Work That Booty

Saturday morning I met up with Ela at the gym and this time she was the one who couldn't run. So she stretched while I did a quick mile warm up before meeting her on the mats. After that we were all ready for leg day!

 As always, you can always alter the difficulty on any exercise to meet your personal fitness level. We used weights for everything except the calf raises and split squats, right now it's too hard for us to keep our balance while doing those! We had a great time at the gym despite the New Years crowd beginning to take over what was once open space on the floor. It's great to see people who want to better themselves through healthy living and I sincerely hope they can keep it up in the coming year!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and the final days of 2013, everyone!

Christmas Belles

Sunday was a bit of a day off. The calm before the storm, you might say. I spent the afternoon wrapping presents and trying to finish up the little last minute things I needed done. We went out to see American Hustle for girls night and loved it. It was done by the same people who did The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook. The deeply flawed characters were perfectly played and a joy to watch.

We were all thankful for our rest day when Monday rolled around. Everyone in my house seemed to get sick all at once. My brother picked up my sore throat and my mom came down with the flu. We also still had a dinner party to put on for all my brothers friends who are home for the holidays. All twenty-something of them. I love them, they're like family to me, but that is a lot of people to feed all by yourself. Luckily, I had help. Two of my best friends, who are absolute saints, came over to help out.

Ela, me, and Chara

After a haphazard costco trip my brother sent out a note to all the guys and told them it was now a potluck. Turned out to be the best idea since we went from not knowing how to make enough food for all those people to not knowing how we were going to eat all the food everyone had brought! Later that night I actually had to finish off most of a gallon of milk just so there would be room for everything in the fridge! The guys really impressed me with their cooking skills, and they were dressed to kill. The whole night was a success.

The next day was Christmas Eve but since everyone was feeling icky they stayed in bed and I enjoyed leftovers with my dad. We watched some action flicks and hung out around the house since everything else in town was closed. The guys from the dinner party the night before all ended up joining me for the midnight candlelight church service that night after Dad had gone to bed.

The next day my mother was finally able to get out of bed for the first time all week! We watched our favorite Christmas movie, Miracle, and enjoyed more leftovers (seriously, there was so much food!). It was a pretty low key Christmas compared to years past but it was nice to have some days off and get to spend time with my family.

The biggest highlight of Christmas day for me was when I was finally well enough to go for a run! It had been 16 days since I had last run and I had only managed to get in about eight miles the entire month! My friends thought it was great because they finally had the chance to beat me for most miles run on our Nike+ Running apps but the urge to run was too much. After taking it easy and not doing any cardio for the entire time I had been sick I was desperate for a run.

I told myself I was just going to go see what I could do comfortably. I knew it wasn't going to be pretty but I didn't care, I just needed to lace up and get outside. I expected to run about 5 miles but when I hit what would have been the turn around at 2.5 miles I was feeling strong enough to keep going and turned it into a 6 mile run. Not bad for taking a few weeks off.

I should have stretched out after, though, because I was feeling pretty tight the next day! All the lifting I had been doing had kept my quads, and hamstrings in fairly decent shape but I hadn't done nearly enough for my calves. Whoops! Since I was a gymnast for years and years before I began running I have a tendency to run entirely on my toes, regardless of how far I'm going. Which means when I'm in top shape I have wonder calves that are so disproportionate to the rest of my body I actually have to go a size up in boots. But when I'm not running they shrink back up to a more normal size that isn't strong enough to support endless mileage.

I am, however, determined to reverse those effects since I spent my Christmas day signing up for races after I got back from my run. I've got my latest training schedule all worked out and am looking forward to building up my base so I can hit about a hundred miles a month and not just twenty or so. I didn't do nearly enough training for my last half and looked a bit like a ghost when I crossed the finish line. I don't want to feel that drained again. Especially since I signed up for my very first marathon that I will be running this summer!

After four years of being a sometimes serious, sometimes not-so-serious, runner I'm ready to take the plunge and finally conquer 26.2 miles! The farthest I've ever run is a little over a half so I'm nervous-excited but also totally pumped to cross this off my list of things I've always wanted to do. Especially since my "Racing Bucket List" is pages long and most of them are a length I've never before attempted. Time to get started on making some dreams come true!

As you can see from the photo above I did sneak in one more run this week, too. Before my training program begins for real on the 30th. I dashed outside after work and managed to get in the three miles before the sun set. I then went back into the gym and did Fran before going home for the day.

When I got home I had some of my favorite broccoli and cheddar soup and watched an old favorite, You've Got Mail; with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks (1998). I then passed out on the sofa and missed almost the entire Fight Hunger Bowl game in which my precious Huskies were playing. I ended up sleeping for so long I was hungry again when I woke up, but it was too late for any actual sort of meal so I grabbed a handful of the mini bell peppers I bought in bulk a couple weeks back and snacked on them, instead.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas week!!

Christmas is Coming!

Saturday started with a late morning and meeting Ela at the gym a little before noon. She hoped on a treadmill and busted out 2.5 miles while I stretched out. So far there is only a tiny bit of progress in terms of my flexibility but I haven't gotten stuck again so I'm looking at the little victories. It was legs and core day for us so I wrote up a workout we'll probably change if we're going to use it again; it was a bit harder to remember than I meant it to be!

 Next time I would make all the abs exercises the same number of reps so we can remember it easier but otherwise it was a great workout!

After our morning workout we dashed home to get ready for our friend's annual cookie decorating party! We had a blast demonstrating our sometimes horrific, sometimes not completely awful, decorating skills. No matter how many we make we never seem to get any better! Oh well, at least we had a good time!

I'm wearing 4 inch heels and everyone else is in flats!

You all know I'm a big supporter of clean eating and cookies don't exactly fall into that particular category but there are ways to make it work. I made sure to eat a big meal before I got to the party so I wasn't hungry for anything. Most times you think you're hungry your body is actually trying to signal to you that it needs to be re-hydrated so try drinking some water or tea before heading straight to the snacks! I should have kept my water bottle with me so I could reach for that instead of a cookie if I felt a craving. Great sweet treats I've found to curb cravings are fruits. For example: apples are low in calories but high in fiber so they fill you up without weighing you down. They're also great for your skin and digestive system.

