its ok to eat a cookie for breakfast

when it's your B-day.
Right?
And a brownie at 10am.....

My celebratory highlights for today include above mentioned treats, work, and a potentially painful run after work.

I am such a crazy party animal I know :)

I really need to stop doing weighted squats day before a run. After last week's UBER painful run, I learned my lesson and took it easier during my weights sess yesterday. But still my thighs are hurtin'. It is either from my squats, or the elliptical. I had the elliptical on an easy resistance, so I don't see why my legs would be a-hurtin', but the culprit's gotta be one of those two. I must keep experimenting.

Monday Gym Sess:
25 min elliptical
Cable rows (75 lbs, 12 reps X 3 sets)
Kettle bell (10 lbs) squats (12 reps X 3 sets)
Skull crushers (12 lbs, 10 reps X 3 sets)
Incline abs bench
Shoulders on the cable machine (15 lbs x 2 sets)
Side bends (20 lbs x 2 sets)
Back Extensions (12 reps X 2 Sets)
Triceps and biceps on cable machine
cable machine abs
stretch

So it was much easier than last week. I think next time I will omit the kettle bell squats. If legs still hurt, I'll know it's because of the elliptical.

Anyways, considering how it is the anniversay of moi, and I've never really done an "intro" post, I think I'll be self indulgent and talk a little about myself.

Presenting: Me!

1. Although I write in full sentences on the blog, I like to think/write/talk in bullet points. I don't like it when people tell stories and go off on all sorts of tangents. I've had to tell people "Please give me the Cliffs Notes version of your story"
2. I like facts. I am an information junkie. I read all the reviews of on Amazon before I buy stuff, compare ingredients of different brands of OTC ibuprofen, read only nonfiction, and read textbooks for fun.
3. I am obsessed with my cat from home, Skipper. I miss him so so much
4. I've never been a runner. I started Sophomore year of college when my friend convinced me to go on a jog with her. It was.....fun! Who would have thought? I used to be only able to run like, 15-20 minutes. But I saw improvements so quickly that I kept going.
5. I ran on and off since then, and decided to get serious about running right around February of this year. I ran my first half marathon in May, and will run Maui Half Marathon in September with James
6. I danced ballet for a long time. Then I discovered yoga.
   
7. I am a certified personal trainer
8. I grew up in Japan and am bilingual
   
9. I have a younger brother who loves European soccer
10. I like reggae music, Hawaiian music, and other generally chill music. I used to be very punk-rock and angry as a teenager, and thank goodness that was just a phase!
11. My left foot slightly overpronates
12. My right wrist has flattened carpals, so I can't do push ups. Bummer
13. I am super paranoid about getting injured/sick. I freak out about the littlest twinge, even though I have a high pain threshold. Hmmm sounds like an oxymoron
14. I wish to live in Hawaii
15. I wish to be active for a long long long time
    
    

Wow, that's probably more information than you ever wanted to know about me :)

Maybe I'll do another installment some other time. But for now, I have to go enjoy some more sugary goodness (ie brownies). Because starting tomorrow, I am going to experiment with cutting out as much white flour/sugar as possible (aka DIET, ugh), because even with all the training/working out, I keep gaining weight. I gained 4 pounds from being sick last week. Ick. I swear. Guys try and try for WEEKS and barely gain an ounce. I eat an extra cookie and my butt and gutt gains 15 lbs overnight. UGH.....WHY??? (Note to self, don't step on scale on Birthday morning)

Oh, and go check out Chic Runner's super duper giveaway!

Singing makes the miles go by faster

Wow. I feel like a new woman. After my post about the headache on Thursday, things just went downhill. I clearly did not make it to my scheduled swim that evening. I woke up on Friday morning with a THROBBING headache. My forehead and head felt like I had been crying and crying for hours. I called in sick to work YET AGAIN, and this time took the whole day off. James came over to keep me company, and all I managed to do was lay on the couch and watch TV.

I think it has to do with the fact that I also "that time of month", for the first time in four months. When I went off the pill, in February, my period just stopped, and even though my blood work came back all normal, still no aunti flo. So the Dr. gave me hormones to make her come. I'm thinking this had to do with some of the pain I was feeling.

