Running Wild: Weekly Wrap-up

Total Miles Run: 18  miles

Monday: Strength Training

I worked out with my trainer at the gym and had so.much.fun. After the warm-up we started with learning to kick up in to a handstand against a wall. I had never done that before and wasn't quite able to kick all the way up to the wall without help, but I *think* it was my nerves. It's scary to kick up in to a handstand! But after I got up I was able to hold it for a few seconds. I am looking forward to trying these a few more times.

After that we did pike push-ups (feet up on a plyo box, butt in the air, push-ups with upper body basically vertical). Those were hard.

Then it was time to move in to the weight room to learn how to do deadlifts. I practiced with an unweighted 45# bar and then I moved on to adding 50#, so 95# total. I did 4 sets of 8 deadlifts, each superset w/ 8 pull-ups. I used a band for the pull-ups (and still needed a boost from my trainer after the 4th pull-up), but I did it! It was very, very, very hard. One of those workouts where I am not quite sure if my trainer is insane or not. She seems to know exactly what my limit is. 

I'm going to buy a pull-up band to use on my own at the gym. I want to get strong enough to do a pull-up on my own, dammit! 

How to use a band for an assisted pull-up.

Tuesday: 4.5 miles run

This was a good run, if not a little warm!

Wednesday: Strength Training

I didn't have a lot of time on this morning, so I decided to pack in a few harder moves in a short workout. Started out with warm-up, then:
*3 sets of 8 inverted rows superset w/ 3 sets of 8 push-ups
*1 set of 8 2-handed pistol squats
*2 sets of 4 1-handed pistol squats
*4 sets of 8 back squats, each set w/ 45#, 55#, 65# and then 75# barbell. By FAR a back squat PR!
*3 sets of 6 hanging knee raises

Thursday: 4.5 miles run

I find that on a lot of my runs I feel good for the first half, then really exhausted the third quarter, then by the last quarter I have just enough steam to finish up. This was exactly the case for this run. It probably didn't help that the sun started blazing at about my half way point, after staying nice and hidden behind the clouds for the first half.

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Strength Training

I find it really hard to pre-plan workouts at the gym if I know they will involve using the squat rack. It is often what I want to use, but is also the thing in the weight room that is most often occupied! Doesn't help there is only one. So, this was yet another workout on the fly. I tried to pay special attention to not over use my legs, as long run day is Sunday.

Warm-up, then:
*3 sets of 8 inverted rows superset w/ push-ups (on the ground! I usually use the bar to do these a little higher which makes them easier.)
*8 back squats w/ 45# bar
*8 back squats w/ 65# bar
*2 sets of 5 back squats w/ 95# bar
*4 sets of 8 bent-over rows w/ 45# bar
*1 set of 8 snatches w/ 15# dumbbell
*2 sets of 8 snatches w/ 25# dumbbell
*3 sets of 8 torso twists at 22.5# on cable machine
*3 sets of 10 roll-out planks

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This video teaches how to do a dumbbell snatch squat, which is a little different 

from what I did (I did this move w/o the squat). I want to try it this way next time!

Sunday: 8.7 miles

I ran with Michael for this run, it was fantastic! 

Long Run and Kids Yoga

On Sunday morning I did the longest run I have done since last July. In July I think the run was about 12 miles and the last half were with pretty excruciating knee pain. I didn't know at the time it was my IT band that was causing me so much knee pain, but I soon figured it out.

This morning the plan was to do 7.5-8 miles with my friend Michael. I was tired of the spectacular Puget Sound views from my own 'hood (I know, I know, a lame thing to complain about!) so I met Michael up in his 'hood and he took me on a very hilly route. We ended up going a bit long, finishing with 8.7 miles. 

There were many awesome things about this run, but two highlights are: 

*no knee pain at all

*only a little bit a of a tight hamstring

I also dominated the hills, they honestly didn't even affect me. The only thing I think I can attribute this to is all of my strength training, especially those back squats! It makes me think I might be more ready than I thought for the Seattle Rock-n-Roll hills, even though I haven't been training on hills at all. 

Elevation profile of our run. Usually my runs vary, literally, about 10 feet. If that. 

