Fitness Friday: What a Twist!

Thank you M. Night Shamamlana and late night cartoons for my oh so creative blog title today.

Another Fitness Friday post is here! 

What did Allison learn this week?

Slow and steady & Fast and Feisty are both necessary and productive. What?

Gross, I have to do both?

Yes.

I am finally committing to learning how to pace myself. This means I need to slow down on my long runs and give it all I got on my [race] pace and interval workouts. AND take it easy on my easy runs.

I have been sticking to this for about 3 weeks now and I have felt a noticeable difference in my pace and overall running performance (for the better, I might add). 

Your body should not get used to stagnant activity. I learned this last year and had to change up my routine enough that I can keep it guessing most of the time. This means that once in a while I take off 2-3 days in a row and then get right back into my routine to "shock" myself a little and continue to get stronger.

I hope this helps, and PLEASE share what you've got goin' on...or what you need to have goin' on.

A Rainy Fitness Friday

A plus of running in the rain? You usually can't tell what's sweat and what's rain ;)

This week I felt like a failure. My eating wasn't the best and I didn't work out that much.

Even though it felt like a disaster in the moment, when I look back I realize some positives.

The eating has no excuses. But, why beat yourself up over it? It's already in my body, I need to move on.

The lack of exercise was because of a stomach bug I was dealing with. I had a couple of good days, but I rested because I should not have been jumping around, running, etc. When your body tells you it needs rest, listen.

Fitness Friday!

What have you done this week that you want to share? Or better yet, give the rest of us some ideas! :)

Fitness Friday!

Fitness Friday!

This week I have stuck to my running schedule and even completed an 8k at 9:10 p.m. on 11-12-13...cold, but super fun and everyone was full of energy! It was also my friend's first race, so that is DEFINITELY something big to celebrate : )

Share your tips, tricks, guilty pleasures, goals, or accomplishments...

Fitness Friday!

Fitness Friday!

What am I proud of this week? Getting back into my running after a break the week following my half marathon in Cleveland. Yesterday I got out in the fall air and had an amazing 6 mile run that was very uplifting :)

What's going on in your corner? Please share! Even if it is a delicious story...like how I ate too much raw pumpkin cookie dough last night ;)

What's to Come

*Rock 'n' Roll Cleveland Half Marathon race report

*Iced Pumpkin Cookies recipe

*"Fall into Fashion" Mosaic ed.

                             *Training changes for my half marathon on November 30th

*Homemade turkey noodle and veggie soup recipe

                                                             *Fitness Friday!

Check back later today :)

Fitness Friday!

Fitness Friday!

Where free encouragement, bragging, advice, recipes, complaining, and shiny pictures come to meet.

Countdown

Here we are. Within the week of the Rock n' Roll Cleveland Half-Marathon. This will be my second half and my husband's first.

We have decided together to treat this as a fun race only. We have goals, of course, to run the whole way, a very loose time goal, and to FINISH. Jake did not train as long as he really needed to ;) So, I know it will be tough, but I promised him I would not leave him and we would cross the finish line together.

We also joked that he could ride in a wagon and eat donuts while I run. No. I mean, no thank you sweetheart.

I tapered on Monday and did a "quick" 6 miles at just under a 9 min/mile which was very encouraging. My feet felt really light the whole time which was awesome. I am planning on running an easy 4 today and maybe 3 tomorrow, but beyond that I will lighten up my leg workout this week and just do some cross-training in between; I will take Saturday off completely.

I have to be a good wife though, and say how proud I am of Jake. He knew he wouldn't have the adequate time to REALLY train for this race, but he registered anyways as support for me and a challenge to himself. Although he had ups and downs during his running he kept promising he would do the race, and well, he is. I am so thankful that he will be there with me, it is going to be a blast.

The weather is supposed to be rainy, windy, and cold. Haha, but eh, when you're not trying to PR that can be fun weather to run in (I say that now). 

We will keep you updated, send your fastest miles our way! ;) 

Free Encouragement

Look at these as many times as you need to, and then one more time.

I know I need to.

Have a strong day!

Fitness Friday!

Fitness Friday!