But with a whole day of rest, I was feeling really good by Saturday. I still took it easy, cause I didn't want to risk getting my headache back. So to get my activity for the day, James and I had a little Bocce Ball competition.

Obviously, I am a Bocce Ball Champion. :)

Between Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Sat, I took four days off of running/working out. I hate taking that much time off, and felt like I needed to get back to being full throttle asap. Does being sick count as exercise? haha.

I was so glad I felt awesome by Sunday, because I had planned my last long run before my 15K race this weekend. I was slightly nervous about how my body would react, but the run went great! It's amazing that a 9+ mile run can feel 10X less painful than a 4.5 mile run.

James and I ran 9.25 miles, and the good weather, the good company, and the good mood made the run enjoyable. Singing out loud made the miles fly by. I did my best impersonation of Flo Rida as I sang "Low" and made sure I "turned around and gave that big booty a smack," I took rides on Disco Sticks, per Lady Gaga, and rocked out to Stevie Ray Vaughn. Another thing that made the miles go by was pretending the cars going by were barrels of waves, whales, sea gulls, etc. We kept pretending the wind was the ocean breeze in Maui, and kept talking about all the things we wanted to do in Maui, like Stand Up Paddle Surfing, and jamming to live music.
Why would we pretend to be in Maui?

Becasue James and I just signed up for the Maui Half Marathon in September!!!! I am soooo stoked! It will be a vacation and race in one, and so stoked that James will be running it with me. It will be my second half, and James' first half. It is going to be awesome. I can't wait!

It was a great run, with very minimal damage. My legs aren't tired at all today. I think I will be able to rock the 15K this Saturday. My only goal is to ENJOY IT! :) It will be my first race as 24 year old.... it's birthday week for me! :)

And be sure to check out Leslie's Blog Jacksons World for a chance to enter her awesome giveaway: Gracie's Gear!

Resting is good for the soul and legs

I'm one of those people who pushes through pain, feels guilty for resting too long, and thinks admitting it is a sign of weakness. I guess I have a tendency to overestimate what my body can do, especially in the early stages of running.

So today, I decided to listen to what my body is telling me, and take the morning off of work. I started getting a nasty headache last night, as well as achy joints. Perhaps I am coming down with something, and perhaps that's why my run on Tues was so painful?

I slept till 9:30, and I can't even remember the last time I slept so late, even on the weekends. I have to admit it feels glorious, despite the lingering headache. I think I am still going to do my scheduled swim, because I think floating around in the water will feel so good!

Yesterday was my rest day, so I walked for an hour, though not all at once. After work, I went to Santa Barbara Running Company to look at some shoes. I am interested in buying a lighter, more flexible shoe to wear for my faster/shorter runs. The Saucony Hurricanes are perfect for my long runs, but too heavy for fast runs. I was hoping to try on some Asics Gel DS Trainer 14, or Kayano 15 or Elixer, or Saucony Tangent or Pro Guide 2, but alas, they did not have them in my size. I am looking for a light shoe that offers a little support for my slight overpronation on my left foot. Do you have any experience with these shoes/any advice? I'm a running shoes newbie! :)

And here's a pic from this weekend at the Summer Solstice Parade. I was literally the only girl who didn't get the memo to wear skirts/dresses/cute sandals. I was wearing running shoes to protect my knees for the run the next day, my Polar HRM watch, and lululemons for comfort. Running ability>style!

Oh, and I watched the Hangover last night! :) B.o.B, you are right, it is an insanely funny movie! It's the funniest movie I've seen in a while, right next to Rat Race.

Hope you have a great Thursday!

Here is my gratitude list for today

1) I am grateful for the fact it's almost the weekend!

2) I like to savor the feeling of a bear hug

3) I am hopeful that this headache will soon be gone!

Oh and go check out this sweet giveaway on The Happy Runner's Blog!

I love you ibuprofen

I'm usually anti-pills. I like to tough things out, or wait for things to get better on their own. Or turn to Chinese/Eastern herbal medicine (They're all about that in Japan, where I'm from).
But not when it comes to running. I'd be lost with out my Gigantor tub of Ibuprofen from Costco!