My favorite moment of the run was charging up that hill at mile 6 and passing a yard with a little boy, maybe 2-3 years old, and his dad. When the boy saw us he started shouting "Look at my digger! Look at my digger!" and jumping around. He had a remote controlled digger, which, if I know young boys at all, might just be the coolest toy a little boy could ever have. 

When I came home it was time shove every food  I could find in my mouth, appease my 6 year old with a game of Fibber (hate that game!) and then lay down on the couch while she did yoga. She didn't want to do the only yoga DVD we have, so I looked on YouTube for her and found a cool yoga series called Cosmic Kids Yoga. They aren't fancy, but the woman who does the yoga takes kids on an adventure through the 11 or so minute episode. The first one Eloise did they went under the sea and met mermaids and opened a treasure chest. 

This is the second one Eloise did, about Enzo the bee:

These would be fun videos for kids as young as 3, I think. 

Have you discovered any fun yoga videos for kids online? 

I might need more videos to keep my kids occupied as my runs get longer, ha! 

A Few Little Things

Last weekend my husband, the girls and I ran walked in The Color Run. It was fun, and better organized than last year. It's so darn expensive, but it's a fun active family activity, especially for Mother's Day (it's been held on Mother's Day the past two years in Seattle). We followed it up with a trip to Top Pot Donuts, which I may or may not have looked forward to doing just as much as the run. Maple frosted old-fashioned. Mmmm.

My girls all colorific.

Iris rinsing off in the fountain.

Some new highlights, courtesy of The Color Run.

Have I talked much about my new haircut? I have been going back and forth on it, but I think I finally decided that I like it. It looks the best the day after I've washed it. I am seriously in to the "bed head" look, so anything that isn't too done up is a-okay with me. I like how it looks in this picture, though. Orange streak and all! Maybe I should bring this photo to my stylist and have her re-create it? Ha ha.

I hung up this picture last weekend. It's a charcoal/watercolor picture my oldest daughter did in kindergarten. She's finishing third grade now. As you can probably tell, I am extremely prompt. To my credit, I also hung a pastel drawing my younger daughter did just last year. This is a funny photo, though. I chose this instagram filter because it kept the colors of the artwork relatively true, but in the process it completely changed our wall color. The wall is a sort of sage-y green. It does look nice with the art, I think. I also hung two photographs from our Hawaii trip two years ago. 

Oh! Speaking of hair, Eloise asked me to straighten her hair with the flat iron a couple of weeks ago. She loved it, but it looked pretty crazy. The back was a mess, since her hair is so dang curly, it is cut to show off the curls (well, I am the one who cuts it, and I do my best). When it was straightened it looked like I cut her hair blind-folded with pruning shears. 

I don't think hair necessarily makes the person, but when it comes to my girls, their hair is an integral part of who they are. My redhead has a personality to match, and my crazy curly haired girl definitely has the personality to match! 

My hair has been pretty darn straight my whole life, but recently it's started to get curly around the nape of my neck. It's really strange! 

How about you? Does your hair give much insight in to who you are? 

Running Wild: Weekly Wrap-up

Total Miles Run: 15.5

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Run 4 miles

I did this run at Seward Park, it was gorgeous out! 

Wednesday: Strength and PT

I had a training session in the morning and it was fantastic! I learned how to do a "clean and jerk" and it was so. much. fun. Seriously, I need to try crossfit, because so far, I have loved every crossfit move I have learned with my trainer. We warmed up with 35# kettle bell swings and lunges and then moved in to learning a front squat with a 45# barbell, and the separate movements in a clean and a jerk before putting it all together. It was a short, tough workout! 

Here is an example of a hang clean and a split jerk.

After my training session I headed over to my physical therapy session. The good news is that my pelvis looked better this time than they have in, well, ever?! Every time I go my PT gets this worried, puzzled look on her face when she feels my pelvis when I squat. This time it didn't go all crazy wonky. Hooray for progress! I also got some new exercises to do at home, so that's a drag, err, I mean, great. 

Thursday: Run 4.5 miles (and walk 1.5 miles)

I took my dog, Heidi, on a walk in the morning and then came home and got ready to run. My new pre-running routine is a little bit time-intensive, so I went through all of that and had a great run, actually. I took a new route that wasn't really scenic (in fact, my scenery was semis and shipping yards!) but it was interesting to have something new to look at. I know, I know, it's a little lame that I am bored of running along a stunning waterfront, but I am! I picked up the pace a little for this run and it felt pretty good (instead of really hard) and that was a boost to my ego. 

