One Week Until the Half

So sticking to the last 10 days of the training plan is going super well! Yesterday morning was the 10 mile run pre-half. I tried to mimic race day as much as possible, and tried to get out there around 8:30. I was 14 minutes late, but it was a good run. good pace, felt good. 

Here's the garmin stats:

After the run yesterday morning, I pigged out with friends at the original pancake house for a perfect post-run meal.

Post-work I took a trip to kroger and I walked away with a grocery bag that screams ONE WEEK UNTIL HALF MARATHON:

includes:

bag of ice to make my calves numb

two boxes of fruit snacks (carb loading whattup!)

take and bake bread (more carb loading!)

and ocean spray sparkling cranberry energy 

(okay these aren't really runner related, but they were on sale, i wanted to try them, and i could definitely use energy to run 13.1 miles this weekend, right?)

I felt like such a BA.

Today I stretched the muscles with an easy 2.5 miler. It wasn't as easy as I hoped thanks to 96% humidity, but I powered through.

and then it was time for a date with my favorite:

TADA. foam roller, love of my life.

feel special that you get to be graced by my sweaty post-run face with my foam roller :)

Also is it really bad that I want to buy all kinds of Dexter-Ann Arbor Run Memorabilia because it's my first half?  y/n?

Things I Learned 5/28

Things I learned this week...

the pocket in nike tempo shorts has relocated.
The other day I was about to go for a run and was shocked to find no pocket! turns out its now in the back of the shorts. good thing.

certain companies have really freaking awesome customer service
I really liked last year's training shirts for the detroit marathon, so i ordered one. they had limited sizing left, so i kind of got lucky when i ordered the one i did. I got a call the other day that the shirt I had ordered was the last one and unfortunately had some make up on the collar from someone trying it on. So they offered to send me this year's training shirt as well. So i got two shirts for $20. AWESOME.

watching glee and sex and the city makes me want to go to new york
this week's glee finale in new york, plus finally getting around to watch the end of sex and the city made me want to visit this city SO MUCH. new york city marathon 2012 anyone?

sometimes waiting around to pay bills can pay off.
A few months ago I subscribed to Runner's World anticipating my two free preview issues. Well of course, those issues didn't come until after my bill was due. I was a little upset and failed to pay the balance right away. well good thing I did because amazon has Runner's World for 8.50 for a year. Way better than the $24 for two years I was going to pay. 

TiLT: FNL, snoopy snacks, parachute, bossypants

What the eff, its Thursday again already?  You mean I can finally post the Things I love Thursday post I wrote LAST THURSDAY and failed to post?  baller.


Here we go...


Things I love Thursday!

Friday Night Lights s4 on Netflix Instant Play

I have always always loved this show, and I stopped watching it consistently when it made the switch to DirectTV, but I am so in love again. Tami Taylor, HBIC, I would love to be you when I grow up.

Snoopy Fruit Snacks

Hello best fruit snacks ever. I also love that you are off-brand and therefore CHEAP. such a good little snack.

Parachute - The Way It Was

Got my hands on the new parachute album on Tuesday and I can't stop listening to it! Burned a copy for my car, and still listen to it all day. my favorite tracks are "Philadelphia" and "Kiss Me Slowly" but the whole album is great!

Smoothie in a bowl

Made this treat this morning because I couldnt decide between cereal or smoothie. This was an awesome combination. I'm a huge sucker for jamba juice, so i bought their razzmatazz smoothie mix at costco, and rolled with the mix+almond milk+spinach, and then topped with target brand blueberry granola. SO GOOD.

Tina Fey's Bossypants

Tina Fey is my hero. I think she is so freaking hilarious. so naturally, I find myself laughing out loud, kindle in hand, looking like a crazy person. oh yes. This book is awesome.

Getting to the End of Training

Oddly enough, the combination of no school and crazy weather has left my running a little bit lacking. Ever since graduation, when I shifted my long run out of its weekend spot, my running has been a bit inconsistent. I've had a few really great speed runs, and most of my other runs have been at a similar although slightly slower pace, but I haven't been super consistent with training like I should be.

And my first half is in 10 days.

So the semi-tapering is good, but I still have yet to run my final 10 miles, and that's a little troublesome.

The weather this past week has been quite uncooperative. It's either been super hot or rainy, two things that are difficult for me to work with.

