Yep, I did it. I took a BREAK this weekend. A much needed one. If you happened to see my last post, I mentioned that I had a hard time getting out the door and making it through my 7 mile run on Thursday. I made it, and I'm glad I pushed through it, but I also know that I was feeling burned out. I don't run into this too often so it was frustrating, but taking time off this weekend was important for my body and mind.
I try so hard to stick with the schedule I set and I tend to do a great job. I have the mental stamina to push through a training plan no matter how tired I'm feeling in the middle. This isn't an issue when I'm running half marathons anymore, but I remember feeling the same burnout mid-marathon training in 2010. Luckily, I started ramping up way early to leave myself time for rest and for skiing.
My next two races in March and April are half marathons, and I'm more than ready for those. I'm feeling pumped for the Oakland Half Marathon. The 21-miler for Big Sur should be a good time, and I've hit 14 miles in my long run already so I'll manage it just fine by April 29. I'm writing these thoughts out not just to share, but so I read it myself and realize that I'm totally fine. The Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon isn't until June 23, and that's quite a bit of time away.
So what did I do this weekend instead of a long run? Well, Saturday my hubby and I woke up to a power outage and couldn't make our own coffee. Instead, we took a walk to get Philz Coffee and fantastic croissant sandwiches in downtown San Jose, and then we went wine tasting in Livermore with friends. We especially loved Concannon and the offerings of Petit Sirah. The second place we visited was called Tamas, and I was impressed with the wine and reasonable prices. At Tamas, we added on the port and truffle tasting, enjoying two ports with a cherry chocolate truffle. Wonderful! On Sunday, we had a few friends over for the Oscars, enjoyed food and wine, and relaxed.
I'm not writing a weekly training recap this week because I'm considering this my scaling back week. We'll resume next Sunday with our regularly scheduled training posts.
Cheers everyone, have a fantastic week!
26 February 2012
24 February 2012
Believe in the Run
It's been a rough couple of weeks for running. I'm less motivated than usual, I'm feeling exhausted, and it's been busy at work and in other parts of life. I can't help but think - why did I sign up for another marathon? What am I doing? Do I really want to run 15 miles this weekend and to keep adding distance after that?
Today's run was no exception to this mental lapse and it was hard to even get out the door. I changed into running clothes, went outside, and hit the button to get satellites on my Garmin. It locked quickly so I didn't even stretch before my run (I usually do a little) because I feared I wouldn't want to go anywhere if I waited longer.
This lack of motivation is rather unusual for me and frustrating. I feel like it should be mental so I can just wipe it away, but that isn't working so far. The only thing I can do is force myself out the door and try to stay positive. I started to run and the first mile was really, really tough. I stopped to stretch for a bit and even took a walk break in an attempt to get my mind and body on the same page.
When I feel this way, I go through a little checklist in my head to make myself aware that there is no good reason to stop running. Today went a little something like this.
Am I in pain? No.
Am I injured? No.
Am I out of breath? No.
Is my heart rate too high? No.
Am I sick? No.
Am I tired? Well yeah, but who isn't.
Is anything at all wrong? No.
So there you have it self, there is no reason to stop running today. That said, by the second mile I considered capping my planned 7 mile run at 4 or 5 miles. Knowing my feel-good-and-warmed-up-place is usually 2.5 to 3 miles, I set my goal to run at least that far before turning around for my out and back. I finally felt better (still not good) around 2.5 and held out until 3 miles before turning around. Somewhere after that I found my zone, albeit a slow and tough one, and added the extra mile to finish my planned distance.
By the end of the run I actually felt good and finished strong, but this run took a lot more mental energy than usual. I'm still not sure why I have the lack of motivation or why I feel so exhausted, but if nothing else I boosted my self-esteem a little by finishing my run! I'm so glad I did.
I know this isn't an overall happy and positive post, but the message is something I want to share and need to remember myself. I can do this, I can run, even when it feels tough. Some days are harder than others, yet the end result is always worthwhile.
