Top 5 of 2014

I can't believe it is the last day of 2014. This year flew by! Yet when I look back at the year, so much happened. This was a BIG year. Here's my top 5 events from the year (in chronological order).

1) Going to Japan and running the Tokyo Marathon.

Although the race was pretty awful because I was sick, I gutted it out and finished. That marked my 5th continent as complete! I absolutely loved Japan and was thankful to get to experience both the craziness of Tokyo and the quiet of the mountains.

Also, I got to eat a LOT of noodles.

2. Becoming a certified yoga teacher. 

I learned so much about yoga and myself during the teacher training. As a runner and a naturally anxious person, yoga is essential for both my physical and mental well-being. It is a blessing to be able to pass this onto my students.

3. Getting a puppy

At the beginning of June, Rory convinced me to go look at a puppy he had found on a rescue site. I couldn't say no to this little ball of fur, and so Sushi became a member of our family.

It hasn't always been easy, but she has grown into a sweet dog who keeps us laughing. Our little 11 pound puppy has grown into a 36 pound almost 1 year old dog.

4. I got Married!

It's pretty hard to top this one! It was a wonderful day filled with friends and family in my favorite place in the world. Plus, I got to marry a wonderful man who makes me so happy,

5. I got into Nursing School and am starting a new chapter in life. 

I had a rough fall. Getting laid off from my job was a major blow. Ultimately though, it was the push I needed to think about what I want from my life and get me to finally apply to nursing school. 

2015 is looking a big year too already. I start school in 2 weeks and in February we leave for our belated Honeymoon to New Zealand where I will also run a marathon (my 6th continent),

What was your favorite thing this year? What are you most looking forward to next year?

Bananas

it looks so innocent

I made a wonderful discovery over the holidays. Bananas make a great pre-run food! I know, everyone else in the world already knew this, but I have been afraid of bananas since college.

Back in the days before GPS, my running clubs friends and I got terribly lost trying to get to the Heartbreak Hill Halloween race. We finally found it as the gun was going off. As I was jumping out of the car I remembered that I hadn't ever eaten my breakfast. For some reason, I thought shoving a banana in my mouth as I ran towards the start was a better idea than not eating.



I regretted that stupid banana for the entire race and finally "emptied" my stomach of it halfway up Heartbreak Hill.

Ever since then, I've stayed away from bananas before running. In fact, I usually don't eat anything before most of my runs. This is mostly because I want to sleep as late as possible. I am up and out the door in less than 10  minutes.

But I really noticed this week, that when I have time to have a cup and coffee and something to eat before heading out, I feel so much better during my run. Energy! I even tried a banana pre-run and I was fine! I didn't feel sick at all and I felt better than I do when I don't eat anything.

yeah bananas!

The question is though, is it worth getting up 20 minutes earlier to eat before I run?

Do you eat before you run? Does it depend on the length of the run? If you do eat, what do you have?

A Need for Speed

I have to be honest and admit that doing speed work usually falls by the wayside when I am marathon training. The primary reason for that is that I train all winter for a spring race and so the track is covered in snow! Plus, I put the focus on my long runs and overall mileage.

If I am forced inside by weather, I will do speed work on the treadmill but it just doesn't feel the same to me. On the track (or the straight, flat stretches of the greenbelt) I run by feel and so I can better evaluate my fitness. I usually surprise myself by going faster than I expected. On the treadmill, I feel like I limit myself by thinking I can only handle certain speeds.

After 2 nasty rainstorms, all of our snow is gone. So when I was driving back from the gym this morning and saw the clear track, I figured it was a great chance to get some speed work.

image source

Other than being very under-dressed for the cold, it was great! I did a ladder session 1200, 800, 400, 200, 100. I thought I'd start with a 9 minute/mile pace for the 1200 and try and speed up from there. Instead, I did a 7:45 pace for the 1200 and worked my way down to a 5:15 pace for the 100! And it all felt easy!

It reminded me that speed work can be fun. It's a nice break from all the long, slow miles. And it is a terrific confidence booster. I am really going to make an effort to work 1 speed session a week into my training (as long as the track stays clear!)

 Do you do dedicated "speed" sessions? Do notice a difference between treadmill running and track sessions? What is your favorite speed session?

