17 Mile Long Run

This past weekend, I ran my longest run in this marathon training cycle - a 17 miler!

On Friday night, the little band of runners that remain from my old running group posted on facebook about their morning running plans. A few of us who had longer mileage connected and I was invited to join them on Saturday morning! You have no idea how happy their invitation made me (for several reasons) - #1 My run was going to have to start at 5:30 a.m. due to a crazy Saturday schedule, not to mention it's still super dark outside #2 Dark = dangerous #3 Seventeen miles is a long time to run alone.

When my alarm went off on Saturday morning, I was actually excited about my run!

We were also informed by the weather man that the highs would be in the 80's on Saturday and the lows would be in the 40's by Saturday night (a cold front was making its way in).  Despite the heat and humidity during the run, a breeze was blowing all morning which actually felt kind of nice!

Our run began around 5:45 a.m. and we kept it at a nice and easy pace, which I liked (and so did my knee)!

As we talked, the miles ticked on by and before we knew it, we had hit mile 6 and the sun was beginning to rise!

Although I don't like the mosquitos and random wildlife that I've seen down River Road, I do enjoy the sunrises!

Our first loop was right at 10 miles which meant I had 7 left to run. We stopped back at our cars at the end of the first loop to hydrate, take a gel, and potty. It was at this point that I realized I was running out of time and if I didn't go, I would be late for Brayden's Christmas pictures. So, I said goodbye to my running group friends and set out solo for the remainder of the run. 

As I was running, I realized how much I missed having company during these long runs. Having a buddy helps the miles go by so much faster!

Throughout the run, the temps rose higher and higher. I was really a nasty mess by the end of it all. Thankfully, I finished in just enough time to hop in my car and head back home to pick up Brayden for his pictures!

I'm so glad to say that my knee didn't give me much trouble during this run and neither did my hamstring. I was seriously so worried about both!

Although it was a slower pace from my norm, I really enjoyed the run and so did my body. I think I'm just going to have to learn to take it slower on my long runs from here on out if I want to make it across the finish line of Dopey in one piece!

I'll have one 20 miler left as far as super long runs go and then I'll be done! I can't believe the time has already passed by so fast! Seven weeks and counting until Dopey and Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend! Can't wait!

5 Marathon Training Truths (I Forgot About)...

So, most of you know it's been 4 years since I trained for and completed a full marathon. I've run 5 full marathons so far, so I felt like I kinda knew what I was doing when going into this training cycle (although I'm not going to lie - I definitely felt rusty)! Well, as I was out for my long run this past Saturday, I realized that there were SEVERAL things I somehow forgot about while training for a full.

#1 The amount of GU/Chomps I go through in a training cycle

I mean, really...who thinks about these things? I hardly use these guys while half marathon training but during my long runs lately, I've been eating them up! Guess I should have bought them in bulk over the summer as I've already made two trips to Academy this fall! 


#2 How much a long run truly is a mental game

On Saturday, I realized how true this statement really is. It's crazy how we train our minds as runners to distract ourselves from whatever mileage we are running at the time. I realized at one point on Saturday that I had completely distracted myself from what I was doing! It reminded me of a quote I'd read recently that said something along the lines of how a long run doesn't really start until the runner forgets they are running! All. Mental.

#3 Sore. Muscles.

This one explains itself - along with aching joints, etc. My foam roller and heating pad have become my BFF's here lately!


#4 Confidence Boost

When training for a full marathon, a few longer runs are a necessity and boy are they a confidence boost! I feel like once you pass that half marathon threshold (13+ miles) in training, everything starts to click into place and come together. It sure gives a boost of confidence on race day, too!

#5 Satisfaction knowing I just ran a REALLY long way

Ya know, there's just something about that feeling once a really long training run is over - your muscles ache, you have to limp a little to walk, and those endorphins are off the hook! Yes, I just ran 20 miles because I wanted to and yes, I might be a little bit crazy...but who cares! I feel amazing!


What are some things you learned while training for a race you'll never forget?

14 Mile Training Run

There's a million things that go through a runners mind while marathon training - can I do it, will I be able to stand the training, 26 miles...holy cow, early Saturday mornings, eating right, taking proper care of our bodies, the list goes on and on.

