Where's the Beach?

Happy Friday Eve! It's been one of those sleepless weeks for me. The dogs are in control basically. Heath (who is blind for those who don't know), used to be terrified of knocking down a baby gate This meant we could simply prop it into place and they would stay put in the kitchen all night. Little man has gotten brave, with the exception of storms, and started busting out of the kitchen each night. That was fine, he didn't mess with the other gate leading up the stairs ... at first. Long story short, he makes his way up nightly now and Maddie has decided she wants to follow. It took her a while to get over the idea of stepping over the fallen gate. The problem is nails on hardwood is loud, Maddie roams and roots around looking for something to get into, eat and/or destroy, they get into tiffs when she makes him move out of his bed ... and it goes on and on. So, the dogs have taken over. And I'm wiped out, especially after getting up to run on top of the lack of s...

Happy Friday friends. Don't know about you, but I was beginning to wonder if this day would make a appearance this week. It just felt like the week was dragging on forever. I don't know if part of it was getting in some early morning runs again or what. What I do know is that it's Fun For Friday ! I don't have any brilliant inspiration or even a coherent topic. It's just a random, "fun" post. We don't need anything serious today right? This showed up in the mail yesterday and it made my Thursday. It's Cathe's latest series - XTrain . I can't wait to try out the workouts and share my thoughts with everyone!  Soup has been "what's for dinner" a few times this week. So, I have some new recipes to share next week for a Creamy Tomato Soup and a Tofu Noodle Soup .  I am so very lucky to have met such a wonderful running partner and friend. We got in 10 miles before work today. Despite the freezing temps and then the fo...

Recovery & Running Plans Yesterday my plan was to do weights after work. What happened was I felt worn out and decided to do some yoga instead. I figured I could use the additional stretching if nothing else. So, more of an active recovery day for me. Today the plan is to get in a run after work with my running buddy. It's really nice being able to run in the daylight now that it's not 90+ degrees. The only downfall is that there is definitely more traffic, so lots of stopping and starting. Of course, our plan is to take it easy, so that might end up being a good thing for us after all. Thursday Things I usually don't talk a lot about products I like. There are a few things I mention like my Triggerpoint Therapy Kit or my Cathe Friedrich DVDs . But today I've actually got a few things I've been using recently and liking that I'd like to share. I think it can be fun to hear about new products. I ordered these SLS3 Compression socks via Amazon last w...

Tired Legs Tuesday morning Jason and I got up dark and early. The plan was to "pick up" my running buddy at her house around 5:55 am. It was 55 degrees when we got going, but I was almost immediately too hot in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. Sometimes I think something is wrong with me because normally I find 75 degrees a tad chilly. Anyway, we got to "A's" house around 5:50 and the 3 of us headed on down the street together. I was planning on 8 miles, but Jason was just doing a short run, so he split off from us half a mile or so later. "A" and I sort of zigzagged our way up and down the streets. My legs felt like lead - mostly my hamstrings. I had run 11 Saturday, 5 + weights Sunday then a fast 3 on Monday. And have I mentioned that "A" is fast LOL. For the most part I was able to stick with her, sometimes lagging behind a bit. But we still were able to chit chat the whole time at least. I did have to make an abrupt potty stop at ...

Slower Long Run Saturday Saturday morning I made it a point to sleep in. I made it to about 8 am. That's huge for me. It was incredibly foggy out, but not exactly cool. I had hoped to get going for the long run by 9:30 at the very latest. The plan was to drive down to the river trails for this run. We hadn't run near the river since May. Jason (oh and I love him dearly) is not so quick to get going. Ever. So we didn't end up getting started on the run until close to 10:30. That wouldn't have been an issue had it not been getting hotter and hotter....oh and humid as hell. It was about 65 degrees and heavy fog when we got started. But the humidity was literally 100%. Hello sweat factor. The plan was to make this long run a true, slow, training run. My half marathon plans always call for 10+ milers at like 9:30 or slower. I've been doing mine at more like 8:50. So the plan was 9:20. Period. Done. Let me just say that was harder than it sounds. And crazy because ...

