Yay!! A legitimate PR!

I made my PR!!! And not only did I PR, but I surprised myself in how "fast" I made it!! My official chip time was 26:48.

It was a beautiful, breezy day here in Charlotte with temps in the upper 50's. Quite perfect for a run! The Skyline Run was hosted by Central Piedmont Community College and had excellent execution. Parking was a breeze, the lines to get timing chips was well organized, the facilities were very close by (and inside) and there was an awesome band to keep the energy up.

The course was awesome- it began with a few gradual hills but eventually evened out before finishing on a downhill. It was a very PR friendly course. Before the run started, I did a half mile warm up jog around the block and some light stretching. Then the 1000+ crowd headed to the start line and before I knew it, we were moving forward.

The first mile was a little rough, probably because it was uphill. My legs were tired and I felt like I was huffing and puffing. I kept telling myself "you don't have to sprint, just keep it under 9 and you're golden." When the first downhill section came, I decided to use it to the best of my advantage since I was already feeling like this race was going to be a struggle. Downhill is like free energy- you can go faster and rest. Shortly after the first mile, things started to feel under control and I settled into a groove. My splits ended up being: 8:54, 8:34, 8:26, and 6:49 (for that .1 mile).

I will admit, without shame, to taking 3 walking breaks. It's such a highly debated issue with runners, but I wholeheartedly believe that walk breaks can be very beneficial. When I felt fatigued to the point where my pace was suffering, I took a 30 second "power walk" break. I was amazed with how much energy I had when I started running again.

The gorgeous Charlotte skyline at the end of the race.

I was pretty surprised when I passed mile 3 and saw the clock just tick to "26 minutes." My goal was to finish in the 27 minute range, but how cool would it be if I finished in the 26? I was aided by the generous slope to the finish, but I fought back the fatigue and finish as fast as I could.

Me and David- he PRed too! 32:56!!!

I am SO surprised by my time. I've always considered myself to be a slow runner and never thought I had the power to run anything faster than 10 minute miles (and that's on a good day). If you would have told me six months ago that I would be able to average 8:30/mile in a 5k, I would have laughed in your face. I'm continually amazed by what my legs can do.

And if I can do it, so can you! Tempo and interval runs have done wonders for me. Incorporate some speed workouts into your routine, enter some 5k's, and believe in yourself! I've read on some of your blogs that maybe you had a bad run or a bad running week. Don't give up! Eventually you will have a good run or a good running week. Eventually, you will break into your goal time for a race, and eventually you will run that long run!

Now if you'll excuse me, I believe I have some celebratory froyo to consume =)

Do you take walk breaks?

What are your time goals?

Have any speed training advice?

White girls can't dance

Wow- two days without a post! Sorry guys, I don't know what's gotten into me =)

On Wednesday, a friend convinced me to go to a Zumba class with her. Yeah... there's nothing like a Zumba class to make a white girl realize how little rhythm she has. And that's amazing to me, seeing as how I'm a musician and have gone through a bazillion years of music school and lessons and EVEN marched in marching band... but once I start moving my feet to music, I lose all sense of where the beat is. Throw in hand clapping? I'm out. It was a good cardio workout and it definitely cleansed my pores (aka- sweat fest) but I don't think I'll be returning. Oh well, at least I tried.

Yesterday I went for an easy 3 miles on the treadmill, but decided once I got there I would do a mini-tempo run. I'm so addicted to those things! I tried not to let things get out of hand (stayed around 9:20 pace until the last 5 minutes, then it was balls to the wall!! ). Today is a rest day and tomorrow is......

The 2011 Charlotte SkyLine 5k Run! I'm very excited about this run because I love running in downtown Charlotte. While this course doesn't run through the heart of downtown, it's pretty close. And of course, I'm hoping to beat my last 5k time. If this course isn't too hilly, I'm confident that I'll be able to break that time. I'm hoping for something in the 27 minute range, which would mean holding consistent sub-9 minute miles. Can I do it? You'll have to come back tomorrow to find out!!! =)

Watch out.. here comes Speedy Gonzales!

Dear sub-2 hour half marathon: I'm coming for you. Watch out. You might not be mine on June 4th, but one day soon, you will be mine. MINE!

This morning I set out to run 10 miles at "race pace." For my two hour finish, that pace is 9:10/mile. For where I'm at right now, that pace is 9:30-9:45. The plan for this morning was to run the first five miles around 9:45 and the last five miles closer to 9:15-9:30. Negative splits.

I tried to start out "slow" for the first mile but it turned out to be 9:46. Then 9:22, 9:24, 9:35... that's when I decided to stop fighting my legs and just go with it. Another 9:40, 9:38... then things started to get hard. Mile seven. Eight. Nine... they progressively got slower and slower, until I was seeing 9:58, 9:59 and (gasp!) 10:21.

