3 Things Thursday: Beyond 39.9

39.9 Recovery - Unbelievably, I bounced back from the 39.9 weekend rather quickly. The morning after the marathon, I was only a little sore and was walking normally. None of the usual suspects hurt one bit. The following day, yesterday, I went for a 3 mile run and had to hold myself back because my legs just wanted to go go go! I just got back from another 3 miler, faster than yesterday, and I'm feeling amazing. I guess what my legs needed was more miles lol

Weather - We've had pretty nice weather in San Francisco this month with lots of sunshine. However, I can already see the end in sight as the rain has started. Now, this isn't rain like we had in Florida. The most I've seen so far has been a heavy drizzle, and it surprises me that it's still pretty warm even when it's overcast, foggy or raining. There have been times when I've been walking in the rain and I didn't even notice it lol

Ultramarathon - I ran the marathon on Monday with 3 other ultra marathons who have all completed 100 milers. They are great guys, lots of fun, and very inspiring. So it was inevitable that they would eventually talk me into doing one myself ... in 10 days! Oh, don't worry, I'm not crazy enough to try to run 100 miles ... yet ;) It's basically an overnight camping trip with crazy fun runners (because most of them ARE running 100 miles or more, and I'll be there to support and photograph them once I finish mine). And what do runners to for fun and pass the time? Run of course! =) I was pretty nervous about it (ok, I still am a bit), but now that I'm registered and plans are coming together, I'm started to get really excited.

Three Things Thursday

#1 Running Buddies - The dynamics of running alone vs a group vs just one person are fascinating. When running alone, it's easier to lose motivation and give up, but at the same time is easy to push too hard. Running with a group, specially on long runs, is a way to get distracted and maintain a conversational pace. Running with just 1 other person is a whole other story and a hell of a lot easier to push each other without realizing it because there is just the one person to match pace. I Ran with just Jimmy this morning, and for some reason (maybe my 1.5 mile warm up) we started lighting fast with a 9:44 mile. We were both struggling a little of the other 3 miles even though they were all above 11, because it's hard to recover from that. What's really amusing is that we both kept pushing to keep up with the other even though both of us wanted to slow down. I've noticed this phenomenon happens a lot.

#2 Plank a Day - I'm doing this 30 day challenge again because I've been neglecting my core and I know it needs to be super strong to support my attempt at a sub-30 5K. When I need to dig deep is my core that matters because I know that my legs can handle it. So far is going well, and I plan to add push ups other stuff tomorrow. Now that I'm not logging so many miles, is time to crank up the intensity on this other stuff for a little while. This will mean less yoga too, but that's ok because I find I need that more when I am running more. I'll still be doing yoga, but focusing more on strength and toning poses and less on relaxation and stretching, but still maintaining some balance.

#3 It's not friday? Today really feels like a Friday. I think it's because we drove to work and we usually do that on Fridays. It's also been a really weird and busy week with attending First Aid training in the middle of the week. I just wish it was Friday already so I can run my 10 miles the next day already. I'm a bundle of energy today with nowhere to direct it.

Three Things Thursday: Anniversary Edition

#1) 8 years: Today Jason and I celebrated a new PR :) We've been putting up with each other for 8 wonderful years. Before we found each other, the longest relationship either of us had was 3 years, so we have staying power. I attribute it to having so much in common, yet being independent enough to have our own interests. We are each other's Ying and Yang. I love how if one of us is in a bad mood, the other will immediately compensate to make the other feel better. It's like an unwritten rule that we can't both be upset at the same time. We always bring the best in each other and inspire each other to do great things, such as swing dancing, photography, cycling, and marathons.

#2 Melting Pot: This is one of our favorite places to celebrate our anniversary; I think we've gone there the past few years and it never disappoints. They always give us a Happy Anniversary card signed by their staff, which is such a simple thing to do but a really nice touch. We started with the cheddar cheese fondue because it is our favorite. For the main meal, we kept it light with their house salad so we could fully indulge in the dessert because we usually are too full and end up skipping it. Boy am I glad we did. They brought us complimentary raspberry champagne, and we chose a dark chocolate fondue with bailey's. Yum! We savored every morsel and even had room for seconds of a few things.

#3 Bowfire: Earlier in the week, I found a Groupon for this show at Bob Carr and we grabbed two tickets. The show was amazing! The violins were incredible, but that wasn't enough. They also sang and tap danced. The tap dancing was insanely cool on it's own, but then they tap danced while playing the violin -- so impressive! I just wish it wasn't a Thursday night because we were getting sleepy at the end since we're usually in bed long before 10 p.m. It was totally worth it!

