Running Shorts

Kent-o bought me the running shorts I had been eyeing. 

They make a white-y like me look tan!

Instead of bloomers they have a super light weight spandex short inside.

They even have encouraging words for the slow peps behind me....

You can see all the different colors HERE. They cost $35.00 online but at Academy they are only $25.00.

 I tested the shorts out yesterday on a run and they are great! The spandex really stays in place. I also got these shorts so that I can wear them to exercise classes this summer. I won't worry about my shorts sliding up because the super cool neon spandex will keep me covered and modest!

I got in a decent 6 mile run yesterday [for some reason I switched the garmin settings so you get to see how many calories I burned instead of miles ran! I ran 5.9 miles and then walked for 5ish minutes].

Here I am after my run. I tried to look tired, but instead I just look retarded.  

Running Tips

Quite a few people have asked me about running in the past weeks - either on here or on Facebook. I'm a little shocked because I feel like I know so little about running. And I'm so not fast! So all I can do is tell you what has worked for me.

1. ANYONE can run. If you say you can't, you're lying to yourself. Or you're lazy. I am guilty of both.
2. Buy a good pair of RUNNING shoes. Go to a local running store, you will probably spend $80 to $120 for a decent pair.
3. 13.1 miles is not that far. Yes, I'm serious. It's just working out for 2 hours. You can do it.
4. Run outside. You're kidding yourself if you run on a treadmill.
5. It will take you longer to recover from running than other work outs because many more factors play into running: dehydration, muscle fatigue, increased body temp, mental fatigue [your body tells you to QUIT and you must tell your body to KEEP GOING!], and an oxygen deficiceny in your blood. All these factors are why you are more tired and sore after running. Just recover and get back out there!
6. Run with a partner. This is easier said than done. Finding someone that runs at your same pace is actually really difficult. So start looking!
7. Try to breathe IN thru your NOSE and OUT thru your MOUTH.
8. Drink lots of water. duh...
9. Register for a race. You will be more diligent in your training if you have a goal.

I started to post a beginner training program, but it would be too lengthy. Email me if you want it. The following should be enough for now. The first thing you MUST do is build up to running 30 minutes solid. Here's my recommendation:

• Day 1: Run for 10-12 minutes. Run the whole time. If you think you are coughing up a lung, you're not. Keep going.
• If you're so the next day rest. If not, run again. Add 2-3 minutes on the that time.
• Keep adding 2, 3, 5 minutes onto your last run.
• It may take you 2 weeks, but get to where you can run for 30 minutes straight. No walking.

Sidenote: After your aerobic tolerance is built up to 30 minutes of straight running you can run any distance aerobically. You're heart is ready. Others have told me when they first started running their leg muscles were sore for days and it took them longer to build up their legs than their breathing. If you fall into this category: Keep adding on 5-10 minutes per run. However....I have NEVER experienced this kind of fatigue because I have the worlds most muscular legs. Don't believe me? In high school I squated 290 lbs. That's a lot. Now when I do legs I don't use weights, just my body weight to build long, LEAN muscles. Enough of my massive leg muscles....


If you're serious about running keep reading....

• Now that you can run for 30 minutes you need to figure out how far that is for you. If you run a 10 minute mile, then 30 minutes = 3 miles. Get in your car and clock a route around your neighborhood. Maybe 3 loops = 1 mile or from your house to the main road is half a mile. Whatever your method, figure out your milage. Because now you are starting to run for the miles, not the time! Yeah! You will sound really cool when you say, "Yeah I did an easy 5 this morning." People will be impressed, but 5 miles will truly be nothing for you to run.
• If you are training for a half-marathon you will need to do a 30 minute run 2 or 3 times a week. On the weekends do a "long" run. See HERE for Hal Higdon's 12 week schedule. You just need to build up to at least 10 miles before your race.
• Find a race! HERE are the races this year in Arkansas. I will probably do the Little Rock Half-Marathon. Anyone want to join?
• Run to music! I've got some good jams if you promise not judge me.
• Buy a Garmin running watch. I bought mine half-off HERE.It is worth EVERY penny. It tracks your distance, calories, time, mile pace, etc. I've set mine to tell me to "SPEED UP" or "SLOW DOWN" if I get under 8:40 minutes per mile or over 9:15 minutes per mile.

