended in the book I am reading. I have been wanting to get my body fact checked for a few years now. And, I still intend to. But this is good for a rough estimate. If you had asked me cold what my body fat percentage was, I'd have answered 16%. But that is more like a goal percentage. I wish it were that low. According to my Ormon, I'm checking in at 18.5%. It seems that 2 more percentage points shouldn't be too hard to hit.

My weight? 117.8. I'm happy with that number this week. Late last year I contracted an awful stomach virus. Because of it I dropped almost 5 pounds. I was at the lightest weight I had been in years at 114. By the time the New Prague half marathon rolled around in May, I was able to keep my weight between 115 and 116. I truly believe that I ran that race at the pace that I did because of my weight. I have not been able to match it since, and I have gained a solid 2 pounds. Again, I know it doesn't sound like much, but when you are small to begin with, it is quite a significant percentage.

According to Matt Fitzgerald, author of  Runner's World Performance Nutrition for Runners: How to Fuel Your Body for Stronger Workouts, Faster Recovery, and Your Best Race Times Ever "..the addition of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight was shown to increase the energy cost of running by 3.5 percent. This loss of economy would turn a 40-minute 10k runner into a 41:28 10k runner." Again, doesn't seem like a lot, but double it for a half marathon, and it explains some of the differences I had in the half marathons I ran this year.

Now, perhaps I'm being a bit anal about this. After all, running is about the run. And I do enjoy "the run". But with the run I am achieving peace, serenity and the love of the run. But I like to have something to reach for. Not only do I want to run a marathon in 2013, but I'd love to beat my New Prague half marathon time. This is going to mean better nutrition, fueling, and watching the body weight.

Now you know why I'm weighing myself once a week.

It's also going to mean recording what I eat, so I'll be returning to My Fitness Pal for that, starting tomorrow. I'd like to attempt to get back to 116 and try running a few 10k's this winter, just to see what the difference is between now and being at the lower weight. But, the key will be getting the proper nutrition in and losing that weight at the same time, while allowing myself enough calories to maintain my highly energetic lifestyle.

I'll keep you updated!

Losing it with style!

Hmmmm...ya think? I got a new brain shroud today for the milder days since this is clearly a "wash everytime you use it" piece of attire. This one is rather pretty...and neon. The color is called Sunshine of your Love. Love that! Here is what the hat looks like.

Pretty, huh? I went with the shroud today because it was 27° when I left the house. I was thinking "Oooooh....warm!" Turns out it wasn't as warm as I thought.

The first half of the run was wonderful. I was headed south for the first 5 miles or so. I wasn't quite sure how far I'd end up running today. My intention was to take the route I wanted to take when I ended up running 16 miles. This time, I decided to run it in reverse, or clockwise...thinking that I'd find the road that I missed the first time.

Everything started great. At about mile 4.5, once again, I passed a questionable road. But I was sure that the road I was on turned into Beard Ave. so I stuck it out...but the road began to wind around to the east and I started to get a little panicky like I was going to end up running longer than I had planned. Eventually I came upon a golf course that I remember seeing on the map so I knew I was still headed in the right direction. And there it was, up ahead...Beard Ave. Yay!

On Beard, I hit 6 miles, so I refueled with a GU gel. I only took a half of one, this time...much easier on the tummy. I also realized that they are much easier to consume when you DON'T have braces. This is a plus! I need to figure out this whole nutrition thing before I decide to run my marathon. I gotta say that I feel instantly better after ingesting the gel, but that it doesn't last long. I felt like I should have had taken more at mile 9. I'll have to try this next time. Perhaps taking a half dose every three miles instead of holding off until the first 6. The problem is, when you run in the cold, you seem to have way more energy. Or at least you are fooled that you do, because you aren't sweating or huffing and puffing as much.

Coming up to mile 10 was rough. I was considering throwing in the towel at this point. The breeze had really picked up out of the northeast and I was in open territory. My face was getting cold, and I was running too hard to pick up the gaiter around my neck and put it over my mouth. I took a few sips from my electrolyte drink and carried on.

