Holiday card swap, training week recap (Dec 7-13)

Good morning! I hope everyone had an enjoyable, restful weekend. The holiday season is definitely hitting overdrive mode. I've got a lot on my calendar in the next several weeks, so I am trying to relax as much as I can now.

Lacey and Meranda over at Fairytales and Fitness organized their second annual blogger holiday card swap. What a great idea! As soon as I heard about it I knew I wanted to participate.

The way it works: Each participant secretly gets the name/address of another blogger to send a card and a little something. Then we each receive a surprise card and little something from someone else. It's basically a Secret Santa with holiday cards and mini-gifts.

Last Friday, I received a lovely card and Starbucks gift card from Deborah. Thank you so much, Deborah! There's something so special about receiving a handwritten note in the mail, yes? Deborah also co-hosts the monthly Ultimate Coffee Date link-up in which I've joined in the past. It was really nice to get to know her a little bit more through the card swap. Here's her fabulous blog header:

On my end - I mailed my card to my secret recipient last Monday. I am anxiously awaiting her to let me know she received it. After she does, I'll let you all know who my recipient was. =) In the meantime, I will share that I sent a sample of chocolate nut butter as the "little something." I hope she likes it!

OK - time to recap this week's workouts. Here's how things went:

MONDAY

Rest

After running a combined 19.3 race miles last weekend, there was no doubt in my mind this would be a rest day.

TUESDAY

Yoga class - 45 minutes

Even when I'm not running, my hips, glutes, hamstrings, and calves are almost perpetually tight. It felt great to stretch things out. I tend to hold my breath during the tough poses, so I'm trying to focus on maintaining a constant breathing pattern.

WEDNESDAY

Zumba class - 50 minutes

Due to various schedule conflicts, I haven't done any Zumba for several weeks. When I got back this day, I could feel the difference. I was out of sync and some of the moves felt awkward. It was a reminder to me that pretty much every type of fitness can deteriorate when left dormant for awhile!

THURSDAY

Warm-up - 10 minutes on the stationary bike

Lift - approximately 45 minutes

3 sets of 8-10 reps for each of the following:

Chest fly with dumbbells

Bicep curl with barbell

Tricep cable pressdown

Shoulder raises with dumbbells

Single-arm bent-over rows with dumbbells

Assisted pull-ups, first set focused on slow "negative" motion

Romanian deadlifts

Seated leg extension

Single leg squats with dumbbells

Squats with barbells

Hanging leg raises, front and side

Erin suggested more back work might be helpful towards my goal of doing an unassisted pull-up. Thanks to her expertise, I added the bent-over rows and "negative" pull-ups, e.g. trying to lower myself as slowly as possible.

Today, I tried to speed things up with the routine. Instead of full-out resting in between sets, I alternated upper/lower body sets.

FRIDAY

Yoga class - 55 minutes

Starting a few days earlier, my throat had been feeling a little scratchy. I was hoping it was just due to dry winter conditions, but unfortunately I did develop a cold. This was the first day the symptoms were apparent - I had a runny nose and felt lethargic in general. The inverted yoga poses are awkward when your nose is dripping. =( At the same time, I was sore from the prior day's lifting, so it felt good to stretch out. 

On top of yoga, I had considered activating my Pure Barre membership this day, too. Since I wasn't feeling great, it was an easy decision not to.

SATURDAY

Plan: Barre class - 55 minutes

Actual: Rest (but lots of walking)

Day 2 of my runny nose and general lethargy.

My mom came to visit. She, Adam, and I spent the entire afternoon walking around the city and enjoying the holiday festivities. The weather has been unseasonably VERY warm by Chicago standards, which helped a lot.

The annual Christkindlmarket
Source

SUNDAY

Plan: Barre class - 55 minutes

Actual: 30 minutes on stationary bike

Day 3 of my runny nose and general lethargy. At this point, I'm going to wait until next weekend to activate my Pure Barre membership. I still wanted to get some kind of activity in, though, so I did an easy 30 minutes on the bike. It was hard to get started, but once I got momentum going I felt better. 

