11 miler.....WTH??

My schedule called for the longest run that I have done that wasn't a race....11 miles! I decided to have a few egg whites an hour before running so that I could keep my energy up. I put on my new pink Nike hat and set out to Alki.

 

In the first mile, I noticed that my legs were pretty tired, and I was low on energy. After the first 3 miles, I was ready to call it quits. I think the combination of too little carbs (even though I usually don't eat to many as is), being dehydrated as usual and a few hefeweizens last night were a bad call. I pushed through and decided that I wouldn't stop until I reached the 6 mile point. After reaching the 6 miles, I kept putting goals of not stopping until I passed the 9 mile point, or passing a certain bench or tree. I was ready to fall over!

Yeah, I was pooped at this point!

I ended up not stopping and had a time of 1 hour 55 minutes for my run (roughly 10:20/mile). It wasnt pretty, but at least I made it through the run! I will be sure to hydrate and eat a different meal before starting off for my 12 miler next weekend. I was pretty proud that I made it without stopping though. I know I can do this distance, but it seemed that everything was trying to work against me today. This just goes to show how much the mental aspect of running plays a part in your long runs. If my head wasn't into it, I would have surely stopped after mile 3. At least my head was in the game even though my body wasn't!!

On a side note, I saw the most random thing on my run: a cat on a leash! WHO PUTS A CAT ON A LEASH?? Has anyone seen this before? I'm NOT a fan of cats (I'm a dog person!!) and I couldn't help by laughing when I saw it. The cat looked extremely ticked off, and pretty rabid! The cat had long hair and looked somewhat like a bobcat. I wouldn't get too near that thing, it looked like it wanted to bite anyone who got near it! I had to take a picture:

 

On the sidewalk between the white poles!!

So I took the picture while running, and I couldnt get closer without the guy noticing I was taking a picture of his cat and laughing. I think this made my day. Who does that?? Its not the first time I have seen a cat on a leash! Below is picture worth a thousand words from Eastern Washington from 2 summers ago (while camping):

 

Hahaha, love it! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bloggy help?

After being in the blog world for almost 2 months now, I have visited quite a few of your pages. I noticed that my background and layout are seriously lacking. Any suggestions on good websites for free blogger templates? My last green/blue pattern was free and I edited some of the code, but I am SERIOUSLY a beginner. Please send suggestions if you have any! I might even pay to have it done if I cant figure it out (I like the designs from this blog).

While visiting other blogs, I came across a design blog that linked to this page. When I saw this print I immediately thought of running:

I have to say that in the past few months, I have done just that. Im actually doing what I love, and really enjoying myself. Running has gone from a chore to something that I look forward to. I also love this little blogging community I've found online. I never knew this was here a few months ago, and I's so glad I found you guys! **Okay, enough with the sappy stuff!

I read a post from Kerrie over at Mom vs Marathon yesterday where she mentioned that a co-worker called her a runner (congrats!!). Since viewing her post, I had 2 people mention running to me as well. One was while I was walking through work catching up with another employee. I haven't seen him for awhile, and asked me how my running was going. I must have looked a bit confused, because then he mentioned that all he sees me post on Facebook are the many races I have signed up for, and my long runs on the weekends. He called me a "marathoner" but I quickly said I was only a "half marathoner." He said I was crazy for running that much but I just beamed.

The other time was last night. A friend stopped by while I was running on the dreadmill. I haven't seen him in a few months, but he quickly asked what I had been doing BESIDES running lately. He also said that I was running a ton of miles. Honestly, I don't think they know how happy that made me. I was always somewhat athletic growing up, but I was never acknowledged for any sports achievement. I was pretty proud :)

Has anyone called YOU a runner lately??

Last nights workout: 5 miles on the dreadmill @ 8.57/mile pace. Its getting easier!! :) TGIF!!

Reviews (Zella & UA)

I have to admit I have an addiction. If there are cute workout clothes to buy, I usually end up buying them on the spot. Don't get me wrong, it needs to be the right fit and materials, but if its on sale, you can bet that I will probably be buying it on the spot! I couldn't help myself when I found these two little gems:

Zella Favorite Capri Pants (Black):

Okay, sorry for the grainy picture, but I felt like modeling them :) The Zella pants are amazing and feel like butter against your skin (cliche, but its true!) I know some of you cannot run in longer pants, but these do not ride up and keep your legs warm but not overheated. The capri might seem strange, but it is the perfect weight and coverage for running in 40-60 degree Pacific Northwest weather. The material doesn't bunch, so you can easily wear this on your long runs. Here are the product stats:

Wide waistband tops straight-leg capris cut from a smooth, stretchy knit.

