How I improved my running.

Recently I have been putting a lot of thought and focus into my running and wanted to write a little bit about the things that I think have helped me become a better runner and then also slowly become a speedier runner. These little things make running more enjoyable and fun to me and have helped me transition from the thought that running is a "boring cross-training exercise that rowers have to do to help their cardio" to enjoying running as a competitive sport and something that I can challenge myself in. I've recently brought my half-marathon time down 15 minutes from my very first half-marathon race, and there are a few things that really helped me shave off time and bring my running to the next ~level~.

I knew that I would have a lot of running ahead of me when I arrived back home in the United States in May, so I while I was still living in Europe, I ordered some "essentials" to my house in order to get back into running with a new vigor once my marathon training began this summer. Here's a list of the things that helped me personally - they're not for everyone (and I'm not a professional trainer or nutritionist) but if you're looking for something to spice up your running life, inspire you to get back out on the roads, or would like motivation as a new runner, chances are you might be able to find it here :)

• An iPod Shuffle. Since I run alone 99.9% of the time, I really enjoy listening to motivating music while I go. I invested in one of these and it has been a Godsend. I've tried running with those big arm-strappy thingies, but - and this completely embarrasses me to admit - they are all to big for my toothpick arms. They end up sliding around, chafing, and being uncomfortable in so many ways. I clip this tiny thing onto my sports bra or the waistband of my shorts and that's all I have to worry about! I use it solely for running and have only my "running songs" on it. I only listen to these songs when I am doing speed work or a long run and not during easy runs or other workouts, so hopefully during the marathon I will hear them and my brain will know it's time to go FAST.

• Taking days off. This is SO important! For years I would go through phases of doing some sort of physical activity (rowing, running, weights) 7 days a week with no break. Later, I learned how important it is to REST. I strictly take at least 1 full rest day per week no matter what my training schedule is or what I'm preparing for. I know that I need this time for my body to heal and recover from all of my activity. Right now I'm in the middle of marathon training, and I actually only run 5 days per week. In the other two days, I may use ONE of those days to cross-train (rowing and cycling, especially as I prepare for the 50-mile ride that I have in one week!), and I use the other day to take completely OFF. Usually on that off day I try to do as little as possible and leave lots of time to read books and put my feet up if I can :) Skipping rest days leaves the body vulnerable to injury and at the very least will leave you completely overworked, which prohibits you from reaching maximum performance during your workouts. Now, I worship my rest days!
• Finding the perfect shoe is very important! It took me awhile to nail this one down, but eventually I did find a shoe that works great for me. Like a lot of people, I need ample support and stability when I run, and I plan to keep using the ASICS GT 2000 II for all of the foreseeable future. Without having a shoe that fits you properly or meets your physiological needs as a runner, you could find yourself sidelined with an injury. Now I just order these online (for a cheaper price) but for your first few pairs of running shoes, head into a running speciality store and have them fit you properly! They'll watch you run, analyze your gait, and let you try out a few different pairs. In this case, the investment is so worth it. After you find the shoe you like, make sure to replace it once they wear out. For most people, that happens after about 300-500 miles, or 4 to 6 months of running. My magic number falls right between 350 to 400 miles, and then my body starts telling me it's time for a new pair. Typically I'll feel soreness or tightness in my hips or knees and that's how I know it's time to retire that pair of shoes and move on!

• Finding the proper sports bra is just as important. Sorry gentlemen... you might want to skip to the next bullet ;) I found my favorite sports bras prior to running my very first half marathon... this made a world of difference for my running! I am not particularly...endowed in this area but even so, having everything stay firmly in place while running made a surprising difference in how comfortable I was while running. I have found my two favorite bras HERE and HERE. Like running shoes, these can also be expensive and need replacing over time, but it's important to treat your breasts gently when it comes to running. Without a proper sports bra, you can do a lot of damage to your breast tissue from the up-and-down motion of running - and no one needs that.
• Stretch and strengthen! I have a whole new appreciation for stretching, as well as for strength-training my weak parts (glutes). Stretching has helped me enormously with injury-prevention, which is obviously high up on the list of priorities for any athlete. I spend about 10-15 minutes daily stretching - even if it's an "off" day. Cross training also really helps to work those parts that might be weaker and need more attention. For me, cycling and rowing have been enormously important to my running this summer. Cycling helps my glutes, rowing strengthens my core. Both are very important for running. I talk about my General Strength and Mobility exercises and stretching exercises HERE. Also, I know I talk about this a lot but 8-minute abs really help my core - you can watch the video HERE (wear '90s-themed workout gear for best results...;)  Oh, and don't forget to foam roll if you need it :) (Depending on how much running you are doing, you may or may not need one of these, and if you do need it you've probably been acquainted with one, but I have had an ongoing love-affair with my own after my IT-band issues 2 years ago.) 

