5 Things I am Loving Now!

It's been exactly two weeks since I ran the Honolulu Marathon!  For the sake of not overdoing my training, and to prevent myself from getting bored of running, I decided to take two full weeks off from running.  I almost made it, I did pretty well and managed to do 12 days off.  I caved in after the second unseasonably warm day we were having in NH, and went for my first post marathon run this past Friday
  The 12 days off were hard mentally because I was missing a lot of the endorphins you get from running, I walked a lot and did some strength exercises- it just wasn't the same!

  So what's in store for 2015?  Right now, I am signed-up to run the Mid-Winter Classic 10 Miler  on February 1st, and the Wallis Sands Half Marathon on May 15th- both already sold out!
   I love the 10 mile distance, and while I have never done a 10 mile race- I think this one will be really fun.  Wallis Sands I've done almost every year- as a plus, it goes right by my house!

Since I have had 12 days of non-running time with not a lot of running-related subject matter to talk about,  here are 5 (mostly) non-running related things that I have been into lately!


1.

Serial Podcast-  I started listening to this podcast (a spin-off from 'This American Life', on NPR) on the way home from Hawaii.  I was hooked from the first few minutes- so much so, that I only allowed myself to listen to the first 3 episodes in the series, and to finish the rest for when I returned to running.  I listened to episodes 4 and 5 on today's run.  So good!!

2.   Athlesisure-  I think I should start a fashion blog centered around "athleisure."  It's a big trend right now, and anything that allows you to look stylish and comfortable, is alright in my book.   Athleisure consists of things like: leggings, sweatshirts, retro sneakers and clothes you can work out in (but wouldn't really.)  I had to buy this sweatshirt (pictured above) from Under Armour because it was retro looking, and super comfortable.  

Disclaimer**** My family, and my best friend from middle school, Jennifer will attest that I wore sweatshirts every.single. day in 7th grade, rotated between Champion, Stick People, the Gap, the Limited (logos, of course) and Umbra.   With my Adidas Sambas.   It was 1994.   I am making a promise now that this will not be the case.  ***

3. Gel Nail Kit-  Confession.  I have NEVER had a professional manicure in my life.  I have probably painted my nails maybe 8 times in my entire 32 years on Earth.  I keep my nails really short, and low-maintenance.  I heard about the gel nail kits in a magazine I was reading- it promised at home manicures that were easy and lasted around two weeks!  I was in need of a pick-me-up (lack of running endorphins), and ended up buying the kit (in link above.)    Last night, I did my first "manicure"-  it WAS easy!  So far, no chipping, and I feel a little more girly!

4.  Un-Fancy Blog-  I love reading blogs- however,  all of the ones I subscribe to are all running-related.  This changed when my friend Nicole turned me on to this blog a couple of months ago. The writer, Caroline Joy,  has a great sense of style, and a really cool idea of doing a 37-piece "capsule" wardrobe each season.  I really loving getting outfit ideas from her site

5.   The Saucony Triumph ISO-  As if I needed another reason to be a Saucony fan for life after their generosity,  support  and general awesomeness for the Saucony 26 Strong program!!  Before the program, I had bought a few Saucony shoes for running (the Kinvara and the Omnis.)  While the Omnis were too bulky for me, I have been a long time fan of the Kinvaras.  This year, I was able to try the Ride 7 (love them), the Kinvara 5, and both the A6 and the Fastwitch for races- also love them both, however, I prefer the A6.  In early November,  Saucony also graciously sent everyone in the program the Saucony Triumph ISO.  From the first run on, I have really been really into this sneaker.  It feels like, and does have a lot of cushion;  at the same time, it feels light like the Kinvara for tempo workouts.   While in Hawaii, Saucony gave us two new pairs of sneakers which will be released in late January.  I cannot wait to review these once I get a chance to run in them!

Honolulu Marathon!...and Stitch Fix #10?

Are you ready for lots of pictures??  I am back from Honolulu/Waikiki, and have so much to share!  I had a ton of fun, and will forever be a fan of Saucony after all they did for our group!
  Where to start...?

