friday five: fall preview

Hey guys! It's time for another installment of Friday Five! I am linking up with the lovely ladies of DC for Friday Five: Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed up for What?, and Mar at Mar on the Run. This week's theme is "Fall Preview". I believe fall begins on September 22, so I'm going off that date haha.

1. BibRave Pro Ambassador. If you didn't see my post yesterday (or my Twitter announcement), I was accepted as a BibRave Pro Ambassador this week :) You can read more about it here. I'm looking forward to spreading the BibRave love over the next few months, and sharing my race reviews on BibRave.com. 

2. Wine and Dine Half Marathon. As of now, my only fall half marathon is this one at Walt Disney World. This could change, but I'm pretty certain this will be my favorite ;)

3. Dopey Challenge Training amps up. The miles begin to increase starting in the fall, as well as some high mileage back-to-back days. I'll have my longest run to date in early October (15 miles! Ahhh!). I get nervous just thinking about it haha. I still question my decision to register for this bad boy, seeing as it'll also be my first marathon. I have confidence (or at least I tell myself I'm confident) that with the training I'm putting in, I'll be ok. I think I'll have to switch up a few weeks to accommodate races, weddings, and other events. I mean, life just really gets in the way of training sometimes ;)

4. Chicago Marathon. While I am not running in the Chicago Marathon, I do plan on going to cheer on some friends, family, and Twitter/Blog pals.

5. Thanksgiving. I do love Thanksgiving (I much prefer turkey over ham like at Easter) and all of the food and family time. I run a 4 mile Turkey Trot the morning of, which makes me feel a lot little less guilty about eating all. the. food.

What's your fall schedule looking like? Anything you're excited for?

Thanks to Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar for hosting! Make sure to check out their "Friday Five" posts (direct links above in first paragraph) and link up if you are joining in on the fun. Don't forget to read/comment on some of the other link ups – there are always so many great ones!

exciting news: i'm a bibrave pro ambassador!

Hey guys! I am so excited to announce that I have been selected to be a BibRave Pro Ambassador! Huzzah! I love participating in the #bibchat every Tuesday night that @BibRave hosts, and when I saw they were accepting applications for BibRave Pros, I jumped at the chance. (More information regarding #bibchat below.)

If you don't know about BibRave.com, head on over to the website and check it out! In shorts, it's a place to find and write race reviews. Some people choose their races for theme, cost, post-race party, location, scenery, or the SWAG given. This is a great place to find out how the race stacked up. While you're there, you should set up an account so you can write reviews of races you've participated in (if you aren't already on there). The more reviews, the better!

I am so excited to participate in this program! I run in quite a few races, so it seemed like a perfect fit. I look forward to having the chance to run some new races, travel, and become more involved with the running community. I'll be sharing my experiences both here on my blog and on BibRave.com.

You can find me on BibRave.com here. I'm behind on my race recaps, but I include a link to my BibRave review for said race in each post, and a link to my race recap on my blog in each of my BibRave reviews. My blog recaps are a little more detailed/personal, and give more of a play-by-play of my race day.

I'll update this page when I know which races I am running officially as a BibRave Pro, though keep in mind that joining so late in the year, my options are limited (darn those prior engagements that keep me from racing! haha).

Have you participated in a race recently? Well, what are you waiting for – head on over there and write up a review :)

Also, mark your calendars for Tuesday at 8pm (central time) for #bibchat! It's a fun chat with other runners that lasts an hour and is hosted by @BibRave. There are usually 6 questions that relate to the theme of the night—can be anything ranging from nutrition, training plans, recovery, etc.—and is a great way to meet new pals and learn some new things. It really is a great resource! 

Editor's Note: Check out all my things BibRave Pro here.

the weekly chase #21

On Tuesdays I link up my Weekly Chase goals with Mindy from Road Runner Girl. Below is a recap from how the goals from last week went over, and my new goals for this week.

Weekly goals for August 18–24; recap

Goal #1 - Daily goals – 

A: Log and stay under calorie goals. 

B: Drink 48 ounces of water.

C: Eat healthier snacks/meals. 

