Tuesday Topics: Changes in my training

Disclaimer:  I received a free entry to the Missoula Half Marathon and the Detroit Free Press/TCF Bank Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro.  Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!  

I am excited about my races this year.  So far I’ve run an 8k and a half marathon.  My next race is the Missoula Half Marathon on June 30th.  Yesterday I signed up for the Elmhurst 4 on the 4th in July.  It is another of my favorites and have been doing this race since 2013.  My PR is from 2014 (39:39) and each year my time has been slower (40:47, 41:24, 42:37, and 44:17).  Can I get a PR this year?  Who knows since I will be running a half marathon a few days before.

The Missoula Half Marathon is flat, fast, and point-to-point.  The course looks so pretty!  Check out the video below.  If you want to sign up, use code BibRave19 to save $5 off your registration fee.  I am excited that this will be state #41 for me.

Another race I am looking forward to is the Detroit Free Press/TCF Bank Half Marathon.  At the moment it looks like it will be state #45 (depending if I do end up running 3 half marathons in August).  I have never been to Detroit and am excited to run in the U.S. and in Canada (I signed up for the International Half Marathon).  I read online that runners will be required to run with their passport.  I am a bit nervous about this because it has been years since I have used my passport for travel.  What if I forget to pack it?  🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Want to run with me?  Use “2019DETROCK” for 10% off your registration fee.

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I don’t know what the course is like, but I’ve written about how I’ve recently started running in a new place (The Morton Arboretum).  I was so frustrated during my last race because of all of the ups and downs.  Chicago is FLAT.  See below for a comparison while running 6 miles by my house (top) and 7 miles at The Arboretum.  🙂  The Arboretum has lots of hills and my plan is to go there every Saturday morning.  For sure it will help me, right?

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Another change I’ve been doing is watching what I eat.  My goal is not to lose weight (thought I could benefit from losing a few pounds), but not overeat so much and to eat more fruits and vegetables.  For breakfast I make overnight oats with strawberries, almond milk, and nuts.  For lunch I usually take spaghetti, beans, or a salad.  Dinner is where it gets tricky.  Baby steps.

I am working on drinking more water and getting more sleep.  I take my Contigo water bottle (32 ounces) to school and usually finish it by lunch time.  The problem is “going to the bathroom”.  I have a break in the morning and during lunch.  The rest of the day I either have to call the office for an administrator or ask a teacher to watch my class while I run to the bathroom.  Sleep is hard too.  I am usually in bed by 9pm since I need to be up at 4:30 to run.  Sometimes my body likes to play games and I wake up at that time even on the days I don’t run.

I used to be very good about taking a multivitamin every single day.  I don’t remember the last time I took one.  I need to read Wendy’s post again about the various supplements for inflammation.  With the hard workouts I’ve been doing, sometimes I’ve had to take a couple of pain pills.  No bueno.  I remember I was very sore after running the Delaware Half Marathon.  Kim’s mom gave me Motrin and while it did help, I don’t want to make it a habit of taking something after a tough run.

I am hoping these changes help in my training.  I know I could add a few more things but am OK with these for now.

Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is a How has running made you a better person?  You can write about this topic, or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to Link-up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Weekly Run Down: More rain and a slow week

Happy Mother's Day

I hope everyone is having a GREAT Mother’s Day!  I feel like everyday should be Mother’s Day.  You are are AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL!!

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This week was just one of those weeks!  I was EXHAUSTED.  I spent the beginning of the week with my sister and mother and each day came home late and ready for bed (they live about 30-40 minutes away).  I didn’t run on Wednesday (5 miles) and almost skipped my run on Thursday.

So much rain in the Chicago area.  That really dampens the mood.  It was gorgeous on Monday and then rain and more rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.  There was a little rain yesterday afternoon, but thankfully none today.

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On Wednesday the students made some Mother’s Day gifts.  So cute!  They also made a certificate and wrote a letter for mom.  I was a bit sad for one of my students because her mom died the last week of March.  I did talk to her (and dad) before to let her know what we were going to do and gave her the option of participating or going to another classroom.  She decided to do the activities with the rest of us.  I also asked again each time we did something new to make sure she was still OK with it.

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For Teacher Appreciation Week the students made cards for me.  Love each single one!  I love that some of them talk about Lola.  🙂

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This week consisted of 3 runs.  I ran 4 miles on Thursday (in another new to me place), 6.78 on Saturday, and 3 on Sunday.   Also, I ran at Lake Katherine, really close to where my mom and sister live.  Very pretty!

