Blue 5K & 10K on the Runway at PTI Race Recap

What a day it has been! I was up super early for this race and felt uneasy all morning because I felt I was unprepared. I hadn't run outside in the past 40 days and only about 9 treadmill runs in the past three weeks.  Getting out of bed was so hard this morning since I've had late nights for the majority of this past week! I woke up around 6:15am and thank god I had everything set out the night before so getting ready would take no time at all! I didn't get out of bed until almost 6:30am and I wanted to leave the house before 7am. 

I got dressed and then had a moment of panic because I'm 99% sure my tank didn't match with my running skirt haha! OH WELL.

I had half my Luna Bar (chocolate dipped coconut this time!) once I got in the car, the only thing I can stomach before a race. I eventually made it to the PTI Airport and as I was driving, the rain got worse and worse in the 7 miles from my house.. on top of weather issues, I was anxious for my lack of readiness. Clearly I wasn't prepared so I mentally got ready by telling myself that I was using this race as a marker of where I am in my fitness and running endurance rather than a PR or trying to run fast. Right now, I am focusing on October 20th (Detroit International HM) so everything from here on out is training and building up my speed and endurance again. This race is just a marker right?? WELL, I got to the airport and got on the shuttle to the runway as the sprinkling got heavier and heavier. I made friends with the girl who sat down next to me (a fellow weight loss story- this was her first 10K after losing over 100lbs over the past 3 years) and we were both freaking out about running in the rain on a wet, slippery tarmac. When we got to the start line, we headed for cover under the 107.5 radio station tent (which was crowded and not very much cover) and this was our view for the next 45 minutes:

The race organizers decided to push back the race start for about 20-30 minutes depending on when the rain would subside as they tracked the clouds on the weather scanner in the 107.5 van. The rain slowed down to a heavy drizzle and ended up starting around 8:27 I think? I was super anxious but I told myself to calm down, don't look at my garmin for any reason other than to maintain my intervals and just to enjoy the run! It was heavy drizzling to light drizzling and then after the second mile it got incredibly hot/humid, which was unfortunate.  I saw my mile splits pop up on my watch when I glanced down for my intervals and I instantly had a huge smile on my face.  After mile 2, I knew I had my negative splits and I would PR so I just ran that last mile's run intervals a little faster even though I could feel a blister forming from my wet socks and shoes.  I crossed the line with a chip time of 36:00!!! A new 5K PR!!! This was a pace of 11:32 min/mi!!! My moving time was 35:51 with a pace of 11:30 min/mi!!!! AND NEGATIVE SPLITS!!! It is my ultimate goal in my running life to negative split in all of my races and so this was extra special since I didn't even plan on running faster, etc.!

So Happy!!! I couldn't believe it when I finished how fast I was today after the May that I had!!!! Also, I am 97% sure that I'm going to be sick from being in the rain with wet socks&shoes&feet for so long. I can already feel it in my ears/throat..

Overall, this race was very well organized from packet pickup at Omega Sports to the signage from entering the airport, directions to race parking, and the shuttle to the race start. The race was definitely well worth the entry fee and it was such a unique course location! I will definitely try this race again if I am living in this area next year and hopefully I will be able to do the 10K on such a flat course!

Here are some of my stats from today via my garmin:

How do you deal with less than ideal race conditions? How do you stay calm when you aren't prepared for a race?
(I swear I acted like I would melt in the rain this morning but it really wasn't all that bad, and I have experience running humidity so I was fine after the rain ended too!) 

Outfit of the Day (Thursday!!)

OK So the past couple days have been totally crazy and I was way too tired last night to get this OOTD post uploaded so here it is! I had a pretty busy day yesterday-- woke up late after a late night on Wednesday, rushed around to get ready for work and get Rusty ready for daycare, didn't give yesterday's outfit much thought, and headed into work! All I have to say is thank god for my keurig!!!!