Happy Anniversary Jason! I guess I'll put up with you for another year ;)

Three Things Thursday

#1 - Taper Run: Last run before Sunday's race this morning went well. I ran 4 miles again, in almost the exact same time as Tuesday, but it felt much easier and it was a bit more consistent. It wasn't foggy, so the humidity wasn't as bad, and the slight breeze helped. It was a great last run and now I just want Sunday to be here already and see what I can do.

#2 - Spicy Indian: We went to an impromptu lunch with my team to an Indian restaurant we frequent often. Since Jason had already had lunch part 1 and we always have leftovers, we split a meal. He chose the meal and I agreed to tried it medium spicy instead of my usual wimpy mild. Oy! That was not enjoyable lol I just don't get the appeal of spicy food. It wasn't awful, but I can't even tell you what it tasted like right now because all I can remember is the spiciness in my throat.

#3 - Date Night: We had a Groupon to see a play at the Orlando Shakespeare theater. We rode our bikes there since it's only 2.5 miles, and I'm glad we did because the ride home with the crisp air was the best part of the evening. It was still warm and humid for the ride there, but not too bad. The play was twice as long as I expected and just seemed to drag. The theater was really warm, and it was a struggle to stay awake. It finally ended and that was the best part, both because it was over and because it was a funny witty ending that made more sense than the entire 2.5 hours prior.

Three Things Thursday: Speed, Planks, Push Ups

#1 Speed Work: I dabbled in a bit of speed this week. I ran 3 miles at half marathon race pace on Tuesday with an average pace of 10:20. It had been a while since I've averaged below an 11-min/mi pace, so it was a little tough but totally doable. I was sure to stretch well after. I felt fine this morning, so I tried 400s at the track. Since it's been a while and I just ran a marathon less than 2 weeks ago, I kept the goal a bit conservative but nailed it. I again stretched well and my legs feel really good. I'm going to take it a little easier next week as I taper for the half marathon next Sunday. If the weather cooperates, I'm going to attempt an aggressive goal. If not, I have another the following week :)

#2 Planks: On Monady, I tried this plank workout (or rather fitness test) that Steve in a Speedo posted where you alternate between standard and side planks every 3 breaths for as long as you can. If you can last 9-10 minutes, your core is strong. I gave up after 5 minutes. I probably could have pushed myself to do the whole 10 minutes, but it had been weeks since I did any core work and I didn't want to press my luck, plus I was getting bored and had to get ready for work. It was a great workout for sure. My abs were sore for days and are finally back to normal today. I'm going to give it another try soon, but probably after my next 2 races. I sure don't want to race with sore abs. I also found this other combo plank workout recently that I may try too.

#3 Push Ups: Now that marathon training is over, and my wrist pain went away, I want to start a strength routine that's more than just yoga. So yesterday after yoga I did a bunch of push ups of different types (standard, wide, narrow, spades, negatives, staggered) and a few planks. After adding up the fit deck cards from the various push ups I did, I saw that I did a total of 40 push ups (all on my knees to not put undue stress on my wrist). I struggled a little during, but was able to finish them. I'm certainly paying for it today. My arms and shoulders are really sore. I'm going to start the 100 push up challenge again soon, but on my knees because I don't want to aggregate my wrist for fear of not being able to do downward dog during my yoga routines :)

TTT: 26.2 with Donna Recovery Week Edition

#1 Recovery - I can tell how much of a different it makes to take a post-run ice bath and walking the day after the race. I didn't do either of those of things this time, opting to instead lay in bed most of the day on Monday, and I felt like someone had beat my legs with a baseball bat for much longer than usual; my quads and hamstrings felt bruised and hurt to the touch through Tuesday night. Once I started moving on Tuesday, icing with my compression pants, and spun my legs on a leisurely bike ride, I felt a ton better. Most of the soreness was gone yesterday and today I only have minor residual soreness in a few spots. Have I mentioned that the Galloway method is magic? ;)

#2 Running - I could barely walk Tuesday without wincing in pain, and running was out of the question (see #1). This morning, it was a different story. I slept in a little and ran with Jason instead of my group. He promised to run at my pace (uh huh) and we did 1:1 intervals. We took it easy, but Jason's easy doesn't always equal mine. Our average pace was 12:39 for 2.5 miles, which is a bit faster than I've done in recent recovery runs, but it felt fine. I felt slight soreness in a few key areas, but overall it felt great. I'll be tackling 6 easy miles this weekend. I can't say enough good things about the Galloway method and it's ability to allow me to recover switfly after even the hardest of efforts.  