When it came to my Dopey training cycle and how far I've come so far, I'm not gonna lie - I was worried. To this point, I'd only run a 12 mile training run as my highest mileage and that would get me to a half but a half AND a full? Yikes. Don't get me wrong, I know I still have plenty of time to train, but I'm not one to sit back and watch time pass by - I like to have a plan and stick to it. Another kink in my plans was our vacation. Our September cruise date was pushed into October which kinda threw my training schedule off a little bit.

So when we returned home from vacation, I knew that this past Saturday was my day for 14 miles. Although I felt as if I was coming down with something on Friday (chills, sore throat, stopped up sinuses), I did all I could to fight it off - drank lots of water, took a short nap on Friday afternoon after work, soaked in a soothing bath, and went to sleep early on Friday night.

Thankfully, it somewhat worked and I felt much better on Saturday morning!

I started my run a bit later than planned because I had to make an emergency stop into WalMart on my way into town. I thought my KT Tape container was full when I got in my car, but I quickly realized that I only had 2 strips of tape instead of 3. Ouch. I didn't want to chance anything going crazy, so I stopped for a quick detour for KT Tape. Sad times for me - there was no KT Pro Tape available so I had to buy the regular tape. Although I knew it wouldn't stick well, I purchased it anyway as I figured some was better than none. 

Once back on the road, I began thinking out my plan for the morning and I really really really started to miss my running group. I never had to think through ALL of these aspects before (like water, powerade, potty stops, different routes to change things up, having people out there so I'm not completely alone in the dark, etc)...and I don't like it one bit. Thankfully, a buddy from my old running group had a water cooler set up where I could take a 4 mile loop once, then return back to my car, and complete two five mile loops with a stop at my car between each. As you know, I HATE running with water bottles or water belts, so I try to find spots with water fountains throughout town. Each return to my car holds gatorade and a GU.

Lots of wildlife were out and about on Saturday morning including squirrels and several bunnies! The bunnies were too fast for me to snap a picture, though.

As I returned to my car after the four mile loop, I realized that Saturday morning was the morning of a GIANT breast cancer walk in my town. The founder of the breast cancer walk passed away from pancreatic cancer this year, so I knew it would be even bigger than before. The last time I walked this one with my dad (several years back), I remember the crowds of people that completely filled the downtown streets from one side to the other as far as you could see. It's super amazing and incredibly encouraging, but I did not want to be in their way. Instead, I ran a piece of the 5 mile loop twice (coincidentally, it's a part of the 5 mile loop I can't stand) which gave a bit of extra time for the walk to pass through. I was definitely happy to have that giant loop out of the way.

The plan worked out perfectly and although I did encounter part of the walk, it was mostly the end of the walk and I was not in the way at all!

At this point, I had 3 miles left in my run and as I passed the park, I noticed a few familiar people - it was one of my best friends, her husband, and her little girl! I am so glad I had the opportunity to stop and talk to her for a few minutes!

After splitting from her, I finished the final 3 miles and called it a day. Despite my wonky piece of KT Tape, neither my IT Band or my hamstring bothered me at all, ever (YAY)!

It amazes me how we as runners are able to disconnect from everything going on around us and simply run. You know how sometimes a three mile afternoon run seems to last FOREVER but flies by during a long run? That is incredibly crazy to me and just goes to show that running truly is a mental sport. It's all in your mindset!

Lots of podcasts were listened to during this run which kept me company along the way. By the end of it, I was DRENCHED! It was warm and humid outside and simply...yucky.

Just because it's my luck...the weather decided to turn cool on Sunday. The day after my long run. Of course.

During the run, I decided to walk 2 minutes after reaching each mile. That really seemed to help so I think I'm going to adapt that mindset during long runs from here on out. I was definitely able to run longer and didn't feel as if I was going to pass out during the last mile. Although these long runs are hard, I do feel as if I'm getting stronger each time. I felt SO much better during mile 12 of this run than I did during mile 12 of my last long run! Progress, people!

After this weekend, I now have three really long runs left - a 16 mile, an 18 mile, and a 20 mile. I am going to borrow an idea from Kathryn and run an extra 7 miles the morning of a local half marathon for my 20 mile day. Now to add in a 16 and an 18 mile run and I'll be good to go!

As an end to a great day, the Astros also clenched the ALCS for a trip to the WORLD SERIES! OMG. Needless to say, I was slightly freaking out! 

