OK, it's officially been 6 months since I burned myself out on running (training) for the Little Rock Marathon. For the longest time, I have been using that as a justification for dialing back on my running and taking a break.
Reality check time. Little Rock was a long f-ing time ago.
To be honest, it wasn't just Little Rock that encouraged me to dial back my training as of late, though. As you know, I have been pregnant or have been hoping to get pregnant ever since late March/early April, and that has continuously kept me in a "hold off on training for big things" mode.
Of course, along with those reduced training hours, I am now carrying an extra 10 pounds (more or less) that I am not proud of. Yes, I gained them initially due to different reasons. But my reduction in gym time hasn't exactly helped me get rid of them. And I have made no progress in my effort to get them back off.
I can't let that be anymore.
I have no excuses for not getting back into a regular running schedule again. Or, really, a regular workout schedule in general.
I say "workout schedule in general" because this because this week I realized something...
What my workout regime looks like in my head:
Monday - run 3-6 miles
Tuesday - teach TBC
Wednesday - run or swim (or both)
Thursday - teach TBC
Friday - rest
Saturday - race/bike ride/fun weekend active activity
Sunday - rest
And what it looks like in reality:
Monday - run 4 miles or rest (mostly rest)
Tuesday - teach TBC
Wednesday - swim or happy hour (mostly happy hour)
Thursday - teach TBC
Friday - rest
Saturday - race/bike ride/fun weekend active activity
Sunday - rest
Yeah, there's a lot of rest and happy hour in there that shouldn't be. I don't think my head is screwed on straight.
Plus, I'm *****spoiler alert***** still not pregnant again, so I don't really have any reason not to be working out. Or any reason to not shoot for a new long distance race goal.
My resolution? Time to start a dedicated training program again. For what, I've yet to determine (because I think I've got a small case of plantar's fasciitiis that needs attention, and I'm not sure if I can manage half marathon distances this fall with that). But starting this week, it's time to get back into a regular running program.
Are you with me? Let's do it!
Monday, August 18, 2014
Friday, August 15, 2014
I'm A BE-Liebster #3
Awhile back, I was asked to do some more Q&A type posts ...
Since I tend to get a little long winded (no - really?!), I decided to chop up some "typical" Q&A posts into multi part segments to make them a little more digestible.
Today, I'm continuing with the Leibster Award Q&A format (see part one of this conversation here, and part two here). Below are questions 9-11 from that.
Enjoy!
---
9) If you have some spare time, what do you do?
Oh - so many things.
First, of course, catch up on my mileage. Run or bike. Or maybe swim (but that's more likely to be measured in meters, not miles).
Second, as I mentioned in the previous Liebster post, travel.
Third, I'm pretty crafty. Cross stitch and knitting are at the top of the list, but I enjoy other things too - sewing, general crafting, etc.
I guess I could lump canning into this "crafty" category, too. I like to grow my own tomatoes and can them every fall.
Fourth, I do enjoy to read. But that's usually for my down time. Which means light stuff. I don't like to read anything too intense. (Yes, I'll admit the Twilight and Sookie Stackhouse series are previous reads).
Fifth, but not too much of this... I'll watch TV. My favorite shows are Modern Family, Shark Tank and True Blood. We have the DVR set up at home to record everything, and then on a Saturday night when it's dark and there's nothing good on, we'll watch shows and fast forward through commercials. Heaven.
Oh, and I suppose it's obvious, I do this blog. DUH!
10) Do you prefer a home-cooked meal, or to go out to a restaurant?
I am happy to say that my husband is an AWESOME cook. We actually both enjoy cooking, but he is home before I am every day, so he does 70-80% of the work in that area (while I do grocery shopping ahead of time and clean up after).
That being said, we truly prefer to eat at home when we want a really good or special meal. No one can ever make it exactly the way you like it like you can. Not to mention, much healthier, too. And, it's so much more fun to be home for special events like Valentines Day, anniversaries and birthdays ... or similar.
The one time I really do love a restaurant, though, is on a bad/busy day or on a weekend when I just want to be lazy. That is the one really nice thing about eating out - no clean up.
11) Are you a planner? Or are you spontaneous?
A planner, for sure. 100%. No discussion.
That's not to say that if something spontaneous comes up, I won't do it. But I want to make sure I can get in all the races, traveling, cabin time and personal time I can. Which means maximizing my schedule to make it all fit. And all those things falling together in harmony doesn't just happen - you have to plan that sh!t in advance.