Friday morning, Angela, her husband and I met at the Manchester airport for a flight to the Newark Airport.  At Newark, we grabbed some lunch and Jamba Juice to fuel up for our 11 hour flight to Honolulu.  We ran into Michele and her sister, Nicole who were also going to be on our flight.  We boarded the plane in Newark at 930am- it was definitely the biggest plane I've ever been in.  My seat was right next to a guy who was very sweet, but talked the ENTIRE. time. I know his whole life story.
At the end of the flight, he told me I was his 'ride or die chick.'

We were greeted at the airport by a shuttle coordinator, and were lei'd- only our leis were pucca shells.  Then, we got on a shuttle to our airport.  Since it was 3:30pm on a Friday in Honolulu, the traffic was pretty bad, it took us 90 minutes to get to our hotel 6 miles away!  I had a huge headache from talking for the past several hours, and was getting car sick from stopping/starting.

   We got to the hotel at 5pm, checked-in, and freshened up to go to a Saucony meet and greet at 530pm.  We got to meet most of the other girls that were in Hawaii (some were still traveling due to delayed flights) and the three representatives from Saucony and Competitor Magazine who had been involved in the Saucony 26 program.  Upon walking in, they gave us all a Saucony backpack with two new pairs of shoes, a Saucony keychain and two new shirts.  I felt like a running princess!!

Saturday morning,   we were all awake at 5am because of the time difference.  We went to get a light breakfast at Starbucks, and sat out on the beach to watch the sun rise (and do yoga.)  Although, you can clearly tell that Angela is the one that actually does yoga.

Then,  at 830am, we all met in the lobby for a photo shoot and a shake out run to breakfast.  Here are some more pictures!

We  only ran a mile and a half to breakfast, but it felt like a struggle after the long flight and the heat. I felt that these pancakes would be the right idea.

Then, Angela and I walked back to our hotel, and then to the Honolulu Marathon Expo.  It was unique!  Most of the booths and the people participating in the expo were Japanese (Japan Airlines is the major sponsor of the marathon.)  Everywhere, there were people shouting in Japanese, large cartoonish mascots walking around, and people giving out fish crackers. ugh.  It was so funny- I wish I took more pictures in the expo!

After the expo, I met up with my friend Katie and her husband Brendan.  They just moved to Hawaii and it was so good to see them!! Katie is due with her first baby in a matter of weeks- she looked gorgeous!  We went for crepes in their town, and drove around the coastline.

After lunch w. Katie and Brendan,   I went back to the hotel room and got my outfit laid out for the marathon.  I kept forgetting that I was running a marathon- I was still in shock that I was in Hawaii!  Angela, Ron and I went out for dinner at the Yard House, and I enviously stared at everyone drinking beers.  We were all in bed pretty early as we had to meet our team at 4am in the hotel lobby for the 5am start.

   Race morning,  Angela and I ate our bagels and almond butter that Angela had managed to find from walking around town (thank you!)  We debated back and forth about what to wear, the weathermen were saying 20% chance of rain and there was a wind advisory.

  

  When we got down to the hotel lobby, it finally sunk in that I was going to be running 26.2 miles in less than an hour.  I was super nervous!

  We all walked the 1.5 mile to the start.  We arrived right about 4:35, and I of course, had to go to the bathroom.  Unfortunately, there seemed to be about 28 port-a-potties available for 20k+ people!!  I wasn't able to make it through the line, and did try going in the dark behind a tree, but chickened out...

There weren't any waves with the 20k+ people running, so Angela and I just tried to stick ourselves wherever there were the fewest people.  Fireworks went off (literally, not figuratively), and the race started!

  It was really, REALLY crowded, so Angela and I tried to weave through all of the people.  The spectators and energy of the crowd was so awesome, even for 5am!

I'm not sure if it was the wind, or the fact that I was jet lagged, but I really struggled with the first 13 miles.  My asthma seemed bad, I was low on energy, and was already hot! Plus, the 20% chance of rain turned into 100%.  