The. Astros. Are. In. The. World. Series. Y'all...I can't believe it!

How is your marathon training going so far? Feeling confident? Scared? Nervous? 
(Yes to all of the above is how I currently feel!) 

Back-To-Back

Better late than never, right?

Two weekends ago was supposed to be a back-to-back training run for Dopey Challenge. With my son's sickness and a big lack of sleep on both of our parts, that obviously didn't happen.

Instead, my back-to-back training runs took place this weekend and although it was super hot outside, they went fairly well!

Friday's run was a scheduled 4 miler and I decided to run as much as possible while waiting on my father in law to bring Brayden to me. He arrived just as I reached 3 miles, so Brayden and I ran the last one together. My heart decided to jump into its crazy PSVT rhythm after the run, but it didn't take long to return to normal, thankfully!This hasn't happened in a long time and usually only happens when I'm stressed out or overheated. Hello "feels like 98 degrees"!!

Friday was supposedly the first day of fall, right? Well, Southwest Louisiana did NOT get the memo!

Our local news station put this out and I definitely found it fitting!

Saturday morning was beautiful and I loved watching the sun rise over the lake!

The humidity was a little high which made it somewhat difficult for me to breathe. I also forgot how heavy your legs feel after running the previous day! Needless to say, this run was slow going at times!

Around mile 5, I also encountered a 5K that I forgot was taking place! I ran on the sidewalk as not to be in the way. It did feel weird to be "in" a 5K that I wasn't actually running, so I got out as soon as I could.

 

Whew! I was so glad that was over! By the end of 12 miles, I was drenched from head to toe!

Although I had difficulty breathing with the humidity, my IT bands and hamstring never bothered me during the run! Yay!

Breakfast was (of course) from Starbucks! I tried their new iced Maple Pecan Latte and it was delicious! I also had the egg white and turkey bacon sandwich to go with it.

The first back-to-back of Dopey training is complete and I love the confidence boost this weekend's miles have given me! 

What do you think of back-to-backs? Love them or hate them?

Dopey Challenge Training Week 14

Currently Training For:

• Dopey Challenge 2018 - Walt Disney World
• Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon 2018 - New Orleans, LA

Saturday - 5 mile run
Sunday - 3 mile walk
Monday - 4 mile run
Tuesday - Rest Day
Wednesday - 3 mile run
Thursday - Squats/Lunges/PT with Cross Training
Friday & Saturday - Back to back run

This past week was a great one as far as workouts and mileage goes! 

Despite the fact that Brayden wasn't feeling well this past weekend, we HAD to get out of the house. After several stir-crazy days, we headed out for a late Saturday morning run. It wasn't what I'd planned as Friday and Saturday should have been my first back-to-back for Dopey, but it was better than nothing!

Starting a run at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning probably wasn't my best idea ever heat-wise, but we made it work! :) 

It was definitely a slower run, but I was having trouble breathing with the heat and humidity. Oh well. 

By Sunday, Brayden was feeling MUCH better and really wanted to go outside, so we headed out for a 3 mile brisk walk.

On Monday afternoon, Brayden and I set out for another run. After struggling through a heat index of 100+ degrees all summer, I've come to appreciate the value of the Bob. Not only can I carry my water along with me, it also has a place for my house key, gatorade, and any other necessities I might need along the way.

This time however, I wasn't very prepared and I didn't bring enough water with me for a 4 mile run. Brayden had plenty of water, I did not.Whoops. 

A super sweet couple that passed me in their car saw me struggling along (it must have been written all over my face), so they turned around, went home, got a fresh cold bottle of water, and brought it back to me! I was SO shocked at their generosity and kindness! I still had about a mile to go until I was home so their timing was impeccable! I also don't believe that things like that "just happen". :) Nice people do still exist in this world!

My goal for this run was to finish under 10 minute miles and I made it!

On Wednesday afternoon, I was in desperate need of a run, so I headed out solo. While I missed having a spot for "everything", I also loved having the chance to run as fast as I wanted and not have to lug a stroller around! It felt amazing to simply run!

Today and tomorrow, I have a make up back-to-back run. Here's hoping all goes as scheduled! Have a fabulous weekend!!

Sick Weekend

My weekend...how did it go you might ask?