So much for negative splits, BUT I did realize that I can definitely take my 'long runs' at a faster pace than I have been. No more 10:30-11 minute miles for me! Maybe I wont start out so fast next time. I've still got a long way to go for a consistent 9:10 pace, but I'm so happy with how far I've come in the past 2 months. That's not to say this run was easy- oh no, I had to really fight for it, especially in the last two miles. And my legs are more sore than they've been in ages (dare I say since the HM in February where I averaged my then fastest pace- 10:10/mile).

To celebrate, I went to Starbucks to drink some delicious iced coffee and lollypop-cake on a stick. Here I've been for the past 2 hours, basking in my newfound speed (speed is relative, all you 7-8 minute milers!) and working. But mostly basking.

Speaking of work, I should probably get back to it. I wish nonprofit work paid....


Don't forget- I need your help! Do you have any good advice/books/words of wisdom for beginning runners? I get to teach my Bible study homies how to run!!

Easter time means baking time!

What a wonderful, gorgeous day! I could not have asked for a better Easter Sunday. My day was in part, made so awesome by this little guy who is feeling MUCH better from last week's eye doctor appointment.

I can tell Max is feeling better because he gets his "monkey" out and plays by himself (and then gets stuffing all over the floor and acts guilty about it). Yes, I know that's a stuffed squirrel, but his very first stuffed animal was a monkey. Therefor, he learned that any furry chew toy is called "monkey." So glad my furry child is doing better!

I decided to get up early to get a run in before church. David and I have been going to church on Saturday nights, so it felt a little strange to be going on a Sunday morning. On tap for this morning's run were 6 half mile intervals at a pace that was suppose to be my 10k but turned into being my 5k. I felt great the whole time, and pulled out 6 splits that were under 9 minutes! =)

8:39 / 8:34 / 8:49 / 8:20 / 8:25 / 8:15, all in all it was 5 wonderful miles in 48:10. I'm getting faster!!! Six months ago it took me over 56 minutes to cover 5 miles! I can't wait to do the Charlotte Skyline Run 5k on Saturday to kick my last 5k PR's butt!!

After my run I really should have eaten something (and not just drank Gatorade), because half way through the 90 minute service (Methodists in the South are so much more long winded than the North!) I started to get incredibly tired and light headed. Lesson learned: eat solid foods after long(er) runs and bring snacks everywhere!

When we got home, I started prepping for our Easter Sunday dinner. I'd had my eye on this Apple Braid recipe since last week, but wanted to wait until a special occasion to make it. I let my bread rise for an hour or so, but otherwise followed the recipe pretty closely.

First, I mixed all my dry ingredients for the dough:


Then I peeled, chopped and diced my apples (I used Jazz), mixed them with some sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice and threw them in the oven:


After the dough sat around for an hour+, I rolled it out and cut the braids, then dumped the apples on top:


Wrap it all up, baked it in the oven and then slathered it with yummy vanilla glaze to get:


It was pretty delicious. Next time I make it (and there will be a next time), I'll use softer apples (Mcintosh perhaps) and roll the dough out thinner. The vanilla glaze was phenomenal though! Definitely a keeper, maybe to whip out for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Tell me about your weekend! Any special Easter plans? Did you get a run in?

And the biggest jerk award goes to....

In order to explain this story properly, I need to tell you all a little secret: I get really, really impatient and mean to other people who are unaware of their surroundings or the needs of other people. The biggest way my frustrations toward ignorant people shows is when I drive. Anyone with me on this one? If you're going 30 in a 50 zone, prepare to get run over. If you're the slowest car on the interstate AND you're in the left lane, you're just ASKING to be tailgated. If you're lost or on the phone and that's what is causing you to crawl down the road when I'm behind you, I might give you the middle fingered salute.

But otherwise, I'm a really nice person! So I've been trying to work on this little problem of mine. You cut me off and then slow down? It's alright, I'll just take a deep breath. Oh, you're going to take your half out of the middle and drive down the bike lane I'm running in? Even though I really want to spit on your car, I'm going to hold it in.

Ok, so back to the story. When I woke up for this morning's run, I really just wasn't feeling it, which I've come to learn is my body's way of telling me to take it easy. I still needed to get out there and do some hills, so instead of my scheduled 12 miles, I "just" did 8 miles. I really had no agenda or pace to keep, I just wanted to get the hills under my feet for that hilly half on June 4th.

It turned out to be another so-so run: not completely debilitating in its suckiness but not terribly inspiring by its awesomeness. The last two miles I decided to push it to see if I could make my half marathon pace (9:45-10:00). Things were going pretty well: I was falling into a groove, finding my breathing rhythm, jamming to my music...until...

