Running Wishlist

With the holidays coming up, what better way to get all your running necessities than adding them to your holiday gift wishlist! Here are a few work out/running items that have been on my mind recently...

1. Hydration belts - You can buy these at any sports apparel store (rei.com, sportsauthority.com, etc.)

2. Lululemon Wunder Under Pant - I've heard incredible things about these, but mostly that they just don't wear out and never fall down! (Or, and I'm being quite honest here, ANYTHING from lululemon!)

3. Breathable running tops - Again, you can find these at any sports apparel store, these just happen to be from Champion. There's not a whole lot worse than sweating in a regular cotton t-shirt that's sticking to your every move!!

I am LOV-ING the black Champion Double Dry® Training Women's Tank Top!

4. Yoga Mat Bag - There are a zillion at Everything Yoga in all styles and colors. You can find one of these at any Yoga store or even your neighborhood Whole Foods! This gorgeous bag is from athleta.com.

Happy shopping/running/yoga-ing (that doesn't sound right??) this holiday season! Hope you get everything your little pumped up heart desires!

Techno Running Mix

I'm in a very technoy mood this morning so I thought I'd share a couple of fun running songs that I like listening to. Enjoy.

1. Christophe Willem - Heartbox
2. Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris - We Found Love
3. September - Cry For You
4. Cascada - Everytime We Touch
5. Cascada - What Hurts the Most
6. Kaskade ft. Martina of Dragonette - Fire In Your New Shoes

If you have any you listen to or that I can add to mine, let me know!

Gobblepalooza 5k

Guesssss what! I PR'd! Holla!

High-Five!!

I made it in 28 minutes on the dot and I couldn't be more thrilled (aside from my throbbing calves right now). The morning was pretty miserably cold, but with the jazzercise going on in the HS parking lot, the kids dressed as turkeys, and the general thanksgiving merriment Marisa and I were pretty pumped to get on our way.

The course was SUPER hilly. I had read that on the website this morning, but I don't think I was fully prepared for the types of hills. We ran from Mount Vernon HS, through a few quaint neighborhoods, and back around to the school and the hills JUST. KEPT. COMING! And to make matters worse, at one point a man with a stroller passed us...and then a child, no older than 10, passed us with her dad. I mean really, kid? I think we were both pretty psyched when it was over and we could get out of the cold!

The shirts we got were pretty silly - that turkey looks like he's on some silly hard drugs.

Gobble Gobble!!

Aside from the cold I'm pretty psyched about the 15k. Thank goodness for doing so well today.

21 days left...

I finally hung up my bibs and medal!

I don't have much to say other than I ran 11 miles so far this week and I have another 3.2 tomorrow for the Gobblepalooza 5k. Only 21 to get to 9.3, sigh, I feel like this might be another race where I just DON'T. FEEL. PREPARED. I know I will get there and it's not a matter of if I will finish or not. I'll finish (I hope I finish in a time that doesn't totally embarrass me). I just want to feel oh-so-good about it.

Hopefully if I PR tomorrow it will instill a bit more confidence in me for the 15k. PR would be under 29. I secretly hope for between 27 and 28 minutes.

This is exactly what Marisa and I will be doing if I PR...air high fives....and singing Calculus.

23 days left...

Today was tough.

Let me rephrase.

Today was torture. And everything about it sucked aside from running on the treadmill next to mister cutie cute.

Hey there sailor!

That's about all I got. It was hard. I busted out 3 miles. Then I went home and ate my weight in sushi. I think this is the last time I can run before the 5k this weekend. NBDeeeeaaallll. But I still haven't run over 6 miles and I have only 23 days to get to over 9. Wah.

25 days left...

You know what's funny? The most trivial thing about running seems to be the hardest thing for me to accomplish...properly fueling before a long run. It's not rocket science. You fuel the body, the body gets stronger and can perform better.

Last week I decided to keep a box of granola bars in the glove box of my car so I'd have a snack on the way to the gym/trail/etc. after work.

That picture looks way more delicious than what I actually got, but you get the jist.

....It was probably the most genius idea I've ever come up with.

Even something small makes it SO. MUCH. EASIER. to power through a workout. Tonight I had a few slices of grapefruit around 5pm and then a granola bar on the way to the gym around 6pm and I made it through my 6 miles like it was no big thang.

It's simple..hydrate + fuel = FUN RUN and HAPPY/HEALTHY ALLISON!

27 days left...

In case you you were wondering about my date last night, it went really well!

Also, in case you were wondering if you should run outside today because it's absolutely beautiful...well, you probably should!

Insert Joey & I after a nice 5 miles around Gravelly Point Park. SUCH. A. NICE. DAY. OUT! You are wasting it if you're inside.

Also, check out those new puppies on my feet. Yeah, they feel pretty darn good.

AND - Marisa and I signed up for a Turkey Trot  for next weekend. Whoop!

28 days... (ah, crap, that's not a lot of time...)

This work week in running and cross training hasn't been so bad. I got in 6 mi Tuesday, a tough 50 min spin class on Wednesday, and 3 miles last night. I won't be able to get to the gym tonight because my date that was supposed to happen earlier in the week was rescheduled for tonight...

Yep, this one.

I'm hoping to get in a good long run outside with my good friend, Joey, this weekend. I'm glad to be giving my calves a rest tonight because they were super sore and tight on the TM last night. I'm not really positive how to stretch those out. I've been living in my compression socks as of late, but it doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot. Any suggestions?

On a different note - look what I found yesterday...look at the difference between Dec 2009 and now...



Marisa and I stretching it out before out very first 5k together!
VERY SERIOUS RUNNERS!



Right before the 5k...and YES, we were freezing out nuggets off!



And right after...this was probably around the time I thought I was going to be sick....
But we are SO SERIOUS anyway!

Numerous 5ks, one 10k, and one Half Marathon later we are prepping for distance runs like 5ks are nothing.

Marisa, Joey, and I at the VA Beach Rock N' Roll Half Marathon!

My how far we've come...

This is what temptation looks like...

And this is me worried I'm going to hoard both those trays and hide them in my office to eat so no one else can have them...

 Only me!!

30 days...

Finally got in a 6 miler last night at the gym. FINALLY. It was tough though and I stopped a few times because my foot kept falling asleep, but it happened. And in under 60 minutes no less! Yay!

I'm curious though, my right foot kept falling asleep last year too whenever I would run on the TM in the winter, but I pretty sure it stopped after a while. I'm not sure if it's the way I step or I'm still getting used to the new shoes, or what, but it makes it awfully hard to keep going.

I figured if I can get in a short run tonight and maybe another 6 tomorrow, I can shoot for 8 this weekend and I will feel pretty golden. I should probably come up with some sort of training schedule....

Anyway - have a good laugh and happy Wednesday!



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