• Approx. inseam: 20".
• Polyester/spandex; machine wash.
• By Zella; imported.
• Women's Active.

Also, I think they are pretty flattering on everyone Ive seen them on. You can find them here at Nordstrom for around $48. (Note that I am wearing the Zella Favorite Capris, which I bought on sale of course, for around $15! I think they were mismarked, but the link above is a very similar pair at the regular price.) I heard that these are usually compared to LuluLemon's workout pants, but these are much less expensive. I haven't tried the LuluLemon ones strictly because I like the price of these babies and they work for me and my addiction to workout gear.

Under Armour Reversible Cool/Warm Pullover (True Pink/Rosewood)

I found this Under Armour shirt at Nordstrom on sale as well! It ended up being around $25 instead of the regular $49.99 price! I was looking for something girly and pink for the Love Em or Leave Em Valentine's Dash last week, and this was a perfect find! I have been really impressed with my other Under Armour products, and this is no exception!

The Reversible Cool/Warm Pullover has a snug fit (not a super tight base layer, but somewhat in-between, UA calls it "fitted" so I got a larger size) and is reverisble. Both sides of the shirt have different tech fabrics, one being 

 

Both sides and colors of the Reversible Pullover 

(ha, I cant get the photos to go the right way!!)

I have run wearing both sides of the shirt against my skin, and it actually seems to make a difference. While on the Love Em or Leave Em 5k, I ran with the "Stay Warm" side against my skin, and it was almost too warm! Other times I have run with the "Stay Cool" side and it seems to be perfect. I have also been layering this with other shirts to stay warm while outside. The material is nice against your skin, and doesn't ride up too much (the shirt is tighter than others that I wear, which does cause a little bit of riding up in the waist). It really was perfect with a shirt over it! And I really liked the colors.

Here are the stats:

All-season exercise top reverses for effective moisture control and core-temperature maintenance in any weather.

• Approx. length from shoulder: 25".
• Polyester/elastane; machine wash.
• By Under Armour; imported.
• Women's Active.

All in all, both were great finds on sale! You really can never have too many clothes. I would recommend both to anyone! Especially the capris. Just for another picture, here are the professional pictures from the Love Em or Leave Em race last week (grainy beacuse I downloaded them from their website...I dont want to pay for them!!)

 

Not the best pictures, but at least you can see the capris and the new shirt! And hey, the pictures were free!

So, question is: What is your favorite deal you've found??

Happy running...I'm planning on 5-6 miles tonight!

www.nordstrom.com

Back at it!!

After an awesome week of running, I ended up getting a cold the past few days. Headaches, body aches and feeling dizzy/lightheaded really doesn't set the stage for running. If I tried, I probably would have fallen off the dreadmill!! Not the best idea. In short, I didn't run the past 3 days, so there wasn't much to talk about. Trust me, you wouldn't want to hear me blog about being sick :)

 

Nope, that isn't me! Image found here 

Anyways, I rallied and set out for a long run tonight. Even though I'm still pretty low on energy, I was itching to get back out running. I had a nice 7 miler at about 9:35/mile pace. Not bad for feeling sick. It was a really pretty night with the stars out. I could see a storm front move in from the West, with rain falling in cities across the Puget Sound. Luckily I finished my run before it started to rain! I guess I was literally being chased by the rain!

Scoreboard:

Sarah 1, Rain 0

I also received an email today about a new race that I had not heard of in the Pacific Northwest yet:

The Whidbey Island Marathon and Half is located just north of Seattle in the Puget Sound on April 11, 2010. The race runs along the shores of Whidbey Island as well as through the fields and pastures. The incline seems to be minimal and this will probably be a MUCH smaller race compared to the Seattle Half or the Rock N Roll series.

The race fees for the half marathon are $70 if you sign up by March 31st, and go up to $85 if you sign up at the Expo. Details for the full marathon can be found here. Fee includes tech shirt, running chip, goodie bag and of course, a medal. I'm not going to lie, I am consider signing up just so I can have another medal :) and to run the race of course....

