Greenboro Work Trip.

Whenever I travel I always BRING my work out clothes and if I get a work out in... that is impressive.  But I made a point to try and get a run in.
We got to Greensboro early evening Sunday night and after dinner at Mellow Mushroom and a beer, we headed back to the hotel to call it a night.  I got the "brilliant" idea to hit the treadmill before bed.  Totally forgetting what I had had for dinner oh 40 minutes earlier.  It made for a semi uncomfortable run and after about 2.5 miles I called it quits. 
I really wish that it wasn't so cold (or that I had brought better outdoor running gear) and that it was not dark so early because I would have loved to run Downtown Greensboro where we were staying.  But to run it in the dark... not so much.

The working out on this trip was less than impressive, I blame the fact that I had a travel buddy - but I am going to make my trip to Florida and St. Louis more exercise-ish.

Blast900 -- review number two.

I know I reviewed Blast900 a few months back.  But I feel like I did not give it justice.  I had gone once and took to my blog talking about it.  By no means am I an expert or a pro at it -- in fact I still struggle every single time I go -- but I feel like I can give it a better "review" now that I have gone 4 or 5 times.

I thought by showing a video you may get a MUCH better understanding of what goes on at Blast900.  It is not an easy hour long workout and it really is for people who want to be pushed and want to work.  But if you stop reading here I will let you know that I 100% recommend it.

Blast can and will seriously kick your butt.  The nice thing about it is you work 100% at your own pace but with a push.  When on the treadmill you work at a runner, jogger, or walker pace and me ... yeah I start as a jogger and then rotate between walker and jogger ... but when "walking" ... it is not a stroll in the park it's a power, must get to the sale at the mall walk.  The ultimate goal - to burn the 900 calories, but I highly doubt I have ever actually burned 900 calories.  You rotate between the treadmill (running, sprints, crazy steep hills) and the floor (core work, arms, back, weights, bands, balls, if it can torture you - they have it) -- it is killer fast interval work.  Each class is 1 hour and each "block" is a certain length of time.  Most recently for me it has been 5 minute blocks (5 minutes on the treadmill, 5 on floor, 5 on treadmill, 5 on floor ... got it?) but there have been 10 minute blocks and shorter than 5 minutes.  Last night... we did 1 minute on the treadmill, 1 minute of work around the treadmill... 1 minute back on 1 minute off (hello pain).  

Each time I go I ask myself why I keep doing this to myself.  I have never sweat so much when working out.  But I keep going back because I know that I get an amazing workout there whether I burn the 900 calories or not.  What I really like about it is that the instructors (as tough as they are) don't really call you out for slacking - they gently nudge you to say I see you and there is something about their way of saying it or looking at you that you feel like you're letting your parents down so you up your speed or you don't hold onto the treadmill for dear life (even if you stop holding on for just 5 seconds HA!).  The people who teach the classes are just positive and peppy and there is something about the music that drowns you out. 

Every week and workout is different so I never know what pain I am stepping into, but that is kinda nice.  I am REALLY hoping that this tones me for my wedding and gets me faster and stronger for my running.  I never know exactly how many miles I run each time I am there so I guess around 2.5 since my treadmill always says 4+ .... but since we keep them running when we're on the floor I never really know.  But I know the sprints (which I'd like to thank Richard for giving me the confidence to actually SPRINT) and the crazy hills will get me stronger and hopefully faster.  I will report back after my half marathon in October!

The first class is always free so if you're in Atlanta and have not yet tried it out or if you are passing through for business and want something new -- they have locations in both Buckhead and Dunwoody.  Tim Tebow even did Blast when he was in town a few months back.  And... of course let them know that I referred you and report back on how you like it! :o)

three truths.

1. I am WAY out of shape.  my 2.53 mile run today was ROUGH.  I must get a work life balance and I must get running into my life again.  The loop I ran I can normally run it 2,3 times easily... today 1 was a challenge.
2. I think I do not like the Nike Frees.  I know they're not supposed to have a lot of padding because they're supposed to be like running barefoot, but they hurt my right arch. 
3. Running on the treadmill makes you think you can run more than you can.  Add the random elevation changes and sudden gusts of wind and man it is a whole different running experience.  I think I re-realize this each time the winter starts to fade.