Since I tend to get a little long winded (no - really?!), I decided to chop up some "typical" Q&A posts into multi part segments to make them a little more digestible.
Today, I'm continuing with the Leibster Award Q&A format (see part one of this conversation here, and part two here). Below are questions 9-11 from that.
Enjoy!
---
9) If you have some spare time, what do you do?
Oh - so many things.
First, of course, catch up on my mileage. Run or bike. Or maybe swim (but that's more likely to be measured in meters, not miles).
Second, as I mentioned in the previous Liebster post, travel.
Third, I'm pretty crafty. Cross stitch and knitting are at the top of the list, but I enjoy other things too - sewing, general crafting, etc.
Huh. I couldn't' find any knitting photos on my Facebook. Fail! :-(
I guess I could lump canning into this "crafty" category, too. I like to grow my own tomatoes and can them every fall.
Fourth, I do enjoy to read. But that's usually for my down time. Which means light stuff. I don't like to read anything too intense. (Yes, I'll admit the Twilight and Sookie Stackhouse series are previous reads).
Fifth, but not too much of this... I'll watch TV. My favorite shows are Modern Family, Shark Tank and True Blood. We have the DVR set up at home to record everything, and then on a Saturday night when it's dark and there's nothing good on, we'll watch shows and fast forward through commercials. Heaven.
Oh, and I suppose it's obvious, I do this blog. DUH!
10) Do you prefer a home-cooked meal, or to go out to a restaurant?
I am happy to say that my husband is an AWESOME cook. We actually both enjoy cooking, but he is home before I am every day, so he does 70-80% of the work in that area (while I do grocery shopping ahead of time and clean up after).
That being said, we truly prefer to eat at home when we want a really good or special meal. No one can ever make it exactly the way you like it like you can. Not to mention, much healthier, too. And, it's so much more fun to be home for special events like Valentines Day, anniversaries and birthdays ... or similar.
The one time I really do love a restaurant, though, is on a bad/busy day or on a weekend when I just want to be lazy. That is the one really nice thing about eating out - no clean up.
11) Are you a planner? Or are you spontaneous?
A planner, for sure. 100%. No discussion.
That's not to say that if something spontaneous comes up, I won't do it. But I want to make sure I can get in all the races, traveling, cabin time and personal time I can. Which means maximizing my schedule to make it all fit. And all those things falling together in harmony doesn't just happen - you have to plan that sh!t in advance.
---
And that wraps up the Liebster Q&A!
And that wraps up the Liebster Q&A!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Webster Education Foundation 5K 2014 (Runnin' On Empty)
Webster Education Foundation 5K (3.15 miles)
35:55
Average Pace 11:33/mile
So I have to admit, last week was a rough week. And I don't mean rough like "meh, I had a busy week and walked away feeling tired/stressed out".
I mean rough like "OMG, I think I'm going to die, I am definitely NOT going in to work, DON'T talk to me, DON'T move near me, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T TOUCH ME!!!!!"
And then it ended with "OMG, WHERE'S THE BATHROOM?!?!?!"
Yeah. Somehow last week I got the flu/a gastrointestinal virus. I don't know how, given it's the middle of August, but I did. I knew things weren't quite "right" on Tuesday when I taught. Class seemed harder than it should, I was off in my cueing, and I was sweating way too hard for the effort I was putting in.
On Wednesday, I should have had a clue when I was sweating at happy hour, my booze didn't taste so great, and my joints were aching while just sitting - SITTING!!
By Thursday morning I was in all out denial and forced myself to go into work despite an upset stomach and a mild fever. I even managed to "teach" that evening (although it was mostly just cueing, not so much doing). I convinced myself a dinner of chicken broth and a bedtime of 7:30pm would heal all that ailed me, and I'd be fine in the morning.
By Friday, all bets were off. At 3am I debated calling in sick, at 4am I wanted to call in sick, and at 5am I could barely manage typing an email saying I was calling in sick. (BTW, you know it's a bad one when I don't get out of bed until almost noon after having gone to bed at 7:30 the night before.)
Yeah, I was more than just kind of sick.
Not to mention, I was running on empty - over a 24+ hour period, I basically drank 3 cups of chicken broth, ate a few pieces of white bread, and had a little bit of cheese.
