long run |

02/14/2017
by She's Going the Distance 8 Comments

Cupid’s Undie Run!

Monday: 9.5m interval ( 3 x 2m @ 6:44/pace)

This weekend flew by. I had way too much fun, with too many cool people. Our box ended up raising over $18,000 for the Children’s Tumor Foundation! Big thanks to my friends and family who donated! screen-shot-2017-02-13-at-7-10-52-pm

Before I headed to DC for the Cupid’s fundraising event, i started Saturday with a 14.1 mile run. And I can honestly say, it was the first in a string of really crappy runs that felt somewhat normal. Normal easy pace, normal tired, but not too beat up legs, normal weather, etc. Normal, I needed that. Let’s hope the last month of this training cycle goes well!

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The rest of the day went by quickly. Got home, showered, ate breakfast, hopped on the train to meet up with Yomery (one of my very strong 6AM Crossfit friends) and met up with the rest of the CF Silver Spring peeps.

me and Yomery

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We had a table. And open bar… so lots of fun ensued!

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I don’t believe I was part of the dancing…

Josh, Marcos & Katie (my coaches!)

A couple hours into our open bar, we flooded the streets and ran.. what seemed like a half mile. I found out the night before it wasn’t a 5k (i can’t remember why i thought it was) I don’t even think it was an actual mile or anywhere near one, but it didn’t matter, everyone was having a blast & raising money for a good cause. Plus the alcohol helped us stay warm ;).

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Left: Shaved heart Right: Pearl necklace. Gotta love these guys.

Till next year. Guess it’s time to start thinking about breaking my Beer Mile record. ❤

Last Week

Monday: 7m easy 8:59/pace, shoulders + handstand practice

Tuesday: Crossfit, 10.2 interval (6 x 1m @ 6:55 pace)

Wednesday: 6m easy 9:20/pace

Thursday: Crossfit, 5m easy 10:00/pace

Friday: 9.5m tempo (7 @ 6:55/pace)

Saturday: 14.1m long 9:04/pace

Sunday: 1hr strength/barbell skill work

Total Miles: 51.8

How was your weekend?

Ever done a Cupid’s Undie Run?

08/01/2016
by She's Going the Distance 24 Comments

I Broke Her!

Every Saturday this summer I have been out for my long run. Every person, biker, walker, runner, stroller, doggie I pass I try to say “hi” or give a smile or small wave. If i’m not completely out of breath, I’ll happily say, “Good Morning.”

Now let me paint a small picture. I’m from Indiana. I’m a midwesterner. I grew up knowing my neighbors, my manners, being friendly and polite, especially to strangers. (Trump could have used a midwestern upbringing but don’t get me started.) When I moved to the east coast, and i know i’ve mentioned this several times through my blog, many people just keep to themselves and don’t say hi. It bothers me. Maybe it’s because i’m a people pleaser, or maybe because i believe it’s the little things in life that make the world go round.

from saturday

There’s a woman, maybe in her 50s, that walks the trail every Saturday around the same time I’m out. She’s always alone, no friends or walking companions, no headphones or ipods. Just quietly shuffling along the trail to get her morning exercise in. I’ve said hi to this lady at least ten times this summer. There was even a day I ran past her twice (remember i do a lot of out-and-backs) and she has never said a word. However, she stares like i’m a little harlot with no shirt on. She sneers at me. Her eyes go wide then narrow all in an instant.

runner’s saving grace!

Naturally I think this lady (and i have to call her lady now cause i’m pissed) is a total B. How many times can i look a person in the eyes and say, “Good morning.”? I’ll tell you how many. As many as it takes because i’m NICE and I’m from the Midwest!!!! And of course I understand that sometimes people are just generally distracted in their own world. Listening to headphones, or concentrating on their workout, or maybe don’t hear or see me. I understand that.

