This is how I roll, animal print, pants out control

Yes, just rolling along running in stride with whatever hand I am dealt AND rocking out to some fab tunes like LMFAO and of course my favorite, DJ Scene podcasts!

Last week it was the case of an extremely upset stomach which lasted for 4 entire days and resulted in me being quite dehydrated.  This led to taking off Monday and Wednesday, a horrible track workout Tuesday (and even worse run back to the gym) and a blown tempo run Thursday which thankfully I at least had the sense to do on the treadmill near a bathroom.

The husband has been bow hunting some mornings which means I am left to stay home and on dog detail instead of going to the gym, so swimming is just not getting done.  That said I am just rolling with the flow and just trying to at least get in my 3 key runs a week and not worry much about anything else.  Besides the 3 key runs, it remains mission do as I please!

On the running front which I am LOVING, all seems to be going along well.  I was super excited to run both days this weekend with my favorite running club evahh, SERC!  Saturday morning was trails.  SG had picked out some of the less muddy trails for us to run which ended up being a good portion of the Run for Regis Course (score for me since I am doing it in Jan!).  I was feeling pretty good running throughout the morning, but I did manage to roll each ankle once and planted my hands in the mud to save my face as I slipped going up a muddy hill.  It always amazes me how bad it hurts to roll an ankle and then I run some more and 1 minute later, it is like it never happened.  THANK GOODNESS!

The weather was just gorgeous Saturday morning and running trails with the bright fall leaves is sooo hard to beat and makes it hard not to have a good run!  What a great way to start my day!  I arrived back to Lock 29 12 miles later and FD hooked us up with some banana bread compliments of his fab wife.  Can it get any better?  :-)

Yes....

Sunday I showed up to Solon to again run with the SERC gang.  FD asked me what my plan was and I said I was hoping to run the 12 mile loop at a 7:15 or better pace.  I was definitely nervous about stating this out loud with this group (as u better be ready for trash talk in this crowd) as I figured this might be tough to hit when I got to the hills and everyone might catch me and know I failed.  Fortunately for me, FD said he would roll with me.  :-)

And after 100 meters with the group we buckled down and got with the plan.  I really struggle to pace properly at this pace.  One minute I see 6:50 and then 7:20 and I was trying to find somewhere close to my target.  Thank goodness for my gps!

Mile 1:  7:17
Mile 2:  6:56
Mile 3:  7:02
Mile 4:  7:10
Mile 5:  7:02
Mile 6:  7:01
stopped for water
Mile 7: 7:07
Mile 8: 7:35 (up the Solon Rd hill from Liberty which continues Cannon)  Picture me breathing heavy!
Mile 9:  7:20 (calm before the storm as I try to recover)
Mile 10: 7:24 -OUCH (up Bedford Chagrin Pkwy to SOM)
stopped at top for water but there wasn't any...like I cared I just wanted a second to catch my breath!  FD pulled away from me a bit on this hill and made it look easier than it was!
Mile 11:  6:41 - Some downhill but as we hit the flat I was thinking this feels hard and I must be out of gas.
Mile 12:  6:51 - Stick a fork in me

Average pace 7:07.  Not too shabby for a hilly course, albeit we did stop twice.  Overall I think this run was a good confidence builder for my half marathon goals especially after a hilly 12 mile run Saturday.  I owe FD huge for pushing me and keeping me accountable to my goal for the day.  I am guessing if I was running it solo, I would have slacked off.  I feel like I need to learn to dig deeper when the going gets rough on my own.

I was a slacker yday morning and slept in but managed a solid track workout this morning.  Tomorrow I am super excited about CTC's Halloween Costume Run and after-party!  Stay tuned for some fun pics!!

Tums and Pepto to the Rescue...I WISH!

Rough, rough morning here in Daisyland.

I am not sure what the deal is but my gut is SUPER PO'd.  It started yesterday and morning.  Waves of cramping pain and trips to the RR.  It seemed to get a little better after I left work but my stomach hurt so bad in the middle of the night, it woke me up twice (stupid homemade taco salad for dinner probably a bad idea with a sour stomach).  It does not seem like I am sick as I feel fine besides these overwhelming waves that come over me and I can't decide if my stomach and back is cramping or if I might have to peuk or something else that girls don't do ;-)

Regardless, clearly I had reason to be concerned about this morning's track workout.  Popped some TUMS around 2AM and then at 5AM popped some pepto and was hoping for the best.