All in all, Saturday was a splendid start to the weekend and Christmas Week!


Sweater: Ralph Lauren
Jeans: Joe's

Abs Are Made In the Kitchen!

Friday brought snow to Seattle! Not that it lasted long, slightly warmer temps and a little rain washed all the snow away by mid-afternoon but it was still a beautiful sight to see in the early morning!

Sadly I still can't go out running but that hasn't been stopping me from getting my sweat on in the gym! My legs were still sore from Thursday's stretching after work when I met up with my best friend to give our cores a little TLC.

We broke this workout into three sections because of how our gym is laid out, if it works to do all of them as one group then go for it!

For this one you'll want a mat, a bar to do pull ups, inverted crunches, and leg lifts on, as well as the ability to do lat pull downs somewhere. The wall sit doesn't have to be weighted if you don't want it to be and you can do whatever time on the plank you're comfortable with; just remember you're doing it 4 times!

After we parted ways I went home and tried to pump myself full of all the germ-fighting vitamins I could get my hands on in the fridge. I'm ready to be over this sinus infection and strep already! I found a giant bag of mini bell peppers and knew exactly what to do.

I grabbed six and a cutting board as well as extra virgin olive oil, a box of quinoa, and some spinach. In the time it took for the quinoa to cook I had diced all the peppers and was ready to mix it all together. I was pretty excited about this dinner because none of the other people I live with enjoy eating either peppers nor quinoa but since I had the place to myself for the evening it was chef's choice. The food ended up big enough for multiple meals so I pulled out some tupperware to store the extras for the rest of the weekend and mixed together what I needed for a single serving.

The warm quiona with the fresh veggies ended up being exactly what the doctor called for and I gobbled the whole thing up. Looking forward to seeing what other variations I can make from the leftovers this weekend!

Arm Burners

After Wednesday's leg workout we were each a little sore but we agreed not to let it stop us from showing up again on Thursday! My best friend, Ela, needed a break from the arc trainer and opted for a 5k on the treadmill instead.

While she was working up a sweat I was camped out on a mat working on my flexibility. After stretching for 25 minutes I got into a deep straddle to stretch a bit more while I waited for my friend to finish her warm up. I kept inching my legs further and further back until IT happened. I got stuck! I was completely unable to move and too proud to ask a random gym member for help. So I waited for Ela to join me. And waited. And waited. After what felt like an eternity, but was really only ten minutes (I stretch with a stopwatch) she finally found me trapped on the floor. Lucky for me she had no trouble picking up my feet and bringing them back together so I could get up.

Only trouble was, my legs were to wibbly-wobbly to support me! I looked like a total goof as I tried to stand up and gather my stuff. Even hours later my family commented on how funny I was walking. Whoops! Guess I had a little too much stretching after all!

Fortunately for me it wasn't legs day and I was still able to make it through our arms workout!

This was a tough one and the final round really kicked our butts but we agreed we wanted to keep doing it until it was easy! Glad I made another keeper for us to rotate though!

We used 5lb dumbbells for the arm raises and a 10lb ball for the wallballs. A 15lb kettlebell and 25lbs on the rope pull downs rounded out the circuit.

Let me know what you think of this one if you give it a try yourself!

Sick and Still Lifting

So after being told I was simply suffering from a sinus infection and was not contagious and would get better with time and rest I went about life as usual. I went out with friends nearly every night; it's remarkable how much more free time I have now that I'm not allowed to run until I'm all better. I went to see The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug (it was, hands down, the best one yet), I spent time with the grandparents, I went Christmas shopping,  attended dinner parties. And slowly but surely began to feel better. Then, it happened. Monday morning I received a call from the doctor saying they had made a mistake and I did have strep throat after all. Not only that but I was incredibly contagious. I had been running around like Typhoid Mary for weeks. When my boss heard she ordered me to stay home for a couple days despite my claims to feeling better than I had the week before.

After a couple days of antibiotics I was finally allowed back to work but not before being reminded how much I hate being lazy. Don't get me wrong, there are days when I want nothing more than to crash on the sofa and binge watch tv but on most days I'd rather be out getting fresh air and bouncing around at the gym, park, with my dogs, family or friends. When "relaxation" is forced on me it's not so relaxing after all. I was restless the whole time and did not even manage to enjoy my time off.

Lucky for me, I'm still allowed to work out, at least a little. And my workout buddy was happy to hear it, too!

Today we started off the same as last time, 30 minutes of her on the arc trainer and me stretching.

You might notice I've been throwing calf raises in more often but I've found that without running all the time I've been losing the definition in my legs - so not ok! I may not be able to run yet but that doesn't mean I can let the muscles atrophy!

Winter Weekends And Stretchy Goals

After my last workout I had a rough recovery day. Not in terms of my muscles, they seemed quite fine, but the rest of my body had quite the time reminding me that I am still sick! I was exhausted all of Saturday and had practically no appetite whatsoever. I must have watched White Christmas at least twice and felt terrible about how lazy I was being. Rest days have always been a struggle for me because I have always felt the need to be doing something. A day without work, exercise, or any other sort of activity feels like a complete waste. And I can hardly believe any of you would be interested in photos of me in my pajamas catching up on tv if any such things even existed.

My same friend who worked out with me on Friday wanted to know when we could hit the gym again and after a day of pure boredom I was thrilled to know I would have a regular gym buddy for the winter. We agreed to meet up Sunday morning and got started right away. While she did her cardio warm up I hit the mats for a bit of stretching and yoga since cardio is still off limits until I'm no longer sick.

Stretching has always been my least favorite element of a healthy lifestyle since I was little. Even as a kindergartner who cartwheeled her way through life I hated having to sit down and work on my flexibility. Stretching always felt like more of that dreaded rest I mentioned earlier and never seemed nearly as fun as all the other workouts.

 But as I've grown up I've come to understand its importance, not that I've gone ahead and done anything about it; my splits - the ones I used to have as a high school cheerleader - are far above the floor these days.

A back handspring from way back in the day

They are also my latest goal. I'd like to have them back. And not just "someday". I know better than to set a goal for myself without a deadline. So I'm telling you now, I intend to have my splits by the first day of March, 2014. I'll keep you updated on my progress but here is where I'm at now.