Adam and I went to the Blackhawks game last night. I arrived at the stadium armed with four pocketfuls of Kleenex (no exaggeration - I thought I would draw suspicion when I went through security). However, my runny nose temporarily dissipated during the game! I'm sure it's all psychosomatic, but hey...

Flashback from 2013

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Linking up with HoHo and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap.

Running survey

Happy Friday!

The sun is shining, I'm going to a Blackhawks game this weekend, and we brought in doughnuts for team breakfast this morning. What a time to be alive!

I have been seeing another running questionnaire currently making its waves throughout the blogosphere. These are always fun to answer and share! Here are my responses:

1. Would you rather run along a beach path or a mountain trail?
Beach for sure. My flatlander-ness gets more and more ridiculous with every passing year. I like to keep the horizon simple.

2. If you could choose the flavor of Gatorade at your next race's aid stations, what would it be?
Unless the race is serving Powerade instead of Gatorade, it seems like the default flavor is always lemon-lime, yes? My favorite flavor is fruit punch. I don't think I've EVER seen it at an aid station, but I do try to grab it when it's handed out post-race.

3. If you received a $100 gift card to a running store, what would be the first thing you would purchase with it?
Those who know me well would probably guess I'd say running shoes. A year ago, shoes would been my answer with no hesitation. However, at this very moment, my closet runneth over with running shoes.

I know, I know, what has happened to me?

Right now, I would love to get one of those super-reflective running jackets. Something like this:

Reality check: Sadly, most of these jackets cost way more than $100. But you get the idea.

4. Do you prefer to follow a training plan or wake up and decide then how far and fast you want to run?
When it comes to long runs, I prefer to follow a plan to a certain extent. I believe long runs should be minimally messed with. (Notice I didn't specify the duration of the training plan. Cue the 4-week half-marathon crash plan which I have used way too frequently.)

For the shorter, mid-week runs, I like to be more spontaneous. I believe it's important to keep running fun. Going with the flow makes it feel less like it's something I'm doing out of obligation.

5. Would you rather start your run on the uphill and end with the downhill, or start with the downhill and end with the uphill?
How about "C - None of the Above"? I'd rather start on the flatland and end on the flatland. In case anyone missed it the first time, please allow me to reiterate:

If I HAD to pick between the two, I'd rather start on the uphill and end with the downhill. Let's get the hard part out of the way first when my legs and lungs are relatively fresh.

6. When you can't run, what kind of cross-training do you choose to do?
I try to mix things up as much as possible, but my first go-to is the stationary bike. I also love Zumba, yoga, weight-lifting, and barre. If I get access to a pool, swimming is fantastic.

7. What is your preference - out and back, point to point, or loop runs?
In order of preference: loops, out and back, and point to point. Loops are great because you get an ever-changing mix of scenery. Out and back is nice because you can really gauge how far you've come and how much distance you have remaining. Plus, out and backs at races are fun because you get to see so many of your fellow runners. While I do enjoy the mix of scenery at point to points, the logistics can get difficult at races (e.g. moving gear check, shuttle buses, parking lots, etc.)

Regardless of course type...

8. If you could recommend ANY running-related item to a new runner, it would be:
Get fitted for the right fit and type of running shoes. It can make a world of difference in terms of comfort, stability, and injury prevention.

9. Do you ever see any wild animals while out on your runs?
Living in the city of Chicago, usually all I ever see are lakefront waterfowl (geese, ducks, seagulls), other urban birds (e.g., pigeons) and squirrels.

NOTE: The geese and pigeons can actually be pretty aggressive! Not sure if that fits into the description of "wild"???

10. Ever gotten lost while out on a run?
Once I was in Atlanta on business and decided to go for an early-morning run before the sun rose. I didn't have any familiarity with my surroundings. (This was back in the days before we had smartphones or GPS watches.) I knew I was in trouble when I saw a "Welcome to Smyrna" sign. Yikes!

11. If you could have one meal ready and waiting for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days, what would it be?
This question assumes calories are no object, right? Definitely Chicago-style deep dish spinach and mushroom pizza.