So, you know what sounds like a great thing to do immediately the next day (Saturday)? Why, run a 5K of course! Let's do it!!!!
Ok, ok - on a serious note, I had already paid for this race months ago. It wasn't like I was going to let that money go to waste. Plus, by dinner Friday night I was starting to feel OK and keeping food down, so I figured I was over the worst of it. By Saturday morning I was feeling better, had no fever, and was actually hungry. And since I was feeling better, I figured I would just go and see what happened...
---
As I mentioned in my recap last year, this race takes place in small town Wisconsin.
I guess it shouldn't have surprised me, then, that when I showed up at check in and stated my name, I received a warm welcome from one of the race directors. Here's how it went:
Woman A at check in: "Name?"
Me: "Natalie (spells last name)"
Race director A, overhearing me: "NATALIE?! You are just EVERYWHERE!!!!" turns to fellow race volunteer "Oh, I just love her. She wears funny outfits to all the races she runs, and they just make me so happy!!"
Always glad to hear that my antics amuse someone, after completing check in I tried to keep some pep in my step and make small talk with my new "fan". In our conversation, I mentioned that I wasn't not so sure how this year would go due to my recent illness, acknowledging that I was happy to have won my age category at the race last year (and my doubts for a repeat). As our conversation wound down, she wished me luck, and I quietly bowed out to go sit in the car with my husband and
As I did so, I got my bib ready... and began to wonder. Why were the race pins so big?!
At least you couldn't tell how large they were once I get them on... right?
Oh, right, the outfit. If it looks familiar, this may be why. Or this.
Anyway.
With my gianormous pins in place, I shimmied over to the general area where we started in 2013 and bid my husband farewell (he was pleased that I gave him the green light to leave, since he wanted to go get coffee, which meant leaving the start area).
Thankfully, it was a wonderfully cool but comfortable morning, which felt great on my post-flu/fever-flushed skin. Feeling relaxed, I decided to burn time by mentally tallying up the runners. I noted two things:
(1) There seemed to be fewer runners this year
(2) There seemed to be a couple of women in my age category, and I was already betting I could take them
Oh boy, competitive much?
I also noticed that, like in my 4th of July recap, there were runners present again promoting a local sheriff candidate... who himself was again running the race, too. Although I know nothing about his position, I just love the way he promotes himself in the running community:
Ron's Runnin' for Sherriff
And regardless, props again to him for trying to stay active!
Eventually, the crowd was called to attention by a man with a megaphone who talked us through the race course (right, left, turn, turn, dance on your tippy toes and then ... what?! Sh!t. I don't live in this town, so I just trusted that there were good markers on course / wished for a guy in front of me who knew where he was going.) With a few more general directions, finally it was time.
Bang. The gun was fired, and we took off.
Immediately I saw my age group competition speed off into the distance. Crap. I told myself that there were only two ahead of me, so maybe I still have a chance for third. I plodded forward.
Within the first half mile, we past the main street of town, where I was surprised to find my husband. He was hanging out, sipping coffee, and making sure I wasn't dead yet.
He was not impressed that I was running this race. True story.
I immediately felt vindicated that I had made it over half a mile, was still running, and I was there to prove it to him. I am the RIGHT SPOUSE. In your face, husband!! I WIN! (*sarcastic eye roll*)
**Let's just ignore the fact that I'm obviously NOT doing well in the above photos, and pretend that no one notices the entire crowd was far ahead of me, with the exception of a few back of the pack runners and walkers who were still behind me ... barely.
Not far beyond the above photo, I made it to the section on course that was spray painted:
_____ONE MILE_____
...and was immediately defeated. Seriously, only one mile!? That was the worst mile of my life. Regardless, I decided to enjoy a walk break and took that break time to celebrate: so far I had not thrown up or pooped my pants.
Natalie - 1, Post-flu-body - 0.
During the break, a woman in a yellow tank top came up from behind me and ran by. It dawned on me that she may be the #3 in my age category and I thought ... if I let her beat me to the finish and she takes the 3rd place medal from me, I'm going to be kicking myself.
And so, my vow was born - do not let yellow tank top woman beat you to the finish.
Lucky for me, we were both struggling a bit with our run. Every time I walked, she slowly jogged by. Every time she walked, I slowly jogged by.
It was a pretty good challenge for me to keep up. Especially when I burped at mile 2 and the orange Gatorade I'd been drinking earlier (since it's pretty much one of the only things I could "eat" in the last 24 hours) gave me a tremendous case of acid stomach.