Well, it was mostly spent with a sick toddler and I felt so bad for him. My kid has never spiked anything more than a very low grade temp so on Thursday when he ran fever of 101+ degrees and was downright miserable, I knew something wasn't right. I evaluated and debated his symptoms all afternoon and came to the conclusion that his teeth were bothering him since rotating schedule of tylenol and motrin made a VERY cranky child almost back to his normal self.

On Friday morning, his temp was almost back to normal (in the 99 degree range), but my coworkers talked me into calling for a doctor appt, just to make sure all was ok before the weekend. Imagine my surprise at the appointment when they opened his mouth to check the back of his throat (HELLO why didn't I think of that) and it looked awful! When a quick swab to check for strep came back negative, it was determined that Brayden had contracted Hand, Food, and Mouth Disease and the only treatment is symptom management with things like tylenol, motrin, and cold foods/beverages. Say WHAT?! 

Seriously. My child goes to Mother's Day Out one day a week for 5 hours, mainly for child interaction and he somehow contracted this crazy disease. (Please note I'm not blaming our Mother's Day Out as it's a wonderful program and we love them!) Stuff like this just happens and can't be helped sometimes.

Friday night was miserable. He woke up at midnight and wouldn't fall back asleep. He was miserable and restless and just couldn't get comfortable. We went from his bed to the rocker to my bed to the couch, back to the rocker then finally back to his bed. He wanted to suck on his pacifier so bad, but every time he tried, he would scream.

The only thing that made him finally settle down was the Hot Dog Song. On repeat. For one hour. Did you know that an hour long video of the Hot Dog Song on repeat exists on YouTube? Well, it does. You're welcome.

At 5 a.m. on Saturday morning, he finally fell back to sleep. Usually, Jason and I would rotate and take turns with something like this, but Jason was working nights all weekend so he missed out on all of the fun!

Do you think I was up at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning for my usual long run? Negative. I slept until 8:30 a.m. when Brayden woke up. Around 10:30, I decided that I couldn't sit in the house any longer so I headed out for my run. I only made 5 miles and totally didn't complete the scheduled back-to-back for Dopey's Challenge but oh well - there's always next weekend.

By the time I set out for the run, it was already 93 degrees and super hot outside. I wasn't sure how long I would be able to run, but when I hit 5 miles I knew I was done. Running on very little sleep is never a good idea for me. I called it quits and decided that 5 miles was better than nothing!

By Saturday evening, Brayden seemed to be feeling a little better, so we met up with my friend Kim for dinner. Yep, when you feel horrible and can't swallow real food, you get frozen yogurt for dinner! He ate it up!

Thankfully, Saturday night was peaceful for all of us! We went to church on Sunday morning, but I decided to hold him out of the nursery as I didn't want to be the reason another kid caught this awful virus. Instead, we sat in the hallway, listened to the service overhead, and ate goldfish. Whatever works, right?

By Sunday evening, he wanted to be outside again, so we went for a 3 mile brisk walk. The sunset was gorgeous and although it was back to being humid again, we had a great time!

Although it wasn't a glorious weekend nor was it spent the way I originally planned, I'm glad that Brayden seems to be feeling a little better although the rash from the HFM looks awful. Hopefully it clears up soon and he's back to normal in no time!

How was your weekend? If you have a kid, have they ever come down with HFMD?

Ten Take 2

Ice, stretch, roll, squat, lunge, repeat...

That's what my week last week looked like. I was worried that I over did it with my left hamstring during the previous week's 6 miler because it bothered me all week.

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I wasn't sure what was going to happen. My running group was meeting up again for the first time in weeks and the temperatures out side were perfect. I technically wasn't even supposed to be here this weekend and wasn't planning a long run because I wanted to give my hamstring some rest while on our cruise. So....what to do?

Well, after going back and forth in my head, I decided that I would KT Tape my hamstring properly (for the first time) and go out to meet my running group. If I only made a few miles before stopping (because I'm trying not to overdo it), then so be it. There were no preconceived notions about distance or time in my head - I just wanted to get out and enjoy the fresh, cool air and our first cool front of the season!

The sunrise was just beginning as I reached town.

Also, we couldn't have asked for better weather! When I first started running, I was really cold and wondered if I should have worn a long sleeved top. It didn't take long for me to warm up, though.