I pass a car who has completely stopped on the road (not a busy road, but one with a 35 mph speed limit, so it's not a neighborhood road either). I've got a feeling I know what they're going to try to do, but I keep my pace up and fly past them anyway. And then I hear a honk.

Really? Seriously? I think, incredulously. Since they're in a car and I'm on foot and they could easily follow me until they get what they want, I decided to stop and turn around. Of course, I had to pause my Garmin... we don't want anything to effect my already slow pace.

I bend down to the open window and see the car filled with people who were obviously upset, and the driver asks me which way to the Hospice House.

Yes, the Jerk Award goes to me.

Turns out I knew where it was and how to get there, I just never pay attention to any street names. I did the best I could, they drove away, and I finished my run. But it really got me thinking about the need for grace. I was ready to write these people off as morons who got lost and didn't have the good sense to pull over into a parking lot, oh yeah and how dare they stop me at the end of my run?! It turns out they were just some people in a tough time who needed some help.

As runners, we get asked for directions quite a bit. We also get swooshed by cars driving too close or too fast for our taste. In general, we come across people who are seemingly very ignorant and unaware about their surroundings. But maybe instead of instantly flaring into a temper tantrum like I usually do, I should just take a deep breath and give people the benefit of the doubt. You never know what's going on in someone else's life at that moment.

So there you have it folks: my long run of the week. 8.5 miles in 1:28.

Ooooh ooh, exciting news I get to share: I'm going to give an impromptu lesson on "how to run." I know it seems elementary (everyone can run), but the Bible study I'm a part of does "Teach me how to..." sessions over the summer. So I signed up and am going to tell everyone how to run. If you have any good books, websites, quotes, or advice, send them my way!!

Tempo Tuesday

Nothing terribly exciting to report about tonight... I got to the gym this morning for a 50 minute tempo run. I decided since I did a hard 6 miles on Sunday that I would do more of an endurance type workout this morning instead of more intervals. I warmed up at my normal 10:30-10:45 pace and then spent the next 30 minutes getting up to and holding about a 9:30 mile. I purposefully took it easy today (for fear of having another crappy long run on Thursday... am I paranoid?) but was getting a little bored toward the end, so I kicked it up to 8 something. I was able to hold that for a few minutes before calling it quits and starting my cool down.

Overall, it was very successful and fulfilling run for me- 5.1 miles in 51 minutes. I spent some time stretching (I feel like the more I push my speed, the tighter my legs get!) and then did some sit ups on that fancy incline thingy machine.

For lunch, Max and I went outside to take advantage of the gorgeous 70 degree weather (if you are still dealing with cold temps and snow... I'm sorry!!). I made a most fantastic salad with lots and lots of kale and a veggie burger, and Max sunbathed himself.



I also wanted to through out this article for you guys to read about the health benefits/hazards of soy. It's a rather lengthy article, but the basic gist of it is: fermented soy products (soy sauce, tempeh, miso, and natto) are good for you and everything else is bad (eg: soymilk, tofu, soybeans, etc).

What do you think? Are you pro-soy or anti-soy?

Noms and Runs

Well I'm happy to report that there was a successful buckwheat pancake experience this morning! I dug around the internet and decide to use this recipe. There were a few alterations I made: added 2 tbsp flaxmeal, used only 1/2 tspn of baking soda, 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 tbsp sugar, and 3/4 cup milk.

Just take the dry ingredients:


And mix them with the wet ingredients:


And be careful that chocolate chips don't accidentally fall into the mixture but if they do, that's alright:


Fry them up, top with some Greek yogurt and fresh fruit and VOILA... the perfect breakfast to run your fastest 10k EVER!


Yes, yes you read that right: this afternoon I went out and ran my fastest 6.2 miles of my entire running career! Is my speedwork finally paying off? I was getting itchy to get out and run hard and figured I had recovered enough from my 16 miler three days ago. I'm also starting to think that if I'm going to run my HM with a time anywhere close to 2 hours, I need to start training my body to know what it feels like to be uncomfortable.

I ran my 6.2 in 57:03, which averages a 9:12 pace. You guys who run 6, 7, and 8 minute miles: you are amazing. You're beasts and I want to be just like you!!! One day, maybe...

Even though I'm thrilled with my run today, I'm starting to accepted the very real possibility that I might not be able to pull a 2 hour finish at the Charity Chase HM on June 4th. For one, it's suppose to be hilly. For two, it was only 6 weeks ago that I ran the Gainesville Half in 2:13 (and 58 seconds, but who's counting?). Fourteen minutes is a LOT of time to cut off in 3 and a half months.