Regardless of the acid stomach, I still celebrated that I had not thrown up or pooped my pants.
I carried on.
Ms. Yellow Tank top and I played frogger for the rest of mile two until I saw the final stretch on the horizon, and then that was it. I refused to have a weak finish, and decided I was gonna run that b!tch. And so, I did:
Yeah, just ignore the photo evidence in the background ... my PW 5K time of the season. And on a fast, flat course to boot. D'oh!
As I pulled into the finish line, I heard "Yeah, Natalie! Way to go!!!!!" The race director from the beginning was cheering me on despite my less than impressive time. Whoop!
Plus, just seconds after clearing the chute, I heard two women yell "HEY! We saved a you a banana!!"
WHUT?!
I actually got a banana post race when wearing this shirt?! AWESOME!!
Just as I picked up my banana and a bottle of water, Ms. Yellow Tank pulled in. I'm sure she was unaware that we were racing. Exclusively. Against each other. Regardless, she seemed pleased with her time, and I was happy for her.
But then, my attention lost it's focus on my competitor and I got down to business. Age category prize time.
Ages 11 and under...
Ages 12 to 16...
Ages 16-19...
Ages 20-29...
Ages 30-39...
Third place, second place... first place. No Natalie called.
WHAT?! No placement. DAMMIT! But seriously, I couldn't expect much with a 35+ minute finish. I mean, really...
Besides, something odd happened this year, and all the sudden the competition got really fast. There's no way I would have taken top three, even if I wasn't sick:
Disappointed, but only due to the fact that I was jealous for a medal, I headed out to the car and we took off for home. There, I promptly remedied my sorrows with the cutest post race outfit yet.
(No, the shorts were NOT included in the race swag).
And that's the story of how race bib # 47 joined my collection. Which ends on a happy note - I'm not sick anymore! BTW, I didn't bother with maps and charts this time, since my pace was so poor, and since I posted them in the 2013 recap - which you can go visit if you are interested in seeing. Or don't. Your choice. Either way... here's to another race soon!
Monday, August 11, 2014
The Importance of Listening to Your Body
A few weeks back I read this article about Cross Fit.
Needless to say, I wasn't surprised to hear that this popular fitness trend is causing athletic induced injury.
A few quotes from the article...
---
"The CrossFit culture is one of pushing your body to the point of near exhaustion. It is a system of punishing exercises built on a platform of peer pressure. Exercisers regularly urge fellow CrossFit members beyond the point they want to go."
"But in the last decade, there have been too many cases of CrossFit-induced rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis, or Rhabdo for short, is a serious and potentially fatal condition resulting from the catastrophic breakdown of muscle cells. It can result in kidney failure and other complications."
"CrossFit now has an unofficial mascot named "Uncle Rhabdo." An Uncle Rhabdo cartoon depicts a muscular clown, standing in a pool of blood, hooked up to a dialysis machine next to some workout equipment. It's clear that Uncle Rhabdo has Rhabdomyolysis, a far from funny medical condition."
"In addition, CrossFit has -- I think sarcastically -- named a children's workout after the Navy technician who successfully sued the company for injuries he received while following the CrossFit exercise regimen."
"Glassman, in a comment on the CrossFit website, wrote, "We have a therapy for injuries at CrossFit called STFU." As in, Shut the f--k up."
---
Ugh. I cannot believe the pompous attitude of the guy who created/runs this program. Take some unsafe workout practices. Then throw in some lack of compassion for those who can't do the program, plus encouragement to drive oneself to the point of injury... why in the world would you WANT to spend your money supporting this?!
Not to mention, what about the concept of teaching modifications for those who need them? Just because someone can't do a move doesn't mean they DON'T want to do it. Plenty of people simply cannot do certain moves due physical limitations like old injuries, etc.
Working out should be challenging and push you to your limits. But it shouldn't push you so far over the top that it results in injury or long term damage. And it certainly shouldn't result in name calling and other miscellaneous slander if you can't keep up or leave the program.
All I can say about this is - please, folks, pick your workouts wisely. And LISTEN to your body when it tells you it doesn't like what it's doing. You may save yourself a literal lifetime of hurt.
Needless to say, I wasn't surprised to hear that this popular fitness trend is causing athletic induced injury.
A few quotes from the article...