The next time I run into a mental block, I need to remember how I pushed through it this time and that I really can do it. Believe in the run.
Today's run was no exception to this mental lapse and it was hard to even get out the door. I changed into running clothes, went outside, and hit the button to get satellites on my Garmin. It locked quickly so I didn't even stretch before my run (I usually do a little) because I feared I wouldn't want to go anywhere if I waited longer.
This lack of motivation is rather unusual for me and frustrating. I feel like it should be mental so I can just wipe it away, but that isn't working so far. The only thing I can do is force myself out the door and try to stay positive. I started to run and the first mile was really, really tough. I stopped to stretch for a bit and even took a walk break in an attempt to get my mind and body on the same page.
When I feel this way, I go through a little checklist in my head to make myself aware that there is no good reason to stop running. Today went a little something like this.
Am I in pain? No.
Am I injured? No.
Am I out of breath? No.
Is my heart rate too high? No.
Am I sick? No.
Am I tired? Well yeah, but who isn't.
Is anything at all wrong? No.
So there you have it self, there is no reason to stop running today. That said, by the second mile I considered capping my planned 7 mile run at 4 or 5 miles. Knowing my feel-good-and-warmed-up-place is usually 2.5 to 3 miles, I set my goal to run at least that far before turning around for my out and back. I finally felt better (still not good) around 2.5 and held out until 3 miles before turning around. Somewhere after that I found my zone, albeit a slow and tough one, and added the extra mile to finish my planned distance.
By the end of the run I actually felt good and finished strong, but this run took a lot more mental energy than usual. I'm still not sure why I have the lack of motivation or why I feel so exhausted, but if nothing else I boosted my self-esteem a little by finishing my run! I'm so glad I did.
I know this isn't an overall happy and positive post, but the message is something I want to share and need to remember myself. I can do this, I can run, even when it feels tough. Some days are harder than others, yet the end result is always worthwhile.
The next time I run into a mental block, I need to remember how I pushed through it this time and that I really can do it. Believe in the run.
Motivational photo found on Pinterest via Eat. Run. Sleep. Repeat.
20 February 2012
Training Week Seven
Wow, crazy week! Between the work ski trip and having a visitor, I wore myself out but had a ton of fun along the way. The ski trip was to Squaw Valley and it was timed perfectly with new snow. Wednesday had lots of fresh powder, but I enjoyed Thursday's new groomed snow even more. I spent the rest of the week(end) eating good meals, wine tasting, running, playing tourist, and hiking with my friend.
I've been feeling skeptical about signing up for the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon with everything going on, but I know we have plenty of time before June 23. I just have to stay positive and not let my nerves get to me already. And with that, here's how this week in workouts played out.
Sunday, February 12
Planned: Skiing
Completed: Skiing
We skied the California side of Heavenly. Being the goal-oriented dorks we are, we focused on getting the EpicMix pin for riding the same chair lift 10 times in a row. We succeeded!
Monday, February 13
Rest day after a very active weekend
Tuesday, February 14
Planned: 3 mile run
Completed: 3 mile run
Happy Valentine's Day! My hubby and I went on a short and quick 3 mile run before work. Had to squeeze it in early because we had dinner reservations in the evening. This run made me think I should run in the morning more often, maybe I'll give it another go this week. I'm not a morning person, so we'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, February 15
Planned: Skiing
Completed: Skiing
I got up at 4 am and took the bus with work people to Squaw Valley for our ski trip. This was my first time really skiing Squaw; the only other time I was there, I was brand new to skiing and took a beginner lesson on one green hill. There was fresh powder - finally!
Thursday, February 16
Planned: Skiing
Completed: Skiing
More fun at Squaw Valley, this time with nicely groomed snow. I found Shirley's Chair and enjoyed a number of laps on the blue runs there. It was also a great workout.
