Articles in May, 2011

Raise the Red, White, and Blue…And the Contradiction of ‘Easy Days’

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Cait — 7 Comments ↓

Happy Memorial Day!! Okay, it’s a little late in the day but I can still yell it out there! 🙂 Hope you’re all enjoying the holiday, maybe getting a little BBQ action, a little pool party, some nice food grubbing. If you are getting some nice sunshine I reserve the right to be a little jealous. It’s not as cold as it’s been the past few days and it’s not raining (yet) but it’s definitely not what I would consider ‘lay by the pool and bust out the grill’ type of weather.

There’s a pool here at my apartment complex but there is no freaking way you’d catch me diving in right now. I think some kids are, but I’m a total weenie and still complain getting into an indoor pool that’s heated. I have issues with being cold. Plus I’m not a big waterbaby to begin with.

Moving on…definitely had one of those ‘just get through this’ runs today and was a trooper and busted out my core/abs routine before sticking a fork in myself. I knew if I didn’t do it right after no way I’d be motivated to do it later. Then, bring on lounge lizard mode! At least I was prepared for it, it’s kind of funny to think of the word ‘easy day’ because in training it usually follows a harder workout day and even though it’s at a slower pace it inevitably winds up feeling tough because of the effort of the day before. Haha.

So you just know what’s coming, get in the token miles, and make sure you keep it at a recovery pace. But it still sometimes becomes a mind over matter issue. How I get through it is to usually tell myself to just make it to ‘X’ amount of miles (usually for me it’s 4) and I tell myself that if I really feel like sh** I can cut out early. But usually once I hit that mark I figure I’m already here, let’s just finish out what was in the training plan. All about lying to yourself at the beginning to get out the door. 😉

Just one more mile…or one more half mile. This is what I tell myself as I’m going along. “Eh, what’s one more mile? Just make it to that mark.” Running outside, we all have our usual routes and I’d have little check points or landmarks that I’d know were coming, “Just make it to that big random clocktower in the middle of suburbia with the stained glass.” That was on one of my routes, that clock was massive and so out of place, but once I got to the clock I knew I was about half-way done. I’d have others, one that was just over a mile from my house and I knew that usually no matter how junky I was feeling I could make it home once I hit that point.

Zone out. For easy days, usually your body can run on auto-pilot, it’s kind of funny how you can mentally zone out sometimes and, “Wow! Two miles just few by!” Usually it’s because I’ve got some song stuck in my head (blast that Bieber! Hehe) or this can happen a lot if you’re running with a partner.

Still, you also need to pay attention if you’re constantly feeling rundown or crappy because that can be a sign that you’re just overtraining, going too fast on your easy days, and maybe need to back off. That’s where keeping a training log can really come in handy. Go back and look that baby over, have you recently increased your mileage a lot? Also check to see if you’re hitting your harder workouts as you’d like to. If you’re not, then reassess and again make sure that your easy days aren’t being run too hard. Doing that can blur your training program into a whole gray blob, the distinction between the hard/easy days gets harder to distinguish and the workouts that you actually CARE about pace-wise start to suffer.

I’ll follow up on this post about getting through workouts that aren’t going your way and races where the second the gun goes off you know it’s gonna be a battle of wills. We all have them. Also, The Hungry Runner Girl wrote a really good post on a similar topic about mentally battling back after a crummy workout/race. You can’t let those less than stellar performances keep you from coming back because we ALL have them and those bad days are what make those good days all the sweeter. 🙂

1) How do you keep on plugging through a crummy run or workout?

2) Are you a total waterbaby or a weenie in the pool like me?

3) Favorite food at a BBQ?

My mom and grandma (we actually call her Po-Po, long story) makes this dessert call chocolate junk cake…yummy stuff!

Gurgly Guts and Aussies

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

Fair warning, this post may be a little bit gross and hopefully not TMI. So if you don’t want to read about gurgly guts, complaining intestines, or tummy woes while running then turn back now.

If you’re still reading this than please don’t judge! hehe. And I warned you anyways, so there. Ugh, after just finishing a hard workout I’m now stuck with some nasty stomach distress. I’m not sure if this happens to everyone, or I think it does to most runners but to different degrees. I’ve always been prone to having a sensitive stomach, I can’t handle too much food/liquids in there before a run, and then sometimes during runs BAM my guts start yelling at me.