Please share any fitness news, goal, training, advice, recipes, or any other exciting lifestyle changes you have made :)

When to Keep Moving

As you saw, I was sick over Labor Day weekend. Not too bad, just a nasty sinus infection, but enough to keep me from running.

So, thinking I was all good to go, and feeling a bit plump, I went out for a run on Monday.

I went in the heat of the day, not so smart, and mixed with healing from the congestion I was a running mess.

I walked the first mile (an actual smart decision on my part, I'll take it!) and then began my run.

shutupandrun.net

I was so frustrated because my pace was slow and I kept having to take walking breaks. It is unnerving to have completed a half-marathon at a pace you thought your body was not capable of to then not be able to finish 3 miles without stopping. 

I was feeling angry and prideful and anxious. I kept thinking, how in the world am I going to run 13.1 miles in a month, let alone beat my old PR. Well, I threw that out the window, but for good reason. Yes, I will run/jog those miles to the best of my ability, but Jake and I made a pact to treat this as a fun run. We will run at an easy pace and just enjoy the whole experience, plus it's his first one! I can worry about my time at another race in the fall :)

Anyways...

After such a rough day on Monday, I got back out on Tuesday when the weather was beyond ideal. I was still feeling slower than I thought I should be and so I ran my first mile WAY too fast and was already somewhat fatigued (I had 6 miles set to complete). So, I made myself slow down and not stop. That's right, after those first 2 iffy miles, I was not allowing myself to take any walking breaks, unless for water.

And, that's just what I did. I resumed my normal "longer run" pace of 9:15 and it felt good. It also burned in my chest and I almost took that as needing to stop, but I knew better. I knew I could do this, I knew I had control over my breathing (as loud as it might be), and I knew I would complete my goal. 

I did not stop until I reach 5.5 miles (I had gotten over-zealous and ran the last mile sub-9/min.) so I was a little winded, but I felt good. I finished out 6.2 (10k) miles and kept it at my goal pace. I have not felt proud of pushing myself like that in a long time.

This is one of those moments, when it is good to push through. This is one of those moments when you need to mentally change your attitude and know this is possible.

I will finish that half-marathon, dang it.

Fit Friday

Fitness Friday!

As a reminder: share an accomplishment, goal, upcoming event, training, advice, Personal Record, recipe, or anything else you can think of!

Free encouragement, butt kicking, and praise are included.

What to do When You Don't Want to Run

I feel pudgy.
I ate ate/drank too much.
I didn't eat/drink enough.
My favorite running shorts aren't clean.
The dishes need washed.
I work today.
I don't work today and I want to "relax."
It's cold.
It's raining.
It's hot.
It's dry.
The trail/track is sooo busy this time of day.
My stomach hurts.
My head hurts.
Something on my body hurts, right?
It's too early.
It's too late.
I am tired.

I don't want to run.

blog.kidville.com

Oh, the list. It could go on, no?
Pretty pitiful when I type it out and am able to look at all the excuses I know I've used before to get out of a run or workout.

Now, listen, there are definitely times that running or working out should not happen. If you are sick, injured, etc. then resting is crucial. But, more often than not, many of us tend to turn itty bitty ant hills into gigantic volcanoes in order not to move.

Maybe you are reading this and think, "this girl is LAZY, she just needs to tell herself to get out there, it is for her health, no questions asked." I AGREE. But, I am not perfect. If you are one of these amazingly dedicated people, please come run with me? Kick my butt. 

And, if you are like me, well, this is too common sometimes. To be completely honest, when I graduated and my gym membership ended and it got "too warm" I suffered in my dedication to being physical...And, then I went on to wonder where 10 extra lbs. came from, huh.

So, These past 2 weeks have been my entrance back into a stronger Allison. My husband is running a half-marathon with me, encouragement enough, but on top of that I signed up for a second half in November and got a new and better gym membership along with a trusted gym buddy who is not there to talk (get it?)...

