Goals for MS Run The US Relay!

Happy Monday friends! Don't worry, I've scheduled my posts for the week so I'm not stressing about getting my posts up on time during my relay. I hope you had a great weekend! I actually had a super long list of items to get done with Alex gone  (he got back last night from visiting family/meeting his 3 month old nephew in Mass.) and no running on my schedule, so I stayed pretty busy. A lot of cleaning/ packing/ gardening/ nails are done/ organized was done! I honestly cannot believe that my relay begins this morning! I got the baton passed to me yesterday at noon when Michelle came in and now at 8am EST today it's my turn! You can follow along on my journey on Instagram and I'll be journaling my thoughts so I can share them all with you on each day that I run come next week : )

I wanted to share with you some of my goals for my relay and daily goals as well because I think it's really important to be realistic about the journey I'm about to embark on (as well as have some lofty goals too)! I've had a lot of anxiety about my relay (mainly just wanting it to be here already and excitement/nerves), but on Wednesday or Thursday last week, it just turned to excitement (a bit of nerves but mostly just overly excited)! I can't wait to experience the rockies on foot and see so many beautiful things that driving in a car you miss. I've got an iPod nano to save my phone battery so I can take a lot of pictures! The weather looks like it should be good for the most part (maybe some thunderstorms in the afternoon, but I'm planning to be finished running each day by 1pm at the latest and starting each day between 6-7am).

GOALS FOR MS RUN THE US RELAY:

• ENJOY every moment. Take it all in. The beauty, the experience, the good, the bad ~everything
• SMILE at all times. Smile through the positives and negatives. 
• RUN FROM THE HEART ~ 
• 28 miles each day. Pushing it to 30 if I'm feeling great, but no more than that. 
• Recover like a champ. Legs up the wall multiple times. Foam roll like crazy. Lots of coconut water. 

What are your plans for the week?

DId anyone race this weekend?! How'd it go??

What I'm Packing For My 175 Mile MS Run The US Relay

Happy Friday! I've already been able to get SO many chores done that I've neglected for what felt like ~21 weeks~; ). It's amazing what you can get done (AND how much energy you have) when you aren't running 60+ miles in a week! I've got my manicure/pedicure scheduled for tomorrow and I'm still undecided on what type of nail design I should get! I normally only get them done either right before or after a big goal race. I love having them all beautiful looking when I'm running hard, but equally look forward to the leg massage that comes with a pedicure AFTER a race ; ) Someday maybe I'll be able to afford both (before & after a race)! I also want to get some gardening done and a full deep clean of the house, since Alex won't be back until Sunday evening. I'm basically packed for MS Run The US segment ~ -> I'll be starting my relay on Monday, the 21st at 8am MST so make sure to send good thoughts my way! My plan is to typically run for around 5 or so hours a day and starting between 6-7am because after 12pm it gets really hot (to me...) and I do not do well in the heat! 

Here are some things that I'm packing for my relay segment! 

• Believe Training Journal- I put together a quote or 'mantra for each day that I'm running my segment. I always have a mantra for each race and will sometimes write it on my arm, so I figured it would be helpful to have a focus for each day that I'm running. Something relatively short and gets me fired up for the day. I packed my outfit for each day I'm running into a ziploc bag and put the quote on the outside of the bag. I really love this journal to keep track of my training (along with also using this blog and my google spreadsheets because I'm an organization nerd ; ) ...) and will use it to put my feelings together after each training day and then share them with you on the blog when I'm finished! 

• Goodr Sunglasses - I actually wanted a pair of these sunglasses for so long because I heard great things about them and reached out to them to see about a possible discount code they could give me and they ended up sending me TWO free pairs! I absolutely love them and their fun colors and they're so well designed. I'm obsessed. They will definitely be going in my Ultimate Direction pack with me everyday. 

• Oofos Sandals- I literally LIVED in my oofos sandals last summer and wanted to get another pair before my relay, so like Goodr I reached out to them to see if I could get a discount code and they ended up sending me all of the below things! One outfit is basically ready to go (minus pants ; )...) and I know my feet will be happy to wear these after running 28 miles!