• Buy some (weather appropriate) running gear that makes you feel fit, strong, and CONFIDENT. First of all, it's very important to have moisture-wicking materials to work out in so that you don't chafe and so that your sweat (or the rain, or whatever) doesn't weigh you down too much. I used to run in old regatta t-shirts all the time and it was somewhat life-changing when I invested in wicking material that breathes and doesn't stay too soggy. Technology rocks! Make sure to have light, cool layers for the summer when it's going to be hot out. Also, I like to feel good about how I look when I am going running. I'm definitely NOT of the less-is-more school of thought and would not be comfortable running without a shirt on (but if you are, that's great!). For me, I feel strong and confident when I am wear running shorts that I'm comfortable in and that don't ride up, a brightly colored t-shirt or tank (or SOCKS!) and my running hat to keep my hair out of my eyes. I also have rubber hair bands that stay in place so I don't have to mess around with it while I'm in the middle of the run. I know people that like to run topless, in running skirts, only in running tights, you name it, but it's important to do what makes YOU feel confident. Finding athletic clothes that I feel good in helped with my performance more than I ever would have expected! Before a long run, I always lay everything out the night before so I know that my favorite clothes than make me feel comfy and strong are clean and ready to put on right away. If you doubt me - try it out! Put on that running outfit that makes you feel HOT and see how it goes!

• Eat right, hydrate, and get enough sleep. Over the past several months I've spent a lot of time really figuring out what foods work best for my body. During marathon training, I've really found that eating cleaner, more wholesome foods make me feel and perform better (though I really crave and sometimes miss junk food, it makes me feel and perform not-so-good). Running demands a lot of your body. You need to put good stuff in if you want to get good stuff out. Make sure to get the vitamins and nutrients you need everyday, with a good ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber. As you run more, you will also need to drink more water to get the best performance. I carry a water bottle all day every day and I know it definitely helps me recover more quickly from hard workouts. SLEEP is another big one. When you're working hard and demanding a lot from your body - whether that's through running or other physical activity - your body will require additional sleep to heal, recover, and reboot from that activity. HERE is a great article on why your body needs that extra sleep after hard workouts. 

These are just a few of the things that have worked really well for me and that I credit with helping my running performance improve. Again, I'm not a professional and these are my own opinions, which I have based off of things that I've read over the years and of course from my experience and lots of the athletes I've talked to, but I really hope they can help some of you when you get out there and get moving :)

Lately.

Breakfast lately : Same old coffee and overnight oats+chocolate Almond Milk, but now I stir in lots of fresh blueberries and strawberries as well. Eaten while answering emails and filing reports in the morning :) 

I start a new book pretty much each week but this week - despite having stacks of new bestsellers from the library -I reverted back to an old beloved book : 

There's something so comforting to me about re-reading a well-loved book. I'm able to relax in an entirely different way!

Finally took these out of their box under my bed and put them on. Now I have over 400 miles on my blue shoes, and I've been feeling some extra aches and pains that I don't think are just due to increased mileage. These are just an updated color of my shoes that I've been wearing for four pairs now.

Tried 'em on but still have yet to wear them for a run... they are too pretty! Did my 7 miles today in a different old pair. Maybe tomorrow?

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Also, articles I've been reading lately :)

How to find your weaknesses as a runner.

Post run stretches every runner should do.

A stretching routine to prevent injuries (the last one is my favorite :).

A "broken" run, froyo and see my FLIPBAND and new shoes!!

