Running...a long way!

2 weeks till my next half marathon!  I'm very excited about this one because I have been involved with a training group.  We've been doing speed workouts once a week, and I can truly tell that I'm getting faster and have more endurance!  Our trainer, Kyle, predicted that I would shave off about 10 - 12 minutes from my PR for a half marathon!  EXCITING!!

We had our long run last Saturday - 12 miles! Really?  12 miles  -  to train for a 13.1 mile run?  That was different for me.  I've never run that close to the final mileage.  I think the farthest that I've run for training before a 1/2 marathon is 10 or 11 miles.

It was a good run - nice slow pace.  I ran with Running Buddy 2- we always seem to have a good conversation.  She was heading to a Kentucky Derby Party - I hope she wore a good hat!

So, here's a question for you:  How many miles do you train up to for a half-marathon?  I've also been thinking about running a marathon in the next year.  I was always concerned about getting up there in the mileage.  I'm not sure how often I'd have to run 20+ miles. 

So, here's another question for all you marathoners out there (I bow down to you)...How many miles do you train up to for a marathon?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running with Random Thoughts!

My random thoughts today are not totally random...let me explain.  I received an e-mail from the Wine Gurus - remember that they are retired and have unfilled hours every day in which to read and forward emails (just kidding WGs).  The email they sent me was filled with observations that I have totally thought at some point in my life - some of them made me really crack up because they are so true!  So, read my random list and let me know...you've had these same thoughts...haven't you?!

Random Thought #1  Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. (It's happened!)

Random Thought #2  You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day. (This was me last Friday!)

Random Thought #3  How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said? (Again, this happened just a couple weeks ago!)

Random Thought #4  I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!  (I've been here!)

Thanks for stopping by today!  Happy Thursday!

 

Running and reading!

Books - I just love them!  I had a week off  recently for Spring break and got to finish  a couple books that I had started.  It's funny, I either read 1 chapter at a time, or read for 3 hours straight!  I need to find some balance here!

I'm not so much into non-fiction, but this first book was a surprise hit with me.  It's called Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. 

 

 

 Laura Hillenbrand wrote this true story - she also wrote Seabiscuit - I never read that book, but loved the movie!  Louie Zamperini is the main character in this story.  He grows up a rebellious kid who discovers running (love that part of it), he competes in the 1938 Olympics and joins the Air Corp during WWII.  He gets shot down in the Pacific Ocean, and survives at sea for over 50 days, but then gets captured by the Japanese.  The book mostly takes place in the Japanese POW camps.

 
I found the accounts of life in the POW camps very interesting, and a totally different perspective than the majority of WWII stories that I have read, which mostly concentrated on the German concentration camps.
 
It was a great read, and the book ends with Louis participating in the 1998 Nagano Olympic torch relay - oops, I inadvertently told you that he survived the POW camps - it's really a fascinating book!
 
The other book that I finished was Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. 

 

This was an Oprah Book Club selection.  I read The Corrections several years ago.  It was quirky, but enjoyable.  But Freedom?  Kinda whiny, and the ending was just a little too "let's wrap this up with a pretty bow".  I didn't feel like the end was authentic to where the story led.  It seemed to me that the author said, "Well, this is what the readers will want, so here you go."  A little disappointing.  Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this one.

 
Finally, in light of recent world events concerning Osama Bin Laden, and the focus on the World Trade Center, I have a book to recommend that was amazing.  I read it a few years ago - 102 Minutes:  the Untold story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers, by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn.  

 

This story was just amazing, heart breaking, insightful, and emotional!  It tells the story of so many of the people trapped in the tower, and the rescue workers.  It wrenchingly describes many of the problems the rescuers faced with the building design, and the 102 minutes from the time the first plane crashed to the time when the towers collapsed.  It was a wonderful book that I highly recommend!   

 

So what have you been reading lately?  Anyone reading on a Kindle?  I'm still struggling with loving my Kindle and loving the feel of a book in my hand.  And the struggle with loving a book, but not being able to share it with a friend because it's on my Kindle!

 

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Running...in Spurts!

Had a great run last Saturday with my training group.  8 miles on a new route.  I was running with a gal that I met in the training group - Running Buddy 2!  So RB2 and I got to talking about intervals.  She's been running about a year (I think) and has been running around 4 minute intervals, with a 1 minute walk.  I'm running 7 1/2 minutes with a 45 second walk.

We started talking about how running the intervals seems to have given us more endurance.  When I first started running, about 2 1/2 years ago, I didn't run intervals.  I ran a 5k race in about 32 minutes.  Running Buddy 1 got me running intervals.  She trained with Team in Training and that was how they trained for a marathon.  Ultimately she was running 9 minutes with a 1 minute walk.  So, after I started running intervals, I ran that same 5k race a year later in 29 minutes. 