Despite the few hitches today, I still managed to run a half marathon...about 13.25 miles. But when I got home, I was very cold. It took me an hour and two cups of coffee until I felt my body temperature regulate itself. This tells me, I should have had the extra layer from the waist down. I only wore one today, thinking it was warmer than it was.

I also wore my new Athleta pink top for this run! It looked rather stunning with my new Brain Shroud and Gaiter. Maybe my running thing is turning more into a style thing rather that a running thing? Nah...but it never hurts to look good!

My husband's reaction when I was done: "You ran a half marathon? You're a f***in lunatic. And you can quote me on that."

Weather: 27°. Partly sunny turned cloudy, breeze out of the northeast. I'd judge it was 8-10 mph.
Clothing: Sports Bra, White Champion long sleeved shirt, Athleta Pink half zip, compression long pant, Brain Shroud, tubular neck gaiter, Brooks Launch sneakers, Isotoner lined gloves.

Refining the cold weather run.

So, what valuable lessons did I learn from Saturday's cold weather run?

First, that I need to wear thicker gloves. The Lucy's just aren't cutting it for temperatures below freezing. Granted, I'm pretty certain that I have Raynaud's syndrome, but the ensuing tingling and discomfort is not fun. So today, I opted for the fur lined Isotoners.

Ah! Relief!

Also, like my Grandma always used to say (God rest her soul)...

"Cold? Put a hat on!"
"Still cold?" Put another hat on!"

Well, two hats are pretty silly, but I did exchange hats to a thicker one. Funny, I bought three of these hats at Target two years ago on clearance. One in gray, black and creme. Had I known they would be so great for running, I'd have bought them all. They keep me warm, yet allow my head to breathe. This way I don't get all sweaty and feel like I need to rip it off mid-run. Today, I didn't get that "I'm cold" feeling at mile 4 like I have been. Could be the hat!

Finally, every time I see these on clearance at Target I buy them. They are the Champion C9 shirts in an X-Large. The big ones are great for putting over your winter running clothes, especially if they aren't neon. Most winter gear comes in black or gray. So you must wear it. But it kind of surprises me that people who run on the road would choose black or gray yet not add any color for visibility. I know, because I've seen them...almost too late. My husband has as well, and has told me a thousand times and if not more that he is glad I wear neon. You'd think those runners would have just a bit more sense not to wear a color that matches the surface where they run. Needless to say, a little pop of neon may just save your hide.

Weather: 20°, mostly cloudy, stiff south breeze.
Clothing: Under Armour Base II thermal layer, black leggings, dark green mock neck lined top, neon covershirt, grey hat, balaclava, Isotoner lined gloves.

How much further to the toilet seat?

DOMS...day 2. And still going strong.

I don't know what it is about that P90X Legs and Back that slays me every week. This week, however, for some reason, is soreness squared.

It could have been because I missed that workout last week. It could have been because I did it solo this week and I since I don't have my husband to slow me down, I wooshed through it. It could be because I did a 10-mile cold run the following day. I'm not quite sure. But I do know that the toilet seat is sure much lower than it was...and it is taking forever to get there.

Just FYI. I noticed that my calorie burn for Saturday's 10-miler in the 19° weather was over 1000. This means that I burned 100 calories per mile, which is more than the typical 90 calories I normally burn. I have to attribute this to the cold weather? Right? Hmmmm...I wonder.

Today I did 90 minutes walking on the treadmill. I started slow, but ramped it up as I loosened up. Then I forgot to ramp it back down so I did more than 6 miles. I also did P90X Chest, Shoulders and Tri's.

I might add that I gained no weight this Turkey Day. That is a bonus!

Side note for today...

The full effects of P90X Legs and Back doesn't truly hit until 36 hours after the fact...ouch.

Who turned off the heat?

I woke up sore this morning from P90X Legs and Back yesterday. It's been a while since I've done that workout, and since my husband didn't do it with me yesterday, I did it pretty hard. Running after that workout is always a bit of a chore, but I felt like I wanted to shake out the sore muscles so a run seemed in order.

Normally, I'd do my long run on Thursday, but since this Thursday was Thanksgiving, I opted to hold off until the weekend. I wasn't quite sure if that would be today or tomorrow. I always kind of play it by ear. Especially now that winter is upon us. In Minnesota, you never quite know how that weather will change from minute to minute.

