Dark Ages

Still no Internet.. I can't blame Comcast anymore, because clearly Big Brother > calling Comcast to get the Internet fixed. I could probably do both at once, since I'll most likely be on hold for a while. But I really need to concentrate to take in the Brendan and Rachel breakdowns (any BB fans out there?!?).

Me and running are back on. It felt good to take a break after the Mad Half, since I was feeling a bit burnt out. J and I ran three miles yesterday morning before I went to work and I did five miles solo today. My mileage this month is half of what it was last month. HALF.

My feet and knees have been screaming at me, I know it's my shoes. It seems like just yesterday I was bitching about my new Brooks Ravenna 2s, but it's already time to replace them. They've got 450 miles on 'em. I'm not sure what I'm going to do.. No Wave Inspire 7, no Ravenna. Any suggestions for a normal arched, moderate pronating heel striker?

Running Naked

Last night, I ran naked- without music and without J. Lately, most of my runs have been with J in the jogger. When I run with him, I don't listen to music because we have things to talk about along the way. "A school bus! A firetruck! Birdie!" It makes the time fly by, really. But when I'm by myself, I always run with music. Crank it up.

I set out to do only three miles after J went to bed (Adam was home). In shorter races I try to go without music- but I def need music for a half- so there's no reason I can't run without music when I'm by myself. The experience was, as cliche as it sounds, liberating. When running with music I focus on the music, not on what I'm doing: running. I use it as a way to escape (though there's nothing wrong with that) but sometimes I need to be present. I listened to my breath, listened to my footsteps, and accidentally shouted, "A plane!" when I heard an aircraft overhead.

I think there is a definite time and place for music when running, i.e. treadmill, but I know there is a definite place for running without music. I think I'm going to try it more often.

(And almost just as naked as I felt running without music, it felt strange to be running without shoving the 60 pound beast around.)

Mrs. Stoner

Come on, Internet, don't you know I have things to do?!? Still no connection, thanks Comcast.

It's always so hard to get back into the swing of things after vacation. It feels good to be home, but I miss the ocean. There is a therapeutic aspect of the sea that my soul craves. Melissa lent me "Mile Markers," and there was a quote in the early chapters that I adore: "The cure for anything is salt water-- sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen. (I know that is not the correct way to state the quote, but five years after college, I'm a little rusty. Becca- I'm sure you could help enlighten me). Sweat, tears and the sea. Always works for me. Luckily for me on vacation I got my dose of all three.

I am making some life changes, career-wise, which I am excited to tell you about soon. I'll give you a clue... it involves a room full of five-year-olds! I'm thrilled to be able to focus on one path, and no more of this two part-time job bit I've got going on now. And to be jumping into something I'm truly passionate about. I think I will continue to teach yoga, since I'm only teaching once a week now (and it forces mento get practice in at least on e a week).

Happy Monday, friends!

I'm still here!

Hi friends! I'm back from vacay.. And needing a vacation from vacation! Do you ever feel that way?? We had an amazing time spent with family. My in-laws are very generous and take the whole crew on a beach getaway. It's so nice to have time to actually spend time with family without having to run off somewhere. We had a little excitement, too! I'm so thankful Jack could spend time with his cousins, we don't get to see them too often.

I'm sorry for my blogger absence! I wanted to post pics and such, but, alas, our Internet isn't working. You would think with he amount we pay comcast every month it would be slightly reliable, right?!?

I ran 20 miles while in Maine! Big success after taking a week completely offf after the Mad Half. And did you hear?? Green Mountain Runner and I made the newspaper!

Welcome Vanessa!

Hello all! Since the lovely Danielle is on vacation this week, she asked me to write a guest post --and I’m so happy to do it! I wanted to share something that has been on my mind a lot lately, as I transition from “running for fun” to “marathon training”.

While I’ve run some trail races, 5k’s, and even a half-marathon before, I’ve never attempted the whole 26.2 miles. When I signed up for my first marathon, for November of this year, I was immediately filled with excitement--and regret. In the past, running has been my stress relief, source of enjoyment, and time for myself. How would marathon training change that?

While I haven’t officially begin my schedule for training yet, I’ve come up with a few ways to keep my sanity while training on a schedule.

--Don’t be afraid to tweak the schedule: I’m not going to worry if I have to move around a long run because I have plans.

