This week doesn’t deserve any gold stars. While it’s not something often-talked about in runner’s circles, my motivation and energy takes a nose dive when I’m premenstrual. BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US, LADIES! I wish, probably like most women, that my cycle would coordinate with my training schedule (especially in my drop-back weeks), but that isn’t reality.
Pun intended: I just gotta flow with it.
Love this pic from run//yoga club!
My goal was to get all four of my runs in, but when Friday came-and-went (had to drive to Cleveland), I knew that wasn’t going to happen. My second intent was to at least increase my mileage from last week, which… ehhhhh.
MONDAY: Rest Day
TUESDAY: Cross-training NOPE.
WEDNESDAY: Ran 4 miles with run//yoga club — at a 9:30 pace (seriously). And then 75 minutes of yoga. Admittedly, it was a tough practice after that warm run.
THURSDAY: Rest Day
FRIDAY: Rest Day
SATURDAY: Rest Day (but for serious, I walked all over Cleveland today, so I don’t feel too terrible about skipping another cross-training day).
SUNDAY: Ran 8 miles. It was already 90-some degrees at 9am in Cleveland. Regardless of the ridiculous amounts of sweat (omg even my super-old sports bra ran color onto my white tank because of it), this was a fun run around the city. Tackled two bridges, saw three sport stadiums, and ran through four different neighborhoods and through my old college campus — which has changed something amazing since ten years ago. My amphipod handheld water bottle only took me 5 miles before I had to buy another bottle at Starbucks (did I mention: HOT?).
Weekly Runs: 2
Weekly Miles: 12.04 miles (that’s not an increase from last week, unfortunately)
Total Training Miles: 63.64 miles
the week:
I feel like I’m finally making progress on my Capstone project, now that I have a clear focus (and I’m not freaking out on the regular). I can’t wait to share with you when I’m finished! It’s amazing to think how much my interests have changed since I started this program a year-and-a-half ago, and it’s incredible to think I will be done in less than a month. The first couple weeks of the semester were rough — this project is probably the hardest thing I’ve done to date — but I am keeping a new perspective of my accomplishments so far in this program, knowing that its completion will lead me to some recharged career opportunities and interests.
weekend:
Oh, hai Cleveland! I can’t wait to run along your beautiful lake. Aside from the comfort of hotel living for a couple days, I will be squeezing homework in between catching up with my ol’ stomping grounds. Any restaurant suggestions for this gluten-free lady?
52 books in 52 weeks:
I figured that without any textbooks for my final two courses, that I would be doing a lot more reading of journals rather than books (I was right). I started getting into Judy Blume’s new book, but I’ll be leaving at home and bringing a case study with me to read (fun times!).
seven things, seven days:
1. This week, I inadvertently found the option to respond to text messages while in the lock screen of my iPhone. LIFE CHANGING.
2. You’ve heard of “ghosting” by now, right? (We used to call it “pancaking” in my day. And it happened to me more times than should for one person. Ahem.) Did you read this NYT article? All I can muster is WTF, COWARDS.
3. Hilariously, I received my PopsugarMustHave, StitchFix, and Ipsy on the same day this week. Should I start doing reviews?
4. Timehop tells me that I was in Costa Rica two years ago. SIGH.
5. PTO Day is my everything right now (hello, laundry!)
6. Darya of Summer Tomato gets this SO RIGHT >> The Secret Ingredient You’re Missing for Stronger Motivation
7. “Thirty-one per cent of us sleep fewer than six hours a night, and sixty-nine per cent report insufficient sleep” — I am part of this statistic. Why Can’t We Fall Asleep. {via New Yorker}
With my workouts this weekend, let me just say how awesome it is that the boyfriend can drive me to work this morning. WOOF, my legs. I will enjoy my Monday rest day to the fullest.
My training week called for four days of running — with one fast finish workout and a Fartlek (which… what?) and two cross-training days (which, two-a-days are my BFF). I was also back to my increasing-weekly long run on Sunday. My home TRX system was delivered this week, so I’m excited to start those workouts (buuuuut probably not until next week, since I’m traveling this weekend).
Highlights of the week: 7-mile long run and CrossFit
MONDAY: Day of REST
TUESDAY: 4.03 miles at average 10:11/mi pace. I made sure to stretch a lot today after this run.
