Training Tuesday: How I've finally Kicked My Plantar Fasciitis Flare & I Need A New BOOK

Happy Tuesday! What do you have on the schedule today?! I’ve got some speedwork to get done this morning with some 2 x 2 mi repeats at 10k pace & 2 x 1/2 mi repeats at 5k pace (with some recovery jogs in between)! Also if you haven’t yet read Janae’s (Hungry Runner Girl’s) blog post about finally reaching her sub 3 hour marathon at St. George last week, drop whatever it is you’re doing and go read it right now. I love what she says about not wanting to change her story to finally get that goal and that each setback made it that much sweeter.

It really inspired me and I’m READY to chase down my big Boston goals. I finally signed up for my next marathon today —> Eugene Marathon 2019! I have always wanted to visit the Pacific Northwest and Eugene has been on my list for a while. It’s scary (and exciting) to think about the steps that it will take to get me to my sub 3:30 marathon to BQ, but I’m ready for the challenge and this marathon WILL BE IT. I’m using the Las Vegas half next month as a building block to get more speed in my legs and I’m EXCITED. I haven’t followed a training plan for a goal half marathon since my first half way back in 2011. While training for Eugene won’t officially start until late December/ early January —> each training cycle builds on top of each other and I can start doing the little things now to help get me there (i.e. more strength work, getting faster at the shorter stuff, dialing in my nutrition, adding in more HILLS).

I also wanted to share with you the #1 thing that I’m convinced finally helped me with my Plantar Fasciitis flare that I’ve dealt with since June. I started doing this yoga sequence from JasYoga.

The biggest stretches that I’ve found really help? The sequence that she does from toe pose —> rocking calfs in a modified frog pose —> full frog pose. This helps warm up my calfs/ stretch them out after I run and if I stay on-top of it, I don’t have any PF pain! I’ve also tried things like sleeping in a splint at night (yeah that works, but it’s really bulky to sleep in), icing, heat, superfeet insoles, etc. This stretch is the #1 thing that has helped me SO MUCH.

Ever dealt with PF? What’s helped you with it?

What goals are you currently chasing?

Eugene Marathon - anyone ever done it?! ANY TIPS FOR ME?!?

I need some new book recommendaitons?!? What should I read next?

Weekend Recap & Ladies- Does THIS Ever Happen To You?

Happy Monday! I woke up bright and early this morning after a less-than-great sleep (I feel like this always happens to me come Sunday night - anyone else feel this way??). Got in a good strength session, meditated, caught up on the news/weather, and got in a 6 mile easy recovery run BEFORE 6:30am! It’s always so difficult to get up early, but I really love the feeling of accomplishing so much before most are even awake.

Let’s rewind back to Friday afternoon, shall we? Or well actuallly…we should probably go back to Friday morning where I slept through my 3 alarms so Friday afternoon was first consumed of 7 easy recovery miles in the pouring rain (followed by a Almond Milk Hot Cocoa from Starbucks/ quick change in their bathroom (ha…) to get to the Spa to get a new gel manicure)!

I really save these manicures/pedicures for special occasions (i.e. a few times a year) and we’re getting our engagement photos done on Friday of this week (hoping my nails last that long! So far, so good…) so this definitely was a SPECIAL occasion.

Saturday morning consisted of a slower morning with some strength work and coffee (and Stella cuddles). Also catching Brady in his natural environment- the Fridge.

Finding out that it SNOWED on the ski mountain (no snow to report where we live yet, but it could be coming THIS AFTERNOON?!?!).

Then I finally got out of the door around 8:30 for my 14.1 mile long run on the trails down by the lake. I really bundled up for this run and shed almost every layer by the last few miles (I’m really terrible at layering when it’s even just a little bit chilly out (at least for the first few months of cold weather running then it’s 30* in March and I’m out there wearing shorts and a t-shirt?!?). It was so beautiful Fall-like weather out there and perfect cloudy day!

The rest of Saturday was spent mainly relaxing (we also did some grocery shopping)- recovered in a hot Epsom Salt Bath while catching up on This Is Us (I’m finally into Season 2 and IT IS SO GOOD) and sipping coconut water from a wine glass because YOLO?

Also the rest of Saturday was spent with raging hormones. Anyone else ever get this way?!? Mine are never normally this bad (i.e. crying for absolutely no reason and getting upset over the Hot Cocoa that Alex got…. sorry Alex - gosh he is way too good for me), but thinking it must have been linked to my diet the last weekend?!? (If I eat even a little bit more sugar, then I find it’s way worse). I NEED TO KNOW - am I the only one like this or does it happen to you too?!?

Did anyone run the Chicago Marathon (or any other race this past weekend)?!? —> We watched the Chicago Marathon Sunday morning and WOW. I thought Mo Farah was so AMAZING and so so happy that he finally snagged a World Marathon Majors title. Also Brigid Kosgei ran SO FAST. She absolutely dominated the field and a mother of five (I think?) - so spectacular for yet another Rainy WMM.

Have a great Monday!

