Guess who went to the gym tonight?

This girl!  I only joined the gym a month ago, on June 30th, so I figured it was time to put it to good use!  I was a little intimidated at first; there was one guy lifting weights who I swear had calves as big as my thighs and it was all muscle.  However, once I got on the elliptical and got into my groove, I didn't feel nearly as intimidated.  The people watching was fantastic, too!  There was a really fun Zumba class going on that I could see from my machine and the music helped pump me up, too.  It was also really motivating to see such varied people at the gym; different age groups, sizes, males, females, etc.

My legs fought me a little bit in the beginning on the elliptical but eventually, the soreness went away and I felt really great.  I did 35 minutes on the elliptical and it did wonders for my spirit today.  It was a bit of a rough day and I was feeling a bit funky, so some cardio did me well.

I think the gym is going to serve me really well in regards to cross-training and strength-training for my fall races.  I have an appointment on Saturday morning with a personal trainer, which should be interesting.  I was observing some of the trainers tonight and they definitely push their clients, which is good, but intimidating.

In other exciting news, I booked my airfare for Napa today!  It's starting to get real and my excitement continues to grow!

My focus for the next few weeks leading up to Napa and then my half, is strength training, cross-training/cardio, and running using a cross between my Napa training plan and possibly one of Hal Higdon's plans.  I want to be strong, fierce, badass, and injury free for my races!

"The most remarkable adventurers keep going - one inch, one foot, one victory at a time."

All good things must come to an end - Vacation 2014

We left for Branson on Monday morning for a much needed vacation and some quality family time and we had a wonderful trip.  It is definitely hard getting back to reality!  Earlier this year, my in-laws invited us to join them on vacation and we were so excited to get out of town for a bit to enjoy some time on the lake! When I started dating Matt fourteen (!) years ago, I soon realized I was joining a fishing family and while I had never been fishing before in my life, I discovered I loved it.  We don't go fishing as much as we'd like, so we were definitely looking forward to getting out on the water and seeing what we could catch.

I had plans to continue my Napa training plan while on vacation since the plan called for a short (ish) run on Tuesday and another relatively easy run on Thursday, and I even brought my running clothes and gear, but I did not go for a run either day.  I'm ok with taking those two days off though, as family time and relaxing were just what I needed after a rough few months.  I will post more about vacation soon, but wanted to share some pictures before I call it a night.

I hope everyone had a great week last week!

I am a beach bum at heart, but this lake is pretty darn gorgeous.  I've decided I just need to live near water (and the mighty Mississippi does not cut it) and this will do! 

The boys exploring the water near the boat ramp

One of the fish I caught

Jack and Daddy fishing 

Nick was fine with the fish he caught (our first of the day!) until it started flailing about.  Shortly thereafter, he decided to hang out on a rocky ledge while we finished fishing.  It was a valiant effort! 

Pure joy jumping off the boat!

The quote below applies to me and any wave; the sound of the waves on the boat and the shore at the lake were so soothing!

"The waves of the sea help me get back to me." 

Two a Day Workouts Have Begun

This week, the Napa training plan called for my first two-a-day workout; 2 runs no less than 6 hours apart and no more than 12 hours apart.  The idea is to replicate the Ragnar Race, when you will run three legs of varying mileage over the course of 48 hours.  I was intimidated by the two-a-day workout, but more so in the sense of finding time to do two runs in one day.  I struggle most days to find time for one run, much less two!

The original plan for this week called for the two-a-day on Tuesday and a 5 miler on Thursday, but due to my schedule, I swapped days.  I did my 5 mile run on Tuesday night, took a rest day on Wednesday, and did my two-a-day yesterday.  I was able to get in a run yesterday morning and it didn't require me to get up too terribly early.  I did three miles before work and then after dinner last night, I did the second two miler on the schedule.  I have to admit, the two-a-day was not too bad! 

I was a bit frustrated though, because I am still experiencing some fairly substantial cramping in my calves when I run.  It's been pretty debilitating and as a result, both of my runs yesterday involved a fair share of running and walking.  There is nothing wrong with walking, believe me.  I am just frustrated because I know that I am capable of running long distances and yet, lately, I have been reduced to run/walk intervals.  It is beyond frustrating. 

I have several theories about the cause of this relative set-back:

• Lack of cross-training and strength-training which has led to a loss of strength in my legs and core
• Dehydration, although I'm not sure how this is possible because I have been drinking around 80 oz. of water a day
• Poor nutrition, although, again, I feel like I am eating much better these days. I did not eat before my morning run yesterday, though, and that was not the smartest move I've ever made
• Need for new running shoes.  I thought I got my Saucony's last fall, but in re-reading my blog, I see that I got them on August 9th last year, meaning they are almost a year old.  It's probably time for new shoes.
• Weight gain.  I'm carrying about fifteen extra pounds on my body right now and I'm sure that is affecting my running form. 

Although I am frustrated, I know that this too shall pass and I am working through it.  I have Napa to look forward too, after all, in addition to the Halloween half.

Speaking of Napa, a box is headed my way as we speak full of goodies for our training.  I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve and have been tracking my package all day.  I think getting the goodies will be further motivation for me to push on, since it is definitely making Napa feel more "real." 