WEDNESDAY: 3.04 miles with run//yoga club at average 9:29/mi pace, followed by 75 minutes of hot yoga. This was an awesome class tonight too!
THURSDAY: Today was supposed to be my cross-training day, but I got enough of that from yoga the previous night.
FRIDAY: REST. Today was supposed to be my Fartlek training day with 4 miles easy and some hard 15 second bursts. I was already anticipating a tough CrossFit class the following morning, and of course we ended up doing sprints! #nailedit
SATURDAY: Run 1.45 miles to CrossFit. Today’s workout felt like TWO workouts (I don’t know if I was quite ready for this kind of return to CF). Warm up with some kettlebell swings and single-arm snatches, then 4 rounds of 8 box jumps/8 burpees/40 jump ropes (that was just the warm-up!). The WOD itself was a 20-minute AMRAP: 5 pull-ups, 5 knees-to-elbow (I did my first set of these toes-to-bar), 8 thrusters, 8 cleans, 3 flights of stairs, then road sprints. I intended to run home, but nah, I was good with walking it off — especially since I tweaked something in my glute during sprints (thankfully, while it still feels strained, it didn’t prevent me from my long run on Sunday).
SUNDAY: Run 7.01 miles at a (miserable) average 11:00/mi pace. I felt OK, but definitely felt like I was slogging through these miles again. I took a few 30-second walk breaks throughout the training run too. One of these days I’ll wake up early enough to get ahead of this humidity, but today wasn’t that day. And amidst all the crazy homework I had due, I’m happy that I mustered the energy to pull myself away from my computer for a little while.
Weekly Runs: 4
Weekly Miles: 15.53 miles (that’s a 3.41 increase from last week! woo-hoo!)
Total Training Miles: 51.60 miles
the week:
I’m done with this heat and humidity and feeling as though my eyeballs are sweating every time I go outside (and even knowing wtf a dew point is, but know every day that it’s terrible). I miss laying out in my hammock a lot. The cover hasn’t been off the thing since early June when my sister and niece visited. Gross.
weekend:
It’s FURRIES WEEKEND — and probably one of my favorite weekends in Pittsburgh! This year, Anthrocon is doing its annual parade outside for the public on Saturday afternoon, and I intend to be there. I’ll also be gathering with some friends on Friday for Happy Hour to help welcome them into town.
Saturday night is the Deutschtown Music Festival, and I’ll be bar-hopping a little that evening as well. Sunday, I’ve got a long run (7 miles) on the schedule and MUCHO homeworko. Or something.
52 books in 52 weeks:
In the middle of a couple books, but didn’t finish anything this week.
seven things, seven days:
1. Started my week off with a 90-minute massage — with someone new and also a man, which is beside the point — I’ve been having difficulty with my usual therapist’s schedule fitting mine, so I might have a new go-to because I feel amazing. (And I’m not waiting two months to go back again.)
2. My friends (who we traveled to Costa Rica with two years ago) sent me some coffee straight from Guatemala and I just want to hoard it. SO DELICIOUS.
3. Blood work this week to check on how my Vitamin D levels (and everything else) are doing. Having a late morning appointment when having to fast is something awful. And then I almost passed out on the nurse. :-/
4. …and the results are already in by the publishing of this post: I’m now back on prescription D. Again. UGH.
5. How do you find time for more reflection every week? Asking for a friend.
6. This post from Ash Ambirge STOPPED. ME. IN. MY. TRACKS. I can’t get her/this post out of my head. Kick in the ass needed. {via the middle finger project}
7. Speaking of which, Yes & Yes also has an amazing post about change. This one resonated with me so much, especially with recent events of which I’ve vague-posted. {h/t to Nicole at Life Less Bullshit for emailing out this article}
The most important WIN from this week is that I did all four of my scheduled runs. They weren’t fast or pretty and one was a mile short, but I went out there (in this humidity, ugh) and did it.
MONDAY: Active rest day: foam rolled with a new app, called simply Foam Rolling, that targets areas for runners. The app is great! There are instructional videos, sport specific “exercises” and timers for each release. Today I also had a few bonus miles by walking to/from work.
TUESDAY: Run 2.06 miles at 9:06/mi pace (yay?) The plan was for three, but there was a heavy thundering in the air that provoked me to run straight home. I followed up with some upper body work with weights at home. Also, walked to/from work today.
Saucony Party!