12. Capris or shorts - what do you run in most often?

I like capris. I have trouble with my shorts creating wedgies, riding up, or chafing my thighs. Blech.

13. At what mile or how many minutes into your run does your body start to feel like it's warmed up and ready to go?

I think there's a difference between getting warmed up and finding your groove. It takes me 10-15 minutes to warm up, and 3-4 miles to get into my groove.

14. What do you do with your keys when you run?

If I'm not wearing a running belt, I'll carry them in my hand. If I'm wearing a running belt, I'll zip them inside. If I only have a single key to carry, sometimes I'll tie it to my shoelace.

15. If you could relive any race you've done in the past, which would it be?

The 2013 Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon (read my recaps here and here.) Best race experience and post-race party, EVER.

Aloha with Lilo and Stitch!

Your turn! I'd love to hear any or all of your responses to any or all of these questions!

Rock N Roll San Antonio Half Marathon race recap

Continuing from my RnR San Antonio 10K recap and my weekend highlights summary.
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The Half Marathon
I was up before sunrise to head to the half marathon and marathon start/finish village at the Alamodome.

These two races were clearly much larger than the previous day's 10K. Egress was very difficult. Many areas were fenced off, the walkways were narrow, and the lots were separated by underpasses requiring cramped stairway usage. It was really chaotic.

Nobody was enforcing the corrals. After I crossed the start line, the course was already filled with a number of walkers. Some were walking up to five in tandem! I gritted my teeth as I was weaving around them.

(NOTE: I elected to keep my phone in my runner's belt during the race. Therefore, all photos are from other sources.)

We ran through downtown San Antonio, passing the Alamo around Mile 1.25.

Source

I was running around a 10:15 pace, which my lungs were very comfortable with. Unfortunately, my hips and piriformis were already starting to alert me of their presence. I was thinking, "I am just getting started and already I'm hurting? Oh god. This might be a really long day with a really long road ahead of me."

After Mile 2, I took the pace down but the discomfort didn't subside. I kept telling myself, "You're not running this for time. All that matters is getting to the finish line. Think about those medals!" Even so, I was nervous. I paid almost no attention to my surroundings, instead focusing solely on hitting the course tangents. The more you can minimize the distance, the better, right?

I think this picture was taken somewhere around Mile 3:

Finally around Mile 4, my hips and piriformis started loosening up a little. I then relaxed enough to start taking in my surroundings.

We passed by Brackenridge Park and the Japanese Tea Gardens, which were lovely:

Source

We also passed by the entrance to the San Antonio Zoo:

Source

I was in a decent rhythm. Unfortunately, my rhythm was short-lived. As we entered Trinity University's campus around Mile 5.5, the course got very hilly. It stayed that way for the next 1.5 miles.

I was trying to run up the hills in "low gear" by shortening my stride. Every time we turned a corner and saw another uphill, I heard audible grumbling and cursing from runners around me (which echoed my thoughts exactly). There was a sign that said "I eat hills for breakfast" and it made me groan. I told myself, "Come on, you can do this. Think of the medals. You want those medals!"

The crowd support at Trinity was fantastic. There were so many people lining the streets, waving signs, giving high-fives, handing out orange slices and other refreshments. The campus was pretty, too.

Source

I should have enjoyed both the crowds and the campus more, but I was almost completely focused on simply surviving the hills. It was a relief when the course flattened out again after Mile 7.

We ran through some business districts. Unfortunately, the temperature was rising, the sun was beating down, and there was almost no shade on the course. I don't remember much other than cursing inwardly for being overdressed and for not wearing a hat. It felt like no matter which direction I turned, the sun was glaring in my eyes.

I started counting down each subsequent mile after Mile 8. "Just five miles to go... just four miles to go... you run this distance in training all the time, you can do this." My hips and piriformis were aching, and now my feet joined in. I tried to alter my footstrike to vary the points of impact.

We ran through some residential neighborhoods filled with beautiful, stately mansions like this:

Source

My mind registered that we must have been running through a historic district. Beyond that, I was in a fog. I was only taking occasional glances at my surroundings. (Based on subsequent research, I think this area was the King William District.)