On Saturday I went back to The Morton Arboretum to do 1×8 minutes, 1×4 minutes, and 4×2 minutes with 2 miles warmup and cooldown, and 2 minutes recovery between each interval.  I really wanted to do this close to home because it is flat but want to get into the habit of running every Saturday at the Arboretum.  The workout alone is tough but add in the hills and it is even more tough.  I survived.  🙂  I will admit that I did have to stop a few times during the first interval because I received a few texts that I had to check and respond.  Overall, pleased with how I did.

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Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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Random Thoughts Thursday 71

Random Thoughts Thursday

• I am over this rain.   I just want it to stop!

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• Saw these at Target and they’re pretty good.  I keep a box at school for when I don’t have anything at home to take for lunch.  

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 • Has anyone tried these?

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• I am excited that Southwest now flies into Hawaii.  I was curious to know the cost so I went online to find out.  Really Southwest?  Why have the option online if people can’t book their flights and instead have to call?

• This was Saturday afternoon after my run at the Arboretum.  We were both exhausted!  🙂  She was there for about 4 hours.

 

 

Tuesday Topics: To cheat or not to cheat – My favorite indulgences

EDITED:  The original title was “Tuesday Topics: To cheat or not to cheat – My favorite cheat meals”.  I changed it to indulgences because I don’t want to classify any food as “good” or “bad”.  

My mother loves to cook.  She enjoys cooking for her family but rarely eats any of it.  She likes to see other people enjoy eating the food she makes.  Every year on her birthday she makes mole and invites people over to eat and celebrate.  No one says no (unless they’re out of town).  Her birthday is in September and last year she made 2 different kinds of mole and tamales.  Yummy!

As you can see, I am all about the food!!  Haha, no wonder I cannot seem to lose weight.  🙂

While I enjoy my mother’s home cooked meals, I also like other foods.  

* Cheeseburger and fries from Portillo’s.  Let’s not forget the chocolate cake.  

* Pizza.  I am a big fan of it and could eat it every day.  There is a place on the corner from where I work and my coworker and I sometimes order pizza and cheese fries.

* Tacos!  Steak tacos for me.  

* Wine and beer.  I know they’re not meals but I enjoy them (not together) after a long or hectic day at school.

Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What is your favorite cheat meal?  You can write about this topic, or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to Link-up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Weekly Run Down: May is here and half marathon planning

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Another month!  I ran 76.83 miles in April.  In April we had a variety of weather conditions – cold, warm, rainy, and snow.  So crazy!  So far April has been my highest mileage this year.

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I am back to running 5 days a week.  Well, not 💯 percent yet.  I had 5 runs scheduled for this week.  Would you believe that I skipped Wednesday’s run because of the rain.  Ugh!  It was pouring in the morning.  I didn’t plan properly since I could have gone to the gym. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 🤦🏻‍♀️

I did 4 runs and 2 of them were awesome.  The first one was on Thursday.  I was up at 4:15 to get this done because I knew it was a longer run.  I had to do 1.5 mile warmup, and 2 sets of 5×2 minutes, and 1 mile cool down.  The first set had 90 seconds recovery and the second set had 60 seconds recovery.  It wasn’t cold but it was very foggy.  Each interval had to be done at a 10:01 pace.  Did great but I definitely felt tired during the second set of intervals.  I needed more than one minute to recover.

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On Saturday I went to The Morton Arboretum to run 7 miles.  It was my second time there (first time was last year on a field trip with my students) but first time for running.  It is hilly but a gorgeous place to run.  My plan was to run 7 miles and not worry about pace.  I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect so I just wanted to run by feel.  It was tough.  I walked.  I did feel tired but did really good even with the hills.  My plan is to go there every Saturday for my long run.

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I am planning the rest of my half marathons.  I want to be done in June 2020.  Below is what I still need to do.  

* Montana-Missoula Half Marathon, July 2019
* Wyoming-Center of the Nation (Mainly Marathons), August 2019
* South Dakota-Center of the Nation (Mainly Marathons), August 2019
* North Dakota-Center of the Nation (Mainly Marathons), August 2019
* Michigan-Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Half Marathon, October 2019
* South Carolina-Kiawah Island Golf Resort Half Marathon, December 2019
* Georgia-Publix Atlanta Half Marathon-March 2020
* Kansas-Garmin Half Marathon, April 2020
* Idaho-Famous Idaho Potato Half Marathon, May 2020
* New Mexico-Run for the Zoo Half Marathon, May 2020 or Armed Forces Half Marathon,  May 2020, or Santa Fe Thunder, September 2019
* Hawaii-Kona Half Marathon, June 2020

Notice the 3 in a row in August?  I got the idea from another runner.  She is also running a race in each state.  She asked me which states I still had to do and then proceeded to tell me that I could run in WY, SD, and ND through Mainly Marathons.  I checked it out and am in the process of planning logistics for those three races.  Anyone wants to join me?

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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