Get ready for an exciting post...

After tossing and turning until 2AM, I woke up yesterday at...4:58AM? What is wrong with me?! I stayed in bed until 7:45AM before I gave up and went to get some bfast - I was hungry. It was cloudy-looking from my room but beautiful from the view downstairs! Though I couldn't sleep, I still felt really tired so I brought some coffee (with almond milk) back to bed and cracked open my book with a flashlight.

I finally got out of bed after reading until 10...I knew I had to make steps towards productivity. I loved being in bed though, awake in the quiet, dark, early morning with my book. I've been getting bored lately but I might miss these slow mornings in the hectic craze that will probably surround my action-packed trip in Luxembourg! 

I dragged my tired rear end out the door for a run... I was planning 8 miles. 1 mile in, my grandparents pulled over on the road and grabbed my attention! (This would've been a lot more surprising if I hadn't been running where I always run, which is in the park right across the street from their house.) They said they were going to the grocery store and would meet me at home to give me something in 30-40 minutes. I knew I was not going to be that fast so I just ran back to my house longways, until I had 37 minutes total. 

While I waited for them to arrive, I decided to prepare lunch. I planned to go back outside and finish the run after seeing them but wanted food to be ready. I made a kale salad with sautéed mushrooms and caesar dressing. Eclectic, but YUM. I was hungry but all I ate while waiting was a...piece of chocolate. 

The grands quickly stopped in and I finished the run. I got to a daily total of 7.7 miles which felt like a million miles because it was stretched out so long. My legs don't like when I break runs up like this but I was sure to jump right into the warm shower and thaw out and stretch, which made me feel much better.

When the sister got home from school, we decided to do our "after school activity." We're doing after school activities every day this week since I leave next Tuesday.

Yesterday's activity was: fro yo. 

There were shrieking babies in the shop so we ran outside and ate it in the car. I had some yummy cinnamon bun and red velvet cake yogurts (with toppings, ofc).

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Do you remember when I said I really wanted a flip belt for my (longer) runs??? Well, somehow Alex's mom found this out and got me one for the holidays!!! It's even pink, like I wanted! All the important stuff slides right in and you can flip that baby over and run for days (or just miles :). It fits well over my running clothing and I can't wait to try it with a bunch of stuff in there, especially for longer runs or runs where I might need a phone or something (...Luxembourg runs!?). 

Yayyyyyyyyy!

On more crazy-exciting piece of news today.... NEW SHOES. I actually got these guys a few weeks ago and have been using up my old shoes and waiting for good weather to try the new ones so there aren't big glops of mud on them after the first day. 

Until now, I always try on the shoes in the Second Sole running store that I go to - and I always end up with the same old pair, just in a new color (most exciting part). 

This time, the running guy knows me so well that as soon as he saw my white shoes in hand, he just asked if I needed a new pair and brought it right out. No muss, no fuss, and no trying on when I'm just going to go with the same old thing anyways!

See these beauts? No one had even taken them out of the box before and the laces were still tied together, tags were on, and those shape-keeping foot inserty things were still in there too!

One thing I did notice was that the laces were oddly short??? Not sure what that's about but if it turns out to be an issue I'll just switch the laces with a pair of my old sneaks. This is my third pair of ASICS GT 2000s since I've really been running a lot (so, in the last year) and I still love them and hold that they are the perfect shoe for me.

Still, I'm always searching for ways to get them on really good deals... I found some on Amazon for $70... is it bad that I would revert back to the GT 1000s just for the price and the all-pink style?!

Anyways, I took them for a 3.5-mile spin and they rocked! Never had blue running shoes before and I think blue makes me extra speedy. The weather was a huge plus too, sunny and 40 degrees! And after a few "warm" days with no snow, a lot of the ice and sloppy mud has also dried up. Today was a runner's dream! I would've gone longer but I had slept into late o'clock and am trying to take it easy after yesterday. 

Nothing like some sun and a nice little run to make my mood and my day! Hope your Tuesday is just as pleasant :)

Race Re-Cap: Santa Hustle Half-Marathon!

My race re-cap for yesterday's Santa Hustle Half is long due... I was so exhausted yesterday that I just didn't get around to writing it!

