Monday's Have a Mind of Their Own

Most weeks, Monday's have a way of getting away from me.  In all the hustle and bustle of getting the week getting started and back in order, Monday's have a knack of having a mind of their own. 

This week's Monday has been sabotaged by 2 Online Class Sessions I forgot I had and Dinner Plans I forgot I made.   *Mental Note: Set Calendar reminders a little further out ahead of time in the future

As such, I will not be squeezing in 2 miler tonight or a Strength Session as I had hoped ... but maybe this is life's way of telling me another rest day isn't such a terrible thing. 

Goals for this week:

1. Run 3Xs
2. Strength Train 2Xs
3. Reduce Sodas to one a day/Start drinking Green Tea

 What are your goals for this week?



Have a wonderful Monday!

Moving Right Along

Last night, I ended up doing my run at the park near my mom's house where I was hoping to do 4 of my planned 6 miles.

When I got there the weather seemed foreboding. It wanted to rain but was holding back it's fury. Further backing me to shorten my run.

I stretched for a minute, not paying much attention to the small slender man stretching next to me and finished quickly and started off.

I heard a mumble and took out my Ipod to listen.

The slender man had asked me how many I would be doing today.

"Six" I blurted, surprising myself!

My frontal lobe had no intention of doing six miles but I guess my subconscious had other plans.

"Then I should run with you" he laughed a bit.

I smiled and moved right along into my 1/4 mile warm up. The park is a full mile loop so when I reached my starting mark, I shot off.

Did my first mile in 10:32. On target, but once I finished it I had to walk for a bit. I pushed a little harder than I should right off the bat but then again, I always do. I walked about a 1/10 of a mile before getting started again during with the slender man passed me and waved to get me going. Next mile was 13:16 because of it and the fact that my ipod died in the middle of it (I am getting more used to running without it but some days you just need it to get you going!). Then I picked it up again for mile 3, in my head it would be my last mile so I figured what the heck and I finished it at 10:35.

But then as I finished my 3rd mile, the slender man caught up with me and started talking so I started jogging easily with him. He had finished his planned four miles and asked me what mile I was on. I told him I needed 3 more and he nodded a small nod and kept on with me.

We got to talking and it turns out he is signed up for the ING Miami too. He was surprised when I told him I was running only 10 miles this weekend but I told him it would grow quickly which seemed to releave his concern a bit. Then he asked why I was running my longish run so close to my long-long run (That's runner's terminology I swear :). I was sad to admit the week had gotten away from me and I had moved my planned runs around to accommodate.

Then he proceed to tell me I had run my first mile a little too fast and how I should space my runs and do a shorter run before my long-long run and all sorts of other advice that you can only get from someone that's been there before!

It was wonderful!

We finished off the last 3 miles and I did finish my 6 mile run all with my marathon pace and while talking and not noticing. Also, I didn't need to stop and drink water, which surprised me and reinforced that I need to drink water throughout the day (it obviously worked!)

Afterward, we stretched a bit and SUDDENLY, in an instant, the sky opened up and it was a FULL ON RAIN STORM!

I hastily waved "good bye" and told him it was great to run with him as we ducked into my cars to escape the SUDDEN DOWNPOUR!

You gotta love South Florida!

Afterward, I went to Mom's and had dinner and we pulled out the old photo boxes :)

Here's Mom tying my shoe before I head off running :)

Today I'm going to take it easy and do some upper body/core work and am listening to 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!

Just to note: We are 22 days away from my first half marathon and the full has now gone into double digits at 99 days away!

Happy Friday!

Running Vac-ay Is Over

We are currently holding at a Level 0 - ALL CLEAR on the Migraine Threat Scale.

The running vac-ay is no over! HO-RAH!

Thankfully, my weight maintained stable over the 5 days (almost eerily so). No weight gain AT ALL ... even though I was comfort eating the ENTIRE 5 days. I kept looking for something to make me feel better and after Thursday's REBOUND HEADACHE from taking too much ADVIL (which is what almost forced me to go to the hospital) I turned to food (yes, I know, WRONG ANSWER!)

So it's been 5 whole run-free days.

Wednesday: A Planned Rest Day due to the Concert
Thursday: Migraine Forced No Run Day
Friday: Migraine Forced No Run Day
Saturday: Still had a mild migraine but was going to give a run a try but got majorly rained out
Sunday: Got caught up reading Club Deadby Charlaine Harris (Author of True Blood) ... Yes, I read the whole thing in one day! I was done by 6pm (I'm an English Major, Glad to see I've still got my reading chops!) which is my running window but it was cloudy so I started Dead to the World instead.

Half-Marathon Training Phase 2 is over and we are beginning Phase 3. Meaning that I've got 8 weeks (55 days) until my first Half-Marathon!

Today, I am scheduled for a Strength Training Day which I would much like to skip and make up my 6 miler from yesterday. But I know I probably shouldn't.

Considering this weeks schedule:

Monday: Cross/Strength Training
Tuesday: 4 Mile Run
Wednesday: 5 Mile Run
Thursday 3: Mile Run
Friday: Cross/Strength Training
Saturday: 45min Tempo/4 Mile Run
Sunday: 7 Mile Run

I think I will stick to the plan and push on ward!


