roller derby

Gasparilla Challenge: Training Week #1

- Mel

The training for my Gasparilla races started this week! I signed up for the Michelob Ultra Challenge, which consists of 30+ miles over two days in Tampa, Florida in February — a 15K and 5K on Saturday of race weekend and then on Sunday, a Half Marathon and 8K. I’ve obviously never trained for a race quite like this, and the swag is supposed to be ridiculous. My focus is on the half marathon, for which I’m adapting the Novice 2 Hal Higdon training schedule. An aside: I strongly dislike the Higdon app and keep a paper with my dates tacked to the wall like total old school. Anyone else feel the same way?

Because I do plenty of cardio and cross-training (and that will increase exponentially with derby practices), I’m cutting out the extraneous mid-week 3 mile run. I’m focusing on three runs per week — with one long run, a weekly regular 3-mile run and one additional mid-week run that spans from 2-3 miles throughout the 12-week program, and at least two cross-training sessions.

Week #1 of this plan calls for three 3-mile runs and one 4-mile run, with one day of cross and two rest days. I personally like two-a-days with another rest day, which is another way that I’ve adapted my training schedule. It worked well for my previous half and full marathon training plans. I haven’t decided yet if I intend to PR this race or not… but I still have a little bit of time to figure that out.

MONDAY: An hour of spinning at the Y. (Walked to work)

TUESDAY: REST DAY (Walked to/from work)

WEDNESDAY: 3 miles with run//yoga//run club (just less than 10-minute pace), followed by a hard, sweaty 75 minutes of hot flow yoga. While I didn’t have any abnormally-long coughing fits, I found myself struggling to move with my breath. We did a bunch of hip openers and core work which felt amazing. My legs, though, felt super sloggy during the run. Meh. (I also walked to work today.)

THURSDAY: REST DAY (Walked to/from work)

FRIDAY: REST DAY (Walked home from work)

Long winter shadows.
Long winter shadows.

SATURDAY: 4.02 miles – holy moly, my legs felt so fast today. I had my first sub-8 mile! I followed my run up with 3 sets of 60-second planks (and a very long, steamy shower).

SUNDAY: Stairs workout at The Cathedral of Learning, my first off-skates workout with my NEW TEAM, The Allegheny Avengers! I should say my new old team, as I was one of the home team’s inaugural members two seasons ago — but I got drafted back on this week now that I’m officially-official back playing roller derby. We did 10 minutes of interval climbs and then a 10-minute body weight circuit (crunches, planks, lunges, squats and push-ups). I hoped to run a couple miles after this workout, but my legs were toast!

This upcoming training week will be tough to schedule around all these holiday parties during the week, but my goal is for two runs and two other workouts.

TOTAL RUNS: 2
TOTAL MILES: 7.02

Weekly Therapy: KILL IT WITH VITAMIN C

- Mel

the week:
Ughhhhhhhhh, Monday through Wednesday nights, I didn’t sleep more than 4 hours each night, and getting at least 8 last night was simply amazing. Though I feel much better this morning, I have had a sore throat for a couple days. (Defense Up juice from Evolution Fresh is my jam; in this case, my 310% Vitamin C per serving jam.)

weekend:
Tonight is the annual Light Up Night (aka: Holiday Bar Crawl) tradition downtown. I scheduled a massage for late Saturday afternoon but otherwise it should be a relaxing weekend. I see TV show binge-watching and a Snuggie in my near future.