Oh, I'm going to keep trying. As much as I love running long distances (the adrenaline rush I get after pushing my body past its limits is intoxicating), I just can't keep doing 15-16 mile long runs AND speed runs in the same week. Speed kills! So I'm going to put my long run craziness on the back burner and focus on (a) doing 10 mile "mock" runs at race pace and (b) running my newly discovered "hills from hell" route to get ready for the Hickory hills.

I'm going to run the best that I can run on June 4th. If I don't meet my goal, there's no rule that says I can't try again, right?

Venting over. Thanks for listening reading. Enjoy the end of your weekend!!!


PS: I do the happy dance whenever someone comments or I get a new follower. Thank you for all your support, guys!!!

Easy runs and great coffee

Today didn't quite go the way I expected it to. But that's ok, it still turned out awesome!

Original plans were to meet up with my bestfriendwhoalsoruns to visit the Davidson Farmers Market again. Believe it or not, I ate my entire way through that huge bag of kale and wanted to buy more. I was also planning on starting my herb and veggie plants for the summer.

Mother Nature did not corporate. We had another night of storms, which meant another night of little sleep for me. I checked the FM's website at 5:45 this morning to read a message saying the market was closed because of "safety reasons due to possibility of high wind and thunderstorms." I sent my friend an e-mail (because calling that early would have been inhumane) and tried to get back to bed. I tossed and turned for another two hours before I just got up and start blog stalking reading.

Shortly thereafter, my friend replied to my e-mail, inviting me for an easy run and then a trip to Healthy Home Market. Well sure, why not? The rain had temporarily stopped, it was only a little windy, and I was already up. So I suited up and met her at our newly discovered Davidson trail, only to find a deserted parking lot, at which point I texted her saying, "Looks like we've got the trail all to ourselves- we're so dedicated to run under a tornado watch!"

We enjoyed a slow 3-something mile run. I realized sometimes it's not about speed - it's about enjoying yourself! My legs felt like noodles from Thursday and I'm pretty sure we averaged a 13 minute pace, but so what? All three of us (she brought her puppy too) had smiles on our faces and were happy to be running. There are times where I realize life is too short to worry about pace!

The rain held off the entire time we were running. Just some menacing clouds (a mixture of rain clouds and tornado clouds) and the crackling of powerlines over head. It was a little eerie! If felt like more of an adventure- could we finish before the next round of storms started up? (Yes- but really, we probably shouldn't have been out in the first place)

Since we weren't going to grace the Farmers Market, we decided instead of visit Healthy Home Market, which is a health food store unique to the Carolinas (?). Imagine TJs, but twice as big and twice as expensive!! We didn't buy a whole lot, but we did strike gold in the bulk food isles! They had every type of nut, seed, flour, fruit, and bean you could ever dream of wanting, as far as the eye could see! And the prices were decent! I bought a pound of buckwheat flour (which I have no idea how to use... hello allrecipes.com!) for $2.09, and 2lbs of quinoa for $6.98!!!!! I found some kale (although it's probably not as good as the local stuff) and I even bought some sirloin for David (yes, because I am that good of a wife, thankyouverymuch!). I might have quarantined the steak to its own little section of the basket though, wrapped in two layers of plastic bags. I also found the most delicious coffee in the entire world (I love you Starbucks and DD, but move over...): Snickerdoodle from Dilworth Coffee Co.!

By the time we got done with our shopping extravaganza, the lightning and wind was starting to pick up again, accompanied by heavy rain and some hail. Yuck! I got soaked running out to my car, but when I got home I had some of that amazing snickerdoodle coffee to warm me up.

And really, can you drink snickerdoodle coffee and NOT have a good day?

I hope everyone is having a safe (and dry) weekend! Any big plans?

What makes you a runner?

How do you know you're a runner? It's a natural ability that everyone with two legs possesses, yet there are people out there that proclaim, “I could never run” or “I can't run a mile.” And then there are people who look at you with astonishment when you tell them you ran a 5k last weekend. But when can you officially refer to yourself as a “runner” and not just someone who runs?

When you can run 3.1 miles in under 25 minutes? When you can say “fartlek” without smirking? Or maybe when you average 20 miles a week and oscillate between two or more pairs of running shoes. John Bingham says, “If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.”

Personally, I'm hesitant to call someone a runner if all they do is put tennis shoes on and go around the block once a week or twice a month. To me, it's waking up in the morning, drinking a sports drink before 7:00 AM, and putting yourself outside (or inside on a treadmill) to feel your legs moving, your arms swinging, and your lungs working that makes you a runner. It's the longing you feel inside when you see someone else running, or when you can't run because you're injured that makes you a runner.