I didn't really plan out yesterday's outfit like I usually do and the only thing I knew was that I wanted to wear red/maroon. I was in a pretty good mood yesterday and wearing something red/maroon just makes me even happier and makes me feel confident, etc.  Here's what I grabbed super quick before heading out the door:

• Shell/Tank= LOFT (I got my maroon in!!))
• Blazer= NY & Co.
• Pants= jcp
• Necklace= black pearls from Hawaii
• Rings= VT class ring & David Yurman Petite Albion Ring in Garnet
• Bangles= Malani Jewelers
• Earrings= Garnet earrings from momma for my 26th birthday
• Shoes= Nine West via DSW

I had a pretty busy day at work and getting some things finalized that I had been working on for a while so it was good to get it done!!! After work and picking Rusty up from daycare, I ran by Omega Sports for Packet Pick-Up for my 5k race tomorrow.  I am doing the Blue 5K on the Runway at PTI this Saturday. I'm pretty excited about this race but nervous because it's my first race since my half marathon in April.  I took about 3-3.5 weeks off with injuries/illness so I've only been running again for a couple weeks so we'll see how this goes.  I just need to keep an open mind, not stress myself out about making a certain time or PRing or anything like that- this is just a fun race to evaluate where I am running-wise and how much work I have to do before the Detroit HM in October!

After packet pickup, I planned to have dinner with my law school best friend who just announced that she was pregnant so it was so great to see her (and she was glowing!!), catch up, and celebrate this new addition! Love you homegirl!

And just for fun, here's a picture from Thursday morning of my sweet Rusty napping :)

How do you deal with consecutive late nights? What's your favorite wine right now?

(I use iced coffee every morning so I can deal with the late nights this entire week!)
(Right now, I'm loving cabernet sauvignon--it's all about the antioxidants, right??!)  

Outfit of the Day (Thursday) & Other Important Things

Today's post is dedicated to my mom! She found this amazing skirt for me and I promised her I would wear it this week and do a blog post so Mommy, here you go!

OK so after a week of dark/neutrals, today was the perfect day for a lovely spring/bright option! I went a little casual since I knew I didn't have to go to the courthouse or meet with any clients and this outfit was perfect! So comfy and still appropriate for a law office!

• Top & Cardigan: LOFT (I got them YEARS ago and still love them!)
• Skirt: Target (like a spring multi-colored tweed)
• Necklace& Earrings: Black Onyx with Jade and Pink Coral from Hawaii (Waikiki trip 2012)
• Rings: VT Class Ring & David Yurman Petite Wheaton Ring in Black Onyx
• Watch: Rolex
• Bangles: Malani Jewelers
• Shoes: Audrey Brooke Kristin Flats via DSW

Look at that gorgeous necklace! I love Hawaii so much and I thought this was the PERFECT outfit to wear my onyx/jade/pink coral necklace.  My earrings are just black onyx studs but you know how much I love anything with black onyx! My hair was extra full/fluffy (haha) today since I washed it last night and put it up half dry so I could get some curls/waves for today.  Yeah that happened and my hair was BIG haha I had to comb it out before I got to the office!

I love this outfit!

 I got these shoes last weekend when I made a trip to DSW with my mom. I had been sweating those gorg Tory Burch flats forever now but after hearing about so many people having to return them because they hurt so bad, I was still on the quest to find some professional looking flats that I can wear to work and to court if I needed.  I found these and they look like the Tory Burch ones but that's not why I love them.  They are BEYOND comfortable.  I used some body glide on the knuckles by my big toes and I didn't feel a thing! 

 And they look super cute on my wide, flat, runner's feet.

My sweet Rusty on our drive home after a LONG day at work (I didn't leave until 6:30pm!)

ALSO, I got this super exciting email this morning:

In 3 years and 1 month, I've worked out 850 times!!! It's so hard to believe that and where I've come since then.  I started this life/weight loss journey in August 2009 and it's great to see things like this to remind me that it's ok to take a day off here and there and make sure my body is strong so I can improve for my future races!

SPEAKING OF WHICH: I've signed up for 2 new races!  1= Blue 5K & 10K on the Runway at PTI (I'm doing the 5K) on June 8 annnnnd #2=  

 

I'M FINALLY REGISTERED FOR THE DETROIT INTERNATIONAL HALF MARATHON!!!

I had a minor freakout when I couldn't find my passport last night but I realized that I don't need it to register so I just need to find it before October! YES! I AM SO EXCITED! This race sounds nothing but amazing-- running through DT Detroit (hope I don't get shot but I'm sure my surgeon bro will save me if I am), Greektown, Mexicotown (sp??), running INTO Canada, the "Underwater Mile" in the Windsor Tunnel, running OUT of Canada, and then back into DT! I can't wait for this fabulous race!