Friday, February 17
Planned: Rest
Completed: Tons of walking in SF
Along with my visitor, I played tourist in SF for a day. We walked a ton, rode a hop-on hop-off tour bus a little, and had a great time. The highlight was riding the Powell & Hyde cable car, which I've never taken the time to do before. I took a few lovely pics of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Saturday, February 18
Planned: 14 mile long run
Completed: 14 mile long run
I started the morning feeling unsure of myself and dragging, but the run ended up being wonderful. My body warmed up well and I was strong through the end. I ran with my husband on the Bay Trail fighting wind a lot of the way, so we got a little extra resistance for our training! Yep, the wind felt crazy strong.
I have one last confession for this post: I completely forgot to do my Fab Ab February workouts for 3 days this week. Oh no! I went straight back to it and am getting back on track now, but I feel like a total slacker. This week should be much more normal and I'll be good once I find my routine again.
I've been feeling skeptical about signing up for the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon with everything going on, but I know we have plenty of time before June 23. I just have to stay positive and not let my nerves get to me already. And with that, here's how this week in workouts played out.
Sunday, February 12
Planned: Skiing
Completed: Skiing
We skied the California side of Heavenly. Being the goal-oriented dorks we are, we focused on getting the EpicMix pin for riding the same chair lift 10 times in a row. We succeeded!
Monday, February 13
Rest day after a very active weekend
Tuesday, February 14
Planned: 3 mile run
Completed: 3 mile run
Happy Valentine's Day! My hubby and I went on a short and quick 3 mile run before work. Had to squeeze it in early because we had dinner reservations in the evening. This run made me think I should run in the morning more often, maybe I'll give it another go this week. I'm not a morning person, so we'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, February 15
Planned: Skiing
Completed: Skiing
I got up at 4 am and took the bus with work people to Squaw Valley for our ski trip. This was my first time really skiing Squaw; the only other time I was there, I was brand new to skiing and took a beginner lesson on one green hill. There was fresh powder - finally!
Thursday, February 16
Planned: Skiing
Completed: Skiing
More fun at Squaw Valley, this time with nicely groomed snow. I found Shirley's Chair and enjoyed a number of laps on the blue runs there. It was also a great workout.
Friday, February 17
Planned: Rest
Completed: Tons of walking in SF
Along with my visitor, I played tourist in SF for a day. We walked a ton, rode a hop-on hop-off tour bus a little, and had a great time. The highlight was riding the Powell & Hyde cable car, which I've never taken the time to do before. I took a few lovely pics of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Saturday, February 18
Planned: 14 mile long run
Completed: 14 mile long run
I started the morning feeling unsure of myself and dragging, but the run ended up being wonderful. My body warmed up well and I was strong through the end. I ran with my husband on the Bay Trail fighting wind a lot of the way, so we got a little extra resistance for our training! Yep, the wind felt crazy strong.
I have one last confession for this post: I completely forgot to do my Fab Ab February workouts for 3 days this week. Oh no! I went straight back to it and am getting back on track now, but I feel like a total slacker. This week should be much more normal and I'll be good once I find my routine again.
14 February 2012
Running, Be My Valentine
I've been meaning to write a list of ten things I love about running for the #runchat contest, and it seems I've waited until the last day - Valentine's Day. What a perfect day to express my love of running.
Many of my ten loves fall into a post I wrote to beginner runner friends too. Cheers to running!
1. Running is a great stress reliever. I enjoy getting outside, feeling the breeze, and listening to my feet tap along the way.
2. I love having a goal, and running gives me great goal-setting opportunities. I tend to sign up for quite a few races for this reason.
3. The runner's high. I love feeling both exhausted and energized at the same time after a good run!
4. Running a race is a good reason to visit new places. And I love travel.
5. Crossing a finish line. The actual act of crossing a finish line makes me super happy.
6. Being able to eat (a little) more. I'm a pretty healthy person overall, but I like not feeling guilty if I want to have bad food too.
7. I enjoy buying running and workout clothes. It's fun!
8. It can be time alone or time with friends. I love running with my husband and having time to chat, and I equally like getting out the door alone on days when I feel stressed at work and need a break.
