Q: How do I train when I'm not training for anything???

I have been feeling extremely lost when it comes to my training. My last race was in April. Ever since then, I have simply been trying to keep up with my fitness and continue healing my knee/IT Band. But I had no plan. I just did whatever I felt like doing on whatever days I felt like doing it. The only constant was I was sure to do at least three strength training workouts per week. Other than that, it was easy breezy summer runnin'. You read my workouts. I was all over the place. There was no vision.

A few days ago, I started to ponder the question... "How do I train when I'm not training for anything? I thought about it a lot, and this morning I have officially made my decision.

Guys, I never, ever race. In the past two years, I have run two marathons and the mile. All you runners out there in blog land- you are racing machines! Can I come play? I want to to race now, too!

On October 19th, I'm running the Kids' Chance 10k  in Harrisburg.

I decided on the 10k distance because I want to work on my speed, so I figured a 10k would be good for that. Also, after reading Heather's re-cap, I realized I have never raced the 10k distance! I'm not just running it, I want to race it. And I have a goal in mind. I don't know if it is too lofty, and I don't want to jinx myself before I even start training... Let me get into my training before I share my goal with you. Aw, what the hell, full disclosure: I want to run a sub 45 minute 10k.

This is why I don't race. Whenever I race, I set these huge goals. I have a feeling I will know whether or not I will be able to hit this goal halfway through my training. If I realize I can't, I will have to adjust my expectations accordingly!

I'm really excited about my training plan! My "weeks" are nine days long. That way I can fit in the strength training workouts I want.

Each "week" is like this:

Day 1- Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Day 2- Back/Bi/Legs
Day 3- Easy run
Day 4- Tempo run
Day 5- Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Day 6- Back/Bi/Legs
Day 7- Speed work (400s)
Day 8- Easy run
Day 9- Long easy run (never above 10 miles)

This way, I get two complete lower body rest days (Day #1 and Day #5) every nine days and fit in my strength training.

As far as mileage, the most it will ever be is 30 miles every nine days. I am okay with that. For me, less is more at this point.

Besides what is listed above, I have decided to become FULLY COMMITTED to foam rolling, stretching, and strengthening my glutes in an effort to repair whatever is going on with my IT Band and the connective tissue around it. I won't type out my foam rolling and stretching plan for you, because seriously, you will fall asleep reading it. But it is time I fully commit to getting it under control. I haven't tried everything yet, so I have no right to complain if there are more things I can try.

Well, that's the dilly!

Have you ever run a 10k?
Are your training plans weekly or longer/shorter?
Any tips for racing a 10k?

Annoying people at the gym!

I just love this meme and always thought it was hilarious!

I'm feeling RANTYYYYYYYYYY again!

Come on, don't you love a good rant?

I wrote about annoying people at the gym before, but that was like a year ago. 

It's time to revisit the issue!

1. "I Was Using That Bench" Guy

I am pretty aware of my surroundings at the gym. If I'm going to use a bench, I scout it out beforehand and make sure no one else is using it. Is there a towel on it? A water bottle or weights next to it? Someone standing right beside it? If the answer to all of those questions is NO, the bench is free game. The other day, I grabbed some dumbbells and sat down on a bench that was completely empty to do a set of shoulder presses. As I was getting ready, a guy came up to me. I pulled my ear bud out of my ear and looked at him. "I was using that bench," he said. I looked around at the two benches on either side of me that were completely empty and then looked back at him. "My mistake, excuse me," I said politely, and moved to an empty bench two feet away. TWO FEET AWAY! Ridiculous.


2. Girl Hogging the Assisted Pull Up Machine While She Flirts with a Rando Guy

I hate when people hog machines. I don't think you should sit at a machine when you are resting between sets. Someone else could do a set while you are resting. The one exception would be if it's a machine where it is time consuming to switch the weights- like the Smith machine. But anything that requires simply moving a pin? Get off the machine and let someone else work in! This girl took it to a whole new level. After her set on the assisted pull up machine, a guy came up to flirt with her and so they went at it for several minutes... The whole time, she stayed on the machine. I know I could have said, "Can I work in?" but I didn't want to be a bitch.

3. The New Gym Employee

Planet Fitness is weird. We used to swipe a card to enter the gym. Now we tell an employee our member number. They type it into a computer and that's that... unless it is a new employee. Because I joined at a different Planet Fitness, there are a couple more computer clicks involved with verifying my number. Most gym employees know me and know what to do to verify it, but new people don't. This is what happens:

Me: 1-2-0-9-9-4.
New Gym Employee: Thanks. Oh wait... What gym location did you original join at?
Me: Paxton Street.
New Gym Employee: Okay... hmmm.... (clicking around on the computer)
Me: Sigh.
New Gym Employee: Hmmm.... okay, ummm.... Are you suuuuuure....? (still clicking around)
Me: Sigh.
New Gym Employee: Okay, got it.

