Insanity

I loved fake winter. I loved running on clear sidewalks and in capris. I loved that it was rarely too cold out in the morning to push Miles in the BOB. I loved not having to shovel snow.

But going from fake winter to summer ... well, it's a bit insane.

I'm not complaining. I'm not. Really. However, these higher temperatures do take some getting used to and are forcing me to do things I don't like to do.

1) Thank God for the higher waist on my athletic Running Skirt because it allows me (for lack of a better phrase) tuck in my belly and run sans shirt.

2) Rethink workouts.

I had 5x800 on tap this week for my speed session, and I thought it would be a great idea to do it tonight as I could do it without my entourage. However, when I realized I would be trying to leave my legs on the track in 85-degree heat, I thought that I might not have to do speed this week since I have a 20K on Saturday. I could do a couple easy miles this morning, I thought, and invite Jillian or Bob to my "Mommy Needs Alone Time" night.

Great idea. Right? Right!

I set out for a couple miles and quickly decided that if I was going out for 2 that I might as well do 3. When I hit the half-mile mark, I thought that if I was going to go for a short run that I might as well do it fast. When I hit the park, I thought that Miles and Denali seemed pretty content, so why not just go around and make it 4.

When I get all crazy like that, insane things happen.

1) My first sub-9 run since last month's 5K and only my second post-baby.

2) A MOTOACTV speed record. When I ended my workout, my cute little device told me that I ran a mile in 8:03. EIGHT-OH-THREE. With the stroller. I'm not entirely sure when I did it because the MOTOACTV will allow users to set records between laps (ex: I could have ran an 8:03 between miles .76 and 1.76 but my laps could be entirely different) but even still, my splits were mighty fine: 9:09, 8:44, 8:52, 7:22 (8:40 pace).

I guess I got in my speed session, after all.

Side note: I've gotten a couple questions about my MOTOACTV, especially since I said I'm not going back to the Garmin Forerunner. I'm going to do a follow-up about the device, talking about some things I've learned and other features I didn't get to talk about. If you have a question, ask it in the comments below and I'll include it in the post.

Disaster relief (+ giveaway)

I did everything wrong in New Orleans. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.

I got little to no sleep. I ate untested foods before the race. I didn't need to go to the bathroom before the race. I tried a new-to-me fuel. I wore multiple items of new clothing.

While there wasn't much I could do about the sleep (stupid drunk frat guys), I could do something about the rest - and I should have as a somewhat experienced racer. However, looking back, I'm pretty sure I lucked out.

Running Skirt. We were going to be twinkies. Twinkies in the matching running skirts Pattie purchased us from RunningSkirts.com.

As great as the idea sounded, the reality was much different. We were both a bit self conscious about the fit of the skirt and were fearful of what it would be like to wear it on race day. While confidence was the only thing that would truly help, Pattie thought if we were able to go a size up (even though I already had) that it might be better. She called customer service to see if they would have the skirts at the expo so we could exchange them. No dice. The mums were being discontinued and sizes were limited in the warehouse - and they definitely wouldn't be at the expo. However, the lovely service rep offered to Fed Ex us athletic versions of the skirt to our NOLA hotel. At no charge.

Since the skirts have compression shorts underneath (ours were yellow - like a ray of sunshine) and are a bit longer, I decided not to (Body) Glide. I figured I would be fine. I figured wrong. The shorts rode up even on the walk to the start line and I had a good bit of chafing by the time I handed over the baton. I was lucky that a little post-race Body Glide, I felt OK but I'm not so sure I'll be doing that again.

I'm also not so sure I'll be running distances in the skirt. I think it will be great for a fun 5K (maybe this summer's Diva Dash) but otherwise, I'll be sticking to Tempo Shorts. However, I will not trash the Running Skirt folks because they went above and beyond for us. Those ladies are classy!

Zensah. Leg sleeves - everyone has them. Up until NOLA, I had been a devotee of Recovery Socks but I couldn't help but be lured by the bright colors and patterns offered by Zensah. The fact that I could wear traditional running socks with the sleeves only piqued my interest more. I ended up with a yellow pair to match my little ray of sunshine mum skirt in small/medium, and I wore them during the race. Thankfully, they didn't give me any issues like the skirt. In fact, I practically forgot I had them on during the race (as a Zensah rep said).

See the Gu there, in my hand? P.S. I cropped the hell out of this photo so you don't have to see my extra skin. Seriously, I need to wear capris to a race so I can have at least one good photo.

Peanut Butter Gu. Holy mother of God. This stuff is good. So good. I carried the packet in my hand and by the time I took it at the 5K mark it was warm and easily extracted into my mouth. I felt like I was ingesting melted peanut butter. I'm pretty sure I wasn't but still ... I think I might be putting this on my pre-run bananas.

