Our First Half!

Our First Half!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body

Well I'll just start out this post by telling you how I really feel: SO SORE!  My whole body is sore, with the sorest part being my hamstrings.  Apparently I didn't stretch enough yesterday but they are in a constant state of pain.  I will definitely be enjoying my rest day today!  I think perhaps the issue is that I lifted weights yesterday morning and then ran about a mile and a half.  Then, later in the evening I ran another 3 miles because the schedule called for 4 miles on Thursday.  Needless to say, my body is ready for a break.  Anyway, I titled this post "Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body" because I am hoping that this statement is true.  This quote is on a Marines.com water bottle that I got at the Eve Carson Memorial 5K  (It was in my gift bag for signing up for the race).

When I take it with me onto the treadmill, it makes me feel like I am in control of my body, and myself.  I posted about the Marines a few days ago, but that is because they truly are a wonderful source of motivation and inspiration, and this second "mantra" is another example of why.

I have been noticing changes in myself.  I generally feel stronger, and when I run, I feel much more in control of all of my movements and my breathing.  I feel like my abs are in tighter and my arms are more powerful, not to mention that my legs move with greater stride.  I am feeling a change in the way my body moves, even if I don't see the weight falling off.  All things happen with time and I'm not expecting dramatic changes right away.  I work hard during training to get the results I want... and whenever I reach the point where I feel I can't go anymore, I just remember that pain is weakness leaving the body.

Monday, January 24, 2011

"Do not quit. Do not give up."

Finished week 4 with 60 total miles logged since beginning training!  I have completed about 79% of all of the scheduled workouts because I took all that time off when I went to Vegas and leading up to it.  Last night I did my long run (5 miles) in a pretty decent time of 48:55.  I considered this to be impressive because I took the first mile very slow and completed it in 13 minutes, so for the remaining 4 miles I ran under a 9 minute mile! woohoo!  During week 4, I logged a total of 24 miles, 14 of those miles being running workouts (the rest was cycling/walking).  So not bad going into week 5!  


Tonight, I did BodyCombat at o2 Fitness.  Wow, what a workout!  It was basically a mix of taekwondo, karate, boxing, tai chi, and muay thai.  I was sweating up a storm and really pushing myself.  This class is definitely one of those "it's as hard as you want it to be" classes.  You can do wimpy jabs and just go through the motions or you can put your heart into it and really throw yourself into all of the movements.  I chose option number two and made every motion count.  The teacher was really into it and was really good at pushing us to go harder.  She reminded me of Jillian Michaels but maybe that's just wishful thinking since I am now addicted to the Biggest Loser.  

Ada the Terminator
Before: 258 lbs
After: 159 lbs

Yes, this is my new obsession.  The finale of the Biggest Loser Season 10 got me through last night's 5 miler because it was SO inspiring (I watch it on my phone using HuluPlus).  Those people make a commitment to change their lives for the better and get healthy, and that's kind of what I'm doing, albeit on a much much smaller scale....no pun intended ;-) I was particularly inspired by one of the top 3 finalists from season 10: Ada (the terminator).  This girl started out very overweight and insecure and ended up dropping about 100 pounds and discovering how to accept who she is.  She was the girl in the house who motivated all of the other women and always kicked butt in the gym (hence the name "Ada the Terminator").  While her weight loss is incredible, it was her drive and determination that inspired me the most.  She rose up from a life where she felt worthless and became someone she could be proud of and finally realized that she IS good enough.  Her mental and emotional strength was as admirable as her physical strength.  She is an incredibly inspiring woman and I'm sure she has encouraged many across the country to step up and make the commitment to a healthier lifestyle.


During Week 7 of Season 10, the contestants trained with the Marines on base.  One Marine repeated a "mantra" that I think is particularly relevant to my training, as well as anyone else who is seeking to achieve a goal:  "Do not quit. Do not give up."  So simple, and yet very powerful.  That phrase is easy to remember and will always come to my mind when I think I want to stop during a run or not finish the last reps of my strength training.  Completing any race is not just a physical test, but a mental one as well, and I will need to work on training my mind as well as my body to complete this half (yes, I just came to this realization).  Having these short phrases of encouragement will remind me to keep focused and have my eyes on the prize (or the finish line).  