• Ziploc Bags with each outfit and one change of socks- After doing so many training runs, I know that sometimes it's nice to split it up and change my shoes/ socks/ outfit to help reset my mind (that may not work for everyone)...So I packed typically one pair of compression socks and one pair of non-compression socks in my ziploc bags with my outfit for the day. I also packed in 2 separate ziploc bags one with 3 various jackets (one for rain/ one for wind/ one for cooler temps) and another bag with 3 change of pants (two for warmth/ one for compression) so that I could easily grab them if the day looked like the weather may turn on me. 
• KT Tape - I really love KT tape. It gives me a bit of extra support in the areas where I need it (achilles and knee currently) and is really easy to transport as well! 
• 3 pairs of sneakers- I've basically switched between the Brooks Ghost 10 in almost all of my training runs (with shorter stuff in my Levitate and Launches), so I'll be changing between these three throughout my relay run. I'm planning to run 13 or 14 miles in one pair and then switch to another pair (both will have my superfeet insoles in them) to help give my feet some relief. 
• Chapstick x 2- I heard one of the other relay runners this year had trouble with sunburned lips, so I'm making sure this does NOT happen to me! One will be in my vest the entire time!
• Honey Stinger Gels/Chews- I'll be also fueling with pretzels and coconut water and nuun and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, but Honey Stinger gels and chews have worked best for me throughout my training runs!
• 2 Hats/ Visor- I hate having the sun in my eyes, so either a hat or visor will be 100% necessary each day that I'm out on the roads. I'll also bring along my buff incase the weather gets too chilly and to also help keep the sweat off my face! 
• sunscreen- this really is a no-brainer when you live/run in a sunny state like Colorado!

What are some of your must-haves when running a long-distance race or relay? 

What are three things you're doing this weekend?!

Anyone racing this weekend? <-- GOOD LUCK!

Thoughts Leading Up To My Relay!

Happy Tuesday friends! It's actually pretty funny how I've had MORE trouble getting my posts in when I'm working 10+ hours LESS than when I'm working 3+ jobs, but I guess that's what happens when you let your schedule become a bit too flexible? But also- don't we all need to not be so strict with ourselves? I was thinking about this this morning as I woke up early and went to the gym (something I hadn't done in almost 3 weeks!)- I think switching up my schedule (sleeping in/ running at lunch or after work) has helped me mentally stick with my training over 21+ weeks and not get burnt out. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is- rather than get bogged down by missing some posts, I'm glad I'm back and sharing my thoughts with you!

I've had A LOT of emotions leading up to my relay (t-minus 13 DAYS!) and wanted to discuss them here and also how I've worked through them (incase anyone else has a big scary goal coming up)!

Emotion #1: Freak-out. This happened when I first accepted my relay position and creeped up again a week or so ago. This kinda always happens to me before a big race, so I've found a few things that help get me over this hump and not push myself (or anyone else!) over the edge. I was completely overthinking my relay segment/ my unpreparedness/ every imaginable thought that could go wrong did go wrong. Then, I looked back on my training plan and that boosted my confidence. I no longer questioned if I was ready- I also had a kick-ass weekend of training. I gained over 2, 000' of elevation on my 23 mile long run and followed that up the next day with 20 miles (with some speed) on the treadmill. If that doesn't boost one's confidence, I'm not sure what will! Anytime I get the freak-out feeling coming up- I remind myself that I am a badass and that I will run 175 miles in 7 days. Positive thoughts people!

Emotion #2: Stressed Out. I moved on from my freak-out moments to thinking I didn't have anything that I needed to complete my relay! This is when lists help me SO much! I know that some think that creating lists for everything is crazy (and I think if you do anything too much it isn't good), but creating lists when I'm stressed helps me realize that I have nothing to worry about. Lists= happiness

Emotion #3: Utter excitement. Like I cannot believe that I'm going to run 175 miles in 7 days kind of excitement! I can't wait to cross that relay finish line and look back on every memory I'm going to make. I want to make sure to take it all in because how many people can actually say that they ran 7 marathons in 7 days? Yeah, not many ; )

So, there's my thoughts for the moment! I'm planning to do a bunch more posts leading up to the relay with how I'm feeling/ what I'm eating/ what I'm packing/ what podcasts I'm loading/ what books I'm bringing etc. so make sure to keep checking back!

How do you stop yourself from freaking out and stressing about something silly?

Relay essentials --> Any tips?!?

MS Run The US- Week 18 Training Rundown

Happy April 25th! The perfect date. Also happy humpday! I hope you had a great Tuesday! It's been almost a year since I began blogging and will be doing some updates to the website over the next few days so make sure to check back and see all the great stuff I'm planning on adding! Also PS- It's Wayfair's Wayday, so you know I'll be (hopefully) scoring some great deals on there today.  We're in desperate need of a new couch (#adulting) and also looking for a great new headboard/ footboard for our bed! I honestly cannot believe my relay begins in 26 DAYS! I'm excited for this for sooo many reasons (days off of work/ getting fresh air EVERYDAY/ seeing so many beautiful sights by foot/ seeing my mom (hi mom!) / finishing my relay in the rockies stadium)! I just looked at my training schedule for the next 3.5 weeks and only have 2 weeks of "longer runs" left and then I'm tapering! It is so insane to me! Some of my long runs include 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening (I think I only have this on my schedule twice), so knowing that there's the light at the end of tunnel is SUPER helpful. How do you push past mentally tough training weeks?