Basically, it was a fun experience. Mentally and training-wise, I had been so ready to do a speedy PR, but yesterday it just was not going to happen. For a couple of reasons.

First of all, not sure if you got the memo but this is what it looks like here. At the half-marathon it was still coming down, combined with temps around the 20s and extremely high winds.

In case you didn't know (which I didn't really, until I actually had to do it!) it is EXTREMELY hard to run 13.1 miles in snow, ice, and a generally thick slush. Sometimes just pushing through the winds was a challenge in itself to keep going. After about 1.5 miles I fell off my desired pace. By mile 4, I realized that my attitude needed to change - this had to be for fun, not for competition. 

Throughout the race, I kept wishing that the race coordinators had been able to do a better job salting and clearing the snow. My calves and shins were killing me, and even my feet ached. My running stride was totally altered. In hindsight, I know that I really knew what I was signing up for by registering for a December half-marathon on Lake Erie - it was not going to be pretty! My knee (which has been worn out from overtraining and not doing my strengthening exercises - bad me!) began aching around mile 3 and "popped" at about mile 7. If I'd wanted to completely prevent further injury and drop the race, there were no medics or volunteers for sometimes a mile or so at a time. In hindsight, I'm actually glad because I did not really need to consider dropping the race. I know that I really wouldn't have, either - but during the race I felt sore and alone and wanted to see options. 

I'm glad I powered through and with a week or two completely off, my knee should be more than alright.  I ran with a friend until about mile 11, which made it fun, and when I just couldn't fight it any longer I let her speed up without me. I'm definitely very happy I finished the race - my fourth half.

I've never been so excited to finish a race. When I finally was done and took the pressure off my knee and stretched out, I felt much better, physically and mentally. This was the first time I did a half-marathon "with" Alex (he zoomed ahead with his other speedy buddy). We hung out with friends and got lunch afterwards. Getting warm was the best feeling ever! 

I didn't get any good pictures from the race - this was my first half-marathon without my mom - which was fine; I'm glad she was safe and warm at home instead!

However, I did get this photo of a...reindeer! He was at the race cheering us all on.

I did of course, LOVE the race package...

...Santa beard and all...

And the finisher's medal was a totally cool one!

My not-dying throughout the race was due largely in thanks to the Illuminite gloves and hat that I purchased the day before. My mom contributed to buying them and I am SO thankful to have had them. My hands almost always heat up during a race and I take my gloves off, and during the course of the race yesterday I did take these cozy gloves off a couple of times - only to replace them because of the biting cold. They even have reflective dots on the backs of them to help you be visible in the dark. These are by far the best gloves I've run in - not those cheap ones from the dollar store that get cold and wet!

Mostly I'm an ear-warmer girl because I always run in a bun or pony-tail, but I knew that the race weather would call for something a little more powerful. I got this men's hat with the gloves and loved the fleecy interior. The exterior is pretty much all-weather proof - though the man at the running store said that a driving rain would probably go through the seams. It worked perfectly for the snow and my ears were not cold one bit!

When I got home I warmed up and decorated our beautiful Christmas tree. One of my favorite traditions and it turned out so pretty, as always!

After the race I made sure to enjoy some of Trader Joe's yummy chocolate cookies...

Hopefully I find a few race pictures in the next few days and can share them later in the week! 

Spin, blizzard, and NEW SHOES!!!

This afternoon was the best. First-off because I went to Dairy Queen again with my sister! I had a mini cookie dough blizzard. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't eat dairy! Ice cream is the best.

Then... I GOT NEW RUNNING SHOES!!!!! This is the greatest news ever. With 400 miles on them, my purple shoes weren't working too well for me and were starting to hurt my joints and give me blisters. Often times runners can get up to 700 miles comfortably on a pair of running shoes, but I certainly fall between the 300 and 500 cut-off for shoe replacement needs. Check these guys out!!!

They're the same as my old ones and are white with pink laces.

Like any loving parent, I buckled them in on the way home:

And put them on right when I got back!