52 books in 52 weeks:
#44 Just for the Love of It: The First Woman to Climb Mount Everest from Both Sides by Cathy O’Dowd — really, really got into this book! Exceptional and vivid storytelling — I felt like I was climbing with her!

seven things, seven days:
1. Made the Post-Gazette in our Pittsburgh Browns Backers shirts. *honk*
2. I have either bruised ribs or some muscle strain in my back. Welcome back, roller derby!
3. But I killed my endurance test (part of the minimum skills test) — 32 laps in 5 minutes! More laps than when I was skating regularly. *high five*
4. Woke up two days in a row with 61 degrees on the thermostat and cold air blowing out of the vents. Quick maintenance and diagnosis of the problem, but likely something we’ll need to replace on the furnace at some point.
5. :-/ When you get a promotion, but you’re still making $30k a year. {via The Financial Diet}
6. Where all my Midwesterners at? What’s in a vowel? In search of the disappearing short-a {via BELT Magazine}
7. Good news for me! > Strong legs help keep brain healthier in old age {via The Guardian}

Weekly Therapy: The person you were.

- Mel

the week:
I have a very social week: two happy hours to catch up with friends, another friend’s birthday party, a chocolate-theme party and a business-kinda morning coffee break. Monday spin class. Back to my weekly run//yoga club. Open skate on Saturday afternoon. Tailgating with Pittsburgh Browns Backers (and more friends).

I hope I don’t hate people by the end of this seven-day stretch! But I’m honestly feeling some really good energy in making time for everyone and finding a need to connect (and re-connect).

weekend:
As mentioned above, I plan to put my skates on for the first time in ten months. WFTDA Champs got me all fired up inside about playing roller derby again. So, I’m starting with an open skate and a league practice on Monday to see where I am skill-wise (and to be minimum skills-tested again). And… well, we’ll just go from there. But it probably means more crossfit/weight-training in my life, despite my post last week about watching my money. HA, sorry money! I spent $200 already updating some of my derby equipment!

Saturday night is the much-anticipated (and sold out!) Chocolate Bar event by the Cultural Trust. Oh boy, I hope it’s not lame and that I can eat all the chocolate. In any event, there will be booze, so… I’m set. Sunday, I’ll be (hungover, likely) cheering the Browns with my fellow Backers at Heinz Field (and its proximal parking lots)!

Also: THERE’S AN INTERNET CAT VIDEO FESTIVAL HAPPENING IN PITTSBURGH! (WHAT?!)

52 books in 52 weeks:
#40 Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson — I really enjoy Jenny’s writing style, and this book did not disappoint. At one point I was CRY-LAUGHING that I started almost-sobbing. It was hilarious, maniacal laughter. And you’re dead inside if you don’t laugh while reading this book!

#41 The Woman I Wanted To Be by Diane von Furstenberg — I had this book on my nightstand since receiving it in one of my Popsugar Must Have boxes, and I finally read it. Meh. Pretty boring overall, to be honest, but not completely eye-rolling (though I found it wholly impossible to relate to her life experiences and at times thought there was much fabrication). I found her failings (and subsequent successes) as a business person to be the most interesting and I wish those moments were expanded upon in her memoir.

#42 Popularity Explained: The Social Psychology of Grade School — SNORE. I mostly skimmed through. Incredibly boring and he even admits to a lot of the info being more of what we already know.

#43 Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller — Somehow I ended up reading two memoirs about growing up with hoarders for parents. I’m still finishing the other one. I have a lot of respect for the author, especially considering her strength to maintain a relationship with her parents and their mental illnesses (and regularly, literally, cleaning up their messes).

seven things, seven days:
1. I bought these new capri pants from Fabletics in the Northern Lights fabric (which are amazing because the little stars are all reflective at night)!
2. Went to the annual “Cleaning of the Chandeliers” champagne toast at the Omni hotel yesterday. What a fun little celebration!
3. Preparing for skating again, I pulled my gear bag out of the basement and HOLY SHIT. It smells real bad after ten months.
4. NEW MISSY ELLIOTT!
5. YIKES: Alarming new research on perfectionism {via Science of Us}
6. My boyfriend forwarded this one to me (he knows me so well): The Secret History of Mac n’ Cheese {via Huffington Post}
7. What we think about when we run {via The New Yorker}

Weekly Therapy: Wherever you are, be all there.

