But it's so SAFE Here

I'm a total chicken. When it comes to new things I'm afraid that I'll fail so why start. What if I try something I've never done and I totally bomb and all my worst fears come true? I do a lot of negative self talk and Ive been working on overcoming these conversations with my self that only stop me from doing what I really want to do. Running has given me confidence to at least try things I never would have done before. I mean what normal person, who runs2-3 miles on the treadmill and does a few weights and the occasional cardio class would wake up one morning and want to run a marathon? Not only that but go out and DO IT? I mean the training has always been the funnest part for me, you  know other than the whole getting injured part. I have worked for the last 3 years to build not only miles to the marathon but also the confidence needed to get me there. That confidence has led me to try other new things like Kayaking and getting in the lake where I can't touch without a life vest. I'm thinking of going back to school and pushing my photography stuff a little more this fall. I'm looking forward to trying new things like how to really swim instead of half assing it. I'm thinking of going longer distances and not so much on speed work. I'd like to run more trails and maybe run from the "green gate" on HWY 32 down to one mile. If I went up and back it would be about 18 miles. I'm ready to tackle these things slowely but I'm ready.

I used to use fear as an excuse to keep from getting hurt. Now I use it as a tool to stretch my limits a little past their comfort zone. At kettlebells I climbed the rope, not all the way to the top but farther than I've ever climbed before. I'm not afraid to try things that I refused to try before. I'm ready to hurdle these obstacles and have fun doing it too.
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Running this week
Monday I ran 3 easy and Day 1 of KOR (he went easy on me though)
Tuesday Ran w/ group from the park to upper Park trails to the "Z trail" which is not fun. Its up up up along the hillside to upper trail. we did repeats. one of our runners fell and sprained his ankle. Not fun. at all. I got to direct the ambulance to where the coach and our down runner was. I did total about 6 miles though.
Wednesday: KOR and 3 miles
Thursday: 3 miles (was going to do more but Blondy ended up with a migraine at school)
Friday: I got the migraine... how did that happen?
Saturday: 10 miles total on the books w/ warm up and cool down.

Double UP

Today I started back at KOR Fitness, the Kettlebell class I took last year where I made so much improvement in my marathon times. This year I'm a little more worried about other things like my bone density not increasing despite all the things I had been doing to move it in the right direction. SO off I went this morning, dropping the enormous amount of $ to swing a kettlebell around and try and not hit anyone, including me.

In the end I ended up doing the warm up of 20 halos, 3 wall squats (remind me to do more of these), 3 single bell squats (ouch), climbed up the rope more than half way (wahoo!!!), 5 sets of sprints, swings w/ the baby~bell, snatches, pistol squats... yea right that was funny, and 10 TGU's. I think I'm going to hurt tomorrow.

I stretched and headed to Costco to pick up pictures of the 50 yr. class reunion I took the other night. I headed straight to the park where I was supposed to run 4 today but figured the workout had to count for at least one of those miles. I actually had to walk some since I didn't fuel properly... oops. I did do 20 walking lunges at the 1 mile, 2 mile and 3 mile spots so a total of 60 on top of my earlier workout. But I forgot my watch and looked at the time I got out of the car and got back in to figure my time. With the walking breaks and the lunges it took me 37 minutes from turning the key off to back on again. Not as shabby as I thought it was going to be. I stretched really good this time and headed home. Hubby took me to his favorite place EVER for lunch then I headed out to deliver pictures this afternoon.

I do notice that I'm not eating enough breakfast. I did pick up that protein powder that I said I was going to use every day but I'm having problems remembering to use it. Do I just add water? Maybe almond milk? Ugh! I'm so lost!

Do you guys do double workout days? 

CEP Compression Sock Giveaway

OMG these are so stinkin' cute I could DIE! I have been looking for a cute pair of compression socks to wear on long runs and after that didn't make me look like an old lady. I think I'm golden. And how cute would I look in these during a race. Just saying. So if you want to see if you can win a super cute pair head on over to Momma of 3 on the Run and start the process!

totally my color! I know. I so deserve these

and even cuter on Momma of 3!

A Wee bit of Deja Vu

I finally feel like there is a purpose to my running again. I try to tell myself I am not competitive, that I am not out to train for the whole kitten caboodle. I try to tell myself that slowing down and running for purpose instead over over-dedication is what will get me to that start line in December where I may or may not finish the whole race since I'm signing up for the relay so I can dodge out after my mark.

I had fantastic runs this week.
Tues:  Speed work 5.5 miles. Easy warm up then a 50 minute out and back in the park
Wed: no run since it was the boys first day of school and we had so much to do.
Thursday: 6.34 miles  at a pretty good clip if you include the unexpected speed section to get away from the rattler in my path.
Friday: I ran 3 easy miles without my watch with Vicki and the wein onto make up for missing Monday and Wednesday.
Saturday: I ran 8.6 today w/ strides and warm up and our run to nearly Bear Hole in Upper Park and back this morning. 