I think it’s super strange that i’ve been working at the same gym for almost 4 years and there are MANY people I see on a daily basis that ignore me completely. And again, it’s me saying, “Hello” “How are you” “Good to see you.”As persistent I am with being polite they are just as persistent at ignoring me. I totally understand where Adele is coming from.

But then, I had a small victory this past Saturday. The old lady softly spoke, hi when I passed by with the weekly greeting. She almost stopped me dead in my tracks because it was so unexpected. I could have hugged her. I didn’t because it probably took a lot for her to say hello to me. I finally broke her down.

Killing people with kindness works. For every person that doesn’t say hi, i will forever think of her and remember that being cold and unfriendly is never the way into someone’s heart. Please, please be nice to strangers. You never know what kind of day, week or year they’re having. A kind gesture can turn someone’s day around and with so much hate in the news this is all we have to fight back with.

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What are you looking forward to this week?

Do you smile, say hi, nod, wink, peace sign while passing people?

07/11/2016
by She's Going the Distance 10 Comments

What I Do Before a Long Run + 26.2 Training Starts NEXT WEEK!

Just as planned, I dipped my toes into a speed session last week. An 8 mile run with five of those miles at a 7:30/pace tempo. That went well. The next day I did my usual body weight leg day which consisted of about 20 minutes of very basic exercises: light weighted squats (40lbs), TRX balance lunges and TRX pistol squats. I don’t know if it was the combination of speed & strength but Saturday I was still feeling sore legs…

When the alarm buzzes on a Saturday, usually 6:00am, the first thing I do is press the ON button for the coffee to start, then I take LE out for her walk and to get a feel for the outside temps to prepare for my run.

sleepy pup

Once we get back I chug a large glass of water, move onto coffee, check emails and blogs while i stretch out my legs.

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I try to multi-task as much as possible while i’m waking up so I can get out the door in 30 minutes. I’m not one of those people that can just roll out of bed and run. When i do that i feel like i’m sleep running or something. I like being alert so coffee and stretching will do that real quick.

Once my eyes finally wake up, i pop the contacts in, get dressed and grab what I need for a 2+ hour run.

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I drove about 20 minutes from my house to scout out a connection trail for the ultra i’m running next month. (You can read more about it here, or donate money to MS research here.) I was happy to find that Rock Creek Trail has been updated with a lot of signs, port-o-pottys and lights have been installed in a dark under pass. The trail itself feels super safe, easy to navigate and there are plenty of fountains and toilets.

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Now i can tell you about how craptastic these two weekend runs were. I’m not joking when I said my legs were sore. Every single step I took over 15 miles hurt. I was hopeful that they would loosen up in the first few miles. Nope. Maybe this side stitch will go away. Nope. My muscles tightened for approximately 19,000 steps. And i felt every single step. The side stitch was there from mile 3 to 13, which resulted in a lot of walk breaks. I am always humbled when I see 10:XX miles blink on my watch.

But hey, these long runs are no joke. Cumulative fatigue is a real thing and the hard runs during the summer will make a strong runner for the fall. I didn’t mentally give up. I knew my legs were just tired. <—if that’s not ultra marathon mentality I don’t know what is.

Sunday I set out for 7 miles. Again, i was hopeful my legs would feel better. They didn’t. It was another slow, hot run. There was nothing I could do but enjoy Hello, From the Magic Tavern podcast and look forward to Monday, a day off from leg work.

After the run, we relaxed pretty hard. Just the way we like it.

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I got out my calendar to mark the weeks until Philadelphia Marathon and whoa, I didn’t realize training starts next week! I’ll be following the Hansons Marathon Method (advanced) this training cycle. I’ll slightly adjust the long runs until the ultra is done in August, then follow the plan as closely as possible.

I’m excited about this marathon. My first ever marathon was a 4:28 in Chicago when I was underprepared and undertrained. The last I completed was Chicago again in 2014 when I was extremely burnt out from work and personal life issues. I completed it in 3:50, which was a huge PR, but it was a stressful time to attempt a marathon.