For anyone who was unfamiliar with my very well-loved old shoes, they were Asics GT2000 model (you can take a look here). I LOVED these shoes and have always bounced back to Asics after trying a  new type of shoe. I get them discounted at my local running specialty store and I think Asics were made for me. So this new white shoe is just an updated version of my old ones! I will continue to wear my grape/white/pink GT2000s for cross-training activities, and my new white and pink ones will get me through running! Hopefully my sister has forgiven me for singing songs about my pink shoelaces all afternoon.

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Today's workout was a really fun one! It started with this killer outfit:

...and I found myself here:

My workout was:

25-minute spin class

10-minute erg

25-minute spin

10-minute erg

I took 5-minute breaks in between to fold some laundry (the benefits of having the equipment in the basement where the washer and dryer also live). After I was done I ate an egg sandwich on the floor while I stretched.

Check out my new erg log-card!

That card will save alllllllll my workouts and total meters on there. I think it's awesome! It'll be great to track my progress and monitor my total accomplishments over time. I'm glad my dad got one for me! I'm very lucky to have parents that are very interested in what I do--interested enough to buy an erg, fix it up when it needs, and buy log-cards for the family!

I've been on a running-cleanse for the last few days if you haven't noticed, but that all came crashing to an end when I got my irresistible new shoes. I went for a short run with IronSister to try them out (though there wasn't much to "try" since they're the same as what I just had, but that doesn't matter!). I also hadn't showered yet because the running store is one of the few places that welcomes me with open arms showered or not, and sweat is something they understand. So in my state of residual sweatiness I thought it would be a waste not to run with my new shoes before I showered. Yep, I'm sure I just lost a few friends for those last few sentences regarding my hygiene. 

New tires, Sunday ride, and lemon cake :)

My dad is the best! He got new tires for my bike and fixed it up for me. No more heavy tires! I went out for a 17.5 mile ride to celebrate this. The weather was perfect for it. My new tires felt great; they're beautiful!

Today was spent continuing to rest up from my crazy but awesome Saturday, bike riding, and continuing to research my triathlon. T-minus 7 days until race day! I'm so excited, but also nervous. The swim should take me 5-10 minutes (I really don't know, haven't practiced for it, and likely won't!) but I'm afraid I will FREEZE! Right now Lake Erie is just 70-75 degrees, and I've been in with a wetsuit and it's chilly. I won't be using a wetsuit for my swim, and though normally cool temps are a gift from the heavens on race-day, it might freeze me this time. I'm notorious for always being chilly, and the chilly swim could make me cold for the entire race. This, of course, is simply me being a whiny baby--my health is not in danger in these water temperatures. The worst that will happen is that it'll take my breath away, and I'll swim on. It's just an un-forseen problem, but I doubt it will tarnish my race experience. Plus, this is supposed to be fun! I'd love to finish in less than 60 minutes, but that would be an amazing time and could only happen if everything went perfectly. I'm sure things that I don't expect will pop up. So ultimately, I guess I should say that my goal is to finish :)

Couldn't go without a food pick! Check out this tricked out lemon cake that Alex's mom got for him! 

Chocolate Waffles and speedPLAY.

Today I did my first ever day of SPEEDWORK with running, but I like to call it speedplay because it's FUN. I thought it was much more interesting than normal running and it kept me occupied! I think I could make quite a habit of this and it seems like it could help me a lot...reminds me of how much I can actually push myself! Considering my legs might've been a little heavy from yesterday's ride/run, I decided to just try it easy and do a mini-speed workout. I ran almost a mile to the track as a warmup, and then did 1200 at 5k pace, took a rest by running slowly through the grass, and then did 800 at 5k pace. It went really well! During the warmup I felt like "gahhh I am slowww" but I sped right up to my normal 5k pace as soon as it was go time! I ran home nice and easy for my cooldown. The speedwork was definitely challenging, but felt great and satisfying to push myself like that! I definitely will be incorporating this into my running more often!

I also wanted to mention the Honey Stinger chocolate waffle I tried during my bike ride yesterday. After 10 miles,  I decided to try this power waffle made by the same company as those Honey Stingers I wrote about.

Ultimately, I really liked this waffle and it tasted good and seemed to help me for the second 10 miles of the ride. I didn't feel that "flop" that I felt the last time I did this ride but I think that also could have to do with the lack of sun/heat that I had to deal with the last time as well. The fact that Lance Armstrong endorses it sort of adds to the debatable-ness of it's effectiveness, I guess! If I had to choose, I would probably use it again (but might experiment with other power-bar type things first). The only complaint I had was that it's "fragile" and broke easily in my pack, and the waffle, which would otherwise have been a cinch to eat, was crumbly and I lost some. Otherwise, it was great!

A case of the Mondaysssss.

Today was yet another rainy day for Cleveland! I slept poorly last night and woke up only to be greeted by an unusually hectic day at work. My work is always hectic, but today was a particularly good wake up call for me...Hello, real world! My ideas for today's post are all a little eclectic because my brain is still in dysfunctional Monday-mode.

Since it is Monday, I thought it would be funny to share this (even though I didn't drink coffee today). Startlingly accurate, I'd say!

Hungry Runner Girl posted this photo, which is also pretty funny (and true!).

Today my run actually came after work and I ran through the marsh that has become my town after about a week of rain! I'm mostly tapering, so the run wasn't too exciting (especially compared with my super exciting bike ride yesterday!) 

My mom took this beautiful photo of all the greens she picked up at the market on Saturday. She's been whipping up smoothies and other delicious (and healthy concoctions). She's signed up for a weekly influx of different fresh, organic, and local fruits and vegetables, which we get to pick up every Saturday. I am excited to see what this holds for our summer recipes!

After my run, I actually researched...RUNNING SKIRTS. I've always thought that the idea of wearing a running skirt is kind of silly--it's like saying, "Oh sure women can do everything men can do...as long as they look flouncy and girly while they do it!" and it also seemed to suggest a sort of lack of seriousness about running, as if it's just another opportunity to play dress up rather than focus on hard work. Over the past several years though, my opinion has been evolving, especially as I started to read about elite/professional female runners that wear them...they're the most serious about running out there, and they still wear running skirts! So I'm open to the idea now, but if I ever get one, it has to look great!  I'd love to wear one around in general and maybe even to run in someday! So far I like:

The Runaround Skort from Athleta. I like that the back is pleated, and there's lots of color options.

The Ramp It Up Skort from Athleta is also really cute... and the reviews say that there are rubber grips on the shorts underneath that help prevent them from riding up--definitely very important!

I also liked the Hatha Yoga Skort, once again from Athleta! The only thing with this one is that it looks tiny bit short (don't want it to ride up!) and is only offered in this charcoal color.

The final favorite running skirt that I found is from the awesome Brooks! It's called the Glycerin Skort, is very well-reviewed, AND some colors are on SALE! There's a lot of color options, too. I'm not sure which I would choose...

That's all I've got by way of running skirts/skorts! I don't know if I could ever choose one though...will keep you updated on what I think!

Honey Stinger Review.

Today I took a lovely run--it was short because I might try to do another long one tomorrow, and my legs were definitely still tired from Sunday. So it was easy pace, but that was fine with me. I really gave it an extra kick at the end though, bringing my pace down 30 seconds for the last .75 of a mile. Combined with the beautiful weather, it was super fun and started off my hectic day perfectly!

I think some of the credit is due to my purple compression socks though...

Purple is slowly overtaking my whole body and soon I will become a complete grape.

Of course, blue is still my number one color of choice when it comes to Gatorade...

I wanted to talk a little bit about Honey Stingers, which are athletic-fueling foods that are completely organic and composed of mostly honey for the energy. The concept is the same as GU, but it's supposedly better and more natural for you. I picked up some of the Chews and one of the "Waffles" at the CLE Marathon Expo, curious about more natural products. You can also choose between bars and gels, depending on what sport you're engaging in and what you might want to the nutrition for. During my 8-miler, I took some of the Chews before and during my run to experiment with them.

I could totally dig the flavor (Cherry Cola) and texture (not too sticky) but the chews themselves didn't seem to float my boat. First of all, let me get back to my original reason for taking energy during a half-marathon (this distance is short-enough that most people can probably scrape by without out any solid-intake during it). I wanted to take chewable Gatorade for the electrolytes because I didn't want to drink Gatorade and get all sticky during the race. When I'm running in races and start to feel the discomfort, I get quite easily miffed and P.O.ed, to the point where I suddenly want to rip my music out and throw it at something or throw my hat on the ground and stomp on it. Being sticky would NOT make me a happy camper at all. So, I took chewable Gatorade that I'd practiced with and bought lots of when I was at school. This worked well for me, and banished any cramps that usually hit me mid-way through the half-marathon distance, especially when I take water. The use of the Gatorade Chews led me to be interested in the use of other chewable items like CLIF Blocks, etc., which might have been more substantive. 

For my next (probably extremely hot) half-marathon, I have made the decision to just stick to the little packet of Gatorade Chews. For this distance, I really only need a few extra electrolytes during the race, and can easily stock up again at the end, by which point I will really need it. I thought the Honey Stingers might do the job equally as well, but they didn't sit well with me and will require further investigation on a real long run at some point this summer. As for the CLIF Blocks that are sitting in my cupboard, I'll definitely try those, because they seem to be nearly the same exact thing as the Gatorade Chews, but I've decided to save them, again, for a "real" long run this summer. They're bigger and there's more in a package, so I can just stick with my Gatorade, remembering that the initial purpose of having them was just so I wouldn't have to actually drink something sticky that I inevitably needed to take in during the race. Soooo... those are my thoughts on that!

New gear and Gatsby!

Today I went SHOPPING! I got a new short-sleeve technical shirt from GapFit and I got a couple pairs of Nike Tempo shorts. I of course had to model them straight away! I'm very particular about my athletic gear matching so you'll notice that the purple of my shirt matches the purple stripe in my shorts...might be a little picky of me... 

I also picked up a lot of other nice items in the crazy sales that were out and about today...it was well-worth the time and money spent! I'll be sure to model some of my new finds in future days.:)

My run today was really nice. The weather was just perfect. I've been finding that I like my compressions socks for things other than just compression...I'm not sure if they do much during my runs but they sure seem to help with recovery and above all, they keep plants/bugs/dirt off of my legs. I'm trying to get more into trail running so this is really awesome.

I've been skipping the use of my beloved Garmin during this week of running since I'm technically "off," or doing easy runs for the next couple of days while I continue to recover from the half-marathon. I planned not to run at all until this weekend but my body was just rarin' and ready to go on Wednesday, and I've been on four runs since the half-marathon. One was my Friday 5-miler which really was not a great run...everything was hurting...but other than that I've felt strong and on the road to recovery. I've been keeping the mileage under five this weekend, but may build it up during the week. I might start trying speed work at the end of next week, just to give it a shot (speed work won't be soon enough to help me in preparation for this up-coming 13.1, but it will be fun to see if I like it and will be something I hope to use in the future), and then plan to do an 8-miler next weekend which is two weeks before my second half-marathon. In the two weeks preceding the half-marathon, I'll do a traditional taper. 

I'm also working hard to find a bike to use so I can actually do the triathlon that I've got my eye on for August. I'll keep you updated on that...

I took some beautiful snapshots while I was stretching in the middle of my run! What a gorgeous day!

I went with my sister to see "The Great Gatsby" (finally) and I was absolutely blown away! I loved the film and when it's on DVD I can tell it's one of those movies that I'll want to watch endlessly. I just thought it was beautifully done and I really liked the way Baz used modern film techniques and technology/special effects and his own style in the movie. I liked the frequent--but not goofy--comedic relief that popped up frequently, and thought that the romance between Gatsby and Daisy was portrayed perfectly. The image that the audience is left with at the end of the film was also just how I felt after reading the book--F.Scott Fitzgerald's original point was maintained and I think he would have appreciated the film. It was phenomenal! I always tell people that even before I knew about the movie, when I first read the book, Leo DiCaprio was always how I envisioned Jay Gatsby...and alas, he was!!! He played the role perfectly. I was a bit worried due to the bad press/reviews that the film was receiving but I thought it hit the nail on the head. A+ work, five stars, the whole enchilada. I know what I'll be reading tonight!