Week 3 of training.

I've noticed from looking back on this blog that I was running faster while training on the treadmill/ track than I am now. It's hard for me to pace myself, I think I really want to invest in a Garmin Forerunner sometime soon. Sunday I took my rest day, and looking at my schedule for the week I don't get another one until Sunday. Monday I ran 3 miles at Celebration, which was actually pretty neat because I saw a gator there for the first time. (Monday) I ran 3 miles in 30:34. 

I ran the beginning with my roommate, so we did a really easy pace. (Today) I ran 2 miles in 17:41. 

I have my alarm set for 6:10 AM. I am going to run my 7 miles tomorrow morning, which will be the longest distance I've ran in a while. 7 miles before work? Why not.

Where did July go?

 I can't believe I'm already on my 3rd week of training. The results are up from the Lakeland series- it says I am currently in 3rd place in my age division- which doesn't make sense because the top girl is in my age group, but they didn't display her name. I'm not sure how they are doing scoring, but if I remain in the top 3 I will get recognized next race!

Sunshine in Manhattan

What a difference the sun makes! The beach, the walking trail, CALIFORNIA- everything looks better when the sun's out :) 

I logged 17.3 miles today. 

I left the house at 10:30 AM, walked to Natalie's work 5.5 miles away, then we ran to the beach and back which was another 5 miles. When I looked at my watch it was at 10.5, but then I stopped it to eat some of the snacks I packed and tour Natalie's work. 

When I started again, it lost my previous 10.5 and I had to start again, but when I got home my watch read 6.8. I got home around 5:30 so the entire day was 7 hours of exploring, walking, shopping and enjoying Manhattan beach. 

The morning started with a small mango smoothie from Jamba Juice. I got a extra shot of immunity and energy (I needed it!) 

I stopped for a cupcake at Cupcakes Couture in Manhattan Beach. It was really random because I have actually been following them on facebook for a few months! A friend of mine on facebook is friend with the owner and was promoting it on the page and I "liked" it to see the cute cupcakes and cakes they were creating. Since then I have seen it on one of my favorite blogs green wedding shoes! I just happened to spot it yesterday when Natalie and I were out to dinner and knew I wanted to make it back today.

I went for the gluten free red velvet cupcake. The frosting was good, the cake not so much. I wanted a healthier version. I should have stuck with a "mini" real one.

I walked the strand back home. I am pretty sleepy right now. I'm waiting for Natalie to get home from work. Tonight we are going out in Manhattan so I'm excited to experience this area. I really like the vibe in California. It was great to see so many active people walking, running, biking and playing volleyball. I wasn't sure if I could see myself living in California, but I'm starting to think I can...

It's crazy to think I've traveled 37.5 miles in two days... on foot.

20 miles :)

I ran 20 miles in 3:54:21. 

Wow. What a great, great afternoon. I did 21 miles last week in Florida in 5:04:39 and 20 today is 3:54:21. I wore my yellow Brooks running shirt, a hot pink lululemon sports bra top, lululemon shorts (which was bad because my legs chafed, really would have preferred to wear my pants but there's a big hole in the back), lululemon socks, lululemon headband and the KT tape knee wrap. I ran the majority of it today and only stopped to take breaks to eat shot Cliff bloks and have water. I brought 2 waters, one pack of Tropical Punch Cliff bloks,  and pretzels with peanut butter for a snack. I had the bloks and water about every 4-5 miles and drank my water around then too. Around mile 18 I stopped in a deli to pick up a gatorade and a Muscle Milk protein shake. (I also bought a "Oh Yeah" protein shake, but I didn't drink it... It's for tomorrow)

I ran the entire "strand" back and forth twice, up and down two piers and then had to circle around my friends apartment at the end to reach 20. I ran the majority of it and stopped to refuel, but other than that my body felt pretty good. I had texts from Hannah throughout which helped, and the first half flew by. Actually up until about 15 went pretty fast, with the view of the houses and ocean but the last 5 miles dragged. I am currently icing my feet which feel really swollen and my knee which hurt a little throughout. I am THRILLED I bought new tennis shoes today, I can't wait to get them. I need them. Tonight my friend Natalie and I are going to sushi for dinner. I have a feeling I am going to be hungry...