Now i’ve got the mileage and strength to back me up. I’m happy at home and in work. This all adds up to a good time to try the marathon again. Cross your fingers and stay tuned for all the highs and lows of marathon training. File_000 (263)

Last Week

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 6m easy 8:40/pace

Wednesday: 8m tempo (2m warm up, 5 @ 7:30/pace, 1m cooldown), 45 min upper body

Thursday: 6m easy 9:40/pace, 20min legs

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 15m long 9:43/pace

Sunday: 7m easy 9:42/pace

Total Miles: 42

Has anyone used Hanson Method before? Thoughts?

How was your weekend?

06/20/2016
by She's Going the Distance 11 Comments

Run and Beer and Run Some More

The title sums up the weekend perfectly, and the weekend was perfect if you ask me. Saturday morning at 7:30 I explored a new-to-me trail which I will be spending a ton of time on this summer, especially since the majority of it is shaded & has water fountains, a runner’s saving grace. I realized, especially while out on the paths for 16+ miles, I want to get a water pack to carry more water. Does anyone have suggestions? I’m open to brands (Nathan, Ultimate Direction, Camelbak etc), but I would like a backpack type hydration tool, not a belt with bottles.

Anywho, the 16.6 miler went well. I was anxious and nervous for absolutely no reason. Especially when I’ve been coasting around 15 milers each weekend with no problem. I only took in two Honey Stinger gels, probably not enough, but it was warm out and it’s always hard for me to eat a lot in the heat. I’m trying to slowly eat more during these long runs in preparation for fall marathon training.

Deer selfie & a Chocolate + caffeinated Honey Stinger

Note worthy items on my run: I saw 3 deer, a crane and a black snake. Yep. Saw another female runner jump several feet from the edge of the trail and was quick to point out to me to watch out. I’m always hopping over twigs and branches on the trails in fear they might be a snake. Turns out it’s not a bad idea.

After I finished, feeling excellent by the way, I surprised Cameron and took him to a local brewery that a client told me about. Manor Hill Brewing! (Ellicott City, MD)

We started with a flight to taste several beers, played corn hole (or “bags” depending on what part of the country you’re from), walked around the facility (they allow self guided tours) and enjoyed the sunny afternoon!

growing their own hops!

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I enjoyed the Coffee IPA and their sour saison. The brewery doesn’t serve food so you can bring your own! We brought along chips, peanuts and oreos. Don’t judge, remember I ran super far so I can eat some junk once in a while.

Coffee Brown IPA & Latte milk stout taster w/Cinnamon bun oreos 🙂

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inside is so pretty!

The brewery has limited space and is only open Friday to Sunday so if you plan on going, i’d recommend making a reservation! The space is beautiful, the bartenders were so nice and we both agreed it was a fun place to spend an afternoon and we will return!

The next day, Sunday, which is now turning into my 2nd runday I met up with my friend Deena for an easy 5 miler.

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Talking about life, relationships and running is just the way I like starting the morning! This is also one part of the the 50K course i’m planning. Just need another weekend to scout out the parts of the course and I can share it.

Last Week

Monday: 30min upper body

Tuesday: 7.1m easy 8:38/pace

Wednesday: 8.1m easy 9:10/pace

Thursday: 5.1m fartlek, 20min full body HIIT

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 16.6m long 9:25/pace

Sunday: 5.1m easy

Total Miles: 42

Water hydration pack? Brand/type/Liters?

Favorite way to spend a summer afternoon?

03/02/2016
by She's Going the Distance 6 Comments

DC Date Remix!

Monday: 3m easy 9:55/pace, 45min total body strength

Tuesday: 5m easy 8:56/pace

I’m still riding the “love the long run” train. Sunday was no different than the last several weeks as I set out to run 12 miles. I got up at 6:15am to fit in the long run before brunch in DC with Cameron. Seriously I am NOT a morning person, but if you dangle the brunch carrot in front of me, i’ll do anything at 6am. I like eggs and coffee more than I like a lot of people.