Last week I took 2 rest days off IN A ROW (I know, I'm a total slacker...kidding!) and focused on getting a bunch of sleep/ hydrating/ good nutrition (that will continue to play a BIG role in my training the next three weeks)! I also PR'd my marathon time and *almost* had a negative split race! I held back considerably (look back on Friday for a full RECAP!) during the first half and never really pushed myself beyond a comfortably hard pace. My legs felt a bit tired on Sunday, but nothing like the soreness I usually feel after a marathon! I did 10 miles (5 mile walk with Stella to loosen everything up, then 5 mile slow recovery jog on the treadmill later that day at ~10:50 pace) the day after the race! I did two strength training sessions and focused on foam rolling twice a day and icing any areas that bothered me!

Monday: 6 miles easy @ 10:00 ; 20 mins strength & foam rolling --> totally inspired by the Boston Marathon!

Tuesday: 5 miles easy @ 10:26 677' elevation gain

Wednesday: 6 miles easy @ 10:00 pace after work (varied incline between -2% to +2%); 25 minutes of strength training. Also got up to holding my planks to 3:31! Hoping to get up to 5 minutes soon!!

Thursday: REST DAY... legs up the wall!

Friday: Had 3 miles on the schedule, but wanted to sleep in and then didn't end up getting to SLC until 7pm so decided that not running was better than getting the mileage in!

Saturday: RACE DAY! 26.5 MILES (going off my garmin like I do for other training runs...plus I did a few pit stops along my race... i.e. to the bathroom and to see Alex!)

Finishing it out strong at mile 25!

Sunday: 10 miles --> 5 mile walk with Stella & 5 mile recovery jog @ 10:50 pace on the treadmill 0% incline. Epsom Salt soak & lots of foam rolling/ stretching!

Stella loves jumping in/out of the lake on our walk!

Recovery part 1. Epsom Salt Soak

Recovery necessity #2: Ice Cream Sandwich! 

53.5 miles total! 

Positive Splits:

• PR'd my marathon!
• Focused on recovery/ icing/ nutrition throughout the week
• Easy paced miles focused on running form
• Got in 2 strength training sessions!

Negative Splits:

• Didn't quite get that negative split that I was hoping for, but still so close (~2 minutes!!). Most of my previous marathons have a positive split of well-over 10 minutes!

How are you spending your perfect weather day today?!? --> Jumpboard Pilates during lunch and rest day from running! 

Training Rundown Week 14- MS Run The US

LESS THAN 55 DAYS to the start of my relay!! Also we're down to less than 30 days to the start of the Salt Lake City Marathon! I seriously cannot believe how quickly March went by and that it's April on Sunday. This week was a great week of running and I hit all of my workouts AND gained a total of over 2,000' in my runs for the week! I'm starting to focus more on elevation gain each week, since my relay run is pretty mountainous and really trying to hard to keep up with my strength training. I fit in three strength workouts this week and also started to see a physical therapist (I've had some minor re-occuring Right knee pain and wanted to get it stronger/ fixed before the relay start in May). 

Monday: 10.10 miles with 2 x 3 mile repeats (1 mile recovery after sets) 1.5 warm-up & .6 mile cool-down. I did this one on the treadmill (it was icy outside) and ran out of time to finish my complete cool-down mileage (I added it on to my runs throughout the week). Did some strength/foam rolling before I ran. 

Tuesday: 6.45 miles easy @ 9:50 on the treadmill because it was *once again* icy outside (happy first day of spring)! A bit more strength afterwards as well. 

Wednesday: 12 miles with 9 miles at tempo 8:20-8:35 (actual: 8:22) w/ 1.5 warm-up and 1.5 cool-down. This run felt amazingly strong and I only looked at my watch a handful of times. Also gained over 300' of elevation, so not completely flat too! 45 minute pilates class at lunch.

Thursday: 10.10 miles easy @ 10:00. Split this run up with 6.66 miles in the morning & the remaining mileage after work. Over 600' elevation gained. Also was pretty sore after my tempo run & pilates class on Wednesday. 

Friday: 10.25 miles easy @ 9:55. Gained over 1,700' of elevation- I started early and finished this run by 6:45! I also just did hill repeats at an easy pace (focused on form & breathing) and was really happy with my average pace and felt pretty beat-up/ strong afterwards.

Saturday: 6.10 miles easy @ 10:30 & 20 minutes of strength/ stretching. Did this run in the late afternoon and really didn't want to do more hills, but where we live --> all hills. So gained a little over 400' of elevation (more than what I wanted) and just took back the pace to enjoy the run. Brady tried to help give me some extra weight on my bridges

Sunday: REST DAY. Cinnamon buns and ample coffee was consumed. 

Positive Splits:

• Hit my paces
• Gained a ton of elevation on my runs
• Tempo run felt amazing
• Recovery runs were focused on form less than on pace
• Fit in three strength workouts throughout the week

Negative Splits:

• 2 treadmill runs
• That's it! Great week. 

How's your training going? 

Favorite thing about rest days? ->> normally ample coffee/ kitten cuddles/ cinnamon rolls or something equally amazing.

HAVE A GREAT WEDNESDAY!