Usually it’s during longer workouts or long runs, but even sometimes during an easy run I’ll feel it. It’s so annoying because my gut has a mind of its own and who knows what it’s gonna offer up any given day. Today was one of those days, after only about a mile into my tempo I feel a little gurgle. By the end of my cooldown I knew that for the rest of the day my stomach would feel jacked up.

I know this isn’t only me, and trust me I felt for Paula Radcliffe (or anyone else I happen to see this happen to) during that race where she started to…well, do some running but not with her feet. There were times where I’d have to take an Imodium before each and every workout/race in an effort to stave off just such a thing. And not gonna lie, there was one time in particular where I finished the last lap of my workout and ran straight for the bushes! hehe. (back to the warning of the TMI, you chose to keep on reading!)

At any rate, my mom’s even worse than me and it’s kind of a little joke between she and I. I made her a funny little book awhile back and that’s where these pix are from. Enough of this nasty talk…but for any other fellow runners, do you suffer from these gurgly guts too? What have you found that helps?

In other news, I’ve got to keep this short because I’m really excited to go pay a visit to my friend in town from Australia! I’ve always wanted to go there, hopefully one day. But she’s a kick butt runner and in town for the big Prefontaine meet here next weekend. So I’m off to jump in the shower and hopefully get my gurgly gut to shut up!

1) Have you suffered from what I’m talking about?

2) Do you just think I’m totally nasty and will never visit this blog ever again after reading this?

3) Have you been to Australia before?

Kicking Core Work and Saturfarts

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

Hope you are having a happy Saturday so far! For those people who are chained to a school schedule I know some are out for the year (my little sis has already dived headlong into summer break!), some are still stuck counting the days, but either way I think this should be a loooong weekend.

At any rate, after doing my little core routine today it got me to thinking. I’ll get asked every now and again for suggestions on exercises. Lots of time it’s about abs (who doesn’t want a nice six pack?) but making sure to hit the whole core is critical. Not only the abs, but the obliques, lower abs, back, glutes, everything baby! 🙂

This isn’t only for appearances sake either, but a stronger core will help you improve no matter what your sport of choice. For runners, cuz let’s face it that is the best sport, you want a stable core because that will help you keep good form as you tire. We’ve all seen those hunchbacks making their way to the finishline. If they were to stay erect they’d be more efficient and get to that finish faster, then be able to collapse and regroup…hehe.

All joking aside, I still do this core routine that I learned WAY back when I first moved to Oregon, gosh so that must have been at the end of 2004. Yikes! But it kicked my butt than and I still love it to this day because it’s quick but effective. I call it Pedestal, but I’ve see similar type forms of it called plenty other things. But it’s based around the plank pose…it’s just a souped up plank. 😉

Pedestal

Start balancing on your forearms and toes, holding a plank position. Keep your body in a straight line, that means suck in that tummy and make sure that booty isn’t sticking up in the air. Lift your left leg up and down 15 times and repeat with the right leg 15 times.
Now flip over so you’re balancing on your heels and forearms facing skyward. Again work to keep your body in a line. Lift your left leg 15 times, then your right 15 times.
Now turn to the right and balance on your right forearm and the side of your right foot. Stack your hips so your left leg is resting on top of the right, keep everything tight and sucked in, don’t let your hips sag to the floor. Now lift your left leg up and down 15 times.
Turn to face the to the left and then lift your right leg up and down 15 times.

So it’s a set of four poses and I like to do three sets of 15 leg lifts. For the middle set I mix it up and balance on my hands with my arms straight instead of resting on my forearms. It makes your center of balance a little different.

Anyways, it takes less than 10 minutes and you can do it after your run/workout when you’re already loose. Also nice and sweaty. 🙂

So for my Saturday, got in my easy run, did me my core, and since it looks like the sun has decided to grace me with its presence I’m thinking I might go out and enjoy the day. Or, I might just get sucked into the internet vortex, waste far too much time and then not realize that it’s suddenly ark outside. Haha. Hope you’re all having a great one!

1) Do you do core work?

2) Favorite core exercises?

3) Have you ever been in a tornado?

Totally random, but because the weather conditions seem to get crazier and crazier, and I hear about more and more poor people getting hit with natural disasters and extreme weather conditions it got me thinking about it. Ever since I saw Twister back in the day, I was obsessed with that movie and watched it until my VHS nearly broke, tornadoes have petrified me.

Insanity By Way of Twinkies and HATING Short Intervals

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Cait — 7 Comments ↓

Last night I watched a funny movie from the 90’s called ‘Trial and Error,’ I’m a cheap-o and was trolling through the free movies section available from Comcast and figured I’d give it a shot. It had Jeff Daniels, Micheal Richards (pre his freakout of recent years), and that bend and snap lady from ‘Legally Blonde.’

