Externing, Race Medals, and Abs by April Challenge

That first day of school feeling
Yesterday was the first day of my spring term externship. After 18 straight years of school, I really couldn't stand another term only in the classroom, so I interviewed for an intern program at a regulatory agency in the fall. I ended up getting an offer for a division that I'm very interested in! Since my externship is subject to confidentiality rules, I can't really talk about what I'm doing, but the project I've been set up with is interesting so I'm looking forward to working there two days a week.

Despite not being nervous about starting since I already have a job offer post-graduation, I still had those first day jitters and had a hard time sleeping last night. Well, one of my cats may also be to blame... She's been very needy since I got back, meowing loudly for attention. She's also been kneady -- she kneads me if I'm sleeping and not giving her the proper amount of attention. This does not make for a restful night.

Miss Kneady
this pic cracks me up, she looks like she's posing for her  nude portrait a la Rose from Titanic

My school schedule is actually pretty light for my last term since I'm externing. I have busy Fridays and two evening classes, but Mondays and Wednesdays I have lots of time to work on my pro bono projects, train for all those half-marathons I'm signed up for, and try to take advantage of my last few months of studenthood before I'm a working girl permanently.

It's too bad that people tend to have plenty of free time when they have no money, and then when they're working and making money they have no free time. Someone needs to work on that... I guess that's what retirement is for! Is it weird that one reason I eat (relatively) healthy and work out is so that I'll be in good shape and able to enjoy my retirement? I've always planned too far ahead, but this might be extreme even for me.

My first medal!

I realized I totally forgot to post this when I recapped the New Year's Eve Half-Marathon! I guess the overall rottenness of the race made me forget the fact that I'd gotten my first race medal. The medal was actually awesome because... there's a mountain on it (that's Mt Baker). But as if that wasn't awesome enough?

There is a sasquatch on my medal!!! This may totally make up for the shitty race. Also, I lost my Oiselle runfinity scarf at the race, and the race coordinator drove to meet me two weeks later to make sure I got it back. Local races are great, y'all.

Abs by April Challenge

Megan over at Run Like a Grl is coordinating a fun core-centric challenge called Abs by April. I've been neglecting my core over the past few months so I'm participating to try to change that! This week's challenge is to do a plank every day (AKA "plankaday").

I started on Monday and made it to 2:00 by playing with my phone and checking Twitter. Tuesday I got to 2:10 after completing my speed workout for the week. Woot! My goal is to be able to do a 5:00 plank by April! Let me know if  you decide to do it, too, and we can encourage each other. Use the hashtag #AbsByApril to tweet your progress!


Are you going to join the Abs by April challenge? What's your favorite race medal you've received? How often do you get that first-day-of-school feeling?

Race Recap: Last Chance Half-Marathon

Ow. That's not the way I was hoping to start off this recap, but I really can't start it any other way because that's the best word I can use to sum up yesterday's race. Also, steep. But mainly ow. Beth recently had a great post on when running fails you. Yesterday my body failed me.

Let me back up. I signed up for this race because I thought it'd be great to run another half-marathon in 2012. I could probably end the year with a PR since I've gotten a lot faster, even on long training runs. And it would be wonderful to have my family there to cheer for me. Oh, and the Pacific Northwest is gorgeous (if it's sunny or, well, not raining) so I thought maybe it'd be a pretty run.

shameless excuse to post a picture of mountains because I love them 

I had a pretty good training program for a few weeks leading up to the race. I got in all but one of the long runs, I did weekly speed work, I was strength training. I felt good. And despite terrible weather, my last long run on Christmas Eve would have been a PR if I'd run 1.1 more miles, even if I'd slowed down a lot.

So yesterday morning I was excited and ready. I had my traditional pre-race breakfast of half a bagel with almond butter and caffeinated tea. I nursed a water bottle of nuun as we drove the 30 minutes to the race course start. After checking in and hitting the bathroom once more, it was just about time for the race to start. I felt extremely nervous as we started, but also excited. I felt strong, I felt ready. I thought I could do something exciting. The race coordinator counted down and then... we were off!

one of their excellent signs - my sister contributed the penguin sticker 

So, first off. My family is amazing. They went to different spots along the route, standing out in the cold, holding adorable signs for me. One said "Run Jen Run!" Another said "Run faster, be stronger" just like my bracelet. And then the third was the ridiculous mantra I said to myself during my 5K: "you are strong, you are fierce, you are a warrior woman!" Ok, maybe I was a *tad* bit embarrassed that this particular sign is now immortalized, but it also means my mom and sister are dedicated readers of this blog. So really, it just makes me love them more. Even my sister's boyfriend woke up early and came along to cheer for me. Thanks, Jason!