--It’s okay to skip a workout: Of course I don’t want this to be a regular thing, but if I’m sick, injured, or just plain exhausted, I will give myself license to take the day off and come back stronger the next day.

--Keep up the cross-training: In order to prevent injury, it’s really important to me to incorporate things like yoga, swimming, and strength training into my fitness schedule. Plus, it breaks up the monotony of running day in and day out.

--Remember my priorities: Yes, training for (and finishing) a marathon is obviously very important to me. But not as important as my health, family, or work.

I’m excited to start my official training in the next couple of weeks, and I’ll refer back to this list if I feel like the marathon training schedule is taking over my life!

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a training schedule?

Yes! Just looking at 18 weeks of workouts is intimidating.

What other workouts do you incorporate into your running schedule?

Strength training, core fitness, yoga, lots of stretching and foam-rolling!

Thank you Vanessa! Go visit The Gourmet Runner.. she is so sweet and you will fall in love with her blog.

Speedy Workout

Speedy Workout:

My name is Katie and I blog at Katie Rose Fitness.  I’m a Certified Personal Trainer and a mom of one little guy with another on the way. 

I’m always looking for easy, bodyweight workouts that I can do at home while he’s napping or with him playing beside me.  Here’s a workout that’s so easy you won’t have any excuses not to do it!

Round 1:

•   15 pushups

•   50 jumping jacks

•   15 dips

•   50 high knees

•   15 walk outs (start standing, bend over and put hands on floor in front of you, slowly walk hands out until you get in a plank position then reverse and walk hands back towards body until you’re standing again keeping legs stationary the whole time)

•   30 mountain climbers

•   Repeat

Round 2:

•   20 jump squats

•   50 jumping jacks

•   15 backward lunges on each leg

•   50 high knees

•   25 bridge lifts

•   30 mountain climbers

•   Repeat

Round 3:

•   30 V-sit crunch (get in v-sit, straighten arms overhead and legs out straight while leaning back as far as you can without hurting lower back, bring arms and legs together back to v-sit)

•   30 second plank

•   30 hand to toe on each side (lay flat on back, bring right hand to left toe keeping arm and leg straight, go as slow as you can)

•   30 second plank

•   30 supermans (lay on your stomach, arms out straight, legs straight, slowly lift arms off the floor and legs off the floor, hold for 2 counts, lower)

•   30 second plank

Enjoy!

Big thanks to Katie at Katie Rose Fitness for the guest blog!

And We're Off

Just about all packed up (I'll finish in the morning) and ready to head to the beach. I can't wait to run along the beach and explore a new town through my runs. I hope Jack is ready, because we're bringing the jogger!

I'm Ready

I have not run since the race on Sunday. This break feels great but, I have to say I am ready to run! My mom is taking Jack for the day tomorrow because I have so many things to get together and packed for vacation. Who knew packing for a week-long vacation for three would be so much harder than packing for two?!? This is our first family vacation and the list of things to pack is a mile long. Knowing me, I'm probably going a little overboard, but I'd rather be prepared. All I used to need for vacation was a few bikinis and books. Thanks to GMR I have two new running books to read... can't wait!

Mad Half Race Recap

My morning started bright and early- set my alarm for 4:30 and was up by 4:45. I had asked GMR to text me if she didn't hear from me by 5:00. but luckily I was able to get up on my own.

I made coffee, got dressed and took some self portraits.

And practiced my form

 We were on the road by 5:45 and arrived by 6:30 which left us with plenty of time to fuel, drink water and use the porta-potties. We met a reader- Hi Prudence!- which was pretty cool, I must say.

Finally it was time to line up and at this point I was ready to get the race over with!

I'm pretty sure we chicked 402

 This race was hilly!

We started off nice and slow and managed to keep an attainable pace throughout. We got passed early on by many people, but we were running smart. I noticed we ended up passing many of them in the later miles. Because we were smart running the hills in the beginning, we were able to take advantage of the last couple miles downhill.

It was a rude reminder in the beginning that every downhill we were on would eventually have to be climbed. One part was an out and back- out was downhill and the climb back was rough. I am proud to say that we powered up every single hill (mountain, haha). We stopped and walked through water stations. I've found that actually walking through water stations is more efficient because I get the necessary fluids successfully.