- Mel

the week:
Finally got my butt back to spinning (and working out in general)! I’m trying to figure out what my workout schedule should be through December — when I then start training for the Gasparilla race(s) challenge in February 2016. I’m super excited about this destination running event, by the way. I need to sit down and figure out my race and training schedule for 2016 overall too.

I woke up on Tuesday morning at, like, 3:30 a.m. and considered staying up and going to a 5:15 a.m. CrossFit session but I found my way back to slumber (and dreaming again that all my hair was falling out, which is a little too close to reality right now). Daylights Savings Time, amiright? To be honest, I don’t know if my training will ever revert back to regular CF. I have a TRX system now at home (that I still need to set up) and maybe I’ll ask for a barbell for Christmas… but I just can’t stomach the $135/month membership fee anymore when I have a YMCA membership and a yoga pass and own enough equipment to get in decent at-home workouts.

weekend:
It only seems life-appropriate to have some dental work done the week after Halloween, right? I’ll also be watching a bit of the WFTDA Championships. I plan to get my first post-marathon run in on Sunday morning too, before my inlaws come out and spend the afternoon with us.

52 books in 52 weeks:
I finished FOUR books this week — I am determined to catch up! And it’s amazing how much time I have to read when the boyfriend is traveling for a week. HA!

#36: Lion of Hollywood: The Life & Legend of Louis B. Mayer — So happy that I kept with this book (it took me a LONG time to finish but it was worth it. Read my Goodreads review.

#37: Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek — great read for anyone who is a runner or likes big, limit-stretching goals. It wasn’t my favorite book about ultramarathons, but I liked it better than Rich Roll’s (and it had much less sponsor endorsements).

#38: Five Weeks in the Amazon by Sean Michael Hayes — well, I just hated this book. But after seeing how quickly I could finish it, I kept with it (hoping that Hayes would become more likable or authentic… and that just didn’t happen). Final thoughts: immature writing and attitude, and what a hypocrite!

#39: Living With a SEAL by Jesse Itzler — I received a Release Day copy of this book from the publisher, and I really enjoy Jesse’s casual writing style. I mean, I read it in two days! His storytelling of training with a Navy SEAL for 31 days was fun and you feel as though he’s one of your closest friends telling you his latest crazy story (and it’s nuts!). He cracked me up more than once! There’s even a tear-out workout page included in the book if you’re so inclined to repeat his insane month-long training schedule.

seven things, seven days:
1. When looking for socks for a Halloween costume, I realized that my ENTIRE collection of derby shorts, tights and socks are GONE (save for one pair of socks and one pair of cat shorts) — likely stored in a bag in the basement and tossed during our sewer backup over the summer. And, well, I’m pretty devastated about it.
2. All things considered, my Halloween costume turned out awesome for thinking of the idea on the day before.
3. My stylist seemingly mitigated my hair breakage problems with a keratin treatment (even if it has the faintest hint of a rose gold color… which is, surprisingly, kind of awesome). But it seriously looks and feels SO much better, and I got a few other products to use as daily/weekly treatments to help protect it.
4. When it’s 70 degrees on a November evening in Pittsburgh, you go have Thai food on Nicky’s patio.
5. “At distances over 2,000 miles, you are negating the benefit that males have due to increased muscle mass and aerobic capacity.” On Longest Hiking Trails: A Woman Finds Equal Footing {via NYTimes}
6. My definition of work-life balance is, simply, that I’m not living to work. But beyond that… it gets a little complicated. More about the assumptions of work-life balance {via APA Center for Organizational Excellence}
7. The things I learned from being an Ironman. SO GOOD. {via The Things I Learned From…}

Weekly Therapy: …but maybe we should.

- Mel

the week:
I feel as though I haven’t had a chance to think this week, let alone PACK (or, you know… run). Every night I had something on my calendar and to be honest, I’m looking forward to a couple hours in the car by myself tonight.

weekend:
Heading over to O-hi-O for some running (participating) and roller derby (observing). I have the Rock Hall Half Marathon on Sunday, and the WFTDA D2 Playoffs at the Public Auditorium throughout the weekend. Should be a kick-ass, hot-ass weekend.