I slept in this morning too...which was kind of nice for a change. Waking up at 8am puts a completely different perspective on the day. But the temperature read 8° so obviously, I wanted to hold off until it warmed up at least a little bit. But the sun was shining so that was a plus.

By 10am, it had climbed to 16°. Honestly, I like 20°. 20° doesn't sound quite as cold as 16°. So I held off just a bit more. My husband already went for his walk and said it wasn't too bad outside. The wind was calm and the sun was shining, so I went and got changed.

Still 19° at 11am, but my instincts were telling me to go now or not at all. So I went. By this time, the sun was gone, and a slight breeze picked up out of somewhere. I'm not quite sure which direction because as I ran, it never seemed NOT to be coming straight at me.

It took me a good 2 miles to loosen up, and I warmed up pretty fast. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to leave the wrap around my mouth up or down. I was having a hard time getting enough oxygen with it over my face, so I ended up running with it down for the first 4 miles. After that, I was able to put it back up because I was breathing more rhythmically. I'm pretty sure I looked like a well-dressed terrorist.

There was nothing remarkable about this run, except that there was a lot of traffic. There is a cut it yourself Christmas Tree lot right up this road that I run, and there were cars everywhere! Otherwise, I felt like I had a super steady pace, despite the cold. Mile 3.5 would be my turnaround or continue on point, and I decided to continue on, that is how good I felt. My new turnaround would be mile 5.

By mile 6.5, I was getting significantly cold. It seems I have some sort of point in my runs where my body heat decides it's gonna shut down. I was dressed in two layers from head to toe, and I'd think that would be enough. Clearly it is for that distance, then it just starts getting cold. I was actually considering a call home at this point, but the 3.5 miles remaining I could jog if I needed to.

Still, the pace I had was working, so I continued on. The last trudge uphill was killer, and I shortened my stride and dug in until the end. My hammies were considerably cold and getting tight at this point, and I didn't want to strain them by keeping a longer stride.

Made it 10 miles. Pleased, and surprised at what I could do in 20° weather! All injuries are gone, as well. Love that! Ready to keep training as long as the weather will allow it!

Weather: Cloudy, cold, slight breeze. Temperature 20°.
Clothing: UnderArmour Base II thermals, long sleeved mock neck thermal top, long spandex pants, Brooks Launch, Turtle Fur hat and gaiter, gloves, and a neon shirt thrown over for visibility.

Turkey Trot?

There was no way in hell I wasn't going to get a workout in this morning. My friend up the road puts together a fun run with her neighborhood friends and she is always kind enough to put me on the contact list. We planned to meet at 8am.

It is an unprecedented Thanksgiving morning in Minnesota. The temperature is nearly 60°, and there is no snow or ice on the ground which is a huge plus! I couldn't decide whether I wanted to arrive earlier to get extra miles in or stay later. They usually do one lap around the lake which is just a bit longer than a 5k. But, since I was running late as it was, I opted to stay later.

That worked out well, actually, because the whole gang decided to walk it, so I got in some girlie time with the ladies and was able to shed some layers and run after we did our lap. It was a good run. I decided after the first 5k to do another, but I had really gone out hard for the first half. I had to bring it down for the second. Still, it was close to a PR 10k time at 48 and change.

In the meantime, my rockstar sister had yet another incredible run this morning. She is the epitome of the phrase "you are never too old.". So freakin' proud of her!

Now, I can have dessert tonight! And maybe an extra cocktail!

Weather: 55° at start, breezy, some clouds.
Clothing: Sweats and jacket with tee underneath for walk. Stripped to shorts for run, but kept tee and jacket. Could really have left jacket behind, too.

On the road again!

Great day for a run! Pretty foggy start, though, so I had to hold off until late in the morning. Temperatures steady right around the freezing mark, so I was careful not to overdress.

Lots of things going through my mind this morning. I had definitely done something to my foot on Friday's trail run. Because of it, I must have overcompensated on Saturday's trail run and in turn pulled something in the same calf. So I took a break Sunday. I was good to ice it and massage it throughout the day, and I displayed enough willpower to NOT run. Not easy to do, mind you.