I opted to just run CV's workout.  I probably do better workouts when I am running with someone.  We were doing 800's.  I think CV said all of them were between 2:55-3:05 so I will take that.  I can't remember if I did 4 or 5.  Yet, I really struggled because my gut hurt so bad.  When I got done, started jogging easy and the waves of pain that doubled me over immediately started coming on every 5 minutes or so.  It was SUCH a rough run back to the gym.  Running just is so hard on your insides.  I am thinking if I was biking or swimming, I might have fared much better.  Oh well at least I was super happy to see CV getting strong again after her injury!

I have been having more GI issues lately running lately it seems.

On the running front, I am managing to get in pretty solid workouts.

Last week totals went as such-

M-OFF

T-7 miles (included 2x2000 repeats with 400 recoveries, bailed on third bc stomach hurt)

 - 28 miles biked evening with touring club.  Nice night to ride although lights are now reqd.

W-9 miles with lunch gang (8:01 pace)

R-10 miles ran with AM  (8:17 pace)

F-OFF

S- Key Run- ran 8.5 miles at 7:16 pace until I met sis and AP.  Ran 2 easy miles with them and then decided to pick up the pace so I could run ahead to POP (that hurt).  Then circled back to finish up last 3 miles with sis.  Total 15.5 miles.  Plan was 12 at 7:20 but ended with 15.5 and some slower and faster miles so I think it should be close enough to the intent.  

S-OFF

Miles Ran:  41.5

Can't believe I took 3 days off!  Really really need to get in the pool!  I want to spend the next two weeks on operation flip turn mastering before starting Orange Masters in November.

Wedding Fun!

A very busy Monday so here is the cliff notes version!

Had a crazy fun weekend hitting Rob & Emily's wedding.  Gorgeous church and reception lodge, great band, fantastic food and drink selection and a whole lotta fun!  Fist pumps, flexing muscles and silliness was on the agenda for the night!

Thank goodness I had gotten in my key hard workout first thing Saturday morning!  Sunday was just chilling on the couch while the puppy napped on me!  Ember=Spoiled!

Mixing it up!

Mission do-what-I-feel-like is continuing.  Some days I like having the flexibility of doing what I want to and other days I miss the structure of a plan.

I continue to struggle with morning motivation lately.  I have resumed running with friend(s) on Tuesdays and Thursdays downtown.  The accountability factor here can not be underrated as these are the only two mornings lately that I always force myself up.  

For now, the only real plan I am trying to follow is Furman's First to the Finish half marathon plan.  I like the idea of 3 key runs and doing whatever I feel like the rest of the week.  I am planning to run Inland Half on 11/6 and then Fall Classic on 11/20.  Would love to get a half marathon PR this fall!  (Must beat 1:33:18 but targetting sub 1:30).  So I got two shots on two flat courses.

The thing I feel I really need to focus on would be dropping a few pounds as that always makes running easier.  My intake has plenty of room for improvement and I have been really slacking here.  I must say although I love my husband's mom, she is killing me with the Peanut Butter cupcakes and then the whoopies she has given us this week.  Then there was my mom's birthday which we celebrated Saturday at my house and there was waaay too much left over ice cream which we made sure did not go to waste.  Oh I have not behaved.  Not only that, even the food has been a little bad and I have paid dearly during my runs this week as I wince trying to make it to the bathroom.   Must find a way to focus here...somehow!

In other news, I really enjoyed this past weekend.  I got to see several of the ladies Saturday morning for Jen's Birthday / Pancake Run and we hit the the trails of North Chagrin.  Saturday afternoon I headed to the Cleveland Triathlon Club picnic and took my pumpkin, Ember with me.  She was SOOOO cute playing with the other doggies and got so wore out she needed a nap in the middle of all the action!  

Sunday we got out for the first time in awhile and hit the mountain bike trails at West Branch.  This was an awesome time riding and despite not riding a lot this year, I felt very comfortable navigating the rock gardens and just really enjoyed myself!

Just wishing the nice weather would never come to an end!  Also, there are just not enough hours in the day to spend with my lil cutie pie!

On the Horizon

Fall is clearly here and the leaves are coming down!  That always means more running in my world!

Last week, I was a giant slacker and slept in several mornings (post IM rule is I do what I feel like), but fortunately 3 days I was able to get out a lunchtime for a workout.  My pool is not downtown where I work and my bike is not typically either, so of course I ran!