9. You can run anywhere! Running shoes are easy to take on vacation, work trips, etc. There is never an excuse not to run.
10. A community of people. It's fun to read blogs, tweets, and to talk about running with running friends. I love it when new friends start running and become part of it.
I can't wait to read everyone else's running top ten. Happy Valentine's Day!
Many of my ten loves fall into a post I wrote to beginner runner friends too. Cheers to running!
1. Running is a great stress reliever. I enjoy getting outside, feeling the breeze, and listening to my feet tap along the way.
2. I love having a goal, and running gives me great goal-setting opportunities. I tend to sign up for quite a few races for this reason.
3. The runner's high. I love feeling both exhausted and energized at the same time after a good run!
4. Running a race is a good reason to visit new places. And I love travel.
5. Crossing a finish line. The actual act of crossing a finish line makes me super happy.
6. Being able to eat (a little) more. I'm a pretty healthy person overall, but I like not feeling guilty if I want to have bad food too.
7. I enjoy buying running and workout clothes. It's fun!
8. It can be time alone or time with friends. I love running with my husband and having time to chat, and I equally like getting out the door alone on days when I feel stressed at work and need a break.
9. You can run anywhere! Running shoes are easy to take on vacation, work trips, etc. There is never an excuse not to run.
10. A community of people. It's fun to read blogs, tweets, and to talk about running with running friends. I love it when new friends start running and become part of it.
I can't wait to read everyone else's running top ten. Happy Valentine's Day!
12 February 2012
Training Week Six
This was another week with skiing, meaning weird workout schedule. But it's so much fun! The main issue with my workouts this week is a debate about biking. I like going to my indoor biking class, but I'm not planning to go to the outdoor sessions in March. The main reason is that my knee still bothers me when I ride, and the second reason is that I want to focus on the marathon. I'm signed up for a duathlon in March but I'm feeling a little skeptical because I haven't ridden outside (and practiced clipping!) since August. We'll see.
Sunday, February 5
Rest after that 12 miler. And a Super Bowl party.
Monday, February 6
Planned: 4 mile run
Completed: 3 miles on Elliptical + Strength
I worked later and it got dark, so I took my workout indoors and watched The Bachelor. I followed the cardio with strength work: Abs (frog crunches, sit ups, plank, lower abs), legs (lunges with weight, single leg squats, side leg raises), push-ups.
Tuesday, February 7
Planned: Indoor Cycling Class
Completed: Indoor Cycling Class
Not a super tough class but still bothered the bursitis in my knee this week. Climbs in and out of the saddle, one leg pedaling drills, short sprints in and out of the saddle.
Wednesday, February 8
Planned: 7 mile run
Completed: 7 mile run
For the first time in a while my run felt amazing! I was very happy at the end and satisfied with my pace of 10:08/mile. My target for the first spring half, Oakland, is 10:15-10:20.
Thursday, February 9
Rest
Friday, February 10
Rest, drove to Tahoe after work.
Saturday, February 11
Planned: Lots of skiing
Completed: Even more skiing than planned!
Fun weekend at Heavenly with a visiting friend and my hubby. Saturday conditions were a bit rough and crowded, but we got out to the slopes early on Sunday and had a fantastic day skiing in the California sun. We finished the day with lunch and beer at Steins. I'm going to feel all of the skiing tomorrow when I wake up for work, that's for sure!
Sunday, February 5
Rest after that 12 miler. And a Super Bowl party.
Monday, February 6
Planned: 4 mile run
Completed: 3 miles on Elliptical + Strength
I worked later and it got dark, so I took my workout indoors and watched The Bachelor. I followed the cardio with strength work: Abs (frog crunches, sit ups, plank, lower abs), legs (lunges with weight, single leg squats, side leg raises), push-ups.
Tuesday, February 7
Planned: Indoor Cycling Class
Completed: Indoor Cycling Class
Not a super tough class but still bothered the bursitis in my knee this week. Climbs in and out of the saddle, one leg pedaling drills, short sprints in and out of the saddle.