Yesterday, I did my regularly scheduled 6 mile walk on the treadmill and P90X. Still had some pretty good soreness in the calf.

This morning, it was a little tender. But I figured I'd give it a go regardless, and got out on the road. Gosh it felt SO good. It took me about 2 miles for it to loosen up, and the rest was history. Something I ate this morning or last night did not agree with me, however, so my speed wasn't tremendous. But it still goes down as a decent 7-miler.

The late fall sunshine felt great this morning! I just love it this time of year.

Here is my fashion statement for today. Pink. Pink always makes me happy.

I'm supposed to go long on Thursday, but since it is Thanksgiving, I'll likely put it off until Saturday. May just run all day.

I'm gonna do this.

Purposely run a race Garmin-free?

Obsession or unrequited love?

I ran this morning. Despite some pain in my lower, right, outer heel...I ran. It was on the dog track again. And I'm pretty sure the injury is from yesterday's run. But, despite it all, I ran with the dogs.

And I even did intervals. I warmed up for 2 miles, and the heel actually felt better. So I did a lap fast, then a lap slow...for 2 more miles. Then I cooled down for 2 miles. So that is a total of 6 miles. I should be happy with that, right? Deep down inside I should be saying "Way to go, girl! You are done for the day! Good for you!"

But, today, as my daughters and I drove around town to run some errands, I coudn't help but envy the runners that I saw. The day had gotten absolutely lovely. And they were all running on marvelously paved sidewalks, bike trails, or running paths, and they were wearing running clothes! Some ran in pairs, while some ran alone. And all the while I'm thinking "I should be running. Why aren't I running?"

So is it obsession? Or have I completely fallen in love with the sport?

Slow 'er down!

It was my job to do the obligatory dog walk this morning. This means walking, or leading...or more like following four somewhat well behaved canines around a circle on our back property. Well, more like three canines, since one immediately turns back if the temperature is below 25°. And to be quite honest, it is really just two, as the smallest and the most terrible canine goes off into the woods to see what he can kill...or at least morbidly mame.

Yesterday's 16-mile run is just a memory now and I was able to get out of bed with little physical ramifications, if any. Shocker! I did take two advil before I went to bed, just to ease out the aches and tingles that I was experiencing as I laid in bed trying to fall asleep. Maybe that helped. It was certainly cold this morning. Not quite sure if I'd break out into a jog or not, I layered it up. I wore my UnderArmour thermals below a Calvin Klein running jacket and some long leggings (don't be fooled by the name brands. I shop at Marshall's), plus gloves and my Turtle Fur Totally Tubular Comfort Shell.

As soon as I stepped outside, I started jogging. It was just too dang cold to walk. We went up the hill and out to the back by the barns. There is a small "track" back there that my husband walks everyday. It is about .2 miles to go around once and it is about 4/10th of a mile to get out there. I wore my Brooks Ghost, knowing it would be more of a trail type run, since it is just a gravel road. I don't have to tell you that I didn't walk...but I did do a light jog. As I was jogging, time was flying, and I was surprised at how fast I covered 2 miles. This was easy and I could quickly get 4 miles under my belt with little effort. What I like best about this jog in the back is that I have to slow 'er down lest I land on my face.

So, in a way, it was a great recovery workout. I warmed up quickly, stayed warm, burned some calories, and got something done! 5 miles in fact. Not too shabby! Not only that, but my entourage was quite pleased as well.

Weather: Sunny, breezy and cold. Temperature 20°. Clothing: UnderArmour thermals below a Calvin Klein running jacket and some long leggings, turtle fur tubular, Brooks Ghost Sneakers and gloves.

Anatomy of a 16-mile run

So...I went long. Sunshine. Temps in the mid 30's. Light north wind (I didn't realize this however, until I turned north). I dressed just perfectly for the run. Long champion compression pant, compression socks (thank goodness), sports bra, short sleeved dri-weave top under long sleeved Gap-Active half zip with hood. Turtle fur hat under hood...gloves, Brooks Launch sneakers.