New Zealand Training Weeks 4-6

I can't believe it is already time for my second training update. Time is flying! In general that is, when I am actually running time doesn't seem to move very quickly.

Here is what I have been up to the past few weeks:

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Total Run
4	Run 6	Swim 1 hr	Metabolic 1 hr	Run 6 Race	Step 1 hr, strength	Metabolic 45m XT 30m	Run 7 + 6	25.1
5	Run 6	XT 1 hr	Run 4.3, XT 20m	Metabolic 1hr	Run 3, Step 45m	Metabolic 45m XT 30m	Run 6.11	19.3
6	Kickboxing 1 hr, Strength	Run 5.4	Run 3.3 XT 30m	Run 13	Step 45m, Strength	Metabolic 45m Run 2.2	Metabolic 45, Run 3.2	27

Notes:

• Week 5 was a cut-back week, which is why my running mileage is so low. My plan didn't have any built in, but I know that I need (both mentally and physically) a week with no long run once a month.
• The weather has not cooperated. We have had so much snow and ice that it hasn't been safe to run outside quite a few times. This is a bummer because a) it means I have to get up 40 minutes earlier to get to the gym and back and b) the treadmill sucks. Also, I've already lost a lot of my favorite routes for the winter because they aren't plowed.
• I am still struggling with my new job. I have to be there really early and I am on my feet all day. I either have to get up at 4 to run before work (when it is really dark, cold, and slippery) or wait and run after when my feet and legs are already tired.

My Favorite Holiday Traditions

I can't believe Christmas is only 10 days away! This month is flying by, but I've still managed to get in a lot of my favorite holiday traditions.

Here is what I've knocked off the list so far:

1. Getting our tree and decorating the house. I love hunting for the perfect tree and then pulling out all of our decorations. It is like a wonderful walk down memory lane each year as we unwrap all our ornaments and decorations.

2. Holiday Crafting! My inner crafter really comes out this time of year. This year I made an ornament for Sushi's (the dog, not the food) first Christmas. Painting is not my strength, but I really think I captured her underbite and scruffy face,

but apparently I can't take a focused picture

3. A mini-gift exchange with my husband. I got this idea from the 25 Days of Together that Tina at Carrots N Cake does each year with her husband. Basically we go to a store together and we have $10 and 10 minutes to get each other a gift. The price and time limit is a fun challenge and it is always interesting to see what we think the other person needs/wants. 

4. Making Holiday Treats! This is one of my favorite things to do- especially when I can do it with family and friends while listening to Christmas music! Yesterday I had a bunch of friends and family over for a holiday baking palooza. We each brought the ingredients to make a couple things and we spent the afternoon baking, singing, talking, drinking Prosecco, and eating a ton of sugar.

There are still a couple things on my list that I am still looking forward to:

1. Christmas Eve service at Church. I  always try to make it to the Christmas Eve service at my Mom's Church on the island. It is always so beautifully decorated inside and we end with singing Silent Night by candle light. 

2. My Christmas Morning Run. I love starting Christmas with a solitary run. It is a time to clear my head, reflect on everything I am thankful for, and work up an appetite for Christmas treats. It doesn't hurt that I get to run in such a beautiful place.

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

Random Rant Thursday

Why don't they make special compression socks for short people??

always add a Full House image when possible

I wore my compression socks yesterday to work and again today for my long run and I was reminded of how annoying it is that they don't fit correctly.

I have very short legs, so the socks are too long for me. I either have to pull them up over my knees, which is uncomfortable and starts to chafe the backs of my knees. Or, I have to bunch them up under at the top of calves. The multiple layers of fabric then cuts off circulation to my legs.




What silly thing is driving you nuts?

Hot and Not

Do you remember that old website where you looked at a picture and judged the person as hot or not? I have no idea why I was thinking about that the other day, but I was, and so I decided to make it the theme of today's post. Here is what is hot (and not) in my world.

Hot
Trader's Joes Cheddar with Caramelized Onions. This stuff is amazing (and highly addictive).








Not Hot
The weather. It is only early December and we have already had multiple ice storms, with another doozy predicted for tomorrow. I am trying to train for a marathon here Mother Nature! I can deal with the cold and the snow, but I can't run on sheer ice!