This route was also one of my favorites - it led us down River Road where we truly had a chance to experience the gorgeous sunrise!

During Harvey, this area was impassible for a while due to high water and the signs still remain...

At this point, I was about 2 miles into my run and my hamstring felt AMAZING! I seriously couldn't believe it as I didn't think I'd even make it this far while running.

So, I kept on. The entire route around the river is almost 8 miles out and back which was perfect for me that morning!

At this point, both IT Bands were starting to bother me which is incredibly random. I think my socks were too thick and my shoe laces were tied too tight. It's incredibly random, but it happens sometimes. I decided that since I know how to deal with IT Band pain, I would continue to push on to finish at 10 miles. I said I wouldn't run a 2 digit run again until it was cooler outside and somewhere along the river, I decided that today was that day!

The last two miles turned into a run walk due to my IT bands which didn't make me very happy but that's ok!

In the end, I was still happy with the mileage for the day and incredibly amazed that my hamstring held up just fine. So, from here on out I'm going to ice, roll, stretch, and KT Tape my hamstring along with my physical therapy work and see what happens!

 Did you run this weekend? How was your run? Have the temps cooled down in your area?

4th of July Weekend 2017

Happy almost 4th of July! I hope everyone had a great weekend and had a chance to celebrate in some form or fashion!

We had a busy but fun weekend and I got to spend a ton of time with my little man!

My Saturday morning plans included a long run around my house. My running group wasn't meeting up and my running buddy was going out of town, so it was just Brayden and I. He actually woke up early that morning (unusual for him), but it worked for me! We were out the door and running by 7:30 a.m. 

I'd hoped to start our run no later than 8 a.m. so we could beat as much heat/sun as possible. The humidity was already in the mid 90's and the temps were in the high 80's. Oy. Hello July 1st!

I decided to listen to the latest episode of the Fit Mouse Podcast while running and the title struck me as funny - I was seriously on the STRUGGLE bus on Saturday morning, so this episode was fitting!

It's not easy to run in the middle of summer - add a 27 pound toddler to the mix and yep, my legs felt like cement by mile 2!

My super cute watch and adorable running partner made it worth my while, though!

Brayden LOVES going outside and on runs with me and he did amazing during our entire 5 mile run! I never heard a peep from him!

My goal for this run was to stay under 10 minute miles. Even though I had to walk a little during the last mile, I still reached my goal (barely)! Seriously though, by the end of it all...I.Was.Wiped.Out!

After cleaning myself up then making breakfast for both myself and Brayden, it was almost his nap time once again. He fell asleep around 11 a.m. and so did I! My head hit the pillow and I do not remember a thing until I heard him stirring about two and a half hours later. BEST NAP EVER!

After nap time, we were I was bored, so we headed to town to do a little shopping! We stopped at both Bath & Body Works and Maurice's, then went to a local juicery for a smoothie!

This time, I tried the Tropikale - it was a delicious blend of kale, pineapple, coconut water, and honey. I really liked it!

While I drank my smoothie, Brayden enjoyed a little vanilla FroYo! :)

 

On Sunday morning, we dressed in our red, white, and blue and headed to church for our Sunday morning's patriotic service!

How crazy is this comparison? The 2016 photo was from this same church service last year! It almost doesn't even look like the same kid! CRAZY!

I LOVE how they line the street with flags for this service! :)

I had two favorite parts to this service - the first was where they honored each branch of the military by singing the Armed Forces Medley (Veterans in attendance stood with their respective flags) and the second was when they honored the Vietnam vets at the end of the service (each vet in attendance stood at the front and received a memorial pin...it was very touching)!

On Sunday night, our little coffee shop group went bowling for family night!

Brayden even tried his hand at a little bowling! Fun times!

Oddly enough, I won (which NEVER happens)! My name is #2 on the list above! :)

My puppies also got groomed last week with fresh summer cuts!

I'm back at work today and will have the day off of work on Tuesday. I'm debating on running a 4 mile race on Tuesday morning (solo) - I've run it several years in the past but am not sure about this year. Honestly, I'll probably end up running the race because otherwise, I would still have to get up and run some time on Tuesday morning anyway! Might as well make it worth my while! :)

I hope you all have a great and happy and safe 4th of July! Happy Birthday, America!

What are your 4th of July plans? What did you do this weekend? Any racing?