**This whole process takes about 20 seconds but it should only take 3 seconds and it annoys the crap out of me!**

(ps. That is not my real gym number, I made it up.)


4. Guy Using His Whole Body To Do A Bicep Curl

This person embarrasses me more than he annoys me. There's this guy at the gym that loads the barbell up with an insane amount of weight to do a bicep curl. When he does the curl, he leans forward, then uses his back to get the weight up and also goes up on his tippy toes. What the heck!? I didn't think a bicep curl was a full body exercises but this guy somehow makes it possible. Wait a minute... what if he knows something we don't? Nah.

5. People Who Don't Re-rack Their Weights

How am I supposed to know you're done? I don't dare approach a machine with weights on it unless I stake it out and notice no one has been on it for like 15 minutes. I learned my lesson about two years ago when I got on the leg press machine when apparently someone else was using it... even though he was nowhere to be seen until I actually got on the machine. "I was using that machine, but that's alright, I'll play fair," he said to me in the douchey-est voice ever. So yeah. Re-rack your weights so we know you're done, people! Plus, why should we have to clean up your mess?

Source

Don't worry, there are a couple people at the gym who I LOVE!

I love... the guy who wears the wolf shirt. He's awesome.

I love... the guy who wears Tweety Bird pajamas on the recumbent bike.

I love... the guy who runs, dives, does a forward roll, and then strikes a couple tai chi poses.

(I once tried to videotape this without him noticing but it didn't work.)

I love... the guy that spends a half hour on the elliptical and then stands outside and smokes a cigarette.

(Yes, I seriously love him. One big life change at a time, people!)

Have any good ranty gym stories for us?

Who do you hate at the gym?

Who do you love at the gym?

Weekend Wrap Up!

Boo hoo, this is my last Weekend Wrap Up of the summer. Today I go back to.... WORK. You know, that thing most people have to do 12 months out of the year.

Seriously, I had a very relaxing summer and like always, I am feeling recharged to take on the new school year. I had a great weekend. Here is what I had going on...

I was humbled on Saturday morning by a food called brussel sprouts. I hadn't had them in awhile, but Friday night, I ate a whole box of frozen brussel sprouts. "They won't bother me this time," I told myself. Oh, how cocky I was. Saturday morning, shit went down. And when I say shit, I literally mean POOP. Sadly, as much as I love brussel sprouts, I just can't eat them unless I want to almost puhp my pants the next day. It is so sad, but it is what it is...

Boy did I have some weird dreams this weekend! I dreamed...

1. I was eating meatloaf with Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino.

2. I was starring in a music video for the song "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. 

In my dream, Michael Jackson was the singer.

3. I drank a Diet Coke. 

4. I put one mini Twix and one Oreo in my mouth at the same time and couldn't chew them so they got stuck in there.

Remember how I said I barely socialized this summer and didn't get to reconnect with all of my friends? Well, better late than never! On Saturday night, two of my friends (who happen to be fellow music teachers) came over for a much needed girl's night on my back porch. I wish we got together more often because I am telling you, we really figure out LIFE when we are together!

You know your eyebrow wax was a failure when afterwards, you have to pluck your eyebrows. I am never going to Holiday Hair again. This is really sad because normally they do such a nice job on my eyebrows and it's only $8. I also got my hair trimmed and layered a bit. The length is still there, it is just cleaned up a tad. Next job: Covering the roots! Hopefully, by the time you are reading this, I have already done it!

I have a confession. I started watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Not only that, but I actually like the show. My DVR is now set to record the series. The good news is I will always have trashy TV to watch. The bad new is I will always have trashy TV to watch.

What was going on with you this weekend?

What is your favorite trashy TV show?

Did you have any weird dreams lately?

I have to comment on the ALS ice bucket challenge.

The previously scheduled Me Go Run Weekend Wrap Up will be posted tomorrow. 

I have something I need to get off my chest...

I'm going to talk about the ALS ice bucket challenge today.

I am very annoyed. I am annoyed with the plethora of Facebook posts and snarky comments asking if the ice bucket challenge has actually raised any money for ALS. Comments such as "People dump buckets of ice water on their heads to get out of donating $100? That's a bad message! You should donate the money!"

First of all, a quick Google search will tell you that in the past few weeks, donations in support of ALS research has increased. By a lot.

From the article: "Donations to the ALS Association have spiked. As of Sunday, the association said it had received $13.3 million in donations since July 29, compared with $1.7 million during the same period last year. It said there were about 260,000 new donors. (With a spate of celebrities and business executives joining in over the past few days and pledging contributions, that number is expected to rise.)"