Somewhere around Mile 10, I started feeling occasional flashes of groin discomfort. What a terrible surprise. It's been years since I've experienced groin pain while running. I've since worked hard to strengthen the areas of weakness which caused this in the past. I was praying to myself, "Please, please, please no explosions! Please hang on for a few more miles!" (Looking back, I'm wondering if my attempt at altering my footstrike contributed to this?)

We ran through some nondescript, industrial areas to which I paid little attention. I saw a 40K sign and tried to calculate the distance in my head. It took me several moments to determine that the marathon and half marathon courses had merged back together. It was a nice distraction to see some of the marathon front-runners zooming by.

I knew the course finished on Cherry Street. When we turned onto Cherry Street, I didn't notice until I realized I could see the finish line looming in the distance. YES!!!

It was more of a relief than anything else to cross the finish line! My official time was 2:18:38.

In retrospect...
I wish I had made the experience more joyous for myself. My concern over my physical discomforts overshadowed everything else. The groin pain, in particular, was unnerving. Thankfully, recovery came quickly and I felt completely fine by the next day.

I now think my mental hurdles from the idea of running a back-to-back 10K and half marathon were an even bigger obstacle than the physical hurdles. I know I could have prepared better, which would have made a big difference. However, I am not motivated right now to train for this type of challenge in the future. That is A-OK. You live and you learn.

Or maybe I should say, you run and you learn. =)

And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes my racing season for 2015. Woo hoo!!!

Cheers to a new year coming soon!

Rock N Roll San Antonio 10K race recap

I signed up for the Rock N Roll San Antonio Half Marathon as the third of my 3-pack Tour Pass. When I later heard about that weekend's Remix Challenge (a 10K on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday), it sounded like a good idea. If I'm going to pay all the travel costs to visit San Antonio for a half marathon, might as well throw in the 10K, right?

The good news: I finished both races healthy and with a smile on my face.

Half marathon and Remix Challenge medals!

On the flip side, I don't think I will be attempting any challenges like that again in the future. Basically, I let my ambition win out over anything else.

Never say never, of course, because I didn't make the smartest decisions. Most notably, I didn't do anything to train for a back-to-back race series. I also ran the Saturday 10K at a harder effort than I should have. Doh!

But enough "woulda coulda shoulda." I'll talk about the 10K today, and will cover the half marathon in another post. 

The 10K

On the first of a back-to-back race challenge, I knew it would be best to go conservative. I had every intention of running the 10K at a nice, easy pace. I figured I would try to finish just under 60 minutes.

The course was a point-to-point route starting at the Alamodome and finishing in front of the Alamo. This was the view from the start line:

When I registered, I had given an estimated completion time of 58 minutes. Therefore, I was surprised to be seeded in Corral 2. Of course I went with it, but all the while I realized it had to have been a mistake!

I was further convinced of this when I learned Meb Keflezhigi would also be in Corral 2. He was pacing the 7:30 group (which, as we all know, is his version of a total snail's pace). Wow! In the below picture, that's him holding the yellow "Meb" sign:

When Corral 2 got released, I did briefly try to keep pace with Meb. Obviously I didn't last long!

This also meant I came out of the gate much more quickly than originally planned. I told myself to slow down. To a certain extent, I did. But I still let myself get swept up in the roaring excitement of the crowd.

This was actually a pre-race photo, but it captures the essence of how I felt!

I ran with my phone in my hand, poised to take pictures; however, I didn't see a lot of noteworthy scenery. We went through some semi-industrial areas, followed by a few residential neighborhoods. There was a relatively sharp hill around mile 3.5, but otherwise the course was pretty flat.

Another runner pacing near me was stopping to greet every police officer along the route. What a great gesture! I decided to follow suit. I made it my focus to look for and thank every officer I could.

I tried to keep the pace steady. My left piriformis started alerting me of its presence around the halfway point, but I didn't want to slow down. My splits all fell between roughly 9:05 (the first mile) and 9:25 (Mile 4 with the hill).

The final stretch of the course went through downtown San Antonio. Here, the backdrop got more interesting. The crowd support rose dramatically in the final mile.