 

Anything exciting happen today??

 

 

 

  

Month in Review: March 2013

Here are my stats for March! Having a monthly recap of my workouts is a great way to keep track of my overall progress and for me to stay accountable!
I am a creature of habit so all of my activities are either running or walking. Generally, I walk my dog anywhere from 1-1.4 miles a day and I like to run 3-4 times a week.  The last week of March was particularly rough for me with all of my muscle spasms (and back spasms that decided to enter my life again last night) but I did get a last run last night on the 31st!
Here you go:






I'm really proud of myself for sticking with running and training for all of my April races, especially after the Princess HM in February. See, I have a habit of taking a week or two off after a half marathon but not this time! My last big race was May 2012 so I wanted to do things differently this time.

The last week of February was solely dedicated to 3 recovery runs from my Galloway Plan from the Princess.  I did the experienced runner to finish plan and luckily it included the recovery runs so I felt like I had to complete them in order to fully finish the training plan. I'm big on finishing thing that you start so there was no way I wouldn't not finish the plan.

The first full week of March was great- I felt strong and was riding on a high from the Princess.  I actually started my training plan for the Divas HM this week  for the next 8 weeks (4 more left!!).  My plan goes 5 miles on T/Th and then on the weekends I alternate a long run and a 5 mi run.  For the long runs, I started off with a strong 8 miles (11:33mm pace).

In the second week, I had 2 great 5+ mile runs and a 5K race. This was the week I had the horrendous incident with my iPod nano.  You see, my older brother is pretty great and supportive of my running endeavors (as is the rest of my family since I'm the only one who runs/is active) and he got me this great watch holder when I got the iPod nano 6th Gen back in 2010:



































WELL--I began having iPod problems (the volume randomly going down and wouldn't stay up, randomly turning off- all during runs) and after much research, I found out that it was sweat/moisture getting inside the iPod.  I couldn't get the iPod out of the watch until a nice lady working at Target helped me out (after I promised she wouldn't be liable if anything happened to the iPod).  Well, on my second run that week (and first run in a YEAR without the watch holder), I had the iPod clipped on my shirt and it got caught and fell off, onto the ground.  Not only was it really scratched but the screen was completely cracked.  I was so upset since I had the Shamrock 5K that weekend so I was extra careful when I ran the 5K.  The highlight of March occured this week because I PR-ed my 5K time!

The third week was OK- with all the frustration about my iPod, I only had 2 runs.  I told my brother about what happened to my iPod and I was trying to figure out what to do at this point since Apple re-designed the nano again last fall and wouldn't fit in my watch.  My brother VERY GENEROUSLY found a brand new version of my exact orange, 8GB, 6th Gen iPod Nano.  He bought it for me!!! It finally came within the week and it took me a while to set it up and get my playlists back on there as well.  I couldn't quite figure out how to get it back in the watch but when I ran this week I had it in the pocket in my compression capri pants so there would be no chance of it getting caught AND i slipped the headphone wire inside my dri-fit shirt so that helped as well!!  I had a big deal long run this week-- TEN MILES! My first double digit run since my half marathon and I felt great (11:24mm pace).

Finally, the fourth week was pretty much a bust after being sidelined with muscle strain/spasms.  Everyone told me to rest my body and that I was pushing myself too hard (how else will I improve unless I push myself out of my comfort though??) so I rested.  6 whole days. Honestly, it was the worst because I felt heavy and bloated (did I mention I drink 100+oz of water/day?) and had no activity other than very short walks with Rusty in the mornings and evenings. In the meantime, I finally got the new iPod updated and into the watch and it looks great!



































I took a chance and wanted to finish March strong so I did a 6 mile run on the 31st (last night) and I felt so great afterwards (especially about that 11:05 mm pace)! Well, that was short-lived because while I was washing my hair later that night, my back started spasming and the pain was unbearable.  All night I couldn't sleep or get comfortable but the 3 ibuprofen helped some.  I'm feeling better but still pretty stiff.  I'm looking into getting a foam roller and using that for stretching (I don't stretch before/after my runs- a big no-no!).  Hopefully this will help all the pain!