52 books in 52 weeks:
#29: Seeking Ultra by Paul Klipp – I feel… a bit disingenuous including this in my list, given that it’s about 50 pages long. But I had no idea going in, and was, frankly, disappointed that I was duped into reading this book that’s not really a book (via Kindle). Moving on…

seven things, seven days:
1. Randomly won a $250 visa gift card for taking a survey about healthcare (which I’ll be ironically using to pay a stupid doctor bill; WHYTF do I even have insurance if it covers nothing?).
2. There was a wellness fair in Market Square this week, and I finally got to try some Gluten Free Goat Bakery baked goods (chocolate chip cookie and a cider donut, if you must know). I know that she uses potato starch in her ingredients, but I had already failed at my attempt in having a non-contaminated, nightshade-free lunch (which was so much FAIL), so… YUM.
3. Excited about crossing a few of these cool places to do yoga off my list soon. {via NEXT Pittsburgh}
4. Speaking of yoga, 1600 (SIXTEEN HUNDRED) people signed up for OM in the Outfield next weekend (I am one of them). More like OMG in the Outfield, amiright?! #anxiety
5. I feel like I was reading something that my daily internal monologue posted with this: …Or Maybe, I Don’t. {via Wit & Delight}
6. The psychological obstacles holding you back at work {via The Book of Life}
7. ME, in sum: “If being watched while you undergo a task, even something benign as eating, makes you highly uncomfortable, then you have social anxiety.” Social anxiety and 7 ways to cure it {via A Daring Adventure}

Every 30-something needs… a new identity.

- Mel

For the last year and a half, I’ve been juggling a job, school full-time — and for a long duration of that, playing roller derby, which often felt like another part-time job. For most of last year, I was burned out and stressed out and any other down-and-out emotion you could tack on. My relationship was a wreck. I was a wreck. My poor house was a wreck. I started to come to peace with having to give something up. If I can be completely frank, I don’t have to work, but I choose to because it gives me purpose and makes me feel more like a partner in a household rather than… well, I don’t know what the opposite of that is. Plus, my own money dot com like a responsible 30-something. School is my future self, and I’ve been working too hard and too long to go back now. I initially gave up my volunteering role, which I miss immensely.

Derby was the final decision. It’s something that I struggled to come to terms with — that loss of identity from playing a sport that I’d participated in for 4.5 years. The irony is, once I made the decision to retire, I found a much more whole and authentic identity that has made me happier than I ever imagined.

That’s weird, right?

IDENTITY was my word for 2015, as I faced a lot of my fears about change and leaving behind an old me that didn’t fit any longer. I ended January with a new job, loss of a job in which I was employed for three years (but that was making me miserable), a retirement from a sport that I loved to play (but hated the drama that came along with it), and a calm and “free time” that I had all but forgotten about.

After attending a home game this past weekend, I miss the sport and (most) people a lot, but I have residual damage. Derby opened up the opportunity to embrace my authentic self, and at the same time, made me feel more unsettled about who I was. Who I AM is taking some time to recognize. I’m getting there.

Maybe some day I’ll get to that point of lacing my skates back up again. But does that mean going back to a part of me that doesn’t exist anymore? Is that the opposite of progress — or the celebration of it?

Weekly Therapy: “Everyday we have the opportunity to create a living masterpiece.”

- Mel

the week:
I had big plans for my week… but I cannot get over this stupid cold/sickness thing. Then I started having some weird mouth inflammation (I don’t know how to describe it) that I’m unsure if it’s illness-related or a food allergy (oh, god help me) or something else weirdly related to my getting two old silver cavities replaced a few weeks ago (mercury poisoning?).

