Workout Recap - Week 52

Sunday, December 21st – REST DAY, Foam Rolled & Stretched

Monday, December 22nd –  5 mile (easy pace) run

Tuesday, December 23rd –  Strength Training (abs, back, arms and legs), Foam Rolled & Stretched 

Wednesday, December 24th –  2.4 mile (easy pace) run

Thursday, December 25th – REST DAY

Friday, December 26th – 10.5 mile bike ride, Foam Rolled & Stretched 

Saturday, December 27th – 4 mile (long run pace) run, Foam Rolled & Stretched

The last full week of 2014! HOLY CRAPOLY! Where did the time go?!

Can you believe I only ran 11.4 miles this week?! And it wasn't even because I was taking time off for the holidays or something like that. Technically I am somewhat tapering for the Dopey Challenge (since I am also training for the Phoenix Marathon my taper isn't as substantial a cut back as normal), but also my long run will be the Holiday Half Marathon I am running tomorrow morning (and when my races end up on Sunday it skews my numbers a bit).

How were your workouts this past week?  

Snowman Cheeseball

I was tasked with an appetizer for a "framily" gathering on Christmas. I had asked Ryan what he thought I should do. Obviously we LOVE our chips and salsa in this household and his first thought was a 7-layer dip. Although I normally would have jumped at it, I couldn't think of a way to make it festive. I did a quick Pinterest search and saw some cute snowman cheeseball spreads so decided that is what I would do!

This was the picture that started it all!
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The innards of the snowman was 4 packages of organic cream cheese and two cloves of garlic. The "snow" was organic parmesan cheese. It looked like most of the pictures were using peppercorns for the eyes and the buttons, but we didn't have any so I had to improvise... PURPLE SKITTLES it was ;) I also used the edge of a Reese's cup as the smile... At least I had a carrot for the nose!

I normally never actually follow through with ideas from Pinterest (I have thousands of pins and I think I have made maybe 4 of the recipes...), so since I actually made it (and it turned out somewhat cute) I HAD to document it. (PS FAIR WARNING - I am NOT a food blogger, but at least I can try, right?!)

It was easier to mix the garlic into the cream cheese by hand

I realized that we were driving it over to the party with a doggy in the car, so I figured trying to fend him off while having the snowman standing upright probably would be a bit difficult, so I had him lay down in the pan instead... I still think he turned out okay!

Naked snowman

The final product

I didn't get any pictures of it at the party, but trust me when I say it was a HUGE hit! And don't worry, I removed the candies from the cheeseball once folks started digging in!

Do you actually make the things you pin on Pinterest?

Santa Sighting

First off let me apologize for the lack of posts these past few days. Although we didn't go back to visit our family this Christmas (the first time EVER {since I will be heading to Orlando to have Christmas with my parents over the Dopey Challenge weekend}), we still have been busy, busy beavers.

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I just HAVE to tell you about an amazing experience we were a part of on Christmas Eve, but first - a little back story.

Our best friends just officially completed the adoption of four siblings (the three youngest were finalized in the fall and the oldest just last week). The kids are 6, 8, 10 and 15 (and just about my favoritest kids in the whole wide world) {and thankfully young enough not to read blogs or else I wouldn't be able to post this ;)}.

Ryan and I with the kids at the first adoption finalization

A few weeks ago our friends were at an event and won a "visit from Santa". Now you were able to decide what you wanted to do and they came up with an AWESOME idea! Instead of just having Santa come over for a little meet-and-greet (they didn't want to do this since you can do it at the mall, theme parts, etc), they would act like they CAUGHT HIM IN THE ACT!

The game plan - we all "went to bed" around 10pm. Santa came around 10:45. The parents would "wake up" because the dogs were "barking in the back yard and they had to see what the racket was about". When the parents went into the living room they would see SANTA putting down presents, tinkering with the toys, eating cookies, etc and go wake up the kids. The kids were all having a slumber party in the two younger boys' room, so they were able to sneak out of the bedroom and spy on Santa (Santa's back was always to them). Now apparently if Santa sees you, the magic is broken and Santa has to take the toys with him, so as soon as Santa thought he heard something and went to turn around the kids all bolted back to the bedroom!

