TIART: Spring Training Tips

This week's theme for Take It and Run Thursday at the Runner's Lounge is Spring Training Tips.

First of all, I was excited to see that the concept of "off months" is actually common and not just something I do. Granted, "off months" for some people might mean cutting back on mileage while for me, it means cutting back on exercise completely, but whatever.

So... I'll be honest - I don't have any tips for spring training other than just do it. I actually could use some good tips.

As I mentioned before, I'm not on any formal training plan but I do consider myself "in training" since I now have a bunch of fun events on my calendar.

Last week, I started being more disciplined with my workouts. So far, I'm doing pretty good this week as well but let me tell you, I am so tired! How do you guys do it??? I wish I could just workout every other day and have plenty of rest days :D

My body is still sore from the strength training class I took two days ago. I went spinning last night followed by some arm weights. Then this morning I went for a 4 mile run and I think my legs were telling me "agh... leave me alone!" And it's not like I'm doing anything strenuous. How am I going to deal with Goofy training later this year?

Oh well, I know my body is just getting used to the active exercise again so I will continue to power through. I'm already thinking about another event after the Cinderella Classic that will help keep me motivated with my workouts.

This morning's run...

ORN
4.0 miles
0:40:26
Avg pace: 10:06 min/mi
Avg hr: 163bpm

1: 10:09
2: 10:08
3: 10:23
4: 9:46

TIART: Secrets to Boston

Today's theme for Take It and Run Thursday is the Secret to How To Qualify for Boston.




Ummm...





Yeah, I got nothing.

TIART: A Year in Review and Blogger Meet Up!

Better late than never, right? After a month's absence from my blog (bad Audrey), below is my response to last week's theme from Take It and Run Thursday - A Year in Review in 52 words or less.

2008 Running Highlights (52 words on the dot!)

• Ran my second marathon with a new PR
  
• Scored 2nd place female finisher overall in 5K
  
• First international run
  
• Joined my sister for her first 5K
  
• Ran my first 15K
  
• Ran my first 12K
  
• Celebrity running
  
• Participated in my first duathlon
  
• Ran four half marathons in eight weeks
  
• Lost my first toenail

I'm very distraught about the last one because it literally happened this morning - more than two whole months after my last half marathon! I've bruised toenails in the past but they usually just grow out, not fall off! To be honest, I was pretty grossed out. Oh well, at least it's not toe-exposing weather.

In more fun news... I had a blind date Friday night.

... with the awesomely fun Aron, Maritza, and Tara! Let me just tell you, it was so wonderful to meet such great girls that share my love for running (OK, maybe not so much love from me in the last couple of months) and Twilight!!! Is it wrong for adult women to squeal and giggle at a movie? No, I don't think so. If you haven't read the books, just give in to the hype and check them out. You will thank us later. And be sure to get the entire 4-book series, you won't stop at the first one. :)

Here's the four of us at the movies (thanks for the pic Aron!):



These girls are just as nice and fun as they are on their blogs - can't wait to hang out with them more!

Happy holidays everyone!

Take It and Run Thursday: Running Quotes and Sayings

Just a quick post for now, but here's my contribution to Take It and Run Thursday: Running Quotes and Sayings:

"I eat hills for breakfast."

I read this on Frayed Laces and it always cracked me up. I don't think that really applies to me, but I'm going to be using this as my mantra as I tackle the Nike Women's Half Marathon this weekend! :)

Take It and Run Thursday: Running T-Shirts

Today's "Take It and Run Thursday" theme is "That is a great running T-shirt!". Per the Runner's Lounge: Do you have a great running T-shirt or have the perfect phrase for a T-shirt? Look through your closets, do some virtual window shopping on the intranet, or make up your own. Drop it off today!

Off the top of my head, one of my favorite T-shirts from the running blogs is the one that J-Money wore for the Boston Marathon this year. You can check it out here. (BTW - this blog is HILARIOUS. If it's not in your Google Reader / Bloglines / MyYahoo, etc, it definitely should be.)

And this one was so funny and so spot on that I had to buy it:


Here's a close up of the front:


Speaking of which, Laura had a funny suggestion with "I trained for four months, I paid the $100 entry fee, I ran 26.2 miles... and all I got was this lousy cotton t-shirt." That's EXACTLY what I thought when I picked up my goody bag from the Chicago Marathon. $100 for one of the World Marathon Majors and you only get a cotton tee??? Craziness.

As for me, this reminds me of a post I wrote last year when I was getting ready for my first marathon, "What to Write on My Shirt?" I definitely wanted to wear a personalized shirt with my name on the front and something silly on the back. My friends brainstormed some ideas for me... here are some of their winners:

• Are we there yet?
  
• Your feet hurt 'cause you're kicking so much ass!
  
• This is my first marathon. Let me beat you.
  
• Stop looking at my ass
  
• If you beat me, you have no chance of getting my number (umm... no)
  
• Why couldn't Pheidippides have died at mile 20?

I ended up wearing this:


The back was supposed to read "Audrey-licious Kicks Ass" but by the time I laid all the letters out, it looked like one big eye chart so I trimmed it down. My friend had a funny idea to put the "Kicks Ass" part on the back of my shorts but I decided to pass on that idea. Good thing - I wasn't kicking anyone's butt that day.

I love creative race T-shirts... especially when running a marathon because it provides some much needed entertainment to help you forget how much pain you're in! For example, I like the ones that the WISH "We’re Inspired to Stay Healthy" group (I think they're from the Disney message boards or disboards, if you will) wear:



DLF>DNF>>DNS
Dead Last Finish is better than Did Not Finish which greatly trumps Did Not Start


Hope to see more fun running shirts out there!

Take It and Run Thursday: Running in the Heat

Today's Take It and Run Thursday theme is ....Running In The Heat.

Heat is my running kryptonite - I'm pretty much powerless in its presence. And unfortunately for me, my marathon experiences were plagued by that little devil. It beat me down for sure.

So I'm definitely no expert in running in the heat, BUT here are some tips to help mitigate the effects:

Tips from 2007 Chicago Marathon:

- As always, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - luckily for me, I happened to be carrying a water bottle that day (which I normally never do). Once the water from the aid stations *and* my bottle ran out, I came across several nice Chicago folks that offered to refill my bottle instead
- As suggested by a nice Chicago resident, I took her baggie of ice cubes and shoved it in my sports bra
- Drench yourself in water - such as running through the fire hydrant streams and water hoses. Sometimes I would just stand there getting drenched - it was great. (But don't drench yourself with water cups from the aid station!)
- When I was in shaded parts of the course, I would try to regroup mentally and prepare myself to be able to battle the sunny, hotter parts of the course.

Tips from 2008 Disney Marathon:

- The heat wasn't so bad there but there was also humidity to deal with
- Biofreeze worked wonders! I stopped at every medical station to lather that stuff all over. I think it's intended more for muscle pains but it had a great cooling effect.

Anyway, that's all I got - can't wait to read everyone else's tips.

Shoe suggestions, anyone?

My first "Take It and Run Thursday" post!

This week's theme is "Backwards Take It and Run Thursday"... per the Runner's Lounge: "Instead of posting wisdom, post a question you have about your running, training, racing, gear, hydration, etc that you need help answering."

I'm quickly approaching 500 miles on my Nike Vomeros so I'll be shopping for some new shoes soon. I need a neutral shoe and I love lots of cushioning! That's one of the reasons I preferred the Vomeros over the Pegasus.

Prior to the Vomeros, I ran in Adidas Brevards and Asic GT-2090s - both worked well. And although I do value function over looks, I would like to get some slick lookin' ones, too!

So if anyone has any recommendations, please let me know!