gold star

I would like to award myself a giant gold star for this week. 
Not only was I up and running, literally, before 6 am each day, I also lifted afterwards.  


On the road...
I ran 5,4,4,3,4 miles this week.  


In the gym...
I maxed out on bench, core leg lifts, tried new abs, did spin, and best of all--med ball.


I have noticed some big time ankle pain in my metal plated ankle.  Accordingly, I've been working on strengthening the muscles in my feet and ankles.  I have worked on flexibility and strength by using a small stability ball.  It has worked.  No pain in my ankle this week.  

back to school

My summer is coming to a close within the next week.  This new week will bring training, planning, and preparing for my new life as an English teacher. 


I have many aspirations for this new year.  I want to keep training as hard as I have been for the past 2 years.  New Zealand life helped me accomplish times, distances, and training schedules that I didn't think I had in me. 


I don't want to lose my momentum.  My biggest fear is that I'll turn into that teacher who always looks frazzled, unorganized, and generally exhausted.  This teacher never looks well presented and always seems so stressed out.  I don't want to be that lady.  


I have been waking up at dark thirty for 2 years now to ensure that I get in a workout before work.  I have also made sure that I lifted each and every weekday for the past year-whether on my lunch break or before/after work.  


I am convinced that I am happier, healthier, smarter, and prettier when I am committed like this.  I feel like I accomplish something worthwhile each and everyday.  That alone helps me put my best foot forward in all that I do, including in the classroom.


Bottom line is that I am typing out loud that I would like to commit to the following things.


1.  Ride my new bike to school daily (try hard to do so when it is cold). 


2. Wake up at 5am to get in my run and/or lifting before school.


3.  Ride to the gym on my way home from school on weekdays.   This is the perfect place to de-stress after work.


4.  Decide on the marathon I will run this coming year and make arrangements to be prepared for it. I am leaning towards Carlsbad.


5.  Live the way I want to live. Stick to my guns when it comes to my eating, nutrition, and exercise. 


6. Never ever eat like an American. 

back to the beginning

and thus begins another first run for the next big race. 


I haven't entirely decided on the next race but I do know that it will be a 10K or above and within the next 2-3 months.  


I haven't ran a short race in a long time. It might be nice to run a short 10K for once.   I would like to work on my mile pace even more.  Fine tuning is always good. 


I love the first run for a new race. It's exciting.  No burn out, all new excitement, motivation, and determination all wrapped into one run.  My clothes are laid out, along with my shoes.  The alarm will go off in the morning and I'll get up and be so ready to hit the road. 


Do it to it. 
Yee'go




p.s.  I am still partly in denial about my new running home.  I was so spoiled with white sand beaches and warm weather year around to run in.   This harsh Arizona weather thing is hitting me hard this time around.  

credit prpretaporter.wordpress.com

the next big race

So, I've been contemplating the next marathon race.  

I am thinking that I'd like to find a race in California.  

Reasons being, California has balmy and mild weather that will be runner friendly and there seem to be a plethora of respectable choices. 

I have heard wonderful things about the Carlsbad Marathon in November.  

or Big Sur Marathon in April or San Diego Marathon in June or Malibu Marathon in November.

I am not loving the races in Arizona.  I am not down with doing the Phoenix Rock N Roll.  I would consider Sedona or Tuscon though. 

Any advice?  

rest days

I am not doing anything for the next few days.  My blister is HUGE post 1/2 marathon. I am starting to learn more and more that rest is as much a part of training as is running or lifting.

Bucket of Blood 1/2 Marathon

 Alright, here's the lowdown on the Bucket of Blood 1/2 Marathon. 


July, 7am, 13 miles, off road, desert terrain do not mix.


The course was an all terrain, off road course, by all means. 
However, no prior notification was given. I assumed it was a road race and trained accordingly.


I didn't train for off road rock dodging, trail shoes, rocky hills, etc.  


By mile 3 I had a blister that was giving me enough pain that I considered stopping.  I never did stop for the blister but am now suffering the consequences.  


I ran a 1 hr 48 min race.  Not amazing but I do take into factor the all terrain desert factor.  


                                                                I was the 2nd female finisher.
                               
                        I am now on the hunt for a good road race in Arizona that isn't 9,000 degrees.

twas the night before race day

credit: gutenburg.org 

thoughts/comments/fears pre race

• biggest fear in life...racing in July in Arizona...idiot
• the subtle knee pain that is dwindling on the side of my left knee
• whether to wear my racing shoes or trustworthy shoes
• excited to run with my big sis
• wondering if Holbrook has the capacity to put on a race
• praying for a fluke monsoon storm at 7am
• pumped about running back in arizona
• striving for a 2 minute shave of my 1/2 marathon PR. That's 1:37 folks.
• hoping there is a bathroom by the start line
• eager to listen to my brand spanking new playlist while wearing my fancy sunglasses

Cheers for Bloody Bucket race

pain

So, I am in denial right now.  My knee has hurt for more than one day and I am slowly coming to the realization that I probably need to do something about it rather than ignore it.  

You see, I have been blessed to run ultimately injury free for the past x number of years.  With the exception of an ankle break during a volleyball match, I have no official running injuries in my past.  

I am quite cavalier when it comes to injuries in running.  I probably don't give my body enough rest.  I probably don't listen to my body enough.  

Back to my pain-

After wake boarding last week, I have felt a pain in the outside of my knee while walking.  It's a dull pain but I am starting to get concerned.  It doesn't hurt while running, only during every other activity. I'm less than 2 weeks to race day so I realize I need to take it easy.  It's hard. It's hard to rest when you enjoy working out.  I feel like I have to discipline myself more to rest than I do to run.  Weird how that works. 

The scene of the crime....wake boarding at Roosevelt Lake

While I'm somewhat complaining, I'd like to say one more thing. I miss living in Auckland.  EVERYONE did something in Auckland.  I passed 88 bikers and an equal amount of runners every morning while running.  It is a tad bit depressing to be one of just a handful of runners in my community now.