Things I Love Right Now 9/24/13

Do you ever go through phases where you really, really love something and you wear/eat/use/love it everyday? Those things for me right now are:

1. Happy Baby Spinach, Mango, Pear Smoothie. Baby food you ask? I know, weird. BUT it's a perfect fast blend of fruits to have with my english muffin in the morning before a long run.

2. My foam roller. My quads have been hard like rocks after long runs and stretching does NOT do them justice. I have a plain blue PT roller and I adore it. Now if only rolling could help this awful knee pain...

3. "On Top of the World" - Imagine Dragons. This song is my long run jam right now! Oh my gosh it just warms my soul.

4. My Oiselle Flyte LS shirt. I wore it for the first time for an outdoor run (I do not count the hotel gym nor casual wear) and it was AMAZING. Kept me warm and cool/dry (if that makes sense) and the thumb holes kept me from fidgeting with my shirt. I'm debating ordering it in another color or waiting/praying that they bring the onyx jacket back.

5. My bright orange CEP calf sleeves! I love neon and usually I go with green but with the darker nights a-coming I wanted something that really stands out (before I start running in my obnoxiously bright green Brooks jacket which will probably end up on a favorite list in mid-November).

6. RESIDENCY INTERVIEW INVITES. I'm gonna be a pediatrician ya'll!!!

Type A personality

If there is one thing that running forces me to do, it is to be less type A. While I still track my mileage obsessively and highlight "Runner's World" articles (oh boy did I just admit that on the internet?) I am learning to be more flexible with my schedule and training. My knee was still bothering me yesterday (feels fine today) but I am making myself take a full pain-free day off. Which means I am pushing back my long run again (12 miles) to Monday instead of the original day Saturday. That's still 13 days before race day so in terms of proper mileage I am not worried but as an almost physician and all around overachiever, breaking from my planned schedule makes anxious.

So what did I do with my extra rest day? We went to the beach this morning with the puppy and it began to DOWNPOUR. And of course Charlie wouldn't get out of the water til we threw his ball and let him swim so we were the only ones on the beach, once again proving we are true Mainers. We then stopped at a local bakery, stocked up on bagels and goodies, and hid inside on our comfy couch. I took the time to register for ALL my upcoming fall races ($$$). I've got a good mix of 5k to half marathons with the most frequent distance being 10k's. I will NOT allow myself to go to Brooks/Oiselle/LuluLemon websites to prep for cooler weather workouts because nothing good comes from lazy day online shopping except my awesome flyte LS (see below).

Hotel pre-run FLYSTYLE!

This Week's Training Plan (start taper):
Monday: 12 mile run
Tuesday: rest day
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: power yoga
Friday: 4 miles
Saturday: rest day/SUP if nice weather
Sunday: 7 miles and volunteering at Soup Kitchen!

Stormy SUP! Core work :)

Weekly Training Plan (late!)

Holy smokes. This week was a whirlwind. We flew to Houston on Sunday, took an 8 hour medical licensing exam on Tuesday, flew back Wednesday night (midnight!) and hit the marathon course early Thursday morning to beat the Indian summer heat. I was in SO MUCH PAIN! I think our spring through the airport to catch our flight in flip-flops led me to have a little tweak in my shins and right hamstring which makes me very nervous. 2 weeks out from race day I cannot get injured! So I am rearranging my schedule just a bit to give my body what it needs.

Sunday: flight to Houston
Monday: 2 miles on the treadmill (ew)
Tuesday: 8 hour exam!
Wednesday: 2 miles on the treadmill (double ew)
Thursday: 5 miles of HOLY HILLS
Friday: hot yoga
Saturday: rest day
Sunday: 12 miles

No running clothes? Highly unusual!

Today's Treadmill Motivation

Fast Friday Motivation

Those who know me, know that I love Oiselle. I love their gear and what they stand for. So when they posted a tweet about the best #fastfriday inspirational quotes, I couldn't help but think of my favorite. Not only did he break the 4 min mile but he did it as a junior doctor and was also a neurologist... awesome!

“We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves…The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, ‘You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.’ The human spirit is indomitable.”
-Sir Roger Bannister

Weekly Update

I have been having trouble sticking with my training plan. Not in the lazy, missing days sense but the I keep adding miles to my runs problem! Yesterday (Sunday) I ran a glorious 10 miles along the water. All miles less than 9 minutes (adding 30-45 secs to each mile per my long run training guide - shameless nomeatathlete.com plug, the best!). On track to run a less than 2 hour half marathon, which is my goal given that this is my first!