As it turned out, no one else was along the course cheering. So it was just my family. And while I would have been embarrassed of that at age 13, at age 24 I just think they're awesome for being willing to drive along and stop at each of the three intersections between the trail and the road.

heading down into the Ravine of Doom

The first mile felt terrific. My breathing was a tad bit off because it was hovering around 32 degrees, and I tend to get a touch of asthma when pushing my running in the cold, but I ran an 8:55 mile without feeling like I was pushing myself at all. My plan was to keep it steady at 8:55 miles to compensate for any slower hill miles.

In the second mile, we hit the hills. Or should I say cliffs? The trail went deep down into a ravine then up and out. The decline and incline were so steep that the trail was comprised of switchbacks, but the switchbacks were still extremely steep. The total elevation gain for the race was 1,500 ft., but it's roughly 1,300 ft. on the Central Park loop, which is where my first half-marathon was. So going in, I figured that it couldn't be much hillier. The difference is that on this course, almost all of that elevation was packed into 2-3 miles. And while Harlem Hill is an elevation gain of about 70 ft., this "hill" dropped 100 ft. then rose 200 ft.

I couldn't run while going up because I felt the asthmatic breathing starting, so I had to walk. I thought that walking might be fine if I sprinted down the hills, but the downhills were just as steep and I couldn't run without starting to feel myself losing control. Since the trail was wet and covered in leaves and rocks, I was scared of tripping.

still feeling ok! ish! well enough to understand the importance of good photos 

I think one of these declines is where I hurt myself, probably coming down too hard or overextending my leg somehow. My lower back had been hurting a bit after mile 1, as had my abdomen (still not sure about why that happened), but it wasn't anything I couldn't ignore. However starting after these hills, I began feeling pain in my right leg. When we hit the flat part of the path again, I tried to push my pace, and yet my legs refused to cooperate and hurt much worse when I tried to pick up speed.

My Erica Sara Designs Say It Do It Bracelet is engraved to say "run faster, be stronger." Yesterday I couldn't run fast. It just wasn't possible. Every time I tried to speed up, the pain in my right leg got much worse and the left IT band started hurting. Instead, the race became about the "be stronger" part of my mantra.

This race became a mental test. Can I finish when everything is hurting? By mile 4, my abdomen and back were still aching, the pain in my right leg was becoming impossible to ignore, and my left IT band was starting to hurt at the hip. I decided to stop looking at my Garmin around mile 4 because I felt how slowly I was going and looking at the Garmin only made me more upset. Instead, I decided to just make it to the finish line. 

making a VERY attractive face to illustrate how I'm feeling to my dear father 

When I made it to the halfway point and saw my family, I paused for a second and said to my mom, "this course is hilly as shit." Then popped my headphones back in and turned around for the second half. (Apparently this flagrant usage of foul language scandalized the woman behind her, my mom later told me.)

The pain got a lot worse in the second half and my miles slowed even further to the point where I could barely jog -- I was kicking up rocks because my feet were dragging. I crossed the finish line and went straight to my family's car so I could sit in the heat and stretch out my legs.

trying to smile, but let's be honest... it's more of a grimace 

I think the right leg is a pulled hamstring, and we'll see how things shape up in the next day or two -- if it bruises, I'm going to the doctor because that means it's fairly serious. And the left IT band issue is hurting today, so I have to keep an eye on that as well. I swear I won't be stupid and try to work out for a week! I'm going to be VERY gentle. The last thing I want is any kind of lingering injury that prevents me from getting my redemption race at the New York Half in March.

Several times yesterday I started tearing up, both from pain and disappointment. Given my training and how my runs had gone, I thought for sure I'd PR yesterday, even if not by much because of a few hills. Despite the gigantic hills, I'd say 2/3 of the course was pretty flat, so I still think I could have PR'd if not for injuring myself. The pain was just a reminder that I hadn't met my goal, that I'd ended the year not with a race demonstrating all my improvement but by hobbling across the finish line.

However. I also learned something incredibly important yesterday. I am mentally tough. So many times, I considered just stopping and calling my parents to pick me up. 10 miles, including the Horrible Hills right again at the end when the pain was at its worst. This year, I want to run a full marathon. It wasn't the running part of it that I wasn't sure I could handle, it was the mental part. And after yesterday, I am sure that I am mentally capable of running a marathon.

It wasn't the race I wanted. It wasn't a good or even ok race. Honestly, it sucked. A lot. But I'm still happy with what it proved to myself.