This was in someone's window! Hello! 

The weather was perfect. It was mid 60s with sun here and there. I was able to keep my long sleeve on the entire time without getting too hot or too cold. It was fun to people watch. It was inspiring to look at the amazing houses. I spent the day at the beach, doing something I love, running. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Disney, New Shoes and upcoming 20 miles!

It's 11:46 AM here in California. I thought I'd be on my run by now, but I had a slow start this morning. I haven't been on my computer to "catch up" since I've been away, and this morning seemed like a good time to do so. The weather isn't amazing outside right now, so I don't feel guilty for sitting around and doing so. The best news of the morning? My brother got a job in NYC! He is very excited. I knew he could do it! Now we are both moving in the span of about a week. It's going to be a crazy adjustment for my parents, but now they will have a lot of places to come visit.

So back to Disneyland yesterday. I had a awesome time. Highlights were Nemo Submarine ride at Disneyland and a cute ride that was mini figurines of different storybooks. I loved when the cast member said "...and if you were wondering all of the plants and trees are real and mini by a process only known by Tinkerbell." Highlights at California Adventure were Soarin', Toy Story Mania and Tower of Terror. Thankfully all of those rides are in Orlando! I really liked the pier though with California Screaming and the cute Mickey Ferris wheel. The only thing I didn't love about California Adventure was the construction. There was a lot. It's amazing to see all of the new things they are developing, but if it was my very first time at any Disney park, the magical illusion would have been a little disrupted by the construction everywhere. Luckily, since it wasn't my first time and more like my 500th time I will let it slide. Now I've conquered every Disney in the world except Paris. Next trip? Paris! I went with my cousin Jonathan who lives in San Diego and we had a great time. He is a really nice guy, and although we are cousins yesterday was the longest we've ever spent hanging out and it was nice to connect. I had a cobb salad at the parks for lunch which was great, I got the dressing on the side and with all of the flavors from the salad I only used 1/4 of the dressing! We dined at Cheesecake Factory for dinner and shared my favorite appetizers, Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Avacado Eggrolls. I also had a slider, but we had plenty of food and I actually am eating the leftovers right now.

Here are a few pictures I uploaded from my phone from last weekend in San Diego with Kirk. We took his scooter from his place to where my friends were. I loved seeing San Diego on the back of that thing! I felt like I was in Bangkok, only safer because I knew my driver wasn't drunk, high and I wasn't inhaling pollution and weaving through traffic in one of the most dangerous driving conditions in the world. 

 

One more thing for today. I ordered new shoes. I went on a wet ride at Disney yesterday and my shoes got SOAKED. They don't smell very nice this morning, but it forced me to take a good look at them and realize after the half marathon and four months of training, it's time to get a new pair. I didn't want to change styles right before my marathon, so I ordered the exact same pair and size in a different color on Nike.com. I was able to get free shipping, but it was still painful to pay the $106 being so tight on a budget right now. I knew I needed them because I started to get shin splints on my last run, and these shoes have definitely seen better days. 

OFF TO MY 20! Wish me luck!  Here are my new shoes/ style/ size/ etc.

21 miles :)

I walked/ ran 21.16 miles today in 5:04:39. 

I intended to do 19 today. I walked my first 6 with my girlfriends here in Florida, then when they left I ran a good 5 or 6 then walked again, then ran a bit then realized I was really lost and walked again. It was a lot of walking, but actually it was a great experience. I only really got antsy and wanted it to end near the end. I wasn't prepared for a run that long, but thankfully there were a few drinking fountains along the path. I had a few chomps, but should have definitely had more fuel for 5 hours because I was pretty hungry when I got home and have had a bit of a headache the entire day. It was hot, but I ran on a beautiful path here in Bonita with a lot of shade and plenty to look at. When I got home I drank a chocolate milk, jumped in the pool (in my running clothes) and laid around. I definitely think I have the mentality to do 5 more miles after the 21, however I really need to practice running a bit more. What a day!