My "good side" left leg forward splits

My right leg forward splits - this side has always been tighter

After an agonizing half hour of bending and twisting in ways I haven't in months my friend finished her run and we were ready to hit the weights!

It was a short and sweet session today but I was still pretty winded by the end. I know I've got a long time before I'll be back to where I was before I got sick but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to not only get back there but to surpass it and rise even higher.


Shirt: Nike
Shorts: Nike
Shoes: Adidas

"Rest Day"

After much debate and several sleepless nights I finally went in to see a doctor to figure out what was up with this whole not getting better thing. I had typed my symptoms into webmd and they told me it could pretty much be anything from allergies to cancer so when the doc said sinus infection my first question was, "So, can I still run?" Turns out, intensive cardiovascular activity makes sinus infections worse. Ooopsie! The doctor actually told me to take the rest of the week (and most of next week) off. Total bummer. On the other hand, pushing it too hard too quickly could turn this into pneumonia, making what I've got now seem like a minor annoyance so I'll take her advice and get a little rest. But the second I'm good to go I'll be back with a vengeance. After all, seven days of rest make one weak! And there is a massive difference between looking fit and being fit. I'd prefer the latter so I'm giving myself some rest, for now.

Or so I thought...when I got a text from one of my very best friends saying she was in need of a sweat session I couldn't help but join in. She had mentioned only ever joining me for arms days so I tried to mix it up a bit and work a little of everything for her. I had her begin with 30 minutes on the arc trainer at level 10 (that puts her resistance at 45) and I joined her after the cardio was done.

I was inspired to throw some of these in thanks to scrolling through the instagram account of the fabulous Shauna Harrison. She's one of the inspiring women sponsored by Under Armour and has a PhD in Public Health. She also posts great exercises to her instagram in both photo and video form.

Just a heads up, this is killer on your wrists so if you've been having any problems with them, you might want to ease up or save it for another day!

Bone Chilling Cold

This week has had temperatures below freezing but the sliver lining was a couple days of beautiful sunshine! I planned ahead to run on what would be the sunniest and "warmest" days. Unfortunately the weather man wasn't quite as accurate as I'd hoped. My run was sunny but so cold I couldn't feel my face! I cut my run short because despite my many (warmest) layers I was expelling heat too quickly and not able to warm up. It actually took another hour beside the fire before I fully regained feeling in my extremities.

I was reminded why I used to do hot yoga in the winters! 90 degrees is definitely preferable to 20! I only saw three other people on the trail at a time that is usually incredibly popular...hmm can't imagine why that might have been...

When it took me so long to warm up I imagined it was only because I hadn't dressed warm enough, not because I was starting to get sick. That is, until I worked out with my grandma the next day.

As I've mentioned before, my grandmother come in to work out with me on Thursdays. On this particular day we did similar, though not identical routines.  

We warmed up with 5 minutes on the arc trainer. She was at level 5 and I was at level 15.

Then, since it was leg day, we each set up a circuit. I had my squat rack and a box. She had a 20lb bar and, because the boxes were all a little too high for her, I had stacked up a few plates for her to step up on to. She's not at box jumps yet, but she'll get there! I was also extremely proud of her for moving up from doing squats with a 10lb dumbbell to the 20lb bar this week!

For best results, do the calf raises on the box and make sure to drop your heels (as controlled as possible) below parallel to where your toes are standing on the box.

My grandmother couldn't get down on a mat for the medicine ball V-ups (for obvious reasons) so she did alternating reps of 10 on the oblique twister machine instead (technical sounding, I know). 

For our cool down we spent the last five minutes on a treadmill at a fast walk.

When we'd finished I was completely winded, it was as if I hadn't worked out in months! I even had to knock off 10lbs from what I normally squat in order to not feel crushed by the weight. A workout like this would normally completely wipe out my grandma and be written off as an active rest day for me but it was the complete opposite. She felt stronger than ever and I needed a break!

This was when I decided to take the rest of the weekend off to rest and get my strength back. I went out to the movies with friends - side note, everyone should go see Frozen - then stayed in to catch up on some reading, I got my latest issue of Runner's World Magazine. And taking some time off seemed to work!

 I was back to feeling much more like myself by Monday and bundled up for a quick four miles outside before the sun set. 14 degrees doesn't feel so bad when you keep moving - at least that's what I kept telling myself, it was still pretty chilly out.

I might be sensing a pattern developing but I didn't feel so great again on Tuesday and took the night off with a promise to myself to resume working out by the end of the week. We'll see how that goes....

HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training

Yesterday's work out was short and sweet since I was trying to get home for Monday Night Football. (Go Seahawks!!) I grabbed a box and a kettlebell (though you could also use a dumbbell) and got right to work with my eye on the clock.

My goal was to work up a sweat in as little time as possible so I took a page out of the HIIT work book. High Intensity Interval Training is designed to get you moving and that it did! My workout is below for all of you and I highly suggest you try it out! I didn't specify any number of rounds this time because that's completely up to you, your fitness levels, and how much time you've got to spare.

I was able to finish three rounds in 15 minutes but would have liked to do maybe five or six rounds if I hadn't been in such a time crunch. It got my heart rate up and I could feel it working, but, like I said, maybe a few more rounds would be even better for next time. Over all this was a great workout and I would absolutely do it again.

Hills, Love 'em and Hate 'em

Runners have a unique relationship with hills. Everyone knows they need to practice running on them but only a mad few actually enjoy it. I'm just as guilty of skipping hill work as anyone. And I have no excuse, I live at the top of one! It has gotten so bad that I legitimately drive one mile down hill to the gym, leave my stuff there, run on the trail next to the gym and then go back to the gym to work out before driving one mile home. I have gotten stuck in traffic on my way to the gym. Something that is honestly embarrassing. This weekend we've been riddled with storm warnings and I was saying how lucky I was that I could walk to the gym if my car got snowed into the garage. Then I heard what I had said....pretty sad, isn't it?

So guess who ran to the gym today? This girl! Getting there is fine, absolutely no problem. Getting back home, on the other hand, is a battle of the wills. One mile that is completely up hill after an already grueling workout did not my shining moment make. I just kept reminding myself "You don't get better at running hills by walking them."