Last night as I tripped over a pair of Jason's running shoes, it just hit me, this is a house of athletes. Not professional mind you. But athletes nonetheless. I run and lift, he runs, swims, cycles. So we have an abundance of workout related gear strewn about the house. Pretty much in every nook and cranny to be honest. So, I thought it'd be fun for Fun Facts Friday to do a "you know when..." kind of post. You know you live in a household of athletes when... You have 4 different types of aches and pains creams (such as Tiger Balm, Icy Hot, BioFreeze....) Shoes are piled up all around (and this is not even half of them)   80% of your laundry is workout clothes You have multiple workout bags You have 3 containers of KT Tape (in 3 different colors of course) Part of your book collection includes books on running, injury prevention, anatomy, triathlon training, and weight lifting You keep sweat towels in your car at all times You have a shelf in the cabine...

My #PROOF I haven't really mentioned my affiliation with FitFluential recently. And I really should because it's an amazing group of highly motivated individuals. Recently, they introduced a fantastic new idea based on "Proof," on showing what you did to kick some workout booty, to live healthier, or to motivate others. They ask the question:   What's your #PROOF ? My proof is usually a puddle of sweat, shaky muscles, or an ear-to-ear grin after a wonderful run. It's not the calories burned displaying on my Garmin, though sometimes it's the mileage (I won't lie, that's pride). My proof is usually logged in my blog daily, but I often just take that for granted since it's just what I do (if that makes sense). But today, I wanted to draw more attention to it. Feel my proof and see my proof. Today was another nice day, though warm for sure. When Jason and I set out for our 3-mile neighborhood run at 11:30, it was already 80 degrees. Thankfull...

Moving It I had sort of hoped to get in a run at lunch with Jason today. But I definitely needed to rest both my heel and piriformis. So, I hit the gym instead. Since spin is out, the cardio was pretty boring - hello elliptical. I did the elliptical for about 40 minutes then did 3 rounds of a tabata session using kettlebells and body weight. It probably didn't actually help my piriformis one bit, but I couldn't stand the elliptical for a minute longer. It was a super simple workout as I hadn't exactly written it down. I just chose 4 exercises for a circuit that was repeated twice  before a break so each circuit (with break) is 5 minutes. You do each exercise for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest before moving to the next exercise. After all 8, you rest 1 minute. Kettlebell swings Kettlebell figure 8's Alternating front lunge holding kettlebell in both hands chest level Squat thrust with pushups Kettlebell swings Kettlebell figure 8's Alternating ...

Home Style Dinner Revamped Last night dinner ended up being simple, but rather homey. It felt like the meat and two sides type of meal most of us grew up with. Only, for us it was homemade seitan cutlet with a stone-ground mustard gravy*, roasted asparagus and kabocha squash. *For the gravy, I simply took some of the leftover cooking liquid from the seitan and added in lemon zest, juice, super grainy mustard, small dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder and simmered on low until it thickened.   This is definitely not a meal I would have had growing up. It would likely have been chicken, green beans, and mashed potatoes. It was either something along those lines or a casserole. Mom was casserole queen. What did your typical dinners look like growing up? Necessary Rest Day Today was supposed to be a 3-mile run for me. After the dense fog finally lifted around noon, it would have been a gorgeous day for a run. The problem, however, is that I am in too much pain to run. There, a...

