taper=love

Running has been hit or miss with me lately & I'm okay with it. When I do muster up the energy to run, they have all been decent & enjoyable once I get out the door. However, getting out the door has been the hardest part.

After Chicago, I decided that running 5 days a week was too much for me. I trained hard for 18 weeks before the marathon and probably over did it. But I needed to get a feel for things and I'm glad I did. Chicago humbled me. I think every marathon humbles you but I don't feel as lost or confused training for #2. I'm confident in my decisions to run or not to run and how far to run when I do. I'm not gonna lie, I feel pretty bad ass running my first 2 marathons so close together. :)

For marathon #3 (because I will do it again) I won't train for 18 weeks- that is way to much & my life is way too hectic to spend that much time running. I will also only plan to run 4 days a week. I like having one day to myself to be lazy or go out with Brian/friends. Don't get me wrong, I love running- its who I am, but its not ALL that I am.

That said, I skipped my longish run this weekend. Maybe my care-factor has calmed down a bit & skipping a run isn't as big of a deal as it was the first time around. I did only run 2 days last week. Can you say lazy? Yep. Call me lazy if you wish. However, I DID run one HELL of a 20 miler last weekend & if that means running only 2 days because I was so drained, I'll take it.

I got in a nice 6 miler on Sunday & plan on running tomorrow *bright & early* before work. I also have to squeeze in a run Thursday or Friday, but I'm not worried about it. If it gets done it does, if not- oh well. I've got 10 miles on the schedule this weekend but I'm gonna roll with life & see how things go. Less is more right now & I'm cool with it.

I'm feeling strong and confident for this race. I've been told this marathon is known as the fastest in the west. I've got that, a pretty sweet bib # & some sweet ladies I'll be chillin with next weekend all on my side. I can't wait!!! Bring it CIM!

xoxo

Christmas Cheer

A couple weeks ago Christmas music started playing on the radio & the stores were packed with Christmas decor. Every year Christmas gets earlier and earlier- which makes winter drag! I love getting all geeked up for the holidays, but its much harder when you have to deal with them 3 months ahead of time!

However, my attitude has changed from here & I am now full of Christmas spirit! Most of you will probably want to slap me & that's okay but once my cheerful holiday mood comes, its hard to make it go away! While watching Greys Anatomy last night, I got super excited for Christmas & the Thanksgiving holiday!

I love getting together with family, eating tons of food and taking naps because of the food coma I put myself in time & time again. :-) However, the most exciting thing for me is shopping! I love getting other's presents and watching their reactions when they open the gifts! I love going shopping on black Friday & have already been stalking the black Friday ads online!! My coworker Bre and I turned on the Christmas music at work today- & although a week early to my normal standards- it was lots of fun to listen to!

After work Brian and I are on the hunt to find an artificial tree for his apartment, decorations and all! I'm sure i'll have pictures to post at the beginning of next week!

When do you do your shopping? Are you a black Friday shopper or do you skip out!?!?

Have a great weekend!

20 miles: I love you!

Burnt out with running? NAH! Burnt out with school? YEP! I'm so happy I was able to run 20 miles with NO problem! I even ran a FAST 20 at that! I ran it in 2:54 which is like 6 minutes faster than I ran it the first time! Awesome! I know I probably shouldn't have ran it that fast but oh well! Maybe I can pull it off again in 3 weeks!? Hope so!!! I'm so excited for my trip to California! Tara and I will be the Lime Green Running Machines! Our outfits are pretty sick and super speedy looking! I wouldn't be surprised if Lime green means PRs for everyone!

I've been experiencing with fuel on my long runs. First I tried PB&J as Danica suggested. Then one day I randomly took some Sunny D *tangy flavored* with me. It worked like a charm for my 2nd 16 miler this training cycle! I basically just drank sunny d, water and ate salt capsules like it was my job. Then for 20, I thought shoot, I'll try this again!

Friday night I carbo loaded with baked ziti from Olive Garden!


