Giveaway Winner and other random things

This pretty much encapsulates my feelings this morning:

Mostly because my run was HORRIBLE yesterday.  I woke up with legs so sore they felt like lead but it was 65 and sunny and perfect and today it’s supposed to thunderstorm so obviously, I decided my rest day could wait.  My legs hurt the entire way and I know I was going crazy slow.  I finish the 5 mile loop and look at my garmin and it says I’ve run 3.67 miles.  Right.  So I run the same 5 mile loop a lot and it always measures the same, it measured the same THE DAY BEFORE but I guess I lost satellite coverage somehow in the perfect cloudless sunshine?  Well, thanks to that, Mr. Garmin thinks I was running like 11:40 min/mile.  Obviously, I can calculate my real pace so no big deal, but I was just so cranky and wanted to go home and foam roll until I cried.  Today is a MUCH needed rest day so I can enjoy the glorious 80 degree weekend.

 

It sure was gorgeous though.  Despite the pain, I’m always happy to get out the door on a beautiful day and I know I would have regretted it if I would have skipped it.  A little muscle soreness never killed anyone 😉

 

Oh, and I totally forgot to let everyone know that obviously a winner was selected in the Pro Compression giveaway.  Don’t worry, I didn’t space completely, she has been informed and her contact info passed along to the company, I just completely forgot that in the mix-up with my scheduled posts not going up last week, y’all didn’t see who actually won.

 

Oh, and I was super proud of this for like 5 minutes yesterday:

I felt like a badass.  Until Joe told me that velociraptors are basically glorified chickens.  They weighed like 30 pounds and had feathers and were maybe knee height.  I maintain I am a badass because the quiz specifies that I am the Jurassic Park form of velociraptor, not the actual historical species.  Just go along with it…

 

 

If you were a dinosaur, what would you be and why?

Is your weather getting hot where you live? We’re going to be in the 80s this weekend!

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I’m turning into a hypochondriac

It was so gorgeous yesterday and I just couldn’t help myself, I waited until the middle of the day and ran in the bright sunshine.  It was a little toasty after the first couple miles but it just felt so good to be running in the sun and warmer temps.

But this is not something you want to see 4.97 miles into a 7 mile run:

Dead Garmin.  It’s now all charged up and ready for today but I pretty much guessed and ran around aimlessly for the end of my run yesterday since I was on a different loop than I usually run.

 

I’ve decided that running is trying to turn me into a hypochondriac.  Once you’ve had a pretty nasty injury (for me the plantar fasciia tear and the two torn knee ligaments), every pain becomes a potential future injury in your head.  Rationally, I know that having sore shins from needing to run 3 consecutive days on concrete is normal and just a reaction to the fact that I normally run on dirt, but in my head I’m like “ahhh maybe it’s going to be a stress fracture if I run on it tomorrow…but I think maybe not tomorrow so I’ll run on it tomorrow but then definitely not the next day.”  Then by the next day, it’s better anyway.  But I have a mini internal freak out when I first notice any new niggle.

 

We have a little experiment coming today…I’m going to try to take my sister-in-law’s dog for a run.  My own dogs don’t like to run with me (they’re sprinters, not distance runners) so I’ve never run with a dog and they don’t run with him either like on full-on distance runs but he’s very active and runs constantly and the breed is supposedly built for running.  I’m going to do the first few miles alone then loop back and grab him and try to make it around 2 with him and get him some exercise.  If it goes well, I forsee me trying to convince Stevie that running 6 miles is her new favorite activity, to replace chasing squirrels in circles in the backyard.

 

 

Do you run with a dog?

Do you freak out about all the random pains that come with running?

 

Oops I did it again…

HI!!!! Okay, sorry for the excitement but I missed everyone.  I knew I was going to be busy all last week so I scheduled posts to go up and then…they didn’t.  I still don’t know what happened.  So I have to catch you up on some things.

There has been a LOT of reading.  Nothing you want to hear about (unless you get your rocks off learning about revolutionary literature in the 1790s…doubt it) so we’re moving on.  There has definitely been running:

Especially enjoying the heck out of running on these beautiful sunny days.

And food…obviously.  I just discovered the wonder that is the salads from Cafe Rio and I’ve eaten there three times this week.  They should sponsor me, apparently black beans are my fuel of choice because I’ve been feeling great on my runs all week.

Good ol’ Virginia beer.

You just need to reward yourself with a beer now and again.  Or far too many times this week…but it’s just so right on a gorgeous night.