SOURCE

Feature Friday: The Paris Wife Book Review

Happy Friday! We made it through another week! Yay! Is anyone racing the Chicago Marathon this weekend?? My goal is to qualify for that someday! I’m so excited to watch it and cheer for Gwen Jorgensen (but sad that both Amy Cragg & Jordan Hasay won’t be competing). I’ve got an easy 8 miles on the schedule this morning plus some time in the pool swimming. I also have a manicure scheduled for this afternoon (yay!)- a perfect way to kick off this rainy and dreary weekend. It also might SNOW tonight?!? WHAT. Guess I’ll be switching out my Summer clothes for Winter ones this weekend as well….

Not so sure I’m ready for THIS quite yet….

I wanted to share with you my book review of the latest book I finished: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.

This was my last book by McLain that I read and heard that it was the best one. My expectations were really high before diving into this book because I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last few books that I’ve read by her. Unfortunately, it wasn’t AS captivating as the other ones that I read by her (Love & Ruin was my favorite).

This book focuses on Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, how they met, and their move to Paris (along with their demise). I didn’t think that the main character, Hadley, (his first wife) had as much of a connection with me as those in McLain’s other books. It was so neat to hear about their first encounters with those famous literary writers (before they become famous) like Fitzgerald. It was also really exhilarating to follow along as they faced struggles moving to Paris, getting married rather quickly, and how Hadley struggled to find herself in Ernest’s light.

I think anyone who really enjoys historical fiction or those books particularly on Hemingway should absolutely pick up this one. It’s captivating, relatable in some regards (especially to those women who either are in their 20s, young moms, or women who married at a young age), and overall interesting to be transformed back to the early 20th century.

Have you ever read any of McLain’s books?

I need a NEW book! Any recommendations?!?

Next race you’re doing? —> I’ve got the Lake Powell Half Marathon in a few weeks!

When do you switch out your summer clothes OR do you rotate through all the same clothes year-round?!? —> normally when it dips down into the upper 20s that’s when I’m reaching for the leggings for my runs and sweaters for work, so I swap out the shorts/ tees for longer stuff :)

Trail Thursday: Diana's Baths

Friday eve! We’re almost there! This week has equally gone by so fast and dragged along (yes that is definitely possible..). I got up at 4:30 this morning to get in my strength and run before I headed into work by 7:15. I did my strength, meditated, made coffee, and drove down to the lake where I was planning to run at 5:30 and saw AT LEAST 10 strikes of lightning! Sooo I turned around and got ready for work by 6:30. So here we are 6:41am, breakfast has been eaten, and I’m here writing to you! Oh well, I’m grateful that my schedule is flexible and I’ll get in my run tonight at 6pm (I’ve got 6 easy progressively fast miles on the schedule then 6 x :45 second fast sprints). What do you have going on for your Thursday?

Today I’m sharing with you one of the BEST tourist spots in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (where I grew up), Diana’s Baths. It is a great place to visit with your entire family because the walk is maybe 1/2 mile (?), relatively flat, and great nature walk to the baths themselves. The parking lot does get extremely busy, so I’d recommend visiting either during the week (if you’re going in the Summer try either early in the morning or later in the afternoon) - especially in the Fall. It’s ideal to soak in the nature-made baths in the Summer, but the foliage come late September/ early October is so beautiful too. Definitely be careful if you do walk around the falls because the rocks are very slippery and I have known many who have seriously injured themselves there.

Ever visited the White Mountains? Your favorite spot to visit?

Foliage right now- how is it where you are?!?

What did you have for breakfast? —> I had coffee & cereal this morning!

Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 11: 9/24-9/30

This last week of training didn’t go really well, but sometimes we just have off weeks! This was definitely an off week. I ended up getting some sort of stomach bug and a headcold at the same time, so I didn’t get in my speedwork, surges, and less than great tempo miles in my long run. Oh well, this is a NEW week and I’m ready to crush ALL of my goals!

Monday, 9/24: 7 miles easy @ 9:38 298’ up / Barre at lunch

Tuesday, 9/25: 6 miles easy @ 9:56 376’ up

Wednesday, 9/26: Planned for 3 x 1 mile goal half marathon pace with 1/4 mi easy & 2 x 1/2 mile @ 10k pace with 1/4 mi easy. Actual: 1 mile warm-up, 1 x 1 mile goal half marathon pace 1/4 R, 2 x 1/2 mile @ goal half marathon pace with 1/4 R, 1 mile cool down. 4 miles total with 30 minutes of strength

Maple is much cuter than a sweaty post fail of workout photo!

Thursday, 9/27: 6.02 miles easy @ 9:57 317’ up

Friday, 9/28: 4.5 miles easy @ 10:00 32’ up

Saturday, 9/29: REST DAY

Sunday, 9/30: 6 miles easy, 5.12 miles @ goal half marathon pace (adjusted it to ~8:10 pace), skipped the 2 miles easy cool down. 11.12 miles total

Pretty terrible at taking photos last week, so here’s a cute photo of our engagement celebration dinner at Cafe Diva!

Total Mileage: 38.64 miles

Total Elevation: 1, 023’ up