By the way, I had a feeling I would like the PB Gu so I picked up a few extra at the expo ... for you. Since you've put up with NOLA post after NOLA post, I have a giveaway for you.

*Assortment of Gu, including PB and Island Nectars Roctane.
*Biscoff spread (I keep seeing all this crap about it and since I finally decided to try it, I thought you could too)
*A copy of "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners edition"
*Brooks Printed Mesh Cap (in white/carrot)
*And anything else I decide to throw in. (I promise not to ship Miles, even though he has been up at 4:45 every morning this week.)


To enter giveaway, tell me in the comments section what item that you can't head to the starting line without.

Giveaway will end Friday, March 16 and the winner (picked via Random.org) will be announced March 17. Entries from anonymous commenters will not be accepted.

Rockin' it out in NOLA

"I love you," she said.

As I passed the "baton" to my friend and watched her take off, I couldn't help but feel like those three little words were more than just our feelings for each other. "I love you" was the way I'd best describe my experience (overall, of course) at Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans.

Pre-race. The starting line was about a mile and a half from our hotel and with a 7 a.m. start, I figured that I would have to get up by 5:15, be down to the complimentary breakfast by 5:45 and out of the hotel no later than 6.

Too bad someone had other plans in mind. And by someone, I mean a group of 21-year-olds staying at the hotel for a fraternity formal. They were caught in the throes of college drunk drama the entire night, and I was awake every half hour from 3 a.m. to 4:55, when Pattie and I said fig it and got up. 

While I would never recommend intermittent sleep at the hands of 21-year-old girls screaming, "Why don't you love me?", it was nice not to rush. I put on my Running Skirt, braided my hair and even remembered to brush my teeth.

I grabbed a bagel, peanut butter and jelly from the breakfast bar as well as a cup of coffee (duh). I ate about three-quarters of the bagel before parting ways with Pattie and heading to the start.

Once I arrived, I immediately got in line for the portable bathrooms. Better safe than sorry, I say. The line moved quickly and it seemed even more so because I had some lovely people to chat with. And that's what I want to stress. Not the bathroom but the people. Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans was, hands down, the nicest race I've ever run. I talked to people in line for the toilet. I talked to people in the corral. I talked to people along the course and on the walk back to the shuttle. I talked to people on the shuttle and at the finish. I talked so much that I never felt alone, something I was worried about with a relay.

The race. I was so busy chatting about other races and babies that I was a bit shocked to hear the national anthem. Wave by wave, runners were off. I was in corral 9 or 10 (I got to pick as a relay) and so it was a bit before we got to the start but soon enough I was off.

I was a bit unsure about how to race my leg of the relay. I knew that even at 7.5 miles (which was actually more like 8) that I'd have to pace myself but I wanted to leave it all out there. I wanted nothing in the tank when I handed off the "baton" (a drum stick). I decided to go out comfortably hard and allowed myself to get caught up in the excitement of the race start.

My leg took me through the Central Business District (uneventful) to St. Charles Avenue, through the Garden District and down to Loyola, and then back through the Garden District. While I typically hate out-and-backs, St. Charles Avenue is wide enough that you can look at the homes on one side of the street and lose yourself in the architecture and gardens. To say it was gorgeous would be an understatement.

 
Or, if you are me, you can lose yourself in an effort trying to locate the "Real World: New Orleans" house. I passed it (according to the map) but never did notice it. Bummer.

The first couple miles seemed to go pretty quickly but once I saw the half marathon winner blaze past the 10K mark on the other side of the street, my mind started to race. "Where is the turnaround?" "Where was the 5K mark?" "God, there are a ton of people. I wish I could settle into a pace." "Are we at the turnaround?"

One of my questions got answered before the other - the 5K mark. I crossed a timing mat and took a Peanut Butter Gu, which, by the way, is amazing. A Gu for 8 miles is probably not that necessary but it was humid and warm, and the water stations were pretty far apart (about 1.75 miles). I wanted to make sure that if I bonked, it would be because I went out too hard.

And I was pretty sure I did so by the time I hit the turnaround. Or maybe it was when I caught up to another runner who said, "You again? I saw you blaze past me a while back." Oops. Whatev. While I was enjoying the race and the course, I was getting tired and antsy to start seeing some signs of the transition. It didn't help that I saw a lot of kids out with signs cheering on their moms. Just shy of the 6-mile marker, I nearly lost it when I saw a "Go Mommy Go" sign. I felt so guilty for leaving Miles and, at the same time, couldn't help but picture him a couple years older and out cheering for me.

I gave myself a moment to feel what I was feeling and then made myself get it together - I didn't go to NOLA to cry during a race. I came to NOLA to race a race.