 

And we have our niece and nephew in town and my super talented 11 year old niece drew a picture of me:

Ignore the date, she meant 4 but wrote 3.

 

I love it.  She pretty much nailed the lips I think 🙂  Love the braid too, my hair is in a side braid like 85% of the time.  I’m just amazed in general because my drawings stopped advancing in technique when I was about 5 and she’s all super skilled.

 

We have them in town for the whole week so we’ll be doing a bunch with the kids all week.  Last night we had all 13 of us for dinner for the first time in about 5 years.  If you’re wondering the 13: Joe’s parents, Joe&I, his sister&brother-in-law, his brother&sister-in-law, our 5 nieces and nephews.  It’s crazy to go from not seeing anyone at all while we were so far away for a couple years to back with EVERYONE.

 

Can’t wait to catch up on what all of you have been up to!

 

Do you have any nieces/nephews?  How many and how old are they?  I have 5: 2 nieces ages 11 and 5, 3 nephews ages 10, 8, and 8.

What was your best run last week?  I went for an easy 6 that felt AMAZING in the sunshine, light and easy, only to find out I was running 20 sec/mi faster than my usual easy pace with no additional effort.  It was one of those magical days where everything came together for no good reason.

Getting so good at running indoors

Well, it snowed again.  It’s nearly April and it snowed.  I’m used to it being around 70 this time of year, this is ridiculous.  At least someone likes it:

There isn’t too much thankfully, around 2 or 3 inches but I don’t think it’ll stick around for long.  But yeah, it meant running inside again.  Woo! False enthusiasm.  I did a 7 mile tempo and core and legs after.  Note to self: Leg workouts should come before, not after.  I felt like jello.

 

I tried another Quest bar after my workout.

This is my second attempt, a different flavor each time.  Both times I was sick afterwards.  Apparently, these are a no-go for me.  It makes me a little sad, I was a fan of the 20g of protein in each one since I’m always trying to up my protein intake.  However, not only was I having problems with the taste (too sweet for me, but I’m the girl who hates chocolate so if you’re normal, they’re probably fine) but also the hours of feeling nauseated afterwards just aren’t going to cut it for me.  They seem really popular though so I guess I’m the only one with this issue.  Joe’s going to eat them instead so I’ll let you know if he loves them.

 

Thanks to the snowy day, I finished my run and just hung out inside for the most part.  Got a bunch of reading done and of course, procrastinated with random useless quizzes.  Sometimes it scares me how much they know me:

Well, at least we know we did it right 😉  Not that anyone could regret getting married in France, but you know.

And:

I’ve only had this hair for a decade, no biggie.  Except a good 6-8 inches longer than hers.  Trauma if they cut off more than an inch.  The description is hilarious, I am indeed simultaneously extremely carefree and yet when I have a plan, don’t you dare change it or I don’t handle that well AT ALL.  Which is probably why I keep my hair exactly the same despite always seeing photos of people with adorable shorter hair and feeling incredible urges to chop mine off.

 

 

 

Did you have snow?  Expecting any more this winter (SPRING!)?

Ever not been able to stomach something everyone else seems to love?

What is your workout on this beautiful Wednesday?  I’m doing an easy 5 and p90x Chest&Back 🙂

Doughnuts and (protein) pancakes!

One of the things I was most excited for coming home:

My mom got all 6 of these for me, and another 6 for Joe.  Don’t worry, I couldn’t eat all of them.  It took me 4 days and I managed 5 but don’t want to see another doughnut for a while.  The coconut ones are my favorites.

Decent weather this weekend meant I got to take my run to the trails, which is where I always feel like my real runner self.

I just want to run in the woods every day.

After my long run, I made red velvet protein pancakes to refuel.

I don’t know if you’ve ever made protein pancakes, but I have tried dozens of times and they are always completely the wrong texture and/or taste weird.  Frankly, usually both.  I’ve tried ones on running/triathlon forums, bodybuilding.com, the Tone It Up girls’ recipes, and never ever like them.  This was basically my last ditch attempt to ever try to enjoy them AND IT WORKED.  It must be some kind of miracle.  I’m sure credit is due to the protein powder (for not tasting horrible) but also to the ratio of ingredients, because for once, they were crazy fluffy and while not entirely like real buttermilk pancakes, as close as I think protein pancakes are ever going to get.  Here’s what I did in case you want to try it yourself:

1/2 cup oat flour

1 scoop Red Velvet Cake Batter protein powder

1 tbsp baking powder

1/3 cup liquid egg whites

2 tbsp vanilla almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Then just plop in the pan and make like normal pancakes!  They don’t break apart like others I’ve tried so they flip like normal pancakes, they just take longer to cook so leave them for several minutes on each side.  I’m thinking I might try this same recipe with my Peanut Butter Marshmallow or Cookies and Cream protein powder next time.

