Look! That’s sweat! From a run!!
It’s been a month since I last ran. I took my first conscious break since I started running in 2008. I’m so glad I took the break. I needed to want to run again. As of 2 weeks in, I wanted to run again, but I had promised myself that I would take the entire month off just to give my body and mind the break that I believed I would need after running so much last fall.
And now I can say that I’m back!! I look forward to many more runs. š
I can’t wait. Ā I can’t wait to run. Ā I can’t wait to have a pint of really good beer. Ā I can’t wait to not have to worry whether or not there is sugar in anything that I buy.
On Monday, I start running again. Ā This month off has been great. Ā I got what I wanted: I want to run again. Ā In the absence of running, I’ve been lifting a few times a week and made it to a few classes. Ā I’ve found that I do like StrongLifts. Ā I plan on keeping up with it for 2 more months and then from there finding some other lifting program to supplement my running. Ā I look forward to figuring out how it helps my running.
As for Whole30, I’m on day 25. Ā I feel great! Ā I’ve gotten into a routine. Ā I’ve made it through social situations without struggling terribly. Ā I did have a couple days where I felt super snacky, but I managed to eat compliant things. Ā We also experienced Snowzilla here in DC and I was able to plan around being home-bound with the guidelines set forth by Whole30.
At this point, I’m trying to decide what to do when I finish. Ā The first weekend we have the Super Bowl, so I’ll indulge a bit there. Ā But as awesome as I feel, how do I add in the things I’m missing without completely undoing both how I feel and any weight loss that I may have? Ā Any ideas?
Eventually I’ll get around to writing a fall catch-up post and Across The Years race report, but for now, I know I can get some goals set-up for the new year.
I have two major goals I want to accomplish that have nothing to do with running, but will definitely be a fun experience.
My running goals right now are zilch. I really don’t want to run (so much for a running blog, eh?). I think doing so many marathons this fall burnt me out and I need to figure out how to get some mojo back. As such, my running goal for January is to not run at all. Zip. Zilch. Nada. I’m hoping that by the end of the month, I’ll miss running and WANT to go out for a run.
That said, I am going to workout. I started StrongLifts 5×5 today in an effort to get a more balanced body composition. It is only five different exercises that is split into two workouts. You lift 3 times a week. What I like about it is the workout shouldn’t take more than 30-45 minutes. I also plan on trying some different classes at the gym 2-3 times a week (hello Zumba and kickboxing!).
I’m also looking at my food this month. A couple years ago, I tried the Whole30. I explain it as a very strict Paleo plan (no grains, legumes, dairy, alcohol or added sugars). When I did it before, it felt great. I was eating lots of fruits and vegetables. I had amazing energy. I didn’t drink. I lost weight. Then it was over. And I started back on some bad habits.
This time around, I hoping to keep some of the habits that the Whole30 taught me. I like that it’s 3 meals a day, no snacking. I like that it emphasizes whole foods and home cooking. I’m looking forward to having a reason to say that I’m not drinking. I also just need to stop eating all those treats that people bring into work.
So, those January goals:
What about you? 2016 goals? January goals?
Peak week for training done! Didn’t quite go as planned, but I did get my long run in and now I can rest.
Monday:
AM: 5 miles with the group. Didn’t start off well because I was late due to not understanding how to use the U-lock for my bike. I just need to sit down and practice opening and closing it over and over. Run felt kinda sluggish and it was a one of those that I just got done.
Tuesday:
Noon: yoga nidra. I just love this class. It’s a nice break mid-day.
Wednesday:
AM: 7.01 miles with the group. Actually felt pretty good. 7 seems to be my sweet mileage right now. Did a 10 minute core yoga video off of Runner’s World.
PM: 3.5 miles with Christina in Columbia Heights. It was great to run an old route with an old friend. We went to eat Dominican food after and it took all I had to not inhale it all and make myself sick. I couldn’t get sick of beans and rice!
Thursday:
Noon: alignment yoga. Another class I can’t get enough of. š
Friday:
AM: Long run day! 20.02 miles. Honestly didn’t have my heart in it. Didn’t prep as well the night before, got up an hour later than usual. Had about 2276 pep talks through the run: “just get it done, Jenn, once it’s done you get to rest and taper.” It sucked. It was hot. I was miserable. But I finished. Did a 20 min recovery yoga video from Runner’s World.
Met up with friends later for drinks in Alexandria. If you ever got to Blackwall Hitch, try their “Dirty Hitch”. Possibly one of the best Martinis I’ve had.
Saturday:
Just got up for work and got all red, white, and blue for the holiday. I earned the name Lady Liberty at some point during the night. Does anyone else love the Fourth?? I also did a couple sun salutations at work to get my yoga in. š
I also love to make pie and accepted this challenge:
This is not my pie. Mine will be apple pie. š
Sunday:
Does hangover recovery count as a workout?
Total: 35.53 miles, 155 min of yoga.
I missed on my July goals last week, but I can always pick up where I went off. I skipped my run and yoga on Sunday, and I definitely drank way more than intended most days of the week.
How did your training go?