I really think that the intervals have helped me build that endurance and faster speed.  However, our trainer, the Running Ghost, doesn't seem to be a fan of intervals.  He has "encouraged" both me and RB2 to move away from the intervals. 

Here's my question to all you runner's out there...How do you feel about intervals?  Are you using intervals?  Have you seen benefits with them?

Thanks for stopping by today!  I have a 10 mile race next Saturday - so excited!

Running with Shadows!

I'm linking up with Harriet at Hey Harriet for another Shadow Shot Sunday!  Check out her blog - there are simply amazing photos!  Love this!

So, here is my Shadow Shot - my sweet little kitty Sophie!  

I'm becoming obsessed with turning my photos into black and whites, and the ones with shadows are really cool - if I do say so myself!

Thanks for visiting today!

Running...raw!

I love it RAW!  No, not like the World Wrestling Federation kind of raw, but the Sushi kind of raw!  Yum!!  So, here it is Friday, during the Lenten season, and every practicing Catholic is either at McDonald's getting their Filet-o-Fish, or at the local sushi restaurants!  My choice tonight?  Sushi!  I love sushi!  And, what could be better than drive-thru sushi?  A little place opened up a couple months ago - drive thru!  Nice!

Here is what we ordered tonight!  Seaweed salad (very crunchy, but gets in your teeth), California Roll, Rainbow Roll, and a Lion Roll.  First time trying the Lion Roll - it crab and tempura shrimp with a spicy sauce and dynomite sauce.  Pretty good - the sushi maker put shredded carrots around it to make it look like a lion - cute!

My favorite though is sashimi (raw fish with no rice).  I love salmon, tuna, and octopus!  We tried to make our own last summer.  Went to our local fish market and bought 1/2 pound of salmon and tuna.  Now, 1/2 a pound doesn't sound like that much, but once we cut it up, it turned out to be something like 25 pieces.  We made ourselves sick eating so much.  I think we figured it wouldn't keep, so we had to eat it.  Honestly, it was a while before I could face sashimi again.  You know, too much of a good thing...

We had the absolute best sushi several years ago when we vacationed in Oahu.  We went to a restaurant called Sushi Sasabune.  They offered something called the "Trust Me" meal.  If you are an adventurer, they will bring you all the fresh fish that has been caught that day.  Each time they brought a new plate they would explain where it was caught, the best sauces to use, and how to eat it.  They just needed to tell me its mother's name, and we would have been on a first name basis.  It was so incredibly fresh and delicious!  Hubby and I made these faces of "eating ectasy" with every piece we ate!  The sushi chefs were laughing at us and our crazy faces - we didn't care!

So, are you a sushi eater?  What's your favorite kind?  Are you open to trying something unusual?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running...randomly...

Just finished my Tuesday tempo run - ugh!  It felt very random - felt good for a while, then...not so much!  I don't think Cake Pops are actually an energy food, and that's pretty much what I was feasting on today!  Randomly, here are my latest creations!  I'm totally stealing ideas from Starbucks, who obviously stole their ideas from someone else!  

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

Rocky Road

Sprinkles and Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean

Random Thought #1

Finally finished my traffic ticket saga.  Attended traffic school - online!  Truly, the only way anyone should do it.  Years ago I went to an actual  "sit down" traffic school - pure, slow agony for 8 hours.  Online, it took me about an hour, and here's some factual tidbits I learned.  Did you know...

1) A commercial truck driver can register a 0.01% blood alcohol level and still not be cited!  Um, should a commercial truck driver be drinking at all?

2)  Bicycle accidents cost over 8 billion dollars a year.  Thank goodness I don't own a bike anymore - I couldn't afford it!

3)  A motorcycle helmet should fit snugly...I had to pay to find that out?

Random Thought #2 (Warning...if you don't want to read about bodily functions, please skip to #3)

My stomach was a little upset during my run...in a "gassy way" (sorry).  

 This hasn't really happened to me before, but I was "passing some gas" during my run.  I kept hoping that everyone I ran by had an iPod blaring in their ears so they wouldn't hear me.  Does this every happen to anyone else?

Random Thought #3

I  love my moon roof!  

I especially love to open it in the evenings.  Love that cool air coming through the roof, and some good music on a CD.  I'm listening to Bonnie Raitt lately - love her bluesy voice!

Ok, your turn...what's randomly going on with you?

Thanks for stopping by today!