Furthermore, how do you know when you've crossed that unwritten, unspoken line between novice runner and experienced runner? Is it the number of blisters you've had? Of black toenails? Perhaps the number of missing toenails? Or is it the distance you've run. Do beginners stick with 5ks and 10ks with an occasional half marathon, while more advanced runners race the 26.2 and beyond?

Or does one cross that line between novice and experienced when they achieve a certain PR for a 5k, or can run a mile in under 6 minutes? I would think the ability to run a marathon would make you an advanced runner. But the race is the culmination of months and months of practice, hard work, dedication, and endurance training. The training leading up to a marathon makes you the better runner, not the race itself.

Again, John Binham, sums it up well by saying:

I AM A RUNNER because my runs have names. I do tempo runs and threshold runs and fartlek runs. I do long, slow runs and track workouts. My runs are defined, even if my abs are not.

I AM A RUNNER because I know what effort feels like, and I embrace it. I know when I'm pushing the limits of my comfort and why I'm doing it. I know that heavy breathing and an accelerated heart rate--things I once avoided--are necessary if I want to be a better runner.

I AM A RUNNER because I value and respect my body. It will whisper to me when I've done too much. And if I choose to listen to that whisper, my body won't have to scream in pain later on.

I AM A RUNNER because I am willing to lay it all on the line. I know that every finish line has the potential to lift my spirits to new highs or devastate me, yet I line up anyway.

I AM A RUNNER because I know that despite my best efforts, I will always want more from myself. I will always want to know my limits so that I can exceed them.

I AM A RUNNER because I run. Not because I run fast. Not because I run far.

I AM A RUNNER because I say I am. And no one can tell me I'm not.

What makes you a runner?

16 miles... whaddup?!

Yes, that's right. I found 16 miles and I kicked it in the butt!

It wasn't pretty. It wasn't fast. It wasn't completely enjoyable. But after last week, I needed to go out there and prove to myself that I could do it. So I plotted out a new route (2 loops, allowing me to stop by my car half way through), loaded my iPod up, and headed out the door before the Sun rose.

I mostly ran through neighborhoods, specifically very rich neighborhoods that had tons of hills (not that the two are related). I knew from the first 3 miles that this wasn't going to be a record setting fast run for me. It was HIL-LY!! So I just did my best, walked when I was tired, and ran slow and steady for the rest.

On my iPod, I tried listening to an audiobook for the first time (Jodi Piccoult Vanishing Acts). If you're struggling to get your long runs in because you're bored, I highly recommend this strategy. The first two hours seemed to fly by.

After finishing my first 6 mile loop, I swapped out my empty water bottle for a new one and took an Espresso shot (those things work amazingly fast!). Thus ended loop one/began loop two. I went in a little different direction and ended up having to run about a quarter mile on the road (well, part road, part ditch). I'll find a different route to get my miles in next time, because I did NOT enjoy running that close to the road.

At mile 11, I enjoyed (and I do mean enjoyed, it was very tastey!) a mint chocolate Gu. I remember being tired around 12-13 miles, but once I got past the fatigue things started to get easier. It's like the pain receptors in my brain turned off and my legs went on auto pilot.

I finished strong (and very happy) at 16 miles in 2:56. I came home and started my traditional post-run routine: peanut butter filled pretzels, Gatorade, and a bag of ice.


And see this little ball of cuteness?


After work today, I took him to the doggy eye doctor for his 6 month check up. He's blind in his left eye and has very poor vision in his right. Turns out he has an ulcer in the bad eye, and the pressure from the glaucoma in his good eye was so high it was pushing irreversible vision loss. The vet switched his glaucoma meds around and gave me a new drug (well the generic is new to the market, thus making it affordable) to put in his eye in addition to the other glaucoma drops he normally gets. He goes back in three weeks for another pressure check, so I'm hoping my snuggle buddy feels better =(


Happy almost Friday!

Back in the game!

I'm glad to report that after a 3 day running hiatus, I had a very successful run this morning!! I had to decide between a tempo run or intervals because I didn't want to do both before my next long run. I chose intervals because it was such a beautiful day outside!

I went to my regular hill route (really, it's impossible to find anywhere around me that is completely flat, but I guess it's good training). I jogged (don't know why, but I seriously hate that word) my normal 1 mile warm up and plowed into 4 half mile intervals at a 10k pace.

But really, what is my 10k pace? And if you're running intervals to increase your speed, wouldn't you ideally want to run at your goal 5k/10k pace? According to Runner's World Handy Dandy Race Calculator, a 54:26 10k projects a 2 hour HM. That breaks down to about 8:45/mile. Gulp. Ok, I tell myself, go out there a shoot for 8:45 half mile intervals!

So back to the run... I jogged (ugh) my 1 mile warm up and tell Mr. Garmin I'm ready to begin my torture.