Hot
Coach Jenny's Holiday Challenge. This is the 3rd year I've done this challenge, which encourages you to move more during the month of December by setting a weekly goal and posting updated with your status throughout the week. I am really good (maybe too obsessive) about getting my workouts in, but I still find this group really helpful. Mostly it inspires me to appreciate how lucky I am to have a healthy body that is able to move and helps me feel like I am not the only one out in the snow and cold.

Not Hot
Closing half the pool for a water aerobics class. I've been really into swimming lately as both a low-impact workout and an option for bad weather. However, the other day I only got in 20 minutes before they closed half the pool for a water aerobics class that had a whopping 2 people in it. Every single lane had 2 lap swimmers, and they asked us all to cram into 3 lanes and circle swim. I am not a confident swimmer and I like to do intervals, so I hate lap swimming, I ended up just leaving the pool, feeling very annoyed.

Hot
My new advent calendar. My Mom gave me this adorable little advent calender- every day I get to build a little paper house to add to my village. I love mini versions of things and crafty things so this is right up my alley. The only thing better would be if the hubby then hid chocolate inside them for me!



What hot and not in your world?

Changes

Sorry, that things have been a little quite around here lately. It's been an interesting fall. In September I lost my job and I've spent the fall both job hunting, working temporary part-time jobs, and doing some serious soul searching about what I want from my life.

While I didn't hate my career, I didn't love it either. Mostly, I was tired of sitting in front of a computer ALL the time. I'm an active person and I like personal interaction. I want to be up and moving and interacting with people face to face. I've always wanted a job that I feel passionately about.

At the same time, I was scared to start over. It's a hard thing to give up a career that pays well and that you've invested a decade in. Sometimes I think life knows when you need a little push and gives it to you. Being laid off was the push I needed.

In September I applied to nursing school. This fall I took Anatomy & Physiology (a prerequisite for the program) and waited to hear back. Then, right before Thanksgiving I got this.

I've spent the past couple weeks soaking it all in and thinking about how I am going to make this dream a reality.

Kiersten Pfeifer RN, coming in 2016.

Portland Thanksgiving Day 4 Miler

I've done a Thanksgiving day race every year for the past 15 years, so I've experienced a lot of different weather conditions, but this was my first race in a significant amount of snow. 

Mother Nature dumped 6-12 inches of wet snow on Maine on Wednesday. Because of the storm, they moved packet pickup to earlier in the day. I went as soon as it opened, but there were still already 3 or 4 inches of snow on the ground. As I walked across the parking lot, in my parka, hat, and boots, with snow pelting my face I caught the eye of another runner. We just shook our heads at each other and smiled. To run in the winter in Maine you have to be a little crazy. 

By Thanksgiving morning the snow had stopped and we were left with a beautiful snowy landscape. It was the first time our puppy, Sushi, was in a significant amount of snow and she just loved it. I laughed so hard as I watched her go nuts in the snow. She was rolling, running, digging, and throwing snow. Eventually I had to drag the little snow monster inside so I could leave for the race. 

This was my 4th year running the Portland Thanksgiving Day 4 Miler. It is close to home, cheap, a good size (around a thousand runners), and it is neat to run through the empty streets of the city. 

lots of snow, but not a single car!

​After I parked I debated whether or not to wear my Yaktrax since the streets were plowed (kind of). That question was answered for me when I tried to get out of the car and promptly fell on my butt on the ice. Yaktrax it was!

My only complaint is that One City Center was not open this year with bathrooms. It should be illegal not to provide pre-race bathrooms! Thankfully, Starbucks came to my rescue. If any race organizers read this, please bring back the bathrooms!

I went for a 2 mile warm-up and then wandered around admiring the costumes. The race starts up on Congress street for a few hundred feet and then turns and goes down the big hill on Franklin. The top of the hill was in the sun and so it was just wet. However, halfway down we got into the shade and suddenly the road was really icy and snowy. I saw a lot of people fall and was glad I had my YakTrax. That was how the course went for the rest of the race. In the sun it was just wet, but in the shade it was still very slippery. 