WEDNESDAY: Lunchtime restorative yoga for an hour, then run//yoga//run club at Urban Elements after work. We did 3.06 miles at 9:47/mi pace and 75 minutes of hot yoga. I didn’t feel strong today at ALL and found myself not being able to keep up in the flow much, which was disappointing, but… meh. The instructor did a LOT of core-based movements too. I also walked to/from work/yoga studio today.
THURSDAY: Rest day; walked to the hair salon from work which is a little bit further than my normal walk home (boyfriend was nice and dropped me off before he went to golf for the morning).
FRIDAY: NO WORK, NO EXERCISE. FREAK OUT ABOUT FINISHING PROSPECTUS. [repeat] I have no excuses for not running, other than I was just plain tired and decided to listen to my body. I moved this run to Saturday morning.
SATURDAY: Ran 3 miles at 9:43/mi pace and then did some core work at home.
SUNDAY: This week dropped back into a foundation week, so no “long” run today (I move up to 7 miles next weekend!). I completed 4 miles at an average 10:44/mi pace — another hot and muggy day AND IS IT OVER YET. I scheduled a 90-minute massage for the afternoon, and let me tell you: BEST. DECISION. EVER. Not only has my shoulder felt messed up all week (yay, sleeping injury!), but when he got to my feet, I was in 7 minutes of pure heaven.
I’ve probably talked about this here before, but getting a monthly massage is part of keeping my body healthy and I consider it my physical therapy. Admittedly, I don’t stretch as much as I should, so I get deep tissue or sports-specific massages and it REALLY helps my muscles relax.
Weekly Runs: 4
Weekly Miles: 12.12 miles
Total Training Miles: 36.07 miles *Walking miles from commute not included in mile totals
1. Finish my half marathon in 2:20: YEP!
2. 100 individual runs and 500 miles: Based off my training journal, I have 44 recorded runs so far this year (MapMyRun dashboard gives me 51, but I know that I tracked a few courses to work to determine how far I was walking every day); also according to MapMyRun, I’ve logged 195.18 miles so far. I expect while continuing to train for the full, this number to jump exponentially.
3. One race per month: ERRRRRR *buzzer noise* I messed this up already in January; however, I have completed one race a month since April, and I have a race scheduled for every month for the duration of 2015.
4. Get a 5K sub-30 time, which wasn’t identified in that particular post, but was on my goal list: YEP!
As I’m moving through the foundation weeks of my training into the meat of my plan, here are some other goals I’m setting:
1. THREE runs per week. I don’t care if that third run is only a mile. Three times.
2. I need to research speed work, since it’s coming up in my plan; with that, 1x/week speed work.
3. Weight training! Ugh, why do I keep slipping on this? I’m doing a lot of body weight workouts, but I need to get into the weight room and lift some heavy shit. I won’t be unrealistic here, so I’m planning for 1x/week to start, with the eventual goal of 2x/week as I approach my half marathon in August.
4. YOGA. Our work-site lunchtime yoga program has ended, but I really enjoyed that break away from my desk every week. The PNC YMCA has its own lunchtime yoga sessions twice a week (and I already pay for a Y membership), so I’ll pick a day and make it part of my regular schedule. I fully intend to continue going to run//yoga club on Wednesday evenings so long as that’s still happening. My goal is to keep up with my 2x/week plan.
5. Run AT LEAST once a month with SCRR. I have this amazing group at my disposal, and keep making excuses for not joining in on the training runs (and not setting my alarm for weekends). I really had fun at Open Streets last weekend with the group, and I love my Wednesday night running group. Plus, I’m going to need that support when I start approaching these double-digit weeks.
the week:
The formulation of a prospectus for my senior capstone project has been overwhelming. While I have a good idea of my final project, filling in all the parts of what I’ve learned so far in my program, I feel troubled at being able to pull this all together in less than 6 weeks. Mind you, there’s nothing else to work on in this course aside from the capstone project, but BOY do I need the miracle of time and project management on my side (and BOY would a project management course had been helpful in this program). My other course is the Psychology of Motivation and already getting some really interesting info about motives (how can I also work these concepts into my prospectus?).
#trust
But guys? MY LAST TWO CLASSES. In 6 weeks, my week and weekend reports will no longer be filled with homework (but likely more than enough grad school application stuff to keep you entertained!).
weekend:
Tying up some loose ends on aforementioned prospectus. We’ve got tickets to the Indians vs. Pirates on July 4th, along with a BBQ/tailgate with our Pittsburgh Browns Backers prior to the game. I also have a 90-minute massage scheduled.