  Luckily, by the time we got to the 16th mile, the wind was at our backs, and I was feeling a lot better. I had been drinking Gatorade, and was taking in Gu's every 5 miles.  Watching all of the spectators, fellow runners,  and of course, running w. Angela made the time go by quickly!  I felt great, and then Angela didn't feel well.  She was still running, but I could tell that she didn't feel well- she got really quiet, and seemed nauseous.  Then, unfortunately, her calf kept cramping up.  The two of us managed to pull each other through the last 10 miles, doing whatever we could! It was so fun to run w. a friend and a fantastic coach!  We told each other stories and talked about all of the alcoholic drinks and food we were going to eat/drink after the marathon.

Finally, we got to the 25th mile (after a seemingly 25 million-mile high hill), and saw Brandon, Sean and Erin from Saucony and Competitor there to cheer us on!  The rest of the way to the finish line was downhill- again, literally.

This was actually before the race!

I AM A MARATHONER!!!  After 18 long weeks of pushing myself and working really hard, I was so excited to finally be able to give myself that title!!  Best of all, I got to cross the finish line w. Angela!  Thank you so much Angela for coaching me, and being a supportive friend!!!  Thank you as well to Neil and my parents for your support!!

  I kept remembering that when I ran my first HALF-marathon, I was SO tired, and just wanted it to end.  I remember crossing the finish line at the half, and swearing that I would never be able to run 26+ miles, yet alone, another 13! But I did!!  So what's next?? Maybe an ultra??

The finish line was a blur, there were thousands and thousands of people, my phone, which had been in my Spibelt during the race, had self-disabled from me butt dialing it repeatedly.  I was stressed out because I couldn't see anything on my phone or make any calls for 30 minutes!   I grabbed my race t-shirt, medal and a delicious Hawaiian donut.  By that time, I was able to call Neil!

We walked back to the hotel, showered, changed and went to the hotel bar for lunch and a margarita.

Finally...a margarita

Then, we all took naps, and at 430pm, met up with the Saucony team for dinner!  We all got to catch up and talk about our marathon experience.  Then, it was time to say goodbye, as most people (myself included), were flying home the next day.

Angela and me with Brandon, Erin and Sean- the nicest (and tallest) people, and our Saucony/Competitor magazine coordinators

Saucony gave us all these necklaces- I got misty-eyed!

The next day, Angela, Ron and hiked up Diamond Head Volcano - so gorgeous, but after walking to Diamond Head, up Diamond Head and back from Diamond Head- I was EXHAUSTED.

The volcano is alive, with the sound of music...

I went back to the hotel room, showered, packed and got ready to leave on my flight back home for NH (sniff sniff.)  The flight back went well,  I was able to sleep the entire way back to Newark (or most of it), and didn't have to speak to anyone.

   I had a great weekend, I had a ton of fun w. Angela and Ron, and met lots of new friends from all over the country! I am forever grateful for the energy, detail and thought that Saucony put into making our weekend so special!  

Stitch Fix # (I can't remember what number I am on!)

This will be a short review, because I blabbed on about my marathon for the majority of the post.  I got my Stitch Fix while I was in Hawaii, and normally, would have had to return the clothes I didn't like while I was away on vacation- however, Stitch Fix's customer service was really nice, and extended the send back deadline by four days!

  I tried my clothes on Tuesday night when I got back from Hawaii- I received a gold bar necklace (sent back, not a huge fan of gold jewelry),  an open back sweater (really, when am I going to wear an open back sweater?? Sent back), a graphic sweater w. large squares (I swear I owned the same sweater in 1989- sent back),  grey skinny jeans (I kept those) and an olive green utility jacket (kept that as well.)

Then, the next day StitchFix sent me this journal in the mail for the holidays!! It was so thoughtful, I am going to use it as a running journal to plan my ultra- marathon (haha.)

10 Running Questions!

Less than two weeks until the Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii!  In fact,  we all received our official bib numbers in the mail yesterday,  I still cannot decide if I am more in shock with the fact that I will be in Hawaii in a matter of days, or if I will be finishing my first marathon!
  Yesterday, I did manage to fit in a long run (12 miles)- unfortunately, shortly after, I felt super sick and am now unable to run today as I'm fighting off a fever.

  Since I am taking a day off from running, I figured I could put out some fun running questions that I found on the Another Mother Runner, from a few years ago!  Here's their post, play it forward!
Another Mother Runner-Running Questions


Here are mine!