The schedule has me at 24 miles this week. I'm only about a half of a mile short. Probably with all the chasing down the boys and running around town I do I'm sure I made that 1/2 mile. So I'm rounding up from 23.44 to 24 miles for the week. Next week I start KOR to work on my core~ and some muscles and some flexibility.

I had a little deja vu running 8 since I haven't run that far since the beginning of December at the Marathon. This is like re-charting territory after a case of amnesia. I kinda remember what it felt like but it almost feels like it was someone else's life. I'm scared to see how I feel after 10... or 20. Don't be surprised to see me cry.

Buzz Buzz Zap Zap 6 mile Re-Cap

I had a 5 mile run scheduled for today but decided since I didn't run on Monday since I was busy unloading stuff from camping and didn't run Wednesday because it was the first day of school for the boys I had better add a mile on today. After looking over the training schedule I would also exchange my rest day on Friday for a 3 mile run only putting me behind by less than 2 miles this week. I can't believe how OK I am with that. I'm usually such a stick to the #'s person.

I didn't feel good this morning so I piddled around the house, drank some Chai, did some laundry and housekeeping until I couldn't stand it anymore, changed and ran right out the door. I thought about what my route was going to be and thought I'd run to 5 mile (about 2.5 miles away from my house if I took the levy, then took the road up another half mile before turning around. Miles 1.5-2.5 would be full blown sun along the levy then the same stretch on the way back but there are at least three water fountain stops in parks along the route and various friends in that subdivision by the levy so I thought I would be fine. I got out of my neighborhood and tagged along side another runner for a few blocks before we waved our goodbyes and headed into different directions. I took the levy. I know my friends dog had been bitten by a "buzz-worm" (rattlesnake) along this levy last month so I was very cautious and slowed my running down and removed my earphones so I could listen better. Sure enough at the 2 mile mark up ahead I heard the distinctive rattle so I turned around and high tailed it out of there!

I went back to the neighborhood the other runner was running through then down to the main street and back towards the park to get water. I did a small loop there that was about a 1/4 mile then headed back. I knew I'd be over a little and as I dropped into my neighborhood my watch beeped the 6 mile mark at me. I did keep going to the house giving me a little added .34 miles to my total.

I was amazed at how good I felt. Although it was high 80's when I left and low 90's when I returned I felt good all along. I couldn't believe that most of my miles were faster than 10:30 except the mile where I stopped at the rest room and the mile I stopped at the water fountain. Those were closer to 11 minute miles.

I am just glad I didn't make it any closer to that BUZZ WORM! I did not want to get Zapped! No one else was out there and no one really knew where I was going although I did carry my phone with me today.

When I got home I had 16oz of the strawberry/watermelon recovery GU then took a shower. I did eat something but can't remember what it was. Isn't that awful???  I do remember eating some of Hollywood's buffalo jerky from Trader Joes... super yum. Apparently whatever it was that I ate before picking up the boys from school wasn't that memorable but I did have spaghetti squash, feta cheese with grilled onions, zucchini and bell peppers along with half of a Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat beer for dinner. That was yummy.

2 questions today. Do you ever forget what you ate during the day? AND Do you modify your route to avoid things like traffic at 5pm or around schools at drop off or pick up, or no trails due to snake activity? Where do you live and how do you adjust your favorite running routes when things are out of your control?

Start Your Engines!

I'm off! Today was the first day officially of Marathon Training Program #3 for me! My whole intent is to mentor the team, hang out on long runs and Tuesday night Speed workouts but not throw myself back into PT w/ overuse injuries.

I ran so stinkin' slow but I got to know a lot of new people and I'm looking forward to being a mentor for this group. Essentially I'm not a coach but someone to bounce questions off of or just to talk to about the program about running and the things that generally go with it like food, recovery, stretching, food, injury prevention, how the programs work, miles and food. I think we talk a lot about food.

Tonight's run:
Asics #1shoes w/ 100 miles on them
Bidwell classic t/shirt run like a mother hat/Nike shorts and features low socks
80degrees and muggy but a slight breeze
0.63 mile warm up 11 :05 average speed
Plyos @ the horseshoe pits
50 minute out and back easy run out and back along the road in lower park 4.6 miles
Then stretches and .63 miles back to the shop for cool down.
Total: 5.86 miles but not sure of the overall pace since I turned off my G before heading back to the shop since it was low on battery.

I did have a strawberry/Watermelon GU recovery drink after the run and a PB frozen yogurt w/ choc granola on it and it totally hit the spot today! I'm off to bed since I have to be up early for the kids to go to school! Yeah! Back to school!!!!