Despite the rain today though, I'm going to get out there. Pound out at least 5 and see how it goes.

I'm blogging this so even though I eaten shot bloks for no reason (I was a little hungry), I have running clothes on, and a chia fresca on the counter ready to be drunk (? is this correct grammar?), I actually go run.

I know I need to run every day this weekend, and then take it easy next week. This is how the final ten days are going to go:

Thu May 26: 5 miles
Fri May 27: 10 miles or 3 miles depending on weather
Sat May 28: 10 miles or 3 miles depending on weather
Sun May 29: 5 mile run
Mon May 30: Stretch & Strengthen
Tues May 31: 4 mile run
Wed May 31: 3 mile run
Thurs June 1: 2 mile run
Fri June 2: Rest
Sat June 3: Rest
Sun June 4: RACE DAY. 13.1 MILES HERE I COME

Okay there's my commitment.

Time to get out there and run.

BEST RUN EVER

Holy cow, I just had the best run ever.

Yes, this is my grand return to blogging, the best run ever.

Check out these garmin stats:

Yes, that does say 8:09/mi. It also says 7:46 for my last mile. I am in love.

This run just felt good the whole way. I didnt feel super speedy, I wasn't killing myself, it was just perfect.

Here's what surrounded this run so I can try and replicate next Monday:

-Going to bed at 12:45 and waking up at 7:45
-Eating dinner of a chicken sandwich at 5:00
-Drinking coffee at 5:00
-Drinking chia fresca about an hour before
-A single strawberry shot blok right before I left
-Completely clashing running attire (try brand new orange/pink bikila, blue michigan headband, black wunder unders, blue run swiftly long sleeve with a green mountain hardwear thin hoody over it)

clashing running by lauren alysse on Polyvore.com

-Working from 1-7
-Cooler weather (high 40s)
-ALL GLEE on the shuffle
-New shoes

I have no idea what did it, but this is definitely the best run I've ever had. Oh half marathon in less than 3 weeks, here I come.

Shopping Event #5

So after a whole week of blogging every day like a good blogger, i fall off the face of the earth.

Finals will do that to you.

But now that I have a moment to breathe (pre-run, in 40 degree, post rain weather), here some bad decisions on my part:

Smarty pants Lauren decided she would take a trip to target and whole food on Thursday afternoon (last thursday).

POOR CHOICES.

because after I said I wasn't going to grocery shop like a crazy person any more, I DID JUST THAT.

In my justification, a lot of what i bought from whole foods was on sale?

2 evol burritos - sale 2/$6 + b1g1 coupon = $3 (woooo!) (already eaten, haha)
organic baby spinach - $1.99 (almost already eaten)
pirates booty - sale $2.50
okois vanilla - $2.19-.50 coupon = $1.79
kettlecorn - sale $3.00
annies organic spelt pretzels - sale $3.00 + $1 + $.75 coupon = $1.25
adora dark chocolate calcium - 8.99
chia seeds(!!!) - 6.99
dr. praeger's veggie burger - 5.99 + $1 coupon = $4.99 (ate one)

= $34.36


In my defense, I was also iron-loading, which is like carb loading, but for donating blood.

old picture, but still badass :)

and guess what? i was 110% successful last monday morning. So i donated blood like a boss, and the jumped head first into finals week. It's starting to slow down again, so you can expect more consistent blogging next week.

Dexter-Ann Arbor Run + Cancer Kickers

After a heartbreaking afternoon at work yesterday, I signed up for the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run Half Marathon under the Cancer Kickers Team.

source

Cancer Kickers is a foundation formed by Phil Brabbs, a former Michigan football player and a Multiple Mylenoma fighter.

source

The Dexter-Ann Arbor run will be my very first half marathon, June 5, 2011. 48 days away.

By joining the Cancer Kickers Team, I'll be fundraising for the UM Comprehensive Cancer Center, clearly a cause I care about.

My donation page is here if you should ever feel like donating. Every little bit counts.

Working at the children's hospital has made me realize how important each and every day is. How I need to get out there and run every day because my body lets me do that.

And how important cancer research is. It is the cutting edge research that's going to save lives, day in and day out. Children should never have to die from cancer. And they do. Every day.

On this Marathon Monday, with all its excitement and passion, I think its important to recognize how those passions can help others.