---
"The CrossFit culture is one of pushing your body to the point of near exhaustion. It is a system of punishing exercises built on a platform of peer pressure. Exercisers regularly urge fellow CrossFit members beyond the point they want to go."
"But in the last decade, there have been too many cases of CrossFit-induced rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis, or Rhabdo for short, is a serious and potentially fatal condition resulting from the catastrophic breakdown of muscle cells. It can result in kidney failure and other complications."
"CrossFit now has an unofficial mascot named "Uncle Rhabdo." An Uncle Rhabdo cartoon depicts a muscular clown, standing in a pool of blood, hooked up to a dialysis machine next to some workout equipment. It's clear that Uncle Rhabdo has Rhabdomyolysis, a far from funny medical condition."
"In addition, CrossFit has -- I think sarcastically -- named a children's workout after the Navy technician who successfully sued the company for injuries he received while following the CrossFit exercise regimen."
"Glassman, in a comment on the CrossFit website, wrote, "We have a therapy for injuries at CrossFit called STFU." As in, Shut the f--k up."
---
Ugh. I cannot believe the pompous attitude of the guy who created/runs this program. Take some unsafe workout practices. Then throw in some lack of compassion for those who can't do the program, plus encouragement to drive oneself to the point of injury... why in the world would you WANT to spend your money supporting this?!
Not to mention, what about the concept of teaching modifications for those who need them? Just because someone can't do a move doesn't mean they DON'T want to do it. Plenty of people simply cannot do certain moves due physical limitations like old injuries, etc.
Working out should be challenging and push you to your limits. But it shouldn't push you so far over the top that it results in injury or long term damage. And it certainly shouldn't result in name calling and other miscellaneous slander if you can't keep up or leave the program.
All I can say about this is - please, folks, pick your workouts wisely. And LISTEN to your body when it tells you it doesn't like what it's doing. You may save yourself a literal lifetime of hurt.
Friday, August 8, 2014
I'm A BE-Liebster #2
Awhile back, I was asked to do some more Q&A type posts ...
Since I tend to get a little long winded (no - really?!), I decided to chop up some "typical" Q&A posts into multi part segments to make them a little more digestible. In the next few weeks, I'll randomly be incorporating some of those questions into a post.
Today, I'm continuing with the Leibster Award Q&A format (see part one of this conversation here). Below are questions 6-8 from that.
Enjoy!
---
6) If the sky’s the limit, what would you like to do next?
I love to travel. Beyond the typical touristy type trips in the US (Badlands in SD, adventures down south to Texas, trips out to the East Coast, and so on), I've spent a lot of time in China/Hong Kong due to business, and have vacationed in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico. I'm also not ashamed to admit that I've been to both Disneys in the US, plus the one in Hong Kong ... all when I was over the age of 25.
Whatever, I like to feel like a kid.
Regardless of how heavy or thin I've been in life, I always liked active vacations (surprise, right?!) For example: my in-laws like to sail, so beyond what I mentioned above I've also spent a lot of time living on a sailboat, traveling along the coast of Seattle and into Canada.
All this being said, I have never been to Europe, and always dreamed of doing that.
If the sky was the limit, I'd quit my job and backpack with my husband around Europe. And since sky's the limit, I'm going to pretend everywhere is safe to travel, and we'd start to roam the world - Egypt, Russia, India, Thailand...
I really do wish I could afford to see it all. Maybe some day.
7) What is your favorite season of the year?
Hmmm... that's tough. They all have their virtues.
Spring is nice because it's finally warm enough to enjoy running out side again, and it's not so hot that you feel like you want to die yet.
Summer is nice because you can take the pontoon out on the lake and justify fighting the heat with a few cocktails.
Fall is nice because you had all spring and summer to train, and some of the best half and full marathons take place at that time.
Winter is nice because I can finally ski again. However, I do live in Minnesota. Or as a friend put it, via his Facebook profile photo:
So, I guess ... Summer?
8) What is a piece of advise you would like to share?
You can do anything in life if you put your mind to it. And even when something bad happens, you can find a way to make lemonade out of it.
Don't let anything stop you from moving forward to your own personal happiness.
Since I tend to get a little long winded (no - really?!), I decided to chop up some "typical" Q&A posts into multi part segments to make them a little more digestible. In the next few weeks, I'll randomly be incorporating some of those questions into a post.