Anyways, long story short it’s about an actor who has to pretend to be a defense attorney for this man who is so obviously guilty. Unable to come up with a good defense they decide to plea that the client wasn’t mentally stable during the period that the crimes were committed. Reason? He was riding high off of one heck of sugar rush, years and years of junk food and sweets made him mentally incompetent. Insanity by way of Twinkies.

They had a new age doc take the stand and liken the atomic structure of sugar to that of crack. “Glucose is just one measly nitrogen atom away from cocaine!” Good times. Anyways, coincidentally later that night I check out one of my latest blog obsessions, Peanut Butter Fingers, and she had JUST posted about her latest book find, The End of Overeating. You should read her explanation of the book, but in short it isn’t too far off of what this comedy had insinuated. Food manufacturers have been in the lab trying to capitalize on sugar’s addictive quality and even make it moreso. Are Hostess and that happy Twinkie Cowboy the real drug lords? Haha…gotta love that mental picture. That huge Cowboy snorting up lines of souped up sugar! Well, heck, at least it’s not high fructose shiznit, no, he’s after the good stuff! 😉

I know I on more than one occasion have found myself suffering from a sugar headache. Food baby in belly, empty wrappers littered around you, plate licked clean. On the one hand you tell yourself to remember this nasty sugar-hangover so next time you can satisfy that sweet tooth but not just overdo it. But up until that sugar saturation point those cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, whatever, just taste SOO darn good. 🙂 Kind of like there is no gray area, you go from taste bud euphoria to WHAM that junky sluggish feeling. (Looks like this guy has had one too many Twinkies himself…hehe!) Wrapping this little ramble up, I’m really interested to hear what PB Fingers has to share about this book.

Totally switching gears to running. You know I couldn’t resist talking about it for too long folks! And hey, I am the first to say that one of the best perks about being a runner is that we can then dive into all that sweety goodness! I’d probably be obese if I weren’t a runner. Just so long as I don’t find all you guys snorting up sugar with the Twinkie man. 😉

I was reading up on another blog yesterday and Christina was looking for ways to improve her speed. My speed is horrendous and if I had my way with things I’d never do a 200 or 400 repeat again in my life! I love me my tempos and long runs. But that’s no way to really improve to the best of your ability. If you’re going to really ‘train’ then you’ve got to bite the bullet and include the workouts you hate the most. Actually, it’s probably the things you detest the most that you then need the most.

So after doing another one of my ‘favorite’ hard workouts today, I think I need to start taking my own advice and widen that range of intervals, as much as I may hate to do it. It’s not like I plan on ever PR’ing or anything, but it would be nice to get some faster running under my belt. So for us distance runners here’s to biting the bullet and busting out some 200’s, 3’s, 4’s and the like! It’s hilarious to think that something that will last less than a minute can be oh so painful and we’d rather do a hard 25 lapper instead!! Hehe.

1) What workout do you hate doing the most?

2) Favorite workout?

3) Do you get as much enjoyment as I do from the idea of Mr. Twinkie snorting sugar?

My Name is Cait…I Have a Problem…I’ve Become Addicted…

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Cait — 15 Comments ↓

Sooo, I think it’s safe to say I’ve become addicted. Constantly pushing the refresh button in case there are new updates. New pictures of people going about their lives, sharing what they ate for lunch, what random thoughts are trolling through their minds. The comment trains growing from others who are more or less just as curious as I am about these people and their lives. Did I mention I have never actually met any of these people?

I’m talking about blogs. I have a growing number of tabs on my internet browser window. I should be doing work but instead I can’t stop myself from running down the line-up in search of new ‘stuff.’ I’m hooked. I’m drooling over recipes, cursing myself for not being as creative as these other folks, laughing at quips, sharing in their excitement, and offering up support or encouragement if they are going through a tough time. It’s crazy that we all can become so emotionally invested in the lives of others we may not really ‘know.’ But on the other hand we certainly FEEL like we know these people, so I’m lacking for the proper term. I guess know in the conventional face-to-face time sense.

And also how freaking fast these ‘friendship relationships’ happen. I didn’t know these people existed not two weeks ago but now I feel like I ‘see’ them on a daily basis. Heck, some people update these suckers on a tri-daily basis (it amazes me how quickly some of these peeps are able to toss up a post…and some entertaining stuff too!).