Monday - off
Tuesday -6.75 Miles at lunch around 8 min miles
Wednesday-6.75 Miles at lunch around 8 min miles
Thursday- 7 Miles ran (5@7), 20 min core workout
Friday - off
Saturday- 11 mile trail run with SERC
Sunday- 7 mi ran (5x1@7), 20 mi bike, 1000 m swam

Totals
Run 38.5 Mi
Bike 20 Mi
Swim 1000 yd
Core 20 min

Saturday's 11 miles was the first time I had been on the trails since last January (GASP!).  It was high 40's and raining.  Following our fearless leader onto trails less traveled, we probably crossed 12 rather deep slippery water crossings and saw sights in the CVNP that few have got to see.  Easily one of the funnest runs I have done in awhile!  I could have kept going all day!  I came home and signed myself right up for the Winter Run for Regis 50K.  I am just sooo stoked to spend some time on the trails and stay warm from the wind, nestled in all the trees!

I have decided there will definitely not be a fall marathon in my future.  I am going to focus on some speed and staying uninjured!  I am planning to do some races up to 13.1 and hopefully get a few PRs along the way.  I am really hoping to break that 1:30 mark for the half and I am planning to race the Fall Classic (already registered) and Inland Trail half.  Beyond that I will do a Turkey Trot and the Reindeer Run of course!

October and November will mainly be operation do-as-I please and do what I love the most (running) and then east side indoor cycling will start back up in December.  I really need to figure out how I am going to tackle my BIG goal for the winter which is to improve my swimming.  More on that once I figure it out!

I AM IN LOVE!

Yesterday's post got tabled and then never got done.  It was discussing difficulty waking up mornings and all the stupid rain.

I went to finish it but my tone feels so different today.  I see something giant and yellow in the sky!  Rumor has it we are in for perhaps 8 nice days of dry and sunshine!  SO EXCITED!

AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE....

We got a new puppy AND I am SOOOO in LOVE with her!

Now I never thought the husband would let us have another animal at our place.  We have our 7 year old golden retriever, Matches!  When we got him my husband thought it would be cute to say, "We were playing with Matches!"  So goes the story of his name!

My husband's mom breeds and shows the golden retrievers.  I love going to her house and seeing all the dogs and usually puppies!  Matches also really likes going to her house to play with all the girl doggies!  Matches might have become a show dog but he ended up a little short so he has just always been our cutie pie!

And then we have my lil 5 old year kitten, Zippo.  Zippo is a great cat.  Thank goodness because the husband would settle for no less.

Yet, between these two guys, we are constantly sweeping and cleaning up animal hair!  The husband has always said no more!

About 8 weeks ago, there were 2 litters born at Joey's mom which totaled 17 puppies.  We were there that day and my heart was melting!

As usual, my husband's mom always says we are welcome to take one home and raise her and that she would breed and show the dog.  Instead of taking up room in the kennel, the doggie could have a happy home life with us!  Of course, the husband was not buying it as we had enough hair to keep up with!

But for whatever reason, 5 weeks ago, his mom must have asked my husband on a good day or perhaps the husband knew how excited I would be, because he finally said ok!

I have been counting the days just waiting for my little cutie pie to come home!  Oh and of course I visited my puppies often!

Yesterday was the day we finally brought our little girl home!  We decided to name her Ember in keeping with our fire theme!

I can't wait to get home from work tonight to take her and Matches to play!  I am actually quite excited for Matches too as I think having a companion will be nice for him!  For now he needs to settle a bit as he starts jumping around like crazy and lil Ember has been scared and hiding under our feet.  I am certain they will become the best of friends as Matches is really good with other dogs!  As a side note, I really wish I had a nanny cam to see what is going on at home!  Ember is in a decent sized Xpen and there is no doubt Matches is nearby....and hopefully has not jumped in!

While I hate doing it, we are crate training her.  I really wanted to just hold her in my arms while I slept but we put her in the crate last night.  She howled and barked and cried quite a bit before finally falling asleep.  Then she started again at 4:50 when I leaped out of bed to get her.  My alarm was set for 5:10 so actually it made getting up easier than normal.  Maybe my new little alarm clock will be a good thing as I managed a great workout this morning since I was up and going!  The hardest part was easily having to quit petting the cutie!