Today, I'm continuing with the Leibster Award Q&A format (see part one of this conversation here). Below are questions 6-8 from that.
Enjoy!
---
6) If the sky’s the limit, what would you like to do next?
I love to travel. Beyond the typical touristy type trips in the US (Badlands in SD, adventures down south to Texas, trips out to the East Coast, and so on), I've spent a lot of time in China/Hong Kong due to business, and have vacationed in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico. I'm also not ashamed to admit that I've been to both Disneys in the US, plus the one in Hong Kong ... all when I was over the age of 25.
Whatever, I like to feel like a kid.
Your eyes don't deceive you,
that is how overweight I used to be.
Regardless of how heavy or thin I've been in life, I always liked active vacations (surprise, right?!) For example: my in-laws like to sail, so beyond what I mentioned above I've also spent a lot of time living on a sailboat, traveling along the coast of Seattle and into Canada.
All this being said, I have never been to Europe, and always dreamed of doing that.
If the sky was the limit, I'd quit my job and backpack with my husband around Europe. And since sky's the limit, I'm going to pretend everywhere is safe to travel, and we'd start to roam the world - Egypt, Russia, India, Thailand...
I really do wish I could afford to see it all. Maybe some day.
7) What is your favorite season of the year?
Hmmm... that's tough. They all have their virtues.
Spring is nice because it's finally warm enough to enjoy running out side again, and it's not so hot that you feel like you want to die yet.
Summer is nice because you can take the pontoon out on the lake and justify fighting the heat with a few cocktails.
Fall is nice because you had all spring and summer to train, and some of the best half and full marathons take place at that time.
Winter is nice because I can finally ski again. However, I do live in Minnesota. Or as a friend put it, via his Facebook profile photo:
So, I guess ... Summer?
8) What is a piece of advise you would like to share?
You can do anything in life if you put your mind to it. And even when something bad happens, you can find a way to make lemonade out of it.
Don't let anything stop you from moving forward to your own personal happiness.
---
Questions 9-11 to come!
Questions 9-11 to come!
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
2014 - Racing Review Thus Far, Part 2
Sorry I missed out on a posting this past Monday. I took a little mini vacation (basically a long weekend), and wasn't free to draft something up. Plus, I didn't want to post any random, dumb crap... so, there's that.
Anyway! Back in June I posted about my racing progress for 2014. Since then, I've ran quite a few more races, so I thought today I'd update the schedule to show how things have shaken out since then. Here goes:
Jan & Feb
Spent my time hiding from -50 degree temps.
March
Tried to marathon, had course closed on me. (Little Rock Marathon 2014)
Made up for it with a 7K instead. Same thing, right? (Get Lucky 7K 2014)
April
Went to Chicago and ran a St. Paddy's day themed race... that took place two weeks too late.
(Shamrock Shuffle 8K Chicago 2014)
May
Relived the hilly hell. (Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon - Relay 2014)
Acted like a nurse. (Chaska 5K/10K 2014)
June
Tried out another relay. (Lake Waconia Half Marathon - Relay 2014)
Ran for bananas and got nothin'. (Rainbow Run 5K 2014)
July
Lived it up as Lady Liberty. (Siren Freedom 5K 2014)
Kept it spicy in Chicago, again. (Chicago Chinatown 5K 2014)
Chased the bacon, and then ate it. (Bacon Chase 5K Minneapolis 2014)
If you followed me on the above, you should have caught that in 2014 I have run:
Four 5Ks
One 7K and one 8K
Two half relays
AND made a Marathon attempt
That's nine races, or just over 50 miles. Not too shabby! Especially given my new race strategy for 2014, and my lack of training overall this year. (Yes, none of these races have been PRs. Or even "good" times. But all of them have been fun. And that's what matters most to me.)
Not to mention the fact that in addition to the above, I've done two Lazyman Ironmans, one Run100, kept up with some basic running - once or twice a week, continued teaching twice or more per week, and tried to start bike commuting (which unfortunately has become a fail due to trail closures).
So, what about the future? What do I have left for 2014?
August
This coming weekend I'm running the Webster Education 5K. Last year I managed to take 1st in my age category. Without training, I'm hoping I might be able to at least still hang in the top three. But I think that's a pretty big thing to hope for. Wish me luck.
I'm also planning on sharing the Minneapolis Duathlon again with my neighbor. Last year it was a fun but hot race. Let's hope it's a little cooler this year.