Polar Bear 5K Run - I bailed.

So a few weeks back I signed up to run my first 5k (and first organized race of 2011) of the year.  I chose the Polar Bear Run in Marietta for 2 main reasons. (1) I wanted to see how far I had fallen as a runner after pretty much sitting on my butt since October and (2) I really want to work on my 5K this year so I needed a 2011 starting time.


For week I had planned to not set out to set a PR at this race.  I just knew that I wanted to run it in at least 35 minutes (which is 2 minutes slower than my 5K PR) and I wanted to give my nike free running shoes a race trial especially since i was kind of on the fence about them.

Well, my alarm went off at 6:30 AM on Saturday and I hit snooze. And then I hit snooze again and again and again.  I did not get out of bed and I did not run.  My body was just too tired from this past week and bowling on Friday night that it kept saying "do not do it" --- normally I can just muster through, get up, wake up, and go, but Saturday morning it was SO different.

BUT! I told myself that I was going to not let sleeping in and being a lazy bum hold me back from running 3.1 and today I ran my own little 5k on the treadmill so I could figure out how far I had fallen and figure out my 5k time and my nike frees.

Well.  I ran 3.1 in 35:25 (average pace of 11:25) which is 2 minutes slower than my PR so I guess I did not do too bad.  I felt pretty good the whole run (minus the treadmill shocking me every time I touched it) but I definitely could not go much farther than 3.1 which means I have a lot of work to do over the next few months for Ragnar in June.  But I did remember how much I miss just running and listening to the music.

The nike frees -- I just cannot decide.  I can feel my legs getting stronger but I just do not think they give my feet the support they need (or are used to). 

Workout Stolen from Runners World.

Forgive me for putting this on my blog (err.... maybe you may find it useful), but I am in the middle of purging my apartment of all the clutter since Kyle and I are moving into a house next month and let me tell you ... I am a pack rat.  The things I am stumbling across make you cock your head to the side and ask "why do i have this?!" YIKES. 

I want this for (I don't really know why) and I am sure Kyle does not want to pack pulled out magazines pages so I am typing up key points of treadmill running workout tips from Runners World.  Granted - I have not done any of these yet ... but I do plan on it since they're made for beginners and my lazy butt is a beginner again!  AND I want a point of reference.

Pace Boosting
warm up for 6 minutes by alternating 30 seconds jogging & walking.  Increase speed - walk 30 seconds run 30 seconds. Continue the 30/30 ratio. Increase speed with each run segment

Fast workouts
Jog 3 minutes. Increase speed, run for 2 minutes. Walk 30 seconds. Repeat, increase run part to 3 minutes. Walk 30 seconds. Repeat....

Distance Run
increase speed till running comfortably. run 2 minutes, walk 1. Repeat 2:1 ratio 3 times. then bump up the ratio to 3:1 repeat 3 times. end run with 2 more 2:1 segments and then 1:1

Hills
gradually increase speed until you're at an easy run pace. run for 3 minutes. raise incline to 2% for 1 minute then to 4% for 1 minute. Lower incline and rest for 1 minute then raise to 4% and run for 2 minutes. alternate running 2 minutes at an incline with 1 minute on the flat for as long as you can.


....and as i typed these up i think i should totally incorporate them into my workouts once the snow goes away and i get out of the apartment to run on the treadmill .... maybe tomorrow

i want a treadmill - but not really.

i decided i totally want a treadmill for my apartment. i am not actually going to get one because (a) i want a new car and that $1,000 would be better suited in a saving account for when i choose to purchase an automobile that isn't ghetto and does not have a tail light that falls every summer. (b) because i live on the 2nd floor of an apartment complex & i am pretty sure the people below me would get us evicted from the constant pounding. (c) i live in an apartment... where in hells bells would i put it. (d) i have a menacing dog who won't even let me do sit ups without biting at my toes and kyle cannot do push ups without being hopped on. do i really think he will let me run 4 miles in peace?! and (e) it's a great idea in theory, but i am sure i would use it just as often as i use my balance ball, which is just about never. sure, i would use it in the summer and on rainy days and bitterly cold winter days, but really, how much would I really use it.

