2010 goals revisited.

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!! 

 Yikes, really, where did 2010 go?!  I hope everyone had an awesome year and are looking forward to an even better 2011! ...with the end of the year, I guess that means I need to revisit what I had planned for the year and see how well I did/did not do.

And here we go...

1. resolution one: take this thing called running more seriously. actually TRAIN for big events. don't go out and wing it. {result: um. I did a lot of winging it this year. I think the only race I was REALLY prepared for was the Atlanta 13.1 in October and it was more of a training run than a race. whoops.}
2. which leads to resolution two: run at the minimum 60 miles per month. do the 10% rule so i do not get injured.  {result: lets as a group laugh out loud at this one. i had i think 2 months over 60 miles and 2 months under 10 miles.}
3. resolution three: incorporate cross training. swim. row. kick box. take spin classes. I signed up at LA Fitness ... now I just have to use it. {result: truth be told, i did a lot more cross training at the beginning of the year and when i canceled my gym membership i started doing none. i learned that swimming is hard and i LOVE spin.}
4. resolution four: focus on pace and form to get faster. build my endurance. incorporate hill training, tempo runs, speed workouts. focus on long distances. just get faster. {result: hills: yes. tempo runs: no. speed workouts: iffy. focus on distance: iffy just get faster: ehh kinda.}
5. resolution five: do more races. focus on finding 10ks rather than 5ks. I am at a point where a 5k is fun, but it is not a challenge for me. I want to be challenged in 2010 ~ shall we call 2010 the year of 10ks?! **don't hear me wrong, I will still run them ... work toward a PR, but I want to focus on distance next year!** {result: I started out with a lot of 10ks and some 5ks, about one per month. then it got pricey so i scaled back at the end of the year. ...and so did my running.}
6. resolution six: run a half marathon (or more) and be prepared for it - rock it out! {result: total half marathons run: 3 total ready for 1.5 (Atlanta, yes. ING pretty much. Nashville, if the hills were not so killer than yes)}

 and with that my friends, we have my year in a nutshell. going into 2011 lets hope I can learn to balance work, my relationship, and running.

total miles: 387.03 for the year...

three things thursday.

last thursday of 2010. Where did the year go?! 

Random statement: I am doing REALLY bad at getting those 8 miles in... I may do 4 later tonight and then 4 tomorrow.  I really want to land on 600 but goodnight I have been mentally and physically exhausted from all my travels and work.

1. as of last week my bridal party was complete.  I have a maid of honor. A matron of honor. And 4 bridesmaids. Kyle has a best man and 3 groomsmen.  My maid of honor keeps offering to become a groomswoman to even out the sides since she likes Kyle so much... I think if we weren't such traditionalists we would let her flip to Kyle's side but yeah in reality, that won't happen.  Sorry E.

2. a week or so ago i ordered my wedding shoes. the shoes that i plan on wearing with my dress on the day i get married. don't ask me what prompted me to purchase said shoes and no i do not have a dress just yet (nor have i tried any on)... but i knew i wanted to have my shoes prior to my dress shopping and i saw these and loved them since they're just simple and they were on said for $45.00.  Sold... to the girl getting married in 400+ days.   Aren't they pretty (they're prettier in person). :o)  AND I am thinking about making my bridesmaids and maid of honor and matron of honor have matching ones... but in navy. 

3.  Kyle got me a wii for Christmas (wahoo) and I have turned into an excitable little child.  However, the wii makes me a whole new person.  In one wii session this week I tripped Kyle, pushed him twice, and kicked him in the knee.  Each time he asked me "who are you" .... then the next night I started crying because I could not make my person cycle right.  I blame the tears on exhaustion though.  Kyle is without a doubt wondering if the wii was a bad idea.  I however, l-o-v-e it and appear to be a wii master when kyle is not around, but if we're playing together i am horrible.  mulligan hates the thing and likes to jump on us while we play.  Gamestop has buy 2 used games get one free and well, I got 3 new games already.  I really want a dance game though. like really bad. 

Happy New Year!! I hope you have a happy and safe New Years! =)

...8 miles...

