When your running shorts are too small

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Go for a run!!!!

I bought these shorts last Fall way on sale. They're a small. I thought I'd easily fit in em by the time it was shorts running weather. Well... I guess you could say they fit. But there is that teeny muffin top and I want it gone. My mediums are a little too big and make me look bigger than I am. These are gap shorts, the queen of vanity sizing, but still... I like that I'm almost a small.

Ok now Im annoyed. I actually took pictures for once and now I can't upload them. Any help? When I go to add a pic, the choose file icon isn't highlighted. I can't click it. Obviously this technology stuff is not my forte. (on iPhone, I never had trouble on PC)

The good news is that I got in all training runs this week. Thursdays are always the hardest for me. I would much rather run early in the morning but because of schedules and kids, Th after school is a short run. One thing that has helped is wearing my sports bra to work. I know it's silly but I completely plan my outfit around it. It's one way to make sure I keep the run on my mind.

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A bad race is a good experience

Sunday, March 18, 2012

My first HM was in October and I got sick the week before. Was fine by race day and had a great run, had fun and finished with a great time 1:55:02. Since then Ive logged lots of miles. Even though this has been the mildest MN winter ever, I still ran outside every week. Something I'm proud of. 8 miles has become my easy run. Its week 7 of marathon training. Everything is going well.

I write a happy uppity blog on Wednesday morning, go for that hills run I mention, almost puke during it and the am sick the rest of the week. Uh oh. Is this mental? Do I do this to myself before races? I don't know. But it's sure not a habit I want to keep up. By race morning I am dehydrated, weak, not rested and nervous.

Of course I wanted to beat that 1:55. And how could I not with all the training I'd done all winter?! I knew it was a good time. I was aiming for 1:53. I started strong. I love the energy of a race. All the runners bouncing around and all smiles. It's such a rush. So, yes, yet again, I got carried away and ran the first mile too fast. Rookie mistake! When will I stop doing that? I was able to calm myself down after the first mile marker and find my comfortable pace.

Things were going OK. I start feeling pretty tired, worn out and ready to walk and look! We're only at mile 3. Uh oh. The rest of the race was a struggle.

It was a loop race so I'm at mile 5 and the leader comes soaring past us the other way. I thought it would be demoralizing to see runners that far ahead of me, but it was such a lift. His feet weren't even hitting the ground! Cool to see. And I got chills from my surrounding runners cheering for him. Luckily right when I hit a huge hill another group of elite runners was passing us and in it was the female leader. So beautiful!

Getting to the turn around was equal parts: yes! And oh sh#t! The 1:55 pacer was not far behind me at all. I tried to pick it up. I pushed as hard as I could. I thought about what I would want to write in a spark blog. And seriously, you,my spark friends, helped me push for another mile or so. But he passed me and I almost burst into tears as I tried so hard to keep up and just couldn't. It's an awful feeling watching your goal literally pass you by.

I wallowed for a bit. I even walked,which instead of helping just made me madder at myself. It was getting really hot and humid out. I was miserable. I took 2 waters at the stops and a third to dump on my head and then also drank a powerade. I was actually wishing for winter.

Around mile 10 a guy ran by me and the back of his shirt said: Do your best. Forget the rest. If I could've caught up to him I'd have hugged him. That shirt totally changed my attitude. I started repeating it to myself. I mean, isn't that the truth?! Do your best. Forget the rest.

At the last water stop I saw the 2:00 pacer. Ahhhh! Come on,now. My re-evaluated goal was 1:59. Now im gonna miss that too??! Pacer helped me push it through the end. Unfortunately she was a little behind schedule and had to pick it up for the last mile. Again,I couldn't keep up.

I ran as hard as I possible could that last mile. Came in at 2:01:18. (chip said 2:00:32) I felt a mixture of accomplishment and a little disappointment. Luckily, my running partner was right there at the finish to say lots of nice things. She said that this humid weather made it tough for everyone. No one is used to 73 and humid for a MN March race. It was 30 last week when we ran together. As I'm bent over saying, "that sucked! Missed it by a minute!" an old man stops and says, "chin up darling. It's good to have a bad race. Makes your next one better." we all laughed, I thanked him and I immediately felt better.

I feel good today. not sore, not tired. Writing this blog has been therapeutic so thank you for reading. I've thought a lot about why I didn't easily get 1:55 like I thought I would. Yes, I've ran all winter. But I have. Ran for distance. I've become a much better endurance athlete. I've done very little speed work and I know that is what is needed to get faster.

What a great experience. It has reshaped my expectation for my marathon. It wiped a time out of my head, which is a good thing. This year is about miles. Maybe next year will be about speed.

Do your best. Forget the rest.

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Fitness dates

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The only new years resolutions made this year was with my husband. 1 creative date a month. No dinner and movie type thing. We alternate who plans. It's been super fun so far. We were going to do a hot yoga date (thanks Tammy for the idea!) but then I read about an indoor trampoline park. Apparently they're the new thing and popping up all over the country. This branch is called Skyzone. They have open jumps, dodgeball, basketball, foam pits and Skyrobics classes!