1 x 800: 8:48
2 x 800:8:55
3 x 800: 8:58
4 x 800: 8:37

I really had to fight for the 2nd and 3rd intervals, they were both up long hills. After I heard my victory jingle (does any one else's Garmin do that?) I was conveniently done with my second loop and right by my car.

I really enjoyed this workout. And I can definitely see how doing longer intervals will help my strength, pace, form, and stamina.

On a side note, I have to brag about my hubby. Saturday he ran 5 miles and today he ran another 2. He'll never read this, but I'm SO proud of him! (Maybe my enthusiasm is contagious? I mean, it is all I ever talk about these days...). Gimme a few months and maybe I'll have him doing my long training runs with me?

Yeah, probably not, but a girl can dream.

Happy Tuesday, y'all!!

Holy Kale Batman!

Yesterday I met my good friend and running partner, and her doggy, for an easy 3.5 miles. I was definitely sluggish from my 11 miler the day before, but it was great to run with her again. It was just like old times! We joke that we're perfect for each other: I drive her to push herself, and she slows me down. We had a blast running with her psycho (yet lovable) puppy in the beautiful Davidson area. We're definitely going to map out a longer run through the greenway, downtown area, and campus area.

This morning we met up again to visit the Davidson Farmer's Market. I'm in love with this little town! It reminds me a lot of Asheville, minus the mountains. I brought Max along with me. He was in heaven with all the food smells, other doggies, and all the "oops-es" people dropped in the tents. After we got home, he was pretty pooped.


Most of what is in season are leafy veggies, but they also had eggs, cheeses, honey, and (for the carnivorous crowd) grass fed beef and pork. I ended up finding kale for $3/lb. Do you know how much kale that is? About this much:


So now I've got kale coming out of my ears! I'm relatively new to this power-house veggie, and was surprised by how sweet and cabbage-like it tastes raw. But of course, the first recipe I tried out were kale chips.


I de-stemmed the leaves and tore them into pieces, tossed them with a bit of EVOO and apple cider vinegar and baked them at 300 for 25 minutes. The result:


David turned his nose up at them almost immediately, so I ate pretty much the entire pan. That was.a lot.of.kale. They were delicious, but very flakey. As in, they disentigrated almost immediately upon putting them in my mouth. Is that normal? Did I bake them too long? They were still pretty tastey. Then for dinner, I made a more hubby-approved dish: spinach and kale salad, topped with broccoli, strawberries and tortilla strips.


Even though I didn't get my running fix, I still thoroughly enjoyed myself today. I'm thinking I'll take a trip to the gym tomorrow for some free weight work, take Monday off, and then resume some light running on Tuesday.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!! Care to share your favorite kale recipe with me?? I've got enough of it ;)

Long Run... not so much

Yup... another rough run. If you're one of those people who don't believe that girls burp, fart, or do any other "unmentionable" things, you'll probably want to stop reading ... now.

Basically, my run can be broken down into two parts: the first 5 miles and the last 6 miles.

The first five miles. I wanted to get out there and do 16 miles, because last week I got an awesome 15 under my feet and wanted to do it again. Physically, I was just not feeling up to par. I've been working extra this week at the publishing house, which involves lots of heavy lifting. And I've done three speed workouts in a row this week. So when I had to fight to keep my eyes open in the car on my way to the running trail, I had a feeling I was going to have to fight for this one.

Remember that red bean pasta soup I mentioned in my last post? Yeah... I probably shouldn't have eaten it last night for dinner too. When I started, I was in a bit of... ahem... intestinal distress. I didn't want to quit all together because I had to drive almost 20 minutes to get there. So I pressed onward. I knew there was a porta potty about 5 miles down the trail. All I had to do was get 5 miles.

The first mile wasn't so bad. The second mile wasn't so bad either. By the third, I was starting to search for secluded bushes, and the fourth and fifth I was freaking out. The city has been thinning out the trees and shrubbery along this route, and there are tons of houses all along the way. I don't have anything against popping the squat near a tree, but I would prefer not to do it in plain sight in the middle of the day where people are watching. I was torn between running faster to get to the bathroom and running at a conservative pace so I could get the entire run in.

And then I rounded the corner to the parking lot where my plastic throne awaited.... and see they've removed it! My saving grace, my sweet relief - GONE!

So now I had no choice. I found a pathway down to the river, looked around nervously, and popped the squat. I can't be sure, but wildlife might have been harmed.

I learned two important things at this point. One: never rely on a bathroom unless it's made out of concrete! And number two: don't be afraid to brave mother nature if you gotta go. Just do it. From now on, I'll never turn my nose up when I see naked rear ends or people walking out of bushes. In fact, I'll tip my hat and give them the runner's salute.