My run yesterday was one of the most painful runs I've had in recent memory. And I didn't even run that long. I thought my legs were feeling fresh, but WRONG! By the time the afternoon rolled around, my body was feeling sluggish. Probably because of my workout on Monday and the fact I couldn't fit in my usual walks during the day. But I was determined to run, so I did.
I warmed up for a few minutes by walking around the neighborhood, and I could tell my legs were just not their regular selves. But I set out on my run, telling myself I could go as slow as I wanted.

Mile 0.5; my shins are sore
Mile 0.51; my knees hurt
Mile 0.6; my right shoe feels way too loose
Mile 1; re-tie my right shoe
Mile 1.2; Oh, wait a minute, this is part of the Marathon course that I'm training for!
Mile 1.3; Wow, how come I've never run on Cathedral Oaks before? It's such a nice road. I can see why they picked it for the marathon.
Mile 1.5; when on earth is my runner's high going to kick in?
Mile 2-3; finally, some form of runner's high, and run through really nice neighborhood, and get super jealous at all the nice homes. I want to live here!
Mile 3.5; my quad muscle feels like they are going to eat themselves
Mile 3.6; I start CRAVING my post run ice pack and ibuprofen.
Mile 3.7; Since when do I look forward to ice packs? A new high, or a new low?
Mile 3.8; My right butt muscle hurts
Mile 3.9; stop being such a wuss Julia
Mile 4.0; need to pound protein shake after run!
Mile 4.56; Running is a mental battle! I ran half a mile more than planned just to show myself I could do it!

So that was my pathetic sort run! Haha. Next time, I will not do a hardcore weights sess before a run. Lesson learned!
I slammed my choc. milk and Protein powder shake immediately after getting home. I've recently upped my protein intake substantially, because I was not eating nearly enough. I wonder if my right quad muscle hurting is related to my diet or not. I've been eating tons of Greek yogurt, edamame, string cheese, tofu, and even added beef back to my diet (even though I really hate beef) to get iron and protein. Am I still not eating enough protein? What else should I be aware of?

I then took ibuprofen and laid on ice packs for about an hour, and moaned and groaned while watching True Blood with my housemate. And ate a big dinner. I honestly was in a lot of pain. I was so worried I would not be able to move at all this morning, but I am glad to report that I feel very minimal pain today! Yay!
All is well. And to brighten my mood at work today, I even did a little decorating:

Flowers always put a smile on my face. And yes. My computer rests upon a phone book. Can you tell the state of CA is in a budget crisis?

Good thing today is my rest day and tomorrow is swimming day! My legs need a little rest :)
I am hoping to go to the movies tonight and watch the Hangover. I heard it's a pretty fun movie!

Nothing like slicing your finger open

to start off your morning. Yup. 7AM, rushing around to get everything done before work. The serrated knife and my finger decided to have a date.
Ohhh yeah. I can just tell today is gonna be a good one. It's cloudy too, did I mention?

I'm telling you. My mood has a direct correlation with the weather. The sunnier it is, the cheerier I feel. At least it's not Monday.

Monday Gym Workout:
25 min elliptical
Kettle bell squats with arm raises (10 lbs, 12 reps X 3 sets)
Cable rows (70lbs, 12 reps X 3 sets)
Skull crushers (12 lbs each hand, 10 reps X 3 Sets)
abs on incline bench
Lat pull downs (45 lbs 12 reps X 3 sets)
Hip abductor things the PT taught me
Abs on the cable machine
biceps curls (25 lbs, 10 reps X 2 sets)
Shoulders
Abs thing PT taught me
foam roll!!!
~about 75-80 minutes

I have a four mile run later this evening. My legs are feeling surprisingly fresh today, so hopefully it will be a good run to make up for this morning! And I am hoping it will help me clear my head as well. I have been doing a lot of thinking about my very near future, in terms of living situation and job. I have good reason to be worried about the security of it all, as they have just announced pay cuts. My lease for my current house ends in a couple of months too, and I just don't know what I am going to do at that point, financially speaking. I am also seriously looking into other career opportunities. So I have a lot to think about. Nothing like a run to help me find enlightenment. At least 4 miles of enlightenment.