#3 Race Report - I'm still processing and writing it, plus I was waiting for official photos which just got released. I keep remember more things I want to include. It might be a bit long, but I like to be inclusive so you can get the full picture of my experience and learn from it.  If you have a burning question you'd like me to answer in my report, about the race itself, the course, the pacers, etc, leave a comment so I can address it. I hope to post the race report this weekend, as well as a recap of my training that lead to it.

Bonus - I put on a few pounds this weekend, though I know most of that is water retention from sore muscles, but I'm sure Valentine's Day goodies contributed. I may be over chocolate and girl scout cookies for a bit. Ha! Who am I kidding? :p

TTT: Burpees, Taper/Recovery, Juice Fast

Burpee February Challenge - I've started another crazy challenge this month, courtesy of Maddy. The challenge is simple: do the number of burpees that corresponds to the day of the month. February 1st, do 1 burpee, February 2nd, do 2 burpees ... all the way to February 29th: 29 BURPEES! So far, so good! But it will be interesting when I have to do 12 on marathon day lol If I wasn't running this for time, I'd do one at each mile marker for the first 12 miles. It should at least be a good warm up before the race :) It's not too late to join the challenge, just do 3 today and jump right in. Here's a video showing you what a burpee is and a beginner version.

Taper/Recovery - This is a weird time because I'm recovering from Ocala and tapering for BCM, so I'm trying to take get in quality workouts and really listen to my body when it tells me to take it easy. Tuesday I woke up with a bit of pain near my hip/glute. I warmed up and it felt ok, so I did a speedy 3 miles at 30s faster than race pace. I didn't think I had that in me, but somehow pulled of a 10:52 average pace with perfect negative splits. I wore my compression capris under my jeans to work and iced on the bus and at work. It was angry most of the day, and I felt a bit run down, so I slept in Wednesday and skipped my typical yoga routine to give everything a rest. I did yoga on the bus, but that's mostly upper body with a few gentle seated hip openers. This morning I felt much better, but I skipped the track just in case in favor of an easy 4 mile run on the road. It was a little tough because I'm not used to 2:30/1 intervals, but I busted out an 11:20 pace, 7s faster than race pace. It was a beautiful morning, so that surely helped. I chatted a bit too long with Laura so I did not have time for yoga before heading to the bus, but I did it at the bus again. I love that!

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead - We saw this movie last week as part of January's Challenge for a Change - Healthy Eating. It was an interesting movie, and seeing the transformations in such a short time was incredible, but I could not shake the feeling at the end of the film that it was just an hour and a half long commercial for the juice fast. Not to mention that anything that shows loosing that much weight that fast scares me. It causes people to expect that as normal weight loss when losing more than 1-2 lbs per week for most people is unhealthy and borderline dangerous.

3 Things Thurday: Ocala Marathon Edition

1. Weather - A few days ago I was afraid it was going to be cold and rainy on race day, then almost over night the forecast changed to 0% chance of rain. Hooray! But I knew better than to celebrate too soon. Now it looks like it might be too warm, and one site predicts 95% humidity at 6 am. I GIVE UP! I don't even know why I bother checking the weather every day because it doesn't change anything. I am still running this race no matter what, and is not like I need to know before race morning to secure proper gear because I have everything I need to run this race in any weather. So whatever.
2. Taper Madness - I think the taper gremlins finally got me with the phantom aches and pains. I had a crappy run last night, but I wore old shoes so I'm blaming that. I did yoga after it, and also this morning, and feel fine now. I'm not letting it deter me. I've done a great job all week on focusing on getting enough sleep, and doing lots of yoga ... in that order.  Otherwise, I'm relatively calm. As the day grows ever closer though, my anxiety rises. But really, this is just another training run, right? ;) But here is the problem with that: it's my last training run before marathon #4 three weeks later, where I plan to go all out, so I'm starting to get anxious about that one because it's less than a month away! Yikes! Ok, I'm good. I'll fret about that one next week ;)
3. Medal - Here's a pic of this year's medal. I don't dig the colors, but love the horse. I'm sure it will look great in person and even more so after running for 5+ hours :)

Three Things Thursday

#1 Exhaustion - I woke up tired, but didn't think much of it because who isn't tired at 4 am? I got ready and headed to the track for 1200/400 intervals. The workout went great, but I had no energy for the rest of the day. I felt like a zombie getting ready for work and when I walked to the bus I took another bus to the station, with only 1/2 mile to go, without really even thinking about it. I usually look forward to my walks, and take any chance to add a little extra milage, but today I didn't have it in me. I took a quick power nap when I got home and that seemed to help, but it will be an early night and I'll probably skip yoga tomorrow in lieu of extra sleep.