First, let me say I LOVE THIS RACE! I did it in 2014 with two friends from work and really wanted to do it again this year. I also love country music, so when I found out that Miranda, Blake, AND Carrie were going to be at a festival together, I really wanted to do the festival. Problem is, they both fell on the same weekend. I told my friends that I was going to skip out on the race. Boo-hoo. Fast forward a couple months and the concert plans fell through. While it sucked that Iād miss out on an awesome concert, I was excited I could do the race!
Now, Iām not a 5K runner. I havenāt run one fast in several years, and I definitely prefer long distances. Because Iām in the midst of ultra-training, I figured Iād just go and have fun with my girlfriends and spend time in Charm City. As another exclamation: I LOVE BALTIMORE! Granted, Iāve always been there for races, to spend time with friends, or a Ravens game, but for some reason, I just feel at home in Baltimore. Maybe someday Iāll move there.
Saturday night I took the train up after work and stayed with my friend just outside of downtown. We had the perfect pre-race dinner of Royal Farms fried chicken and potato wedges. We put on a movie and both promptly fell asleep.
The next morning, we were up at 6:30 to drive downtown. Parking was super simple with Panda Parking and we just had to walk about half a mile to the start. It was a beautiful morning! The cloud formations were beautiful over the harbor.
Once we got to Rash Field, we met up with another friend and dropped our bags at bag check. The new friend asked us if bag check was secure, and we both said āOf course itās secure! Itās just in boxes, but itās fine; been doing this for years!ā
The three of us made our way up to the start line and found our pace signs. With such a large race, they were really vocal about lining up with your pace group and I think for the most part, people did. I had two goals for the race: 1. have fun; and 2. run a little faster than I usually do. Pre-race photo:
Mile 1: 10:51
A slight uphill for about half of this mile, also the most crowded.
Mile 2: 10:29
Downhill and turns! Still felt great. Mile markers were matching my Garmin.
Mile 3: 9:43
This mile also had some more downhill. I started to push the pace here both because of the downhill and the end. This mile passes the start line and then does a small out and back before turning onto the harbor.
Mile .19: 9:02
The last portion was right along the water. I pushed as hard as I could to finish up. About 10 yards from the end, I ran into my friend! We crossed the line together and gathered our goodies: water, medals, and roses.
We walked around the finish festival as we waited for our other friend to finish. We ate some great watermelon and got a free picture at the New Balance photo booth, then went to get my bag. Now, out of all my years racing, Iāve never lost my bag. The poor lady couldnāt find my bag in the right box and I started kicking myself for being cocky about how safe the bag check was…I went back to look for my bag and finally found it in different box. I have a bunch of tags from other races, so my guess is that it was in a box according to one of those numbers, not my BWC number. Phew!
After the race, we made our way over to Blue Moon Cafe. If you are ever in Baltimore, please eat there! Itās incredible. Just know that itās a long wait to get in (potentially hours). Karma was on our side, though and we were sat at our table in 20 minutes. WHAT?? I ate the Sweet Baby Jesus and we shared a Captain Crunch French Toast. Nom, nomā¦
All in all it was just a good day. I hit both my goals and had a good time with friends. Iām looking forward to doing the race again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that…
Happy Running!
āAct like a horse, be dumb, just run.ā
When I started running at the end of 2008, I ran across this quote somewhere in a running blog or somewhere else on the interwebs and not long after it became my signature line on the old Beginnerās Forum at Runnerās World. Itās become my mantra and inspiration as Iāve run countless (and counted) miles since then.
My name is Jenn, and I just run (well, not really, I practice yoga now, but, Iāll talk about that later). I ran cross-country in high school, but I was TERRIBLE! As a junior, I was the last person on the JV team. I had a great coach, though, and he was very inclusive. I tried running a summer in college, and did well until my running partner and I didnāt have the same schedule and I wouldnāt run on my own.
At the end of 2008, I was living in the Dominican Republic, recently married, and realized that I had slowly been putting on the weight I had lost the previous 2 years. It was āwinterā time (in quotes because, well, Caribbean winter) and I was walking after work every day with a friend. The sun was setting earlier and earlier and I decided in order to maximize my sunlight I would try running again. I found a run/walk program on Runnerās World and started up (very similar to Couch-2-5K, but free). Later I found out that my friend bet her boyfriend that I wouldnāt keep it up. Seven years later, Iām still going strong!
In the DR, I did several 5Ks and 10Ks, but knew that I wanted to do longer races. I was really enjoying my alone time and loved most of my runs. Once I moved back to the States in 2010, I signed up for my first half marathon (the very first Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon). I rolled right along to my first marathon in the spring of 2011, and my first ultra in the fall of 2011. I was hooked! Since then, Iāve completed 15 half marathons, 7 marathons, 2 ultras, and a lot of shorter races. In 2012, I qualified for the Marathon Maniacs by running Berlin, Marine Corps, and Richmond marathons in 42 days.
So, as I go forward with my running life, I wanted to find a new way to be inspired. I had been considering a blog for a while when I met Salt at a race this past weekend. I went home that afternoon and signed up for WordPress. I hope to document my training, race reports, and thoughts about running. If I can make some new friends along the way, thatād be great, too!
Enough about me, tell me, how did you start running? What keeps you inspired?
Just Run,
Jenn
Just Run, Jenn 