Otherwise, I’ve mostly stayed out of what’s going on around town this weekend (I mean, aside from You Gotta Regatta because can we really ever get away from that during the holiday weekend?).
52 books in 52 weeks: I’m halfway to my goal — and I’m on track!
#26: After Perfect: A Daughter’s Memoir by Christina McDowell. This was a TOTALLY gratuitous, guilty pleasure read, and I finished it in one day. Non-fiction, and a really interesting complement (and perspective) for those who are familiar with “The Wolf of Wall Street” story.
seven things, seven days:
1. Four-day workweek!
2. Uh, did some damage to my shopping budget this month: splurged on a TRX Home system (but I got a $50 discount towards it!), some new yoga accessories, and a couple pieces from this month’s (awesome, tropical printed) Fabletics collection. ACK. At least it wasn’t on a credit card? Note: contains referral link.
3. I am committed to putting the EXACT amount I spent towards paying off a credit balance too (in keeping with my July intentions).
4. We hired someone (who came highly referred from another company we work with) to take out a tree on our side patio. Welp, he never showed up!
5. ERMAGAHD, speaking of roots… I finally got my hair done (and it’s more platinum than ever!).
6. That’s one way to a fountain of youth: Older athletes have a young fitness age {via New York Times}
7. Mark Reagan on Tim Brownson’s site posting about the Laws of Attraction… What universe just exploded? {via A Daring Adventure}
Worry about finishing my two classes resulted in my not really following along with this week’s Training Plan. For what it’s worth though, my scheduled long run this week felt amazing.
Monday: REST
Tuesday: REST DAY. I had the intention running before work, but I suffered from some serious insomnia the prior night. We had a baseball game after work, so oh well.
Wednesday: Lunchtime yoga, restorative and some trigger point therapy. This class was exactly what I needed! Unfortunately, I had a concert after work, so I had to miss run//yoga club (and my training run).
Thursday: Now it was time to catch up on work for my final papers and projects that are due this week…
Friday: I ran 3 miles at 6am with a friend! And it was a slow, heavy slog through those three miles — over 11:30/pace (that felt much faster). Gross. I took her over through the West End Bridge loop though, and there was a perfect fog resting over the tops of downtown Pittsburgh. Little things like that remind me of my adventures while running and keeps me coming back to “see the view,” so to speak.
Saturday: FINALS DUE! Another rest day.
Sunday: As part of Open Street PGH, I ran 6 miles in the AM with the Steel City Road Runners Club. It was rainy but cool, the course was fun (I mean, what’s not to love about running in the middle of the street?!) AND there were legit people out there cheering on our training run. What a blast! Most importantly, it felt GOOD to run. It was a great way to cap off Week 3.
Open Streets!
Weekly Runs: 2
Weekly Miles: 9.02 miles
Total Training Miles: 23.95 miles
*Also walked 4.5 out of 5 days to/from work for another 10-ish extra miles, not included in the training total. I finally mapped my two different courses to work, and one is closer to 1.5 miles in one direction, and maybe that’s why I’m so tired every day? lol
Recently I sat in on a webinar hosted by The Vision Council to raise awareness and educate about harmful UV exposure and its damage to our eyes. Protecting our eyes is an “out of sight, out of mind” thought for many of us 30-somethings — but the same UV exposure that causes sunburns, wrinkles and skin cancer also damages our ocular health.
Dr. Justin Bazan, an ophthalmologist in New York and medical adviser to The Vision Council, told us is the session how to protect our eyes this summer, which was a reminder for those of us who are active outdoors in all seasons. I thought it was good info to pass along to you, as many of us (including myself) choose sunglasses based on style rather than function — AND it just so happens to be National Sunglasses Day today.
An adult’s use of eye protection depends on the activity — most often, we wear sunglasses for driving, at the beach or at the pool; and least often, when running, biking, gardening, or playing team sports. It’s just like sunscreen, for which I advocate relentlessly… and here, I’m a statistic and completely guilty of not protecting my eyes during my runs.