It got me thinking how crazy this whole internet dohicky has become. The same thing goes with Facebook and Twitter. Twitter, ugh, I’m still trying to get a full handle on that thing. I’m slooowly coming along there. I find it mindblowing how much easier it has become to find people with shared interests and the ability to form these online ‘friendships.’ Not to mention the amount of information that is to be had and shared, many of these people are experts in one kind of field or another. If not with actual degrees than with years of experience. Others have goals and it’s fun to watch them go through the process. I’m still new at the whole blog thing and this is the first time I’ve kind of dived in and now I’m hooked reading all these things.

It also made me think about what it says about us as a whole, how we are generally curious about what others are up to. What others are thinking, what is going through their minds. Humans are complex in that there are far more things going on below the surface than what is portrayed on the outside. It’s kind of like everyone has dual identities, their Clark Kent outside and Superman inside. Often times the people who we see on a daily basis face to face, we may feel slightly embarrassed to be completely open with. But with blogs, it’s almost like the semi-anonymity of it all offers up the perfect platform for people to vent and let it all hang out. Odd how that happens.

People like to share and it’s not always necessarily things all that important. The good, the bad, the inane, the thought provoking, the thrilling, and the comical. All is out there and for whatever reason us readers (myself wholly included!) feel compelled to keep going back for more. Refreshing those tabs. Years ago we might have felt like peeping-toms but today we’re just loyal blog fans. :)

1) What are your favorite blogs or ones that you are hooked on?

Can’t pick just one! I’ll have to start a blogroll. 🙂

2) If you have a blog: do you usually plan your posts in advance or just start writing and see where it goes?

A combo of both. Today I had planned on writing about one thing but wound up with something totally different. I’ll post what I had planned on soon, I promise! 🙂

3) Are you a Blogger Junkie too? haha…jk.

One Hungry Boston Terrier and Caving to Peer Pressure

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Cait — 4 Comments ↓

Whoa baby…I’ve gotten a little headachy thanks to working with that blasted Sharpie. No, I wasn’t trying to be the ‘cool’ kid in 4th grade who thinks that the awesome thing to do in arts and crafts is to attempt to get a contact high from the markers. Just been inking out some sketches and I always hate that smell of the pens, but all in the name of art, right?!? Hehe…just kidding.

Anyways, back on track here. (PS-The picture with the dog is from the calendar I made my family; last name Chock, one of their pups in named Coco…Count Chocula cereal rocks…you do the math.) Today went well, got up and did another progressive tempo run and it’s always nice to see some progress. Getting relatively faster, and I do stress the word relatively. 😉 Finished up with another tossing around of my baby weights, working on buffing out my arms…I’ll be a real meathead in no time!

Then spent some time working on some sketching and also finished what will be the third installment to the Supa’ Runna’s! (how does that name sound, I’m still not sold but again, the group name is still getting worked on.) Anyways, if it passes inspection by the applicant I’ll show you all tomorrow. So do check on back here.

That said, it’s happened…I broke down and watched The Bachelorette last night On Demand. There was SO much talk about it on FB, blogs, and the like that I cracked and figured I’d at least watch the first round. That way I can feel included when everyone else makes their predictions, makes fun of the guys who deserve it, and hate on the inevitable scumbags. This will be the first season I’ve watched any of the shows, including The Bachelor, so I didn’t know the whole backstory of Ashley going in. But they catch you up quite nicely so I feel pretty much up to speed.

So what are your guys’ thoughts? Did anyone else watch? Am I the only one who couldn’t help but laugh when some of the guys express just how romantic they are? I also want to know if you would ever go on a show like that? As either one of the 25 trying to win the final rose, or as the person doling out the roses? There’s the money perk, but even for that and a fifteen minute slot of fame, I don’t think I could handle the 24 hour surveillance. It would out all my crazy quirks, I’d no doubt end up looking like a fool, and I’m prrreeetty sure I wouldn’t find my soul mate. What say you?

1) Did you used to sniff those Mr. Scenty markers back in the day?

I have a really bad sense of smell actually and it takes a lot for me to catch a whiff of something (good or bad). But I never liked those things, they always gave me a headache after awhile.

2) Are you wrought with anticipation over the next running superhero?

Of but of course, and I know you all are too, don’t lie.

3) Are you jumping aboard this Bachelorette gossip blitz train, either by will or peer pressure? Have you watched the previous seasons?

Flashback! Living Like a Kid

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Cait — 7 Comments ↓

Hello there! Well, today when I got up I felt a little out of sorts. I always have really vivid dreams and I also have this crazy sleep problem where I wake up literally every 90 minutes or so in the night. Usually it’s in the middle of a dream and it takes me a couple minutes to sort of ‘wake up’ and realize I’m not in my dream.