1. Best run ever:   Probably the Seacoast 1/2 Marathon (pictured above.)  The Seacoast 1/2 Marathon was the first 1/2 I ever ran (in 2009), and except for the year that I was pregnant (and year after),  I have made sure to run it every year.  The first year, I ran it in just over two hours, the second year in two hours and 10 minutes, the third time (last year), 1:57....and this year, 1:45!! I took a whopping 12 minutes off of last year's time!  Everything felt great on race day, and it was nice to see that my hard work from marathon training paid off.  With the exception of the last hill, I felt great the entire run.  I wish I could say that that happens a lot, but it doesn't! My friend Mariette ran with me for the first 7 miles, which was a huge help.  Angela, helped a ton by being at two different race points to cheer!

2. Three Words that Describe my Running: Keeps. me. sane!

3. My go- to running outfit is:  I love my Saucony Bullet Capris and my North Face long-sleeved running shirt..I bought it last year, and it's so lightweight and warm.  While my bangs were growing out, I always ran with Lululemon's Bang Buster headband- it really stays put!  For sneakers, I rotate between the Saucony Kinvaras, Saucony Triumphs and Saucony Rides

4. Quirky Habit while Running:  If I'm listening to music, I won't look at my watch until the end of each song.  Other than that, I'm pretty un-quirky with my running habits, I guess!

5. Morning, midday, evening:  Before Max, I ran before work; due to scheduling, that doesn't work anymore.  Now, I run at lunch with my friends at work- it's a blast!  If I miss a run at work, or need to do a  double session, then I run after work.  On weekends, I run before or during Max's nap time.

6. I won't run outside when it's:  I'll run in mostly every kind of weather condition, except if it's really icy.  I tried to do a 7 miler the other day during the Nor'easter, it was so slippery that I spent more time shuffling than actually running!  I won't race in really warm, humid conditions- although, I guess I'll make an exception for Hawaii :).  I also won't run outside if I'm by myself, and in an area that feels unsafe.

7. Worst injury- and how I got over it:  in late Spring of this year, I had an overuse injury on my quad that came from too many races, and not enough recovery- or proper training.  I went to a PT and found out that I didn't use my butt muscles enough when I ran- I was given exercises to strengthen that area, and have been working on my booty since!

8. I felt the most like a badass runner when I:  finished my first 20 miler!

9.  The next race is:  Honolulu!! December 14th

10. Potential running goal for 2015:  I have a few! I'd like to break 22 minutes in a 5k, 45 for a 10k and get down to 1:40 for a 1/2 Marathon. I'd also like to run more 10ks- those are my favorite!

Stitch Fix #8 and the Top #3 Things I've Learned From Marathon Training

Getting used to running at night in the pitch black darkness...at 6pm.

As I get closer to the Honolulu Marathon, and very close to my three taper weeks (only three more runs until taper!), I've learned a lot about training for a marathon, here are the top #3 things!

1.  Marathon training is hard work, it's a lot of time and dedication.  There are no shortcuts!   Luckily, Angela designed a plan which is hard, but doable and allows me to work around my schedule.  I've seen real results, and big changes in my running!  

2. At least not for me, marathon training is not a time to go on a diet, or expect to lose weight.  While training for the Honolulu Marathon,  I have been hungry 24/7, all. of. the. time.  While I haven't gained weight, I definitely haven't lost any!  I've discovered how important eating enough quality carbohydrates (sadly, ice cream is not a quality carbohydrate) can be for affecting my energy levels.  I've been better at making sure I fuel enough on long runs, and have been experimenting with what won't make me sick during long runs.   I've also tried to eat within 30 minutes of ending a long run.

3.  It's okay to have off days, there have been a few days, especially during my 16 miler a few weeks ago, where everything just feels horrible.  I've learned it's important to listen to your body because if you don't, it really can set you back.

Three and a half more weeks until the big day!!!

Stitch Fix #8!

I was so excited to come home and see that my Stitch Fix had arrived!  Last month's fix was awesome, I ended up keeping everything!

  This month, I really liked everything right away, but only ended up keeping three things.

I received a pair of wine-colored corduroy skinny pants- loved them, they fit perfectly and could be dressed up or down.  Plus, I didn't have anything in this color, for pants  KEPT!

