june you were so steamy. monthly recap.

june = summer… so summer kicked itself into high gear and it brought it’s friend humidity with it. nights were just as hot and some mornings were cool but most were humid and gross. really, did we even get a spring?!   i am just hoping that since summer came so fast it will go away earlier too.  *one can hope right?!*  i have been hitting the treadmill a lot more than the pavement because i cannot run in this heat and i am slowly getting back in a treadmill grove, but i would KILL to run outside and not want to die due to the heat and heavy air.

now. lets get down to the nitty gritty…  31.47 miles run total – a total improvement from my May (and April) miles – but i will give all that credit to Marine Corps training – but i didn’t hit it as hard as i wanted to. of course i had my normal tuesday night spin classes and saturday afternoon swims with some time spent on the elliptical in the mix. i didn’t get in as many spin classes as i wanted to because the friggin 5:30 spin class fills up at 5:05 and I have to leave work at 4:30 just to get a bike. ludicrous. just ludicrous i tell you.  i have noticed that since i am staying active my endurance is building. not getting faster, but i am able to run longer without getting tired. baby steps. :o)  …i need to remember that i am training for a MARATHON & HALF MARATHON and need to push the happy hours and dinners with friends to the side and run… but oh how i love good nights and good conversations with good friends.  ….my goal for july is a 40+ mile month.

my new coworker who i love and adore has been talking about us doing hot yoga. i don’t know. i don’t like to sweat. she swears it is a killer work out. if/when we do it… i will report back. …a little scared but a lot of you runner kids do it and love it. thoughts? i am thinking it may be a good stretch out for pre-long run weekends but i am also super uneducated about hot yoga.

i did not run any local races which was a first this year, but there was nothing that i thought would be super beneficial to my training. {even though runners world mentioned that you can take 5ks to focus on form and foot turnover… blah blah i chose to save my $20 race fee and run solo}

i made the official switch to loving lululemon over nike tempo shorts this month. SO MUCH BETTER. i cannot make an official official switch since i have 4 pairs of lululemons and like 25 pairs of nike tempo shorts but it is so nice to not have shorts that side up when you run (but i am not so sure they breathe as well though… the verdict is still out on that one). and it isn’t a full switch because their tanks suck, but their shorts i love the,. so christmas, birthdays, just because gifts… i welcome lululemon shorts with open arms and I will never buy another pair of tempo shorts (unless the colors are super cute)!! …i just gotta remember to bodyglide my fat thighs so they don’t rub together.

Natalie from Wigwam (my favorite socks EVER) stumbled across my blog somehow and reached out to me to say thanks for loving their product. (No, thank you for making such an awesome sock!) ….but she asked for my address to send me a few pairs of socks to train in. I am super pumped about that and plan on running in them and then reviewing them. …STAY TUNED…

ALSO -- i discovered compression socks this month too. pricey but worth it. and if you go to www.recoverysocks.com you can use the coupon code JHclient and get 15% off your order. i am actually really pumped about these for the half i am running in September because i wont have time to take an ice bath after the race since i am heading back to atlanta right after… it will be postponed until i get home.

5 running songs on total replay on my iPod…

1. “until you were gone” –chipmonk ft. esmee denters
2. “all night long” –alexandra burke ft. pitbull
3. “the instrumental” lupe fiasco
4. “somebody to love” –justin bieber ft. usher
5. “Lean’n” –Top Floor

so i am gonna stop and wrap this up because this was just a bunch of blabber – potpourri of topics if you will. where in the world is the year going?!  is the peachtree road race really here basically?! man did that creep up!! yikes, I am not ready for that big ol hill going up peachtree.  if you’re gonna be spectating – looking out for # 23818 <--- that’s ME!!  I am in wave F – starting at 7:55 AM! :o)  This is so exciting!!

how was your june?! 

ps. congrats to all my favorite bloggers who joined the marathon club and ran their first half marathons!!  I am so proud of all of you!

hey it’s friday! that means there is a sock winner!