My plan was to run as quickly as I could run safely. I was running this for fun and it was not worth it to get hurt and derail my marathon training. The 2 loops went by really quickly and a few times I found myself laughing out loud at the thoughts in my head. "Ok just have to pass that Pilgrim." "Boy that Turkey is really attacking that hill!" Costume races are so fun. 

I ended up finishing in 33:40, which is about a minute slower than last year. Given the the conditions, I am really happy with my time!

Happy Thanksgiving! Did you race yesterday? Did you get snow?

New Zealand Training Weeks 1-3

I just completed my first 3 weeks of Marathon Training using a modified Doug Kurtis Intermediate Plan. Last year, while training for Tokyo, was the first time I did regular training updates and I really liked it. Taking the time to look back at my log and review my training really helped build my confidence, so I am going to do it again!


Here's a summary of my training plan so far.

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Total Run
1	Run 7.16	Run 5.21 Track	Run 5.8	Metabolic 1hr	Step 1 hr, strength	Metabolic 45m XT 30m	Metabolic 45, XT 40m	18.6
2	Run 5.07	Spin 1hr, Strength	Run 5.33 Track	Run 6+6	Swim 45m	Metabolic 45m XT 30m	Metabolic 45, Run 3.2	25.63
3	Run 6 Pace	Spin 1hr, Strength	Run 6	Metabolic 1hr	Run 12	OFF	Metabolic 45, Run 3	27.66

Notes and Thoughts on Training

• I love the track sessions, which is a shock to me! It is so fun to do something different than steady running. The sessions I've done so far have been: 4 x 800 meter with 200 meter rest and a ladder - 400m / 800m / 1200m with 400 meter rest. 
• I am still up in the air about how I feel about the split long runs. More to come on these as I do a few more.....
• My first "real" long run of 12 went great (physically). I was worried about jumping up to running 12 miles at once since the last time I ran more than 9 miles at once was in the spring! It was a brutally cold, windy day and I had a hard time getting my head in the game, but my body felt great the whole time. 
• My new job where I am on my feet makes running on work days a lot harder (if I have to run after work), but makes running on non work days feel so much easier because my legs feel so fresh. I think the after work runs really help prepare me for the heavy leg feeling near the end of a marathon. 

What are you training for right now? How's it going?

What This Runner Wants For Christmas

image source

Hi Friends! I try not to start the Christmas talk too early, but since next week is Thanksgiving, I figure it is time! Plus, I want to give Santa and his elves plenty of shopping time!

The R8 Massager

I tried this thing at a race expo two years ago and I've been wanting it ever since. It is the best self massage tool I've ever tried. It applies a lot of pressure and gets really deep (if you want it to, it's adjustable). It's just so darn expensive- I haven't been able to justify getting it for myself.

Nuun

I jumped on the Nuun bandwagon a little late because I'd never had success with drinking anything except water while running. But now I am a convert! The electrolytes really help me feel better on longer runs, and because there isn't any sugar or carbs, it doesn't upset my stomach!



Socks

All of my running socks are looking a little saggy and starting to bunch under my feet when I run. Socks make a great stocking stuffer! I like the Wrightsock Stride, which has 2 layers to reduce blisters, and the Smartwool PhD Run Ultralight Mini , which keep my feet warm and dry all winter, and don't itch even though they are wool!

Massages

I'll be marathon training this winter and nothing helps my body recover like a massage. However, I always feel bad getting them for myself, so a gift certificate is an amazing gift.

What do you want from Santa?

Best Date Night Ever

Last night the hubby and I went on the best date night ever. We checked out the new trampoline park Get Air. It was so much fun!

Thank you yoga for helping me keep my flexibility

As a former gymnast, I knew I'd have no problem amusing myself on trampolines for an hour, but I worried the husband might get bored. I didn't have to worry- they had a lot of different things to do. There were foam pits to jump in, trampoline basketball and dodgeball, slack lines, and a ninja style obstacle course. The hubby particularly liked launching himself into the foam. 

Not only was it a blast, but it was a workout! We were both sweating and breathing heavily within minutes. I am also REALLY sore today!

Plus, it's nice to know that at 30, I've still got skills!

This was such a fun, different thing to do for a date night. I can't wait  to go back. 