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Run 7 miles

This was a decent run. I brought a Gu with me and didn't need it (better than not bringing one and needing it!). Probably because I took a Gu right before I ran, so I was fine the whole time. 

Sunday: The Color Run!

Walked this with my family for Mother's Day. It was so much fun!

Is it Time to Give Up Running? Part 2

Today I saw my orthopedic doctor again, and we went over the results of my recent MRI and chatted about my future as a runner. It was a bleak appointment, to say the least.

Let's see, where to start.

The MRI of my lower back was relatively unremarkable. Some pinched nerve action going on in L5, but nothing dramatic. As my PT pointed out, if you took an MRI of every person's back, they would probably have something at least slightly off-balance. My doctor thought that pinched nerve might be contributing to a couple of things, but not necessarily and it certainly doesn't explain everything.

Her next piece of advice was that I needed to stop running for "a few months" and take that time off running to strengthen my body where it's weak without further aggravating things by continuing to run. She also went on to say that maybe I wasn't cut out to be a runner and I might want to find some other activity that interests me. She thought it would save me a lot of time and money on doctor's visits to try and fix my body enough to keep running. And she's right, it would, but that isn't really the point, now is it?

If this sounds familiar, I have written about it before, because it was the same advice my podiatrist gave me. 

You can probably imagine how defeated it felt to hear that advice, again. I didn't go to the doctor to be told to stop running. In fact, it really surprised me that this was her advice for me upon our second meeting. Wasn't she at least going to try something? She did refer me on to to a  PT who can do a gait analysis, fit me for custom orthotics and do something called muscle activation technique. 

I came home and got in touch with my current PT and told her everything. I love my PT, but she can't do everything I need to have done in order to get better. I love a lot of things about her, but most of all, I love how supportive she is of me. She has never once told me to stop running (except when I was acutely injured).

Anyways, I am starting to kind of mentally go off in another direction with all of this. Maybe I can approach my issues from another angle. That isn't just fixing my "broken" parts. Maybe I need to look more closely at my diet, or something. I was thinking of visiting with my naturopath to see what she thinks.

I have had two PTs, a massage therapist, 2 acupuncturists, and 2 different doctors work on me with very limited results. I might need to just start broadening my horizons. 

One thing I was wondering about was an anti-inflammatory diet. Have you ever heard of this? It is funny, when I read up on it, it was basically about eliminating refined, high-fat foods and red meat and then things that you may be sensitive to, like gluten or whatever. The funny thing is that this sounds like a healthy diet for pretty much anything, not just inflammation. 

Anyways, onward and upward! 

Running Wild: Weekly Wrap-up

Total Miles Run: 14

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 4 miles run

This was the run that put me over the 1,000 mile mark! So fun. I actually ran a new route from my house, which was really cool. I got a great view of Mount Rainier!

Wednesday: Strength 

I wasn't feeling great for this workout, so I didn't push too hard. 

*warm-up w/ 10 mins elliptical

*3 sets of 10 squat  rows 100#/100#/110# for the 3 sets

*3 sets of 10 torso twists all at 20#

*3 sets of 10 wall balls superset w/ 3 sets of medicine ball push-ups 

*3 sets of stability ball roll-outs

How to do wall balls.

Thursday: 4 miles run (plus a walk)

I took the dog for an almost 2 mile walk in the morning then did a 4 mile run in the evening. I went a totally new route again and tackled three short-ish hills, so that felt good. My PT said no speed work, but I can do some hills. We are trying to not change too many things at once with my running so that we can keep down the number of variables that give me trouble!

Friday: Active rest w/ a dog walk

Saturday: Strength

I didn't have a plan going in to this, only thinking that I mainly wanted to work upper body, since my long run is on Sunday. Now that my Sunday runs are getting to be 6+ miles, I want to protect them and go in to them as rested as possible. This whole workout took almost an hour.