Around mile 9, I was feeling great. We were coming up to a water stop and I decided to take one final gu. I took it out of my back pocket and when I reached back to make sure Melissa's car key was still there- it wasn't. Shoot (I was thinking other choice words)!!! I stopped and turned around to find the key- I knew it couldn't be far and soon found it. Thank you!! Sorry for scaring you, Melissa! I didn't say anything to her when it happened- I just stopped and started retracing my steps.

Once I had the key back we continued on and cruised the downhills. It felt awesome!

The last mile was uphill, though, and it seemed to drag on. Towards the end, I kept asking Melissa where we were at distance wise (sorry!) because she was wearing her Garmin. I never thought I would see that 13 mile mark. Finally we did and sprinted the .1 to the finish! 2:16:42, a new PR for me.

This was a challenging course, but I have to say, one of my favorite races. I had so much fun running with Melissa the entire time. There were many times I was able to push on because she was right there with me. I think if I had been on my own, I would have stopped to walk. It was a test mentally as well as physically. It was so daunting looking up and seeing a sea of people ascending a 700 foot climb in front of you. I definitely plan on doing this race next year (unless there's a new little Stoner on the way, ha).

Prayers Needed

 
http://jamescamdensikes.blogspot.com/

Please pray for this family. What they are going through is unimaginable and I pray God can give them the strength to make a completely heart wrenching decision, one no parent should have to do.

WTF Smart Coach?

Runners World Smart Coach stinks. I loosely followed it training for the KBVCM, but it worked because I KNEW better. I've read enough training plans and ran enough half marathons to generally know that building, building, running 12 miles the week before the race and having NO taper will not work out well for the mortal runner.

I had hopes of following a schedule training for the Mad Half, and was planning on using a modified version of Hal Higdon's back-to-back marathon program. I ended up just running my feel and taking it easy in general, but making sure to get my long runs in and have enough of a rest period before the race.

My next scheduled race is a 10K on August 20, so just out of curiosity, I plugged my stats into Smart Coach to see what kind of training plan it gives me. It gave me the exact same plan as training for a half marathon! Huh?!? It even includes long runs starting at nine miles and working up to 11. Um, no. The longest I plan to run in prep for the 10K is seven miles.

Has anyone else used Smart Coach? What do you think?

Mad Half

GMR and I ran the Mad Half in Waitsfield today. We were both feeling the nerves and not really feeling like racing, but as soon as we got going, it was great. I felt like I had a great run- it was TOUGH. Major hills, but we powered up them all and were able to cruise on the downhills. Full recap to come, but we finished in 2:16. I feel really good about this time considering it was such a tough course- and it's a new PR for me! I really enjoyed running with Melissa the entire time. Races like this are what it's all about.

It's here!

I'm off to run a half marathon!

Getting Dizzy

I taught senior group fitness today- "Stride and Strong." These golden girls are tough cookies! I love that they are all in their seventies and eighties and are living active lifestyles. Most of them rarely miss a day at the gym. One of them said a plus of getting old is that you need less sleep- more time for the fun stuff!

I snuck some pics, they aren't very good but I'll share anyway:

I tried to find my inner spy and secretly take the pics but then one of the women asked what I was doing with my electronic device.

I am always perplexed when it comes to deciding the music to play. Once I played Frank Sinatra and it didn't go over too well. They said they like upbeat music. So, today I played some Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Billy Joel and it was a success.

After class, I stayed around to run a couple laps on the track (it's indoor) but I started to get dizzy.

I lost count after nine, but I do know I ran for about 20 minutes. I wanted to just get a quick run in to loosen up my legs since I have a HALF MARATHON on Sunday!

Tonight I'm carbo loading, like any elite runner would.

GMR and I going to pick up our race packets toboggan!

Did You See It?

HERE!

My guest post on MomSwimBikeRun!

I'm going to try to go to bed early tonight, since the sleeps leading up to a race are more important than the sleep the night before a race. And we all know I won't be sleeping Saturday night. Especially with a 4:45 am wake-up needed to make the hour + trek for a 7:30 start time.

I'm teaching senior fitness tomorrow! It's a class I taught for a while when Jack was tiny, but gave up when I went back to work. It's actually called "Stride and Strong." They lift weights and do body conditioning mixed with walking laps around the track. It's actually a ton of fun and I'm looking forward to seeing my ladies (and one gentleman) tomorrow. These women are awesome. I'm going to try to sneak a peak and take a pic so you can all see how cute they are. I'm sure they won't notice.