I'm thinking I might just have to sign up for this. Its between the Mercer Half and the Seattle RnR Half, so I should be in shape, right?? And I do want another medal..... :)

Weekend Recap

Whoa, where did the time go?! I had a fun, busy weekend and had no time to blog! Here is a long recap of the past few days/runs:

Workouts: 

2/18: 6 miles, 9:10/mile pace
2/19: 4 miles (dreadmill), 9:31/mile pace
2/20: 9.5 miles, 9:29/mile pace

This weeks total miles: 29 (wahoo!)

Thursday, Feb. 18th:

I wore extra layers for my 6 miler (including my new reversible Under Armour shirt, review to come!). I really didn't need the extra layers, as it was warmer than I expected (around 50 degrees). It was a clear and beautiful night. I ended up running the 6 miles in just over a 9:00 mile pace, and it didn't feel too fast. In fact, I felt like I could have gone a bit faster. I held back running additional miles as I didn't want to injure myself after the 9.5 miler last Monday. Great run though!

 I guess I like to do this same pose in every picture!

Friday, Feb. 19th:

Ahh, I feel like I'm starting to come down with a cold! Usually when I am working out on a normal schedule, I don't get sick. Hopefully this will not turn into anything and go away in a day or so. Head colds are just annoying **crosses fingers to make it go away!**

I ran a quick 4 miles at lunch on my treadmill. The first 2 miles went great at a 8:56/mile pace. Then, right after the 2 mile mark I felt dizzy and had to slow down to 10:00/mile pace. I figured this was okay to go slower, but then I was hit with a HORRIBLE sidearm! I don't think I have had one in the past year and a half! I didn't eat anything in the previous few hours leading up to the run, so I had no idea what was going on! I actually had to stop the treadmill and wait it out for a few minutes. Typically, I never EVER stop, so this was really not normal. I was able to continue at a 10:00/mile pace but it wasn't a good run. Ill blame it on the head cold! At least I got a run in....

Saturday, Feb. 20th:

Another beautiful day! I still wasn't feeling well, but I put my running shoes on and headed out for another 9.5 mile run through the city. It was so sunny and nice that I really didn't notice that I didn't have much energy and a raging head cold/headache. I somehow made a 9:31/mile pace for the entire run, which was better than I expected.

 

 Sunny skyline

 

 View from the Seattle Waterfront

There was also a great view of Mt. Rainier and the Olympics today. Us Washingtonians say that the "mountain is out" when it is visible from the city. Unfortunately, my iPhone doesn't really take great pictures of things in the distance, or I would post it here. 

On a side note, I went with some friends to the Ride the Ducks tour around Seattle. If you are not familiar with the Ducks, it is a land and water tour of Seattle in a vehicle that drives right into the water and floats around!  I always thought it was pretty cheesy, but it was more fun than I expected. Its a great tour to see the sights and for people who are not from the area/I could check out new routes to run on.

On the Duck in Lake Union, with our "quackers"

Sunday, Feb. 21st:

I took the day off today since I had a long run yesterday and already went past my weekly mileage goal (I hit 29 miles this week, yeah!!) I still am not feeling well, but I wanted to get out in the sun - so I took Chloe out for a walk in the park:

 

Chloe in her dog-bone fleece

 I really need a tan...

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Bibs, pictures and stats...oh my!

After I started running multiple races per month last fall, I noticed a thing growing in my apartment: my huge pile of race bibs, running information packets, running pictures, medals, course maps, etc. I didn't want to throw any of the bibs or pamphlets from the races I had done away, but the large pile was unorganized and driving me crazy. Not knowing about blogging or racing websites at that point, I decided to organize everything into a running binder (cheesy, but whatever!):

 

With my handy Microsoft Office knowledge, I used a letterhead out of their orange wave pattern. I used the same letterhead with added boxes for the name of the date, name of event, distance, time, age place, gender place and overall stats:

Brew Ha Ha 5k with added coaster and Jingle Bell pamphlets

I then added all the bibs and pamphlets from the races and put them into clear pages to protect each bib. I made tabs to separate the races by year to keep it all organized. In the front of the binder I have added pockets to keep upcoming races I am interested in, running articles and my training schedule:

  

This seems to work for me, but its probably not the *best* way to keep my stuff. Keeping a blog has helped keep track of websites, stats and pictures, but I still want to do something fun with the bibs :)

I have also seen other options for keeping racing material. One is called a Bib Keeper which is a pre-made scrapbook that holds 10 bibs each. At $29.99 + shipping, I think my little binder works just fine. Here is a picture of the Bib Keeper:

Also there are the standard picture frame and bib holder. I have seen them on specialty sites and also on each race websites photo page. I like these, but they can be really expensive as well (also, I want an AWESOME time before I frame one of these bad-boys):

Tiny picture, but you get my point! This one is $179.95!! Yikes!