And then there's the Lake Run 5K ... which I'm wavering on. I've run it for a few years now, so I'm not sure if I want to repeat it or not. You'll know my decision on that soon enough, I'm sure.
September/October
If I'm wavering on the Lake Run, then I'm definitely wobbling even more on what my plans are for fall. Depending on how quickly I can start getting my mileage back up, I am considering the Women Run the Cities 10 miler in late September, which is totally new to me, and the Mankato Half in October, which I ran last year and absolutely loved.
I'm a little nervous about longer runs right now given my total lack of base miles, so that may impact my race goals for the fall. Well, that and the fact that I'm dealing with some mild plantars fasciitis right now. Let's hope I can work that out quickly with some basic stretches and various other healthy choices.
November/December
Let's face it, I have NO idea what will happen this late in the year (if anything). Let's not even go there for now.
In summary, what's my ultimate goal for 2014 racing? Aside from having fun, like I said last time:
"If you recall, I ran 15 races last year. And I'm competitive with myself. So, I'm trying to stay as close to 15 as possible for 2014 as well. It's totally an arbitrary goal that means pretty much nothing to anyone except myself."
Yep, I'm still holding myself to that dumb gold standard. But I'm already 9 of 15. And with for sure 2 more on the schedule already this month, you may as well call that 11 of 15. Not to mention, if I go for the Lake Run, the women's race and Mankato, that would put me 14 of 15.
That means, only one more random add and I hit my goal.
What race should it be?! Hmmm....
Anyway! Back in June I posted about my racing progress for 2014. Since then, I've ran quite a few more races, so I thought today I'd update the schedule to show how things have shaken out since then. Here goes:
Jan & Feb
Spent my time hiding from -50 degree temps.
March
Tried to marathon, had course closed on me. (Little Rock Marathon 2014)
Made up for it with a 7K instead. Same thing, right? (Get Lucky 7K 2014)
April
Went to Chicago and ran a St. Paddy's day themed race... that took place two weeks too late.
(Shamrock Shuffle 8K Chicago 2014)
May
Relived the hilly hell. (Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon - Relay 2014)
Acted like a nurse. (Chaska 5K/10K 2014)
June
Tried out another relay. (Lake Waconia Half Marathon - Relay 2014)
Ran for bananas and got nothin'. (Rainbow Run 5K 2014)
July
Lived it up as Lady Liberty. (Siren Freedom 5K 2014)
Kept it spicy in Chicago, again. (Chicago Chinatown 5K 2014)
Chased the bacon, and then ate it. (Bacon Chase 5K Minneapolis 2014)
If you followed me on the above, you should have caught that in 2014 I have run:
Four 5Ks
One 7K and one 8K
Two half relays
AND made a Marathon attempt
That's nine races, or just over 50 miles. Not too shabby! Especially given my new race strategy for 2014, and my lack of training overall this year. (Yes, none of these races have been PRs. Or even "good" times. But all of them have been fun. And that's what matters most to me.)
Not to mention the fact that in addition to the above, I've done two Lazyman Ironmans, one Run100, kept up with some basic running - once or twice a week, continued teaching twice or more per week, and tried to start bike commuting (which unfortunately has become a fail due to trail closures).
So, what about the future? What do I have left for 2014?
August
This coming weekend I'm running the Webster Education 5K. Last year I managed to take 1st in my age category. Without training, I'm hoping I might be able to at least still hang in the top three. But I think that's a pretty big thing to hope for. Wish me luck.
I'm also planning on sharing the Minneapolis Duathlon again with my neighbor. Last year it was a fun but hot race. Let's hope it's a little cooler this year.
And then there's the Lake Run 5K ... which I'm wavering on. I've run it for a few years now, so I'm not sure if I want to repeat it or not. You'll know my decision on that soon enough, I'm sure.
September/October
If I'm wavering on the Lake Run, then I'm definitely wobbling even more on what my plans are for fall. Depending on how quickly I can start getting my mileage back up, I am considering the Women Run the Cities 10 miler in late September, which is totally new to me, and the Mankato Half in October, which I ran last year and absolutely loved.
I'm a little nervous about longer runs right now given my total lack of base miles, so that may impact my race goals for the fall. Well, that and the fact that I'm dealing with some mild plantars fasciitis right now. Let's hope I can work that out quickly with some basic stretches and various other healthy choices.
