5 Days to go...

..and I'm as ready as I'm going to be at this point.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

If you lived with me, you'd probably think I've given up running completely.

I haven't run in 3 weeks.

I just have no motivation to get out there and go. You'd think that the looming half marathon would be motivation enough, but nope. I've even accepted that if I don't reach my goal then meh.

I think that 14 weeks (or 12) is too long for me to train. I need a shorter time period with more intense workouts I guess. I'm thinking that next time a 10 week training plan will suffice.

This isn't anything new.

I was horribly trained for the Nike Women's Half in DC in April and I was somewhat prepared for the Niagara Falls half last October. I figured my body has done this once or twice but I can handle it again.

I'm looking forward to it.

One big thing I'm going to try is holding off on my music until I get to the struggling stages of the run. I've heard that tip from Janae at Hungry Runner Girl a few times and I'm going to see if it works.

This weekend is a busy one.

Friday night, I'm off to see Wicked with some girlfriends from work. Saturday is the expo/packet pickup and I'm spending the night at my sister's so that I don't have to worry about parking, getting lost, etc. I'm going to take the train to her place on Saturday and the take it home after the race on Sunday. It'll make life much easier!

So, if you're in a finger crossing mood, I'd love some sent this way!

It might be the only way I make it through this half.



STWM Update!

I haven't posted for awhile since life has been really busy with schools, the boys and a little bit of running/fitness thrown in.

Most nights I'm heading to bed around 9:30 since I'm up early and on my feet most of the day.

I haven't been getting my short runs in, but I have been getting to my long runs which I think is extremely important. So far, I'm up to 14k and I have 16 or 17km for this weekend coming up. They are very slow, but I'm finishing most right around the average pace I'd like to so I'm hoping that I'll be able to push during the race and get my pace lower than it currently is.

I'm still aiming for around a 2:30 finishing time, which translates into an average pace of just over 7 minutes. Most of my long slow runs have been around 7:20 but there's also a lot of hills on my running route which add to the slow time.

This past weekend, I ran the Island Girl half marathon relay. I ran the second 10.5km in 1:09:59. My goal was under 1:10 so I beat my goal! I'll post a race report next week but it was wet, rainy, sunny, humid and hot.

I've added in spin classes on Tuesday nights too which I absolutely love! I look forward to it every Tuesday. Almost as much as my son looks forward to his gymnastics each week.

One issue that has come up is stomach problems, but that's a post for another day and I'd love your feedback.

How is your training coming along? What are you training for?

I haven't disappeared...

...it's just back to school week!

Which means not only do I get to deal with my two munchkins heading back to daycare and their whining and complaining, but I also get to deal with 25 students in my class who are adjusting and some even come in screaming and crying.

I have come home and literally crashed each night this week. I'm exhausted!

I skipped my run on Tuesday because I was just way to tired to get the legs to move (I almost fell asleep at dinner)!

I did manage to get more runs in this week but I'll update on Monday!

Just stick with me!

Only 43 days to go until my half marathon!

Yikes!

STWM - Week #5 Update

5 weeks in, 7 weeks to go until my next half marathon!

 

It still seems a million years away, but I know that once I get back into the swing of school time will fly quickly and 7 weeks will blow by!

 

That being said, training has been a little really lacking, not to mention the nutrition this week.

 

After being at the cottage, then a 3 day turn around to go to Arizona, running and nutrition has gone out the window.

I did manage to squeeze in a 3.75 kilometer run on Monday, but some lovely GI issues kicked in and after a fantastic first kilometer, the second and third were completely disgustingly bad. Bad as in the plus 6:30 mark. I managed to catch up with the boys who were at the park with my husband and we all walked home.

Upcoming week:

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Traveling (that's exercise enough with the two boys)
Wednesday - Track workout (6x400 @ 2:18)
Thursday - Rest
Friday - 5k
Saturday - Bike ride
Sunday - 5 or 6 miles (depending on stomach issues)

This week also marks the last week of my summer vacation. I start back to work on September 2nd and my whole workout routine will be changing. I'll start doing my short runs in the morning before I go to work and on running rest days I'll be riding my bike to work (provided it's not raining). I also start my spin class on Sept. 9, which I'm really excited about. But I'll write more about my hopeful shift in my workout/nutrition routine in a couple of days.

For now I'm off to enjoy one last day of vacation before the chaos of travel begins again!



What are you up to this week?

To gym or not to gym...

...that is the question.

 

There is a gym around the corner from me that is fairly cheap. It's a very basic gym and I often see a lot of very muscle-y people in their pictures (which I clearly am not), but I'm torn as to whether or not to join.

 

 

It's $10 a month with different other fees thrown in, but overall it's less than $250 for a year, which I can't beat I'm assuming. The distance is only about 0.75 km away as well so I can't complain about it being too far away.

 

I know that once the winter comes, my motivation for running severely drops because of the freezing temperatures and the treadmill becomes very appealing. I'd also like to get more into toning (once I lose some more weight) and know that weights are the way to do that.

 

The gym does offer some classes, but not a ton and many of them do not fit into my schedule and are either in the morning, or around 6:30 which is my chance to spend time with the boys. I would solely be going for the treadmill and weights and maybe the elliptical and bike.

 

Since I'm going to start working on training for sprint triathlons next summer, I want to start doing triathlon training which would include some swimming and biking.

 

One turn-off from joining the gym is that there is no pool. I've also signed up for a spin class at a different studio because it fits my schedule better (8-9). To do swim training, I have to go to the community center during lane swim times, which costs and additional $3.50. That would be three different places to go to train.

 

 

Lastly, I worry about time.

 

Working full time as a kindergarten teacher, dealing with two little boys and spending quality time with my husband is busy but also very important to me. I have time to get to the gym and go for a run before work since we're up around 6:15, the boys leave at 7:00 and I don't have to leave until 8:30ish but I'm not a morning person. I'm thinking I need to become one.

 

 

What would you do?

 

Join the gym or just try to get it done at home?

Day 1 in Paradise!

I found my heaven!

 

 

The boys were really well behaved during the flight. The younger one didn't fall asleep until the last chunk, but it was still a nice break. My older one kept himself occupied with Angry Birds Go, MahJong and some Bubble Guppies. I didn't question my sanity once!

 

Now that I'm here, I'm excited to shop. However, my shopping priorities have changed. I used to hit up the big mall with clothes that I wasn't really comfortable in but needed to wear to work. Now, work is much more relaxed (yay, Kindergarten) and I'm looking forward to hitting up Under Armour, Nike Outlet and some other sporting goods stores. I want to find a nice pair of shoes for weight training/spin class and some nice running clothes.

 

Now let's see if I can make it to the treadmill at some point. At 11:00 it was already 90 degrees yesterday. The 3 hour difference doesn't help much either. The boys go to bed really early and get up really early.

 

Fingers crossed that I can run!

Leaving on a jet plane!

Today begins our final trip of our summer vacation and we're hopping onto an airplane!

My boys and I are heading to Arizona with my Mom.

Is it bad that I'm ridiculously excited for the shopping more than anything else?

I did bring my running shoes and some running clothes but with the heat, random crazy animals and trying to leave the two crazy, over-active little boys with my mom it might be difficult (plus shopping time might get in the way). I'll try though.

This morning started out really early (a 5:00 am trip to the airport), so please send good thoughts that the flight with a 2 year old, 3.5 year old and my mom went well and I didn't lose my mind (because I still have to head back with them all).

Hope you have a great day (I know I will...once we land)!