but how nice would it be to be able to just run while watching hours of trashy reality television like the real housewives of (enter city name here) or chelsea lately. i would run every time i want to punch kyle square in the teeth too. but let's be realistic, i am 26 and i cannot afford a piece or machinery to run on so i will continue paying LA Fitness $29.99 to get my run on in this hot summer heat.

that was my random thought that i thought of while walking my dog last night.

big peach 5k race.ARPRIL is gone

I decided at the last minute (on 4.24) that I wanted to run the Big Peach 5k. My reasoning: I could ride the Marta to the start – run 3.1 and then run myself home. I have been needing to get in the miles in preparation for Marine Corp and with Big Peach being about 3 or so miles from my apartment, I said WHY NOT! Plus. it benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma society and if a race is attached to that organization 9 times out of 10 I am in. I did not know anything about the race so I checked out the course map and realized that it was roads that I run every now and then while taking breaks from work so other than the hill heading up Roxboro I thought it should be a fairly easy race… then this past Monday I ran the course backwards and realized it may be a little bit harder than I initially thought so I kinda went into the race siked out which is never a good thing. Then for the past 3 or so days I have been all out of sorts, body rejecting food, crazy tired, achy legs even though all I do is climb stairs and look for my lost car in the parking garage ….. On top of all that, Erin and I went out for a much needed happy hour/dinner so after margaritas and tacos I was not quite sure if I was even going to make it to the starting line & I thought that even if I skipped it my race entry went to an amazing cause. Before going to bed I checked the weather and there was like a 30% chance of thunderstorms (with lightening) from 6am – 11 am (prime racing hours) so I turned on “Lovely Bones”, set my alarm, and said lets play this by ear…. and if I do not run I WILL get 6 miles in this weekend at some point – whether is was pavement or treadmill.

SO. Race Day: I flaked out and stayed in bed and slept some much needed zzz’s. I took the dog on 2 long walks to make up for it and Sunday I had this great big plan to hit LA Fitness and knock out 6 miles on the treadmill and call it a day. Well, the treadmills decided to be difficult and 2.42 miles later I was calling it a day. Long story short it is common knowledge that I would rather hit the pavement than step onto a treadmill. But with this heat (84 degrees feels like 95) and the humidity, I had to take it inside. Well I was flying high, I got into a groove on the dreadmill, was rocking and rolling and them bam I read “belt stopping” at .83 miles. WTF?! So I started it back up again… same thing but at .26 miles the belt stopped. So, I moved 1 machine over and could not get back in the groove. I was hot, sweaty, annoyed, and then BAM at 1.33 miles – belt stops. I decided to call it quits and just head home. THAT IS WHY I LIKE RUNNING OUTSIDE THERE IS NOTHING TO STOP ME .83 miles in or .26 or 1.33

April is OVER! Thank God. Where in the world is 2010 going?! April was a fairly unproductive month for me in regards to running, work has been so busy and I fear with my new role it is only going to be busier so it will be a true test of learning to balance life.  I even titled this entry “big peach 5k race.march is over” to start with and started this paragraph saying “march is over” – that is how fried my brain is and has been.  I need a vacation. I ran 26.47 miles which is much less than my 50 some last month and my 50+ goal for the month. Why do I always seem to have low miles the month after a BIG race. I did not hit my 50 mile mark, but for me to get as high as I did, I am surprised. I did a 5k (and PR’d). I got a rocking free sample of Body Glide (remember, you can win a free stick). The pollen was (and still is) outrageous and makes it really hard to breathe. For the most part I slaved in the office, spent a lot of quality time with my dog and kyle, and just tried to enjoy life.

Here is hoping April is full of miles and I am really stoked about a friendship that was so unlikely but is becoming awesome with one of my fellow Nike Team in Training Gals. We’re talking about treking to Nashville together in September to run The Women’s Half as training for Marine Corp for me and her first full at the Nike Women’s Marathon! I love friendships that come out of no where!!!

Don’t forget about my FREE Bodyglide giveaway.

The gym.