This prompts me to ask you:  What do you do with your race bibs, stats, race pictures, pamphlets and other materials?? I would love, love, love suggestions!

Also, be sure to check out Zoe's giveaway at Run Zoe Run. She has a bunch of awesome Champion gear!

No running the past 2 nights (Im still paranoid that I will get injured after my long runs!), but I'm planning on a 6 miler tonight, then attempting some speed work. After my performance on the Love Em or Leave Em dash, I could use some extra speed :)

Sunny Stadium Run

Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL sunny day in Seattle (in fact, today is too). Since I had the day off, I decided to go for a long run through the city (start up Flock of Seagulls playing "and I ran soo far awaaaaay). I ended up running 9.5 miles in just over 92 minutes (9:35/mile pace)!! Since running in the city can be a challenge, I had to add a few extra miles to my normal run through the park. 

 

Sunny PNW

 

Near the Aquarium

I decided to extend my run and go past our sports stadiums (Sounders FC, Seahawks and Mariners). I think I am having sports withdrawals with this being the off season for the sports I love to watch. I think I was subconsciously drawn to here:

 

Safeco Field

 

Mmmm.....hefeweizen. I'm getting distracted.....

 

Qwest Stadium

 

Sounder "Scarf" with all the Inaugural Season ticket holders names (I'm on there!!)

 

"Pigskin" Pig

 

Too bad I didn't get a tan from my run in the sun.....

It ended up being a beautiful long run. Next time I will hope for a possible Sounder or Seahawk sighting. (Side note: I did see a Sounder player at dinner last week! So exciting to see athletes out and about!!) I might run into something if I actually saw a player out there. That would be embarrassing!!

Also, I am proud to say that I seem to be injury free from my long run!! I actually feel great today, with no pain in my hips or anywhere! Last fall while training for the Seattle Half, I ramped up my miles too quickly and injured my hip after running just over 9 miles. So far, so good! I cant wait to go further next week!!

Also, thanks to TMB @ Racing with Babes for sending me the Sunshine Award! It was nice to get it on an actual sunny day in the Pacific Northwest! Ill pass it along to a few of you, but you might have already received it. Just consider it a little more "sun" for your day:

Mel @ Tall Mom on the Run

Zoe @ Run Zoe Run

Sarah @ Skinny Runner

Shut Up and Run @ 26.2 or More

Lindsay @ Chasing the Kenyans

Kerrie @ Mom vs Marathon

Amanda @ 5 Miles 2 Empty

Jen @ Setting You Free

Julie @ Minnesota Mileage

Maureen @ Mo Sho Runs

Have a great Tuesday!

Love Em or Leave Em 5k Results

Location: Greenlake, WA

Official time: 26:04

Chip time: 25:47

Pace/mile: 8:17/mile

Overall: 420/2335

Gender Place: 169/1575

Age Place:68/525

Great day for the race! There were roughly 2300 people who gathered at Greenlake for the Valentine's Day Love Em or Leave Em 5k. It was the second annual race, but happens to be the largest Valentine's day 5k in the country (so they said).

 Wearing Pink for Valentine's Day

The course was luckily marked off to the public and held on the road (rather than on the inner loop path). This made the course wider and much easier for the crowds to get through. The race was chip timed, so it didn't matter as much that there were TONS of people there. It was fairly well organized, and had fruit, water, doughnuts from Top Pot and other treats and tents waiting for us after the race. Even though this was a rather small race, it was well attended and I would do it again next year.

Also, I felt great running it! I definitely think I can run faster, I just need to work on speed. I didn't actually think that I had run it that fast. Ill take it though :)

 

My friend Becky and I after the race

 Longsleeved t-shirt from the race

All in all, not too bad for a Saturday. Ill do this race again. Hope everyone had a great Saturday!

http://www.promotionevents.com/valentines/info.htm

Thursday Treat

A little late posting this, but I didn't want to post this in my upcoming race recap :) I had a quick run on Thursday night on the dreadmill, 4 miles in 36:17 minutes, or 9:05/mile pace:

After the quick run I found this waiting in my apartment lobby:

 

A red velvet cupcake from one of our neighbors for our apartment complex! Sometimes they get cupcakes for our building and leave them for us! I happen to LOVE LOVE LOVE the red velvet cupcakes from Yellow Leaf in Belltown. Ill take this as a sign that I have been keeping up my miles this week :) I dont care what anyone says, they have the best cupcakes in Seattle!