Here are some scary stats:
1 in 4 of Americans rarely or never use sunglasses
2 in 3 leave eyes unguarded on cloudy or rainy days
3 in 10 don’t protect in Winter, when UV rays still present
The short-term problems of UV damage include: photokeratitis (sunburn of eyes), irritation, redness, swelling, hypersensitivity to light; and long-term eye damage includes: premature aging of skin, wrinkles and sunspots, abnormal growths on eye and eyelid, cataracts, macular degeneration, and cancer of eye (and surrounding area).
Some other staggering statistics — the top 5 cities with highest UV index levels (based on sunny days):
1. San Juan with 320 total days of extreme and very high risk
2. Honolulu
3. Miami
4. Tampa
5. Mobile, AL
#18 Denver, I was completely not expecting, but because of its higher elevation, it ranks up there with a total of 128 days of high risk.
Here was some other important info noted from this session:
Reflected UV light is just as damaging as direct
Research shows the eye receives nearly double the amount of UV radiation during peak running times in the summer (early morning 8am-10am) and late afternoon (2pm-4pm) — nearly double the level than midday (10am-2pm) other times of the year
The color of eyes means different UV sensitivity. Meaning: blue eyes are more at risk of UV damage than brown.
So, how can we protect our eyes? Consider your lens options. There are anti-reflective, impact resistant, mirror-coated, photochromic, polarized, wrap-around, and scratch resistant lenses — all have some level of eye protection. There are some myths about sunglasses too: that all have UVA/UVB protection (they don’t), or sunglasses with UV protection are expensive (I have a free pair that I picked up at a convention that have UV protection stamped on the inside), or that darker sunglasses have UV protection (nope).
This session was enough to make the case for multiple pairs for different activities, so I was super-excited when The Vision Council sent me a “thank you” participation gift that included a pair of Columbia sunglasses that will be PERFECT for my outdoor runs.
Sun Safe Swag Bag — and my new sunnies!
Check out #sunglassselfie and #nationalsunglassesday on social media for more about National Sunglasses Day. You can read more about UV eye protection from clicking through and visiting The Vision Council website and download their sun safe infographic here.
Disclosure: I was gifted a Sun Safe Swag Bag from The Vision Council for logging into the webinar and agreeing to write a post about the session content. Columbia graciously gifted me a pair of sunglasses for my participation.
the week:
Finals Week. I’m stressed. I’m also doubly-stressed about preparing my prospectus for my Capstone project that basically starts NOW. I’m sitting in a little pressure cooker now, with six weeks left until I am DONE done with this program and all I want to do is meditate and yoga and zone out.
By the way, how about that Supreme Court decision, eh? <33333333
weekend:
Pretty sure I’ll be finishing up a paper or two on Saturday, and Sunday I will be prepping for my last two courses that begin on Monday (including aforementioned Capstone project). NO BOOKS REQUIRED, holla!
Sunday is also Open Streets PGH, and I’ll at least be doing the 6-mile training run with SCRR in the morning. Shit, I’ll probably have a few mimosas too.
#24: Your Nutrition Solution to a Healthy Gut. I needed another easy read to catch up on my book goal and to take a break from my coursework. “Healthy Gut” was another food/nutrition guide book that was mostly easy-to-understand but not completely targeted to gluten-free folks (there’s an entire line of these nutritional books by Kimberly Tessmer, by the way). There’s a great meal plan and I like the section about “10 things you should (and should not) be eating.” This book was provided to me by the publisher, FYI. And it’s so newly-published that it’s not even on Goodreads.
seven things, seven days:
1. A Ranking of all 169 episodes of Seinfeld. If you’re into that. I know what I’ll be doing once I’m done with school. {via Vulture.com}
2. Not only did my boyfriend & I make it on the Kiss Cam at the Pirates game this week, but I was (embarrassingly) shown on the Chicken Dance Cam. #streetcredruined
3. The first of the FUSE@PSO concert series was this Wednesday at the Symphony and OMG you CANNOT miss the next one in October!
4. Received my President’s List letter from winter semester, and I’m on a straight-A streak! Which, of course, leads to more anxiety about performing well during my last semester.
5. I’m so happy that my friend-slash-neighbor joined me for a 6am run and could be both my running and accountability partner. Although 5:45am wake-up calls…zzzzzzzz.
6. I enjoyed this article from The Book of Life immensely: When is One Ready to Get Married. Although I got lost a bit on the intention of #6, the rest is profound maturity in the making for readiness in marriage.
7. “Professional Introvert” — well, this post just resonated too much for me {via The Financial Diet}
