Some Awesome Posts You Should Read!

I have been blogging for over 5 years now (CRAZY) and have said a lot of stuff. Some of it has been silly, some boring, but some has gone a little bit deeper. Today in lieu of me not having much new to say, I wanted to link up from of my favorite posts from the blog that you should read...or re-read:) This is by no means all, but some that looked good to me (or I forgot about and liked). Enjoy!

When Did Sleeping Go Out of Style? 

Defining Moments

Twenty-Somethings

Musings of a Single Gal

When you know, you know

Homeowner!

To Me on My 26th Birthday

What Running Has Taught Me

Travel + Spain

Efficient Living

Everything Happens for a Reason

Saying Goodbye

What a Wonderful World

PhD

Why I Run

More than a Marathon

Weekly Workouts (5/4- 5/17)

I realized that with no classes in the evenings for this two week stretch, and since I am not training for anything currently, I had more time and desire to go on walks. I do not consider walking a "workout," but I do consider it exercise. Does that make sense? So even on "rest" days I walk (I aim for at least 10,000 steps everyday and usually more), and I have decided to include those walks on my logs.

I also decided to take a full week off during this stretch. I was having some knee pain and my right lower leg tendon issue has still been occurring. While my aches weren't getting worse, they weren't really getting better either. I should have taken time off after the marathon because running hasnt felt as good since then. A week off is mentally hard, but I enjoyed fast walks and reading on the elliptical, and it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! I got some FAST walking in (13:20 min/miles)! Walking is no joke:)

5/4- 5/10

Monday: Rest (travel day) + 2.5 mile walk

Tuesday: 3.6 miles @ 9:37 + 3 mile walk + weights

Wednesday: 40 minute elliptical + 2.25 mile walk + abs

Thursday: 4.1 miles @ 9:08 + 2.5 mile walk + weights

Friday: 3.1 miles @ 9:40 + abs

Saturday: 45 minutes elliptical + 2.1 mile walk -> beginning of week running break

Sunday: 5.5 mile walk + weights

Total: 10.8 miles running + 17.85 walking

5/11- 5/17

Monday: 45 minute elliptical + 2.5 mile walk + abs

Tuesday: 4 mile walk + weights -> HOT! 90's and humid...ugh. I already hate summer.

Wednesday: 35 minutes elliptical + 3.2 mile walk + abs

Thursday: 6.15 mile walk + arms

Friday: Total rest day:)

Saturday: 6.35 miles @  9:27 + abs-> BACK AT IT! Proud of myself for a full week off:)

Sunday: 4 miles @ 9:23 + weights

Total: 10.35 miles running + 15.85 miles walking

Blog Roll!

I'm on a blog roll!

Check it out here: http://themillennialnextdoor.com/2015-fall-marathon-blog-roll/ 

I am part of a group of bloggers training for fall marathons. This will be a great way for you and me to see what other people's training looks like and get motivation from other runners! Check those blogs out, and if you know of anyone else who is training for a marathon this fall, contact me and I will email them with your name!

Happy running:)

Hope your weekend is going well!

Oops! I did it again...

It's official...I signed up for another marathon! I will run Richmond November 14, 2015!

I previously said I was planning on signing up for this race and the training team that is in the area, but I am going to be honest-> the closer the deadline came to sign up, the less and less I have wanted to do it. I think the humidity and time commitment hit me and it did not sound as fun as it did when I signed up for Shamrock this winter. However, I really want to run Richmond because it is in my backyard (literally), the training program is AWESOME, I will have so many friends and family that can cheer me on here, and the course is beautiful. The race itself is at a great time of year (November), it's just that a chunk of the training is in the heat and humidity of Virginia summers. However, I am going to shorten my training like I said I would after Shamrock and really focus on only intensely training for 12 weeks. The training program is 24 weeks and starts May 30th but doesn't ramp up in intensity until late August (until then it doesn't even get above 13 miles). SO, I am going to go on the Saturday runs when I am in town during the summer, but I won't begin the weekday training until late August. Instead, I will run my normal 3-5 miles a few days a week in the summer. I really dislike summer running, so I think a more casual approach will help me get motivated to work harder in the fall.

Right now I have no goals for the race and will see how I feel come fall until I set any. Ideally I would love to get a sub-4 hour marathon, but it is still 6 months away, and I honestly just want to get to the starting line healthy. I hope to do more speed work for this training season, run fewer days, and log less "junk" miles. The cool thing about this training team is I will have an entire plan already made for me, unlike this winter when I made my own plan. I am interested to see how it works differently and how I feel following a different approach and with one already under my belt.

Currently, I am almost done with my week running break, and I have enjoyed walking more. I think that I will incorporate more walks when the heat gets really bad throughout the summer, so I can still get mileage in but can give my body a break. I also have a long two week vacation in mid-July where not much running will happen:).

So here is to marathon #2! It is true what they say- marathoners are crazy! You hate yourself miles 20-26.2 and then you sign up to do it again:) I feel a little crazy for doing it right now, but I look forward to experiencing the training team!

Weekend Update

Hey there! Anyone else not into it being Monday?

I had a pretty good weekend. I decided to take a full week off from running (FINALLY) starting on Saturday. I should have done this after my marathon but the 10k race got the best of me, and then I had the half marathon, and then the temperatures were perfect...always a reason to keep going, right? But I noticed the aches that I have had for a while now aren't really getting any better even though they aren't getting worse. So when I looked ahead and saw the humidity would be high in Virginia for the majority of the week, I decided a week off would be good and I committed to it. So it is just walking and the elliptical for me! Surprisingly, I haven't missed running yet because I am still getting good miles in outside via my walks. Walking fast totally uses different muscle groups and allows me good views of my scenery, so I have been enjoying it. It just takes longer, which is my biggest complaint! If the humidity is awful this summer, though, I may try to do more miles walking than running anyways. That could be a better way for me to deal with the heat and still log miles for training. Honestly, as long as I am outside I get the same boost whether I am running or walking, which is good!