Challenging Run As always, you guys are awesome. I loved reading all of your comments yesterday . And Kristina , you do know me, I most definitely wasn't fishing for compliments or looking for an ego boost. I guess I am just curious what keeps people coming back. But I think it boils down to feeling like friends. Or I sure feel that way. Today I had my 6-mile temp run scheduled. The plan called for 1 mile warmup, 4 miles at 8:24 min/mile, 1 mile cool down. It was a gorgeous sunny day, but gusting winds. Winds + tempo run = barfy. It was hovering close to 80 degrees, but the wind definitely made it feel cooler, so that was probably the only plus for the winds. I got going and hit mile 1 at 9 minutes then picked it up. I had a vague idea of mile markers at that point because I was going a different direction on the river trail. I managed to hit miles 2 and 3 keeping more of an 8:30 pace. I was totally fine with that. What I wasn't fine with was the fact that I needed to get ...

Running How did Monday get here so quickly? I guess that's the sign of a really good weekend huh? I really wish the sun came up earlier, especially on mornings when I'm already up. Like this morning for example. Jason was going to swim, but Maddie woke us both up long before his 5am alarm. The dogs have been sleeping downstairs because of Maddie's early morning antics (basically just wanting out of the kennel so barking and banging around). This morning we heard her start in with her barking. But it was that one certain pitch that meant she wasn't just being a butthead, she needed to go out. You kind of feel bad for yelling all the way downstairs telling your dog to be quite when they're about to explode. But sometimes she's just barking because she wants water (as in toilet bowl water not the water out of the completely full water bowl) or who knows whatever crazy reason - like Heath being in "her" bed. Let's just say she can be a handful. ...

Digging Deep Oh 12 miles - you tried to beat me today, but I won...barely. It was about 70 degrees and sunny when I started my run. The humidity was up there though, so I was sweating like a fool fairly early on. But I was in a good mood, enjoying my music, enjoying the fresh air. The farther I headed in one direction, the darker it started getting. I really thought it was going to start pouring down, but would have been just peachy with that actually. The clouds were welcome today as they helped keep the temps down, which was perfect. There was a fairly steady breeze that also helped keep it cooler for the long run. I took the same route as last week, so I knew exactly where I could stop and refill my water and then take my gel before making it back by my car to again refill my water bottle. The first 9 miles were pretty good. I just sort of zoned out and zipped on along. But that's where the fun stopped. My piriformis and sciatica started to get the best of me. Mentally, I...

12-Mile Run Today started off incredibly chilly - especially compared to yesterday's mid 90's. It was about 57 degrees on my walk into the office, and windy. I had my 12-mile route all planned out with options of shorter miles if I just wasn't feeling it. I did leave work around 2:30 (worked through lunch + had work to take home) so I could get the run done before dark. I also needed to be home at a semi-decent time to finish packing for our weekend away. Going out of town to watch a football game (and visit friends) for Jason's birthday this weekend. Anyway, lots to do, but I was determined to get the run done. The temperatures were really nice. The sun was out. The only obstacle was the gusting winds. But after I had worked up a sweat, the winds felt pretty nice at times. I stopped twice to fill up my water, one bonus of the route I took. However, I used a different gel today because the store was out of my preferred brand and flavor. I forgot that this one is ...

Morning Run This morning 's run was the official start to my half marathon training. The plan called for 10 miles at a 10 minute/mile pace. I will just say this right here and now, that kind of pace feels harder to me than a 9 min/mile pace. It just feels so heavy, just harder. I understand the concept of going slow for an easy long run. But sometimes you have to do what is best for you right? (you're supposed to agree now) And as as disclaimer, there is absolutely nothing wrong if that is your normal pace. I'm by no means fast so I hope no one gets the wrong idea. Definitely not trying to put anyone down.  I got up and was planning on trying to start the run by 7:15 at the latest. I was having some tummy troubles that delayed me just a bit. So I got started at 7:35. Not a huge time difference, but when it's hot, every minute you can get in before the sun is up and blazing, the better. It was about 80 degrees when I started the run. But the humidity was low and t...