I have my work cut out for me, let me tell you. Those 10 lbs. may have gotten frisky and turned into a few more, so weird right, because I was working out and eating perfectly, ha. ;)

But, not to be a Debbie (downer)...this is a positive post. It is never too late to get back on the bandwagon. I find myself falling into the trap of, if I mess up really bad for a day or two I hate myself. This is not how it needs to go. Even yesterday I beat myself up for eating, officially, 3 desserts in one day. Sure, I ran 7 miles, but that does not mean you need to eat back all those calories...especially with sugar.

I vow I will never cut out treats and "fun food" nor Jake and I's tradition of pizza and movie Monday's. For me, that is not realistic. What is realistic is getting back into caring about my health, inside and out. I know for a fact, that personally, I feel better when I am active and my "relaxing times" feel so much more worth it when I know I am leading a healthier lifestyle.

Plus, it doesn't hurt that I burn more calories so that candy with a side of fro-yo sorta cancels out...right?

Go get em'

Happy Slowpoke

Ooooo weeeee! You know when you have an amazing and strong run/bike/swim/walk (etc.) and how that is better than encouragement? It is determination wrapped in shiny paper and tied with a big sparkly ribbon!

Okay, okay, that might be quite the description, but there is nothing like a solid workout to boost your body's determination to keep going.

Yesterday was GORGEOUS...sunny and in the low to mid 70s. I didn't even leave for my run until after 11 a.m. I really like going before lunch (when I have the day off from work) so I can come home and reward myself with a delicious and well-earned meal. 

I started off thinking I would do 4-6 miles at most since I lifted total body yesterday and was pretty stiff. My first mile was my warm-up mile at a slower pace. Like, a really slow pace. But, I was happy and just enjoying my surroundings. I then picked up my speed without really even realizing it. Isn't that a nice feeling? Pushing yourself but having it feel strong, healthy, and natural. When I got to miles 3-4 I was feeling really great and knew I could do a longer run than anticipated. I ended up running 7 miles at a 9:18 min/mile and walked another mile just because it was so pretty. People on the trail were extra sweet and that was encouraging in itself.

Once I got home I had my usual Vega Energizing shake (have fallen in love with the Choco-lot and Vanilla Almond flavors) with some fruit and a bowl of Nature's Path cereal (mmhmm, my second bowl that day; first was a small one with some protein pancakes for breakfast). Okay, FINE, I ate a third bowl at bedtime, it was small, I promise. 

This run, as silly as it may seem, gave me hope for my future running endeavors and my half-marathon coming up in October. My pace and endurance has been iffy lately and this run proved that mindset can make THE difference. 

Now, get out there! ;)

Cleveland Half Marathon Race Report 5/19

Alright, I know I am pretty darn late in posting about my half-marathon, but I hope "better late than never" works for me in this instance ;)

My FIRST (AHHH!) half-marathon took place on May 19th beginning behind the Cleveland Browns Stadium (Go Brownies!) at 7a.m. -thank goodness because the temp was perfect at that time. I had gone to the expo the night before with my husband to collect my race packet and peek around at the booths. I had a meltdown. Everyone there seemed to be in a group with family or friends. No one was too friendly (participants, not event staff-they were great). Jake was not feeling well either, poor guy, so he was only half present from his allergy fog. Therefore, I let my emotions get the best of me and I felt alone and nervous and no longer excited. I didn't want to look around, didn't want to buy a t-shirt, I just wanted to go home. Childish? Of course, but I am being honest about how I crumbled in a moment of fear. Jake let me spew it out and cry some in the car on the way to my aunt and uncle's house (we stayed there for the weekend). 

I did not pray at first, I admit. It was only later that Jake had prayed and I talked to God some for help with this panic I was experiencing. When we arrived at their house my brother was already there; he came to support me too, very neat. Seeing friendly faces and hearing their encouragement helped immensely and I decided to try harder to push these negative feelings away and enjoy this time with family. We went out for dinner- I loaded up on breakfast foods: veggie omelet, hash browns, a gorgeous and amazing pancake with just butter, and then we had to stop at Malley's Chocolates for my favorite- chocolate covered raisins; the chocolate to raisin ratio is 4:1 haha. I didn't want too eat too much chocolate the night before because sugar seems to really slow me down when I run or workout. Then we headed to Melt so the boys could get their XL fancy grilled cheese sandwiches (FYI: Jake had already eaten 3 pancakes, that's my man!)