Anyways, as for my weekend happenings, on Friday night I went out to VMFA for their happy hour and then sat outside for dinner at Stuzzi's, which is a great Italian pizza place but they always take forever to make the food. I loved sitting outside, though!

Saturday I took my mom out to lunch for Mother's Day at Mosaic. It was delish. She requested a selfie.

After visiting with a friend in town, I went to the Flying Squirrel's Baseball game. The man standing up is our favorite local weatherman, Andrew Freiden! I totally geeked out over him being there.

Our group!

Since they won, we also got to see fireworks- it was actually impressive!

Sunday I food-prepped for the week and laid out at my friend's pool, which is down the road from me. Her chairs are much more comfortable than my pools' chairs! Also, as I get older I realize I only like to be out in the sun for 1-2 hours...I get hot and antsy after that!

I ended the weekend at my parent's house watching our diabetic cat-> they went out of town for the evening, so I spent the night so he could be fed and given his shots. I read and watched "This is Where I Leave You" on TV. The book was way better.

How was your weekend?

Chi-Town

I had a great weekend in Chicago! I would describe the city as very "livable." I love big cities, obviously NYC, D.C., and San Fran are some of my favs, but so many of them seem very hard to live in due to cost of living and jobs. Chicago didn't feel that way- it is very affordable, easy to get around, and super-clean! The weather was also great, so I didn't experience it in the dead of winter, but I think I could totally live there. It was a great weekend.

We landed from Dulles at about 10:30 on Friday and made our way to our Air B & B in Boystown on the El. Immediately we got organized and went back downtown and had Deep Dish Pizza. Priorities people. It was amazing!

Being touristy around Millenial Park and Michigan Ave. Notice that all the flowers and trees were just starting to bloom, so it was beautiful!

View of the city from the John Hancock building where we were in a bar on the 95th floor!

Pretty river! The Trump building is behind me in this picture- it is massive!

Our great brownstone from Air B & B! It makes you feel like you are more of a local than a hotel and it was fun to explore the neighborhood it was in and all the bars/restaurants nearby. It was also half a mile from Lincoln Park running trails along the lake! 

At the end of the night we went out to eat and I got a free donut from a local shop after having such a hard time deciding which one I wanted- I was PUMPED. I also was out until 1:30 AM Chicago time after having gotten up at 5:30 AM Virginia time...so needless to say I was tired!

Day 2 (Saturday) I was on my own as my bro and sis-in-law went to an EIGHT HOUR PLAY. Crazy, right? So after a great 5 mile run along the lake, I went back downtown for more exploring and the Chicago Art Institute! It was a HUGE museum (you could spend an entire weekend there), but I saw the main things and made my way through in a little over an hour. I am definitely a museum "walker" in that I don't stand and stare at stuff- I slowly walk through. The Impressionism rooms were great, and I saw a lot of famous paintings!

Then I ventured around the museum to a park and walked around.

Oh, and this thing called the NFL Draft was there all weekend?!

Guiliana and Bill Rancic's restaurant!

We stayed less than a mile from Wrigley Field. A game had just finished when I walked there so the streets were a mess of drunken people. It was awesome.

I ended the night with my group in a dive country western bar. It was ridiculous. And I stayed out until 4 AM! This was not my usual lifestyle, but I did it!

A $10 Polaroid from an old guy at the bar?! And me and my awesome bro!

Day 3 was a little more leisurely. I started my day off (late) with a run and then we went to brunch and explored some new areas. I tell ya, staying out late and getting up late really messes with my internal clock-> I felt "off" all weekend! Ha.

Harpo Studios!

Being silly waiting for the El after we had watched a guy modeling in the street outside a bar...

Nearby DePaul University and Lincoln Park Zoo

Just an awesome skyline!

We ended our last night at a cuban restaurant before flying out early Monday morning (the traffic at 6 AM getting to the airport was ridiculous-> we actually almost missed our flight due to that and the long security line. We had to run to the gate and boarded with less than 10 mins until pushback). But, it was an awesome weekend, and I am so glad I got to see Chicago. The food everywhere was great (especially deep dish pizza and Argo Tea-> we need to have that in Virginia)! Perhaps I can work there once I get my PhD....? :) We'll see!

Weekly Workouts (4/20- 5/3)

The temperatures lately have been PERFECT for running! I look forward to the cool morning sunrises even if it means getting up at 5:30 AM :) I am the master at going to bed at 9 PM now...talk about an exciting life!

4/20- 4/26

Monday: Rest (walk after work)

Tuesday: 40 minutes elliptical + abs

Wednesday: 4 miles @ 9:35 + weights

Thursday: 4.1 miles @ 9:20 + abs

Friday: Rest (walk at work and to dinner)

Saturday: 7 miles @ 9:04 + weights

Sunday: 45 minutes elliptical + abs

Total: 15.1 miles

4/13-4/19

Monday: 4.1 miles @ 9:12 (progression run- 9:41, 9:20, 9:05, 8:41) + weights

Tuesday: 4 miles @ 9:17 + abs (still noticing slight pain in right lower leg...)

Wednesday: 4 miles @ 9:19 + weights

Thursday: 35 minute elliptical + 3 miles teadmill + abs

Friday: REST! Travel day to Chicago:) Though I ended up getting in 21,000 steps from walking around the airport and city!

Saturday: 5 mile run (this is a guesstimate as my GPS watch died somehow during traveling but I ran for 48 minutes) + 8 miles walking + arms...I was sore! I totaled 30,000 steps!

Sunday: 3 mile run (guesstimate)

Total: 23.5 miles