That's just one organization, but dang that is a huge increase in money!

No, not everyone donates. A lot of people can't donate $100. But they may take the challenge and nominate someone else who does donate. You see? In some crazy way, it works. And if you didn't know what ALS was before this brou-ha-ha, hopefully you know now. 

It's just amazing to me how many people hate on something that is intended to do good in the world- by raising awareness and money for ALS.

Yes, I took the challenge. I also donated the $100 that very same day. But I didn't go flaunting that on Facebook. Maybe I should have.

So dump the water, don't dump the water, donate money, don't donate money... You certainly shouldn't feel bullied or less than because you don't donate or don't take the challenge to support this particular cause. I know while Americans can be highly self-absorbed, we are also very generous. There are many, many wonderful charities out there that people may choose to support. It doesn't have to be this one.

Just stop hating on something that is clearly doing something good and will hopefully help those suffering from ALS.

Any and all comments are appreciated, just please keep the conversation respectful.

My Summer Goals... How did I do?

At the beginning of the summer I listed my summer goals...

Since Tuesday is my first official day back at work, I consider my summer OVER.

So let's see how I did on those goals...

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!

Well, I said I wanted to get 3 play sessions in with him a day to help him stop peeing everywhere.

This has sadly not happened. Do not misunderstand- Chrissy gets a TON of attention. We just didn't "play" as much as I had planned. However, he has stopped peeing for the most part. Except when we go away... then he let's us know who's in charge.

I'm not there yet. There is stuff I can't do without it being sore later and I don't think it's surgery related. I think it's "my left leg is fucked up" related.

Negatron. I saw some of my friends once or twice this summer, but I definitely didn't reconnect with everyone. In fact, I did very little socializing at all this summer.

Nope. I'm not any speedier now than I was at the beginning of the summer.

I could blame it on the heat, my knee, or sheer laziness.

I feel like I still have to hold back. There is what I want to do and what I can do.

Unfortunately, those two things are not lining up right now and it's frustrating.

Wow, 6 goals and I only managed 1. I told you this was the summer of NOTHING.

Did you accomplish your summer goals?

Summer Weekly Workouts- LAST EDITION!

This is my last Summer Weekly Workout installment.
The reason I started doing this was to share with you some of the workouts I do- running or otherwise. But I have to be honest, I get bored writing about the workouts I do every day! I enjoyed it better when I would randomly share a workout I did that I thought was interesting or I thought would give you some ideas for your own workouts.

What is the consensus? Readers, do you mind if I go back to that?

Here is what I was up to this week + 1 day...

Friday- 9 hot miles at Codorus State Park

Saturday- Impromptu 5k w/ a 2 mile cool down. Then chest, shoulders, triceps, abs in my living room while watching Dateline.

Sunday- 7 Miles of hills at Willow Mill Park.

Monday- 

Tuesday- A run I thought would be bad but it was actually good! 5 miles @ 8:21 pace.

Wednesday-

Thursday-  5 miles, no Garmin run.

Friday- RESSSSSSSSSSSSSSST!

Pros- I did actual speed work on Saturday. Oh, and I rest day!

Cons- I am feeling... lost with my training. I don't know what my goals are so I don't know how to train for them. More on this soon.

How were your workouts this week?

Do you enjoy a weekly wrap up of each of my workouts or would you prefer I simply highlight the more "interesting" ones you could get ideas from?

The run that was supposed to be bad but turned out to be good.

 

Do you sometimes just know you are going to have a bad run? For whatever reason (bad food choices, sleep deprivation, over training) you know the run is not going to be great before you even lace up your running shoes.

That was me on Tuesday! I was even contemplating a rest day because I figured my body needed rest more than it needed a crappy run. But I was feeling a little blue and needed some endorphins, so I decided to go out anyway.

There were a couple reasons I figured my run would be bad. The main reason was because I got less than 4 hours of sleep the night before. I had to get up early for piano lessons, and when I know I have to get up early, my mind races and I can't fall back asleep. The good part about that is I read an entire book during my night of insomnia. (Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn- thanks for the rec, Ali!)

Other reasons I thought my run would be bad:

- It was dreary and rainy out.
- My knee wasn't feeling strong.
- The only new pod cast I had was Dan Savage and I am starting to get annoyed with the people calling into the show. They are such whiny bitches.

Obviously, from the title of this post, you know my run actually turned out to be great! My legs felt strong and fresh. I was running a pace that felt easy, even though it was faster than my normal easy pace. I ended up with 5 miles at an 8:21 pace.

I'm so glad I got out for the run because now I feel wonderful!

Have you ever anticipated a run to be bad but it turned out to be good?