Sorry to be a betty downer, but thanks for "listening." I thought about just pretending to be cheerful, but honestly, I am finding that writing it down helps me see things in perspective. And now that I am feeling much better; my positivity list, and video that positively made me laugh!

1) I am grateful for the wonderful career opportunities I have had so far
2) I like to savor the smell of my kitten (well, he's a full blown cat by now, but will always be a kitty in my mind) when he is falling asleep on my bed (I find it to be so comforting)
3) I am hopeful that my future will bring nothing but the best!

Making a Splash

"Everybody's working for the weekend...." I sure do!
It was a glorious weekend in S Beezy in terms of weather. On Saturday, I went to the gym with James for a quality strength training session. After 15 min on the elliptical, I spent a good 75 min hitting the weights. Again, I tried to focus mostly on my core and arms. The cable machine and I are quickly becoming best buddies. My abs felt sore the next day, so I guess it's working!

After the gym, we went downtown for the annual SB Summer Solstice Parade! The theme this year was "Splash" so there were tons of pirates, mermaids, frogs, fish, etc.
Goin' fishing with a bra. Haha. There was also some Samba performers, Capoeira performers (who were SOOOOO cool BTW), but my favorite was this funky 7-person "bicycle"/septcycle?

I am amazed that those people did not get motion sickness.

Anyways.
On Sunday James and I could only muster up enough strength to run 6 miles. After the gym, and standing up for 6 hours at the parade/festival, our knees were feeling wobbly. But it was a great run because I found a new, very beautiful route that took us by this big park I never knew existed. That's one thing I've enjoyed about running outside lately; I'm discovering so many different nooks and crannies of my neighborhood I never knew of! I feel very fortunate that I live in such a running-friendly city!

The run itself was good. I was able to stay within my Heart Rate zone, and keep a steady, even pace. I was also able to run without the support of my CW-X pants.
After the run, I spent 25 minutes in the pool, swimming hard. I was panting like crazy. I already feel like I am improving, which is exciting to me.

I also watched Gran Torino this weekend. Good movie! I was crying my eyes out at the end, and slobbering all over the place. I was not expecting it to end like that!!! Has anyone else seen it?

My workout plans for today include going back to the gym for some elliptical and more weights. Gotta get strong for the Semana Nautica 15K next weekend! I only have one more long run before running this race, so I gotta make it count. I also need to experiment with eating gels/sports beans in preparation for this race. I have tried the Sports beans before, and I like them OK, but I didn't like how they got stuck to my teeth and left a sugary after-taste. I have a packet of Hammer Gel (apple-cinammon flavor) that I am going to experiment with this weekend. I have never tried a gel, so hopefully this will work out well. I feel like I will be needing some extra fuel on this race, considering how it is the second longest distance I have ever run, and it will be a hot day. Any recommendations for race fueling will be greatly welcomed! Which flavors, which brands, etc.

And of course, let's not forget
1) I am grateful for Steve!
2) I like to savor the feeling of the warm on my skin
3) I am hopeful that I will rock this 15K race

I feel like a little girl in a candy shop

Happy Monday runners!
My heart is racing with excitement right now, as I just found out that Ironman Steve from Steve in a Speedo? Gross! (fun name :) ) has picked #352 (moi) for his awesome giveaway! 75 big ones towards new shoes! You can bet that I am beyond stoked!!! Looking through onlineshoes.com, I feel like a little girl in a candy shop. My mouth is literally drooling.
Muchos Gracias Steve!

Deep breaths Julia, deep breaths.

Good bye, my Beloved

Dear my beloved Sanuks,
I just want you to know you will be dearly missed. We've been to so many places together; Tokyo, Hawaii, Finland, Germany.... I've enjoyed your company very much. But you have to understand why we must say farewell for now. You are falling apart, you are starting to smell old, and you can no longer support me. When I walk with you for more than 20 minutes, my knees and ankles start to hurt. My quads get tight. My legs get too tired for me to run. And you know how much I like to run. And I'm sorry, but I found someone to replace you. His name is Saucony. I can walk with him for hours. I hate to do this to ya, but I have to do what's right for me. But please remember you were always my favorite pair of flip flops!