Ultimately, it was a great month for me running and really just maintaining my activity level.  It's so easy to get lethargic after a big race but I'm glad I didn't fall into that trap this time around! It's always helpful to have upcoming races to stay in shape for and I think that also motivated me to maintain my running.  Here are my upcoming races for April:

• April 6- Gate City 8K in Greensboro, NC (my first 8K ever, a guaranteed PR!)
• April 13- Bridge to Bridge 10K in Danville, VA (hoping to PR here so I can use it for placement in future half marathons in the fall/winter)
• April 28- Divas Half Marathon in N. Myrtle Beach, SC (this will be my 5th {&hopefully a PR}, but the first for my BFF- can't wait to run at the beach with my BFF!)
   

 How do you keep yourself motivated after a big race? If you're not into running, how do you stay motivated to stay on track of your health and fitness goals? What do you have in store for April??

Danville Free Clinic Shamrock 5K 2013 Recap

I did the Shamrock 5K in Danville this year and it was a pretty fun, low key, local race with not that many people.  It was extra special because it was the first race I did 3 years ago when I started running! I think these smaller races in Danville are a great way of keeping me in racing mode but nothing so serious since let's be honest, it's Danville VA.
The night before the race (my usual practice), I got my race clothes out and set everything out so it would be ready to go in the morning.  Since it was the Saturday before St. Patricks Day, I decided to wear my vintage "Kiss Me I'm a Hokie" tshirt and my black sparkle skirt.  I don't really like running in cotton shirts anymore but I figured this was just a 5K so no big deal.  The Thursday before this race I was doing my 5 mile run and I had just taken my ipod off my watch holder since the sweat was messing with the volume function and unsurprisingly, my ipod fell off my Nathan belt and fell on the ground and the screen is massively cracked. I never put it back on the watch holder so for this race I had to just clip it to my shirt, which was so annoying and kept falling off so I ended up just holding it while I ran.  Another fun part of this race was that my sister ran too! She is just starting out and isn't using any particular method (I'm a strict adherent to the Galloway method w 3:1 intervals) but she still finished and had fun so that's what matters.

My green shirt, ipod, garmin watch, sparkle skirt, Alpha Gamma Delta sweaty band, Nathan runner's belt were ALL necessary for this race:)

We got to the Danville Community Market a little early (45 min before race start) so we could purchase an extra race shirt for my mom.  She really wanted to do the 5K walk but she and my dad had to go to NJ for a familial obligation so we got her the shirt instead! I had my pre-race fuel/meal of water and my yummy chocolate dipped coconut Luna bar.  I sampled this one at the Princess Expo and it was DELICIOUS.  I'm usually not a big fan of chocolate anymore but this bar was perfect and just what I needed.
We put all our extra things back in my car and headed down to the Riverwalk along the Dan River where the race was taking place. Now I know this is a small, local race but seriously, the start line was a line of white flour on the ground.  Anyways, the race started on time and was organized pretty well so I don't really have many complaints about the logistics.  The course was paved, flat, and pretty fast.  The signage on the course was great, the turnaround was another set of flour arrows and the water stop was around the mile 2 marker but also available after the turnaround as well.  I have a habit of carrying my own water but it was nice to have that option for such a small race.  I guess the most irritating part of the race was the finish line.  Because there was no chip timing for this race, at the finish they had people ripping off the bottom tag of our bibs to use for the placing/official finish. Since there was no chip, I used my garmin time as my official time since I started my watch as soon as I crossed the flour start line.

My time based on my Garmin!

I was surprised and happy and delighted to find out that I PR-ed in this race! I'm extra impressed with my moving time because I was dodging geese poo the entire time I was on the Riverwalk.  I am slowly getting back to where I was before starting 2013 off with the flu, pneumonia, and sinus infections.  I still feel like my breathing still isn't back to where I used to be and I'm still heavier than I would like but I know the weight will come off in time and eventually my pace will get back to where I want.  It's usually very hard for me to do 5Ks since my "short runs" for HM training are 5 miles- I can't remember the last time I just ran 3 miles while training!  I love how my Garmin maintains my moving time and elapsed time to take into account the time when I had to stop and adjust my shoe laces and drinking water too (I can't run and drink water, it would spill all over my face haha).  I LOVED seeing that moving pace of 11:24, it's been a LONG time since I've seen that pace.