*warm-up stretches
*3 sets of 10 thrusters w/ 35# barbell
*3 sets of 10 lat pulls w/ 17.5#/20#/20#
*3 sets of 10 torso twists all w/ 20#
*3 sets of 10 squat rows all w/ 100# superset w/ 3 sets of 8 hanging knee raises (I felt like these were really hard for some reason!)
*3 sets of 10 wall balls superset w/ 3 one min. planks with forearms on a stability ball
*cool-down w/ 5 mins on the elliptical

How to do a stability ball plank.

Sunday: 6 miles run

What a gorgeous morning! The sun was out, the views were incredible. It was pushing 60* when this run started, which is plenty warm for me thankyouverymuch. Now that my runs are creeping in to the hour + mark, I had to remember how I like to fuel. I decided to bring my fuel belt with only two bottles since I knew I would be hot. I didn't bring any gels, which I typically wouldn't need for a 6 mile run, but I kind of wished I had. I ate at 6:00 am and my run was at 8:00 am, so in hindsight I either should have had a gel right before I started running or a couple of miles in. I didn't ever feel really sluggish, though, so I ended up doing fine without it. Like a dummy I didn't bring a phone or cash or anything else with me. From here on out I will include fuel, a phone and money on my long runs! Just in case.

My girls ran around the neighborhood with me when I got home, and my six year old and I did 100 meter sprints against each other. I had to run HARD to keep up the first time, but smoked her the second, haha. She has the speed, but I have the endurance! Pretty soon she will just be all around faster than me. 

Instagram Updates

It has barely been getting warm enough in Seattle to pull out the kiddie pool, but when you are a Seattle kid, you take the weather when you can get it! We have been unbelievably blessed by the weather gods this spring. Who knows, maybe it's global warming? Usually spring is wet and cold, just like, uh, pretty much every other season here in the Pacific Northwest! 

Last weekend after my long run I really wanted a fancy breakfast and so I had to take matters in to my own hands! This is sauteed zucchini, red pepper, onion and spinach topped with roasted sweet potatoes, topped with two fried eggs with cheese. Not shown: sprinkled the whole thing with cilantro. YUM. Truth be told, it took me about an hour to make every part of this meal, but oh, man. It was so good! 

A local cupcake shop, Cupcake Royale, had a day this week where they handed out free ice cream! I picked the girls up from school and zoomed right over as a surprise to them and luckily we beat the lines. We were even luckier because the Cupcake Royale location we went to doesn't scoop ice cream cones, so instead they handed out ice cream bars instead! We all chose red velvet cake with vanilla (I think it was vanilla) ice cream. Ice cream AND cake, ftw! It was delicious but incredibly messy. My six year old was covered with red velvet cake, as was the table and floor. 

The big excitement for me right now is a new haircut! I have been growing my hair out for almost four years and I never wanted to cut it off . . . until I did. So off it all went! It wasn't enough to donate, but I have chopped off my long hair several times and have donated hair before, so I'm good with that. I did want it a little bit longer, but my stylist started by cutting it to my shoulders and then it shrank as she put in all of the layers I asked for. It's a fun style. Very, very similar to how I used to wear my hair last time it was this short! 

Having hair that long is fun, but it's also a pain. I wore it up about 90% of the time, and when I wore it down it always felt like it was in the way. It was never down at work, or running, or doing stuff around the house, mostly just when I wanted to look "done up" for going out. I did like having an awesome long ponytail, though, and now my hair is just barely long enough to pull back when I run! Also thinking of maybe adding some color, since I would love more change, but we shall see. 

How's the weather where you live?

One Thousand!!!

Tonight I went for a four mile run. At the end of my third mile I hit 1,000 miles run since I started logging on Dailymile, which I did pretty much from day one. Obviously I've run more than 1,000 miles total in my life, but it definitely feels momentous to have officially logged that much time running. 

Here's Proof! 

Interestingly, as soon as I hit mile three of my run tonight, I was hit with a wicked side cramp that I could not get rid of. I walked/ran the rest of the way home, simultaneously cursing my side and thinking that if I could have, I would have just kept on running. It was a gorgeous night. I kept my pace really easy, focused on my form and my turnover and though my left knee constantly threatened mutiny at any moment, I felt like a million bucks. Or maybe a thousand bucks? Haha. 

I wish that I had hit 1,000 miles, oh, about 6 months ago, but what could I do about it? Not much. 