So onward I trekked, quite relieved to have that extra spring in my step. Around mile 6, I tried out a new Gu flavor: mint chocolate chip. A-MAZING! It was like eating a thin mint. I'll definitely buy more of these!

The Gu helped for a few miles, but by 8 or 9, I was just feeling whipped. The thought of running another 8 miles made me want to cry. I couldn't even sing along with my tunes. I've been pushing myself a lot in the past month, and I think my body just needs some rest. When I got back to my car, I had gone about 11.5 miles in 2:05, averaging about an 11:00 mile.

I thought about boohooing over this run, calling it a failed attempt and then getting mad at myself. But then I remembered- um, hello, I put more than ELEVEN miles under my feet, that's no failure! My body might have been tired, but at least it wasn't injured. I should be thankful for that.

I might do a few slow miles with my friend tomorrow, but I'm going to give running a break for a few days. And you know what? I'm ok with that! =)

Tempo Tuesday... not so much

Hey kidderoos... hope everyone had a decent Tuesday!

If you live anywhere in the eastern half of the US, you experienced that big storm at one point or another yesterday, last night, or this morning. Around 2:00AM, it rolled through Charlotte. I'm a fairly light sleeper (I make David go to sleep at the same time I do so he doesn't wake me up) so the wind, rain and thunder definitely woke me up. As well as Max. The poor guy doesn't see too well in daylight and when it's dark, he's almost entirely blind (blind doggy + thunderstorm = crazy Jack Russel Terrior). He was completely freaked out so of course, Momma let him into bed. He then proceeded to hog the beg, snore, fart, and do all sorts of doggy like things. I did not sleep well!

So my would be 50 minute tempo run for today... well, it kind of tanked. I was tired from yesterday (5k Speedy Gonzales in the houuuuuuse!) and just couldn't get into it. I pulled out 35 minutes and called it quits. To make the trip to the gym worth it, I did some crunches and arm exercises. That made me feel a little better.

You win some, you lose some, right? I'm going to try not to fret over this run.

Hopefully I'll get a better night's sleep tonight, take a rest day tomorrow, and be back in the game for my 16 miler on Thursday!

My delicious (vegan) red bean pasta soup and glass of wine are calling my name. I'm off to dinner.

Marathon Fever

I'm coming down with a fever... marathon fever!!! Seriously, how did I get to this point in my running? I guess it's the next logical step after the half marathon. But... it's.so.scary! November 12, 2011. That's a good 7 months away. I can do it, right? Maybe?




In other news, I woke up early this morning and had about 45 minutes to kill before getting ready for work. So I thought, sure, why not go for a run? I ran around my neighborhood (every nook and cranny gets me 3 miles and then I run around in circles for .1 miles to call it a 5k). I really tried to book it, and ended up with the same time as my Run the Creek 5k PR! Woohoo! (I think my playlist helped some too)

Another weekend comes to a close

Ever heard the saying, "there are 40 hours in a work week but 48 hours in a weekend?" That may be true, but weekends fly by like crazy!

I finally convinced David to go to a running store to get fitted for running shoes. We went to Fleet Feet yesterday and after trying on half a dozen shoes, he ended up choosing only the most fabulous shoe in the world: Brooks Adrenaline. And yes, that is the same shoe I'm in love with! And yes, we currently have 5 pairs of Brooks in our closet right now (4 of them might be mine).

He wanted to take the shoes out for a (long) spin this morning, so we geared up and headed out to the Greenway. He wanted to do an endurance work out, so he did 2 hours of walking/running (boy done gone 7 miles! I'm proud!). While he did his thing, I picked my poison: intervals.

I did a mile and a half warm up and began 10 x 400 at a 5k-ish pace. I'm not really sure what my 5k pace is anymore since I'm continually improving (albeit slowly). I tried to keep the intervals between 8:15-8:45. That's kind of consistent, right? It was a lot warmer this morning than I thought it would be, so my body had a little adjusting to do before my mojo kicked in. By the 5th or 6th interval I was getting a little speedier- mostly by attempting to open my stride up and pumping my arms. If the arms are swinging, the legs are moving. Where did I hear/read that from? I cooled down with a mile and a half walk/run.

An overall good workout: 6.5 miles in 1:06.

I went back to find David and walked the last 25 minutes with him. That added on another mile and a half.

So I suppose the total for today is 8 miles!

After lunch, I went back to my happy place (AKA: Red Mango) where I was greeted with ESPRESSO flavored froyo!! Dream come true! I topped off my espresso with every single chocolate topping there was (except heath... ugh). Seriously, I can never stop running, I'd be 200 pounds overweight!