"The most certain way to succeed is to just try one more time." 

Gorgeous 5 mile run

Somebody pinch me!  Is it really the middle of July?  It's hard to tell by the gorgeous weather we had today, but I'll take it.  It was one of those mornings with a stunning blue sky and a cool breeze that warranted rolling down the windows and opening the moon roof on our drive to summer camp and work.  Yesterday, it was very muggy and gross in the morning, but a few storms rolled through later in the afternoon, which drastically cooled the temperature.

I love watching storms roll in from my window at work!

Today's run on the Napa training plan was the first two-a-day on the schedule, but through a series of unfortunate events, I decided to postpone my two-a-day until Thursday.  Thursday called for a 5 mile run, so I decided to do that run today and do my two-a-day on Thursday.  It was a beautiful day for a run and so I headed out after we ate dinner.

Ah, perfect running weather!

I figured that since the weather was so cooperative that I might have a stellar run, which I could really use at the moment.  My run wasn't stellar, but it also wasn't awful.  I have noticed the past few times I've run, though, that my calves cramp up terribly during the first mile - mile and a half.  I've never experienced this before, but it is almost unbearable.  It's both calves, too, which is odd.  Tonight, they felt so tense and tight and truly heavy, which made it hard to lift them up.  I don't know if this is due to the fact that I am currently not cross-training (for shame, I know) or if it is due to the fact that I am running with extra weight that I haven't had in a while (argh), but it is rather obnoxious.  It eventually goes away and/or I just become numb to it and I can continue on with my run.  I feel significantly better around 2.5 or 3 and fall into my groove.  I'm hoping that with continued training, stretching, and cross-training that the tightness in my calves will subside.

On another note, today was the first, and last (it's already sold out!) day for registration for the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  Congratulations to all who signed up and got in, especially my friend, Stacy, who will be running it.  It will be her first half marathon!  I'm so excited for you and your family, Stacy!  You all will have a blast!  I am looking into the possibility of running the race as a St. Jude's Hero.  I love the idea of raising funds for a wonderful cause and running to show my support.  Has anyone run a race as a St. Jude's Hero before?  I'd love to hear your story and know your thoughts!

I saw the below e-card tonight and it absolutely suited my run tonight.  It was getting awfully dark on the trail when I finished my run, but I was only at 4.6 miles when I got to my car and darned if I wasn't going to get my Garmin to read 5.0, so I ran laps around the parking lot!

"You know you're a runner when you run up and down a street three or four times to get the last 1/4 of a mile in on your Garmin!"

A great weekend

We had a really great weekend, but it wore me out and thus, I didn't blog at all!  Saturday was just the day I needed; it was probably one of the best days I've had in a long time.  Nick absolutely loves trains and has since he was about a year and a half when he started watching Thomas the Tank Engine.  Whenever we visit the Zoo, we, of course, ride the train several times.  I noticed a few years ago that they have an Engineer for a Day program and the age requirements said "ages 7 - 97" so I planned to look into it when Nick got to be that age if he was still into trains.  He still loves trains just as much, if not more, so for the past year or so, he has been asking when he will be old enough to be the Engineer and drive the train.  So his big present for his 7th birthday was a date to be the Engineer for the day this past Saturday.

We went to the main train station at the Zoo at 9 a.m. and he was outfitted with his official Engineer hat, bandanna, and name tag.  We met several of the Engineers and got a special tour of the train shed, which I actually quite enjoyed.  Then, he got to take a few pictures with his train for the day (Engine #48) before he headed out for the morning.  We were able to ride with him or get off as needed, so Matt, Jack, and I rode in the front of the train for a few times around the Zoo and got to watch him collect tickets, count open seats, and sit up front and blow the whistle of the train.  He was a little bashful at first, but by the end of the morning, he was waving to all of the people at each of the railroad crossings in the Zoo.

Inspecting the trains in the train yard

Nick and his train for the day

After a few times around the Zoo, we got off the train and took Jack exploring for a bit while Nick continued to enjoy his day on the train.  We went to visit my favorite animal at the Zoo, the Red Panda, who was rather photogenic that day.  We also went to see the Sea Lions and tried to find Nick as the trains went by.  Jack was very anxious to see his brother and every time he would hear the train whistle, he would shout Bro? Bro?  He was very excited when Nick's train finally drove by us!

Around noon, Nick and his Engineer buddy, Ron, pulled up to the main station and Nick was treated to lunch with his new Engineer friend.  We were able to join them and it was nice to get to know Ron, who was formerly a police officer for the city of St. Louis.  

After lunch, Nick got to take one more trip around the Zoo and so we joined him on the train for his last hurrah.  He had a wonderful day and it was such a lovely day with the family!  I loved seeing the pure joy on his face while he was doing something he loved and I loved that Matt and I spent some quality, one on one time with Jack, too.  I also loved that all of the Engineers at the Zoo treated Nick like one of them; every time he pulled into the main station where the other Engineers were congregating, they would wave to him and say Hi Nick!  The Conductor on the train made sure to announce that Engineer Nick was conducting the safety stop before one of the stations; they really went out of their way to make him feel special.  The last sweet moment came at the end of his day, when the head Engineer presented him with a special certificate marking the occasion.  Such a great day! 