#2 Fit at Work - I mentioned yesterday that I started the "Fit at Work" track on Daily Challenge. Today's challenge was to do the stretch where you bend your leg back and hold your foot. They called it a hamstring stretch, but I've always known it as a quad stretch. It felt great after this morning's run. Since I was so tired and achy, I set a timer to remind me to take a stretch break every hour for 1-2 minutes. Along with a 1 minute plank leaning against my desk, I did a total of 10 minutes of stretches throughout the day. I think I'll keep that up, and maybe add walking up the stairs or around the lobby when I'm not so tired.

#3 Yoga - I really believe that yoga has greatly improved my life. I usually do yoga for the stretching benefits to counter the tightness from running, but I've come to enjoy it for the relaxation and meditation too. I've been doing it for so long on my own with podcasts, that I now can wing it for 10-30 minutes without a problem. It's second nature to me and I find myself doing yoga stretches at the bus stop, on the bus, at my desk, in the break room, etc. As I left work, I planed to come home and do a restorative yoga sequence, but I was just too tired to even try. After the power nap and making dinner, I took 10 minutes to do some relaxation poses, including a whole 5 minutes laying on the floor on my back with legs draped over the safe. It felt great on my legs and back, but it was great for my mind because there was nothing to do but lay there and breath. Those 5 minutes energized me enough to do another 5 minutes of active stretches and I feel much better now.

Three Things Thursday

1. No Running - I've been sick since Sunday, so I haven't run all week, and I'm going a little crazy =P. Tuesday I took off from work and was my sickest day, so obviously I was not about to get up early and run in the freezing cold. I spent all day sleeping and it helped a lot. I took yesterday off from work too and rested some more and felt well enough to go to work today. I could have run today, but I told myself to take a well deserved break from running because I couldn't even remember the last time I did. I'm over it now and Saturday morning can't come soon enough :)

2. Plank-a-Day Challenge - On the first of the year I started a challenge to do at least one plank each day for the month of January. Although I've not been running, I've kept this steak alive and today I could really feel the burn in my abs. It's slow going, but I've already improved from holding the initial 30s plank to 45s the last 2 days. I'm excited to see what I'll be able to do by the end of the challenge and how the added core strength will help my running.

3. Disney Marathon Weekend - I'm not racing this weekend, but several in my running group will be toeing the line of their first Full or Half Marathon and I get to see them finish. I'm also excited to meet up with fellow blogger and Galloway runner Kim tomorrow.  I'll be volunteering at the expo tomorrow morning and passing out Myler blankets at the finish line of the Marathon on Sunday. I can't wait to see their smiling faces when they cross that finish line. I won't get to sleep in this weekend, but it will be worth it.  Even though I am not the biggest fan of Disney races, I'm going to bite the bullet and run Goofy next year. I'm excited!

TTT: Chilly Run, Chaturanga, Walking

#1: Chilly Run - It was 44º this morning and when you factored in the 11 mph winds the feels like temp was 39º Brr! But that did not deter me or 3 other hard core members from my group from having a great run this morning. I ran a 1 mile warm up in 11:36, which was faster than I intended but I was freezing, then ran another 4 easy with the group @ 11:52 pace. My legs feel a bit sore. With enough clothes, running in this weather is not bad at all. Here's a list of everything I wore, and while I unzipped my jacket a little, I was never hot. I did shed the buff after 2 miles and the gloves during the last mile, but was very comfortable the entire run.

• Nike Pro Fitted Short Sleeve tech shirt
• long sleeve tech shirt
• windbreaker jacket
• C9 tights
• windbreaker pants
• thick socks
• headband & skull cap
• bondiband buff
• gloves

#2: Yoga - I've been rocking the yoga lately. Yesterday I did a sun salutation flow from Yogamazing and it had a LOT of down dogs, planks and Chaturanga poses (where you hold the down position of a push up). It was a great upper body workout, even though what I meant to do was an energizing flow. My arms and shoulders are quite sore today. I've been trying to do at least 10-20 minutes of daily yoga, and I love starting or ending my day this way, but I'm taking tomorrow off. Right now my body is asking me for extra sleep, so I will oblige by setting a later alarm. If I happen to wake up earlier on my own and have time for yoga then great, otherwise I'll take the extra sleep.