In the second to last episode, the top four finalists ran a marathon.  YES, that's right, a marathon.  Ada finished the marathon in 4 hours and 38 minutes, setting a new Biggest Loser record for fastest female time.  That is definitely faster than I would probably be able to do one right now (if I could even do one).  It just goes to show that hard work, focus, and having good concrete goals can help you achieve more than you ever thought possible.  

My current goals are:
Run 5 miles in under 45 minutes
Beat Ada's mile time (from the show) of 7:35
and the obvious one: complete the VA Beach Half Marathon in 55 days!

Thank all of you who follow this blog...it helps keep me motivated!  You all are my inspiration!


Here is what's on tap for Week 5:

Mon:
Stretch &
Strengthen
Tues:
4 m run
Wed:
2 m run or cross
Thurs:
4 m run +
strength
Fri:
Rest
Sat:
40 min
cross
Sun: 
6 m run

Saturday, January 22, 2011

50 Total Miles (since starting training)!!!

So tonight I reached 50 total miles logged since joining DailyMile and beginning the training for the half marathon!  I have logged 14 miles this week (a record since starting) and am feeling great!  Today was supposed to be a "rest" day but since I rested so much last week I figured it would be okay to not take it.  I've been watching a lot of "Biggest Loser" lately and it is so inspiring.  I want to lose weight too (an undisclosed amount...don't want too much pressure!) but obviously not as much as those contestants.  But if they can lose hundreds of pounds, why can't I drop the ones that are bugging me?  So I figure with the running and eating more fruits/vegetables, that will help a lot.  I'm also considering taking some boxing classes at LA Boxing, although I need to look into things such as pricing.  Anyway, instead of taking a rest day, I walked for 5 miles, varying the incline.  It felt great and I didn't strain myself.  I walked in my EasyTones (which I love) and watched Biggest Loser on my iPhone.  All in all?  Great way to end the day!  

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Back after a One Week Hiatus (so embarrassing and sorry to my followers...)

Well everyone, I am BACK...officially back.  No more slacking off (hopefully)...it's time to get serious about this training.  Last week I was terrible.  I did ONE lousy run!  (3.5 miles).  To be fair...last week was VERY busy for me.  I ran on Tuesday but then Wednesday I had a day packed from 10am to 10pm and Thursday night I had poker night with the girls...I am NOT skipping that just to do a run (okay I probably could have run between school and poker night... but what did I do instead?  Baked this).  Then I had girls poker night and obviously that lasted into the night and was super fun.  Then I had to go home and pack to go to VEGAS for the weekend with my boyfriend who booked us a trip for my Christmas present, and also to celebrate our one year anniversary (we didn't get to celebrate it in Oct. because we had classes).  Anywayyy, we stayed at Caesar's Palace and had a blast!  I took a million pictures of both our stay in Vegas and the trip to the Grand Canyon.  Unfortunately, to go to the gym at Caesar's costs $25 a day (OMG!) so I decided to skip that and just get back to my running when I got back.  I felt okay about that because we had to run to catch our flight to Vegas and also had to run to make sure we didn't miss our bus to the Grand Canyon, so all in all, we did a little running ;-)

In front of the Venetian after seeing Jersey Boys!

Anyway, tonight I ran 3.5 miles at a pretty slow pace but honestly I was feeling really sluggish and unfortunately I have put on a couple pounds from our amazing vacay (I don't care...that burger was totally worth it).  I've really got to start losing some weight if I want to improve my speed (or at least that's what I keep telling myself).  okay okay I will stop beating myself up and will continue the training as if nothing has happened...  Here is what is on tap for this week:


Mon:
Stretch &
Strengthen
Tues:
3.5 m run
Wed:
2 m run or cross
Thurs:
3.5 m run +
strength
Fri:
Rest
Sat:
40 min
cross
Sun:
5 m run

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Week 3

A summary of week 3:

Pretty similar to last week. I left out the strengthening again this week.... my knee is sore still but only when laying down and sitting mostly. I hope to add strength training this week. I did some stretching but more in the form of yoga which still makes it hard with my knee. I did part of the cross training but not all of it. My schedule has been tough with school starting back and juggling both my jobs but hopefully things will work out better.