D. Hit 10,000 steps per day via Fitbit.

Well, not the best week, if I'm being honest. I logged all of my meals, but did not stay under my calories over the weekend. I did ok with water except for on Sunday. I did ok with healthy snacking and eating until Friday. I only hit my steps a few days over the week, since I was resting some minor injuries (hip, knee, PF); numbers were as follow: 4526, 6686, 6898, 17925, 9228, 24451, 10168.

Goal #2 - Continue Dopey training. Cross train three days.

This went well. I missed one day of running, so only did two days, but did do three days of cross training (Bar Method classes), and did a good bit of walking on Sunday.

Goal #3 - Foam/stick roll and stretch daily. I'm also going to add in icing my knee to this goal. I ordered a Dr. Cool wrap, so I hope it comes soon so I can use it this week. I'm hoping if I have something as easy to use as that, versus the darn ziplock bags I fill with ice that then leak, I'll be more inclined to ice. I'm going to admit now, that I doubt I'll be doing any icing until that comes... I know, it's horrible, but it's the truth.

I used my Stick for rolling 5 out of 7 days, and got in stretching for my PF daily (along with other stretching). I received my wrap and used it Saturday after my trail run (knee and used a bag of ice for my feet), and then did more icing on Sunday night.

Goal #4 - Lose 1 pound. Though I weigh myself everyday, I've decided to use Friday's as my official weigh-in days in order to track my gains/losses. Though I am more concerned with building lean muscle and decreasing my body fat percentage, losing a pound by Friday would be a bonus. I'm looking to get down 5 pounds total, and have lost 1 so far.

Was Friday a bad day to choose? It seems like when I look at data, Wednesday is the best day haha. Anyway, I weighed the same. I guess that's better than gaining.

Weekly goals for August 25–31

Goal #1 - Daily goals – 

A: Log and stay under calorie goals. 

B: Drink 48 ounces of water.

C: Eat healthier snacks/meals. 

D. Hit 10,000 steps per day via Fitbit.

Goal #2 - Continue Dopey training. Cross train three days.

Goal #3 - Roll with the stick, stretch, and ice daily.

Goal #4 - Lose .5 pounds.

Thanks for hosting the weekly chase link up, Mindy!

How about you — what are your goals for this week?

week in review: august 18–24

Dopey Challenge Training: Week 8

Monday, August 18: rest day

Tuesday, August 19: Cross training – Bar Method (60 minutes)

Wednesday, August 20: Cross training – Bar Method (60 minutes)

Thursday, August 21: Rock the Night 5k (3.1 miles)

Friday, August 22: Cross training – Bar Method (60 minutes)

Saturday, August 23: 9.52 miles – Trail Run

Sunday, August 24: rest day

Weekly mileage: 12.62 miles

Total mileage for Dopey Challenge Training: 119.58 miles

I'd say this week's training went pretty well. I missed one run this week of 45 minutes, but had decided that since I was having some hip/knee issues, it would be best to use an extra day for rest – I wanted to be ok to run the 9 miles on the schedule over the weekend. 

Bar Method is going well. I'm still really enjoying it – every single class has been challenging, and they have a variety of movements that change a bit each class, so it doesn't get boring. I'm really starting to see a difference in my muscle tone :)

As for my runs, the Rock the Night 5k was a lot of fun (check out my BibRave review here)! I'll have a recap up eventually, but weather wise it was a bit nutty with a downpour for about an hour between 4–5, and then it cooled off, but the heat and humidity came back for the race start at 7. The post-race party and food were excellent.

Saturday's trail run was slooooow. We headed out a bit later than I intended, but weather wise it wouldn't have been any better earlier (it was hot and humid all the live long day, even in the early morning hours). It was about 80–85 degrees, but with 99% humidity which made for a pretty miserable run. Every once in a while there was a breeze, but most of it was quite stuffy. I did 30 second:1 minute intervals, and once in a while had to skip the run portion. I have a bit of trouble breathing in the humidity, so would take an extra walk break if I needed it. I was dripping sweat the instant I got out of the car! Oy, it was tough, especially since we've had such a relatively mild summer (still warm and humid, but not nearly as bad as these past few days and what it normally is). My husband came with and ran with me, so at least I had company (you know what they say, misery loves company haha). I had KT Tape on from Thursday's race and Friday's barre class, and it stayed on even through that humidity, so I'd say I found a good method of applying. 