20 Minutes

20 minute body weight cross training: perfect for getting that workout in when you'd rather spend the evening Groovin' on the Green than going for a run.

1 minute of each:

Squats
Lunges- right side
Lunges- left side
Calf raises
Leg Lifts- right side
Leg Lifts- left side
Plank with pushups every 10 seconds
Side Plank- right side
Side Plank- left side
Plank with pushups every 10 seconds

REPEAT

Feel Good Thursday

Mad Half: Goals

I'm running the Mad Half this weekend- a half marathon in the mad River Valley. It's a killer course, basically uphill the first nine miles. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not quite as excited about this half as I was about the Vermont City Marathon. My running endurance is high, but I've been slacking in the cross training department. I run hills, but none with the intensity of these.

Thankfully, I will have someone to share the pain with. Melissa is running, too. We can cry together out of fear on the hour-long car ride there, and cry tears of happiness on the way home. Like she said, we don't have to tell anyone our times.. Don't worry, I'll tell you :) I have a feeling we'll be wearing our medals from this race for a looong time.

My goals for this race are to FINISH and HAVE FUN. I'm not going to set any time goals, but I want to run smart and strong. Pace myself well, especially over the first nine miles so I can truly enjoy the last four miles that are all downhill.

I've heard of runners dedicating miles to people- family and loved ones. I thought about this, but then I'd probably end up crying, and we all know I can't cry and run.I am going to try to remember how lucky I am to have this luxury of being able to RUN.

HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE: the H2O I drink all week long is just as important as the water I drink race day. Stretch, run easy (ran six easy miles on Sunday, and four easy miles yesterday) and foam roll. I'm taking today off from running, but will run easy again on Thursday and Friday.

How do you mentally prepare for a race that you know will be TOUGH and push you out of your comfort levels?

Enjoy the Small Things

A close friend and colleague of my mom's for 20 years died tragically on Saturday. He drowned while competing in a local sprint triathlon. A healthy, strong, intelligent man, a father to three, husband and friend to many. I met him just a few times, most recently at the Vermont City Marathon. It was his first time running in the marathon as a part of a relay, and was so excited to be doing it. My mom said he was committed to making a healthy lifestyle for himself and his family, and even completed a Spartan race last summer. From what my mom says, he was one of the kindest, smartest, caring person she's ever known.

When tragedy strikes, all those cliches become so real. Everything gets put into eerie perspective. Don't take a single day for granted, you never know if it will be the last. Live your life to the fullest. Enjoy the small things. At my cousin's wedding, I reminded myself that I am so lucky to have a big family. We all love each other and get along (for the most part!) and truly enjoy each other's company. Push your limits, hug your kids, hug your parents, take chances. Make the most of the time you have.

Beach Baby

I hope everyone had a happy 4th and was able to spend some time with their families. My beautiful cousin got married on July 3- I sadly didn't take any pics, brought my camera but was having too much fun to remember to use it.

The 4th was a busy, fun, family day. We went to a parade in the morning, came home for a nap (for Jack, but I'm we could have used one, too) and then spent the afternoon at Lake Iroquois.

Jack loved the sand, which makes me so excited to go to Maine. With so much sand to dig in and water to splash in, he will have so much fun.

Self Portrait Trial

I glisten, not sweat

At first I was having a hard time taking self portraits, but now it's kid of fun. I looked around to make sure none of the neighbors were watching. Not that they care though, most of them are much weirder than me.

I wasn't planning on running today, but when I got back from teaching yoga this morning, Jack went down for a nap. Adam was leaving for work in 30 minutes  so I ran out to get a quick three miles in. It was HOT! 87 degrees. 3.2 miles in 31 minutes. I'll take it!

Jack and I ran yesterday, too. A nice easy run of a little over five miles. It's amazing how much better runs can feel by just taking an extra day off.

...

I had a nice, full class at yoga today and I played some Tom Petty and Adele. Random, I know.

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My cousin is getting married tomorrow! And I do still have something fun up my sleeve for this little ol' blog but didn't get it done yesterday.. but I promise, it's coming!

Happy Saturday!