Wednesday, February 8
Planned: 7 mile run
Completed: 7 mile run
For the first time in a while my run felt amazing! I was very happy at the end and satisfied with my pace of 10:08/mile. My target for the first spring half, Oakland, is 10:15-10:20.
Thursday, February 9
Rest
Friday, February 10
Rest, drove to Tahoe after work.
Saturday, February 11
Planned: Lots of skiing
Completed: Even more skiing than planned!
Fun weekend at Heavenly with a visiting friend and my hubby. Saturday conditions were a bit rough and crowded, but we got out to the slopes early on Sunday and had a fantastic day skiing in the California sun. We finished the day with lunch and beer at Steins. I'm going to feel all of the skiing tomorrow when I wake up for work, that's for sure!
08 February 2012
Saturday is Run Day + Ellasport Capri Win
Saturday long runs with my hubby are a highlight to my week. It gives us time to chat, laugh, have fun, and of course to run. I'm so lucky that we both enjoy running and that we can have that time with each other. He's faster than me but willing to take my pace on our together runs, and during the week we do our own workouts.
This past weekend, we ran 12 miles in the downtown areas of San Jose. Let's say this was not a great route at all - not super pretty and way too many stoplights. I enjoyed the part on the Guadalupe River Trail, but we run it a lot so it becomes less interesting after a while. The run itself went great and we both felt good; strangely, I didn't even feel as tired as I usually do.
One fantastic part to my weekend run included my new Ellasport capris. I was lucky enough to win them on a blog giveaway from Bari and they came in the mail just in time for my Saturday run day. My brain told me not to wear new capris for 12 miles, but I didn't listen and did it anyway. And you know what? It was no problem at all!
Because I love them so much, I want to give you a few highlights of my new capris. All opinions are my own and no one asked me to write this, so you get all honesty here. I received the new Power Capri in size medium from Ellasport, and the design is very cute. I like the white accent on the back and the little pink flower on the leg. Can you tell I'm a girly-girl...
Thoughts on design:
Seams - The interesting note about the seam design is that they stick up a little bit (maybe this makes it flat inside?) I like the look and feel and had no chafing issues at all.
Length - I'm tall and the length hit a little below my knee. It was enough that it didn't bother the back of my knee, which sometimes happens with shorter capris. This is good.
Fabric - Perfect. Stretches just enough, not too much. They did not fall down while running AT ALL. Even my favorite Lululemon capris slip a little. When I reached to fix them out of habit, they hadn't moved. Now that I could get used to. They breathed well, wicked sweat, and stayed fab looking for the whole run.
Pocket - The white section in the back is a good size zipper pocket. I didn't use it this time because I carried gels in my water bottle, but it would fit them well if needed. I always prefer the zipper pocket.
Waist - The waist is higher and hits above my belly button, which might be why they stay up so well. I often prefer the higher waist on my running capris and liked this one a lot.
Drawstring - The drawstring is my only 'con.' It's pink (cute touch) and ties. I found it to be a little thick which made the knot more noticeable on my tummy, although not a real problem after I had them on for a while. I prefer drawstrings to be continuous instead of having to be tied (no chance of losing it inside the waistband), but that said I tied it to help the capris stay up anyway.
Overall, I'm so glad I had the chance to try the Power Capri and that I discovered Ellasport. Thanks again to Bari from Live, Laugh, Run, Breathe and Pam from Ellasport for the great experience!
This past weekend, we ran 12 miles in the downtown areas of San Jose. Let's say this was not a great route at all - not super pretty and way too many stoplights. I enjoyed the part on the Guadalupe River Trail, but we run it a lot so it becomes less interesting after a while. The run itself went great and we both felt good; strangely, I didn't even feel as tired as I usually do.
One fantastic part to my weekend run included my new Ellasport capris. I was lucky enough to win them on a blog giveaway from Bari and they came in the mail just in time for my Saturday run day. My brain told me not to wear new capris for 12 miles, but I didn't listen and did it anyway. And you know what? It was no problem at all!