Ouchie

So, out of nowhere, my sports bra has decided to rub against my ribcage. I have been using the same shirts and sports bras, yet for some reason it is rubbing on my long runs. Call it chafing or whatever you want, its a pesky little annoyance, but it stings like HECK afterwards. I have NEVER had this happen before, and I have run in all sorts of humidity, heat and different materials, and yes, I have had a more intense training schedule too. This is just plain annoying though!

I will spare you all the pictures, but lets just say that its leaving blood on my shirt. Not pretty. I decided to try and use this foamy Nexcare tape to cover the rubbed area, and it seems to be working:

 

Foamy goodness

Is this something that I should use? Its pretty easy to just tape the problem spots. I haven't used body glide or the body lube that other runners talk about. Should I be buying it instead? If so, where do you buy it? (Geez, I can just see the awkward conversation at the store now: "no, I need it for running....I SWEAR!!" haha)

Other than that, I had a nice little dreadmill run late last night. Apparently was running 9 minute miles, but I swear it felt like 7 minute miles! I don't know why it is so much more difficult for me to run on the Dreadmill, but Ill take this time any day :)

 

Working a bit late, then off to go run. Happy mid-week running everyone!

PS - Everyone check out Shut Up and Run's blog for an awesome giveaway.....seriously, she is giving away a Champion wardrobe!! She is hilarious too.....

Eight is GREAT

I didn't make it to the treadmill last night, but I decided to run a long one last night. I don't think Mondays are my day...I just get too tired to do anything. However Tuesdays seem to be the best night for me to do my long runs. Last night was just one of those nights!

I headed out and ended up running 8 miles in 75 minutes, or 9:23/mile. I felt great, and I even felt like I could have run faster. It was pretty cold tonight compared to the last few weeks, but I really shouldn't be complaining......38 degrees isn't that cold! Luckily I wore my new Women's Tornado II Mock by Under Armour. It kept me really, REALLY warm:

After receiving some helpful advice from Zoe on Under Armour Heatgear vs Coldgear, I decided to check out Coldgear. Im usually pretty warm while running, and I have used Heatgear all winter and during the Seattle Half last November. The Coldgear is a bit thicker and seems to keep in the warmth, yet stays dry (not sure about the rain though). The mock neck isnt my first choice, but it doesnt seem to move while I run or bother my neck.

 

Yes, Im a dork

Since the Under Armour gear is supposed to be compression gear, I went with a large, so it fits more like a loose fitting shirt. I think it would drive me CRAZY if it was super tight. This way, its rather loose....probably undermines keeping the heat in, but Ill just have to deal. I mean, I run in spandex leggings, but I dont want spandex on top too!! Too much....also, this was the only size left, and it was 60% off at Island Sports on Bainbridge Island. Instead of the normal retail price of $60, I walked away with it for $26.......works for me!!

Along the run tonight I saw a huge, long shooting star right above the Seattle skyline. Being in the city, I hadn't realized it was that clear tonight due to all the bright lights. I thought there was actually a cloud cover (although, this makes sense on why it was so cold). I would have taken a picture, but I'm not fast enough and it wouldnt have turned out. This picture I found here will have to do:

I was able to snap this beauty....a salmon sculpture covered in lights. What can I say, I'm attracted to things that are bright and colorful :)

 

Yes, those are salmon and the blue is supposed to be water or something. I guess it makes sense......although you cant see it at night :)

Hope everyone had a great run!

Happy Birthday Bro

Just a post to say Happy 21st Birthday to my Little Bro. I thought the best way to do this was through a little picspam of his many funny faces through the years:

This year celebrating 21

 

He is a cupcake man

  

 Action shot from the Dawg Dash

  

He got a little too excited! Haha

  

You can see the fear while he was tubing

 

 Awful, mandatory posed family portraits

Haha, Im sure I posed him that way!

Happy Birthday Little Bro! You're truly one of a kind :) Keep training for the Mercer Island Half Marathon!! 

Haha.....love the pictures. Im off to put a few in on the Dreadmill!