My Orange Mud HydraQuiver Double Barrel pack worked perfectly again, with Nuun Energy Lemon Lime in one bottle and water in the other. I had filled them both with ice, which melted about a half hour in because of the heat, but everything stayed fairly cold until the end. I really love that bad boy. Another runner on the trail jokingly told me I was going to get mugged for my ice. I still use my Fitletic belt, which I use for my phone, energy chews, kleenex, chapstick, and inhaler for easy access. 

I drank a Powerbar Performance Energy Blend about a half hour before the run, and then took a Clif Shot Blok every 2 miles (Tropical Punch with 25mg caffeine). Energy wise I felt ok, just the heat and humidity was a bit exhausting. I received my Energybits on Wednesday, but hadn't had a chance to get that organized prior to my run Saturday, but I look forward to giving them another try before/during my upcoming runs.

We stopped at Jewel on our way home to pick up some items for lunch and dinner, so I got some chocolate milk to help with muscle recovery. I also iced my knee and my left foot arch when I got home (after my shower, of course... I was too nasty not to shower immediately, even though I was starving). I used a bag of ice for my foot, but used my Dr. Cool Wrap for my knee – it was awesome! I was still able to walk around if I needed (like when I needed to switch the laundry in the machines) or to go get some food. I think a small one would work well for my foot. That'll have to wait until next paycheck. I wore my compression sleeves and KT Tape out Saturday night, because really, I'm more concerned with my recovery than I am what other people think haha.

Besides hanging out with friends, going to a two year olds birthday party, my husband and I also went to The Field Museum to see the 1893 World's Fair Exhibit before it went back into the vaults next month. It was a really neat exhibit, and if you're from Chicago and haven't gone to see it, I recommend doing so before it's gone! 

How was your week/end? Any races, long runs, or cross training of note? Would love to hear from ya :)

friday five: five things i love about...

Hey guys! It's that time again - Friday Five! I am linking up with the lovely ladies of DC for Friday Five: Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed up for What?, and Mar at Mar on the Run. This week's theme is "Five Things I Love About...". I have chosen to write about blogging.

1. It keeps me accountable. I started the blog to keep detailed notes on how training was going, injuries that might be plaguing me, and goals I wanted to set. By making these things known public (especially training and nutrition goals), it's really helped to keep me motivated and on point. Though of course there are slip ups, generally I've been much better about sticking to my schedule and goals.

2. Making new blends. Who knew I'd 'meet' so many awesome folks that also blog about running, racing, nutrition, etc.? It's great getting to know other folks that have a passion for the same things – I hope to meet many of them in real life sometime :)

3. It helps me keep track of how certain workouts went – if there were pains I can see when they started, what aggravated them, etc. It's great being able to go back and check out, in more detail than is in my Nike or Garmin account, how training went and whether I had any aches or pains that were bothering me. It's sort of like a public journal that can help with training, and I really enjoy that. 

4. A great way to remember races (and be able to reference when next year's comes around again). I don't always have the best memory. Being able to go back and reference a race and how it all went, what the aid stations, bathrooms, and course were like, how I was feeling during the race, what type of fuel I took and when, is all very helpful for when I have questions about said race. I love keeping track of all of these things and being able to reference at a later point in time.

5. The support from others. In a way, I'm still pretty new to the whole running thing, and I often have questions. It's so great to be able to pose them to all of the wonderful runners out there and get helpful feedback. Everyone is so friendly and helpful, I'm really glad I started the blog and have gotten involved with the community. It's also great to get the support, motivation, and inspiration from others, especially if things aren't going as well as I'd hope. It's just such a lovely group of people!

I appreciate all of you! Your own training stories, woes, and triumphs really help others out, and the support and information I gain from you all is quite a gift, so thank you!

How about you – if you are a blogger, what's one or two things you love about it?

Thanks to Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar for hosting! Make sure to check out their "Friday Five" posts (direct links above in first paragraph) and link up if you are joining in on the fun. Don't forget to read/comment on some of the other link ups – there are always so many great ones!

ridge run 5k

Memorial Day weekend was a race filled one! After having the Soldier Field 10 Mile on Saturday morning, I also had the Annual Ridge Run 5k on Monday morning. I've done this races for the past few years. They have both a 10k and a 5k, and I considered doing them both (as a challenge, you would receive a medal), but then remembered what the weather is usually like (hot, sunny, and humid most years) and decided to stick with the 5k only. I believe this was our fourth year running it. Maybe next year I'll take the challenge... I do like medals, after all :)

The Challenge Medal.
Source.