I actually had mapped out a route for this run. It should have been a 14-miler. Half of the route was familiar. Half was new.

At the 3 1/2 mile mark, I started the new. Feeling good. Excited to keep going.

Moment of Panic: Not much of a paved shoulder for this next leg.
Sigh of Relief: Not much traffic.

Moving along at a good clip. This next leg should take me another 2 miles before I'm forced to make a left when I come to the T in the road. Shoulder getting wider...good thing. Getting out of the residential area...also a good thing as the traffic seems to lessen.

Mile 5. Time to take a left. At this point I'm thinking I could turn around if I had to and still make a 10 mile run out of it. Nah...still feeling really strong. I think I'll keep going.

Moment of Panic: No paved shoulder...
Sigh of Relief: Still little traffic.

According to the route I planned, I should make my turn in 1.5 miles. I'm passing streets, feeling good...but they all say "Dead End". The street I planned to turn left on doesn't seem to be here. Hmmmm. Where did I go wrong?

Mile 6. I slow to a walk and take a sip. I also notice a large rig swerving ahead...I'll give him plenty of slosh space.

Moment of Panic: Missed my turn.
Sigh of Relief: I know I can turn left beyond the interstate and still make it home.

2.5 miles...still no road to turn left on. Up ahead I see the Interstate. Well, clearly, I passed it...or I took a wrong turn back at Albuquerque. Guess I'll just keep going west.

County Road 46 up ahead. Hmmm, more new territory. Hoping, PRAYING for a wide shoulder. This could be a busy road. As I hit the stop sign, RunMeter tells me I've gone 8 miles. Wow...8 miles. If I turned back now, I'm forced to double it. Either way, forge on or turn around, I'm looking at a 16-miler.

Let's forge ahead.

Moment of Panic: Making that left...
Sigh of Relief: Big, wide, shoulder! Ahhhhh!

Great road to run on...yep, lots of traffic but lots of room. Still unfamiliar running territory, but feeling good, none the less. I can't believe I may actually do the entire run. I could wimp out and call the husband at this point. But I'm tough. And if worse comes to worse, I'll walk the rest.

Mile 9.5. Time to make the turn left back into New Market. Up ahead there is a bike/running trail that will take me 2.5 miles back to the street I normally run on. Now we are good. I know this route! YAY!

Mile 10. I stop to pop a Honey Stinger that my sister gave me while in New York. I decide not to chew it, rather hold it between my cheek and gum. This way I can't choke on it or be forced to drink more liquid than I'd like at this point. I only brought one water bottle. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking.

Moment of Panic: I'm gonna run out of coconut water.
Sigh of Relief: Nah...just little sips. I'll make it. Again, I can always call the hubster.

Mile 11. I'm realizing that I'm keeping a pretty good pace. Run a marathon? No problem...in under 4 hours? No problem!! Feeling super confident. My pace right now matches the half marathon I ran in September. Not my best, but respectable. I'm thinking if I could ONLY run a 8:30/mile marathon, I'd have this licked!

Moment of Panic: Why is it getting colder? Shouldn't I be getting warmer? Ah! North wind.
Sigh of Relief: At least it'll cool me off a bit. That's good, right?

Stop for a sip.

Mile 14. Time just under 2 hours. Yay! I just surpassed a half marathon. If I did what I just did, I'd easily break a 4:00:00 marathon. But I'm really getting cold now. I think my body has stopped heating itself. Do I take another stinger?  I opt for another few sips of coconut water.

Mile 14.5. My wireless headphones die. (((((sigh)))))

Note to self: Bring wired headphones on long runs just in case...

Mile 15ish. My legs feel like lead. But my lungs are just fine. Cardiovascularly, I could just keep going. That much I'm sure of. It is just the legs. Maybe I need to refuel better? Maybe I need to just run more longer distances? I gotta keep reading on the subject.

Note to self: Brooks Launch will not work for a full marathon. I can feel the road now. I need a sneaker with more padding to double the distance.

Moment of Panic:  I have no idea how far I've run.
Sigh of Relief: I've made the final turn home.

The home stretch. Gotta love it. I want to sprint it out, but I'm pretty whipped. I'll just keep swimming...like Dory. Just keep swimming...less than a half mile to the dirt road. Then you can walk!