November/December
Let's face it, I have NO idea what will happen this late in the year (if anything). Let's not even go there for now.
In summary, what's my ultimate goal for 2014 racing? Aside from having fun, like I said last time:
"If you recall, I ran 15 races last year. And I'm competitive with myself. So, I'm trying to stay as close to 15 as possible for 2014 as well. It's totally an arbitrary goal that means pretty much nothing to anyone except myself."
Yep, I'm still holding myself to that dumb gold standard. But I'm already 9 of 15. And with for sure 2 more on the schedule already this month, you may as well call that 11 of 15. Not to mention, if I go for the Lake Run, the women's race and Mankato, that would put me 14 of 15.
That means, only one more random add and I hit my goal.
What race should it be?! Hmmm....
Friday, August 1, 2014
I'm A BE-Liebster #1
Awhile back, I was asked to do some more Q&A type posts ...
Since I tend to get a little long winded (no - really?!), I decided to chop up some "typical" Q&A posts into multi part segments to make them a little more digestible. In the next few weeks, I'll randomly be incorporating some of those questions into a post.
Today, I'm continuing with the below. This time I've taken the Liebster Award Q&A format. Below are questions 1-5 from that (I'm including a few bonus questions since the first few were pretty obvious).
Enjoy!
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1) Why did you start this blog?
I answered this in a previous post. To avoid repeating myself, I'll direct you there.
2) What makes you smile?
OMG, anything ridiculously silly - which is why I enjoy dressing up so much for my workouts. Some examples of non-workout funnies from my Facebook feed:
The time someone flipped my peace sign over on my Jetta...
and when I inquired about it on Facebook, one of my friends blamed: "SATAN!!!!!"
The Valentine I sent everyone this year.
The gingerbread house I made with my friend & her family Christmas 2012.
If you look closely, you'll see a Blackhawk helicopter crashed in the backyard,
and a pit bull is gnawing on Mr. Bill's head in the front.
The hat I considered buying to wear last 4th of July.
The massively huge packaging MAC uses to mail me one eye shadow.
The bike helmet of the gods.
AKA - NATALIE WANT!!!!!!!
My husband, "shopping" for ammo at Fleet Farm, in business attire.
My beagle, dressed as a pirate.
My niece, a little "squished" by her air show noise protection.
A glow in the dark yellow poop. For a Halloween giveaway.
Seriously, how is this poop? And if your poop ever looks like that, go see a doctor!
The cheesy hash browns my aunt made for Christmas,
with a bacon and sausage manger.
Me, looking SUPER sexy in snorkel gear.
3) What is one of your talents?
Hmmm... well, I guess I can tie two together. I think the reason why I'm so good at teaching group fitness is because I can "hear" music. By that, I mean hear the beats and measures, and pick up queuing to naturally manage transitions in movement.
What do I mean by that? Well, you know that awkward feeling you get in a group fitness class when you transition from one move to another move and it just feels wrong?
Yeah, kind of like that.
It's usually because the instructor missed the beat and your body's rhythm was off during the move.
Most times I can avoid that and keep everyone on beat.
That's because I started taking piano lessons when I was in second grade and learned musical measurement. I eventually stopped my lessons around 8th grade - the time commitment was too great for me as a preteen and I didn't enjoy it that much. But I still occasionally sit down and play the hand-me-down piano we have in our living room (despite it desperately needing a tuning).
4) Who is a hero in your life?
My grandma. She's 97 years old now and still manages to spend a significant amount of time each week doing her favorite thing - going to the Goodwill that sells clothing by the pound. She picks out winter wear (jackets, gloves, etc.), purchases them, brings them home to launder/repair them, and then donates them to her church - which owns a trailer full of goods that they deliver to the homeless on a regular basis.
This is her. You can see how awesome she is.
Ok, to be fair, this is her son's motorcycle and jacket. But it was her idea to pose with it in front of her house and pretend to be a badass.
I try to be as awesome as her, but I pale in comparison.
If I make it to 97, I hope I can keep up with what she's doing now.
5) What is a great memory from your past?
Running my first half marathon really stands out in my head. It was the first time I did something that was truly physically hard, something I deep down honestly thought I could NEVER do. But I did it, and I survived. Even if I did cry a little at the finish.
Just don't tell my husband our wedding wasn't my go to answer for this one. Although, it is a close second. ;-)
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Questions 6-8 to come!
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