*This is not a sponsored post and I am not affiliated with Get Air (although if they want to offer me some free jumping for this awesome review, I'd gladly accept)

Have you ever been to one of these places? Did you like it? Can you do a flip on a trampoline?

Three Things Thursday

Hi Friends! Happy Thursday! Here's a few random things happening in my world today.


1. I made it until November running in shorts and a t-shirt, but I've finally had to pull out the tights and long sleeve t's. This morning I went to put on a pair of tights that I haven't worn since last year and as I was walking out the door I noticed there was a huge hole in the butt! Luckily, I noticed before I was out running! I don't remember that hole from last year and they've just been in a tub in my closet so I am not sure how that happened!

2. Today is my first double run of my marathon training. I did 6 this morning and I will do 6 again this evening.

3. I had something containing beets and I didn't hate it! I tried this new juice, iQ, we got at work yesterday and it is so good. Typically I don't waste calories on juice, unless it is fresh squeezed, but this tastes like fresh.  I was good and only drank half the bottle yesterday (2 servings per bottle) and I am looking forward to enjoying the rest today.

What's happening in your world today?

Duh

Like a lot of ladies out there I am on an eternal quest for a sports bra that is comfortable, supportive, and doesn't chafe. After hearing a lot of good things about Luluemon's tata tamer, I finally caved and splurged on one.

I've had it for almost 2 years and I always just thought it was okay. It was decently supportive and only chafed on really long runs. But, the shoulder straps always drove me nuts. They slid down, even when I had them tight. Plus, most of my tanks are racer back and so I couldn't wear the bra under them.

Then, this past weekend as I was taking it out of the wash, I noticed that one of the straps had become disconnected. I had never realized you could disconnect the straps and make it into a crossback.

Duh.

Now, I love this thing! It feels so much more supportive and it fits so much more nicely under my tanks!

And I feel like an idiot for taking so long to realize this!

What is your favorite sports bra? Have you ever had an aha moment about something dumb like this?

It's official!

Look what I did yesterday.......

I am now officially registered for a marathon on my 6th continent!

When it looked like the best time to head to New Zealand was going to be February or March, I started looking at races. I ended up choosing the Bayleys Mountain to Surf Marathon primarily based on the date, but also because it is a road race (there were a lot of trail marathons), not an ultra (there were a lot of those too), and it supposed to be really scenic. Luckily, my husband is awesome and didn't mind planning our honeymoon around my race.

It is a point to point course that starts in Egmont National Park and ends at the ocean in Waitara. It's also a small race, which will be a nice change after the mass of people at Tokyo.

I started training this week and can't wait until February when we head to New Zealand!

Rowing for Runners

Last night I went to a great into to rowing workshop at Maine Running Company.

I was excited when I saw the sign-up on their Facebook page because I've hopped on a rower at the gym quite a few times but never really knew what I was doing. I never felt like I was getting a great workout and I usually ended up with a sore back, so I knew I was doing something wrong! Here are the top 5 things I learned. 

1. Rowing is more of a pushing motion than pulling. Most of the force for your stroke should come from your legs, not your arms. The pull comes at the very end of the stroke after your legs are fully extended. I had been using my upper-body way too early and too much, which probably contributed to my back soreness.

2. Your resistance should be set at 3-4 to simulate endurance running. I always cranked my resistance all the way up thinking that would provide the best workout. Higher resistance is good for short, strength building workouts, while lower resistance is better for longer, endurance focused workouts.

3. Rowing is a great core workout. In fact your core is critical to good rowing form. As you are pushing with your legs your shoulders should be forward of your hips (at about 11 o'clock if you think of your body as clock with your head as 12). Then as you finish your pull with your upperbody you lean back to about 1 o'clock. It is your core driving and supporting your body during this movement.

4. Your stroke rate does not correlate to effort. I always thought that to work harder I had to row faster. Instead, you can do short powerful pull and then a longer, slower recovery. You will be working harder but maintaining the same stroke rate as steady state rowing.

5. Rowing can be fun! I tend to get bored after about 5 minutes on the rower at the gym, but last night I went for 20 straight minutes and the time flew by. We did a group workout where we constantly alternated our effort, stroke rate, and competing against each other. I really want to try a group rowing class now.

Do you integrate rowing into your cross training?