July Miles and My Workouts for 7/28-8/3

July was a good month. My goal was to run 150 miles and I met my goal!

My legs feel great but I am being faithful about foam rolling and I am always open to skipping a run if my body is telling me to take a break. I don't want to get too focused on hitting a certain amount of mileage for the month but more on being able to make my runs count. August is going to be a big month since I am reaching long runs of 18 miles plus so I need to stay focused and plan carefully around the hot weather. I am also having to take my long runs a little slower than planned but heat is my worst enemy and in order to survive it is what I have to do. I am good with that or else I end up wimping out and cutting my long runs short and I can't do that.

Here is a recap of my week:

Monday: Rest Day

Tuesday: 5.15 Miles @8:42 avg pace/I was supposed to run my tempo run but my son wanted to join me so we made it a family exercise day on the bike trail. My other half started his training for the Las Vegas R&R half marathon this week so we ran two miles together and then I ran three miles alone (8:35, 8:01, 7:47.) My son rode his bike along side us since we ran on the bike trail. It was 88 degrees but with no sun and a nice breeze so I guess I can handle that.

Wednesday: I skipped out on my run and I ended up calling it a date night with my other half. I planned to run after we had dinner but I had a super bad headache and just decided to call it a day. I have to give myself the freedom to skip a run when I feel like I need it or else I get burned out. I also know that when I skip a run, my next run will be a good one.

Thursday: 5 Miles@9:43 avg. pace/I ran in the 91 degree heat and it was pretty rough. I thought I was going to pass out it was so hot!

Friday: Rest Day. I took a vacation day from work and just kind of took it easy knowing that I had an 18 mile run the following day.

Saturday: 18 Miles@8:50 avg./I ran the first half easy and the last half a little faster. These long runs are getting harder and harder with the heat. They are a little frustrating because I feel more tired than I usually do and hitting my goal paces take so much more effort.

Sunday: 5 Mile Recovery Run@9:54 with my other half. It was pretty warm when we left the house at 7:00 am and the humidity level was at 84%. We are definitely not used to this kind of weather! It actually rained over night and I was happy about that since we really needed it.

Total Miles: 33 Miles

It looks like we are going to get a small break from the heat next week. Of course the break comes on a cut back week but I will take it. I am off work on Friday so it looks like I will try to plan my long run on Friday. I must say that 63 degrees never sounded so good!

What do you prefer? Heat or Humidity?
I say neither one..

Why January Was a Good Month

January was a pretty good month for me. Lots of good things happened and I am feeling ever so grateful to have had another good month of running as well.  So why was it a good month?

1) I ran a total of 150 miles! It was a record month for me. I did get some help from January since there are 31 days in the month but I will take it!

2) I won a ton of giveaways and I feel so lucky! I can't wait to run Zooma Napa Valley in June. I think it is going to be a lot of fun. You can read about all of the stuff that I won here.

Speaking of giveaways, you can win an Allied Medal Display from Marcia's Healthy Slice. Head on over and enter!

3)  I was told by two people on Instagram that I inspired them! Some people probably hear these words all of time but it means a lot of me when I hear these words! What a great feeling! I think this is one of the greatest compliments that you can receive as a runner or as a person for that matter. We all have goals that we are chasing but if I can be a part of someone else's success in meeting their goal, that is an even better feeling for me. I hope that these two ladies accomplish great things!

If someone inspires you to do something or to push yourself that extra mile when you feel like giving up, reach out to them today and tell them so! I am sure it will make their day!

Tell me how January went for you!

My Weekly Update 8/26/13-9/1/13 and A Record Month!!

I took it easy for the most part this week since it was race week. Even though I didn't have any big plans I still wanted to save my legs for running 19.3 miles in two days which is something that I never do. Not only did I have a blast at the Dumbo Double Dare but I had a record month. I ran 147 miles in the month of August and I am pretty proud of that.

Monday: 6 Miles with my other half @9:54 pace. It was warm out there at 6:30 am so we kept any easy pace and powered through it. I had the day off so I always try to get a morning run in on my days off since I am not able to do it during the week. By the way, my other half is still doing good with his half marathon training!

  

Tuesday:Cross Training Day: 45 minutes on the bike trainer. Didn't have my Garmin to track any stats so I have no idea how many miles I rode.

Wednesday: 7.06 Miles on the treadmill @8:29 pace. I started easy and finished with a 7:30 mile.

Thursday: REST DAY

Friday: REST DAY

Saturday: Disneyland 10K: (52:33 / 8:18 pace) RECAP IN PROCESS

Sunday: Disneyland Half Marathon: (1:48:43 / 8:11 pace) RECAP IN PROCESS

Total Miles: 32.66

Time to rest up and get ready for another week. Next time is going to be a super easy week for me. I need a little break right about now because it is too darn hot and humid around here!

How was your week?

Did you race this weekend or do you have any races coming up in September?

I have nothing else on the Race Calendar for September but I just might add a race!

Vacation Time and A Record Month

I spent a good part of Sunday evening packing my bags for my trip to South Carolina.  I am taking a pretty big suitcase because I am taking back a bunch of gifts for my sister and her family that everyone here wanted to send them. I carry my most beloved belongings in my carrying bag since these are the things that I cannot live without or would be expensive to replace like my running shoes, hydration belt, my Garmin, my contact lenses (I have the worst vision ever) and my magazines that I have been putting aside to read while I am on the plane. I am sure that my niece will keep me entertained but if she falls asleep or watches a movie on her DVD player, I will try to catch up on my reading!

The weather is going to be hot with a very big chance of rain but I am planning to get a couple of runs in if I can. I mapped out a small loop around my sister's house so I can easy get back if it starts pouring. 

I am excited but traveling can sometimes be hectic because I will come back to a desk full of work and a list of things to do at home. I do not enjoy unpacking either. I have been good about unpacking the day that I get home from a trip but there have been times when the suitcase sits in my bedroom for days! Before I go, I have to leave my other half a "Honey Do List" since there are certain things that I handle at home that he will have to assume while I am away. Most of the tasks are pretty simple but they must be done...like give the dogs clean water and don't forget to check the mail!

With the exception of being lazy and not getting my long run done on Friday instead of Sunday, I had a good week, a record week! I woke up at the crack of dawn to watch the women's marathon and that was not a good idea when you have 18 miles to run. I only slept 5 hours and I could feel it every single mile but I fought through it. I am glad I did!

• Miles Planned: 40
• Miles Completed: 40.12 (This is actually my biggest week to date so I am pretty excited about it!)

My calves have been feeling sore after runs of 15 miles or longer so I am spending more time stretching, using my stick and icing right after my runs. They are feeling pretty normal today so that is a big relief.


Thankfully I live about five minutes from the airport and my flight leaves at 2:20pm tomorrow so I am hoping to get a decent run in before I get out of town! I am already starting to feel sad to leave my family behind but sometimes a small break can be a good thing. It makes you appreciate people more :)

What do you bring in your carry on bag when you travel? Do you tend to over pack like I do?

A Record Month!

July was a good month for me. In fact, it was a great month! I can't believe that I actually ran 140 miles! The most miles that I have ever ran in a month was 128 back in December, 2011 right around the time of my injury. I know that most of you put in way more miles than this but it is a huge accomplishment for me since I am trying to get back into things since my hamstring issue! I am way behind on meeting my Running Goal of 1200 miles for 2012 but that's okay...I will make a comeback in 2013!

What is the most miles you have logged in a single month? What about for the year?