Now while this was going on, Ryan was "sleeping" on the floor in the living room and me and their grandma were "sleeping" on the couch. Although we couldn't see the kids (we had our backs to them and were watching Santa), you could just FEEL the excitement!

When they ran back to the bedroom the 10 year old (who is sort of on the edge of not believing and who they wanted to have one last "magical moment" with Santa) was so excited and said "This is going to have to be our secret because if we tell anyone they will think we are crazy!".

Well, you know kids, they have a hard time keeping a secret, so as soon as they woke up on Christmas morning they just HAD to tell us about what they saw the night before. It even got more elaborate (like most kid's imaginations do) and the reason the dogs were barking in the backyard and woke up mom and dad in the first place was because the reindeer were on the roof ;)

I was able to hide my phone under a pillow so the kids couldn't see that I was videoing the whole thing.

Originally Ryan and I weren't going to stay the night at their house Christmas Eve (even though we were being hounded by the kids for at least 3 hours begging us to stay), but I am sooooooooo thrilled we did! Seeing Christmas through the eyes of kids could honestly be one of the most magical things you could do!

Have you ever had a Santa sighting?

Spoiled (My #RunWithSydney)

Today it was in the 70s (they were calling for an 80* Christmas, but it looks like a cold front will be moving in after tomorrow and we will cool back down into the 60s by Thursday). While I was running, I was able to see the mountains in the distance covered in snow, yet run in shorts and a tee. I had to remind myself just how LUCKY BLESSED I am. I know I say it a lot, but if I don't constantly talk about it I know I will take it for granted - it's just human nature, isn't it?!

I'm not sure if you follow Pavement Runner on social media (or his fan-freakin'-tastic blog), but if you do, I'm sure you saw the call to #RunWithSydney for today. You can read all about it here, but the gist is a runner living in Sydney wanted to DO something. She wanted to RUN as a way to honor the victims from Martin Place.

When I was looking at my photos I noticed that my watch was NOT what was in focus in this picture... I will often worry about my pace, the overall time, etc of a run. Sure, those can be important (when trying to hit goals, better yourself, etc), but they are not what is most important!
Try to focus on what is important in life!

Although I wasn't able to meet up for a group run, I was able to get in 5 miles on my own today. During my run I made sure to focus on the victims - thanking God for their lives while praying for their friends and families. I also took time to pray for the healing needed in the Sydney community.

I think we often take for granted how safe we are in the United States, how protected we can feel. Really, we I am so spoiled. I live in this beautiful place with a roof over my head and a warm (vegetarian) meal in my belly. I can run where I want and when I want and not be worried for my safety (please hear me - you still need to be safe when pounding the pavement, I just mean I don't have to worry too much about my surroundings like I would in other countries).

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Today's run was a solidarity one, running in unity with the amazing running community, as a way to be involved in something bigger than ourselves. To me, it was so much more. Of course I spent my five miles focused on Sydney, but afterwards I was left with the feeling of how pampered and coddled I am (not just with the weather or material things, but with unalienable rights like life, happiness, safety) and how I need to take the time to be grateful for ALL I have.

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Sometimes runs reveal so much more than you were expecting. Sometimes runs are like that.

Workout Recap - Week 51

Sunday, December 14th – 5 mile run with the hubby, Foam Rolled & Stretched

Monday, December 15th –  5 mile (easy pace) run, Foam Rolled & Stretched

Tuesday, December 16th –  Strength Training (abs, back, arms and legs), Foam Rolled & Stretched 

Wednesday, December 17th –  5 mile (tempo pace) run, Foam Rolled & Stretched 

Thursday, December 18th – REST DAY, Foam Rolled & Stretched

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Friday, December 19th – 6 mile (long run pace) run, Foam Rolled & Stretched [OOPS... Didn't look at the calendar before I went out... This one was SUPPOSED to be a 4-miler...]