GOAL:

to get is 8 miles before 2010 ends ... that will put my mile ticker at 600 miles even.

that will put me at 392.53 miles for the 2010 calendar year (man I was a slacker trainer)

looks like i need to recharge the dead garmin and lace my shoes up

And... I think going with the 10% goal... I want to run 431.78 miles in 2011.

three things thursday.

thursday hello again. weekend. come faster. please.
well. i wrote this early since right now I am en route to Charlottesville VA for Kyle's best friend's wedding. I may just freeze to death and if that is the case. It has been real. =)

1. kyle and i live in an apartment. we like our apartment despite the crazy events that have happened here in the 2 years we have lived here. we just have the viewpoint that things happen when you live in apartments, you kinda sign up for it.  WELL... we want to rent a house. Our lease is up 2.24.11 and we (err... I) have been scouring the web for rental properties.  We're running into a few issues (1) all the cute houses are pretty much in the ghetto (2) all the houses are renting for WAY too much (3) houses in our price range in the areas we like that look like winners don't allow for pets. (4) when we find a house we like the realtor just drops off the face of the earth.  I don't want to be homeless and I want my dog to have backyard.
2.  I sometimes I look back at past blog posts and wonder hi. did you graduate college? do you know the differences between your there/their/they're. I understand that I am just writing a bunch of nonsense and jibberish and my brain is moving faster than my fingers but seriously, I am 26 years old with a college degree, I should know the difference. (I almost typed "no" instead of "know. oi.) The worst part about the whole lack of correct use of words is that not knowing that sort of thing (there/their/they're ... we're/were ... its/it's) is a top pet peeve of mine.  ...so for future reference, please do not judge me or think i am a moron...
3.  I do not tend to talk about my job too much. Our company has a crazy social media policy. My friend and I always joke that her infamous facebook post is what prompted said media policy but whatever. My job. I am a recruiter. It makes for some long hours, stressful times, but some awesome stories. You really have to be able to laugh at things when you're a recruiter for a staffing firm.  We have a girl who calls into our branch every week to let us know she is available and looking... and everytime she spells her last name for us and says "E as in apple" ... wait what? E = apple. No it doesn't. Not in my world and probably not in yours either.

Thanks Runners World.

After both the Disney Marathon & Marine Corps there are 6 words that i muttered after both races.  those 6 words were -- "i am never doing that again"  -- but we have all been there and said that and then we let the pain wear off and we're hunting for the next race.

i don't think i will do another full marathon anytime soon. my job just does not allow for the time that it takes to put into one. after marine corps i said that 2011 would be the year of half marathons and small local races ... a year that i would spend working on speed and endurance and hills and everything that holds me back from a GREAT marathon.

but the january 2011 runners world issue had a piece focused on great "first marathons"  ... granted it won't be my 1st but my 3rd marathon i do have a new list of races I want to do and i think one of these would be a good one for whenever i chose to conquer the 26.2 again. 

new marathons that i want to do...

• Napa Valley Marathon -- spring race
• Flying Pig Marathon -- spring race
• Ogden Marathon -- spring/early summer race -- the course looks beautiful.
• Fargo Marathon -- spring/early summer race
• Steamtown Marathon -- fall race
• Portland Marathon

lets be serious ... i probably won't do all of them.... but it is always fun to hear about other races.  ....have any of you done any of these races?! if so... what are your thoughts?!

SNOW RUNS.

i ran in the snow today. YES IT SNOWED IN ATLANTA! with the dog. just a small little 1.32 thing to try and wear the animal out so kyle could watch his redskins in peace. you know i have not run really at all since my marathon. i wanted to start back last week, but i basically lived in the office - seriously, i didn't leave till 7 pm one night. 

needless to say. i am out of shape. but on a lighter note. running in the snow is beautiful. cold. but beautiful. i am so happy i got out and did it (thanks bonnie and mike for suggesting i do it)

i also realized that if i am going to make it in this winter weather i need more nike tights. so i will be stalking the nike site waiting for the day they magically go on sale (because they will at some point) and i will buy a pair or 2.  i also need more long sleeve running shirts and nike has these cute half zip shirt/jacket things that are cute.  ...needless to say i am going to be watching the sale section A LOT once winter comes to an end.

....and on a tangent, if i am going to talk about nike. i still want a pair of nike frees. badly.

with that. i am going to go play with my pup. but snow runs. bundle up and enjoy it. because they really are gorgeous!!