#3: Walking - I've also been a walking machine lately. Our bus route got changed so now I have an extra half mile walk each day. I've also been walking to a further bus stop when I get there before the bus, and try to get a little extra walking here and there whenever the opportunity presents itself. I track my walking during the day whenever I walk at least a 1/4 mile, and I've been getting in at least 3-4 miles each day.  It's great cross training and a quick way to earn extra HBBC points ;)

Three Things Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!

#1) My Own Turkey Trot: I started the day off great with a fun 4.5 mile run with Jason and my Galloway group. We had our own Turkey Trot in Downtown Orlando, followed by sipping Mimosas while we watched the official Turkey Trot race. It was a gorgeous morning, and the run was a blast at a fun pace :) Jason even ran intervals with us and enjoyed himself! Yay! I'm planning an encore on Christmas Eve.

#2) Muppets Movie: We needed to kill sometime before dinner, so we went to see the Muppets movie after lunch. We enjoyed the 2 mile walk (roundtrip) to the movie theater in the crisp fall air. It was the perfect way to break up our day. The movie was excellent and totally adorable.

#3) Thanksgiving Dinner/Family Time: After the movie, we decided to head to my mom's early and help her finish dinner. We were already hungry and kept picking at stuff as we cooked it. Isn't that what this holiday is all about? ;)

My sister and the kids arrived about half hour after we finished cooking, so we got down to business. I didn't think I ate that much, but it's still painful. I guess that's what happens when my meal consists mostly of carbs: 3 different types of potatoes (sweet, mashed, salad), green beans, yuca, stuffing, and lots of bread. I think all this just expanded in my stomach and stretched it to the limit.

The whole family went for a walk after dinner in an attempt to make room for pie. My niece loves being outside, and of course when we walked by the playground she had to play on the slides. She's too cute for words. Mom and I walked ahead and enjoyed some mother/daughter time and the cool air while the kiddos played. We got back to the house and still felt a bit full, but pie would wait no longer. We had 3 types of pie -- mango key lime, turtle cream, dark chocolate cream -- and of course I had to try a sliver from each of them. We promptly left after that lest we were tempted to eat more, not that any of us had any room to spare. Of course, we brought home some leftovers (including a bit of each pie) but will probably not need to eat until Sunday =P

Only 2 more days until race day, and I'm really looking forward to relaxing until then. I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday and enjoys the rest of the long weekend.

Three Things Thursday: 10 Day to Go!

#1 Running & Taper - I ran an easy 4 miles this morning because I didn't have it in me to do anything else. I wanted to do the schedules mile repeats but thought better of it because it was windy (and I'm both in recovery and taper this week.  I'm not really sore anymore, but I'm feeling really tired lately and now my body aches. Aaaah, good ol taper :) Only 3 more runs to go before the big day!  

#2 Yoga - I haven't done much yoga this week, opting for extra sleep instead. I haven't been feeling well, so I'm giving my body what it needs. I'll try to do some yoga this weekend or next week. I know that rest is the most important thing I can do for my body and training right now. 

#3 Sickness - I feel much better than I did on Tuesday, but I'm still feeling tired and have tummy issues. Thankfully the headache is gone. I don't know if I'm not eating enough, or if my body is revolting from eating too much crap. Other than eggs for breakfast, last night's dinner was the first homemade meal I've had since last Thursday. My throat is also bothering me, not sore or scratchy, but like there is stuff there that I keep swallowing and making my stomach more upset. I'm hoping is just taper nonsense and I'll be fine with lots of rest and water. 

Count down to race day: 10 days and 3 runs to go! Bring it! =)

Bonus - In my previous post, I did a mental rehearsal of marathon race day. This was obviously a best case scenario, but I really do not feel there is any challenge I can't handle. I've run in blistering heat, freezing cold, pouring rain, and gusty winds. I'm ready for anything this race can throw at me. The hardest challenge will be the internal struggle with my left brain, so I chose to focus on that. Any other challenge I'm forgetting? 