I did however keep up with the running part - I feel like that is the most important. I got the running done without increase in time really but they were good solid runs and my mental state was a lot more positive than it usually is on long runs! On to week 4!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Update!

So It's mid-week for week 3 of training.

First week - not so good.
Second Week - Pretty ok.
Third Week - although not awesome, I'm feeling really good.

Sunday was the long run and I ran four miles on the American Tobacco Trail. It was cold but it went really well. My hubs really pushed me to go faster. He does this thing where he runs two steps ahead and it keeps me pretty motivated. My knee was feeling awesome after this run also! We did a little yoga after which was a lot harder on my knee than the running.

For this week I started out with a little more yoga. There was no strength training - oops. Last night I did my 3.5 run. I did it on the treadmill because it's so chilly outside and super icy/snowy. Man did I forget how it was to run on a treadmill! I was bored out of my mind! Back in the day I could run and run and run on one, but since I've been running outside it's not nearly the same.

Little bummed today because I didn't do any cross or run 2 miles. I planned to but classes started up. I think if I can keep my spirits off and give my self some slack if I don't complete a training day I should be fine. I hope to at the least keep up with the runs... but I want to do most of the training as possible!

Hooray for a great start to our half :)


Sunday, January 9, 2011

Week 2 Complete!

Well, finished up Week 2 of the Half Marathon Training Program!  Have to be honest and say that this week did not go as smoothly as the first, but I got it done!  Today (Sunday) is the designated day for the "long run" that will continue to increase by one mile each week until the end.  Today's run was 4 miles (just like last week).  I ran it in just over a 10 min. mile average pace because I was doing the run/walk drill again (run 1 mile, walk 1 min.) to avoid further injuring my knee.  I warmed up my legs by doing 20 minutes on the bike (a little over 4 miles).  The run went pretty well...the music videos help keep me going...both in that they prevent me from getting bored and because they get me motivated.  

 Watch this and tell me this video doesn't get you all inspired to kick @$$ at the gym!  I watched it 3 times during my run today... LOVE Shakira!

I came home after my run and made a delicious "Hawaiian Breeze" Protein Shake.  Here are the ingredients:
1 scoop of EAS Vanilla Protein Powder
1 small banana
1/2 cup frozen or fresh pineapple
1/4 cup unsweetened organic orange juice
1/2 cup of Silk Soy Milk or Low-Fat Organic Milk 
It was so smooth and tasted amazing!  I felt like I should be hanging out by the pool drinking it.  It completely refreshed me after a hard run and I will definitely be making it again!  I also posted another protein shake recipe on my other blog with my friends "Cooking to Graduation."  That protein shake recipe was for a Blueberry Banana Protein Shake and is also one of my favorites!


And here is the schedule for next week (WEEK THREE)!


Mon:
Stretch &
Strengthen
Tues:
3.5 m run
Wed:
2 m run or cross
Thurs:
3.5 m run +
strength
Fri:
Rest
Sat:
40 min
cross
Sun:
5 m run






Final update:  I made the "Skinny Girl" Kir Royale that I posted a few days ago and can totally vouch for it!!! It was absolutely delicious! I've also started putting frozen raspberries in my iced tea to kind of jazz it up a bit (although I use fresh raspberries for the Kir Royale--see image at right).  


I have started making iced tea with my new tea pot that I got for Christmas from my precious sister!  I brew the tea hot and then put it into a pitcher in the fridge.  It's ready to drink in about an hour (otherwise it may melt the ice and it probably would taste watered down).  This was a perfect gift for me because I love tea, as many of you may have already seen on our cooking blog. A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog post about teas and why you should consider substituting tea for coffee.  I drink a lot of tea and suggest you all do as well!  If you are addicted to sodas, you may want to consider substituting iced tea (unsweet) instead and sweetening it yourself.  It tastes great and is much healthier for you than soda, just ask my awesome sister who quit drinking soda over Christmas break...so proud! :)  


Thanks to all my followers for keeping me accountable during this training... I have to work extra hard because I know I have to report back to all of you, so thanks!!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

What to do when you have a bad day...