Anywho, the run was lovely! I was super relaxed, kept my watch covered up and enjoyed being one of the early morning runners out on the trail. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, but sometimes those are the best runs.

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The rest of this post is weird because I literally lived this same day over a year ago with Emmeline. If you want to see similar pictures you can click here. Cameron and I went to Zengo for brunch. I’ve wanted to take him since my first visit so I was super happy to finally get to.

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It was so sunny, warm and beautiful we turned into tourists and walked for several hours around the district. Also- i made cameron do this picture. I couldn’t stop laughing and he was a good sport haha.

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Our day ended with walking around the Natural History Museum and then we grabbed a milkshake from Hard Rock before heading home.

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I got a boring vanilla shake and he got this carmel bacon thing. I don’t even know, it was delicious.

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We got a good taste of spring and I am more than ready for warmer weather. I miss running in shorts!!

Monday: 3m easy walk/run w/LE! Her first real run!

Tuesday: 8.7m 14 x 400s (6 @ 6:07/pace, 5 @ 6:03/pace, 3 @ 6:00/pace)

Wednesday: 5m easy 9:45/pace, 20 min arms (75 TRX wide rows, 50 atomic pushups, 75 v-situps)

Thursday: 9m tempo (3 x 2m all @ 6:58/pace)

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 2m walk w/LE

Sunday: 12m easy 8:58/pace

Total Miles: 37.7

How’s the weather near you?

Do you ever “tourist” your own city?

02/22/2016
by She's Going the Distance 14 Comments

Falling in Love with the Long Run

This whole weekend went by in a blur! Cameron surprised me for our big 8 year anniversary (when we first started dating) and took me out to a Brazilian steakhouse where we ate our little hearts out. Then we headed to see comedian David Cross at a nearby theater! David Cross is one of my favorites and someone I’ve wanted to see live for years! So happy i got to cross it off my list. (get it, cross? haha)

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Cameron’s traveling a ton in the upcoming months so we had a lot of running around & packing to do this weekend, and of course a lot of family time to be had! LE and I already miss him.

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The good news is the weather has been somewhat cooperative over the last week so I was able to do not one, but two runs outside! I’ve been running outside for the easy days so I can slowly get back into hills. Where I live is super hilly, I don’t want to get injured since i’ve been basically on no incline on a treadmill since December. Gotta keep those IT bands happy.

From Friday–i felt like a ninja

Sunday I started my morning with a glass of water, followed by my pre run rituals, coffee, a Honey Stinger Waffle & a quick look at the day’s plan.

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I set out to run 12 miles, at a slow steady pace. I was shooting for 9:00-9:20/pace. The last couple long runs have had some form of speed work tossed in (one week a 5k effort, the next a 10k). Sunday, I needed to give my body a break and keep the pace an honest easy. When I’m not caught up on running at certain pace, I can focus on so many other things that make me love running and LOVE the long run.

I could focus on my form, footfall, breathing, my bare legs feeling free, and how grateful I am for being able to do this.

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I could also focus on Serial..that podcast is getting the best of me. I have one more episode then the courtroom updates! I listened to 2 1/2 episodes during this run haha. OH and about 20 seconds after I took the picture above, it down poured! I had to run the final 3 miles in cold rain. It was fun until the last mile when I couldn’t feel my hands or see and was worried my phone would break, but after a hot shower, breakfast and of course more coffee, I was happy and extremely satisfied. I’m looking forward to next Saturday when I can do another long run. I love them!

Last Week

Monday: 4.1m easy 9:30/pace

Tuesday: 8m Combo Workout (2m warm up, 3m @ 7:00/pace, 4 x 2:00 @ 6:18/pace, 1m cool down)

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: 5m easy 9:15/pace, 10 min core

Friday: 7m tempo workout (1m warm up, 5m @ 7:57 marathon pace, 1m cooldown)

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: 12m long/easy 9:08/pace

Total Miles: 36.1

What makes you love going long?