The 10k began at 8am and the 5k at 9:30am. I really appreciate the late start, which means a later sleep in time ;) I swear that one year, it was actually warmer and more humid during the 10k than it was for the 5k, not to say that it still wasn't pretty miserable for our 5k haha.

I'm glad we only did the 5k, since it was in the upper 70s, sunny, and my legs were a bit tired from the 10 miles on Saturday. I know 70s isn't that warm, but we hadn't had much warm weather here yet, so my body wasn't acclimated to running in it. 

Southpaw was there to run the Youth Mile.

Southpaw running the Youth Mile.
Source.

My mom was able to do our packet pickup on Friday, but the dry-tech shirt was too big and I wanted to get there a little earlier to try and exchange it. There was ample parking on local streets that weren't on the course, though a few blocks of walking was required (no problem with us). I'd say we got there around 8:45. 

These grey shirts were from this year.
Source.

There was day of packet pickup, so I went into the field house and up the stairs where that was being held. The shirt tables were right when I walked in, so I just asked a teenage boy working if it were possible to exchange my shirt for a smaller size, and he said it wasn't a problem. A little background: the shirts for this race are usually a bit larger, but they were going with a new company this year, so I thought I'd go with my usual Medium. Unfortunately, size wise, it was the same as whoever they used before, and even the small size is a bit large. Oh well, I'd prefer a little large over a little small (I hate when shirts cling to my body, especially in the summer when I'm so darn sweaty. I prefer them to be a bit loose.)

Anyway, I exchanged my shirt, then we hit up the bathrooms (no line - hurray!), and then sat on a bench until about 10 minutes till the start. I did a few dynamic stretches and we lined up towards the back. The 5k offered both a timed and non-timed option, so a lot of the non-timed people were in the back. There were also a lot of strollers. We were being timed (it was the B-tag chip, so it was on the bib), so we stationed ourselves as best we could in front of the strollers and un-timed people. 

Start line.
Source.

We crossed the start at about 9:34am. If I recall correctly, there were two water stops on the course, and lots of local people out cheering. Plenty of houses also offered a spray with a hose, or had sprinklers set up so the runners could go through the spray. I gladly went through every one I saw – it felt so refreshing! The sun was quite warm. 

I decided to stick with my mom (races are usually more fun/quick this way, and if I'm not gunning for a PR, I don't see why we should be on our own). We did 30 seconds of running and 1 minute of walking. This interval suited us well for the 5k. 

I really love this race because almost every homeowner on the course is out there cheering on the runners – it's just so wonderful to get so much community love and support. After the finish, they handed out bottles of water and sponges soaked in cold water. Ahhhh, it felt amazing.

Loved getting a nice, cold sponge at the finish line.

There didn't appear to be any professional photographers this year, like there have been in the past, but I wonder if not enough people bought pictures, so it wasn't worth them getting one. I'm usually not keen on buying photos from a race unless it's a a half marathon. I'm really digging the races that offer them for free! I hope that becomes more of a trend, though I imagine registration fees are a bit higher, to sort of balance that out. I digress...

Before leaving, I grabbed this shot.
My face finally cooled off enough to not look like a tomato.

After we got our water and sponges, we headed on down to the tent area. We had tickets on our bibs to allow us entry into the runner food/drink area where we could get an apple or banana (I can't recall which fruit), sports drink, and some kind of protein bar (again, I really need to start paying better attention and writing my recaps sooner after the race!). Once you had gotten your stash, you leave that area, and then there were tents with vendors (like hot dogs, ice cream, a sports store, etc). I was really hungry, so ended up getting a hot dog. YUM. 

Great post-run fuel, right?

Overall, another well organized year for the Ridge Run folks, and I'll continue the tradition of running it each year.

PS You can check out my BibRave review here.

the weekly chase #20

On Tuesdays I link up my Weekly Chase goals with Mindy from Road Runner Girl. I can't believe this is already my 20th! Below is a recap from how the goals from last week went over, and my new goals for this week.