I used to run this hill no problem, used to do it all the time. But that was a couple years ago. I know all I need to do is keep practicing but it's still gonna take a while before I feel any sort of speedy on my way home.

In between my mile runs today I did manage to stick it out at the gym for a great workout. All I needed was a 40lb bar, a medicine ball, a 10lb plate, and a mat.

I used the 40lb bar for the Thrusters, Lunges, Deadlifts, and Squats. The 10lb plate for the Inverted Sit ups and Russian Twists, the medicine ball for the Vups and the mat for all the ab work that required me to be on the floor.

This workout combined with my hilly two miles ended up being a great workout I have no doubt I'll be doing again in the near future.

Pre-Thanksgiving FRAN

Wednesday was a bit of a zany day as everyone got ready for Thanksgiving. People were going and coming like crazy both at work and home. I knew I would be taking today off to spend the day with my family so I wanted to make sure I got in at least one good work out before indulging on the Thanksgiving Feast. Clearly, I wasn't the only one who felt the need to earn their slice of pumpkin pie since the gym was packed!

I knew I needed a workout that would make me feel sore enough to eat mindfully rather than to stuff myself past what I would normally eat and so enters Fran. Fran is not a real person, at least not as far as I've ever heard, but she is one heck of a solid work out. Crossfitters have a love/hate relationship with their workouts but as someone who doesn't actually practice crossfit on a regular basis I just have to go in knowing I'm gonna get my butt kicked.

I do enjoy the occasional crossfit WOD but for the most part stick to workouts that I know. Having been a gymnast on and off for the last 19 years and a varsity athlete in high school, I have a pretty sufficient knowledge of challenging exercises to run through and mix them up enough to never really get bored. But occasionally I have to go to outside sources to find just what I'm looking for. This week, that was Fran.

Foolishly, I didn't think Fran would be enough and started off with 30 minutes on the arc trainer, my new favorite thing. Turns out, there is a drastic difference between 15 and 30 minutes on that beast. Especially when you keep your heart rate above 185 the entire time. I looked, and smelled, like death by the time I was done and had already committed to doing Fran as well as an abdominal circuit before heading home. Lord, what fools these mortals be. First I was too short to even reach the bar but once I had a friend lower it for me (yes, I really am that short) I was ready to go. I will not say it was my best time, my pull ups were more than rusty and ended in a couple chin up holds while I caught my breath. I was just happy to have finished. That is, until I remembered I still needed to do abs.

I grabbed a mat and a 10 pound weight and got to work.

I held the small 10lb disk against my chest during the crunches. During the Russian twists I held the weight slightly in front of my torso so I could tap it on the ground each time I turned.

By the time I had finished with my entire workout I had to peel myself off the floor. It hurt to laugh, to pick up my purse, to walk out to my car. The works. I knew I had done well when I arrived home and was still warm enough from my workout to put on a tank top and shorts while everyone else was bundled up and huddled around the fire.

I had a deliciously high protein dinner of crab legs with fresh fruit for dessert. I passed up on the cookies the boys were chowing down on knowing eating too many sweets in a week would make me sick. The willpower it took to turn down those freshly baked chocolate chip cookies was harder than I would have liked but I survived. Yep, I totally earned that slice of pie with extra whipped cream.

Cardio Tester: Arc Trainer

After discussing our favorite cardio options at work yesterday (mine being running or using the stair master) my co-workers gave me a hard time about never having used the Arc Trainer. I had never seen the need to use it before since I got all I needed from running and stairs but I told them I'd give it a try. 

Turns out, the arc trainer is my new favorite indoor cardio option! It combines the movements of the stair master with the elliptical (a machine I abhore) and gives you the feeling of running uphill in a way that you can't get from simply increasing the incline on a treadmil. 

I bumped the arc trainer up to level 10 and did my best to sprint for 15 minutes as my warmup. According to the machine, not only did I get my heart rate up but I managed to burn 200 calories before I even went a mile! Score! 

After my magical new warmup I set up the circuit below for my workout.

There's not any gymnastics this week becase of Thanksgiving so I won't be able to begin two-a-days until next week.

Running to Christmas Carols

Some say it's too early for Christmas carols to be playing - Thanksgiving isn't even here yet! But the Ugly Sweater Run left me inspired. Sunday night I went home and pulled together some of my favorite upbeat Christmas song for a new running playlist.

The trouble with creating a playlist can sometimes occur when there are not enough songs of the right speed to compile. My playlist ended up being 34 minutes long. I went out and tested it Monday afternoon and (foolishly) forgot my running watch at home. I was forced to run to the beat of the songs to keep me on pace. Thanks to my Nike+Running app I know I ran at 11:05 for the entire run without fail. This doesn't normally happen to me since I'm typically about a minute or so faster per mile but I was amazed at the consistency I got just from the music alone.

My Christmas Playlist is:

Jingle Bells by Michael Buble (Featuring the Puppini Sisters)

Let It Snow by The Glee Cast

Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town by Bruce Springsteen

The 12 Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser

Heaven Everywhere by Francesca Battistelli

All I Want For Christmas Is You by The Glee Cast

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee

Who Spiked The Eggnog bu Straight No Chaser

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer by Burt Ives

We Need A Little Christmas by The Glee Cast

The Christmas Can-Can by Straight No Chaser

Deck The Rooftop by The Glee Cast

While I'm not a fan of the actual show, Glee does have a penchant for speeding up some more traditional carols and for that I was extremely grateful. Essentially everything Michael Bublè sings is magic so I was thrilled to have him in this playlist as well. And Straight No Chaser does my favorite non-traditional Christmas songs. There are a couple slower songs on the playlist as well but I love them so much they didn't have the power to slow me down.

Ugly Sweater Run

Earlier this morning I pulled on my warmest running clothes and a Christmas t-shirt. Why? For my latest race: The Ugly Sweater Run!  This morning Seattle's Ugly Sweater Run was powered by the Human Movement and held at Magunson Park.

I had picked up my packet yesterday at Sports Authority and had received a cute new beanie, temporary mustache tattoo and my bib number. With some encouraging words from the volunteers I was all ready to go and excited for race day.

The hat says Ugly Sweater Run

I arrived early as I always do and walked about a mile from the parking lot to the start of the race. Along the way I passed a few friendly faces that helped to get everyone into the spirit. The first mile aid station that was along the trail next to the parking lot offered both water and hot chocolate. Giant, inflatable reindeer stood guard at the half mile mark next to where snow blowers were set up during the race.