In any event, I’d like some of feeling normal back, please.

weekend:
Off to Ohio for family and holiday things. And apparently some more winter-like temperatures. *groan* I’m also planning to run around Columbus for a couple short runs (maybe a portion of the Hot Chocolate 15k route?).

seven things, seven days:
1. The first Arts & Drafts event was AMAZING — and I wrote about it for Pittsburgh Happy Hour!
2. It was fun to get away from my desk at lunch one day this week too, even if Six Penn took away their daily pizza special (they have a great gluten-crust, be-tee-dubs).
3. So I officially submitted my derby retirement paperwork. Felt weird to make it “official,” but at least I don’t have to stress about being in some weird purgatory. And I can still attend practices and do contact if I want. And I can always go back full-speed if that’s what I decide to do. So… That’s that.
4. Placed an order with Bake Me Happy for some gluten-free goodies (and a full-size carrot cake) on my return to Ohio this weekend.
5. I had to find a new team already (in just Week #1) for group project in this HRM course; two people in my first selected group have already dropped the class (Imma guess it’s the phonebook-sized book).
6. I’m listening to this Rich Roll podcast with Michael Gervais (again) because it just has me stopped in my tracks. There is no doubt that performance psychology is where I want to go, in terms of education path.
7. How to stop buying crap you don’t need (like a box full of gluten-free sweets? NAH.). {via lifehacker}

Weekly therapy: This is not recess. Everyone is accountable.

- Mel

the week:
Winter semester (and, well, WINTER) is upon us. My first class started on Monday, and in a couple weeks I’ll begin two more. Two semesters to go! Also, this week marks the return to roller derby. Can you believe tryouts are already next week? We held our introductory meeting (in my tiny house!) this week, and I announced my final season and leaving my post as team Captain. I loved our leadership team last season, but I really needed to step down from those responsibilities to maintain extra focus on school and upcoming graduation.

weekend:
Looking forward to the Frigid 5 Miler in North Park this Sunday!

52 books in 52 weeks:
Let’s try this again, shall we?
1. Coaching for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose by John Whitmore. Recommended/required as part of my Psychology course this semester — yes, I got a head-start on my reading — this book provoked a greater interest in performance as it pertains to organizational coaching through Whitmore’s GROW framework: goals, reality, options, and will — through context of awareness and responsibility.

2. Making Sense of People: Decoding the Mysteries of Personality by Samuel Barondes. It was an quick easy read — with a lot of footnotes and references (almost 100 pages!!!) — but not very instructional in “how” to actually read people. Not required or technical reading by any means, but informational to the novice or “armchair” psychologist. I enjoyed the profiles of Benjamin Franklin and the comparisons of presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama; likewise, the expanding of the Big Five personality traits was engaging (and I followed a link to another personality quiz included in the book). Otherwise, the book left me unsatisfied.

I also started and abandoned two other books because, boring… and WOW are we dead at work right now.

Does anyone else love the movie Less Than Zero as much as me?

seven things, seven days:
1. HOLY SKATE BAG SMELL, sMEL.
2. Surprisingly not very sore after my first derby practice back… and I had to re-test my minimum skills. Won’t take a 90+ day break again!
3. We had two weather-related work delays this week, at two hours a piece. The days did not go any faster, and, well, it’s fricking freezing.
4. I put in my notice at work, by the way. MORE LATER.
5. Because of winter, I finally got to break in my new Sorel boots. These things are legit!
6. The subtle art of not giving a… well, you know. Strong language alert, so likely NSFW. {via Mark Manson}
7. Long-form, interesting and a must-read: Has Technology Killed the Jewelry Industry? {via Pacific Standard}

Running goals for 2015: UPDATED!

- Mel

I have quite a few things that I will attempt to accomplish in 2015 — graduation, a priority, and derby and personal goals. I have some running goals set for myself too. This post is about the running, however, because this year will be my first half marathon.