Ugh today was awful...I woke up with a migraine and horrible back/neck pain.  I think I'm stressed because of the bar exam application (which I mailed yesterday...yay!) and my body also probably isn't used to all the stress I'm putting on it training for this half.  So today I followed the cardinal rule of training: Listen to your body! I listened to my body and got a massage...then walked for a bit. Training said I should run 2 miles today, and while that definitely didn't happen, I walked for about 35 minutes, and completed 1.46 miles.  It was a really relaxed pace but honestly I don't think I could have done more with how I was feeling...I hadn't left the couch all day except to grab lunch and get a massage and so getting up to go to the gym was the last thing on my mind.  Matt convinced me that if I at least got my body moving and blood circulating it would help me feel better... so I threw on my Reebok Easytones (my fabulous walking shoes that I will have to blog about another time), and got off the couch.  It was pretty miserable at first but I do feel a little better having moved around. 


I watched a little "Without a Trace" on the TV at the gym and read Health Magazine during the commercials... pretty relaxing honestly, I don't know if I should even be blogging about this as a workout.  I did find this really yummy recipe in Health which is a good substitute for a Kir Royale (my new favorite drink that I recently discovered over Christmas break!).  This is the "Skinny Girl" version created by Bethenny Frankel who I ADORE.  I took a picture of it because I didn't want to type it all out while on the treadmill.  So without further ado:  

As far as my training goes, yesterday was a better day... I ran 3 miles at a comfortable pace of about 6mph.  Tomorrow we are scheduled to do another 3 miles so I'm glad I took today as pretty much a rest day.  




"When I'm training for a marathon, I soak in a hot tub every day, and get a weekly massage." --Anne Marie Lauck, two-time Olympian 
Good, she does it too...I don't feel so bad for taking a personal day :)

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

More Music and Running Tips

I love DailyMile.  I have made so many new running friends and have been able to have better contact with some older friends!  One of my DailyMile friends (Jo) suggested I check into this website that she stumbled across which outlines good music.  I looked through it and it is definitely worth passing along.  Not to say that I am really good at picking out music but a lot of the songs on here are already on the playlist I gave you!!  There are plenty of other songs on here though...some of which I have never heard of but will definitely check out.  There are also one other song I listen to when I strength train that I didn't mention in the last post.  I also downloaded "The Final Zepp" by Charlie Clouser from the Saw3d soundtrack.  Yes it is a bit creepy, however, if you can get past that, it is the most intense music ever and really makes you want to push all the way to the last rep! 


Music suggestions from Fitness Magazine:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/music/popular-playlists/100-best-workout-songs/?sssdmh=dm17.499590&esrc=nwfitdailytip010411&email=1132199595


Also, my good friend Molly sent me this article this morning and I thought I would share it.  It is 101 Running tips.  Helps with motivation and such.  I will periodically post some of them on the blog if you don't feel like looking through them but here is one to hold you over: "I believe in using races as motivators. It's hard to keep on an exercise program if you don't have a significant goal in sight." --Bob Greene, personal trainer of Oprah Winfrey
Running Tips:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/running-tips-beginners-guide

Monday, January 3, 2011

First day of Week 2: Stretch and Strength



Hey guys, hope you are enjoying the blog!  Today was a day for "Stretch and Strengthen" ("S&S") and so I chose to do both by following along with a Pilates video by Shape magazine.  I've owned this DVD for about 3-5 years now and had only watched it once before, if that!  It went great!  The workout went by really quickly.  I could definitely feel the burn but in a very controlled way so a bit different from running.  Definitely helped me stretch out my hip flexors too.  All in all, I think it was a great little workout.  I will probably get a couple more DVDs just so I don't get really sick of this one.  I also have a 3-pack yoga DVD so I'll probably whip one of those out on my next S&S day.