If I could figure out how to cut and paste and add links and emoticons using an iPad, this would be a. Much more exciting blog. But I'm too lazy to figure that out right now. So you'll just have to trust me, or google Skyzone and check this crazy place out! I took my kids to Toddler time so i could see it and buy tickets for a class. The kids had a blast! And so I did I! I was sweaty when we left after playing for a hour so I enjoyed a guilt free ice cream cone with the kids. Total NSV for me.

The class was awesome. Insert tons of superlatives here. It was seriously that much fun. I felt like a kid. I laughed and smiled like a kid. The whole time! And here's the best part, DH liked it even more than I did! I didn't burn the 1000 calories the website said I could. I would guess 400, maybe 500. Push ups on a trampoline are hard. Mountain climbers running up the side wall of a trampoline are super hard. Running laps around a basketball court sized floor of trampolines is ridiculously fun.

The other part of our date was buying new iPhones. This will not help my "spend less screen time" goal. But I'm super excited. We got in the car and DH says, "Siri, what's the best running app?" made me smile.

Today it's supposed to be 70. This is a big deal people! I live in MN. March is the snowiest month of the year. I know I overuse the word ridiculous. But this is ridiculous! Perfect timing for me to have a week off work. I'm going to take the kids to daycare for their nap today (and i will have minimal mom guilt about it!) ThenDH and I are going to run our favorite trail. Hills galore! We haven't run it since Sept.

Next up is picking up the kids and getting the bikes and trailer out. The "chariot" as my daughter calls it. This is about to be a great day!

If you're annoyed by my fit and fun and everything is fabulous attitude, just know that I gained a pound this week. The same one that I lost last week. Oh, and I gained it the week before that. I'm sure I'll lose it this week because I have this little thing called a HM on Saturday!

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What's going on

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I have not had as much spark time lately as I'd like. But I'm still trying to live as sparkly as possible. Here's what's going on:

Week 1 of marathon training: success!! But to be honest it wasn't that big of a deal because the long run was only 8 miles and I've been running 8 or 9 once a week all winter. I'm nervous for the 14 plus mileage and that'll be here real flippin soon. The other thing that I'm worried about is how negative I get with myself the second I have a bad run. One thing hurts or I have to slow down and I immediately go into the "you can't run a marathon! What were you thinking?!"
I know I can. And I will. I just wish I didn't have those crappy thoughts run through my head. Maybe with more experience as a runner, they'll fade. Or maybe I just need to suck it up!

Food: dear Lord, food. I have not been giving it 100% ever since I got back from CA. Nothing horrendous or anything, just little snacking and too much at dinners. The usual suspects for me. I'd love to say I was back on track today. But those 2 girl scout cookies beg to differ. But then again, I didnt eat the whole box, so maybe I am back on track?!?

And the good news is that dinner tonight was healthy and unplanned and easy and awesome. DH is a chef which has its pros and cons. I have to cook extra carefully when he's not around to balance out the calories I eat with him. I had no menu tonight so I just opened the cupboards. Couscous with some stock, no butter or salt added. Just use more liquid. Sautéed some onions and mushrooms in a very small amount of sunflower oil. Thawed frozen peas and green beans, added those. A little more stock and some raisins. Gave some to the kids and then added yellow curry powder. Seriously took 15 minutes and was super yummy! Makes me happy when I can pull something like that off.

Other fun news: I swam my first laps since July on Sunday. Loved every minute. I'm totally doing that tri. Anyone wanna give me a bike? Apparently they're expensive.

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scatterbrain Sunday

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Some of you have asked how my class is going... The first week there were 19 members, then 24 and yesterday 35. 35!!! The room was packed. And it was awesome.
We're still on cardio tabata.
1. drop, hop! hop! (I got this from last week's training. It's like a drop squat with a big jump forward and then two quick hops back. Think: low, high, high. It goes by fast)
2. mountain climbers (8 rounds of those = holy crap!)
3. oblique twists (stole this one from lovely Jillian)
4. speed straddle on a step (could be a football run on ground: out, out, in, in)

This sequence went by quickly and the member response was great. I'll be out of town next weekend and I'm bummed that I'll miss class.
I've got an idea for the week after: Timberwolves Tabata! We finally have a team in MN that we can be proud of again. Thank you Ricky Rubio! I was inspired by a sparkfriend that blogs about her tabata class. They did wall jumps like in basketball practice. I'll use those, a shuffle & hit the floor move and then I have to come up with 2 others that are b-ball-ish. Any ideas??

Change topic. I had a real crappy weigh-in last week. Looking back, it was a good wake up call for me. I've thought a lot about what I was doing last Spring. What worked. Why I wanted it bad enough. And I've gone back to that. One serving at dinner. Tea after dinner. That's it. No snacking from the kids' plates. One piece of candy from the jar at work. Not 2. Not 5.
I also need to cook more. I spent some time on ohsheglows last night and have a bunch of recipes for the week. Today I'm making Quinoa Apricot muffins and Chickpea salad wraps.

Change topic again. Here's my favorite pinterest image of the week.

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