it has been a hella long week. i woke up thursday and asked myself “why is your alarm going off it’s saturday” and then my mind said “no not saturday, it’s friday” … in the shower i realized it was thursday. image my disappointment. doh.  but, today is FRIDAY!

not too much going on in my world (killer spin class tuesday killed me, literally) and i was supposed to experience my first ever hot yoga today, but due to a bogusly busy day i couldn’t pry myself from the office – but i went for a 3.49 mile run instead.  ANYWAY. i promised a pair of my favorite socks to anyone that was interested and i am true to my word so the winner is number 5 who is Paige from two runners and a brown dog!  Yay Paige and your brown dog!!!! :o) 

Paige! send me your shoe size and address to barbara.a.vines@gmail.com and I will get those bad boys out to you ASAP.

also – if you’re a compression sock fan if you go to www.recoverysock.com and utilize coupon code “JHClient” you will get 15% off your purchase.  Just a little FYI!

Sorry I have been such a crappy blogger there just hasn’t been too much going on in my life other than work, run, walk the dog, sleep, play with the dog, more work, swim, and spin,

Happy weekend everyone.

birthday wish list.

my quarter life crisis is ending soon – not that I really had a quarter life crisis, but i still like to use that phrase. i will be 26 on june 1… 4 years closer to 30, then 10 years closer to 40 … why can’t I be Peter Pan?!   I have decided to let all my blogger friends what I want for my birthday.  And yes, if you want to buy me anything I will provide my address – just do not stalk me and show up at my front door unannounced.  Thanks!

1. I really want a pair of recovery socks.  I see people sporting them all the time post race and I have heard they do wonders.  I have even heard of people running in them, but I feel like my poor legs would get too hot too fast, so I would love to have them in the after race packed bag.  And yes,  I do want Pink.  Duh.
2. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my foam roller. Literally, I use it for every ache and pain – running & non running related.  I probably love it more than my stick and I would love to upgrade to The Grid.  When I was asking around about foam rollers vs. the stick – foam rollers won hands down & 7 out of 10 (I am not sure that stat is legit, it just sounded cool) people recommended The Grid.  Yes, I love my $14.50 Gold’s Gym foam roller from Walmart (my dog thinks it is a toy and likes to protect me from the rolling action by sitting on my legs) but I think I would love the “beat me up” grooves of The Grid.
3. A new pair (err… more pairs) of running shoes (brooks ravenna) size 10 please (yes. i have huge feet).  BUT, they have to be the awesome blue, silver, and lime color.  I know you’re not supposed to pick your running shoe based on color and I am not – it is just that rumor has it this color scheme is being discontinued this month and if I can stock up, it would be great.  If not, I will still run in them in the new colors.
4. Socks to run in! I swear by Wigwam Ironman Pro socks but at $12.00 a pair I do not have nearly enough.  I did have enough when my boyfriend did laundry EVERY Sunday but now it is touch and go.  These socks have the perfect amount of padding on the heels and toes, breathe just right, and I have never ever blistered in these bad boys.  Oh yeah, size medium.
5. Nike Tempo Shorts. Medium. Any color. These are the only shorts I wear when I run (with the exception of the 2 pairs of Under Armor shorts I bought before discovering Tempo Shorts).  I actually wear these just about anywhere I can – the office?  I would if I could!!
6. While we are talking about running attire, I really want these Lululemon shorts (in every color, including the black and white plaid) with a matchy matchy Lululemon tank.  Honestly, a gift card to Lululemon would go a long way since I love that store, but refuse to buy full running outfits due to money.
7. I really need a new pair of headphones for my runs.  My iPod buds work well, but if/when one falls out or I have to take it out to give directions I can never get it back in right.  After reading many blog reviews I want a pair of Yurbuds.  Evidently they stay in your ears and you also do not have to play your music as loudly because, well I do not know why, but that is what I have heard. 
8. Treadmill reading material.  Runners World is my normal long car ride reads and recently I have discovered Women’s Running which I am falling in love with too.  I would love subscriptions to both.

Happy Birthday to Me super super soon!   I will be home in the DC Area for the big day and I have high hopes of running part of the Marine Corps Marathon course.

What is on your runners wish list?!