Because I love them so much, I want to give you a few highlights of my new capris. All opinions are my own and no one asked me to write this, so you get all honesty here. I received the new Power Capri in size medium from Ellasport, and the design is very cute. I like the white accent on the back and the little pink flower on the leg. Can you tell I'm a girly-girl...
Thoughts on design:
Seams - The interesting note about the seam design is that they stick up a little bit (maybe this makes it flat inside?) I like the look and feel and had no chafing issues at all.
Length - I'm tall and the length hit a little below my knee. It was enough that it didn't bother the back of my knee, which sometimes happens with shorter capris. This is good.
Fabric - Perfect. Stretches just enough, not too much. They did not fall down while running AT ALL. Even my favorite Lululemon capris slip a little. When I reached to fix them out of habit, they hadn't moved. Now that I could get used to. They breathed well, wicked sweat, and stayed fab looking for the whole run.
Pocket - The white section in the back is a good size zipper pocket. I didn't use it this time because I carried gels in my water bottle, but it would fit them well if needed. I always prefer the zipper pocket.
Waist - The waist is higher and hits above my belly button, which might be why they stay up so well. I often prefer the higher waist on my running capris and liked this one a lot.
Drawstring - The drawstring is my only 'con.' It's pink (cute touch) and ties. I found it to be a little thick which made the knot more noticeable on my tummy, although not a real problem after I had them on for a while. I prefer drawstrings to be continuous instead of having to be tied (no chance of losing it inside the waistband), but that said I tied it to help the capris stay up anyway.
Overall, I'm so glad I had the chance to try the Power Capri and that I discovered Ellasport. Thanks again to Bari from Live, Laugh, Run, Breathe and Pam from Ellasport for the great experience!
05 February 2012
Training Week Five
I didn't have great weekday runs this week, but my 12 mile long run on Saturday felt really good. (Phew! I was getting worried there.) I started the Fab Ab February calendar and plan to stick with it and we spent more time in Tahoe. That's going to be a theme for the next few months!
Sunday, January 29
Planned: Skiing
Completed: Skiing
A few more hours of skiing. Sunday conditions were much better than Saturday, so we were glad we stayed and gave it a shot.
Monday, January 30
Planned: 3 mile run
Completed: 3.5 mile run
Felt ok but pretty tired. Decided during this run that maybe I needed a day off soon after lots of weekend activity.
Tuesday, January 31
Planned: Indoor Cycling Class
Completed: Rest
Took the day off. It was a good idea.
Wednesday, February 1
Planned: 6 mile run
Completed: 6 mile run
Fantastic weather, felt generally good but still a little tired and slower than I'd hoped.
Thursday, February 2
Planned: Indoor Cycling Class (since I missed Tuesday)
Completed: 3.25 mile run + Pilates class
I decided to try a new class at our gym and went to Pilates. This class was pretty easy and I didn't get sore, so maybe not for me. The run was still feeling slow but not as bad as earlier in the week. Again, the weather was great! I have no excuse for not going to the cycling class except that I hate lugging my bike and equipment around and decided not to deal with it this week. I'd just rather run, so I did.
Friday, February 3
Rest
Saturday, February 4
Planned: 12 mile long run
Completed: 12 mile long run
Run felt good, stayed at a 10:30ish pace which is where I want to be for the long races. Our route wasn't superb because we ran in downtown San Jose through some not so pretty areas, but it did the job. I was happy with the run and how tired I didn't feel for that distance.
02 February 2012
Eleven Random Questions
It's my turn to answer the eleven random questions - I was tagged by Meredith (@DareYouToBlog) at Dare You To... in the chain of bloggers. This should be fun!
This is a game and are the rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. You must post 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people YOU tag to answer.