Large candy cane arches marked the 1st mile aid station next to the parking lot

Once I arrived at the main race area I was able to see where the start and finish lines were set up as well as the beer garden sponsored by Samuel Adams and the Toys for Tots donation center was next to a massive, blow up tree and a couple marines in their dress blues who kept an eye on the donations.

People lined up at will and that became a problem when I discovered that while there were corrals they were not set up by time but simply who showed up first. This became a problem when there were nearly 4000 runners lining up to get going. I was lucky enough to get into the first corral but was stuck in the very back, far behind hundreds of walkers, strollers, and dogs. There was not enough attention payed to the actual race as much as there were to the "extras". A beer garden and after party are nice but not if the race itself is problematic, then you just have a bunch of cranky runners.

And let me tell you, there were some incredibly cranky runners today. The course was advertised as a 5K but when we crossed the finish line we discovered we had only run 2.28 miles. This is like those people who ask you how long your marathon is because they think it's a type of race that's "just a long distance" rather than an exact distance of 26.2. The conditions had been perfect except for the mud where the snow blowers had melted the dirt paths into mud. The race should have been perfect but the administrators failed the runners and cut the race short. I've run several other races at this same park and they've never had any trouble plotting a course that is long enough. The park even holds half marathons a couple times a year so there is no excuse for not being able to fit in a 5K. By the time I had finished there were still hundreds of people waiting in the starting corrals to get going. I even had to walk back through the course to get to my car because the parking lot directly next to the start/finish had been blocked up.

Over all this race did not stand up to my expectations which was sorely disappointing. While I will still continue to run races that are held at the park I doubt I will continue to participate in races put on by The Human Movement. On another note, my view of the lake from the starting corral was stunning!

Long sleeve shirt: Adidas
T-shirt: Target
Tights: C9 By Champion for Target
Shoes: Nike
Watch: Garmin
Headwarmer: C9 By Champion for Target
Gloves: Nike

This Week's Workouts

I had to be at work much earlier than normal this week. The new schedule subsequently messed with all my original plans. I had already been at work for a while by the time I normally get up to run came around so I had to switch up my workouts a bit.

Wednesday, when I got off work I made my way over to the free weights and grabbed two 15lb dumbbells, a 10lb dumbbell, a 30lb bar, a 20lb plate, and two benches.

I set up a circuit that looked like this:

(Shoulder Press with the 15lb dumbbells)

(Tricep Kickback with the 10lb dumbbell - alternating arms)

(Clean and Jerk with the 30lb bar)

(Tricep Dips with the two benches and 20lb plate)

I then hopped on the bike and went for 3.1 miles in 10 minutes at level 10

I'm not usually the biggest fan of the bikes but I do love being able to compete with myself and seeing how far I can go in a matter of minutes is a nice distraction from the knowledge I'm trapped in the gym on a stationary bike.

On Thursday my grandmother joined me at the gym. Earlier in the fall we had gone out to lunch and she was complaining about her weight and I told her she wasn't allowed to complain unless she was doing something about it. So now she joins me for a workout once a week (and doesn't complain a bit).

The two of us on her most recent birthday

This week we started on the stair master for a five minute warm up then moved over to the cable tower.

We alternated working on the Lat Pull Downs and Rowing Machine for 3 minutes each.

Next we each grabbed a bench and a pair of weights to work on three sets of ten Shoulder Presses and Kneeling One Arm Rows.

We switched up our weights for three sets of ten squats, me with 125lbs and her with 10lbs (I'm moving her up to 20lbs next time because she keeps talking about how easy squatting is).

We finished with five minutes walking on the treadmill. When I'm as old as she is I hope I can do what I've got her doing; it's a pretty impressive workout for 82 years old.

Friday wrapped up the week with me being able to get off work early. This was my first chance all week to run outside! The sun was out and shining off every surface. The lack of cloud covering meant near freezing temperatures but I was too happy about being outside to notice.

With a view of the water from the trail there's not much prettier than a run outdoors

I got in an easy 5 miles all before the sun went down and felt better than I have in weeks of not running. The trail I typically run is only lit on a quarter mile stretch and with the sun setting at 4:30 I haven't had a chance to get out there all week and have been forced to slog through miles on the treadmill, instead.

Two-A-Days Make Me Hungry

The key to successfully completing two workouts each day is to make sure you are getting enough food and sleep.Skipping meals is a horrible habit to get into and not only messes up your daily schedule but also impedes any progress you might be making in the gym. Same goes for sleep, if you're not getting enough your body won't have enough time to recover and you'll begin to feel sluggish. This is not the time to reach for a coffee (or energy drink or caffeine pills or whatever your personal preference is) this is the time to take a nap! All the caffeine will begin to negatively effect your body and take a serious toll on your health. I've had a friend who had to be hospitalized for kidney failure because he had too many energy drinks each day. As a freshman in college I pulled too many all-nighters and ended up completely dependent upon my three daily lattes. Trust me when I say it's so much easier to just get some sleep!

Food is the other major ingredient in pushing your body to harder workouts. Lucky for me I'm already eating enough to not have to worry about it as I begin to double my workouts. Lately I've been eating like a hobbit with breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, two afternoon snacks, dinner, and occasionally a small (healthy) dessert, too. These are not huge meals, mind you, but smaller portions which are high in nutrients and typically made up of fruits, veggies, and lean meats. Yogurts and cheeses also make up a large selection of what I eat during the day.

A Hobbit's Eating Schedule - not far off from my own

 I start each morning off with a smoothie made from frozen berries and Greek yogurt. My coworkers are convinced I dump some sort of magical energy powder into them as well but there's honestly no need! The frozen berries are sweet and full of natural vitamins and energy boosters. The Greek yogurt provides my first serving of protein for the day and helps to create the right consistency I like in my smoothies. I pour the mix into a tumbler to tote around with me and it keeps me full for several hours.

I make sure to pack a handful of nuts or high fiber cereal to munch on through out the work day, too. I like to have extra food with me just in case I end up somewhere unexpected.