A navy blue sweater with a picture of a boat on it-  super cute, playful and retro looking...but, I was afraid that I would only wear it a few times, and was afraid that I probably wouldn't be able to pull off wearing it at work. - SENT BACK

A long, wool cardigan- I have been all about cardigans lately, especially long, bulky ones.  I was hoping that Stitch Fix would send me one, and they delivered!  This was warm, soft and bulky enough without being too overwhelming.-  KEPT

A wool, plaid. pastel-colored scarf- very cute, but I couldn't justify paying $40 for this scarf.  I'm not great at remembering to wear scarves...so I didn't think it would make sense to keep this, still- it wasn't too bad- SENT BACK

Grey and Black striped top (pictured under scarf)- loved this, it was long, warm and super comfortable.  KEPT

All in all, great Stitch Fix! If you're interested in trying, here's the link!  

https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3596515

On another fun note, I was tagged to do a #stopdropandtakeablackandwhiteselfie- I joined in on the fun on Instagram and Twitter, play along!!

I was tagged by @happyfitmama to #stopdropandtakeablackandwhiteselfie, and list 10 things you may not know about me! I'll be tagging someone too, but please play along! 1.I'm a military brat, I've lived in Europe and the States and moved around a ton! 2. I speak almost fluent French and some German 3. Swimming is a sport that I can confidently say I am ok at- but, I prefer running 4. I've played piano for over 28 years 5. At 5'8", I'm still the shortest one in my family! 6. I love doing NY Times Crossword puzzles 7. I love people who aren't afraid to be a little bit weird 8. I am petrified of driving over bridges 9. I love the smell of hardware stores 10. Stowe, VT is my favorite vacation spot

I Mustache You Some Questions!

 I love these survey/question things!  When Angela tagged me, I jumped all over it- so fun!

You mustache play along!

Four names that people call me, other than my real name:

• Kai
• Kay-Bee (my dad calls me that)
• Mommy- by far, the best name
• KayKay

Four jobs I have had:

• Waitress/Ice Cream Scooper at the UNH Dairy Bar; obviously, this is listed first as it was the best job ever. I worked here during my Senior year of high school, and all four years of college
• Corporate Recruiter (my real life job)
• I worked as a farm hand at Tuttle's Red Barn during one Summer of high school- such a hard job!!
• Bagger/Cashier at the PX in Baumholder - Freshman year of high school in Germany

Four movies I’ve watched more than once:

• Sound of Music
• Napoleon Dynamite-  I'm embarrassed to admit that I could probably recite this whole movie by heart
• Love Actually- it's cheesy, but I watch it every year
• Pretty in Pink

Four books I’d recommend:

• Nineteen Minutes- Jodi Picoult
• The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood (such an eerie but thought provoking book!)
• I am Charlotte Simmons- Tom Wolfe
• If you're a runner, Kara Goucher's Running for Women- Kara Goucher

Four places I have lived:

• Durham, NH
• Brucken, Germany
• Belgium (close to the SHAPE/NATO base)
• Mt. Holly, New Jersey

Four places I have been:

• Marietta, GA (to visit my best friends from Germany!)
• Stowe, VT (love Stowe!)
• Mont Tremblant, QC 
• San Francisco, CA

Four places I’d rather be right now:

• In the mountains
• On a run
• In my bed reading!
• In Stowe

Four things I don’t eat:

• Cheesecake
• Meat (except for seafood)
• Velveeta Cheese or nacho cheese- just everything about it is so gross to me!
• Yogurt, no matter how much I try, I just cannot stomach the taste

Four of my favorite foods:

• Pancakes
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Mexican food
• Brownies or "Magic" bars that my mom makes

Four TV shows that I watch:

• Homeland
• The Affair (just started watching this, it's pretty good!)
• The Mindy Project
• Girls

Four things I am looking forward to this year:

• Hawaii!!! 
• The holidays
• Running my first marathon
• Tapering for said first marathon! 

*I just did for the rest of 2014 :)*

Four things I’m always saying:

• For real? 
• Seriously?
• (insert something about Max potty training soon)
• (insert something about running here)

Four People I Tag:

• Since I'm not sure if more than three people read my blog, please feel free to take the survey in the comments!!
  