The DVD was great and came with some useful tips on Pilates form that I will share with you here:

Pelvis: Stabilize the pelvis.  Contract your abs and do not tighten your glutes.
Rib Cage: Keep abs in.  Engage the abs and keep them pulled in to prevent lower ribs from flaring out, causing your back to arch.
Shoulder Blades: Hold shoulders down.  Try to draw them flat against your rib cage.
Head and Neck: Always align head and neck with the line of your spine.  Do not hyperextend.

Make sure to breathe!

 Muggsy also likes pilates :-)

Also, if you are looking for something delicious to refuel from a good workout, try this quick fix: Fage Greek Yogurt (no fat and tons of protein) and add in some frozen berries (I used mixed--raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries) and add on some blueberry Special K.  I let it sit next to me for about 5 minutes before eating it so that the berries would thaw out a little bit.

Running Playlist

I have received a few requests to update my followers on a running playlist.  So here's the deal, I get motivated by seeing other people who look good (i.e. fitness models and celebrities) even though those people's jobs revolve around looking good so they have to work out and most likely have a personal trainer to help them.  So what I do is that I watch music videos when I'm on the treadmill and just listen to music when I'm running outside.  I will give you both "playlists" although I am constantly adding songs or skipping songs that I'm sick of.  Here they are as of Jan. 3... enjoy!!!


Music Playlist:
Mausam & Escape by AR Rahman-- from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack and it is a MUST DOWNLOAD!  seriously, every time this song comes on my playlist I increase my speed by about 2mph.  So inspiring!
Liquid Dance by AR Rahman--also from Slumdog Millionaire--I like these first two songs because they have no words/lyrics, so it is harder to get sick of them
Jai Ho--ok last one from Slumdog Millionaire but this stuff gets me going!
Just Dance by Lady Gaga--I prefer the "RedOne Remix" featuring Kardinal Offishall
Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus--sometimes I'm a teeny-bopper
F**ck You by Cee-Lo Green--LOVE this song...one of my new faves
Misery by Maroon 5
Imma Be by the Black Eyed Peas--this is good for a warm-up or cool down or when you want to slow jog--not too fast of a tempo so not great for when you want to sprint really fast
Back in Black by ACDC--the beginning part especially is great to pump you up
La belle et le bad boy by MC Solaar--this is French and is from a Sex and the City episode and I love it...I can listen to it on repeat
Piece of Me by Britney Spears--any song that has attitude is generally a good choice


Music Video Playlist:
I'm Glad by Jennifer Lopez--one of my all-time favorites.  It never got popular so it wasn't overplayed and the video is awesome--her body is amazing and it is themed around Flashdance so it's really fun.  Plus J.Lo's body is a somewhat realistic goal because she isn't a stick figure
LoveGame by Lady GaGa--great music video and Lady Gaga has a surprisingly good body as well
Stronger by Britney Spears--not going to lie, I got sick of this one very quickly and skip it a lot
Just Dance by Lady GaGa--good song, video is alright but the music is good
Alejandro by Lady GaGa--video is so weird, think Madonna "Like a Prayer" but it is entertaining and is 8 minutes long (I would skip the first couple of minutes)
F**ck You by Cee-Lo Green--love this song and the video is really cute/funny
Like a G6 by Far East Movement--good song, might get stuck in your head, video not incredibly entertaining
Poker Face by Lady GaGa--ok yes, I am obsessed with Lady GaGa, you caught me
Jenny from the Block by Jennifer Lopez--oldie but a goodie and I don't care if you guys make fun of me haha
Whenever, Wherever by Shakira--Shakira has a great body too and I never get sick of this song--probably because it is 9 years old and they never play it on the radio anymore (these are generally the kinds of videos I recommend because you are less likely to get sick of them)
Hips Don't Lie (Feat. Wyclef Jean) by Shakira--great song, makes you want to move!
Gimme More by Britney Spears--because no gym experience is complete without Britney
Candyman by Christina Aguilera--I had never heard of this before I went to download Dirty and it wasn't there!!!! (for shame) so I had to download this instead...I love it...the swing music and Christina are super entertaining...obviously she is beautiful and her body is amazing in it too so that helps with motivation--the song itself is catchy and will probably make you want to dance on the treadmill ha!
Replay by Iyaz--can't really explain why I like this, I just do...very catchy
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) by Shakira-- this song is so inspirational...it is the World Cup song for 2010 and so it shows a bunch of highlights from World Cups in the past--so inspiring!
Wait a Minute by Pussycat Dolls--this song is awesome, can't say enough good things about it
Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado--good beat and fun to run to