I also tried Clif bar Gu this run, in the raspberry flavor. Delicious! Much better texture than the Vega brand, although I still have to try the Huma chia seed brand before I make my race day decision. It's a bummer because I love what the Vega brand stands for but it just did not work for my stomach.

This weeks training plan is a little wonky because I am going to a training in Boston for the admissions committee for my medical school then leave on Sunday for my last licensing exam in HOUSTON. Gotta balance training runs and life! I am so excited to meet potential MD applicants, I can't believe a little under 4 years ago I was waiting for interview offers and now I am almost a resident (go pediatrics woo!).

This weeks plan:
Monday- rest day/SUP (65 degrees today, hope I don't fall in!)
Tuesday- 3.5 mile run at 5am before bus to Boston... meh.
Wednesday- yoga
Thursday- 5 mile run
Friday- rest
Saturday- 12 mile run
Sunday- flight to HOUSTON!

My new Oiselle flyte LS! 

I also got a package from Oiselle this week with some new sports bras and the flyte LS shirt. I LOVE it. I am normally a small but went up a size because I tend to like my arms a little loose. It's perfect for layering under a vest with a tank underneath. I am so excited for cold weather and pumpkin beer and hot chocolate and fall half marathons!

KICKING CANCER'S BUTT!

This just in, I broke my doublethenecessaryoverachieving fundraising goal for my half marathon!!!

Fighting pediatric cancer, one mile at a time :)

The End is Always Worth It

I'm currently re-reading "Born to Run" and took the time to jot down my favorite quotes from the book instead of just dog-earing the pages (believe me, there are a lot of folded corners...). As a medical student and all around type A personality, one quote really spoke to me, and it wasn't from the author himself but an awesome free-spirited female runner.

“When I'm out on a long run, the only thing in life that matters is finishing the run. For once, my brain isn't going blehblehbleh all the time. Everything quiets down, and the only thing going on is pure flow. It's just time and the movement and the motion.That's what love--just being a barbarian, running through the woods.” -Jenn Shelton

What is amazing about running is that it attracts all types, from doctors to jocks to African children in the bush. And it means different things to so many different people but there is a common theme that allows people to connect. And I thought about this quote during my less than successful run today when my legs were screaming and I was trying to hold down breakfast. What was supposed to be an easy 4 miles on trails along the ocean (possibly the most beautiful run in the world but I'm a Mainer and I love the ocean so I may be biased) turned into one of the worst runs of my life. I woke up and had my usual coffee with soy milk and toast with sunflower seed butter. I felt slightly off, maybe nauseous or just tired I couldn't really tell. But at 2 miles BAM I started gagging and had to walk. WALK. I hate walking, I 99.9% of the time can run through pain and just focus on the finish but the nausea was just too much. This has never happened to me before. And this is coming from someone who used to eat 2 hot dogs (pre-vegetarian days) before play off soccer games and run for 90 minutes straight at center mid. I never stop mid-run.  So I walked. Then I jogged. Then I started running again, nausea free, and realized that's what I love about running. It's just movement and motion and no matter the path, the goal is always the same. 

Did I mention I live on an island sometimes?

Oh and Oiselle released some cold-weather layers today. Consider this girl pumped for the fall, half marathons, hot cocoa, and perfect running weather.

Back on Track!

I am officially caught up to my pre-injury weekly mileage goals. After ruling out a stress fracture and going into serious icing mode, I would say I lost about 16 days total from my 12 week plan. For someone with a type A personality who plans every detail this was infuriating, challenging, and I wish I could say I grew from it as a person but let's be honest, no run=no fun.  So last week instead of doing 7 miles I pushed it to 8 for my long run and it felt glorious.

I ALSO GOT MY GARMIN FORERUNNER IN THE MAIL! Oh my lord, I'm in love. It was pouring out today so I couldn't run with my iphone which I use to track my mileage normally. I slapped on the waterproof garmin and ran hills dodging rivers that were forming and ignoring the few flashes of lightening I saw.  Apparently I have become hardcore in the past month or so because last year at this time I would have said um no get me to Planet Fitness or just ditched it all together.

This Week's Plan:
Monday (today)- 2 miles
Tuesday- 3.5 miles
Wednesday- Rest day
Thursday- 3 miles
Friday- Rest day
Saturday- 9 miles
Sunday- Yoga

Any suggestions for gels or blocks for longer runs? I tried the Vega Raspberry gel and I almost threw up during my run which is so disappointing because Vega protein powder is a staple in my pantry :(

Pre-run in the torrential downpour!