I allowed myself to ease up till the 10K marker and then it was going to be hard until I got to the transition. I don't remember much during this part of the race. It was all about getting to the next milestone - the 7-mile mark and the sign for the transition and when my watch hit 7.5 miles.

And when my watch hit 7.6 ... 7.75. Another first legger came up from behind me and headed toward his partner. I tried to dig deep and pass him but I couldn't. And with no transition in sight, it was hard to kick it. Finally, around 7.85, I saw the second leg runners and ran toward Pattie. I saw her push through the crowd in her matching Running Skirt.

"I love you," she said as I passed the drum stick. And she was off.

About 20 seconds after I stopped running, I finally stopped the MOTOACTV. It read 8 miles in 1:03:20. Best case scenario had me finishing in 72 minutes and I guessed that 7.5 would take me between 72 and 75 so I'm pretty stoked about my time (9:09 pace). I ran negative splits, with the last two miles under 9, and I left everything I had on the road.

Post race. There were Snickers Marathon bars, bananas and water waiting for us (sadly, no chocolate milk) and I stocked up. For once, I was starving finishing a race. From there, it was a "4 block" walk (more like a mile) to the shuttle, which I took to City Park so I could see Pattie finish.

 

I had been worried that I might miss her because the shuttle took forever but I got there just a few minutes early. It was so incredibly awesome to get to cheer her onto a spectacular finish. She came in under an hour, besting her 5-mile PR by more than 5 minutes - and she even ran farther (5.25) this time around. 

To quote one of my favorite signs of the day, "OUCH! I just tripped over your awesomeness."

  

To celebrate, we cashed in our bibs at the beer tent and enjoyed our Michelob Ultras in city park as we listened to the band and people watched.

It was the perfect way to end a fantastic race ... even if it was 10 a.m. And don't give me that face - we were in NEW ORLEANS, after all.

W.O.W.: Staying motivated

44 degrees. At 6 a.m. This morning. January 31.

Days like today are made for running. Even though I didn't have any miles on tap because parent-teacher conferences are shaking up my schedule, I found myself digging out the capris and lacing up my sneakers. It would be a shame to squander such a gift, I thought to myself.

Not every day is like today, where I find myself genuinely excited to run and so antsy to get out there that I can't even wait until Mark leaves for work. There are days I have to fight like hell to live the life I've created. The life I want to live.

When I went through the comments for Words of Wisdom (W.O.W.) week, I was surprised to see just how many were related to motivation. You wanted to know how I got motivated and stay motivated. You wanted the key.

The truth is: I’m not sure I have one. It's just that I've assembled a powerful arsenal, if you will, to keep me going.  

Fear. No matter how much I’ve tried, I cannot shake the fat girl. I worry that I will gain back the weight I lost or slip in terms of eating and exercise. I don’t want to lose who I have become and the pride I feel in her just because “I don’t feel like it” or “I can’t take it anymore.” When I was training for my first half marathon, I was so scared that I wouldn't finish that I wouldn't dare run even tenth of a mile less than the plan dictated.

Accountability. It’s not so much about motivation but learning to be accountable to yourself. If I choose not to work out, it is me making the decision. If I order a large chocolate malt, it’s my decision. And to flip that reasoning on the side, it’s not Mother Nature dropping a thunderstorm on your area the day of a run just to ruin your run. Your husband wasn’t acting like an asshole so you’d eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. OK. Maybe he was but then he wasn’t acting like an asshole – he is an asshole (another topic all together).

Passion. I personally like to run. I like the challenge, seeing myself get better and the structure of a training plan. If someone told me that the only way to lose weight was to swim, I’d be a million pounds because swimming is very often a suckfest for me.

  

Tangible ways to measure success. For the past two years, I have tracked nearly every mile and recorded my pace in an Excel spreadsheet. It's not only useful for training purposes but for motivation. When I get down on myself for not running the way I did pre-Miles, I can look back and see how far I've come since my first brutal post-baby run. Carrie just posted about being frustrated with the scale and then saw a pleasant surprise when she took her measurements. This works, too, with a weight tracker. You might have had a bad week but how has the scale looked over the course of a month?

Treat yourself. And don't forget to celebrate the gains you see when tracking. There's nothing like new gear to make you want to workout.My very generous BFF sent me a pair of running sleeves and a running skirt for Christmas, and I've been dying to wear them ever since. This morning's mild weather was just what I needed to try them out. On the other side of things, I remember the first time I tried a pair of size 10 jeans and they fit. A new pair of jeans was just what I needed in the middle of my journey.