I eat a smaller meal for lunch since I'm pretty busy during the day and stopping for a full meal is typically reserved for the weekends. So, lunch is usually made up of left-overs from whatever I had for dinner the night before. This usually includes some sort of lean meat, a serving of veggies and some sort of carb (either pasta or bread).

Today's lunch was leftover spinach ravioli and flank steak

I get hungry again around three and that's when I have my go-to apple and cheese combo. This is essentially the easiest thing to prepare ever and a fantastic source of protein as well as a high-energy snack. When I'm travelling this is also something I always try to pick up at grocery stores since it can be found regardless of what city or country I might be in and can be a great substitute for any meal on the go.

Dinner is around 6pm at my house and those meals are the ones that get switched up most often. We might have enchiladas one night and beef stew the next. Being able to experiment in the kitchen makes it easier to find healthy options that everyone will like.

It's Workout Season

It has been brought to my attention (thanks, mom) that I have picked up a few nasty habits this fall. The first being hot chocolate. Turns out, referring to fall as Hot Chocolate Season rather than Perfect Running Weather Season or, more importantly (depending who you ask) Football Season has had a rather negative impact on my eating habits. Whoops. It started with me ordering hot chocolate to warm up from the inside at football games, then turned into me discovering they make a most heavenly mug of the stuff at the bakery next to work, and next thing you know my attempt to cut out coffee has turned into a terribly unhealthy swap. Tasty, but unhealthy nonetheless. And in my experience, eating unhealthy leaves a sluggish feeling I'm none too fond of.

Secondly, all this sleeping in on weekends and spending the rest of the day watching football all day isn't helping either. I'm still in my pajamas past noon on away game days even through I wake up half a day earlier during the rest of the week. My long runs have fizzled to 5k distance because I don''t want to miss the game. My whole body is feeling the effects of my limited running and getting restless, again.

After being inspired by what I read in The Sports Gene I decided it might be a good idea to give training like a competitive athlete a try. Reading that book was just the kick in the pants the highly competitive part of my brain needed to get back into it. Two-a-days worked back in high school, why not now?

My next step was then to break up the week. As a runner I would happily do legs day every day and completely abandon any sort of upper body workouts but that might make gymnastics a bit harder than necessary. Instead I split it up. On the days I run (historically being Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday) I plan to also make it into the gym for a weights intensive arm workout day.

After my injuries I had traded running for weight lifting completely and I started to really love squatting. Being able to track my progress from week to week in terms of the weights I used increasing was equally as satisfying as watching my mileage increase. All my work in the gym payed off and the squats helped strengthen my knees and hips so my running is no longer suffering from runners knee the way it used to! Now it's time to combine the two and get the best of both worlds.

On Non-leg days I typically go to gymnastics but now need to make sure I'm getting in an extra legs session before I go. And so begins Two-A-Days.

 I'm considering this next week (through Thanksgiving) my trial run before beginning "for real". This way I'll be able to fix any kinks that may appear. And still have some flexibility with the upcoming holiday. I'll be posting the workouts I do so you can follow along if you like.


Tights: Zella
Shoes: Nike Flex TR

The Sports Gene: A Review

After reading through the latest issue of Runners' World I was intrigued by a review that had been written about David Epstein's new book, The Sports Gene. After reading a couple more reviews for the book online I ran next door to the local bookstore and picked up a copy for myself.

An excellent decision, really; I have hardly put the book down.  In a style similar to Christopher McDougall's Born to Run or Jamial Yogis' The Fear Project this book is written by a journalist who became interested in a particular area and has infused a compilation of scientific studies with stories old and knew of great athletes and their achievements. While McDougall focused in on runners specific studies, and Yogis was all about the brain's part in athletics, Epstein covers everything from tendons and ligaments to depth perception and trainability. He pulls out tales of athletes from a wide range of sports, ages, talent levels, countries and backgrounds in an attempt to cover every possible angle and area which might effect the overall outcome of athletic prowess.

In this nature versus nurture debate Epstein is a pro at covering both sides of the argument and providing examples for each argument; demonstrating how there is never just one factor at play.

My suggesting: Go pick up a copy of this book and read it for yourself, you'll be glad you did.

Electricity, Sunsets, and Storms

It's been a bit of a crazy week here in Seattle. We had a massive wind storm which knocked out the power and took down several trees all around the city. Some of the main bridges had to close and generators all over the area hummed to life as we all realized how electricity dependent we truly are.

Though we were only out of power for about 12 hours we were thrilled to have it back on and an extra hour of sleep that night!

Lately I've been running in the afternoon rather than the morning in order to take advantage of the warmer parts of the day. Unfortunately I did not factor in daylights savings when I went for a run on Monday and the sun set while I was still miles away from home! While parts of the trail are lit others are shrouded in trees and there was a complete lack of visibility in sections. There were also large sections of the trail where massive trees had crashed down during the storm and had to be cleared away.

I didn't think to run with a head lamp and did not even use any reflective gear since I wasn't planning on being anywhere near roads. I have a wide selection of neon and other brightly colored work out clothes, trust me, you cannot miss me when I run down the road. However, when the weather turns like this they're completely covered up by my all-black rain-proof gear (whoopsies!).

Another storm has rolled in and I opted to get my fitness on indoors for the rest of the week to avoid an falling trees or sunsets. Turns out, I wasn't the only one to think of this brilliant idea and finding some personal space wasn't the easiest task in one of the country's fittest cities. Even out in the suburbs people are flocking to the gyms for their of rainy day entertainment.

Girls' Best Friend

After seeing so many people running with their dogs these past couple of weeks I wanted to try it myself. AS I've said before, my own dogs are small enough to get tired playing fetch in the house and would make for some lousy running companions. Lucky for me, Seattle is an incredibly pooch-friendly area and it wasn't any trouble to find someone who was willing to let me borrow theirs.

I chose Titan, a three-year-old black lab, because he was a dog I already spend quite a bit of time with. I knew he would be perfectly well behaved as I worked out the mechanics of holding a leash on the move.

We went to Greenlake Park on what must have been the prettiest day of the month. The sun was beaming down on the autumn leaves and the wind was creating little waves on the top of the lake. There weren't any clouds in the sky which meant a significant drop in the temperature but it was so beautiful no one seemed to mind. The trail around the lake is roughly 2.88 miles and though I had been warned Titan might be a little out of shape he finished the run with only one pit stop. Over all, incredibly well behaved, especially compared to my own pups. Titan's owner went with us to the park and walked with his other dog while we ran. The four of us met back up after Titan and I finished a 3.5 mile run.