Feel free to answer any of the questions in the comments!

Tiny Beers, Flatbread, Friends and the Seacoast Half Marathon Recap!

Getting WILD with our 4oz. beers!

Today was the Seacoast 1/2 Marathon, it's a race I do almost every year, and was the first half marathon I ever completed! This year, I chose it as my tune-up race before the marathon in December.

 The Seacoast 1/2 is a fun, beautiful course that winds through Rye, New Castle and Portsmouth.  It's flat (except for a hill that feels like a mountain in the last 1/2 mile.)  

  Most years, I've gone into the race with a goal to beat 2 hours and to not walk.  The first year, I finished in 2:04, the second year 2:10, last year 1:58....and this year, with my training, I was hoping for at least 1:51.  My "secret" goal was to get down to 1:48.

   The night before the 1/2, Sarah, Kim (who just qualified for Boston, at the NY Marathon!), Angela, Mariette and I met for dinner at Flatbread in Portsmouth.  It was a blast, as always!  Mariette and I were the only ones running, Angela was going to be cheering us on, and Kim was going to be volunteering.  Mariette and I were going to actually split a beer...but the waitress pointed out that we could get "half" pints!  Hence, the miniature glasses seen above.  We all ordered our own small flatbread pizza,  I had the full intention of eating only half of mine....but ended up eating the entire. thing.   So very lady like.  It was good, but I had quite the stomachache...and wasn't sure how it fare the next day at the race!

This year, the Seacoast course was going to be different than before (because there are 89 bridges closed in Portsmouth right now.)  Instead of being a loop, the race was going to be a point- to -point race;  people were asked to park where the finish line was (the Portsmouth High School), and buses were provided to drop us off at the starting line in Rye (at Wallis Sands Beach.)

    Race morning, Mariette nicely picked me up at my house and we rode over to the high school together.  I had a bagel, almond butter and coffee for breakfast, and packed 3 Gu's to bring with me on the run.  The weather didn't seem too cold, but we were also not at the beach yet, and were both also wearing sweatshirts/pants over our race outfits.

  We got aboard one of the buses at 7:15, and headed over to Wallis Sands where it was MUCH colder.  We met up with Angela N. and Nicole, begrudgingly shed our sweats, and all did a warm-up together.  I had a GU 10 minutes before the start, and cued up my Spotify mix.  Before the race, I saw my friends Laurie, Karla and Patty- it helped to see more familiar faces as I was nervous!

  Angela N. and Nicole lined up around the 7:30 pace group, and Mariette (who just ran a marathon!) and I lined up between the 8-8:30 min mile pace.  Angela (my coach), had made me a pace band for 1:51, I knew to finish at 1:51, I had to do an average pace of 8:30 minute miles.

  The gun went off, and we all headed out! The 1st mile seemed like two miles, but I think it's because I was still cold, and because my Spotify playlist wasn't loading!  By the 2nd mile, I was running alongside super speedy Mariette, and was still feeling strong.  We were running right behind the 8:00/min mile pacer, the pace felt perfect and comfortable. 

  I kept waiting to get tired, and kept feeling like I was going to need to rein myself in, but it didn't happen!  I felt great!  I took a GU every five miles, and eventually, my music started working.  Right after the fourth or fifth mile, we passed the 8:00 min/mile pacer, and headed towards the 7:30 min/mile.   The spectators were great this year, and it was so nice to see Angela cheering for us!!

  When I got to the half way point, I was still feeling great! I saw that my 10k time was below 50 minutes!  I was still afraid that I was going to lose steam, but I think eating an entire flatbread the night before luckily worked for me!

  At mile 8, I hung back from Mariette, and tried to focus on staying right at, or below an 8:00 mile pace.  I was still feeling strong, until I got to the 12th mile....I had one mile left, and THANK goodness, Angela and her family had now moved to watch the race from the 12th mile marker.  I was so happy to see a friend, and shouted at her that I wanted a ride!

