Monthly Archives: August 2011

Almost 1/2 Way There

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Hope your week is off to a great start! JT and Jessica Biel’s definitely is. (I don’t care what anyone else says, I love this couple.)

I have a crazy work week this week. . . so all eyes are on the long weekend prize at this point.

3 days of sleep, good food, good wine, good weather (fingers crossed) and relaxation.

 

 

Workout

I realize I neglected to post last night (something about a work happy hour and then me asleep on the couch at 9:30pm – and that was after 1 (very large) glass of wine people. Hello Marathon Training… thank you for lowering my alcohol tolerance to a point I didn’t know was possible) .

Monday’s workout was cross-training! I’ve come to look forward to giving my legs a break from running. . . and it helps me to look forward to my next run even more. Since I had a work happy hour I went to the gym at lunch yesterday and completed 30 minutes on the upright stationary bike (Hill Level 10), and then 15 minutes on the Elliptical (Resistance 8, Incline 20) while reading all about Jen’s “Baby Joy”.

AKA the same ol’ story we’ve heard with every guy she dates. Look closely, they’re laughing at all of us for being suckers and believing the tabloids.

Today’s workout was a 3-mile run (Hal it’s like we can read each others thoughts- I really didn’t want to run more than that) and a Pilates Reformer class.

I ran on the treadmill at lunch while reading Kara Goucher’s Running For Women and coincidentally read the entire Marathon chapter. . . which got me seriously pumped up. Then I read that she thinks Pilates is a “fantastic compliment to running”.

Which obviously made me excited because as far as runners goes. . . she’s practically A-List.

Between incredibly busy days at work thus far this week, training, and the Giants losing every single game they play lately (this is reverse psychology Giants – so start winning) I’m exhausted and more than ready for bed.

Have a great night!

 

Week 4 to 26.2

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Happy Monday!

I meant to put this post up last night, but well Beyonce announcing her pregnancy + a disappointing Hunger Games trailer + being completely weirded out by GaGa + wondering why Bieber was acting like a thug when he’s what, 15?

26.2 Training So Far

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4 of Marathon Training is officially over! I’m now 14 weeks away from the dreaded 26.2!

Last week’s target mileage: 29

Last week’s actual mileage: 30

The difference in mileage came in my long run. I did it Saturday rather than Sunday and instead of 11 miles, ran a half-marathon and got a PR!

My legs felt great the entire time and the extra 2 miles (well all of them actually) flew by thanks to chatting with Courtney and Aron the entire time. It was a great, great race.

A celebrity sighting (Fear the Beard!) at mile 5 didn’t hurt either.

Source

Yesterday I had a 6m pace run on the schedule, but since I didn’t think to actually look at the schedule, I assumed it was a 5-mile pace run (and actually just now realized it wasn’t). . . so I ran the 5-miles at a 9:00/pace mile average.

I was feeling a little drained so rather than being chained to my pace via Garmin, I took note of my start time, and finish time… and wha-la. . . 45 minute run / 5ish miles = 9ish/minute/mile.

Not bad for a post-half marathon day!

What was bad?

Seeing this picture, after last night’s Jersey Shore. It’s starting to not be entertaining anymore, and just annoy me. (Ron and Sam, not the show. Someone please keep them away from each other.)

Come ON.

Overall, 4 weeks into Marathon Training, I’m feeling really, really good. Much better than I thought.

I’m not feeling any burn-out just yet, and I think it has a lot to do with breaking up the runs with cross-training, Pilates, rest days and shorter runs.

I’m also sticking to the training plan to a T… and I think it’s really helping. Really it’s because I think if I do that, I’ll actually survive the marathon, live to tell about it (and eat back the calories lost), and not be in severe pain during or after.

We’ll see how that goes.

Hope you all have a great Monday! (Anyone else already counting down to the long weekend this weekend?) :)

The Giant Race 1/2 Marathon!

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Happy Weekend everyone!

Remember yesterday when I said how excited I was to sleep in and not wake up in the 6am hour for, well, anything?

Well, that was a lie.

I did indeed wake up in the 6am hour, and it was indeed to run… a half-marathon.

In which, I PR-ed with a time of 1:58 and some change. (!!!!!)

Around 4 yesterday when I was leaving work, feeling like a zombie, with big plans of a cat-nap and a pedicure in my future, I got a message from the lovely Aron asking if I still wanted to run the Giant Race because she had come across an extra bib at the 11th hour.

Hell yes I did!

A half-marathon that starts and ends at AT&T Park (finish line was on the field) and includes a medal, t-shirt, and Tim Lincecum bobblehead? Twist my arm.

The run was sold out, and when registration opened, I was in no position to be signing up for half-marathons.

4 weeks into my marathon training I had a change of heart apparently. My long run this weekend was set for 11 miles. . . so I figured what’s an extra 2.1?

I met up with Aron and Courtney early this morning at the ballpark, and we set off running together down the Embarcadero, through Fisherman’s Wharf, and out towards the bridge.

About half-way through, we had a nice little surprise cheerleader in Giants closer Brian Wilson high-fiving people along the route. It took me about 10 seconds of “ohmygod” to realize who had just given me a high-five, and it was a welcome burst of adrenaline.

I was SO pumped up. (Not pumped up enough to risk my sub-2 hour 1/2 and ask for a picture, but pumped up nonetheless).

I can honestly say it was the best 1/2 marathon (or any long run) experience I’ve ever had. Chatting the entire time made the miles (and the time) fly by!