Titan and his younger brother, Nike

What I learned about running with dogs proved to be helpful.

First, do a little research before you run, know where you're going to be, who is likely to be there with you, and how you'll want to hold the leash in order to not completely obstruct your form.

Run with a dog who is well behaved enough to be around tons of people without losing control. Titan is so well trained he can sit with a bone balanced on his nose. I'm not saying your dog has to be this perfect but it does help if you end up in a populated area. There were over a hundred people out at the lake with us, walkers, joggers, runners, cyclists, not to mention those with strollers, roller blades, and other dogs. You need to know you will have control over your running buddy if something were to happen, like ducks in the water, a squirrel crossing your path or someone riding their bike too close.

Do not let the dog pull you. This is another reason it is so important to be in control. If you're being pulled you're likely to go much faster than planned and run out of energy before you intended to end your run. Not to mention the pulling motion will give you a sore arm! Titan's owner put him in a harness so he wouldn't pull. I was incredibly grateful since the giant dog only weighs about ten pounds less than I do and is taller than I am if he stands on his hind legs.

Pay attention! There were people going every which way on the trail and I had to make sure I could navigate not only myself but also the moose of a dog through the crowded areas. Sometimes this meant slowing down to let others pass us or the reverse. Regardless of what everyone else was doing I needed to make sure I kept Titan close by my side and out of everyone's way.

Your splits are no longer the most important things to pay attention to. You need to have constant communication with the dog. Encouraging him with words like, "good boy", or "Let's go" turned out to be a huge help to me. I lucked out with Titan because he happens to be a master communicator. He'd give me a look if we were going to fast or nuzzle my leg if he wanted to speed up a bit. He didn't get any treats from me but several pets and atta boys seemed to do the trick.

Making sure we had water waiting for us back at the car was also incredibly helpful since Titan needed to refuel once we had finished.

Something Titan's owner had mentioned to me that proved to be incredibly useful: make sure you wear gloves! Mine have a grippy web pattern on the palms which were super helpful in holding onto Titan's leash.

Finally, if you're not the dog's owner make sure they're not too far in case you need their help. I didn't need any help during the run but getting Titan in and out of the car proved to be more difficult than it is with my lap dogs. He also helped with the cooldown, taking over walking Titan as we walked back to the car from out meet-up spot.

Overall, I loved having a running companion who was happy being silent unlike some of my other running buddies (I'm looking at you, Dad). He let me pick the pace, mostly, and did a great job following instructions when I needed him to. This experience makes me reconsider my idea of never racing with dogs. I would be thrilled to run with Titan anytime.

Halloween Fun Run

This weekend's race was a reminder that looking fit and being fit are two different things. I may have PR'd at last weekends race but the taper had left me drained of all energy this past weekend. I was sluggish and my breathing was more labored than normal. I regretted my inconsistent training schedule and wished I had been more committed. This was a race I had signed up for in July and though I didn't feel as ready for it as I would have liked I was not about to pass up the chance at a race.

Magnuson Park is next to the waters of Lake Washington and makes for a beautiful run. The park contains fields for soccer, rugby, and baseball as well as a gigantic fenced dog park. As Seattle's second largest public park it constantly attracts races of all sizes.

This weekend was the Howl-O-Ween running series put on by Club Northwest. They hosted a 5k, 10k, 15k, 2 mile dog dash, and a 400m Kids Dash. And while I did not personally dress up for the event there were many who did. My favorites were the runners who had coordinating outfits with their pooches.

This pair, dressed as a bee and bee keeper was one of the top costume ideas everyone seemed to love.  Another group of women walked the two miles together with their puppies whom they had dressed up in matching dinosaur costumes.

All in all, it was the costumes that made the event so special. Runners were in everything from tutus and funky striped socks to footie pajamas and elaborate group costumes. Those of us who didn't dress up at least had something fun to look at as we raced thorough the park on what happened to be an incredibly chilly October morning.

Runners hardly seemed to mind the cold,  the adorable dogs and children all dressed up acted as the perfect distraction. Not to mention the photo booth which was available before the races began.


The start of the race was a casual one, with everyone from the 5k, 10k, and 15k all together and no specific corrals. The gun went off and everyone began putting distance between themselves and the Start/Finish line. The course wound all through the park, taking us past the off-leash dog area along with nearly all the playing fields. We watched people of all ages scoring goals, running bases and rucking as we followed the cones and signs through the park. We traveled up and down hills (much smaller than the ones last week, thank goodness!). The course stuck mainly to dirt and gravel paths, occasionally switching to the cement driveways between parking areas.
At the last stretch of the race there was a sign with two arrows, one pointing to the right side for the finish line, the other pointing to the left for another lap. Those who ran the 10k did two laps of the course and the few in the 15k ran a total of three. I was happy to be done after just one lap.
After the race I grabbed an apple from the post-race snacks table and got to my car before the cold set in.

Dedication

Yesterday during the Dawg Dash I was able to think quite a bit during my run. What I most often found myself thinking about was what it meant to be a dedicated runner. That is a label I am not always so ready to hand out but it occurred to me that the title means different things to different people and we each have our own way of showing it. There were ample examples of all different forms of dedication and I thought sharing a few I observed might be fun.

The first was a girl I saw when I got out of my ride's car. I was not even to the race and already someone was showing far more dedication than I. She was wearing a tank top, booty shorts, and a pair of gloves (it happened to be 40 degrees at the time) , sprinting back and forth across the street as she made her way to the starting line. And I do mean that literately. She was not going any further than the 5k elite start where she joined a small group of similarly dedicated individuals who were all sprinting about to loosen up before they would race one another to the end a speedy fifteen minutes away (longer, though no less further a distance for the rest of us mere mortals).