I have this love hate relationship with the gym. Some days I hate it and want to cancel my membership, other days I think to myself that I have a REALLY good set up since I pay close to nothing and the gym is a great resource for rainy days. I just hate that there are things I want to do at the gym that I can't or that I have to wait for and I feel like if I am paying for something I should be able to use it.

Take spin class. The 5:30 class fills up at 4:45. I do not even get out of the office till 5 and then to get to the gym and through the doors it is like 5:15. If I want to cycle my butt off to loud pumping music, I should be able to. I know they're popular as hell but really? How can they be THAT popular.

Swimming. The pool has water aerobics most night at 5:30 so I cannot swim and them other night you're sharing a lap lane with one to two other people. Talk about a cluster of chaos. There are legs and arms flailing every where... someone is going to lose an eye. (Or is that what goggles are REALLY for?)

And please for the love of God do not get me started on treadmills and ellipticals. A wait is like a given. And then there is a 30 minute time limit. Oh great, I can barely run 3 miles... that helps my training SO much. And it goes back to the fact that I am paying to use that dreadmill and it I want to run for 60 minutes not 30 I should be able to.

Sure, yes, I do go to the gym right after work. But I know that if I go home, make dinner, get settled on that wonderful couch of mine it is a lost cause. I have to knock it out right after work or it just is not happening. I do go at the peak time, but still. It is 100% absurd. It is always going to be love hate, love hate, till I finally break and cancel. I just know it.

Rain Rain Go Away...

I have about 3 weeks till my race. 3 weeks children. 3 weeks. And all last week it rained. And all this week it is going to rain. And when I say "rained/rain" I do not mean the little drizzle that is relaxing and okay to run in... I mean downpour... your windshield wipers are on the fastest setting kind of rain. CNN, Fox News, Good Morning America ... they're all talking about the rain in the south and the floods in Atlanta. ...Speaking of floods my area actually has 3 flash flood warnings going on right now. My office actually flooded over the weekend. There was like a mud slide in the Stone Mountain area. Schools were closed there has been so much rain. So this raises the question... how do you train for a half marathon when it is pouring outside?!

I am supposed to have a 10k this weekend but I wonder if it is even going to happen. Heck or if it is worth waking up for. They can have my race sign up fee (it goes to a great cause) and keep their tech shirt. I don't want to catch a cold.

I hate the treadmill but it is the only way. And what makes matters worse is that my apartment complex is so freaking ghetto the machines are broken and they're too cheap to either (a) get them fixed or (b) replace them!!! And on top of the 1 treadmill available the gym is so small that when it rains it gets hot and humid. I ran for 8 minutes last week on it and it looked like I had just jumped in the pool. As much as I do not want to do it I am going to have to suck it up. Prop the door open with a dumbbell, get the air flow going, and just run.

My race is on the 18th of October and I feel like I can so totally knock it out but I want know know that I can so totally knock it out. And this Atlanta weather is killing me and my motivation to do anything.

Doh.

I have not run since Monday. Monday folks. Monday. I blame it on sheer lazy legs. Not even my body saying rest up... just my lazy legs not wanting to do anything. But. I check my mail today and low and behold my number for my 1st ever 10k is chilling in a big white envelope. My mind starts racing and thinking 10k... 9 days away... 10k. oi. so I decided to run this evening. I wanted to do a little low key little "fun on the treadmill" if you will. (I call it "fun on the treadmill" because Fitness this month has a 30 minute 'blaster' workout that I was dying to try... when I do try it, I will report on it and outline it *stay posted*) ...don't get too amped people... leave it to my boyfriend to burst the "I actually want to run bubble". Washington Redskins on TV in Atlanta = me having to watch Disney channel's Wizards of Waverly Place and watching the dog. However, I did take Mulligan outside and we did some speedwork. By speedwork I mean him and I running the road infront of my apartment complex and by running I mean sprinting and I was sprinting because of the 70+ pound rotty/pitbull mix dragging me down Miller Dr.

This all kind of goes back to me saying I really wish I had his support 110%.

Total bummer because trust me I have not found the "love of running" just yet and if I want to lace up my shoes and run it's a pretty big deal. Oh well... I guess I am saving up the energy to go run around Stone Mountain tomorrow morning.