Before I knew it we were on the last mile, weaving in between walkers and trying to get onto the field as fast as possible. Once we saw that people had actually stopped a good 20 feet from the finish line to walk through, I started throwing some elbows (the sub 2-hour 1/2 was within reach, c’mon now!) to step across the finish line in 1:58.

My previous PR was at the Nike Women’s Half last year when I finished in 2:12.

14 minute difference. Cloud 9 would be an understatement.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Aron for the extra bib! I had SO MUCH FUN running with you and Courtney and can’t wait to run again together soon!

The finish line from (thankfully!) far away…. there were SO many people, in a pretty small space!

The medal was HUGE (yes, that excites me) and the t-shirts were Nike Dri-Fit Cotton and really cute! (Although just me or were they cut TINY?)

And of course, the Timmy bobblehead.

With that, boyfriend and I are off to celebrate a friend getting her Masters. . . and eat and drink the day away in the sun! :)

Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

5 Thing Friday

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TGIF! Who else is beyond thrilled that the weekend is within reach?

In honor of Friday (finally!) I thought I’d share some favorite things this week:

 

1. Burberry Quilted Jacket

Quite honestly, one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I got mine for a steal at the outlet just outside London, but I wear this multiple times a week and it’s perfect for the foggy, cloudy mornings in SF.

 

2. Movie Trailers

I am and always have been, obsessed with movie trailers.  I always wish there were more in the theaters, so you can imagine my excitement when I found out that my Mac Book Pro has a FrontRow program that allows me to stream hundreds of movie trailers at my finger tips. I obviously spent a good 40 minutes doing this last night.

Favorites? I Don’t Know How She Does It, Moneyball, Jack & Jill

'ello Bradley


3. Zoe Saldana

I’ve been a fan since Center Stage (Eva Rodriguez anyone?), and I cannot wait to see her in Columbiana. I love her in anything she does (confession: I did not see Avatar, nor do I have any desire too. I know, I know) and she’s always perfectly put-together and seems like an all-around fun person.

4. Slow Cookers

I realize I’m late to this party but my new slow cooker has changed my life. Throw a marinade/sauce/liquid concoction together, forget about it for 4-8 hours, and then instant, homemade dinner.

The chili and homemade cornbread recipe ideas running through my head for fall are endless.

5. Hello Giggles

My younger brother introduced me to all that is Hello Giggles and I LOVE it. It’s filled with witty, hilarious and extremely well-written articles, open letters, musings, and what-have-you written by everyone from Zooey Deschanel, Mindy Kaling, etc.

My favorite article this week was by Danielle Schneider called “Oh Gilmores, Where Art Thou?”

Definitely check it out. (And the entire site.)

What are some favorites you have this week?

I Think I Made a Friend.

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The utmost respect for you if you can tell me the first movie you think of when you hear the title said outloud.

I can’t even begin to explain how happy I am that tomorrow is Friday.

This week has been dragging and I cannot wait to relax, sleep in, enjoy the warm weather (not in SF obviously but across one of the bridges connecting us to heat), and not have to wake up at 6am to go for a run. Or wake up at 6am in general.

 

 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m actually not miserable with the marathon training. I even secretly enjoy it (for now – I don’t hit double digit mileage until this weekend. Ask me again on Sunday how much I like it.) ;-)

But I do not, nor will I ever, enjoy waking up in the 5 or 6am hour. No matter how good I feel after my run. The physical act of actually getting out of bed when it’s dark outside will always be torturous to me.

 

Apparently, the secret to running in the AM is in your workout gear.

Well played Miley.

Workout

Torturous as it may be, I woke up a little after 6 to complete my 3-mile run as outlined by God Hal Higdon.

To be honest the only real reason I woke up pre-7am to run 3 miles (which I now think of as child’s play) was because we were out of frozen fruit and boyfriend and I wanted them in our protein shakes for breakfast this morning.

Since I had a run to do anyway, and since starting marathon training I have developed a hatred for evening running, I decided to just suck it up, run, and get that frozen goodness for our breakfast concoctions.

Fast forward to post work, I hit up my Pilates class for some strength and toning (seriously making a huge difference in my running) and made a new friend.

Yes, this would be my dream dog. Chocolate lab with huge brown eyes.

We bonded pretty much instantly.

She was depressed when class started and no one else would sit on the hardwood floor of the Pilates studio with her.

 

Then she stared me down like I just told her “it’s not you, it’s me” as I walked away.

If dognapping wasn’t a felony (is it? I imagine it’s up there as far as crimes go), I would have been extremely tempted.

Post Pilates, I went for the pedicure I’ve been obsessing about getting (and still haven’t fit into my “busy” schedule), but there was a 15 minute wait (heaven forbid), so I decided no, I could not wait 15 minutes, I’ll come back tomorrow.

And made the best cereal bowl of my life.

 

Peanut Butter Puffins and Cinnamon Cheerios.

I typically keep about 4 boxes of cereal in the apartment, why do I never think about mixing them together more?

I had about 2.5 bowls and had I not finished off both boxes, could have gone back for more.

Luckily, the cooking gene inside of me has been awoken with a vengeance and I planned ahead and prepped something when I got home from work. And that something has just finished up in the slow cooker.

Off to get dinner ready and get ready for some Jersey Shore action. From the previews I gather that the Sitch either actually gets punched or they leave us hanging for one more week. Either way, it’s going to happen soon.

 

Source

 

How did you spend your Thursday night?