Ahhhh...dirt. I pull my phone off my arm. To my surprise, it says 16.38. Stop this sucker! And revel in the fact that you just RAN 16 MILES!!!

Walk it off.

Open the door to the house.

Husband: How far did you go?
Me: (((no reply)))
Husband: C'mon...how far did you go?
Me: 16 miles
Husband: What, are you F*$&@*'-ing crazy? (except he actually used the word)

Guess I just might be.

I Wonder...Did Audrey Hepburn Run?

Today, I was planning to do some speed work. I thought perhaps some visual Fartleks would be the workout du jour. But it was cold. And I mean cold. I'm a Minnesotan...well sort of. An adoptee, so to speak. But I'm just not ready yet for these temperatures. It takes me a few weeks to acclimate to the colder, winter temperatures. And I was reminded of that this morning.

The temperature started at around 19°, and there was a pretty good breeze. I went out nice and easy, and I was pretty bundled up. At first I thought I didn't dress warm enough, but as always, I warmed up. Although I have to admit, it took quite a few miles.

The first few were into the wind. The sunshine helped immensely  Even when my path took me into the shade of the trees, I could feel the extreme temperature change that the sun provides. Funny how in the summer, you crave that shade. The winter? It is a whole different story.

So, I chugged along, thinking I'd start my sprint work at 2 miles. Ok, maybe 3. 4? Yeah, I just couldn't loosen up. I knew that if I broke out into a sprint, I'd injure myself, so I just didn't do it. By mile 3.5, and my turn around point, I decided to just go for the calorie burn. It just wasn't worth the risk.

The good news is at the turnaround, the wind was at my back, and there was no shade to be found. Going home was much more enjoyable than the trip out.

By the time I returned home, the temperature had risen to a balmy 27°! I just LOVE Minnesota in the fall!

What did I wear? Funny you should ask. I felt rather Audrey Hepburn-ish. When I was in New York, I went with my sister to find her a new pair of running shoes. The store had these cute Turtle Fur hats and accessories and I was immediately drawn to this fun pattern. This particular accessory is a long neck sock which can be worn as a head band, a pirate scarf, a neck warmer, a hat, or a balaclava. Today I wore it as a hat/balaclava combo. With the dark sunglasses and the slimming neon peach jacket, I kinda felt like Ms. Hepburn. I don't know? What do you think? If Audrey Hepburn did run, I'm guessing she kind of looked like this.

Weather: 19°, sunny and breezy.
Clothing: Long Gap spandex pant, sports bra, long sleeved Champion gaitor top, long sleeved Gap neon peach jacket, Lucy gloves, Turtle Fur Balaclava, sunglasses, Brooks Launch sneakers.

When is your favorite time of the year to run?

Magic Monday means no run

Since it is Monday, and hubby and I are deep into our 12th round of P90X, it means that today was a heavy hitter. We did Chest, Shoulders and Triceps this morning. And I preceded it with a 90 minute treadmill walk at my regular pace and incline. Good thing I stayed inside as the temperature dipped to 16° this morning with snow and blustery conditions. I don't think that this running chick is quite ready for that yet. Tomorrow will be a different day. Even when it is that cold, the sun does help.

The workout was good, except when you start month two with the new routines, it is always killer. Today was no exception. I didn't pull out the numbers I do at the end of each round, but it was good enough for government work. The walk was fine, too.

The only thing I'm not liking today is this pain in my throat. Hope to goodness it isn't something threatening. I'm taking some zinc and some Mega-C, just in case...plus some Throat Coat Tea.

Looking forward to doing some fartleks tomorrow. That may change, as I sit down to read my Marathon Guide tonight. But for now, that is the plan. 4 miles? Sounds good!

Run for speed?

Today's run started off like the typical Saturday morning run. Didn't want to do it...I mean, I REALLY didn't want to do it. This doesn't happen often. But I think I probably didn't have to have that second cocktail last night. And the fact that we got hammered with hail and a thunderstorm at 2am didn't help matters at all.