Weekly goals for August 11–17; recap

Goal #1 - Daily goals – 

A: Log and stay under calorie goals. 

I've been doing really well at logging every little thing I eat. I went over my calories by a little bit on Thursday and a good amount on Saturday (I went out to eat with my mom for lunch and then after babysitting I stopped at Taco Bell. Oops). 

B: Drink 48 ounces of water.
Good every day except Friday.

C: Eat healthier snacks/meals. 
Yes, except for on the weekend - they are my downfall! I've been doing better at snacking healthier things during the workday, though.

D. Hit 10,000 steps per day via Fitbit.
AHHH! I made it everyday except Saturday. Rats. I know I won't be as good this week, as I've been trying to take it easy to help rest up my knee and hip that have been nagging me.

Goal #2 - Continue Dopey training. Cross train three days.

Yep - managed all three run days + three days of cross training with Bar Method classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Goal #3 - Foam/stick roll and stretch daily.
I missed two days. 

Goal #4 - Write two race recaps for posting. I'm quite a bit behind on my race recaps, and hope actually sharing the goal of getting them written and posted will motivate me to get on it!
Check! I've gotten my Solder Field 10 mile already posted, and another race recap scheduled to go up on Thursday.

Goal #5 - Spend Sunday cleaning and catching up on blogs. I actually have a free day and want to spend it wisely.
Yes, though there was still plenty to clean, I did a bunch of laundry, cleaned up the kitchen, and read and commented on blogs.

Weekly goals for August 18–24

Goal #1 - Daily goals – 

A: Log and stay under calorie goals. 

B: Drink 48 ounces of water.

C: Eat healthier snacks/meals. 

D. Hit 10,000 steps per day via Fitbit.

Goal #2 - Continue Dopey training. Cross train three days.

Goal #3 - Foam/stick roll and stretch daily. I'm also going to add in icing my knee to this goal. I ordered a Dr. Cool wrap, so I hope it comes soon so I can use it this week. I'm hoping if I have something as easy to use as that, versus the darn ziplock bags I fill with ice that then leak, I'll be more inclined to ice. I'm going to admit now, that I doubt I'll be doing any icing until that comes... I know, it's horrible, but it's the truth.

Goal #4 - Though I weigh myself everyday, I've decided to use Friday's as my official weigh-in days in order to track my gains/losses. Though I am more concerned with building lean muscle and decreasing my body fat percentage, losing a pound by Friday would be a bonus. I'm looking to get down 5 pounds total, and have lost 1 so far. My goal for this week is to be down 1 pound compared to last Friday's weigh-in.

Thanks for hosting the weekly chase link up, Mindy!

How about you — what are your goals for this week?

week in review: august 11–17

Dopey Challenge Training: Week 7

Monday, August 11: Cross Training – Bar Method class (60 minutes) + 25 minute walk

Tuesday, August 12: 3.44 miles

Wednesday, August 13: Cross Training – Bar Method class (60 minutes) + 25 minute walk

Thursday, August 14: 2.69 miles

Friday, August 15: Cross Training – Bar Method class (60 minutes) + 30 minute walk x2

Saturday, August 16: rest day

Sunday, August 17: 3 mile run + 5 minute warm up walk + 30 minute cool down walk

Weekly mileage: 9.15 miles
Total mileage for Dopey Challenge Training: 106.96 miles

Training this week went well, overall. I managed to get in 3 days of cross training with Bar Method, and all of my training runs in. Even though the training schedule only had 3 miles planned for the weekend, I was hoping to tack on an extra 2–3 miles. My body had other plans. Though I felt good with plenty of energy, my right knee was in pain. 

Every time I started a running interval, it would be in pain whenever I stepped on my right foot for about the first 15 seconds, then it dulled. I had attempted to use KT Tape, but unfortunately, it came off almost right away. It was helping a bit, until it came off. Next time I'll have to be better at cleaning the area prior to applying the tape, as suggested in the videos. I also bought some adhesive spray and KT Tape Pro, which I'm sure will all be helpful.