I have woken up doing some pretty random things thinking I was still in my dream. Anyways, the last few nights I’ve been having some pretty bad dreams so I’ve woken up pretty unsettled. Well, I got up today and got in my workout. Just an easy run today and core work, yesterday was a harder one for me.

Well, as I was watching a Full House rerun, (go ahead and judge me, yes I voluntarily tuned into that Tanner family!) it was the one where DJ skips school to get an autograph of her favorite singer. Of course Joey catches her and the tale wraps up with DJ apologizing for lying to everyone, cut to Danny and his daughters hugging in a cheesy embrace. Audio in the, ‘Ahhhh’s.’ Still, watching those shows takes me right back to my little 2nd grade self when I’d ‘stay up late’ to watch the full TGIF line-up.

You remember those, don’t lie! Full House, Step-by-Step, Family Matters (this one I actually wasn’t so huge on, that Steve really just bugged the heck out of me), and I’m blanking on the last one, I think the last half hour slot switched around a bit with them trying out different shows.

So it got me thinking about some of the other things I LOVED as a kid. So here it goes folks. Other shows of course were the Nick staples: Clarissa Explains it All (Melissa Joan Hart before the Sabrina the Teenage Witch days), The Secret World of Alex Mac (who doesn’t love a girl who can spontaneously turn into a pile of goo?!?!), Kennan and Kel (had the biggest crush on Kel…btw I thought he dropped off the face of the planet, but I’ve seen him in a few cameos the latest being a Disney show…again, don’t judge me!), and of course Ren and Stimpy. Happy Happy Joy Joy!!

Movies: Ernest Scared Stupid…I saw this one a million times and always wanted to find Miak. Adventures in Babysitting, The Little Mermaid, Splash (I was obsessed with mermaids and this one being a live action…adored it!), and all the Neverending Stories. “Atreyu!!” hehe.

Okay, hello Squeeze-it’s!!! All time best drink, and they really need to bring those things back. There were also some Hi-C packs that for a time featured Slimer from the Ghost Busters…I was down with that slimeball.

Fun Dippers. Much better than those pixi-stix because this one come with a licking stick that you can eat after. Plus you get the whole variety of flavors thing.

Pop Tarts. This obsession still stands today, I can’t fully explain why these things hold such a rein of power over me, but they do. I think it was because growing up they were reserved for only special occasions.

Lordy, here comes the cereal line-up: Rice Krispy Treats Cereal (the big chunks of treaty clusters, baby!), Chount Chocula, Golden Crisp…much better than the knock-off Smacks, and the mother of all Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Ahh, the good old days. But in getting back to my little Full House episode, I found a few things I’d like to point out. 1) I noticed that in the earlier episodes Uncle Jessie’s last name is Cochran, but then in the later ones he weds Rebecca as Mr. and Mrs. Katsopolis. 2) There was definitely a gay pride windsock hanging in DJ’s room…way to go DJ for taking a stand and showing your support! 3) Joey was walking a young Michelle around on one of those leashes. Maybe that’s what set those Olsens up for future craziness…no one should be forced to wear a leash.

Well, I hope you all are having a great one. Here’s to living like a kiddie!

1) What are some of your favorites from childhood?

2) Favorite breakfast food?

3) Were you ever a leash kid?

Nope. But I guess that didn’t stop me from being a crazy myself, oh well.

Mondays are for Birthdays and Running Workouts…the Perfect Combo, Right?!

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

So what have I learned on this fine Monday so far? 1) All that excitement about seeing a peek of sunshine on Saturday apparently scared it back into hiding. 2) Doing a hard workout on the treadmill is made all the more excruciating when done to the annoying clucking of Kathie Lee Gifford. Thankfully there was a brief appearance by Jimmy Fallon that offset her a bit. (PS-I wasn’t the one holding the remote, sadly, that was the lady on the elliptical next to me.)

3) BUT the biggest thing is…MY LITTLE SIS TURNED 16!!! Wow, I can’t believe it, I was nine when she was born and I used to take her around to all of my school events and then meets so much that she became sort of the little mascot for a few years. I just hope that she’s far better on the road than me, (let’s all send her a collective good luck on her driver’s test today…I failed my first one, btw, which shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise.) my very first time behind the wheel with my dad I popped the tire.