SO... on to 2013 races!!

2013: New Year, New Intentions

I'm heading off to run the Last Chance Half-Marathon! Because I'm a total run nerd, I decided that the best way to end 2012 -- the Year of Realizing I Can Run -- would be to run a half-marathon near my hometown, with my family cheering for me.

I'm really excited to see what kind of improvements I've made since running Grete's Great Gallop in October. I spent Sunday relaxing, foam rolling, walking Mason around gorgeous Semiahmoo Bay with my parents, and enjoying carb-loading with pancakes for breakfast, a bean and rice burrito for lunch, and pasta for dinner!

Mt Baker and the Twin Sisters from across the bay

we got to see someone take off in a powered parachute and cruise around the bay 

Yesterday was the first sunny day since I've been here. I'm hoping it's a good omen for today! Hopefully I'll have an exciting race recap to share Tuesday morning. For now, I really wanted to share my version of "resolutions" for 2013 on the last day of the year.


2013 Intentions

My trainer, Amanda, wrote a wonderful post last week on setting intentions rather than resolutions. I loved it so much, and it really inspired me to set some intentions for this year. I don't do resolutions normally, but there are a number of things I want to work on and goals I want to achieve in 2013, so Amanda's post came at the perfect time.

What I've done are set up some general intentions. My plan is to then set small goals each month to move myself along the path toward making those a reality.

1. Continue my plant-based diet. In March 2012, I stopped eating meat and limited myself only to fish. I am extremely happy with that change and I'm planning on continuing it in 2013. I also want to continue my quest to make plant-based foods the staples of my diet, with seafood, dairy, and eggs being additions that make occasional appearances rather than being the main focus. I feel healthier, lighter, and overall better when I eat this way and I want to keep it up.

2. Get faster! I love the feeling of achievement when I hit a new PR (that's personal record for the non-running-obsessed out there). So speed work will continue to be a priority, in addition to adding hills and tempo runs to my schedule. I think yoga, spinning, and strength training will all play a part here, too, as they strengthen and lengthen me. And my most concrete speed goal for 2013 is to run a half-marathon in under 2 hours!

3. Disconnect. While I've made some awesome new friends via social media and really enjoyed my foray into blogging this year, I absolutely need to disconnect more. I spend much too much time online. I was all set to do a "one day a week where I disconnect completely" challenge but I found it was impossible. I need to use the internet to get directions to places, I get emails regarding school projects or events I'm planning that need immediate responses, etc. So instead, I just want to try to shut my computer in the evenings.

4. Cook more. I want to work on spending less and saving more by cooking a bit more. We don't really eat out, but we get things delivered via Seamless too frequently. While I try to make healthy choices, it's still expensive and you can't control what's in your food. I want to make more meals for myself and Sourabh.

5. Be on time. I am perennially 5-10 minutes late and that has to stop. It's rude and immature and I hate being late, so all it does is cause me stress. I really want to cure this before I start working in Fall 2013.

Five intentions, defined by what I know will make me a better "me" in the new year. I think I'll do much better at making these intentions happen if I set small goals to pursue them each month. So, here goes for next month!

January Goals

Cook 3-4 meals a week. This is a great combination of both cooking more and continuing my plant-based diet.

Do a speed workout at least once a week. (Except for this week, following my half-marathon) I started doing speed workouts in the past 3-4 weeks to prepare for today's half-marathon. I think the speed workout has had a really positive impact on my pace so I want to keep this up and make it a priority when I'm scheduling the week's workouts.

Leave 15 minutes earlier than I think necessary. By building a 15 minute cushion in to my travel time, even if I leave a bit late I should arrive on time. And if I get there early then I'll just suck it up and read things on my phone. That's what phones are for, right? Killing time? People don't really talk on those things, do they?

Shut my laptop once dinner is ready. I still have my phone to check email, but there's no need for me to browse random websites online instead of reading a book, concentrating 100% on the TV show I'm watching with Sourabh, or cuddling with Mason or the cats (unless I need to do some work in the evening). I think keeping my laptop shut as of dinner time will really help me disconnect.

Ok. BRB, I'm off to run my New Year's Eve race!

What are your goals or intentions for 2013? Any running-specific goals?

Elf4Health, Tapering, and a Basic Speed Workout

Taper week has been much less crazy-inducing this time around. The first time I tapered for a week for my first half-marathon, I was used to my daily workouts in New York. However, since I'm in Washington, I don't have a normal schedule anyway, so it feels less weird not to be doing a workout every day.