Since my knee was hurting, I knew that if I did extra miles, I'd be hurting other places than my knee, since I'm likely to overcompensate, trying to lessen its pain. I did wake up to some hip discomfort this morning, which I am blaming on yesterdays run. Anyway, I stopped at 3 miles and then walked for about a half hour to cool down and ensure that I would get in my 10,000 steps for the day. Walking wasn't painful at all.

I've really been enjoying Bar Method classes – they are a GREAT workout, and I can already notice the toning in my arms. I'm so excited that I can flex and see the muscles in my biceps and triceps haha.

Before yesterday's run, I had a Pear Apple Peach Powerbar Performance Energy Blend – it was pretty good. Directions said to take 30–60 minutes before the run (which worked out well, I woke up, drank one and then got ready). It's basically like eating applesauce from a pouch. As some of you may know, I have trouble eating much of anything before races, but I can drink without much of a problem. I think these things will come in handy for those types of mornings (when I don't have Energybits, like yesterday... delivery soon!). According to Powerbar, this "fruit-based energy food has a 2:1 glucose to fructose blend found to deliver 20–50% more energy to muscles than glucose alone and improves endurance by 8%". Whatever the case is with these pouches, they taste good and I felt good during my run, so that's what matters to me.

Other than running and taking Bar Method classes, not much has been going on. I spent time watching my nephew Saturday night so his parents could go have dinner and run some errands. I haven't really spent significant alone time with infants since I was younger and did babysitting in my high school/early college days, so I was a little nervous, but everything went well. I even had him smiling/laughing most of the time.

How was your week of training? What do you do to help alleviate knee pains? I know icing and elevation are a good idea, though I'm horrible at actually doing so. In order to help with that, I ordered a Dr. Cool Wrap – I'm excited to try it out with the ability to move around with ease while still getting the healing qualities from the wrap.

friday five: free friday

Hey guys! It's that time again - Friday Five! Yay for Friday! I am linking up with the lovely DC Trifecta for Friday Five: Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed up for What?, and Mar at Mar on the Run. This week's theme is "Free Friday". Uh-oh. That means I have to come up with something on my own... haha. Here are some random thoughts/things I liked this week.

1. Christian Stoinev on America's Got Talent. I don't usually watch this show, but there's not much on in the summer, so this show has been getting more views in our house than usual, especially when we are just eating dinner and don't really have the time to get in to anything involved, like starting to binge watch a tv series. Anyway, this guy did an act with his dog, and I just loved it! If you don't know by now, I am a dog lover, and this dog was just so awesome. I can't get over it. If you don't feel like watching the intro, the act begins at about 1:15.

2. Bar Method class. Pure Barre didn't have much availability in their classes, my friend and I found another class that actually is in a better location (for our travels home) and offered more classes/times to fit in our schedules. We gave it a go this week, and today will be day 3. I'll do a post about it, but overall, I am really digging it. Even though it's still crazy hard, I feel like it's a little less intense than Pure Barre (read: I don't usually feel like I'm going to pass out), and I get more instruction on form/positioning, which I need/ like.

3. Nephew time! This weekend I have the privilege of hanging out with my nephew while my brother and sister-in-law go out on a date. I haven't had a chance to see him in a while, so I'm so very glad they asked me to watch him and that I was actually free! That's quite rare. 

4. I have a new book to read: 'The Cuckoo's Calling'. Anyone else read it? Did you like it? It was written by JK Rowling under her pseudonym, but was later revealed that it was her (not sure under what circumstances... was it leaked?). 

5. Cross training update. I had talked a while ago about starting to swim as cross training, but since I decided to do a month of classes at Bar Method, I couldn't afford to also buy the gym membership on top of it. Not to mention, I wouldn't have much time to go. I'm already pretty exhausted from running and bar classes, so I think I'd really be stretching myself thin if I also tried to do something else on top of those. Once my month of classes is up (unfortunately I won't be able to keep it up at the moment... $220 for classes is just to steep for me right now), I plan on joining the gym and getting my swim on. The gym also offers spin, yoga, and PiYo classes, which I'd like to try.

What do you have going on this weekend? What's your favorite kind of cross training? 

Thanks to Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar for hosting! Make sure to check out their "Friday Five" posts (direct links above in first paragraph) and link up if you are joining in on the fun, and then check out some of the other link up posts – so many great ones to choose from!