What Mully Wants for Christmas

Mulligan as unhappy as I wrapped up puppy gifts for him and his cousins in Virginia.  Mulligan really is a chewer and destroys plush toys so he wants things that he will not destroy.

He REALLY wants a Double Action Chew by Nylabone for Christmas.  Evidently the thing in the middle spins and the other parts are just really hard indestructible plastic.

Actually, Mully wants ANYTHING nylabone that are from the "Non-Edible for Powerful Chewers" line. 

I think he should get the Double Action Dental Chew thing since his teeth are getting yellow...  ....but I know all he really wants from Santa is the Double Action Check pictured to the left.

…starting over… rebuilding it all …

it is time to get back on the running wagon.  i have taken over a month now to do basically anything and everything but work out and run {i have loved the dinners and drinks and hours of lifetime movies}.  i have noticed that my endurance and ability to do things like long dog walks is not where it was this time 2 months ago….

everyone is creating their 2011 race calendars. i have 3 things on mine. a 10k, ragnar, and rock and roll savannah. holla if you're a slacker. HOLLA!

so. to start my 2011 off i am going to run the polar bear run (how fitting with my foto friday lazy polar bears) on jan 22. that is 7 weeks till my next race. it is just a 5k and last year i was getting over the 5k distance… but i think it is the perfect way to ease myself back into running.

i plugged into runners world smart coach and plugged in my “want” 5k time of 30 minutes. made a training plan for 7 weeks and came up with this:

 

week	date	mon.	tues.	wed.	thurs.	fri.	sat.	sun.
1	12/6 - 12/12	rest/ xt	easy 2 miles	rest/ xt	easy run 2	XT	easy run 2	blast 900
2	12/13- 12/19	rest/ xt	easy 2 miles	rest/ xt	easy run 2	XT	easy run 3	blast 900
3	12/20- 12/26	rest/ xt	easy 2 miles	rest/ xt	east run 3	XT	easy run 4	blast 900
4	12/27- 1/2	rest/ xt	easy 2 miles	rest/ xt	easy run 3	XT	easy run 5	blast 900
5	1/3 - 1/9	rest/ xt	easy 2 miles	rest/ xt	easy run 2	XT	easy run 2	blast 900
6	1/10- 1/16	rest/ xt	easy 2 miles	rest/ xt	easy run 2	XT	easy run 3	blast 900
7	1/17- 1/23	rest/ xt	easy 2 miles	rest/ xt	easy run 3	XT	RACE DAY	blast 900

so here is my training plan… which this month will be hard with heading to Charlottesville VA for Kyle's best friend’s wedding and then going home to DC for Christmas… but I am bound and determined to get in work outs on both trips. ….plus i am going to start making blast 900 a weekly occurrence in my life.

it is kinda weird to see such low miles, but i think it is going to be more fun than anything because there will be no pressure and it will let me ease back into this running thing….  ….now i just have to remember to work out on my designated kyle/barbie gym days.

foto friday / november wrap up.

my foto friday ties into my November wrap up perfectly.  ...i went to google. clicked on images. typed in lazy. and came up with this:

how stinking cute are those critters.  i am positive i was not that cute while lounging around the apartment being lazy.

november wrap up. you know when you have those days that you just do not want to do anything... well days turned into weeks and weeks turned into a month and i found myself doing practically nothing this past month.  i ran 5.40 miles total and went to 1 Blast class.  I think I just spent November being a person again. I had dinners and happy hours with good friends,  I saw my brother and sister in law for the first time in months, I had my engagement party, I pretty much asked my whole bridal party to share my BIG day with me, and spent quality time with Kyle.  Things that I had not been able to really do while working 40+ hours per week and training for Marine Corps.  And I just enjoyed myself!

I would lie is I said I didn't enjoy being a 26 year old with a life, but I would also be a liar if I said I didn't miss the working out and running.  December will be all about finding a balance of getting in my work out sessions.  I am super crazy excited to make Blast900 a weekly thing and even more excited to have my good friend and Team in Training love Mitzi doing it with me!  I do need to plan my 2011 race calendar... when I was home for Thanksgiving the question I was asked over and over again is "what is next" and as of right now, there is nothing on the books until June!

Hope you all have a rocking weekend and had a great November and have an awesome December!