Saturday I woke up and had my PB&J mini bagel. Big bagels are too much for me, mini ones are perfect & they are uber cute! bonus! With my bagel, I enjoyed a tiny bottle of Sunny D & some water. While I was eating, I took my 1st salt capsule. Then I was on my way!
Mile 1: 8:44, 2. 8:51, 3: 8:50, 4: 8:43, 5: 8:44, 6: 8:48, 7: 8:39

At mile 7 I had some SD chased with water. I noticed that if I don't chase the SD with water, it leaves this phlegm nastyness in my mouth. *gross* maybe that was TMI! anyways, I continued on...
Mile 8: 8:35, 9: 8:36, 10: 8:44, 11: 8:46, 12: 8:40, 13: 8:41 14: 8:37

Around 10, I had some more SD & water and took another salt capsule. I had tissues with me because my nose runs when its cooler out. *annoying* Drank more SD & water at mile 14 too!
Mile 15: 8:38, 16: 8:36 17: 8:39 18: 8:44 19: 8:58 20: 8:44

From miles 15-20, I drank SD & water, every few miles. It really seemed to help & I'm pretty excited about this new fuel I stumbled upon while running one day!

20 miles in 2:54:22 AVG: 8:44

I've decided that I'm taking my trusty fuel belt with me to California. I haven't been using it much but It wont hurt me to have it. Plus I'm happy with how the sunny d helped me & I wanna see how it works when racing. I'm gonna do exactly what I did for my 20 miler on race day but I'm gonna have some sports beans & maybe 2 pb&j squares on me for backup. Hopefully the exact same 'ME' that showed up on this 20 miler, shows up again for CIM!

Friday the 13th

I hate to say this but I think I'm starting to get burnt out with running. Not all running, just any run that takes a significant amount of time. Probably anything over 4-5 miles. I'm ready for a break from long runs for a while. Due to this 'attitude' I have picked up over the past few weeks, I've decided to change tomorrows long run from 18 to 20 miles. My 1st experience at 20 miles was a good one & if I do 20 tomorrow, I can start taper next week. Everyone wins.

I think my biggest annoyance with training right now has been the time change. Its so dark by the time I get home that I've had to alter my schedule. I don't like spending the whole day obsessing about if I'm going to have enough time to get my run in or not. If I didn't have to be to work by 7am 3 days a week I would become a morning runner, but waking up at 4-4:30am to get my run in does not sound appealing. Then if I factor in all the stress with school plus all the other stuff going on, I start to think its not running that's got me burnt out, its a combination of everything.

I'm sure many of you are wondering why I haven't mentioned the awesome head lamp I purchased last week. Well that's because I haven't used it. I'm scared of the dark & afraid someone will pop out from behind a tree or something and kidnap me. gahhh!!! I normally consider myself a happy, peppy person but today I was cranky for no reason. When people say "WOW your grouchy today" that just pisses me off and makes me wanna be even more grouchy.

I'm SO excited for Thanksgiving break that it isn't even funny. I'll get two days off from work & school and I'm ready for that. I'm even MORE excited to go to California on December 3rd. To be quite honest, I'm even STOKED to run 20 tomorrow. I'm ready to man up and own it & I'm SO ready for this 2nd marathon!!! I want to run hard & finish strong.

I apologize for not being my normal peppy self, but to be quite honest, as I lay everything out, I'm starting to feel better. I'm also starting to realize the combination of everything going on is what has me stressed out, not running. I don't think the time change helped matters & I do think I need a break from running but nothing long term of course. "Running gives me something that nothing else can" & that will never change.

Thanks for reading & for all of your positive encouraging comments. Hopefully I'll be back to my normal cheerful self after my AWESOME 20 miler tomorrow!! Have a great weekend everyone & good luck to my Malibu Barbies racing Sunday! ;-)

xoxo

Do you *DO* Orange?!?

I've officially been warned. My dad and cousin Kirk reminded me tonight that gun season starts this weekend. They said I didn't have enough orange on during my run tonight and with all the crazies around here, I might actually get shot. So it looks like I'm gonna have to invest in some BRIGHT colors so I don't resemble a deer or anything moving like a deer. Even though I'm on the road and not actually a deer OR look anything like it, the crazy deer hunters get all geeked up and shoot at anything and everything. Sad but true.
Think this is enough? Probably not- I may need some bright orange pants too so I know I'm free from any bullet wounds! ;-) ha ha!

I got in a nice recovery 7 miler tonight in 1:04:33~ 9:16 pace. It felt good and I'm getting anxious for this next marathon. I know the ropes this time around and hope that I can use that as an advantage. The only thing I'm concerned with is the elevation. I will have to compare the elevation that I'm used to running at and see what the difference is. Hopefully it isn't enough to make a difference but I've got a game plan and almost have everything I need for the race! Have a great week everyone & if you live in the boonies like I do, make sure you have adequate orange on as well!
xoxo