We've seen my Garmin many times:

I left out a million things. I know. Just ask me if you have a specific question.

See what I looked like HERE after the Chicago Half-Marathon in September. I'm still alive! Ain't it a mirace?!?!  

White Rock Race Recap

Reasons to NOT run this race:

1. 20,000 runners started together = 10,000 half, 6,000 full & 4,000 relay teams.
2. 20,000 runners ran the first 7 miles together.
3. Crowded, crowded, crowded = [other people's] elbows flying & stumbling on over the person in front of you feet every 10 feet.
4. HORRIBLE organization at race - took us 30 minutes to find the porta-potties.
5. Not enough porta-potties. Like 200 too less.
6. After you finish a race you usually want to eat something. Especially if you haven't eaten since the night before and you just burned 1,551 calories. The ONLY thing they had was: plain bagels, oranges and MGD 64 beer. REALLLLLLYYYYY! $80 race and that's all they give. you. Amazing.

See my garmin:

It says I ran 13.34 miles. those extra .2 are from having to run around people. aggghhhh!

Maybe that's normal at big races. I didn't have my garmin at Chicago, so who knows...

Reasons I had a BAD race:

1. Didn't really eat anything before [I knew better, poor excuse].
2. Didn't take anything to eat during [again, bad excuse, I knew better].
3. Swallowed IBprofen dry. It probably didn't kick in until the race was over. hah! Bad decision # 3....
4. Started off running with my friend, bad idea. I'm wayyy to competetive to think that I could run with another person the whole time at a slower pace than I normally run.
5. Left said friend at mile 2.5 & started running an 8:15 pace.
6. My mind & bladder started playing tricks on me at mile 6. Couldn't decide what was going on, so I STOOD IN LINE at the porta potties. Lame. I hate myself for doing this.
7. At mile 7 I got annoyed that I had left my friend, then ran a little to fast for 4ish miles and went to the bathroom when I really didn't need to go. So I stopped and looked for my friend. Bad decision. Never found her.
8. At mile 8ish my IT band started KILLING me. I stopped to walk for a minute only to realize it was more painful to start running again than to just not walk at all. Confusing, I know. So I ran in pain.
9. At mile 10 some girl asked me what time it was. When I couldn't tell her we talked and laughed about how the garmin tells you everything you need to know expect what time it is. Stupid, but it distracted me for a little while.
10. I finished in 2:11. That annoyed me even more. It was a flat and easy race, I wish I had had my game face on. I didn't.
11. AND to top everything off I wore a tank top and shorts. I FROZE my hiney off. FROZE. It was supposed to be warmer and the sun was supposed to come out. I wish I had run in my spandex running pants and short sleeve under armour shirt.

Race grade: D+

After the race they were giving out short sleeve, fitted technical tees. I wasn't sure if I needed a small or a medium so I took one of each with the intention of giving the one that didn't fit back. After I realized that I wasn't even going to get a banana I kept both shirts. And I'm glad I did.

The only good thing about this race [to me] was the course. It was fairly easy. EXCEPT we didn't get to run around White Rock. They shouldn't be able to call it the "White Rock Half Marathon" if we don't even run near the lake.

All in all, I would not recommend this race to anyone. Don't waste your money or your time. Unless you live in Dallas. Maybe.

Weekend

Ran 6 miles yesterday. They were tough, but not painful. So that equals a successful run.

"After shot" - why do I like these?...[why do I take these?!?!]