Let-The-Games-Begin_huge

I’ve selected a charity as well, and will be running for the National Aviary — an avian zoo here in Pittsburgh that is dedicated to education, conservation, research and respect for birds. Check out my Crowdrise fundraiser page.

I’ve set 2:20 as my goal to finish, based on my finishing times for other races. As its my first half, I hope this is not unrealistic. I’ll reassess this time, of course, as my training and season progresses.

I also plan to do 100 individual runs (not including races), which breaks down into two training runs per week. I know this might seem like not a lot of running, but I need to keep up a solid training base, alongside a crazy derby practice schedule AND doing my strength training through CrossFit. Basically I do a LOT of two-a-days, which doesn’t bother me, and still allows me to have 1-2 days of complete rest (my favorite!). Mileage-wise really depends on my (hopeful) goals to also complete a full marathon this year, but I might be kidding myself. I will also reassess this plan as my derby season progresses. For now, I will set a 500 mile goal for 2015 — which, at about 40 miles per month and 10 miles per week, I think is completely doable.

My 2015 race schedule is really up in the air, since I work weekends right now, but I would like to complete one race per month. Here is what I have on my radar… Suggestions welcome!

RACES FOR 2015
January: Frigid 5 Miler (1/11) DNS, wasn’t prepared.
February: Cupid’s Undie Run Didn’t feel like doing this one by myself. DNS.
March: Just a Short Run 5K (3/28) I am doing SWELL on my running goals! DNS.
April: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (4/12)
May: Pittsburgh Half Marathon AND 5K (5/03)
June: Stride for Pride 5K (06/07)
July: Liberty Mile (7/31)
August: Rock Hall Half Marathon (Cleveland, 8/23)
September: Akron Relay (9/26)
October: Niagara Falls International Marathon (10/25)
November: I’ll likely do the EQT 10 Miler again Dang it, the date moved! Ugly Sweater Run 5K
December: Christmas Story 10k (12/05)

Have any fun races that I should add to my calendar? Do you struggle with or benefit from doing two sports?

Weekly Therapy: picking up where I left off

- Mel

the week:
RECOVERY is the word of the week. After skating 4 games in 3 days and driving 8+ hours to/from Evansville, Indiana, with 1 (revenge) win and 3 losses, an elbow to the nose and a trip to the ER, my body and mind is ready for a mini break. Alas… feeling conflicted about the end of the season.

weekend:
My favorite event in the Cultural District: Gallery Crawl! This one also features the Night Market again, which has been a popular feature of the quarterly gathering. It’s also date night, which… we need right now.

Also: here’s hoping I can actually finish my Statistics homework this weekend. I’m taking MUCH longer than the estimated time for these assignments, and basically burned out last week — unable to take the weekly quiz. Really hoping to make up the score too, but I feel like nothing is possible right now. SIGH.

seven things, seven days:
1. Went to my first Happiness Conspiracy meet-up, and it was so wonderful to meet new women who are doing amazing things in Pittsburgh. We also did something creative called black-out poetry, and I’m kind of obsessed with it!
2. Hahahahahahahahahah I signed up for my first 15K. In November. I’m so dumb. But, hot chocolate and peer pressure wins. And no, that 1 in front of the 5 was not a mistake… Probably.
3. Got all new bloodwork to see where my Vitamin D levels are. It was really good to hear confirmation from my doctor that I was making good diet decisions. Now, let’s hope my results agree.
4. Kinda-sorta-hadda start over on my diet restrictions, since I cheated with sugar during my tournament travels (baby needs her sport beans).
5. OMG you guys, I’m only 5’3″! My entire life being a 5’4″ woman is a lie. But at least I’m now officially petite?
6. I love Kate and her blog. Now that she’s in the 30 Club, I wanted to show off her recent post about cultivating personal style as a “jazzy old woman.”
7. What’s the #1 thing that prevents you from changing your habits? Summer Tomato with another wonderful post about limiting beliefs.