We finished off the day with some swimming at my Mom's house and needless to say, we all slept well that night!

Yesterday, we had a relaxing morning and then went to Mom's for more swimming!  Have I mentioned that we love swimming and summer?  I think we all would be content to spend all day at the pool, enjoying the warm weather and the sun.  

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, too!  

"Family is not an important thing, it's everything." 

The most miraculous thing happened today

Guess who woke up early this morning to go for a run?  This girl!  It's a miracle, one that nearly didn't happen.  I was inspired last night reading some posts from my fellow Ragnar teammates who had gone out early yesterday to do our scheduled hill repeats and I made mention of that fact that I could use some "get your butt in gear" texts this morning to make sure I got out to do my hill repeats.  As soon as my alarms started going off, the odds of me getting up looked slim.  I kept hitting snooze and I was 99% sure that I was going to stay in bed.  Then, my phone started lighting up with Facebook messages and texts from my awesome Ragnar teammates and I got out of bed, put my running clothes on, and headed out the door.  I was about 30 minutes later than I planned to be, but I made it to the trail just before 6:30.

I know I've said it before, but I'm very fortunate to be a part of this amazing Napa Ragnar team.  These women are some of the most supportive, encouraging, caring, inspiring women I've met and I love them already, even though I haven't met most of them in person yet!  We've spent so much time getting to know each other on Facebook over the past few weeks and I can't wait to meet them in person in September!

Proof that I was up that early; trust me, it's a rare occurrence! 

I admit that part of my hesitation about running early in the morning (other than the fact that I love sleep) was a general fear of being alone on the trail with little daylight since it's wooded in parts, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the trail was bustling at 6:30 a.m.!  Everyone was so friendly, too!  Who knew so many people were morning people?  It makes sense, though, that so many people were out to beat the heat.  The weather was really lovely this morning.  I definitely broke a sweat, but the weather could have certainly been worse.

Not too shabby for mid-July!

I had 6 hill repeats on the schedule for today, so I went to my go-to hill from last week and mentally prepared myself for the challenge ahead.  I felt really good on the first two uphills, but it started to go downhill from there (pun somewhat intended).  My legs started to rebel a bit, so the last 4 hill inclines included a tad bit of walking near the top.  I was able to run for the majority of the uphill stretches, though. I was able to complete all 6 hill repeats and get my workout in before I truly started my day!

Lovely sunrise, which I don't see often

Overall, it wasn't too bad to get up early and go run.  The biggest challenge, by far, was actually getting out of bed!  It was really nice to get my workout out of the way and I felt pretty alert most of the day (although I did have a mid-afternoon crash, but I'm guessing that is because I went to bed later than I should have last night).

I've seen the quote below floating around for a while and I had my doubts, but there is definitely some truth to it.  For much of the first half of my run, I felt like I was on auto drive since I was only half awake.  It wasn't until close to the end that my brain finally woke up and realized what was going on!

"Exercise in the morning before your brain figures out what you're doing." 

Trying to become a morning runner

This morning was probably my second best attempt to get up and go for a morning run; my first being an attempt late last summer or early fall when I actually made it out the door and to the trail, only to have it start pouring rain as soon as I got there.  You'll note that I said "attempt" in the first sentence, because I did not actually go run.

I was bound and determined to get up super early this morning to go do my hill repeats, so I went to bed super early for me (8:30, if you're wondering) and set my alarms.  I even set my best alarm, a.k.a. my Mom.  I asked her to call me at 5:45 to make sure I was awake so I could be out the door by 6 a.m.  This is kind of a long standing joke with my Mom and I that dates back to college when I slept through a final exam my first semester of my freshman year.  Whenever I have an important event that requires an early wake-up call, I ask my Mom to call me to make sure I'm up, never mind the fact that I am almost 32.  A girl still needs here Mama and I am so not a morning person.  Never have been and likely never will.

In any case, I had a lovely night's sleep and was somewhat coherent when my first alarm went off at 5:30.  However my throat was very sore and scratchy and I generally felt cruddy.  I snoozed my alarm and when it went off again about 10 minutes later, I sent a text to my Mom telling her I didn't feel good and was going back to bed.  I still felt gross when I woke up, but by the time I got up and moving, I felt quite a bit better.  I regretted not going for my run and felt a bit guilty, particularly since I would not be able to run at lunch or this evening due to a work commitment.  I'm hoping that the general cruddy feeling was just allergies acting up as opposed to a summer cold, but we will see.

I've really got to make a concerted effort to run in the morning, because it is getting hot enough that lunch time runs aren't too feasible, after all, I still want my co-workers to like me and evening running, while feasible now because of the extra daylight, will become more challenging as we move into late summer/early fall.

With that being said, I should go to bed so I can be bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow for a morning run.  At this point, though, I will settle for just getting out of bed!

I'm going to give the below quote the benefit of the doubt, even though I really would like to respectfully disagree at the moment.

"The feeling you have after finishing your morning workout is better than it feels to sleep an extra hour."