I slept until 8am...pretty rare for me. And just getting motivated was a problem. I even considered ditching it entirely, basing my reasoning on the fact that I ran 12 miles on Thursday.

Eventually, however, after finishing off all the tablespoons of cereal left in empty boxes in the cupboard, I decided I needed the run.

I put on my best sneakers. I have been having a bit of outer knee pain and I have to attribute it to the new sneakers because nothing else has changed the past week except them. The temperature was tricky. It was mild...very mild for November. I was pretty sure I was overdressed at first, and when my husband finished his walk, he told me he had to shed his jacket. That meant I didn't need one at all. So I put on a short sleeved top and decided it would be a good morning to test my arm warmers.

I got these from Run Pretty Far. They are pretty cool. And they are my new favorite accessory. Why? Because you can roll them down to your wrists if it gets too warm out!

New arm warmers with thumbholes.

New arm warmers rolled down to wrists.

I didn't expect to do as well as I did. In fact, when Runmeter told me I had an under 8:00/mile pace in my first half mile, and I wasn't even huffing it, I took advantage and turned it into a run for speed. I figured I could at least go for a 10K PR. I mean, why not? So far, life was cooperating.

At mile 3.5, I turned and worked on my form again, as the remaining 3.5 miles are mainly uphill. Truly a great run. I'm kind of sorry I didn't run the Diva Dash this morning. I think I would have had a killer time. It is hard for me to determine exactly where I finished the 10k. I know I hit 6 miles at around 45:40 or so, so I'm pretty sure I PR'd it. At least according to Dailymile I did. I need to e-mail Runmeter to ask how I can set up a 5K and 10K split time on their app as I have not yet figured out how to do it on my own.

Have you ever completely shocked yourself on a run?

Weather: Mild. Temps near 60°. Cloudy, with breaks of sun and a brisk east wind, but a mild one.
Clothing: UnderArmour Capri pant, short sleeved neon top, sports bra, arm warmers. Brooks Launch sneakers, sun glasses...no hat.

Here is the Map My Run import.

De-braced

Well, no run today. I forced another run rest day after yesterday's 12-miler. I was de-braced today, which makes for a celebration in itself! Yay for straight teeth!

I did, however, squeak out a 5 mile walk or so on the treadmill. Usual program, usual pace.

80 minutes at Level 8, speed 4 mph. Turned out to be about a 700 calorie burn. Didn't get to the P90X today, but I think I can afford to skip it.

See ya for tomorrow's run!

What, are you insane?

Conversation just heard at my house:
Steve: I was just going to come out looking for you! How far did you run?
Me: 12 miles
Steve: What?!? That is a half marathon! Are you insane?
Me: Why yes...yes, I am, in fact.

I don't know. I just love to run. There are mornings where I can just not stop myself. Plus I have been reading this book about training for Marathons.

It just inspires me. My next step is to actually choose a marathon to run next year, then to count back 18 weeks to start training for it. Right now, I'm leaning to the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN. My husband said we could make a little vacation out of it, so I just have to find us a place to stay and then sign up for it. The date would be June 22, so I could still legitimately fit the New Prague Half Marathon in there as part of my training.

This morning's run actually started out as a "mission run". My husband accidentally left Axel's (our male German Shepherd) shock color on the roof of my car. When I drove off yesterday to pick up my children, it so happened that somewhere along the way, it flew off onto the road. When he told me what had happened last night, it was already too dark to go look for it, so I said I'd run the route today to see if I could find it.

Thanks goodness I did! It was just 3/4 of a mile or so into my journey, so I picked it up. I debated running back home to deliver it safe and sound into my husband's hands...but I didn't feel like traversing the steep, muddy hill that leads back to our house one extra time. So, I just carried it along. It was at that moment I decided to run a new route that I have been scoping out on Google Maps. I knew it was at least an 11-miler, but I was feeling good, comfortable, and had my water bottle with me. What the hell? It turned into a 12-mile run at a pretty decent pace, almost race pace, yet I didn't feel like I over-exerted myself. I also used the opportunity to test out some sport gels for marathon training purposes. I'm not crazy about the whole gel-thing, but it turns out that when I took it somewhere near mile 10, I felt instantly energized. Could have been in my head, but either way, it helped me to get back home.