My next example of dedication came in my own corral. A group of five friends stood together for warmth. All except one. She was bouncing around like Christmas had come early and dishing out high-fives to anyone looking her way. She had finally gotten her friends to join her in her favorite thing ever and it was going to be awesome! While her friends were not as sure of the run as she was they had showed up anyway. From what I gathered it had taken her months to finally convince them to all race together. I was thoroughly impressed, knowing the art of bringing your non-runner friends to a race was about as simple and painless as having teeth pulled. Where I was unsuccessful she had finally become victorious. I understood her glee, though only in theory and hoped to one day be in her shoes.

I had hardly run a mile in when I noticed another group of inspiring and clearly dedicated individuals. The seniors. While their running may have turned to more of a shuffle theses days the UW Alumni were out in full force. I was in awe or their strength. Knowing how hard it is to manage with a young body I could only imagine what those hills must have felt like to knees that were old enough to have landed on the beaches of Normandy. I know that running, and exercise in general, is supposed to slow down the aging process and promote brain action than one might otherwise experience. I also know, however, that knees are fragile (yes, mine is still all taped up on the daily) and I am constantly trying to take it easy so that I might still be able to  walk when I'm as old as some of them. You read about people who begin working out, or even racing after retirement, some well into the triple digits and it inspires you. You hope your name might one day be listed among theirs but then you sit there and realize how much damage you have caused your body thus far and wonder if you'll even live that long. Seeing people who looked as old as my grandparents out there keeping up with much generations is a testament to the body's strength and the will power, not to mention the determination they experience each and every day.

What might have been most inspiring of all was the stroller division. Those new mamas were out in droves and kicking butt. On a particularly monstrous hill everyone had slowed down, it was exhausting. It was over a mile long, and it was winding all over the place. That was when I saw her. The man in front of me stopped for a walk break and as I slowly moved past him a true wonder woman blasted past me as she pushed her stroller up the hill. I am convinced my jaw dropped to the floor. She had a newborn and was beating all of us up this hill. I wasn't pushing anything but myself and she had another human being she was toting along with her. I kicked it into high gear just to see how fast she was going. But I couldn't keep pace with her for more than a few moments before the path narrowed and she shot the gap, gaining several yards on me I was unable to make up at the top of that hill. If she can do it, I can't imagine what's stopping the rest of us from running our best possible times.

The final group of dedicated does not include any runners, but rather, the people who arrived early to help set up, the ones who stood in the cold wearing neon vests and cheered on runners, the ones who offered high fives, and stood as human trail markers to make sure no one strayed off course. In my years of racing I have found that if you smile at these people they will make a special effort to cheer for you, smiling back at the one among thousands who acknowledged their presence. Yesterday I even saw a couple guys I was friends with back in high school standing at one of the turns and I cheered for them, yelling out their names as I passed by. They cracked up and waved, cheering my name back as I moved away from them, down the hill. It is thanks to the help of these people who donate their time that races are even possible. This is a group who does not get medals or new shirts, no bragging rights or prizes. And long after you've run through the finish and gone home they are still there, cleaning up after you and your fantastic, truly memorable race. They may not be out there training in all weathers, building up endurance, or sweating it out in the early mornings but they are truly dedicated to the races in a way most runners take for granted.

At the beginning of the race I had been afraid of how completely un-dedicated I had felt about my training lately. By the end of the race I had found a renewal in my love of the sport and a desire to train harder, better, and more often, thanks, in no small part to these special groups of participants I witnessed during the race.

Shirt: Avia
Shorts: Lululemon
Shoes: Nike Flex TR
Watch: Garmin

Dawg Dash

Today was the 28th Annual Dawg Dash. Each year it is held by the University of Washington's Alumni Association as a scholarship fundraiser. A few years back I ran the 5k and (despite the rain) it was stunning! You run through what is arguably the most beautiful college campus anywhere. This year was no different. Although I ran the 10k and there wasn't any rain, so a little different, I suppose.

 This was a dog and stroller friendly race which is always an interesting element to toss at runners. For the most part it was not an issue or distraction except for a couple people who brought dogs which were unprepared for the amount of people surrounding them. There were many more in the 5k than there were in the 10k and that was fine by me. I had left my own pups at home since one is too old to run anymore and the other is too small to go more than a block.

The 5k went first at 9am and I, along with other 10kers, watched as thousands of people ran past. Leaving the empty starting corrals for us to fill. I had gotten there so early that it took a while for the corrals to fill up and I was filled with the dread that I might be the slowest person by so much that I would lose sight of the group of runners and never finish the race. The number 3710 on my bib should have been an indicator that others would soon arrive to fill in the emptiness but the pre-race nerves had a bit of a hold at the moment.

A half hour later, we started in the campus' Red Square (where ESPN College Game Day was hosted just last week). The race ran directly off campus and down Greek Row, which we were told would be the highest elevation on the course. But on a course as hilly as this that wasn't much of a consolation.

There were trees lining the course with their leaves turning all sorts of beautiful shades of reds, oranges, and yellows. The ones near Greek Row also happened to have some sort of fruits that were falling with the leaves. After having been trampled by several thousand people it was impossible to tell what they used to be and only hope they didn't stick to your shoes (or turn out to be doggie droppings, instead).

 We went down hill into Ravenna Park where we hit our first and second mile markers. The first bit of mile 2 was down hill before it flattened out but mile 3 compensated by being one mammoth of a hill. So were miles 4 and 5 and most of 6, too. The course was brutal with all the ups and downs. The course went from running in the streets to sidewalks, dirt paths, the Burke-Gilman Trail, and cross-campus pathways. We looped around fountains and past buildings with the type of Gothic architecture that made one think you would expect Harry Potter to walk out of one at any moment. Alas, he never showed and it was just us smelly, panting runners left to our own devices. All across the campus there were signs with fun facts about UW Alumni sticking out of the grass and I enjoyed reading several of them, especially when I had heard of the person the fact was about!

The race ended in the main quad with plenty of booths set up around the adjoining Red Square for participants to peruse. Though, I'll admit, as I crossed the finish line my watch indicated to me that I had just PRed and I had a hard time paying attention to anything else going on.

All in all, it was a beautiful course on a day with the perfect temperatures and I was absolutely thrilled I had dragged myself out of bed to go. This is a race I would recommend to anyone and would happily run many more times given the chance.

That's Red Square and the starting line in the background

Shirt: Avia
Shorts: Lululemon
Shoes: Nike Flex TR
Watch: Garmin
Tape: KT Tape