8 mile run in the Florida sunshine!

I woke up early, and was wide awake. Why? To run! I was excited for the warm weather, sun, and to get outdoors. I am really looking forward to living in Florida for the next 8 months, and bypass another winter. Anyways, the run. I went to Hanson's back in Michigan yesterday and they gave me samples to try of KT TAPE for my knee. My chiropractor recommended wrapping my knee when I ran so today I tried it out... I don't really know if it helped, but I felt fine. The beginning of my run was rough, I somehow ended up on a path in a golf course and got about 8 mosquito bites. I was itchy, sweaty, and my right ear bud kept falling out. As soon as I got out of the trap though, I felt 100% better. I walked/ ran 8 miles.

I ran/walked 8 miles in 1:43:15.

 I had two shot blocks around mile 5. 

 My running view... 

 After the run was the BEACH and POOL! We went to dinner tonight and I had clam chowder and a mango mahi mahi. It was delicious!

I'm in Bonita with my sister, and three other girlfriends Natalie, Kelly and Sarvy. We had Pinot Grigio at dinner and now we are back at the house the girls want to make drinks. I am going to attempt my 19 miles tomorrow so I need to get up early, so I don't really want to drink anymore...

This post is kind of all over the place because I feel bad being on my computer during "girls weekend", but I am proud and happy that I was able to accomplish 8 miles this morning while the rest of the house slept. I also swam a few laps in the pool, I love swimming! My left foot is bothering me a little, I'm really hoping it will feel better by tomorrow... I'm really hoping to get the 19 miles in before another fun day at the pool and hanging out with the girls. This will be one of my last chances before my big MOVE!

Brrrrr

This morning I woke up, excited to try out "The Ripper" at Yoga Shelter.  My sister was supposed to meet me there after her eye doctor appointment. She texted me as I was getting ready for class, and told me she didn't want to go because she had a headache and her eyes were dilated from the appointment. I didn't even consider canceling, instead I went ahead to try out this class.

The Ripper and Vinyasa differ in a smilier way to regular and decaffeinated coffee. Both regular and decaf come from coffee beans but one provides a little more stimulation than the other. The taste and effect are similar but one is more substantial. The ripper is a full bodied strong intense physical Vinyasa that will leave you with an intense buzz. This class is designed to whip us into shape, experience our physical and mental edges and kick our butts! If you are looking for a more intense challenge, look for the ripper. 

It was definitely a challenge. However, when the moves are faster such today I don't feel that I get as much stretch as I crave from the slower ones. Especially with the running, the stretching is what I love about yoga and when we go through the poses so fast I miss it. Also, my wrists hurt in certain poses, and this class was challenging for my right wrist. It was not a favorite. I still prefer the gentler classes, however I am trying one called Xflosion tomorrow which combines Yoga, Martial Arts, and Dance. It is taught by the same instructor with the drums and guitar, so that should be fun.

When I got home from Yoga I was really hungry, luckily my sister picked up lunch and we had a family lunch to discuss a few things going on with my move. Some of the things on my mind is, where to live, how to pack, what day to get down there, etc. It helped to hear some feedback, but I was exhausted just thinking about it. I came upstairs around 12:30 and the next thing I knew it was 3:00 PM. I must have been exhausted because I slept really well, and woke up confused where the time went. I really wanted to attempt my 18 miles today, even though it seemed colder than the last few days. I went out, walked my first mile then kept a slow and steady pace for another 5 or 6. I ran right the boarder of Detroit, I knew I didn't feel comfortable running any further into the city and turned around to come back. The moment I turned back, the weather completely changed. It was now snowing a very little bit, but running against the wind was unbearable. I was wearing gloves, but even my fingers started to go numb. I stopped to drink some water and eat a GU Chocolate Outrage Gel packet I had leftover, but I was miserable. I don't think I will buy the Gels anymore, but switch over to chomps and give them a try. I called my brother to pick me up at a local store because I was so cold. My run ended up being 9 miles exactly, and although physically my body could have done more, I was too cold and was not enjoying it.