Saturday, December 20th – 18 mile (long run pace) run, Foam Rolled & Stretched

This week could be summed up in 1 word - adapt.

Normally my long run is on Friday, but this week I had to switch it up. Friday morning we had to go to the Riverside Court House to see our best friends finalize the adoption of their fourth child! We couldn't have been more thrilled to celebrate this day with them (but I knew I wasn't going to be able to get in 18 miles along with the celebrations, so I swapped it with my Saturday run).

Proof that I am not ALWAYS wearing running clothes ;)

Also, like I mentioned last week, Ryan has been doing some long runs on Sundays, so instead of my standard rest day, I end up logging some mileage with him. Sunday he had 10 miles on the schedule, but had to listen to his body and we finished with 5. With that being said though, I haven't technically had a rest day in a couple weeks, so Thursday I finally made myself STOP! My legs had been tired and with a long run coming up I wanted to give them a day to recover. Although I tend to "feel" lazy on rest days, it was MUCH NEEDED! [PS Talking about recovery, have you entered my GIVEAWAY for a Moji Mini Massager yet?!]

How were your workouts this past week?  

Final Tempo Training Run of 2014

Some things are worth celebrating. Heck, who am I kidding?! MOST THINGS ARE WORTH CELEBRATING!! We need to enjoy the little things, right?!

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Today marked my FINAL tempo training run of 2014. I will be starting to taper for the Dopey Challenge in the next few days (don't get me wrong, I still have an 18-miler this weekend and a half marathon next weekend) and the majority of the runs for the rest of the year are at my long run pace, so this was my last "fast" training run.

The weather man called for rain today, but thankfully it was done by the time I was off work and was still able to do my run outside (I'm not afraid of the rain, see my post about my soggy 16-miler on Friday for proof, but for my tempo runs I really would like to have secure footing when going faster).

I wore my new Brooks tights that I got over the weekend for today's run since it was a little on the chilly side due to the rain. They worked PERFECTLY! At first I wasn't sure how I would like them (especially since I'm not used to running in tights) because they have a higher waist, but they stayed put and "held in the belly". They pair GREAT with my PRO Compression Low Trainers.

Anyway, back to the run. It went much better than expected. My legs are TIRED and a bit sore (I could tell this morning when I got out of bed that the squats I did during yesterday's strength training workout were effecting them) and figured it would be a pretty painful run. [Even with my recovery tips, the soreness was still lingering around a bit...]

I'm not sure about you, but I have a difficult time starting off slow on my runs... I mean it is probably the fresh legs, the excitement of running, and the lack of maturity (I just started my running journey in 2012), but I always tend to go out WAY TOO FAST! Today I told myself I wanted negative splits (meaning each mile is faster than the one before) and so I had to consciously watch my pace that first mile or so.

WHOOOO HOOOO!! I was able to keep my negative splits the WHOLE run! Mile 1 - 7:49. Mile 2 - 7:41. Mile 3 - 7:33. Mile 4 - 7:20. Mile 5 - 7:12. And can we just celebrate THAT too?! Not only was I able to get faster throughout the run, did you see the time per mile?! I MEAN HELLO?! I just started running less than 3 years ago and I am able to run under 8 minute miles for more than a quarter mile! THAT IS HUGE (at least for a Pokey Pete like me!)! I would have NEVER imagined those times even 6 months ago!

Oh yeah, and since I LOVE Christmas, seeing the decorations on my run just make me smile a bit more ;) [I am thinking that maybe one of these next few days I will do my run in the evening to see all the lights twinkling, especially now that I have my AWESOME jacket from Brooks.]

The TOY-O-MATIC was CRUSHING an elf! OH NO!

Santa?! I KNOW HIM!

And the other scenery isn't anything to scoff at either ;) We are BEYOND BLESSED to live where most people want to come and vacation! I hope I never take the beauty and majesty around me for granted (if I do, feel free to kick me in the shin, deal?).

Do you celebrate your achievements?