Check out this "perfectly-timed" snapshot of me nearing the finish:

For photo purposes, I've learned to avoid dealing with my Garmin until well after clearing the finish line - but to get caught doing it beforehand!?!?!? Argh!!!

Here is a much better finish line snapshot: =D

My official time was 57:35.

The finish line setting at Alamo Plaza was full of energy and festivity:

The white building you see peeking out between the Christmas tree and the red med tent is the Alamo.

I already talked yesterday about my photo opp with Meb, which was awesome. It was by far the best moment of the post-race festival. I was also happy that my hotel was only a few blocks away from the finish, which made for a super-easy journey back.

Time to go see the city! I spent the rest of the day walking around and sightseeing (travel highlights available here). Explore now, rest legs later.

After dinner, I came back to the hotel and did what I could to prepare for the next morning. I spent the rest of the night stretching and foam-rolling in a valiant attempt to freshen my legs.

Coming up: Recapping the Rock N Roll San Antonio Half Marathon

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Linking up with Patty, Erika, and Marcia for Tuesdays on the Run.

San Antonio highlights

Last night I got back from my Rock N Roll San Antonio Remix Challenge weekend. It was a good time. I am happy to have finally crossed San Antonio off of my list of cities to visit!

I am currently in the process of writing my recaps of both the Rock N Roll San Antonio 10K and Half Marathon. In the meantime, I wanted to share some other weekend highlights, both running and travel-related.

First, a few running highlights:

I got to meet Meb Keflezhigi!!! After the 10K, Meb set up an impromptu meet-and-greet shop at the finish line in front of the Alamo. When I noticed this, the crowd was growing very quickly. I jumped in line as fast as my post-race legs would carry me! It was worth the long wait for this:

Just hanging out with Meb post-race. No big deal. ;)

Meb is the nicest, most down-to-earth, humble man ever. Despite the hordes of people waiting to meet him, he never seemed rushed or impatient. What a privilege and an inspiration to meet him!

Speaking of meeting up with great people...

I got to meet Annabelle in person! Below is a picture of the two of us at the 10K start line on Saturday morning. It was terrific to chat with her!

Annabelle is a running superstar! She nailed a 3rd place finish at the 10K, and achieved a blazingly fast finish at the half marathon. Go Annabelle!!!!!! Way to tear it up!!!!!

The Rock N Roll Race Series continues to do the bling/swag really well. I love the medals!

As I mentioned, I'll talk more about the races in another post. But in short, my newest slogan is: "Will trash my legs for bling." It was amazing how much these medals motivated me during those rough miles.

Switching gears now - here are some San Antonio visit highlights:

I immediately remembered the Alamo. Here's my first live glimpse of the Alamo on Friday night after I got into town:

The next day, I went back and took a tour of the historic buildings and grounds. Here are some snapshots of the Alamo's courtyards:

The famed San Antonio Riverwalk deserves all of the hype. What an incredible stretch of beautiful and festive shoreline! It was so much fun walking around and exploring the river bends and turns. There were different attractions around every corner. I was very lucky to experience the Riverwalk during the holiday season, as it was filled with holiday lights everywhere the eye could see:

A view of Casa Rio decked out for the holidays

I enjoyed as much of San Antonio's other popular sights as time would allow. Here are some photo highlights:

The Buckhorn Saloon
This made me think, "Don't mess with Texas!"

El Mercado, which is described as the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico

Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia in El Mercado
I'm told the Christmas decorations are a year-round thing there.
Feliz Navidad!!!

The Spanish Governor's Palace

I tried my best to eat my way through the city, too. I've heard much about San Antonio's amazing array of Mexican food, so I tried to take advantage.

This was one of my favorite eats from the weekend:

I stopped at a fruteria and got a "small" container of fruit with lime and chili powder/sauce.
I got to select three types of fruit, so I picked papaya, kiwi, and jicama.

Regretfully, I didn't go too crazy since my primary purpose while visiting was to run two races. Note to self for next time!

Coming soon: More about the Rock N Roll San Antonio 10K and Half Marathon

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Linking up with HoHo and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap.