Friday Favorites!

Hope everyone is staying cool out there today...it is going to be 107 today in Nash. crazy. This week has been pretty good so far, despite the heat. I stayed pretty true to my training schedule...just amending it a little. 

The hardest thing for me is not the work-out itself, but the days in which I do the work-out. For instance, I was scheduled to run 3 mi on Tues....I ran it Wednesday instead. To me that's not that big of a deal, as long as I get it done. Sometimes in life we can't control everything.

I'm learning that it is OK if I don't get my work-out in/ finish in the time planned, because such is life! It is not perfect. more important things come up than working out sometimes.

However....that should not be used as an excuse! :)

Here's some of my favorite things this week!

1.  Olympics!!

I am lovin' watching the prelims for track and swimming!  It just amazes me what these athletes are capable of. It is really inspiring to know that they have trained 4 years ( plus!) for their events. I think about myself and my own training and realize that it is nothing compared to theirs! Just makes me want to dig deeper and train harder!

did anyone see the men's 5000 meter race?! 5000 meters= 3.1 miles. The guy in the black finished the race in 13 mins and change....13 minutes. I do 1 mile in about 10:30 if I'm lucky....i think i need to start training with this guy.

2. Cross-training: Swimming

I think I've found my new favorite cross-training activity! I've always been a fish in the water, but have found a new love and respect for swimming for excercise. If you have never swam laps...i mean real laps..., it's a total body work-out. and the most stress-free excerice you can do with your body. Plus you don't have to deal with sweat. and it's refreashing in this heat wave.

3. pump-up songs!"

So I've added a few songs to my running playlist and I thought I'd share them with ya!

• " Too good to be True"- Eden's Edge
• " Tongue Tied" - Grouplove
• " Push It"- Salt N-Pepa
• " Untitled (love song)- Counting Crows
• " Don't wanna see your face"- John Butler Trio
• " Chains of Love"- Ryan Adams
• " 5-1-5-0" - Dierks Bentley

feelin' hot, hot, hot.

good lord it is hot here in Nash. If you don't belive me, look at this...

109?!?! really?? I'm going to plant myself in the pool and they are going to have to force me out.

these temps are too crazy to be running outside...maybe even at 5 a.m. or mayyybbbbeeebe that is just my excuse not to get up at 5 a.m......

whatever the the case may be, i was forced to use the dreaded treadmill for my run yesterday.

boo treadmill. however, watching the Olympic Swimming trials during my run helped motivate me.

 Does anyone else feel like they run slower on a treadmill? I know it's weird because you are forced to keep a steady pace, but I always have a slower pace on the treadmill than running outside.

Shut Up and Run , A blogger I follow, posted this on her page the other day:

 Here are some tricks to try before you just shut up and run:

1. Strip down. Wear as few clothes as you can without being arrested. Wear light colored, loose, wicking clothing.
2. Run first thing, or after the sun starts to set. Avoid getting out there between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
3. Adjust your pace. Slow the heck down. Ideal running temperatures range from 50º-55º. For every five degrees above that, your performance can degrade 2%. This means that if you are running in 75º heat, your pace could slow up to 10%! Humidity might make it even worse. Don’t expect you can or will perform the same in the heat (from a study done at Team Oregon).
4. Do 6 every 15. Try to take in at least 6 ounces of liquid (not including Bud Light) for every 15 minutes of running. Plan your routes where you can replenish your water, or hide it along the way.
5. Think trees. Or, big buildings. Try to plan your route to include the most shade possible.
6. Skip the beans and peanut butter. Avoid excess protein intake before and during the run. Protein metabolism produces extra heat (source).
7. Run with your down coat. If you are planning a race in a hot and/or humid climate, try to acclimate first by mimicking race conditions the best you can. To develop and maintain acclimatization for a race in a warmer climate, assume that each layer of dry clothing or degree of coverage, (i.e. going from short to long sleeved shirt or from shorts to tights), is equivalent to 15 or 20 degrees in temperature (source).
8. Replenish lost fluids and electrolytes after a run. Some people even weigh themselves pre- and post-run to gauge how much liquid they have lost. If you are doing especially long runs or are running for consecutive days in heat, add salt to foods and select foods high in potassium like bananas.

In all seriousness though, if you are a runner, please please be careful running outside in these hot temps. Instead you should enjoy some yummy watermelon with your dog...don't worry he got his own piece :)

Have any other tips for running in the hot weather??

Do you hate the treadmill as much as I do?

fun in the sun and the number 5.

This weekend consisted of a lot of  " fun in the sun" time. Playing and a little exercising.


On Saturday, my friend Jess and I decided  to grab a bite to eat at this taco-hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Local Taco. They have yummy tacos with unique ingredients. I went pretty normal with a Fish Taco, and a Carnas Taco...but they also had an Italian Taco, Fried Chicken Taco, etc...

All week I've been struggling with a cold/cough/sore throat, so I really wanted something cold for my throat and for the hot temps. We have this local business called  "Las Palates" in Nash. code for The Popsicles. These 2 sisters started the business and make very flavorful and unique frozen Popsicles. Example: Avocado, Cantaloupe, Thin Mint, Nutella, etc. They use real fruit and try not to add any sugar. Jess and I both thought the Watermelon paleta  was good choice.

Sunday it was just too hot to do anything but lay around in the pool. We met up at the  pool and enjoyed the nice cool water to beat the heat. We had upper 90's temps. here this weekend. I think we probably reached 100 by the end of the day. Whatever it was, it was too hot for my planned run in the evening.

very relaxing view of the tree tops.
soooo instead I woke up at 5:00 a.m. this morning and started on my 5-6 mile journey.
I took y'alls advice and layed out my work-out clothes before I went to bed Sunday evening.

it really helped! so did the annoying new alarm sound. scares the heck out of me.

My run was pretty good...i felt cool because all the " hard-core" runners were out doing their morning work-out too. the hills hurt a little this morning because I haven't been doing much of them. I was also reminded that I was a tad sick because my breathing sounded kind of like wheezing.buttt i made it.

woke up at 5, ran 5 miles, in 55 ish minutes. I should really be the spokeswoman for the number 5 today. jeez.

After the run, I enjoyed a new bfast item. They are called Vita Egg Muffins. it was basically an egg white and cheese on an english muffin. I added some blueberries and called it a day. 3 WW pts.

Friday Favorites!

This week was pretty good! recap: fun friends in town, morning runs, taco girls nights, and Keane concerts with evacuations. I call that the good life! Here's a couple of my favorite things this week for Friday Favorites!

1. Milo's Sweet Tea with Splenda

horrible picture quality i know...but i just finished the last of my jug and couldn't take an " actual picture". I love this stuff...I don't know why but after running I really crave Iced Tea. annnddd since I'm from the South it's usually only sweet tea when given the option of iced tea. However, i'm really trying to be good and cutting out sugar, so I've had to make  unsweetened tea with splenda! so good. esp with fresh back yard mint. You really can't taste the " artificial sugar" taste in it. At least I can't...

2. Loft

I'm a big fan. I went in there last week and bought a nice professional tank top, a short sleeved navy sweater, and some cute grey chino shorts...all for..drum roll please....$60!!! Savings of over $50!! I should so be their spokesperson.

Also, never buy anything that is not on-sale at loft...because I PROMISE you, the next day it will be. and never leave home without these babies...

3. Concert's with random fire evacuations

let me explain...last night, a friend and I went to go see Keane at a new, local venue. We got a great standing spot, enjoyed the first act, and then Keane began their set! They were fabulous live (as always) and the audience just started to get in the groove when....the mic went out. and then the air conditioning went out. and then the lights went out. mid song.

before we knew it, we were being evacuated out of the building by the security guard because of a transformer wire fire. We were not going to take our chances with that, especially after hearing about recent stage collapses and incidents recently.

here we are waiting outside for a verdict. 

They ended up cancelling the show because of all the electrical problems :( As we were walking back to the car I noticed a group of people surrounded by a fence...sure enough it was the band talking and signing things for the fans! We scrambled to get right up by the fence and met all the band members as well as got every one's autograph on our ticket! It was def. worth having the show cancelled. kinda. yes.

we were just a little excited when we got back in the car.

late to bed, early to rise.

I DID it!!! I finally woke up early to get my run in before having to get ready for work. I think it was the obnoxiously loud blow horn sound I chose for my phone alarm that finally did the trick. I literally was startled when it went off, causing me to become awake and a little alert. I decided just to run around the neighborhood and explore some side streets this morning. and look what i noticed...

my fingernail polish matched my running shorts!! def. didn't mean to plan that...especially at 6:30 in the morning.

the run was pretty good...but then got a little hot at then end. I also made a rookie mistake and forgot to eat before I went out which caused me to feel a little light headed. i wasn't thinking.it was early. . I brought a water bottle luckily and chugged it at the end of my run, so that helped a bit.

I can't forget about my side-kick and personal service licking dog....isn't that gross that he likes sweat so much? Is that normal? gross.

Here's the pretty morning sun....it's going to be in full gear today in Nash. High of 95!

Last night I babysat and had to have extreme self-control for not eating one all of these. I took a baby bite of one of the kid's and decided to eat a banana instead to fight the craving.

Anyone else run this morning? What helps you wake up? I need tips!

weekend shenanigans

this past weekend i actually was able to get some stuff done! included 2 morning runs. i bit the bullet and woke myself up early Sunday morning to get a quick run in before it got hot. My friend Jess was in town, so we encouraged one another that if we got our run in, we would go to the pool. it worked! We started our work-out at 6:45 and ended around 8 ish....just before it got too hot for me. I'm going to try to wake up and do a few morning runs this week. Hopefully setting 2 alarms and incentives will help.

I also hosted a little cookout on Sunday which involved hamburgers, friends, corn hole, and of course doggies. Here's a few snap shots of our shindig.

 Penguin was the hit of the party!

 The grilling machine.

Tucker's new friend: Lilly the pug.

Last week one of my blogger friends, Run With Jess, started a Marathon Weight Loss competition. She is trying to lose 26.2 lbs by her next Marathon at the end of Sept. She encouraged other bloggers/friends/anyone to join her and lose a Marathon (26.2 lbs), a Half Marathon (13.1 lbs), or any amount of weight. Since I'm trying to lose about another 10 lbs by Sept ( my next half marathon), I thought this was a great thing to become a part of!

Over 450 people have joined her in the Marathon Weight Loss challenge! If you are interested in joining this support group I encourage you to click on her link! You don't have to be a runner or blogger in order to participate! You just need to report your weight to her every Monday before midnight in order to participate! Also, she has a page on FB where you can share healthy recipes/exercises/etc. with others.

the next 13 weeks....bring.it.on.

How are your summer runs going? getting hot yet?

Do you use the grill a lot in the summer? Whats your fav. meal to prepare?



Friday Favorites!

it's Friday!!! woooo! This week has gone by a little slow, but it has been steady. My social calendar was booked every night with dinners with out of town guests, baseball games, and work-outs. I tried to get in a little run this morning, but somehow i turned off my alarm by accident and woke up 15 min. before I leave for work...whoops! Does that ever happen to anyone else? So, now I have to run after work today in the 80 degree weather :(  butttt i did lose 1.5 lbs this week! I'm breaking through that plateau!

This week's Friday Favorites are centered around drinking in some form or another.

1. Cambelbak Water Bottle

This is by far my fav. water bottle I've ever had.,..and it's pink! I take it everywhere with me to make sure I get in my daily 100 oz. of water. I usually fill it up 2 or 3 times at work and then again during a workout. It's easy to see how much you are actually consuming because it measures the water by ounces! It's not a good water bottle to run with though because it's hard to grip around it. It's really important to make sure you are drinking at least 8 cups of water a day...it really does make a difference!


2. Wine bottle tiki torches

I found this brilliant idea on pinterest and thought it would be a perfect excuse to have a few friends over and drink some wine! The guy at Lowe's was very helpful in helping me find all the materials i would need to make these....he was like " let me guess...Pinterest Project?"

 I'm almost done with them...i just need to mount them on my deck outside. I think they will be perfect for those hot summer nights when the mosquitoes are driving you crazy. Here's what the finished product will look like...

3. Smirnoff Frozen Cherry Limeade

This was definitely an impulse by at Kroger the other day. I've been seeing these around the store and have been wanting to give them a try! They are pretty convenient because you just put them in the freezer overnight, then open them when you are ready! They are really good. I don't want to know how much sugar is in them, but they are a good treat for every once in awhile. Plush they have a slushy consistency!! Perfect summer time drink.

the tortoise and Marleene.

Yesterday I stepped out of my comfort zone and finally met up with the Sylvan Park Running group. They are a local group of runners that run 2x a week on a few 3 mi loops that they have created. I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous...but I went.

I started walking up to the meeting spot and connected with a sweet lady named Marleene. She was relatively new to the area and is training for her 1st half! I proceeded to check out the other runners, and it seemed like a good group of young/old, men/women. I then asked Marleene if they run pretty fast and she said some do, but she let's them go on ahead of her! She said I could stick with her :)

I held my own with the pack for the first 1.5 mile, and then my " i haven't ran for 14 days out-of-shape-ness" kicked in. so did the hills. I told Marleene that I had to stop and walk, but go ahead! I then proceeded to get passed by everyone and their mom. I picked it up and started running again, and then saw Marleene stretching on the curb. She had waited for me!

I told her she should go ahead, but she kept by my side the rest of the loop. super super sweet. We chatted and got to know each other better. When we saw the rest of the group stretching at the finish my humor kicked in..." Don't worry! We were just bringing up the rear. Just making sure everyone made it!".

Despite the fact that I was really ok with Marleene running ahead of me, deep down inside I didn't want to be the last one to finish. I just have horrible past memories of always being last in runs and relay's during my soccer days. I have never been a fast runner, and probably won't ever be the " fastest ". but hey I'm trying and that's all that matters.

Overall, I'm really happy that I branched out and met some new people. While stretching I made some more friends and told them I would be back out tues. night!

On a side note....

I decided to keep my toenail. I clipped it down pretty short and it is still hanging on there. I know you were all waiting anxiously with my decision.

Have you ever had/ been a Marleene?

a little bit of everything...

Alright gang, I'm back in the zone! This is a new week and a new start. I looked at the calendar and realized I'm already on week 6 of my training schedule...crazy. and I'm kickin' it into high gear because I've got a goal I want to reach.

Goal: to lose 5 lbs by the 4th of July weekend...so that is 5 lbs in 4 weeks. Very do-able and realistic i think (hope!).

and in order to reach this I'm going to stick to my training schedule and eating right for the next 4 solid weeks. yes i can! BOOM.

on another note....

I had a very fun weekend and went to the lake with my community group on Saturday! We went to the Elk River in Alabama. there really is nothing like floating on the lake, tanning on the dock, and enjoying boat activities. here's a few pics from our fun in the sun.

on another " another" note... ( warning: viewer discretion is advised)

i think my toe nail is falling off?! I know its natural for runners to lose toe nails, but i kind of freaked out yesterday because it has never happened to me before. When I got a pedicure about 3 weeks ago I noticed that my toe nail was blue when the polished was removed, but i didn't think anything of it. Now it looks like this...

to pull or not to pull?? that is the question. Sorry if this is TMI.

Ever had any issues with toe nails falling off?? Advice?

Is 5lbs in 4 weeks do-able? Cheer me on!



Friday Favorites!

How's every one's week been going? I feel like mine went by super fast...but I'm not complaining because its FRIDAY!

 Despite not working out and being on vacation eating patterns, I have managed to lose 2 lbs this week? how in the world that happened...couldn't tell you! But I'll take it! Starting Monday though...it's back to the training schedule! Here's some of my favorite finds/happenings this week!

1. Momma's dessert creation

Momma texted me this gross picture on Thurs night and told me " I know it looks gross, but its SOO good!" It's cut up pineapple, blackberries, strawberries, cool whip, and fresh mint. It's very simple but taste delish. and it's perfect for a dessert on a summer night.I tried it last night and it was sooo yummy. the fresh mint and pineapple bite was mom and I's fav :)

Here's my mint plant! I love putting it in iced tea in the summer.

2. Hot Chocolate 15K/5K in Chicago



I've officially registered for the 15K in Chicago! I'm going to be racing with one of my best friends who lives up there and I'm SO excited! It will be in Nov, but I actually love running the cold....or at least the cold in the south. and get this...it's sponsored by Ghirardelli!! The after race party includes a delicious hot chocolate with tons of whip cream, chocolate fondue station, on other tasty chocolate samples. Now that's something i'll run for!  Also it has great swag! Instead of a bunch of free samples and a t-shirt, they are giving away these pretty things... a tech. hoodie!

3.  Pretty flowers!

I just can't get enough of all these pretty flowers so far this year! These are some that I planted in my container out back and they are just starting to bloom. I really think flowers make a huge difference in my mood!

Have you signed up early for any Fall/Winter races yet?

Whats your fav dessert in the summer?

da beach.

well hello friends! I've been avoiding writing a post because I have not ran since last thursday...
and I know I shouldn't feel guilty about it, but I kind of do. especially since today is National Running Day! ...

it's ok though. i'll get over it...because i got to go to the beach! and see my bestest friend, Stinky!

look at that water! it was as if the weatherman knew i was coming down because it was clear, sunny, and in the 80's. perfect beach weather. It was a great weekend for some fun in the sun!

We were even reading the same book!

I did go on a few 5 mile walks though during the weekend! They live in this cute town by the bay and i went exploring.

...and found this! it was a great little loop to walk around and see the water. Would have been great for a run, but by the time I got out it was too hot.

Stinky had to work on Monday morning, so I treated myself to a little bfast. Found this place the locals go called the Donut Hole. auh-mazing.

i was good and didn't get one...but i did get some banana pancakes!

 

....yeah they were the size of my head. I ended up only eating 1! soooo good.

 

after the pancakes I felt even more guilty, and so i enjoyed a nice walk on the beach. lovely.

 

I'm going to try to get back on track starting tomorrow!  Good thing I added some flex time in my training schedule for the half in sept!


Are you out there doing some running on National Running Day?

Going anywhere beachy this summer? Any cool trips??