5. Tag 11 people and let them know they are it!
My Eleven Random Facts:
1. I love red wine and tasting new wines. Sometimes I wish it weren't alcohol so I could drink more of it! My current favorite is Syrah from the Central Valley, such as the Pessagno and Manzoni wines.
2. I didn't start working out until college, in fact I didn't even know what an elliptical was. Thank goodness my roommates saved me from the freshman 15 and introduced me to the campus gym. They created a monster...
3. I played trumpet for many years and was a member of the Ohio State University Marching Band during college. This is a pretty hard core tryout band, and I'm so happy that I could be a part of it.
4. I love cats. My kitty, Akai, is super sweet and cuddly. His sister, Kiseki, died of pancreatic cancer a little over a year ago, and we miss her tons.
5. I'm a huge Ohio State fan, but I went to Michigan for grad school. Going to a rival school where many people care about football (and hate your school) was really, really weird.
6. One of my fave restaurants is BJs Restaurant & Brewhouse. It's not fancy, but the atmosphere is fun and I love the cookies n cream pizookie!
7. I'm strangely obsessed with mountaineering, mostly reading about it. I climbed Mt. Hood a couple of years ago to get a taste of it.
8. Running along water motivates me. It's so peaceful.
9. I love Green Day. There's something about them and Billie Joe is fantastic live. It's a little nostalgia too because Dookie was my first CD when I got a CD player.
10. My favorite vacation was to San Francisco in 2001. I said I wanted to live there during the trip; funny how I ended up pretty close to it 10 years later. I feel so lucky to have moved to the Bay Area.
11. I have a B.S. in Molecular Genetics and an M.S. in Cell & Developmental Biology. And my job isn't related to biology at all.
Wow, that was harder than I expected!
Now for the questions from Meredith:
1. What made you laugh this week? My husband!
2. If you were a dog, what breed would you be? Greyhound
3. What book do you recommend most right now? The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
4. If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Carnitas tacos
5. Team Gale or Team Peeta? Um...team Jacob?
6. What's your go-to recipe? Teriyaki-marinated chicken
7. What's your favorite color highlighter to use? Green
8. Are you superstitious? A little, enough to knock on wood or not walk under a ladder.
9. What sparked your commitment to healthy living? Heart disease in my family.
10. What was your favorite childhood stuffed animal/blanket named? Raccoon. It was a stuffed raccoon. Wasn't I creative?
11. What's your favorite color to wear? Red. It's bright enough to make me feel happy, and it does good for my skin tone.
Now, my questions for you:
1. Did you stick with your original career choice or change it up?
2. What's your favorite workout?
3. Red wine or white wine?
4. If you could live anywhere regardless of cost/job, where would you choose?
5. What's your guilty pleasure TV show?
6. Would you rather relax on the beach or ski in amazing snow conditions?
7. Are you addicted to the internet?
8. What is your favorite race distance to run?
9. Cat or dog?
10. What is your favorite color?
11. What band would you love to see in concert?
It's time to tag people.
I'm not tagging eleven because many people have been tagged by now - but I'll do the best I can. Forgive me if you have already been tagged and I missed it.
1. Kevin Lu at Beyond Distance
2. Andie at A Little Heart And Soul
3. Karla at Running on Eagles Wings
4. Bari at Live Laugh Run Breathe
5. Jay at The Master Juggler
6. Holly at All That Is Holly
7. Abby at Live, Laugh, Run Today
To those tagged - don't feel obligated to do this, I just thought it'd be fun to carry on. Enjoy!
This is a game and are the rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. You must post 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people YOU tag to answer.
5. Tag 11 people and let them know they are it!
My Eleven Random Facts:
1. I love red wine and tasting new wines. Sometimes I wish it weren't alcohol so I could drink more of it! My current favorite is Syrah from the Central Valley, such as the Pessagno and Manzoni wines.
Pretty vines at Casa Nuestra in St. Helena.
2. I didn't start working out until college, in fact I didn't even know what an elliptical was. Thank goodness my roommates saved me from the freshman 15 and introduced me to the campus gym. They created a monster...