In Review - Week of September 13th:
Half Marathon Training Week 4 of 12:

WORKOUT	DISTANCE	AVG Speed	TIMES
On the Run	4 Miles	5.32	1
On the Bike	0 Miles	N/A	0
In The Water	0 Meters	N/A	0
Strength Training	90 minutes	N/A	2

Total Running Time: 0:45:08
Total Training Time: 3:45:08

This weeks stats S.T.I.N.K.! I was so demoralized yesterday I even thought about bagging the Half-Marathon. I know this set back was due mostly to my migraine but I could have done more. Not to worry though I tossed that thought off the boat in a JIFFY!

ON WARD HO!

This set back will be double motivating to STICK to this weeks plan!?!?!

Wishing everyone a Happy Monday!

SWR and The 48 Hour Migraine

So the She Wants Revenge Concert was AWESOME!

Mr. Boyfriend, THE GRRLS and I had a wonderful time.

We started the evening at American's Backyard having drinks and catching up since not seeing each other for about a year.



Then we headed over to Revolution for the concert!

Kill Hannah was the opening band and performed a great show.

The next morning I woke up and had a minor headache. I wasn't surprised because we drank ALOT. But I thought "I'll take an Advil and it will be gone before the afternoon and I'll be able to get my run in"

BOY WAS I WRONG!

Let me begin by explain my Migraine Level Scale:

0 - No Migraine and A-OK
1 - Mild clogged feeling
2 - Uncomfortable clogged feeling; Feeling pain
3 - A headache
4 - Headache, waves of hot flashes, sensitivity to light
5 - Headache, persistent hot flashes, sensitivity to light, need lights dimmed
6 - Headache, persistent hot flashes, sensitivity to light and sound, waves of nausea
7 - Very Painful headache, persistent hot flashes, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea
8 - Excruciatingly Painful headache, persistent hot flashes, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea/vomiting
9 - Excruciatingly Painful headache, persistent hot flashes, can not stand light or sound, nausea/vomiting, crying from pain
10 - Need to go to the hospital

By the afternoon the headache had morphed into a full grown migraine (Level 7) and by the evening I was crying (Level 9) and getting dressed to go to the Hospital.

Thankfully, I was able to get it under control before that was necessary but the pain was EXCRUCIATING!

This afternoon I thought the same thing. I woke up with a moderate headache (Level 3).

Even Mr. Boyfriend wanted me to go for a run ... he knows that if I have a low level migraine (Below evel 3) I can usually kick it with a 3 mile run ... I think it's the endorphins but that's just a theory.

But the migraine was still too strong (Level 5).

It is now 48 hours later and I am still down from this migraine.

Currently holding at Level 3.

I'm down for the count and getting some rest.

I am hoping I will be better tomorrow.

Back to Monday

Well, we're back to Monday and I'm feeling pretty good about the weekend.

Friday: 4.25 M run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 5 M Run

Sunday was my first run with my Camelbak. I filled it about half way (1-L) but being that it was the first time I used it I only used the water to rinse and spit which in itself improved my run. I was not nearly as thirsty as I've been in the past. Running with it on felt a little strange and I was definitely self conscious but no one really stared and I felt like I was a hard-core runner in training (which helped).

Today my legs are a little sore but I still want to run. My knee is a little sore too so I know I shouldn't. Today is my Strength/Stretch day.

I plan to do my P90x and a short bike ride.

I am starting to feel alot better about my running. I've been holding a consistent 11min mile in my runs (which is an improvement for me from last month). Also, this week marks the beginning of my 12 weeks training for the Half-Marathon (wow, we are 12 weeks out!) which is quite exciting.

This week I have:

Monday: P90x
Tuesday: 3 Mile Run
Wednesday: 4 Mile Run
Thursday: 3 Mile Run
Friday: 2 Mile Run
Saturday: Brick - Bike + 1 Mile Run
Sunday: 6 Mile Run

Have a great week!

Mondays are too much with us late and soon

MONDAYS are too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our WEEKENDS:
Little we see OF TIME that is ours;
We have given our LIVES away, to sordid WORK!
WOULD RATHER QUIT THIS WORKING RATHER SOON!

Bastardizing a little Woodsworth in the morning! :) The actual poem is called THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US; LATE AND SOON

Mondays weigh heavy on our back and shoulders,
drawing out life from failing lungs,
Were that there were seven Fundays,
to spend each lounging in the sun.

That one is an original by me :)

Well, enough non sequitur.

Today was a trying day but nothing I couldn't handle. I did end up taking the day and working from home so my planned run didn't happen but I was able to squeeze in a bike lesson!

Bike Lesson One:


Here is Mr. Boyfriend making a funny face and demonstrating what I will hopefully be doing very soon.

I gave it the old college try (I have sore hands and a rather raw booty to prove it) but it's going to take a bit longer than I may have originally expected but I will keep at it!?!

Weekend Debriefing

This weekend was just what the doctor ordered.

I did alot of relaxing and spending of quality time with Mr. Boyfriend and Mrs. Mom.

And big bonus ... I'm finally starting to feel my motivation come back to me.

Today, I went out and did a short 4 miler but I stuck to my guns and kept on the plan. More miles will be piled on soon enough. I need to be patient and build up my miles slowly or I fear I may getting injured or loose my motivation.

I'm registered and the hotel is booked for the 13.1 Fort Lauderdale and I am starting to get excited about the process.

I will hopefully become enveloped in the process and in no time the race will be here.

Have a rest of the weekend!

Not So Hot

Not feeling to hot today.

Took a rest day yesterday because I just had too many things to get done and I was feeling sore. Caught up on this week's True Blood and just vegged out. Sometimes you need that.

Today I'm all packed up to head to the gym after work and have a challenge set to do.

Hope everyone is having a great day!