Washington winter means lots of grey and navy, but it's beautiful in a melancholy way 

I ran a short 3 miles this morning, one slow then two at my half-marathon goal pace. I felt strong the whole way so hopefully that's a good sign! After a late lunch, my sister and I drove to Fairhaven, a cute bayside area of Bellingham, the "big" city in my county. And by big I mean 80,000 people. We walked my parents' dogs and Mason along the waterfront and then got them jackets at the local humane society's store (our dogs are spoiled). Once we got home, we finished the day off with some yoga (a Tara Stiles relaxing flow from her This Is Yoga DVD collection) before a big salad and homemade pizza for dinner.

Elf for Health - Wednesday's Challenge

Wednesday's challenge was to name three things you loved about yourself. I loved this challenge because I think women in particular are so likely to be hard on themselves, especially their physical appearance. It's important to remind ourselves that there is beauty in each one of us!

So... first thing I love is my eyes. They're multicolored -- brown, blue, and green. My eyes are my favorite facial feature. I almost always wear mascara because I think it makes them pop. Seriously, I'll have no other makeup on, but I need some mascara. Second thing I love? My legs. For the longest time I hated my legs because that's where I tend to store fat, but over the past year, as I've realized all they're capable of and felt them grow strong with muscle, they've become one of my favorite parts of my body. Finally, I love my positive attitude. I try to keep a smile on my face as much as possible and "reframe" negative occurrences to figure out what's good in them.

It's interesting because I think a year ago I would have had a lot more trouble coming up with a list, especially including anything physical. However, a year of working out and running has made me love my body so much more, and not just because it's tighter and more toned -- it's because I know what it's capable of doing! It's incredible what a positive impact exercise has had on my life, both physically and mentally.

Basic Treadmill Speed Work
I've been committing to speed work since I started training for the New Year's Eve half-marathon, and I'm going to keep this commitment up in 2013 since one of my biggest goals is to get faster. So far it's been working and I want to keep the progress going!

This is the basic speed workout I've been doing to increase my speed, in addition to a spin class once a week. I've been doing it on a treadmill since I have some asthma-like breathing issues when I go my fastest pace in the cold.

FYI: I wrote .25 miles rather than 400 meters because it's easiest to track on a treadmill. 400 meters is actually 0.2485 miles, but I assume you won't be angry that I rounded up and added an extra .0015 miles.

Obviously feel free to adjust this to suit your current speed! For me, 6-6.5 mph is a comfortable pace that allows my breathing to return back to normal. For you, that might be 5 mph or 8 mph. Similarly, the high speed should be something that makes you think you'll probably die before finishing the 400m. (I recommend stretching out your fingers then putting one down for each .01 mile once you are .15 miles into your quarter mile -- it really helps the distance go faster somehow!)

For an added challenge, you can increase the high speed for each interval. I typically go from 8.5 to 8.6 to 8.7 and finish with an interval at 8.8 before cooling down.

Do you do speed work, and if so, what workouts do you do? What are three things you love about yourself? 

New Year's Eve Half-Marathon

Well, the title kind of says it all. I'm running another half-marathon! I've already signed up for one in the spring and entered two other lotteries, but they're so far away that they seem nonexistent. 

there's a marathon and a half-marathon, but the half didn't get a banner
(and yes, I know, you're so jealous of my paint skillz)

When I saw that there was a half-marathon close to my hometown on New Year's Eve, I got extremely excited. I'm going home for an entire month over the holiday break because I am so rarely home and I don't know the next time I'll have an opportunity to spend so much quality, uninterrupted time with my family. 

I ran a race last time I was home, but running a half-marathon is a much bigger event, especially since it'll only be my second half-marathon. I loved the idea of running one in Washington so that my family could cheer me on. Almost equally cool is the fact that I'll close out 2012 doing something that I realized I loved this year. 

My training plan

The numbers roughly correspond to day of the week (i.e. 1 = Monday), but I may mix things up because of the weather or a busy schedule, which is why I wanted to use numbers rather than days of the week.

The speed work is going to be very important to me. The first speed workout will definitely be intervals of some kind and then the second may be closer to a tempo run -- something with a more consistent pace, but really focusing on speed. Last time, I only concentrated on distance. This time, I want to make speed the emphasis. 

The truth is, though, if this doesn't happen exactly according to plan, I'm not going to be that bummed. I have several big projects coming up and I'll be home for 10 days before the half, so I just want to do my best in the half-marathon. If I end up with a worse time than at my first half, it'll be fine. The big goal is just to run another half-marathon with my family there to see me doing something I love to conclude this year on the highest note possible.

Are you running any longer races before the end of 2012?