3. I played trumpet for many years and was a member of the Ohio State University Marching Band during college. This is a pretty hard core tryout band, and I'm so happy that I could be a part of it.
4. I love cats. My kitty, Akai, is super sweet and cuddly. His sister, Kiseki, died of pancreatic cancer a little over a year ago, and we miss her tons.
Akai on his favorite blanket.
5. I'm a huge Ohio State fan, but I went to Michigan for grad school. Going to a rival school where many people care about football (and hate your school) was really, really weird.
Hats off with the Brutus statue on Lane Avenue.
6. One of my fave restaurants is BJs Restaurant & Brewhouse. It's not fancy, but the atmosphere is fun and I love the cookies n cream pizookie!
7. I'm strangely obsessed with mountaineering, mostly reading about it. I climbed Mt. Hood a couple of years ago to get a taste of it.
8. Running along water motivates me. It's so peaceful.
9. I love Green Day. There's something about them and Billie Joe is fantastic live. It's a little nostalgia too because Dookie was my first CD when I got a CD player.
10. My favorite vacation was to San Francisco in 2001. I said I wanted to live there during the trip; funny how I ended up pretty close to it 10 years later. I feel so lucky to have moved to the Bay Area.
11. I have a B.S. in Molecular Genetics and an M.S. in Cell & Developmental Biology. And my job isn't related to biology at all.
Wow, that was harder than I expected!
Now for the questions from Meredith:
1. What made you laugh this week? My husband!
2. If you were a dog, what breed would you be? Greyhound
3. What book do you recommend most right now? The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
4. If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Carnitas tacos
5. Team Gale or Team Peeta? Um...team Jacob?
6. What's your go-to recipe? Teriyaki-marinated chicken
7. What's your favorite color highlighter to use? Green
8. Are you superstitious? A little, enough to knock on wood or not walk under a ladder.
9. What sparked your commitment to healthy living? Heart disease in my family.
10. What was your favorite childhood stuffed animal/blanket named? Raccoon. It was a stuffed raccoon. Wasn't I creative?
11. What's your favorite color to wear? Red. It's bright enough to make me feel happy, and it does good for my skin tone.
Now, my questions for you:
1. Did you stick with your original career choice or change it up?
2. What's your favorite workout?
3. Red wine or white wine?
4. If you could live anywhere regardless of cost/job, where would you choose?
5. What's your guilty pleasure TV show?
6. Would you rather relax on the beach or ski in amazing snow conditions?
7. Are you addicted to the internet?
8. What is your favorite race distance to run?
9. Cat or dog?
10. What is your favorite color?
11. What band would you love to see in concert?
It's time to tag people.
I'm not tagging eleven because many people have been tagged by now - but I'll do the best I can. Forgive me if you have already been tagged and I missed it.
1. Kevin Lu at Beyond Distance
2. Andie at A Little Heart And Soul
3. Karla at Running on Eagles Wings
4. Bari at Live Laugh Run Breathe
5. Jay at The Master Juggler
6. Holly at All That Is Holly
7. Abby at Live, Laugh, Run Today
To those tagged - don't feel obligated to do this, I just thought it'd be fun to carry on. Enjoy!
01 February 2012
Fab Ab February
I love running, but sometimes I need more motivation to do strength and ab work - and I've found my next ab adventure in Fab Ab February! I can't take credit for this find, because I saw it via Twitter from @abbylivenlaugh. She has a blog post about it too.
Each day in February has a sequence of core exercises (sit-ups, push-ups, plank) that build in number or time over the month. The beginning is super easy, but we'll see what I say later in the month...I'll make sure to comment on it in my weekly training recaps.
Here's the calendar:
Each day in February has a sequence of core exercises (sit-ups, push-ups, plank) that build in number or time over the month. The beginning is super easy, but we'll see what I say later in the month...I'll make sure to comment on it in my weekly training recaps.
Here's the calendar:
Anyone else want to join in? I mean, who doesn't want great abs!
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