Seitan Wraps for Friday Last night we had a good time meeting up with some friends for happy hour. We just visited and caught up for a few hours. A nice way to unwind after a really long week. Normally we would have gone home and made pizza for Pizza Friday. But my sister is coming up today and has requested pizza for dinner. I can definitely forgo Pizza Friday for Pizza Saturday with Sis ;-) Instead of pizza, I had made up some Blackened Seitan before we had left for happy hour. I used that in whole-grain lavash wraps for a really tasty Blackened Seitan Wrap with baked sweet potato fries. While I do love my pizza, it was sort of a nice change. Plus, my second love is sweet potato fries. 9-Miles This morning I was up really early for a Saturday thanks to Maddie's antics. She started banging around in the kennel around 6. I finally decided to go ahead and get up at 6:20. I was planning on running anyway, and I knew I should get started sooner than later because of the tem...

Because I know you're all just so curious (lotsa sarcasm), after work yesterday I was beyond productive for a single hour. I made my Layered Black Bean and Pineapple Salsa Dip and Kalamata Hummus for a Girls' Grilling Night today. I also made pizza and washed the maniacs (aka Maddie and Heath). This morning I got up and out the door for my run. I really had hoped to get out closer to 7:30, but it's Saturday right? So, I hit the river trail at 8:15 for a super hot (it was already 82 degrees), super sweaty 7+ mile run. I am really happy with the mileage as it's the longest I've run in about 3 months. Overall, it was really a good run despite the heat and humidity. I was actually really thankful for the gusting wind that helped cool me down a bit. I was even more excited when I saw sprinklers going at one section of the route. Oh yes, totally veered off course to run through them. I did remember to take in a Gu at 40 minutes into the run and that really helped a...

Early Morning Run I had really hoped to go for a run with my friend, Thad, this morning. If I plan on running at all, I'm going to have to really get focused on getting up and out by 5:30. He wasn't really up for a run though, which I totally understand. I don't want someone to feel like they have to run with me of course. Since it's not completely light by 5:30, I am a bit leery of going to the river trails alone. It's pretty empty at that time of the morning. I thought today may end up being either a rest day or maybe a leg day. However, I found myself up and awake at 5:30, so I did something I haven't done since the fall - I ran in my neighborhood. After my IT band injury, I stopped running in the neighborhood because of the severely cambered roads. And of course, once I got going, I remember all this. It wasn't the best run for me, but I really enjoyed watching the world wake up around me. It's just so peaceful at that time (too bad I'm not ...

Running, Reading & Relaxing  This morning was my last treadmill run (hopefully for a while). I did 4 miles all while watching the Food Network. This is the most tv I think I've watched in weeks combined. After running, I stretched and rolled on my Triggerpoint Kit (pretty standard). Again, we packed up lunch and snacks and head down to the beach. We were lucky enough to stake out our prime real estate spot again today. We got down there around 10:30 and stayed until 4. I can't say it was terribly exciting, but it was super relaxing. I did re-wear my pink suit today I finished my 2nd beach book - Jane Green's Dune Road . It was definitely much more lighthearted than Alice Sebold's The Almost Moon . Of course, that's the perfect kind of read for the beach if you ask me. Balcony Time with Friends We got cleaned up and started trying to get most of our things packed. Our friends did come over for a visit though. We had hoped to get in some beach time wit...

Running So, consensus is that everyone likes me in pink huh??? What's so funny is that I bought that suit from Victoria's Secret at the end of last summer on clearance. I had thought it was a more subtle color and was totally shocked when I tore into the package. Holy shockingly pink! But I ended up falling in love with it. It's soooo not "me". And maybe that's what I like about it? Anyway, This morning I opted for an indoor, treadmill run with the Food Network to keep me company. I did 3 miles then 4 x 1:00 athletic intervals. I went ahead and stuck it out to round out the mileage to 5. Seriously, watching TV makes a world of difference when running the treadmill. I got back up to the condo and rolled out on my Triggerpoint kit and stretch. Definitely feeling super tight after running three days in a row. That's something I haven't done in a very long time. I try to space it out. But, here, on vacation, I am really down to either running or doin...