Favorite kind of doughnut?

Do you prefer trails, roads, sidewalks, grass, or treadmills?

Have you ever made protein pancakes?

Something I’m good at

I’m so good at procrastinating interval workouts.  Pretty much any other run I’ll be eager to do as soon as I’ve digested breakfast but intervals often wait until the afternoon when I do them only because I know I’ll be too tired to do them if I wait any longer.  But as usual, I feel really good when I finish.  There’s something so satisfying about finishing a hard workout and knowing you’ll see results from it in the future.  2 miles warm up, 4×1 mile with 3 min jog recovery, 2 miles cool down.  Then 40 minutes of plyo and my legs are SORE today.  Schedule calls for easy 4 and I will happily oblige. 

 

{Still doing the random photo thing until this weekend!}

Small update on the school stuff: I met with my supervisors yesterday who are just wonderful people.  I’ll be leaving here with another masters degree (having two seems excessive but at least I’ll leave with something!) so I will still be researching and writing for the remainder of my time here.  We actually chose to go a different route than I was with the doctoral dissertation so that I can use the majority of what I had researched in my future doctoral program and I will build on one of my completed chapters for this.  It’s crazy, because it means I have to write roughly 30,000 words of new and original work in the next couple months when I already had SO MUCH done of my doctoral dissertation, but I want to preserve being able to write about what I’m passionate about at another program.  And they are going to write me glowing recommendations and do whatever they can to help me get in elsewhere (they strongly disagree with what is going down) so hopefully it all works out and I end up someplace equally prestigious but where I can write what I want. 

 

Oh, and I think I’m going to do that race I mentioned yesterday, because apparently I’m a glutton for punishment.  Let’s just hope I don’t ruin my team’s chances of placing.  Unlike a lot of obstacle runs, this one is timed and competitive and all four of us and our times will count for the team.  Mark and I are working on trying to convince Joe to join, it would be super fun to do a race with him and lifting things and hiking mountains is so much more his thing than actually running on a flat course (because he’s crazy).  In case you didn’t know this already, 9 years together and I’ve never even been on one run with my husband.  Very jealous of all of you who have someone to run with!

 

(at the Cherry Blossoms 2005)

 

Plan for today is just the easy miles, no lifting or extra cross training.  Then library for some research materials and errands and research the rest of the day.  My life is a party, obviously 😉 

 

Tell me something going on in your life right now!

What was your workout yesterday/today?

All the good things

Had a weekend of running, NICE WEATHER!!, and trying to figure a few things out.  I made a list of schools I might want to transfer to and I’ll start doing the research in the coming months and working on applications for the fall.  And we are trying to sort out everything with physically moving back and getting all our stuff out and moving the dogs, etc.  I haven’t even had my meeting with my supervisors yet (it’s tomorrow) so I still don’t know what I’m going to be doing to wrap up my time with the university and the timeline for that.  But I’m Type A and I like to be prepared haha.

Yesterday was my long run day, but I dutifully listened to my training program which told me to run only 10 the first 2 long runs.  It didn’t feel “long” but it was really nice not feeling the anticipation and everything of the REALLY long runs and working out fueling and all that.  It was short enough that I got to just run without thinking which I love.  NB: I don’t take water or fuel unless I’m running at least 13 or it’s hot out.  It’s a very arbitrary number, I don’t know why I chose that number but it works for me.  I have gatorade or nuun waiting in my car for me the instant I finish.

Came back and watched the World Indoor Championships in my Pro Compression socks.  Thrilled for the Chanelle Price victory, sad that Bernard Lagat didn’t win after his awesome performance at USA Indoors.  I LOVE watching track and field meets, marathons, whatever.  Massive inspiration and always makes me want to go running right that instant.

 

I apologize for no pictures today, my phone will not send any of the pics I took yesterday and I don’t know why.  I shall give you gratuitous pictures of random things:

 

from our trip to South Africa:

From a weekend trip to Paris while I was living in Annecy:

Slider and Stevie, the day we brought each of them home:

 

 

 

What are your 3 favorite things about your hometown?

How are your push-ups/pull-ups coming?

