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Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Nancy. I decided to retire early and my last day at the Fire District was December 31, 2020. My dream to do this pigs 'n poultry thing full time started on January 1, 2021. So far so good...

Monday, May 30, 2016

Nike+ Run Club


I run with a Nike+ and am a part of the Nike+ Run Club, who knew?!

Since I don't know when (probably since the beginning) I have been receiving emails that have weekly training plans and a spotify playlist. I haven't paid any attention to either one - I know, lame. Last night before I went to sleep I actually took a look at the plan and thought maybe it would be fun to mix things up a little and try this week's training.

Today being day one we went ahead and did a light workout as our recovery - two miles and we are good to go! Tomorrow is a speed day, ruh-roh...intervals at the track. We did our long run yesterday so tomorrow will be the 3rd run training day in a row. If I want to get into this Nike+ Run Club training then I should probably go ahead and follow the plan. We'll see how this week goes. This will definitely a part of my brain training as well. I need something to keep me on my toes and since I have to look at my google calendar to see what we are doing, I WILL be slightly uninformed.

The Vancouver USA Half will be here before we know it and I will be mostly under-trained for this one, but I always have to remember that I have done more on less. My first Duathlon was kinda sorta that event - I did the whole thing without stopping, but my training leading up to it was less than adequate.

As always I plow through the things I sign up for and always feel a sense of accomplishment at the end.




Wednesday, May 25, 2016

FINALLY!


WOW - it took long enough, but I finally feel like I have some sort of running mojo returning...and it feels so good! Lots of things had to happen in order for my running mojo to come back.

  • I had to get over the fact that in the big picture, running is hard. With the lay off that we had not so much a lay off, but a reduction in mileage and not running consistently. So, yeah, a little lay off.
  • I had to let go of the negative vibes that just run through my mind at all times. I'm really not that bad. REALLY. I have said it before I am the queen of negative self talk. One day it won't be so bad. I am not a loser, I am not a loser...not a loser.
  • We had to come up with a plan a new plan as far as training goes. I have relied on the Runner's World Smart Coach for many seasons and I hit a lot of the distances and try to incorporate the speedwork and tempo runs, but those just aren't doing much for me.  Probably because I don't understand them. New plan is to run two days and take a day off. So far it's doable. Well, actually it is this week. Something happened last week and I ended up with an extra day off and had to rethink the weekend running. Even with the lunge workout this week, we are on track to do the two days on one day off routine through the rest of the week. 
  • We registered for the BIG event for the year. We are going to head back to PA for the Runner's World Half Marathon & Festival. Only this time I decided that I would do the Hat Trick. If the thought of that doesn't get me going, I don't know what will!
While my mileage is still a little low, I'm just going to focus on enjoying the process and getting through the two running events that I have on the calendar. Actually there will be two others, we just have signed up yet. Two halfs and a couple of 5k runs. I'm going to skip Wahine this year - I was not impressed with the race organization last year - so I'm going to let that rest for another season.


Saturday, May 14, 2016

And The Winner Is...

Me and my brain!!!

Since I have been having such a time running recently today was all about brain training. I convinced myself that I would not let my tired and achy muscles win. Getting back into this routine this week has been rough. We ran Monday Wednesday & Thursday. I think right now I like running two then one day off.

On our no run day we did a 20-minute workout routine by Jay Cardiello which I found on the Runner's World website. I forgot that this workout consists of a lot of lunge work which is good, but getting back into it? Not so good the next morning when it's a run day.

Four walk breaks is perfectly okay
I know that the Vancouver Half will be a struggle, but I'm going to work hard to be half-way ready for 13 miles.

Because I know I can...

Thursday, May 12, 2016

I need to...

Probably start posting here on a more regular basis as a way to keep myself on track as far as running goes.

This morning we got out and did 2 miles....and I have to say that it wasn't terrible. I needed some serious encouragement to make it home without stopping to walk - man I wanted to stop! I did it!!

THAT is a success.

What I need to keep doing - which I figured out (again) makes a difference...

hydrate, Hydrate, HYDRATE!

Maybe with a couple of these items...not the vitamin c.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

A Whole Lot Of...

Self Doubt...Low Confidence...Negative Self Talk.

I have been struggling quite a bit this year. Ever since we ended the running streak I haven't truly been the same. While I was pretty satisfied with running daily from Thanksgiving to New Years (with the exception of the one day that I had a 24 hour bug) - I have not been very happy about my progress since then.

January was a lot of rest and recovery after running every day for over 30 days. February is pretty much a blur and March was bad because I was sick and it hung on for a lot longer than I have ever experienced. April was a month of allergy related set-backs. Not many, but enough to make me feel like a loser, but at the same time be okay with the end total of miles I accomplished. Really though, March was so sucky that April was great by comparison.

Now, I'm trying to get back into some sort of positive mental mojo. It's been not great. This past weekend we took a mini break and went to Seattle for a couple of days and to see a baseball game. Monday morning we went out for a run and in my own estimation, it was not good. I felt terrible. Not well hydrated and running in a totally different atmosphere altogether. I'm not really used to the amount of traffic as we encountered in SoDo.

Man what a whiner...

In the end I think I was happy that we got out at all. Then spent a lot of the morning and early afternoon walking.

My confidence has plummeted for some reason. One day I'll be feeling pretty good about running, but the next time out may not turn out so great - no matter how much I try to think positive and try not to listen to the voice in my head that says that I'm a loser...why even try...blah blah blah.

For the most of the year I was dealing with foot pain which turned out to be a corn. Now that that is 99% resolved, my feet don't hurt now. Just my head is making me hurt. I know that I can turn around the negative thoughts in my mind, but it's getting easier for some reason to believe those things.

I think what I need is a decent race. I haven't really had one yet. I had to step down the Hop Hop Half to the 5k and didn't even make it to the first race we were signed up for. Maybe the Run to Remember event will help at the end of the month.

Something has got to get better....and sooner would be good.