What should I listen to after Serial?–I already need something else!

02/08/2016
by She's Going the Distance 12 Comments

Inside the 10 Mile Mind – Vol. 3

Week one of half marathon training went as well as it could have gone. My easy runs were easy (all 9:00+ pace) and the speed workouts were much easier and faster than normal! (6:44-7:30/pace). I’m already seeing the benefits from changing up the pacing and running slower on easy days.

Saturday morning was the first double digit run since November. There’s something about the first 10 miler in a training program that I love. It’s exciting, a little scary but the expectations aren’t too high. It’s the first of many long runs i’ll encounter and eventually 10 miles will be the “shorter” long run i’ll endure.

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I downloaded a few podcasts and set out on a flatter trail that i knew wasn’t completely covered in snow. The first mile was under construction. Running over the uneven, muddy, wooden planks forced a slow pace and took my mind off of how cold it was. File_000 (61) It also helped that the podcast I chose was all about running my easy runs “painfully slow.” The first several miles were so easy I got to enjoy the outdoors (I hadn’t run outside since Jan. 16th!) and my legs had plenty of time to ease into this run.

My plan was to run the first six miles as slow as possible, squeeze in the Nuun Year Dash virtual 5k and finish with a cool down mile. It doesn’t matter if i’m running 400s, mile repeats, a 5k or an ‘A’ race, I’m always nervous that i won’t be able to run fast when i’m supposed to. And with all the slow running i’ve been doing I was nervous my body wouldn’t remember what “fast” was. (Ridiculous right?)

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At 6 miles, I restarted my Garmin, switched from the podcast to EDM Pandora and stretched my legs for a minute. I knew I didn’t want to go all out, there was almost no point since I would be stopped by 2-3 intersections and I still needed to actually finish the long run without burning out. I was hoping for a solid, moderate effort.

I took off and my legs felt as if they were freed from a cage. I was completely shocked at how easily I went from running a 9:20/pace to a 7:16/pace. It felt natural, I felt in control, and that made me the happiest little runner of all. File_000 (62)

During long runs in the past, i used to over think a lot. I put myself down and told myself i wouldn’t be able to get faster or ever run a marathon again, or would never meet my half marathon goals. Mental training has been much more important to me for the last several races. I try to only think positive thoughts, even when the run isn’t going fantastic. I’m going to do the best I can on the day, and if things don’t go perfectly…i’m only in training and it’s not my job.

During this particular run I wasn’t thinking about much except that i was going to run until I had to run a little faster for 3 miles, then chill out for the cool down. Breaking up the long run was helpful mentally and physically. When my plan calls for those long run with a “fast finish” I will make sure I leave the last mile for a cool down. It was the one thing I kept telling myself during the 5k effort–> You get to run a slow mile soon! That was actually motivating and a huge relief when I finished the hard portion.

It’s also very motivating to know that a hot shower, hot coffee & a warm puppy are waiting for me afterward. ❤

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OH and if you haven’t seen my Instagram, i totally put her in my Nuun shirt and threw the medal on her. I figured you guys have seen me in a medal enough 😉

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Last Week

Monday: 5m easy 9:25/pace

Tuesday: 3m easy 9:10/pace, 40 min strength (chest/legs)

Wednesday: 6m HMP Tempo (2m warm up, 3m @ 7:03/pace, 1m cool down) + 1200m row

Thursday: 25min hips/core

Friday: 4.1m easy 9:13/pace, 15min rope pulls & body weight tricep dips

Saturday: 10.1 long (6 @ 9:19/pace, 3.1 @ moderate effort 7:16, 1m cooldown 10:45/pace)

Sunday: REST!

Total Miles: 28.2

Do you dress up your pet?

How do you mentally get through your long runs?