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Blah

Well I am not much of a blogger but I know posting something will keep my better half running partner happy and enthusiastic about this blog AND also provide more motivation towards our training. So proud of my little Lynn for working so hard this week!

My first week of training has been a complete failure. Not only am I sick sick sick (with congestion, headaches, and a non-operable breathing passages) but I also tweaked my knee very badly skiing at Lake Tahoe. I figured if I ran it would just make matters worse and I would become more depressed that my training was turning into operation couch potato.

Hopefully this week I'll start moving and keeping to the training schedule like Lynn. However, I am not sure how far I will be able to run until my knee aches. At this point, I am still uncomfortable sleeping because of my knee alignment. I have to keep it perfectly straight so that it doesn't hurt. Boo :( This isn't how I imagined training but I still have high hopes and we still have some time!

So glad that Lynn is getting pumped for a 2012 Disney Marathon - even if it means we are getting ahead of ourselves that idea that we will still be running after this half is super exciting :)

Last day of Week 1

Hello bloggers! Well, I finished up Week 1 of training with a 4 mile run. It did not go well to be honest. I learned a valuable lesson today...never run on a full stomach. Here is the TMI of my run: burping, cramping, flat out miserable run. But I finished...I guess that's the good news, just not in a great time (42:55). I knew on my way to the gym that I felt crappy, so I planned to do the run 1 mile, walk 1 minute routine. It worked out pretty well but I just felt sloppy and sluggish the whole time. Tomorrow is S&S (Stretch and Strengthen). I will probably do a yoga or pilates video...kind of take a day to relax a bit because Tuesday it's back to running :) Here is the schedule for Week 2:
Mon:
Stretch &
Strengthen
Tues:
3 m run
Wed:
2 m run or cross
Thurs:
3 m run +
strength
Fri:
Rest
Sat:
30 min
cross
Sun:
4 m run

And while this is not flattering, here is my post-run picture so I can show you all that I actually did it hahah! Yes I'm sweaty and gross and feel nasty but I completed Week 1 of training! WOOHOO!!!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

New PR (Personal Record--yep I'm learning the lingo)

Hello bloggers and followers! Today was great...I had to do 30 min. cross today as part of my week 1 training. I was planning to just kind of take it easy and just do 3o minutes relaxed pace on the bike (truthfully, it was because I was feeling super lazy). I started out going pretty slow until Matt told me "start over" and said that I needed to break 10K in 20 minutes. I thought OK sure... last time I tried to do that I ended up doing about 5.65 miles in 20 minutes so I didn't really think I would make it. But about half-way through, I realized I actually MIGHT be able to do this...so I started pushing. Then, kind of half joking (ok seriously I was like 95% joking) I told him I wanted to do 10 miles in 30 minutes. Once I hit the 10K in 19:33, I realized this actually might be a possibility, so I decided to go for it. It was hard and I definitely felt the burn but it was so worth it just to set a PR! Happy with my training so far! :) I have also been looking into the Walt Disney World Marathon (YES the full and YES I might be a little bit crazy?!) Anyway, Arpita is the one who suggested I look into it and all it took was watching the video on the website to make me want to partake in the 2012 race. Matt watched the video with me last night and now he is wanting to go in on it too. The video is on the homepage: http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/wdw-marathon/. I'm ALSO hoping that my friend Molly and her BF will join us as well (although she is MUCH more legit than me...she has already completed a half-marathon)...she's also the one that got me onto the DailyMile! Tomorrow is the long run for week 1 (4 miles)...Update you all tomorrow after that!