Friendly competition. Enlist a friend in your efforts … and then try to beat her. When BFF and I were doing WW, and her success helped motivate me to do what I needed. The desire to beat her at the weigh-in (sorry, love) helped motivate me to do more. I find the same thing in terms of running. I have a co-worker who is a lifelong runner and goes out 5 to 6 days a week. On the days he runs, he will walk past me and quote his mileage. I love being able to “one up” him.

An annoying dog. I know I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: the thought of wearing the crap out of Denali is enough to make me want to run a marathon some mornings.

Set new goals. Maybe you wanted to run 3 miles and now you can. Think about running a 10K. Maybe you have hit your goal weight. Think about toning or taking on a new workout challenge or lifting more weights. After running my second half marathon, I set a goal to run a third and do it in less than 2 hours. Always having something to work toward gives me a reason to keep going.

If all else fails, give yourself a good talking to. I was reading Runner's World in the bath after my run this morning, and I was struck by something Kate Gosselin said. The mother of 8, who was this month's "I'm a Runner" feature, said, "If I say to myself, 'I don't feel like running today,' I'll say out loud, 'Are you a quitter? No. Are you a champion? Yes! Then why are you thinking about quitting? I'm not.' I'll say this over and over."

What are your tricks for staying motivated?

Tomorrow: How I got motivated.

Road rules

My grandma doesn’t have much to say about running except that I might do it too much. She just doesn’t get it. She respects it – even cracking a joke once that a 10K is barely worth putting your shoes on for - but doesn’t understand it.

If she did, though, I bet she would have some rules. Grandma’s rules of the road.

Rule No. 1: Wear pearls. If you dare wear shorts on a run (because you’re too cheap to buy a running skirt), you must wear pearls as a display of femininity.

Rule No. 2: Put your best face forward (aka wear makeup). No one wants to see your sleep-deprived self and the dark under eye circles that go along with it. Put on some powder. Some rouge. A little mascara. Or, you could be lazy and not wash your face after your brother’s wedding and have the gorgeous day two mascara look. Just be sure to take a cute tip and wipe the smudges under your lower lash – no need to make your under eyes darker than they are.

Rule No. 3: It is always advisable to wear a colored bra under a white tech tee. A blue sports bra, especially, adds a pop of color to your ensemble as you sweat through your shirt on an afternoon 4-miler.

Rule No. 4: Afternoons are advisable as your beauty sleep is of utmost importance. Plus, it gives you time to put some cucumber slices on those dang under eye circles.

Rule No. 5: Take your time and slow your stride. You don’t want to intimidate men by running like a gazelle as they slog along the path – especially if you have a jogging stroller. Plus, a slower pace will keep you from breaking a sweat, which would make your mascara run, which would make your undereye circles worse. Seriously, do something about those tired eyes!

What are your rules of the road?

Friday love

Pre-workout fuel breakfast: Banana oats with ground flax, Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams and, err, marshmallows
Workout: 2-ish mile walk with Denali

Hello, taper. It's nice to see you again.

I kept it light this morning ahead of tomorrow's race - just a casual jaunt with Denali. I might have skipped a walk but he can get a little sassy if he doesn't get some exercise in the morning. And there's just no need for that.

It was a bit brisk - we even have a chance of SNOW today - but I'm not going to worry about that. No way. Friday is all about the love.

So let's show it!

Food. I am sure the healthy living bloggers would scoff and roll their eyes but I might have the best ever pumpkin recipe. Sure, it has artificial sweeteners and processed ingredients but when push comes to heading to the diner for a slice of pie, Pumpkin Fluff will win.

What you'll need:

• 1 small box sugar-free, fat-free instant pudding (Try vanilla, butterscotch or cheesecake. Heck, banana might even work)
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin spice
• 1 cup light Cool Whip

Using a mixer, beat together milk and pudding until it starts to get thick. Add pumpkin and pumpkin spice; beat until combined. Fold in Cool Whip and refrigerate.

This stuff tastes like pumpkin pie filling except it's totally guilt free. Try it with some crushed graham cracker for more of a pie flavor.

Fitness. Tiffany jewelry, diamond earrings, sweaters from Banana Republic - those items filled my Christmas list last year. This year? Running skirts, long-sleeve running tops, sweats. Heck, I almost considered asking for more sports bras. I tried to avoid asking for running stuff, thinking I had to ask for more "fun" stuff. Then I realized something: The running stuff is the fun stuff. Seriously. What's not fun about an argyle running skirt from RunningSkirts.com.

Life. I have been a lucky girl. I've won Lucy gear from Fit Bottomed Girls. Tons of Gu. A CSN gift card from Rust Belt Runner. Yesterday, though, I won a sweepstakes of sorts. I won a T-shirt dress from American Apparel. I had filled out a million and one giveaways at Lucky Magazine, and I actually got something. I am not sure it's the first thing I'd pick but free clothes are free clothes!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! What are you doing exciting?