Love, Julia

Thank goodness I swam yesterday, because my legs were HURTIN' from two days of walking around in flip flops. Lesson learned. WEAR SHOES. It's sad though, cause flip flops are kinda required footwear for CA summers. Oh well. I will sacrifice style for my running! :)

I had my first real swim yesterday, and boy! what a great workout that was! I haven't swam since freshman year of high school, and before that, I hadn't swam since 5th grade. In fact, I YouTubed Swimming Lesson so brush up on my technique! (thanks YouTube! You've got everything AND the kitchen sink!)
I swam for a solid 45 minutes, and since my body wasn't used to this new type of exercise, my heart rate was WAY up, and I was breathing pretty heavily. James led me through a couple of swim drills where I would swim two laps hard, easy for two laps, and repeat 5 times. I did that twice, and good golly that hurt! I'm still not used to being in the water, but I feel like I am improving already!

And being in the water, away from gravity, helped TREMENDOUSLY at taking some of the tightness and pain away from my legs. I'm excited to swim more for my cross-training days. I think it will help a lot with my noodle arms too! :) (Keeping my fingers crossed....)

As far as my eating is going... still a work in progress! As planned, I baked some banana bread, but I found a sugar free recipe, and it turned out wonderful! I used a new ingredient too; Coconut Oil. I heard somewhere that Coconut Oil is good for ya, so I am happy to report that I was able to enjoy some guilt-free baked goods! (and no, I didn't eat the whole thing!)

I would also like to share my new favorite lunch. It's So good!
I know it's an ugly photo, (except for the RW mag in the back! Oh yeah, quality lunch time reading!) but it sure is tasty! I roast some green and yellow zucchini with cumin, paprika, and garlic powder, and put that over brown rice. I also add some spinach, and some chicken/beef/pork that I also bake with cumin, paprika, and garlic powder. I microwave it all up at work, and pour salsa all over it. YUMMINESS. *The trick here is using the Gigantor tub of Kirkland brand salsa from Costco. * I've had this lunch everyday now this week, because it's good, cheap, and easy to make in Large quantities.

Well I have another short run planned for this evening. Oh and exciting news: I just signed up to run the Semana Nautica 15K on 7/4/09!!! The race is 55 years old, which is ancient in Central Coast race standards! I am sooooo excited to run this! This is the second longest distance I've ever run, so any training tips would be incredible appreciated. Thanks Bloggers!

My Positivity for the day;
1) I am grateful that its FRIDAY!!!!
2) I like to savor the feelings of comfort when I'm snuggling in bed
3) I am hopeful that it will be sunny tomorrow for the Summer Solstice Parade!

A Lesson in Positive Thinking

I never realized how comments from strangers around the country/globe could be so uplifting. In fact, I hesitate to even use the word "stranger", because in The Loop and in the blog land, people aren't strangers, but fellow runners/running enthusiasts.

I decided to start keeping a blog, because I was feeling down on myself for various reasons. I felt lost/confused about my career choice, my family was going through a rough patch, I had an injury, my friends were all far away, and the list goes on. I started running as a method to clear my head, to be alone, to feel the wind on my face, and to just use up my anxious/tense energy. I quickly discovered the joy in the pain of running, and it has become a regular part of my life. But I even started to get down on myself on running; I wasn't fast enough, I can't run long distances, I can't afford to buy new shoes.... etc, etc, etc. It didn't help that I don't know any runners in real life, and I couldn't ask if what I was experiencing was normal, or have any of my running questions answered.

All this negativity inside of my head was becoming a bit much for me. I thought, why not just write it (type it) down? It feels good to just let my thoughts flow out of my fingers, and see it materialize into words on the computer screen. I never imagined anyone would be even remotely interested in how my little runs were going, answering questions about shoes and gear, and commenting just to say hi. Just by writing things down, I realized that I'm not actually feeling down. In fact, I'm kind of cheerful! I also never knew there were so many passionate runners out there! It's been encouraging for me to read about others' experiences with running, both the good, the bad, and the ugly.