A Change of Scenery

 

Yesterday we had a wonderful day around campus.  I had a fantastic coffee and chat with a friend then Joe and I hit up a museum.

Complete with super old telescopes.

And had lunch with the place all to ourselves.

And maybe a beer made an appearance 😉

After my run today I’ve got big plans…finding fall races!

 

Favorite alcoholic drink (if you drink)?

What’s your favorite race you’ve run?

Does everyone do speedwork on Tuesdays?!

I feel like the whole world does speedwork on Tuesdays because every training plan ever calls for it on Tuesdays and then we get in that habit.  I used to do it on Sundays when I first started running because it was easy to use the high school track on weekends but impossible during the week.  So I did long runs on Wednesdays and speed work on Sundays.  It was crazy, I tell you 😉  Once I followed my first training plan (for a marathon I did about 9-10 months after I started running), all the track sessions were on Tuesday and I’ve never wavered from that since.  It’s kind of neat when I think about it that even though I don’t have any running buddies and do all my training solo, so many of the rest of you are doing intervals today and long runs on Sunday just the same.  Anyway, 400s today which are my “favorite” if you want to call any kind of track session a favorite.  16×400 and it looks like it may have to happen on the treadmill, but I secretly enjoy that for intervals because I can make sure my pacing is even and accurate.  Gotta find the bright side, right?  And it’s day 1 of my new training plan and I LOVE new training plans, I get extra excited to attack my workouts and try new things to get me faster.  I’m really feeling like I have PRs in me for my next few races so I’m crazy eager to train and stay consistent and make sure I get them.

 

Thank you to everyone for all the kind birthday wishes!  I loved reading all of them.  My birthday was pretty much like a 5 year old’s. just with some alcohol involved.  Here’s a little recap:

Played games.

Lost the last one, so insisted we switch to a new one.

Got myself a Yahtzee and still barely won.  This necessitated a switch to UNO.  I was better at that one.

Birthday nails.

A magical milkshake concoction of vodka, kahlua, and peanut butter ice cream.

Joe started with a beer+margarita combo.

They make the best jalapeno poppers.

I had my favorite pizza (what else would I choose for my birthday!?)

Joe had a delicious burger and I was a little jealous.  But not enough to trade some pizza for some burger.

He also had a bacon shake while I just refilled on my peanut butter goodness. 

 

I was absolutely stuffed.  But I had a ton of fun, I started the day with a run and a victory from my favorite soccer team (Go Liverpool!), and played games and ate delicious food the rest of the day.  It was exactly what I needed and the best birthday I could have had considering all my best friends live a 6 hour plane flight away right now! 

 

And a friendly reminder that the giveaway ends soon so make sure you’ve entered 🙂

 

Are you in the middle of a training program or starting one soon?  Do you love starting a new one?

Do you do speedwork on Tuesdays?!

When is your next big goal race?

You know you spend too much time in your pjs when…

I’ve got some fun stuff for you guys this week!  Was working on it yesterday and I think we’re all set now.  Meanwhile…

No speedwork yesterday, keeping it easy this week before my next cycle of my training program starts Monday.  Push-ups and pull-ups and 6 easy miles followed by my favorite post-run meal:

It’s just so good.  Expect me to have this for lunch every day this week.  This was dinner:

Crabcakes are delicious.  They also remind me of home, we used to have them at brunch on Sundays after church when I was a kid.  Crabcakes and waffles…the new go-to combination. 

 

Oh, and I forgot to show you the deliciousness from the night before last!

I was really in the mood for a burger.  That second picture is me showing you that there is pulled pork on my burger too, not just my fries 😉  Pulled pork, blue cheese, and fried onions on the burger in case you were curious.

 

So I have this habit of wearing pjs to bed (obviously), waking up, eating, running, showering, and changing right back into sweats or pjs.  I know a lot of grad students do work in libraries and I just can’t.  I go and pick up what I need to last me a couple weeks, then sit at home to do all my reading and planning and eventually, write it all up into a (hopefully) coherent chapter.  So I’m home ALL THE TIME.  At home, I like to be comfy, so it’s running clothes or pjs.  You know you spend far too much time in pajamas when you wear a hole into the knee of your pajama pants instead of your jeans.

A bit ridiculous. 

Today’s plan is a 5 mile run followed my a 20 mile stationary bike.  Let’s just pretend I’m excited about the biking part, maybe it’ll start to grow on me. 

 

Do you wear “real” clothes when you’re just hanging out at home?

What is your favorite go-to lunch?