So, now the long run is out of the way for the week, and I can go back to doing some interval training this weekend.

Weather: 39ish, wind chill closer to 30. Sunshine and brisk south wind.
Clothing: Compression sleeves under long leggings, long sleeved top under neon pink jacket, gloves, turtle balaclava.

How many times has your short run turned into your long run?

Scheduled walk day

Today is a scheduled walk day. I have an old but good LifeFitness treadmill with Polar technology...although we lost the Polar part. But, I use my iPhone and heart rate monitor anyway. My walks go at least an hour but I aim for 75-90 minutes barring any disruptions. I'd like to start adding some extra times to these walks, just to get into the habit of going three to four hours on my feet. I think that will help the marathon training. I normally run the random program at level 8. This means my incline changes from 5% to as high as 11%. I go at 4.0 mph so I'm covering good ground and getting a great calorie burn in 90 minutes. I don't hold on, although I do have a computer at my treadmill so I can do things like write this post, catch up on my e-mails, or read the gossip on Facebook. I also have a TV for alternate viewing. I enjoy watching the food channels the most. I know...seems counterproductive, but I always find a new recipe to try for the family.

Today is no exception. I just had to run upstairs to let our neurotic white dog in the house, but otherwise, I'm still chugging along.

P90X is on tap for today following our morning walks. My husband does his outside with the dogs.

Shoulders and Arms is the workout du jour.

Bring it. And remember that if you ignore your fitness, it will go away!

Election Day Run

So, today I ran! I got out sometime just before 9am. I waited around for the weather to clear a bit, put on my new sneaks, and out I went to give it a go. I had much traffic to work around as it was election day and the polling place is right up the road from our house.

Here are the details. New sneakers: Brooks Pure Cadence. NEON. My husband thinks they are actually TOO bright! I can tell they are meant to force you to hit mid-foot rather than the heel strike. This helped a lot for this run, but not until about mile 3. I didn't want to run this far in new sneakers, but as is typical for me, I couldn't stop myself. Plus, I was 3 miles out...had to get back home.

At the turn around, I focused on form, and foot strike, and lo and behold, my pace increased despite the uphill battle for much of that distance. So, I call the run a complete success and I'm very pleased with how I did.

Next run day is Thursday. Weather will decide whether I go long or do intervals or a tempo run.

You can see my run details off to the right!

Weather: 40°, cloudy, quite breezy with wind out of the west.
Clothing: Champion C9 stretch leggings, sports bra, Champion long sleeved gaitor top, neon peach Gap gaitor jacket, Turtle hat, gloves and new sneaks.

No run today.

I'm seriously going to get back to my every other day run routine, just to prevent risking injury for now. I'm going to start researching marathons and decide which to run next year and then find a program to follow. Runmeter does have one. I'll ask on Facebook if anyone has tried to follow that one. It looks relatively easy...but I hate easy.

I already did 90 minutes on the treadmill. My usual 4.0 walk between a 4 and 12% incline, randomly selected by Life Fitness.

Now, after a brief respite looking for my husbands glasses in the woods (long story), we are ready for P90X Chest and Back. Bring it.

Forced rest day

...hold...me...back!

I couldn't help myself...

Today was a planned walk. I have run the past three days because I could. And I felt good. Two runs were in New York, and relatively easy. Yesterday's run was here at home. I didn't need to run, but it was a cool, crisp morning and the Minnesota roads were calling me. So, out I went for 7. This morning, the right shin, once again, was a bit tight so I opted for the morning walk while the girls took their horse  lesson.

I started out great. I walked the first mile, but as I loosened up, the shin felt better, so I broke out into a jog. Thinking to myself I'd just jog to the end of the road, it turned out I went a bit further and logged a 3 mile run on top of my mile walk. Still feeling OK tonight.

Weather: Cloudy with a flurry or two. Temperature at run time 38°. Light wind out of the west.
Clothing: Nike pants, sports bra, pink short sleeved top and new Champion jacket. Neon yellow top over jacket - orders of the hubster. Brooks Ghost sneakers. Turtle hat, eye glasses, gloves.