I decided I also want to start swimming [after watching some fat guy do the Hawaii Ironman triatholon on the biggest loser.] So I started this weekend. I don't know why, but I always get semi-embarrassed when I am swimming at the gym. Not because of the fabulous kanakuk era one piece, but just because I don't really know how to swim "right." I need Megan to come give me some lessons.

On Saturday night I went to Rachel Copley's wedding reception. She looked GORGEOUS!

Conway girls: Me, Ali, Rachel & Brittany

AND I woke up at 4:30 AM to go work out this morning. When I was leaving the gym it was STILL dark. Geee...

The Day After

Thanksgiving was great. We a lot, but not really too much. I had my own little turkey trot. I won. :)

Here is the after shot. (Cute, right?!) It's cold in Fayetteville - I was hot, but my ears hurt from the cold. Such a strange feeling.

I ordered our Christmas card last night, and I am super excited about it. Shutterfly rocks.

The day after Thanksgiving we do not do the shopping thing. Never have. I would rather pay a little more than subject myself to any of that madness. Instead, I am spending the ENTIRE day making toffee with my mom. It's a tradition. They give a LOT of toffee away (like 175+ boxes) and sell a little bit.

Hope everyone has a good day after Thanksgiving - whatever it is you are doing today!

Vegas Baby!

Kent has a work coference in two weeks in Las Vegas so I am going with him... We're calling it a suedo-mini-vaca. Thank you to the State of Arkansas for everything but my plane ticket. I've never been, so I'm open to any suggestions on what to do [or NOT to do!]

 

Hopefully I will have enough self control not to go into the Louis Vuitton store and spend my savings on this:

[Yes, I am vain... BUT getting a glimpse of a real-life LV is highly unusual for this Arkansas girl because there is not one single store that carries them in the whole state! Shame!]

Also... I am running the Dallas White-Rock Half-Marathon in three weeks with my friend Tonya! This is my first race to do with a friend, and I am pretty pumped! In my effort to heal my IT band, I have only been running two times a week: one short run and one long run.  And I've been trying to run on flat surfaces because I think the slant of the road contributes greatly to the pain. 

We find out who will wins Project Runway tonight. I like Carol Hannah the best. 

AND tonight I wish that I lived near any friend that would go to the midnight showing of New Moon.

Enough said.

Pictures

In the car before the race:

Finishing up:

Afterwards in the car... not my best! ha ha

Proof!

The race was actually 13.2 miles. The mile markers started off right, but by mile 10 I knew I would be running a bit farter than 13.1 miles. My official time was 1:57:50, but this was for 13.2, not 13.1. However, I don't think I could have cut off 50 seconds if I didn't have to run the extra .1 miles.
AND I was #12 in my age group! That's in the top 15! And yes, there were only 59 females in my age group. But still.....

Race Recap

Official time: 1:57:50. I feel good about this time considering:

1. I took 8 minutes off my personal [and only] record of 2:05:57

2. There were 4 rolling hills compared to zero hills in Chicago

3. I didn't know I was going to be running until the Monday before, so training was minimal
4. I was #85 out of 498 female finishers.

I started out running about a 8:45 for the first 7 miles. I started to slow down around mile 8. Mile 9 was the worst, I looked at my Garmin 20 times. Then the 9:00 minute "pacer" man came along and I finished up running with that group. The last mile was still hard, but I felt a lot better during and after this half-marathon than at Chicago. This was my first time to race with my Garmin and it helped me like crazy. What was I thinking running without one!?!?!

It was painful to walk after Chicago but I felt great all day Saturday and never got sore Sunday.

 Megan came to watch me finish! and these are the pictures she took. My camera is MIA right now... will find soon. 

Here is a be-hind shot. I'm booking it!

Overall the race was VERY organized for being so small [only 1,000 runners].They had corrals at the start, pacers for 8:00, 9:00 and 10:00 minute miles [to help you stay on track with your goal time], and timing chips. The only thing I don't think they had was a photographer. Oh well, they had AWESOME food afterwards and handed out GU gels during the race. I would highly recommend this race to anyone.