Three Things Thursday: Run, Yoga, Taper

Running - I had a great run this morning with my group. My goal was race pace (11 min/mi) with 2:1 intervals to remind my legs how to do that for Sunday's race. We actually ran a tad faster than that (10:45), but kept it short and it felt great. It was the confidence booster I needed and got me out of my nervous funk. Bring on this half! I'm ready!

Yoga - I've been rocking yoga all week. I've done at least 15-20 each day, even on the bus :) I'm up to 5 sessions, for a total of almost 2 hours. It's really helping me stay loose and calm me down. My Marathon Stick has also been my best friend this week to roll my hamstrings, quads, and calves at least once a day.

Taper Madness Update - I actually feel better and much calmer since writing that taper madness post. Nervousness has been replaced with ridiculous excitement for Sunday's race. It always helps to vocalize your fears/doubts and reassure yourself that you've done all you can, and that others feel the same. Thanks for all the encouraging words.

I may have figured out a way to carry my phone for the marathon. I'm going I try it next week and see how it goes because I'll need all the encouragement I can get when I'm digging deep during that second half, and I'll also have a camera if I want it.

Three Things Thursday - Running and Eating

#1 - Running Bonds - I love how running brings people together. Last night I met a friend for a fun run and dinner who I've only known online, but because we share a love for running as well as similar fitness journeys, it felt like I was hanging out with old friends. We've been motivating each other via Dailymile and Facebook for a long time, and it was nice to finally meet in person. I love how comfortable it felt, and it was nice to enjoy a fun run then share race stories over a meal.

#2 - Short Work Day - We had a half day at work today because UCF has a home game tonight and they needed us out of the parking lot. Since we would spend almost as much time on the bus as we would be at work, we drove. I got to sleep in, do 30 minutes of yoga, go out to breakfast and still be the first one at work. I got to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at home and great solo run tonight.

#3 - Taper Nutrition - I planned to eat really clean the entire month of November in preparation for this marathon, but only 3 days in is already not going so well. The abundance of Halloween candy everywhere is making it difficult, and I've already gone out to eat a few times, but I'm still going to do my best to limit my intake of processed foods (which I don't eat all that often anyway) and cook at home as much as possible. I want to feel great and full of energy come race day, so I need to put premium fuel in my body if I expect it to perform at its best. Maybe I'll be a little lighter too :) I've been hovering under 125 lately, which is about as low as my body likes to go, and I'd like to keep that way or maybe even shed a pound or two before then. Not eating meat makes this so much easier.

Three Things Thursday: Hill Repeats, Bike Month, Century Ride

1) Hill Repeats w/Jason

Yesterday I got to run with Jason, since he needed an easy run. His easy pace is near my race pace, or at least tempo pace, so it's always a great workout for me that pushes my limits. To further prepare for next weekend's race, I wanted to do some hill repeats. While Florida is mostly flat, we do have pockets of hills here and there. There is a block near my apartment with a reasonable steep hill. We ran 4 loops around this block. As if hills weren't tough enough, it was a speedy run for me as I tried to keep up with Jason's easy pace =P

We ran a total of 3 miles in 32:47, for an average pace of 10:51 m/m, which is pretty fast for me outside of a race even without the hills, so I'm super proud of it. I did a pretty good job keeping up with him for the first mile, which I ran in 10:21.  Mile 2 was 11:45, which included the hills and short walk between repeats. I was pretty tired after that and wanted to quit at 2.5, but Jason wouldn't let me. I took a walk break instead then pushed through to finish mile 3 in 10:26. This was a tough workout, yet kind of awesome =P There's a kind of awe that comes with conquering hills and despite the fatigue and pain, I felt really strong and all the more ready for this race.

2) May is National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month, and I've been busy planning social rides for Commute Orlando and Bike/Walk Central Florida to celebrate and get people out riding their bikes.

The fun starts tomorrow morning with a bike bus to Infusion Tea to join the Mayor's Bike to Work Ride and be part of Orlando's First Bicycle Flash Mob. We hope to have a huge turn out, shoot lots of video, and put it on YouTube. So if you have a bike, any bike, talk to your boss about coming in a little later and join us as we make history!

The celebration continues throughout the month with an Ice Cream Ride on May 14, Cycling Savvy on May 21, and Geocaching with the UCF Bike Bus on May 22. Check out Commute Orlando for all the details.

3) CF Cycle For Life

I'm finally going to train for a century ride. This morning I registerd for the CF Cycle For Life charity ride hosted by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and supported by Orlando Cycling Savvy, who will assist with route development, rider information materials, and a century training program.