fooddigital.com

 
We got back to the house and just relaxed, which helped with my anxiety. We played ping pong, watched some of a movie and I crashed early, before 10p.m. I took half a melatonin, which I have not taken in a long time, just to try and help myself ease into a good sleep. It took me a little while to fall asleep but when I woke up at 4:45a.m. I felt good and the adrenaline kicked in. I ate a small bowl of Original Kashi cereal, loaded up on water (the night before also) and probably went to the bathroom at least 3 times. I wore a brand new thin yellow race tee and my favorite Nike capris with my, still new to me, Brooks Ravennas. My Garmin and Ipod were charged and I was as ready as I could be. I grabbed my GU and GNU bar along with a banana just in case, but the butterflies in my stomach made my appetite pretty scarce. 

The boys dropped me off close to the stadium and I just had to walk a bit. Almost immediately I talked a little with two women running in the race and they were helpful, sweet and encouraging. SHEW! I was smiling inside and out. I went to the restroom again inside the stadium to avoid the lines outside. I met another two girls, sisters, who were also running the half. They were so great and helped ease my nerves, I was feeling better and better. Then, to top it off a women stretching next to me asked which course race I was running and if I was alone. When I answered yes she immediately asked if I wanted to walk to the start line together. She was genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was a solid runner and this was her first marathon. Her family were all out of town so she was running by herself and her sole fan was her cousin who couldn't run because of an injury. We even got a picture together and chatted till I had to move back to my 8:30min/mile pace compared with her 7:30min/mile. God blessed me so much with some amazing people and it lifted my spirits more than I could have hoped.

Then, it started. Was I intimidated? YES! People were decked out in the latest running gear, but hey, I was going to do my best. I told myself my goal was to not walk and finish under 2:20. The first 5 miles flew by with a >9 minute mile pace...and then the inevitable happened, I had to pee. Dang it. I ran off the to side and waited in line for a restroom,  adding about 3-4 minutes to my overall time. After that I tried to pace with a girl in a super cute neon tank and hope I wouldn't make myself too obvious. The course was beautiful, we ran through downtown, over the two largest bridges, through old neighborhoods, Lakeside shops, and back through downtown near Tower City. The supporters were AMAZING and made the race 10X more exciting. Two of my favorite signs? "You trained longer than Kim Kardashian was married" and "This is the worst parade ever." I giggled. I was so grateful for the volunteers handing out water and powerade and the awesome gospel choir singing at about mile 8. I tried to scarf down some GU at mile 9-10 and only got about half of it before I threw it down...odd to keep throwing trash on the street, but everyone else was doing it! ;) 

Then, there it was, mile marker 12. We started running across the old bridge leading into downtown. You can start to see Tower City, the Stadium, and the Skyline. Halfway through that stretch I saw my brother and Jake cheering me on and I threw my arms up to celebrate best I could, but I know I looked ridiculous. I began to see flags so I thought I would start my final sprint, but alas I had more distance to go than anticipated. My sprint wore me out and I ended up jogging across the finish line. But, it was no less invigorating. 

My final chip time was 2:03 and my Garmin had me at exactly 2:00. I disproved myself! What a neat thing to do, beat your doubts away and prove to yourself you can accomplish what you believed to be impossible. Did I ever think I would run 5 miles? 10 miles? 13.1 miles? Heck no, but I did and it still makes me smile like a dork. I loved watching the other runners come across the finish line and their reactions. The boys met me and between chugging chocolate milk and eating a banana I rambled on and on about great the race was. It went so far beyond my expectations. I actually had fun and enjoyed myself. I pushed my body and beat my goal while being blessed with a day that was filled with awesome people, lots of sweat, good food, and the best feeling of accomplishment. This will not be my last race and I am excited to continue to improve my stamina.

PS: I have already registered for the Rock N' Roll Cleveland Half Marathon in October :)

The weekend ended with a good burger and fries, trips to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, a fruit tart, looking at pretty houses in old West End, and getting to hang out with my husband and brother without an agenda. I encourage you to push past what you think you can do and see what you are made of. You will not only surprise yourself but you will become an encouragement to those around you.