Recovery (and a Moji Massager GIVEAWAY)

I have been starting to get together a list of my races from this past year for an end-of-the-year type recap post. I just counted and with the half marathon I have at the end of the month I will have completed TWENTY races this calendar year! Now don't get me wrong, that in no way competes with some folks (i.e. Dani from Weight Of My Shoulders who just finished 52 races in 2014), but for someone who started running in 2012, I would say that is still pretty great!

The more I run, the more I realize how important RECOVERY is for me and my body. This is ESPECIALLY crucial when adding longer training runs and increasing weekly mileage (like I am currently doing for the upcoming Dopey Challenge in less than a month and for the Phoenix Marathon in February). 

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I figured I would share a few things that I have found to work for me. Sharing is caring, right?! (Remember, I am NOT a doctor and this is NOT medical advice, just what works best for my body and maybe in turn you will find something that works for you.)

Hydrating: Thankfully I love water. I gave up pop a while back (actually it was January 23, 2012) and for the most part stick with good ol' H2O as my drink of choice. Water is used to maintain your body's proper temperature, remove waste, lubricate joints, and keeping a healthy blood flow (among other things). Because you sweat during your runs or workouts (and can I be honest for a second?! I sweat A LOT), you need to replenish that lost liquid to keep your body functioning at its peak.

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Wearing Compression Gear: My go-to company is PRO Compression (sure.... I am an ambassador for them.... but that is because their stuff WORKS). I wear compression socks during my long runs, as well as after difficult workouts. The compression gear keeps the blood and fluids flowing properly to support your muscles and tendons so you can recover quicker. 

PS If you didn't know, PRO Compression is having an END OF THE YEAR SALE! EVERYTHING is 42% OFF! Use code "2014" (DON'T DELAY, THE CODE EXPIRES ON FRIDAY!) on your order NOW!

Foam Rolling & Stretching: I did a post dedicated to this topic a while back. Feel free to check it out here if you haven't already (there are videos and descriptions of some of the rolling techniques which work best for me). I try to do this every evening. Normally Ryan and I are watching some sort of Michigan or Detroit sports at night before going to bed. While we are vegging out a bit, it is the perfect time for me to pull out the foam rollers. (My go-to roller is the M80 Roller because it is extremely firm and gets a deeper massage, but I will use my Trigger Point Grid Roller on my back because it has more cushion and is nicer on my spine.)

Lately I have been trying out a NEW product I was sent by the AMAZING folks at Moji. I received the Moji 360 Massager and would give it 2 thumbs up (and lots of happy muscles)! As you can see in the picture above, I have "The Stick". I will normally use that for my calves so I can get a deeper massage than I get with a roller, as well as have the hubby use it on me in areas I can't seem to work out myself (i.e. the outside of my booty, etc). I have been using the Moji 360 Massager in place of my stick for a while now and really like it! 

The Moji 360 Massager has rotating stainless steel spheres that smoothly roll over whatever muscles you are massaging. You are able to control the intensity of the massage by the amount of pressure you use (not to mention the continuous gripping surface allows you to hold on to it whatever way is most comfortable for you). I also appreciate that is is a manageable size and can fit in your gym bag.

I've been using it on my calves, quads, IT band, and just about anywhere I can rub it! [It'd be GREAT if we could all afford sports massages on a weekly basis, but until I find a money tree that is NOT a possibility, so self massaging will have to do.]

The MARVELOUS Moji Magicians (okay, maybe they aren't magicians, but I really like alliteration and the massager is sort of magical in how it helps with sore muscles) also sent me a Moji 360 Mini Massager to give away so YOU can recover faster too!

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I'm not sure if you are on Santa's naughty or nice list this year, but just in case you didn't make his cut, you can try your luck at winning a Moji 360 Mini Massager for yourself. Make sure to enter the GIVEAWAY below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter early and often (some of the entries are available DAILY). The giveaway will run through Tuesday, December 23rd at 11:59pm PST. I will contact the winner via email (using the email address listed through Rafflecopter). Also, the entries ARE verified, so please make sure you complete the task or I'll have to pick a new random winner.

BEST OF LUCK TO ALL WHO ENTER!!