Friday, July 13, 2012

Training Plans

What's yours? 



Training for a marathon is very different than training for weight loss or health.

I lost a cup size in my bra training for my last marathon (and my boobs have NEVER shrunk for any reason until now!!), my periods kept getting farther and farther apart, my feet have never looked so rough and don't even get me started on the acne I had due to the heat/friction from my sports bra and my visor. 

Training is fun, but lots of hard work. Lots of preparation and planning. Eating, drinking and sleeping became HUGE aspects of my focus this Spring.... Some might even tell you I was (almost) crazy. Thankfully though, Todd gets it. He's ran his own races before too. He was a MAJOR help making sure I had food, fuel, water (he knew when I got home from work that the first thing I always wanted, was my jumbo Hardee's cup filled to the brim with ice-cold-aqua!) and a plan. He also understood when I fell asleep on his lap/shoulder/arm/leg/etc on the couch every night for several weeks. 

This marathon I know a little more. I know what worked well and what didn't. I know what was hard for me to do and where I struggled. I've got great running partners. I'm adding more speed work and tempo runs in to my weekly plans.... and I've got a new goal:

BOSTON. (for me: 3hours: 35minutes)

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Wednesday Workout: Rolling



Rolling. 

Not rolling in the hay or rolling down the road...... Foam Rolling! 


I've had a foam roller for a while now and I'll admit... it has done more to get in the way than to be of use to me in the past. After running my first marathon I learned a little more from my muscles and my body. I'm not a beginner runner so I have to work for injuries. In other words, I'm past shin splints and knee issues... it's all down to stress build up on these mighty muscles! 

Over time and as my distances have gotten longer, my time and commitment to stretching properly has been cut so short that I'm barely doing anything at all. [slacker] Seriously - it's a major issue I have to address pronto or I'm going to be paying for it with a nasty injury that I might not be able to bounce back from. 

I know, I know! ---- I'm working on it! 

Foam Rolling is part of this big correction. I've found that my legs hurt a lot when I roll. Seriously... I'm so tender in many of these tiny muscles I've almost brought tears to my eyes. I've also discovered how amazing it feels on my back and shoulders after one crazy weekend at work! :) Sooooo.... I'm moving the foam roller off of my back and to my glutes, hammies and hips. 

AND SO SHOULD YOU! :) 

If I'm going to tough it out, I want company. "No pain, no gain!" I use this mantra sparingly, but when it comes to rolling, I'm afraid it's more truth than theory. 

Here are a video you can use to get started. Roll what feels good (or hurts). There are TONS of options when it comes to rolling. Be smart and a bit creative if you must! 



There's not a real science to using a foam roller. Some say use before exercise, others say after. Some say just do 10 rolls per area, some say you should roll until it's pain free. Regardless.... I just roll. A lot of these moves require odd positioning and upper body support so I'll go until my arms are too tired to hold much longer. This is often when I roll on to my back for a bit of a reward. :) 

All hard work deserves a reward. Save the best for last... trust me, your back will love it! 


Roll On my friends! :) 
-a. 

The Blog-Wagon







Considering it's been almost four months since my last blog post.... I think it's completely reasonable to say I have completely fallen OFF the Blog-Wagon.

SORRY!! I have had so many people ask, email and comment to see where I've been in the blogging world and my excuses weren't very good. I just had to give it up for a while. Training, working and managing life just were taking my time and my blog was becoming a "chore"..... Not what I ever intended my world wide expression (and mission) to become!! Now, I miss it.

To quickly catch-up:

- Girls on the Run finished the same day as my marathon. What an amazing season!! We had a blast every week running and growing together. I'm sure we even learned a few things from each other along our journey.


Done - Cramping and way over heated
At the 13.1 mile marker
- My marathon was amazing. Seeing my long time friend Katie Wade was so much fun! I miss her sweet smile so much and spending a weekend with her made me realize it even more!! Certainly finishing my race was the MAJOR highlight. It was my first marathon, 87 degrees, I nearly pooped my pants and I still finished under 4 hours!! (YES, you read that correct. If you know anything about how the combination of electrolytes, sugar and an unexpected heat wave... you'll understand!) I've started training for my next two races already - a half marathon this September and Marine Corps Marathon in October... all with the hopes of running in Boston next April. We're also thinking about going crazy and running (or trotting/walking depending on if I BQ) Big Sur two weeks after Boston.... but that's to be determined.

My running partners - Don Smythe (Katie's Kick Ass Dad), Katie and Meghan (Katie's college roomie)


- Work is wonderful. CRAZY, but good. It's insane at how hard we've had to work in the ICU lately. Seriously, I'm amazed at how much we're able to accomplish each day. I wouldn't say we do our best work every day.... but we certainly do our best with what we're handed. Being short staff, having crazy sick patients and insane demands are wearing us out, but thankfully I work with amazing women (and a few men!) who motivate me to come to work everyday ready, prepared and willing to be better everyday. I'm closing in on my one year date at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center and I'm proud of how I've grown professionally.... but remain a bit intimidated at how much I STILL have to learn!! Hence the constant desire to go back to school... yikes!

- My mom, step-dad and little sisters are slowly getting things together to make their BIG move to VA this Fall. Todd is loving his job. They've got a place to live come August. Molly's ready for High School and to start marching band. And Allyssa is ready to come see us in DC! All we need is a job for my mom.... then all things would be GLORIOUS! :)

If you know are or know anyone in the Fairfax Co. School System - please send me a message!! My mom is top-notch (and I'm not saying that because she's my mom... She's really just that great at what she does!). 

- My sister, Megan, and her husband are with CHILD! :) I'm going to be an Auntie this January! YAY! We don't know yet what gender this little bundle is.... but I'm thinking it's a boy. Meg hopes for a girl.... and I'll be honest, I do too.... but either way, this baby is bound to be gorgeous, have incredible eyes, brains galore and probably enough attitude to keep my sister in line for the rest of her life! ;) It will all come honestly:
See - Aren't they gorgeous?!

See... Not that much has changed. :) BUT, I will work on keeping my blog up to snuff. There are too many people in my life working hard on themselves to not add some extra fuel to their fire. 


Now, to talk my dad and brother in to running the 1/2 marathon with us this September! 


Have a GREAT week friends! I hope you've been doing well. 
-a.