Sister and I after she finished the race!!!

After the finish, they had cold water and gatorade for everyone so I got a cold water cup and cooled down while waiting for my sister.  She finished somewhere around 48-50 so I had a nice little break before we headed back into the Community Market for the awards and post-race snacks.  I usually can't eat anything after a race/run but since this was only 3 miles, I grabbed some orange slices and half an apple. I loved the orange slices but the apple was tough to get down since the skin was so tough.  I also grabbed a snack baggie of chips but I never ate those and I think they're still in my car haha!
After the race, we headed back to my parents' house and got cleaned up, played with Rusty for a bit and then went out to a light and healthy lunch at Ruby Tuesday. My sis had the salad bar and some veggies for her sides and I had a bowl of soup (even though the temps hit 80 that day!!) and plain baked potato. I did, however, treat myself to a sweet tea so that was absolutely delightful!

Here's a map of the course from my Garmin.  It was great running along the river and the temperature was perfect for a short race in mid-March.

I'm currently sidelined right now with the muscle spasms/strain in my chest but I'm excited for my upcoming 8K here in Greensboro on April 6th.  I've never done that distance in a race so regardless of what happens, it will be a PR for 8K :)

What's the longest distance you've ever run?  Have you ever run smaller local races? What's your favorite 5K?

Disney Princess Training: Week 2

SO. week 2. my runs this week werent that bad but a bit painful because I think I got shin splints after my 5K last wkend?? Im not really sure what it was because I've never had them before but I decided I am definitely looking into some compression sleeves to start wearing for my long runs!!!

Soo, my first run for wk 2 was on Oct 30.  It was a pretty good run. I started to do 35min because I had j been doing 30 mins every other day since I started running again back in September.  I still maintained my fast treadmill pace (about 8:45 min/mi) but it was good just getting active and stretching my legs again!

Run #2 for wk 2 came on Nov 1.  I was pretty lazy all day and ended up running for 35 min right before the VT football game started so that was dumb on my part.  It was a good run and I started thinking a lot during the run.  I find that running is so cathartic and leaves me with such happy-go-lucky  feels its amazing.  This was a bit of a rushed run but I'm glad I got active.

Ohhhh run #3= the long run of the week.  This wk I was set for 4 miles for my long run.  I was 100% set on going to Country Park and running 2 laps around the path but Saturday (the orig day planned for the long run) I literally could not even go down/up my stairs.  My right leg was cramping and my shin hurt so bad it was like a giant, day-long charlie horse on my right leg. to say it was painful is a GROSS understatement.  Soooo, instead of running on saturday, I took the day off and went to the outlets w my parents which ended early bc I could barely walk and I missed my Rusty at home.  Soo I ended up doing my long run for wk 2 on Sunday (yesterday) after taking ibuprofen &aleve the past 3 days.  My leg feels good so hopefully it won't act up again.  My long run was great.  I ran at a realistic pace (my outside run/walk pace is about 11:30 min/mi) for 4 miles.  It took me a hair over 40 mins which is great but I think I still did it too fast but I guess if I maintain that pace when I run on the treadmill it will ultimately help me when I run outside? If anyone has any experience/perspective on treadmill&outside running, please enlighten me!!!!!

Ultimately, week 2 was full of some great runs.  I'm a bit concerned about this upcoming week because I am going to Puerto Rico on Thursday so I am going to miss run #2& my long run for this week.  Im planning on taking my running shoes, clothes, etc to PR so hopefully I can find somewhere I can get my runs in, at the very least a treadmill!!!  I have 5 miles on my plan for the long run so I'm a bit nervous trying to get that in but I am determined to train for the race properly so I am going to do everythign I can to stay on track!!

OK well, time for bed.  I've got a couple of separation agreements to finish in the morning and then I'm heading to Danville to VOTE! I love voting, I hope everyone gets out tomorrow! If you cant get off your couch to vote then you literally have no right to complain about the state of this country. srsly.


ANYWAYS.  here are some cute before/after pictures from my 5K on 10/27!

My baby Rusty is ready to cheer me on!!! 

A post-race congratulatory kiss!!!