So to keep this positive vibe going, I'm promising myself that each day, I'm going to think of three good thing: something I am grateful for, something I like to savor, and something I am hopeful about. So here goes day one:
1) I am grateful for this super nice, warm sunny day we are having!
2) I like to savor the taste of chewy chocolate chip cookies
3) I am hopeful that I will learn how to swim this summer!
So thanks to everyone who reads, writes, and runs! Would anyone like to do this Positivity Activity with me?

Fitness Breakthroughs

Good morning runners! I hope Wednesday is off to a good start!

Mine is going well, except for that my thutt (thigh/butt area) hurts a little. I am guessing it is my Piriformis. It's this dull kind of pain... not even pain, just uncomfortableness. I massaged the heck out of it last night and Stretched, and that seems to help. What's really the problem is that I sit for 8 hours a day at my job. Last week, when my job had me literally running around all week, it didn't hurt at all. This week, I'm back at my desk, and by the end of Monday, my Piriformis hurt again. I take walking breaks and stretching breaks, which both help, but I really wish I didn't have to be sitting down for such a long portion of my day. I don't know what else to do?

Thought you might enjoy some musica.....



But on the bright side, I had two fitness breakthroughs yesterday!

1. As I was brushing my hair to put it up into a bun, I noticed my biceps in the mirror! Not only that, but the Bingo arms were not flapping around! Woo hoo! Seriously, I've NEVER had strong arms. It's awesome to see my noodle arms improving!
2. I went for my "easy" run yesterday, and I ran 3.27 miles in around 24 minutes! (don't know exact running time, because I had to stop at red lights, take a sip of water, etc) That's my fastest time yet, and I wasn't even trying hard! I'm glad to see I am getting faster :)

My run yesterday was awesome, because I was in an awesome mood. I feel like my mood is directly correlated with the weather. I mean, it's hard to feel bad when it looks like this outside:

I took this photo during my lunch break, and I totally wanted to be there running with them!
This evening I set off for a 3 mile run, but ended up running 4 because it felt so good. I still need to learn how to slow it down and go for a truly "easy" run though.
The reason I have difficulty slowing down is because I get embarrassed. See, I have this paranoia that if I run slow, everyone passing me on the street, or in their cars, are going to be chuckling to themselves thinking "my oh my, what a terribly slow runner!" So I feel this necessity to run faster. I know it's stupid, and I know no one's out there judging my speed, but I can't get over it. Oh well, I will keep workin on it.

I don't know what I am going to do today in terms of workout. It's my "rest day", so maybe I will go for a walk and do some core work and stretching. And baking. I have bananas that need to be used up ASAP. I foresee some banana bread in my future...... But please don't let me eat the entire loaf. I really am trying to watch my nutrition and not get the majority of my calories from baked goods. I tried and tried, and am finally successful at weaning myself away from candy bars, but baked goods are my weakness! (gah I hate what you do to me, chocolate chip cookies!) haha.

Time for the Awkward Tan Lines Season

All through middle school and right through college, I used the same watch. It was a cute, dainty Roxy watch. I wore it every day, and during the summer months, it would leave a little patch of pale skin around my wrist, the only sliver of skin untouched by the summer rays. That was how I knew it was summer.

Well this year, my cute little Roxy watch has been replaced by my bulky Polar F4. My cute little sliver of pale skin is now a strikingly white big round blob on my wrist. Oh the glamour of running and awkward tan lines.

But it’s still MUCH better than the time I got an iPod tan on my right arm, the outline of my sunglasses on my face, or my name down my thigh…..

This is gonna be a picture less post, so please enjoy the music as you read. It's "Prisoner Song" by The Aggrolites. I heard this song on my Pandora station, and I love it!

I went to the gym yesterday to do some strength training. I really focused on my upper body. My arms are noodles, so I’m hoping the weights’ll transform them into lean, mean, running and swimming machines!