The last half mile was tough, I slowed my pace going up the hill and was really wishing to be done!  Luckily, the last 10th of the mile is all downhill, I ran as fast as possible to the finish line and my face lit up when I saw that my time was not 1:51, not 1:50, not 1:48....but 1:45!!!!!!!!!!!
  Not only was this a 10 minute half marathon PR for me, BUT it was a 13 minute PR on this course for me.  I'm not winning any awards, but it's so encouraging to see the positive effects of training!!

All in all, I finished 20th in my age group out of 254- (30-39 year old ladies), 53 out of 756 women of all ages,  and 173 overall out of 1,122 runners/walkers.  Angela N., Mariette and Nicole all rocked it (of course), they all finished before me and close to 1:40.   My friend Laurie got 2nd in her age group with a time of 1:35!

All so glad to be done!!  We're just missing Angela :(

It was a great day, I had so much fun, and as always, it was a fun course! I think I'm going to take tomorrow off from running...and then Tuesday, will try these new shoes that Saucony sent (thank you!!) I can't wait to write about these (they're the new Triumphs.)  

3 Running Highlights of the Week!

Saucony Kinvaras, all around!

1. This week was my "cut back" week for marathon training; I was really needing a cut back week after not feeling well last weekend, and being over tired.  This week starts the beginning of the remaining six weeks of marathon training! Yeah!!! Six more weeks until Hawaii!!  

2. The NY Marathon today, so inspiring to watch!  Not only is 26.2 miles hard, but today's weather was horrendous- super windy, rainy/snowy and cold.

  Kara Goucher had her first race, post-injury today, and did amazing!  She's my favorite athlete!

3.  The Six03 Great Pumpkin 10k Relay!  Such a blast!  Saturday, Angela and me (team Pumpkin Pushers), Mariette and Nicole (team #islagiatt), joined around 86 other teams for a super fun trail relay at the Flagg Hill Winery in Lee.  Each team of two people would do 1.5 miles twice on a pretty, wooded trail behind the vineyards, all while using a baby pumpkin as a baton!

So. much.fun. - there were great costumes, excellent beer, wine (and donuts!) afterwards and it was technically my first trail race (besides the Odiorne Point 5k.)  Nicole, Mariette, Angela and I had so much fun!! 

Team #islagiatt!

Team Pumpkin Pushers!

Running w. a pumpkin!

I am the Worst Blogger Ever!! Plus, Stitch Fix #7 and First 20 Mile Run!

I am not good at updating my blog, nor am I good at taking enough pictures for the blog!!  Since it's been at least two weeks since my last blog post, I have a lot to write about AND pictures.

Marathon Training

Fifty more days until the Honolulu Marathon! I'm going into Week 12 of training, which is a cut back week! YAY!!!  I'm doing an 18 week plan, with a 3 week taper...so technically, I will only have another 3 weeks of hard mileage and workouts.  

  Last weekend was my very first 20 miler,  my friend Nicole was able to meet up with me for the first 12 (but she ended up doing 14!)  We ran in an area that has significantly more hills than what I'm used to, but the company was great, and the weather was perfect!

  The first 17 miles went pretty well, I was tired, but nothing too bad.  Right around 18 miles however, I really was starting to feel exhausted- I felt like I was all but crawling up the hills and I just wanted to get back to my car.  At 19.75 miles, I started walking...and called it a day.  I felt silly for not just doing another quarter mile! 

   This weekend, I was scheduled to do 16 miles.  I was excited for the run because I was going to be staying at a hotel in Columbia, Maryland for my friend's wedding. Like a true runner, I researched the area's running routes beforehand.  The hotel I stayed at (in picture above), was right on a lake which supposedly had a trail that was 3 miles around.  I figured I could do the loop 5 times and then tack on a mile.  

 

  I left Maryland from New Hampshire on Friday at 4:45;  embarrassingly enough, I have never driven further than Connecticut by myself!  I've always either had someone in the car with me...I was a little nervous, especially since I get really nervous on bridges....and knew that I would be driving over a million bridges in New York, Delaware and Maryland.

   My GPS estimated that I would arrive at my hotel at 12:25am- that didn't seem too bad....but as I soon realized, that didn't factor in stopping for gas or food.  I did stop for dinner in Connecticut, gas in New York and for Starbucks in New Jersey (the homeland :).)