For dinner we busted out the grill again. I grilled some tuna steak chunks and the boy did some cow-kabobs. We've decided that our new favorite way of eating potatoes is by roasting them. Om nom nom!! Also joining the potatoes were roasted broccoli, carrots and shrooms.

For dessert, we grilled some pineapple slices, topped 'em with fresh mango, a dollop of plain Chobani, and drizzled it with honey.

Sometimes... I think I live to eat.


I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend, did lots of running, made lots of PRs, and ate lots of yummy food!

Great REI Find

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend so far! My legs are holding up pretty well after yesterday's 15 miler, so well that I'm contemplating a mini long distance run tomorrow.

I thought I'd share a great buy I found at REI last night.

Yep- that's a double bottle hydration waist pack. You can just call it, "super cool I'm so jealous I don't get to wear that" hydration pack.

I've been taking my hand strap water bottle with me for my long runs- and it's been holding up admirably. But with the weather getting warmer and summer on its way, I know I'm going to need more than 20 oz of fluids for a long run. I've checked out the fuel belts with the teeny tiny 10 oz bottles, but it just didn't make any sense to get a belt that held the same amount as what I already carry.

So hopefully the above hydration pack won't be too big and bulky when I turn into Speedy Gonzales during my long runs =) And really the best part about all this is that I found this sucker in the clearance bin. Originally $40 something marked down to $15. So even if it sucks, I didn't waste too much dough!

And finally, this is why I can never have children. I would do things like this to them:

When Max gets tired, I can do almost anything to him =)

Yay it's Friday!!!

Sorry, the title of the post just seemed fitting. So- how was your Friday?

Mine began at the early, early hour of 6:00AM. I had an appointment with the chiro at 11:30 and wanted to get a long run in first. Last week I did 13, this week I wanted to get in 15. Gulp. I knew I'd have to start before it got light outside. I'm really not comfortable running by myself in the dark (safety thing, I'm not afraid of the dark) so I decided to drive to the gym and do 5 on the treadmill, then run to my hilly route (the expandable loop that goes from 1.7 miles to 5 miles) and do 10 there.

I couldn't find my favorite long sleeve running shirt in my drawer, so I did what any devoted runner would do and dug through the dirty laundry. Sure it had a little funk from the last time I wore it (a week ago for my last long run) but nothing a little fabreeze couldn't fix. After finishing my breakfast (scrambled eggs and Gatorade- yum!) I headed out the door.

And there was ice on my windshield. LAME!

I eventually got to the gym and started the first part to my run. Really, the only thing I can say about this part was that it was BOR-ING. Sprints, hills, tempo runs- I can handle those runs on a treadmill, but a flat out long, slow run? Ugh. I was very happy when the sun came up.

When I got to my car to change clothing (transitioning from a sweaty, hot gym to 38 degrees was a shock), I also took a Clif Shot (Chocolate Berry- not my favorite!) and swigged some water. Turned the Garms on, grabbed my water bottle and off I went!

I think I might be a chocolate addict. Well, except for that one vanilla Power Bar.

Like I said, it was a pretty big shock to go from sweating it up in the gym to getting goosebumps outside. It took the next 5 miles for my body to quit freaking out and for that little pain in my knee to go away. I was also pulling a pretty slow pace, nothing like last week where almost every mile was around 10:15. I think know it was from the hills. Instead of fighting it and trying to run faster, I eventually just accepted it. If I can't run fast, I'll just run further, is what I kept telling myself.

At mile 10, I took another 'gel'- this time I tried Power Bar Vanilla. It was like eating corn syrup infused with frosting. The consistency was alright, but MAN oh man was it sweet! I had planned on only going for another 3 miles, but after downing that sucker, I felt like I needed another hour just to let the thing where off!

I started to have a little more fun for the last 5 miles. I was A) tired of running and wanted to be finished and B) on a sugar buzz from the Power Bar shot. With the two combined, I have never been so happy to hear this song come on my iPod:



My paces were all over the place, but I finished 15 miles in 2 hours 43 minutes. And the awesome part about it: I felt really, really strong!

So I came home, drank some more Gatorade and ate half my weight in peanut butter filled pretzels. Then it was off to the chiropractor. To make a long story short: he adjusted me, worked on the tendons on the back of my knees, and I feel 100% PAIN-FREE! Seriously, if it wasn't for my insatiable appetite and sore calf muscles, I would have guessed I'd just done 5 miles instead of 15!

The only fitting way to end a day that started with a 15 miler? A trip to Red Mango! Yuuuum!!



Do you ever dig through dirty laundry to find running clothes?


Have you tried frozen yogurt? Are you in love with it?


Do you have Cee Lo Green's song on your running list? No? Why not? Go get it!!