I did:

• 25 min on elliptical
• Cable pulls (12 reps X 3 sets, 65lbs)
• Kettle bells squats
• Plank variations I saw on E News! (of all places….)
• Triceps pull downs on the Bosu Ball (12 reps X 3 sets, 50lbs)
• Obliques using the Cable machine that my PT taught me
• Biceps curls (10 reps x 3 Sets, 10 lbs)
• Side squats
• Some other stuff I don’t remember
• FOAM ROLL!!!!

My quads were so TIGHT, so the Foam Roll felt like heaven. I hope they are sufficiently loosened up by the time I run this evening!

Last night, I had an experience that made me feel “Wow, I’m actually becoming a runner!”

What was this enlightening experience, you ask?

Well, I dreamed about running shoes!

My dream included scoring some SWEEEEEET deals on some new kicks. I got a pair of Asics for my “fast” runs, a pair of Nikes for walking, and another pair for regular running. Now, this is practically a wet dream for a broke/frugal/penny pincher such as myself.

In real life though, I have been a Saucony girl for my entire running “career.” Do runners usually stick to one shoe brand? Is it good to own numerous running shoes from different brands? And one question I’ve been thinking about is, is there such thing as a “fast” shoe? I mean, shoes you wear when you want to practice for speed?

My Saucony Hurricane shoes fit fantastic, but they are kind of stiff and fairly heavy, and I don’t think I will be able to sprint in them. Do I need to get a separate shoe? Please share your expertise!

I guess I will be day dreaming about sweet bargains as I go on my run today! I am trying to train my body to want to run multiple times a week again. Good luck, legs!

An active weekend.

I absolutely refuse to sit inside and lounge around on a weekend, especially when the sun is out! I feel like I'm letting all the good sunshine go to waste if I just sit inside and watch TV or something. I get this incredible urge to go outside and play!

I spent Saturday at the pool, goofing around and hitting up the jacuzzi. The jacuzzi feels amazing, especially when you have sore muscles. On Sunday, I walked to the Farmer's Market with James, and found a park on the way there. I got so excited to see some swings! I can't even remember the last time I played on the swings, so I gave it a shot.

I swear, little kids have got it right. They know how to have a blast! Us grown ups sometimes forget how to just let ourselves enjoy the moment.

At the market, I picked up some juicy peaches, plums, apricots, and a couple of eggplants. Ever since I started shopping at farmers markets, I can't buy fruit anywhere else. The juiciness, the flavorfulness, and the freshness of Farmers Markets just CAN'T be beat! Yuuuuummmm :) Plus, it's always good to support our local agriculture.

Check out these funky veggies: Sinqua and Opo. I have never heard of them nor tried them. I wonder what they are?

After that little adventure, James and I set out on a 8-9 mile run. The weather was gorgeous, and I hadn't run in a week, so I was antsy to get out there and hit the pavement! And I can't even BELIEVE what a difference having James run with me made. It was so nice to have a buddy, to have someone to talk to and keep me company. It made the run so much more fun, and the miles just Flew by!

But one thing I noticed is that I really need to learn how to S-L-O-W it down for my long runs. Not that I am a fast runner by any means, but if I want to last for longer mileages, I need to run at a speed that is more comfortable. I was running at a heart rate of 173+ for a good portion of the run, so I need to learn to run at around 160BPM. It's hard, because it's so nice to feel the wind on my face, breathe heavy, and feel my body WORK! But I don't want to get injured, so gotta learn to run slower and longer.

After a quick stop at the Costco food court for some major refueling, we hit up the pool. I wanted to try out my brand spanking new one piece swim suit. I seriously have not put on a onesie since like, elementary school! Haha. But I was able to find a really nice, basic Nike suit for $29.99 at Big 5. I am glad to report that the bathing suit worked well, and it was great to swim without having to worry about a bikini top falling off with each stroke! haha.

My goal for the summer is to get better at swimming. Better, as in learning how to swim more than a couple of laps, and learning to turn around in the lane. Good thing I have another swim date with James planned for Thursday!

Well that wraps up my sunshine filled weekend. And also flowers. As always, it was WAY too short, but hey, only 5 more days till the weekend, right? ;)

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Getting myself marathon ready

So to get myself mentally pumped for marathon training, I've been getting some new gear!