It feels like almost every time I run the most difficult step is literally my first one out the door. It is so weird, because I never end a run feeling like I wish I hadn't gone (isn't that true of all runners?) and so I can't figure out the disconnect in my brain. Why, if running is so pleasurable, is it usually so hard to get out and do it? Tonight I was too cold, too tired, too hungry . . . but once I got out there I was so happy! 

What gives?!

So, in honor of my 1,000th mile I am going to, uh . . . . do what? I don't know. I should have planned better!  

Any suggestions for marking the milestone?

One Year Ago on This Date . . .

. . . I ran my first half marathon and I loved every. single. second. of it. It was definitely a life-changing experience for me. I realized that I loved everything about races and that I was more than ready to push myself further. I loved it so much, in fact, that I registered for a full marathon before ever running my second half. We all know where that story ended, but my love for distance running is still inside of me, even if I am not yet running 13.1 miles in a whole week right now. I will get back there. 

In case you are interested in revisiting the post I wrote about the Heroes Half Marathon, there ya go! 

And that lovely picture over there to the right was me at the finish line of that race. One of my favorite life moments, ever. 

Running Wild: Weekly Wrap-Up

Total Miles Run: 12.75

Monday: 3 miles plus elliptical and strength

Monday is supposed to be my rest day, so how did I end up with a double workout?! Too many awesome things going on to say no to! My good friend and gym buddy, Sarah, was on Maui for a week so we missed THREE workouts together! She was randomly able to go to the gym today and asked me to join her. Of course I wanted to, we needed to catch up on everything! The workout:

*25 mins on the elliptical

*3 sets of 8 bench presses. 45#/50#/55# barbell

*3 sets of 8 inverted rows superset w/ push-ups on the bar

*3 sets of 10 stability ball roll-outs

THEN . . . 

Monday night #RunForBoston all around the country, or world?, and our neighborhood did a #BostonStrongWestSeattle at our local running store. 3 miles total, it felt like I was pushing it on the second half, but I have no idea of the pace. I hate to say this, but the run was fun, as I was able to catch up with a friend. Or maybe it was supposed to be fun? Because the bombings at the Boston Marathon certainly aren't going to take away runners' love for what they do. 

Tuesday: Active Rest

It was so beautiful out, I took our dog, Heidi, on a two mile walk.

Wednesday: Strength

Back to working out with my trainer! It was so much fun and I learned some new moves!

I warmed up with some basic squats and stretching out my upper body with a band. Then . . .
*3 sets of 7 kettle bell swings superset w/ 3 sets of 7 kettlebell sumo squats w/ a 35# kb
*3 sets of 8 dumbbell snatches. 1 set w/ 15# db and 2 sets 2/ 25# db (first time doing these and I LOVED them!)
*3 sets of 15 bent-over rows w/ a 20 second hold after 12. 1 set w/ 45# bar and 2 sets w/ 50# bar.
*3 sets of 14 single-arm lat pull-down. I think these were at 25# or 27.5# on the dual cable cross machine.
*3 sets of 8 weighted hip raises on sit-up bench, w/ a 5# dumbbell between my feet. Oh these were so, so, SO hard.
*3 sets of 8 hip raises w/ a twist on sit-up bench. Only a teeny but less hard than the first hip raises.

How to do a dumbbell snatch. So much fun!

Hip raises on a sit-up bench. To do them with weight, 

get a dumbbell and hold it between your feet! Youch!

Thursday: Run 4 miles

Quite possibly the most gorgeous running weather ever! Sunny and mid-50s. Perfection! 

Friday: Active Rest

Another doggy walk! 

Saturday: Strength

Barbell complex and some abs.

I used the squat rack for the first time on my own today. It was great! I did my barbell complex of back squats, bent-over rows, lunges and push presses.
*1 set of 10 w/ 45# barbell
*4 sets of 5 w/ 50# barbell
Then
*3 sets of 8 hip raises on the sit-up bench

I also taught my friend Sarah how to do the barbell complex, so that was really fun. It was a much shorter workout than I usually do on Saturdays, but it is good to start keeping the day lighter so I have energy for my long Sunday runs!

Sunday: Run 5.75 miles

Nothing too exciting to report. Kind of boring to run for an hour all alone!