From the CF site:

A memorable ride through some of the most scenic terrains in Central Florida, starting and finishing at Lake Sylvan Park in Sanford, FL and traveling through Seminole and Orange counties. You have a choice of three mileage options; 100 miles, 65 miles or a less challenging 35 mile route. Cycle at your own pace… this is not a race!

I'll be riding as part of the CyclingSavvy Team. I know I can at least do the 35 miles, but I want to push myself and do the full 100 miles. Since I'll also be training for a marathon in November, I'll train for the full century if I can but have the option to fall back to a shorter route if needed.

If you'd like to donate, or join the CyclingSavvy team, visit my CF Page.

Cinco the Mayo Special!: Today only, registration is just $5. You will still need to raise a minimum of $150 participate in the ride.

TTT: Exercises this Week

1) Cycling - I've biked 72 miles so far this week. They've been really enjoyable rides, but I'm really glad that tomorrow is a rest day :)

2) Running - I've only run 6 miles this week, but that's actually pretty normal mid-week millage for me. They have not been great runs, but maybe I'm just saving it all for Saturday :) My pre-race jitters are getting worse, as doubt continues to creep in. Jason's doing his best to keep my hope alive. Let's hope I can listen to him on Saturday and let him push me to my goal.

3) Yoga/Core/Strength - I did 30 minutes of yoga on Monday morning, focusing on the core, and another 10 minutes after my run in the afternoon, but I've neglected it the rest of the week. With all this cycling, I should have done more, but I've just not have the time/energy. My priority for tomorrow is to sleep in, but will do yoga if I wake up in time.

Three Things Thursday: Health

#1) Dentist - On top of an upset stomach and headache, I was having a bit of a toothache and pain along my jawline that I kept ignoring. (Deja vu anyone?) So I went to the dentist this morning to have it checked out and he redid 2 of my fillings. Apparently it's normal to need them replaced every 7 years or so. He also readjusted the bite on my crown once again because it is still super sensitive to cold. These were the probable cause of the dull headache I've had the past few days and possibly even my upset stomach. He had to use quite a bit of novocaine so I had a numb mouth through mid-afternoon and was barely able to eat anything for lunch except some bread.

#2) Doctor - I finally found a new Primary Care Physician so I can stop going to the urgent care clinic. I've been wanting to get a full physical and blood work done to make sure my new meatless diet is giving me all the nutrients I need. I already adore my new doctor. She is very animated and thorough. We talked at length about my medical history and she congratulated me on my healthy lifestyle, then ordered all kinds of blood work. I narrowly avoided getting a tetanus shot -- I need one because it's been over 10 years since my last one (I actually don't think I've ever had one). Apparently it can cause lingering muscle soreness for up to a week, so I asked to do it next time as I didn't want another thing to deal with during Sunday's race. Next time I wont be so lucky.

#3) Misc - On my way home form the doctor, I found a geocache in the area and thus continued my streak (6 days so far). I stopped at Track Shack to pick up my team's race numbers and shirts for the Corporate 5K. We have 29 registered for our team, so it's a pretty big box. It was pretty late by the time I got home, so I chilled for a bit before I started dinner of Vegetarian Korma with perfect brown rice and warm naan. I timed it perfectly and it was ready just as Jason got out of the shower after biking home. Now we're prepping for teaching tomorrow's Cycling Savvy classroom session. Just one more day and we head to Clearwater for the expo and race. I'm getting excited! :)

Three Things Thursday: Heart Health, Choice, New Yoga Book

#1 Hearth Health - Today's  Daily Challenge is to Review the warnings signs of a heart attack. This one really hit home because when my dad had a heart attack a few years ago it was the scariest time of my life. I read all about the symptoms then, but this was a good reminder to review them again. It is scary to know that women can have a heart attack and not even know it because there are often no symptoms or the symptoms may be dismissed as something else. Please take a moment today to review these links. It may save your life or that of someone you love someday.