Now this is really exciting for me, because I am quite possibly the MOST frugal person I know besides my mother, and I hate spending money on anything. And I mean anything. For example, the walls in my room are completely BARE. I have a picture frame and a nice mirror to hang up, but could not justify paying for hooks, so they have been sitting on my floor for a year. A year. Ridiculous I know. So buying new gear for this runnig hobby of mine is quite a big stinking deal.

• Let's see, first of all, I got some CW-X Stabilyx pants. I'll write more about these pants later, But man oh man do I love these pants! You can see a picture of them in my first post about the Half Marathon. I want my entire running wardrobe to consist of CW-X pants. That's how much I love them. Go check it out, you won't regret it.
• And then I got a hear rate monitor. Or maybe I got them first. Whatever the case, I use Polar F4, because I can track calories burned. For me, it's such a great motivator to see how many calories I'm burning. Haha.
• Investing in a good pair of runnig shoes was probably the smartest thing I've done for my running. I went to our local running store, Santa Barbara Runnig Company, and got a pair of Saucony Hurricane shoes. My physical therapist told me my left foot overpronates a little bit, so I need a good pair of stability shoes. The guys at SB Running Company were awesome. They took a video tape of me running on thier treadmill to make sure that the shoes were supporting me correctly. It was great to know I was spending gooe $$ to get the best shoes for my feet!
• I also bought Tom Holland's "The Marathon Method" to help me train. I think I am going to use a combo of this book and Hal Higdon's Marathon Novice 2 plan to train.
• I am using Monique Ryan's book "Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes" to make sure I fuel myself properly. Eating well is a BIG struggle for me, as I have a devlish sweet tooth. If left to my own devices, I would eat chocolate and only chocolate all week. ....Oh wait....I've already done that before..... (not even kidding)
• New iPod arm band!
• New sweat wicking socks and running shirts! What a difference this makes! Sooooooo much better and more comfortable than cotton.
• A bathing suit, a bike and a helmet to cross train.

Obviously, I did not get all these things all at once. I would NOT be able to afford this! Just little by little, I've been building a collection. Next on my wish list is a Garmin Forerunner 305, so I can track my miles and pace.

So now that I am sufficiently geared up, I am stoked to start training! However, I have been cutting down my miles a lot since the Half Marathon, so before I can start officially training, I need to spend a few weeks builing my base up again, to avoid injuries. But I really AM excited to starat training!

What is YOUR favorite training gear? What one item would you not be able to live without? Is there anything else I should get to prepare myself?

I would greatly appreciate your feedback!

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Marathon, Here I come!

Or so I hope. It seems like every time I think "yes, I CAN do this!" my body starts to hurt, or I get injured, or tired, or what have you, and I lose all confidence in running a marathon. But then I have days like today, where I am SO amped on running, and feel like tackling a marathon won't be all that bad after all.

I'm pretty sure that when all is said and done, I am going to run my first marathon this winter, the inaugural Santa Barbara International Marathon.  This is my fifth year living in Santa B, and I know I would regret it for the rest of my life if I missed out on the chance to run the First Ever marathon in my city. It's like, both the city and I will be popping our Marathon cherries together :)

So I don't know what my future running holds, but all I know is that I want to run! I hope to use this blog not only to track my running and workouts obviously, but as a place where I can reflect and think. I spend more time thinking than talking, and all these thoughts in my head just sit there, mocking me, taunting me, cheering me on, bringing me down, building me up.... and I feel like I just need to release them into words, onto the screen, and out of my reach. I hope that I can record my training ups and downs, both physical and emotional, as I learn to put one foot in front of the other, over and over again, for miles and miles. I'm scared, I'm excited, I'm nervous, and I'm stoked. I just hope to have a blast at the end!

I guess my biggest obstacle right now is that my heart and mind tell me different things. I hope running and writing will help me figure it all out. In both running and in life.

So here are my tales of learning to run. Chocolate Shoestrings. I'm glad shoestrings aren't made out of chocolate, because if they were, i would eat them, and I wouldn't be able to run! :)

 

 

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