At 12:25am, I was still in Delaware and really exhausted- my legs were also really achy.  I finally made it to my hotel at 1:25am, and after quickly unpacking, was in bed by 2am....but Starbucks at 11pm is an obvious poor choice, so I didn't fall asleep until 3am.  At 730am, I got up to meet my friends for breakfast. They were staying at a different hotel, so I had a 20 minute drive over to their breakfast place.  Before meeting them, I felt really sick- again, lattes are not a good choice so late at night. 

  I felt a little better at breakfast, I had scrambled eggs and a slice of french toast.  By the time I got back to the hotel, I again, was not feeling well, but knew I needed to get 16 miles in.

My trusty Nathan hydration backpack

I was super, super dehydrated and understandably exhausted.  My stomach was so upset that I was wondering if I should just skip the beautiful lake run, and stay in the hotel on the treadmill.  I've been so good about sticking to my training plan that I felt so much self-inflicted guilt about possibly not being able to make it 16 miles.  I decided that I would start by warming up with a loop around the lake, then, if I was feeling okay, I would venture out into the town.  
The loop around the lake was gorgeous, but my watch only read 1.5 miles (I wonder if it was supposed to be 3km but 3 miles!)  I had to run back to the hotel because I was sick to my stomach, my legs were super achy, and again, really dehydrated.  The next few miles were a little better, but I definitely felt super tired and really off.  Around 9 miles, I was completely losing steam and getting really frustrated with myself.  It's easy to forget that everyone has bad running days, and that it's smart to not try and overexert yourself, especially if you're not feeling well....but, I was being stubborn.  Finally, at 11 miles, I was starting to feel clammy and was dizzy- I had to text Angela and let her know what was going on.  My phone also died shortly after texting her, so  poor Angela left a message making sure that I wasn't passed out on the side of the road. :)  I managed to get some soup at Whole Foods (next to the hotel), and called Angela to let her know that I was not passed out.  Angela made me feel a lot better, and reminded me that it's just one workout- and everyone has bad days.  I took a shower, and fell asleep for an hour and a half...then woke up and had to get dressed for my friend's wedding with 10 minutes to spare! oops! 

The wedding was absolutely beautiful and such a fun time!! I managed to get around 6 hours of sleep, and was able to do 3 (albeit, very slow) miles this morning before heading back up for the drive to New Hampshire.  I am back now, and really sore, and really tired! But, had a great weekend....and plan on at least 8 hours of sleep tonight (I hope.)

STITCH FIX #7

I received my seventh Stitch Fix order last week, and loved every single piece!  My wallet hates when that happens, but I was really excited, especially since last month's was so so.

   I wasn't great at taking pictures of this month's shipment, but I kept every single piece.

1. A pair of navy blue skinny jeans- super cute, perfect fit and perfect length

2.  A chunky, butterfly-style sweater (black and white)- not sure if I can pull this style off, but it's really warm and will be perfect for the Winter

3. Orangish-red jersey shirt- wore it on my drive to Maryland, and I got compliments from people at the gas station in New York, so I took that as a win. ;)

4. Red knit dress- will be great for work!

5. "Kaylie" infinity scarf....had to get it because of the name, of course

1/2 way through Marathon Training, Great Island 5k recap and...I'm an aunt!

Best news first, I'm an aunt! My sister had a baby, Kennedy- she's so precious!

Nine more weeks until the Honolulu Marathon! Here are some things I've learned in these past couple of weeks:

1. Training for a marathon takes up a lot of time and commitment, but if you put in that time and training, it's exciting to feel yourself getting stronger and more in shape with each run (obvious, I know...but, I've never been very good at sticking to a training plan, until this time around.)  Luckily, Angela made me a great training plan!

2. I am hungry. all. of. the. time....I don't think anyone has to worry about me losing weight while training for a marathon.  

 3.  Foam rolling and yoga is essential after long, hard runs- today, I pretty much walked around with my foam roller, and did some yoga w. Max.

4.  In addition to foam rolling and yoga, I've realized how important it is to make sure that the majority of my runs are at a slower pace.  This has really helped me avoid injury (knock on wood), and build up endurance.