The most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women is chest pain or discomfort that can be mild or strong, though not ALL attacks start with chest pain. Women may experience different warning signs and symptoms. Look over these signs of heart attack: http://bit.ly/HeartSigns (If you're a woman--or have loved ones who are women--read this page also: http://bit.ly/WomensHearts) 

#2 Choices - The other day before we headed to my sister's baby shower, Jason and I were talking about how there would probably be all this tasty but unhealthy food and candy there, and I probably would not be able to resist. I jokingly said to him, "I have plenty of self control; I may just choose not to exercise it!" This made us laugh, but it is a very powerful statement and realization. I AM in control of my body and my actions. If I make a bad decisions about what to eat or skipping a workout because I am lazy, it is by choice, not compulsion. It may seem like a force outside myself is making, but that is a cop-out and I do not accept it. I will take responsibility for my actions and suffer the consequences. The good thing is that making the right choices more often has become way easier because I feel awful (physically, and mentally) when I don't and the feeling is so much greater when I eat right and exercise. 

#3 New Yoga Book - I've been doing yoga with DVDs and YOGAmazing podcasts, but by now I know most of the poses that work for me, so now I can do it from memory and hold each pose for as long or as little as I'd like. I feel like my yoga practice is reaching a new level where I can start stringing together poses to make my own routines, so I bought The Athlete's Pocket Guide to Yoga. One thing that I liked about this book is that it lists a series of short routines with how long to hold the pose in terms of breaths and it says this "The breath guideline is merely a suggestion; hold the poses until you feel even side to side." I love this and I feel is what I've been doing when I do yoga for runners on my own from memory. I try to hold everything for a minimum of 3 breaths, but the poses I really like or that are really beneficial I hold for as long as it feels good. It's awesome!

3 Things Thursday: Running Love, Cycling Savvy, Yoga and Core

This is a slightly longer than usual 3 things thursday to make up for my slacking on posting lately. I've just not been motivated thinking I didn't have much to say, but I guess I was wrong.

#1 - Running Love

My running has been great lately, and I've even done a few runs on back to back days. No worries, I've been  listening to my body very closely and easing the pace or distance as needed. I've been doing really well on my short runs, and it looks like my new easy pace is 11:30 mm (without walk breaks); it used to be 12 - 12:30. Most of my short runs have been sub-11 and long runs sub-13, so I'm thrilled with that. The cool weather is certainly helping.

I've also been building my base and ran 10 miles @ 12 mm 2 weeks ago. I'll be tackling another 10 miles this Sunday with my friend Jen, who is training for her first half marathon! I'm so excited for her and to be part of her journey. I'm also the captain for our Corporate 5K team this year, and we've been training together after work every Monday and Wednesday. We already have 10 signed up! My goal this year is 40 :)

I'm tentatively running the Orange Blossom Half Marathon on 3/6 if our car is fixed, if not I'll keep maintaining my base by running 6-10 mile long runs each week and work on speed. I plan to do a 10K in March, a few 5Ks throughout the summer, and maybe a duathlon or two before beginning Marathon training in June.

I ran the Lady Track Shack 5k on Saturday and missed a PR by 20s, finishing in 32:30. Read the race report on Dailymile. I was a little disappointed because I felt like I gave up when I realized I would not meet my goal of finishing in 31 minutes. By the time I realized I could still PR (32:10), it was too late to push harder. I tried, but came up 20s shorts. I haven't race a 5K in a LONG time, so I'm over it and will try again soon.

#2 - Cycling Savvy

On Saturday I also taught my first Cycling Savvy class. Since I had the race in the morning, Jason and Rodney helped with the bike handling skills class in the morning, then Lisa  and I helped with the road tour in the afternoon. It was a lot of fun and very rewarding. I taught at least half of the features, and Keri filled in on the harder ones and any key details I forgot to mentioned. 

This is such a great class to empower bicyclists to ride on the road, and I am thrilled to be able to be part of the team spreading the word. If you are in the Orlando area, check out the site for details and register for the next class on March 11 & 12.

#3 - Yoga and Core 

With all this running I've been doing, I really need to take care of my body to avoid injury. I've been neglecting yoga, my core and strength training -- basically anything that is not running. I know being more flexible and having a strong core will really help my running, specially on long runs. 

So this week I recommitted to making me a priority.  I rediscovered this quote while reading my blog archives, and it's a really good reminder:

There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it is convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results. - Kenneth Blanchard

I am trying to make yoga a part of my daily routine. The past few days I woke up early to do yoga before leaving for work and it's been awesome; it is a the perfect way to start my day. I've also been doing yoga when I get home, specially after a run. These are usually 15-20 min sessions, but they really help. I still also stretch throughout the day when I have a few minutes, such as while waiting for the bus or heating up my lunch. I am slowly incorporating core and strength training too, mainly various crunches, yoga and push ups.