I walked 2 miles and ran 7 miles in 1:59:11.

I need to look at my schedule, I'm not sure how I am going to adjust this accordingly. I know I need to add more long runs, but this week was just too cold! Hopefully next week will start to warm up, and the next warm day I will just take advantage of the day by extending the mileage.  

I just got home from visiting Peter Nicholas. Here is my brother and the baby, how cute!

17 Miles and Pancakes.

Last night I met some friends for sushi at Ronin in Royal Oak, Michigan. It was delicious! We went out for a little bit, and I saw a few people I haven't seen in a while but I had one thing on my mind the whole night: resting up for my 17 miles today!

Does the dress look familiar? It's the one I bought in Orlando!

I stayed out a little later than I wanted and went to sleep around 2:15 AM. This morning my mom woke me up at 8 AM to go to The Pancake House with her and my aunt. I wanted to have a little more sleep, but of course I accepted a offer for pancakes. I had 2 of my pancakes and a piece of bacon. I also had a few cups of coffee, I don't think it's good to dehydrate yourself with coffee before a long run, but it was better than falling asleep!

I came home and started to get ready. It was a sunny beautiful day, but cold. Much colder than last week, I wore a yellow long sleeves Brooks shirt and the white Nike fleece I've been wearing. I wore my lululemon black crop pants and a old black headband for my ears. Last week I thought about purchasing a camelbak for water for the long runs- while researching them I remembered a backpack purse I bought in Hawaii a few years ago that looked very similar. I pulled it out of my closet and decided it would be my own camelbak!  It worked PERFECT. It didn't bounce at all on my back, and I barely noticed I was wearing it. The brand is "Da Kine", it's a surfer backpack I think, I'm not really sure. I packed in my bag 2 water bottles, Cliff shot bloks in Tropical Punch, my Ipod, phone, a few dollars, and my running watch. I was ready!

I started my run, and it was quite chilly but when I started I warmed up a bit. I ran a little under 10 minute miles for the first 7-8 miles, then my knee and hip started bothering me. I really don't want to injure myself, so I walked about 2 to my friend Beth's house (who is also pictured above from last night). We discussed that she could join me for some of my adventure today, so I walked there to meet her and a new buddy- Woodly! We ran about half a mile together, then walked an additional 3.5. It was great to have her and Woodly to break up the run, it really made it fly by. By the time I dropped her off I only had about 3.5-4 miles left. I decided to go straight to my cousins to tell them the news, that I AM MOVING TO ORLANDO. Yes, it's true! I am moving to my favorite city. I can't wait!

ALSO, I found $5 on the sidewalk in a neighborhood. I looked around to see if anyone dropped it, but there was no one in sight! I was worried at first if I picked it up it would be stuck in dog poop and there would be a group of teenagers laughing at me, but I kicked it a bit and it looked safe to me :) I got paid for my run today! Fun! 

I ran/walked 17.02 miles in 3:56:54

When I arrived at my cousins I called ahead of time to have a protein shake ready for me. I ate some leftovers they had and came home and showered immediately. I have kind of been lounging around since 4, I talked on the phone quite a bit today, catching up with friends, telling them the news about Orlando. I am EXHAUSTED right now. And thirsty. I literally can't keep my eyes open and it's 8:15 PM. I am waiting to go to sleep, I wanted to go to sleep early anyways so I can wake up tomorrow for YOGA. It's a cross training day, but I really want to do Yoga as well. I have about 19 left from my Groupon I purchased, and I need to use them before I move to Orlando! Although I walked most of it today, and had company, chatted on the phone, it was a fun and the miles went by pretty quick.