Back on track here, my baby sis! Well, this is just yet another time when I REALLY hate the fact that I live up in OR and them down in CA. 🙁 Not able to make it down for her three day fest-a-palooza, what with the fam bam on Saturday, friend party on Sunday, and the actual bday today. But I’d like to think I’m there in spirit…plus, I’m sure at this point she wouldn’t want me crashing in on the friend thing. So she’s saved the embarrassment. Anyways, I made her a little piece of art that she may or may not feel like actually hanging up somewhere (don’t worry it came with a cash-stuffed card too!) and I’ll share it with you. The little pup in the pic is hers and she’s quite obsessed with her…made the pup its own Facebook page and all. 🙂

Backtracking a bit to the Jimmy Fallon thing, he was on talking about his new ‘Thank You’ type book. I usually don’t watch his show (for shame, I know, but I caught him on his good old SNL days) but he does some segments that send random thank you’s to people. One was the thank you to families that hold hands in a long chain, walk at a turtle speed, and are completely oblivious to the fact that they are blocking your entire path in the parking lot or on the road. You then are forced to move your car up inch by excruciatingly slow inch behind them until you get to a parking spot.

In honor of his little book I’d like to send a few thank you’s out myself, if they aren’t already in there. Thank you to the people who play every game and take EVERY quiz out there on Facebook in rapid-fire sessions so that they clog up the entire feed reporting their results.

Thank you to the parents who have never heard of the word discipline. I’ll also send a shout out in thanks to the fact that their kids must be brimming with self-esteem.

Thank you to the geriatric actors who play in the Life Alert commercials. This one is actually genuine because an old person laying face down on the ground crying, ‘I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’ never fails to make me laugh. Is that really mean of me?

At any rate, one last thing that crossed my mind on the good old treaddy today. Has anyone had those cross country races where it gets to the point where it’s hurting and you start to question whether hurling yourself into a big prickly bush would be less painful that motoring on to the finish? Of course you don’t actually DO it but the funny mental pictures often helped distract me from the burning in my legs for a time and lighten the mood I guess. Anyways, had a similar thought today about just letting the treadmill belt shooting me off the back end and crashing into the bike behind me. The looks I would then get would have been priceless. I guess it may be a little disturbing sharing this and wondering what that says about my psyche…that this little mental image made me crack a smile and got me through to the end. Without becoming bike food either. But, like I’ve said, I like to make fun of myself and I do laugh at old people, so there ya go.

Lastly, since I kind of feel weird just sharing random babblings from my head and not sharing something of some kind of worth, I feel I should try to give out any advice I may have. I’ll toss out a workout that I really like doing and may work for you. I do get questions from people who are just starting to run, maybe have run for awhile but want some ideas, so I’ll post one. (Also, if anyone has any questions or want to suggest a topic for me, let me know and leave a comment!)

A break-down run. This goes by tons of different names, after a warm-up (aim for at least 10 minutes) you’ll basically be doing a tempo run but you’ll start out ‘slower’ and gradually pick up the pace until you’re going much faster by the end. Think of negative splits, which is also the smart way to go about any kind of workout/race because physiologically your body will burn fuel much more efficiently and you’ll feel MUCH better than if you were to run in an opposite manner and go out way too fast. I’m sure many of you can attest to that. So pick a distance or time for your tempo run, we’ll make the example here 20 minutes. You want to start out at a pretty decent effort, not loafing but controlled, and then pick up the pace every three minutes or so. (or 1/2 mile if you’re going for miles) Then really push those last few minutes, and they should feel like you’re going faster than 5k race pace, not all out but getting there because you’ll be fatigued by this point. If it helps, picture yourself being hurled off the back of the treadmill or flung into a pile of spiky bushes if that takes your mind off things and helps you push to the end. 🙂 What also helps me is I don’t think of the whole thing, but take it in the three minute chunks one at a time. Focus on just getting through this three minutes, anyone can do anything for three minutes right?

Anyways, be sure to finish with an easy cool-down, don’t let that lactic acid just sit and pool in your muscles! Work it out, baby! Alright, rounding out this epic post I’d like to again send a shout out to the best sis in the world…(sorry folks I may be a bit partial here!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 🙂

1) What thank you would you like to send out?

2) Ever been thrown off the back end of a treadmill?

Once when I was about 7, my dad was working at a fitness equipment store and I wanted to see how fast it could go. Carpet burn.

3) Got any questions for me? 🙂

Clumsiness is a Curse and SatuRACEs

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Cait — 2 Comments ↓

That was what I looked like last night. Well, not necessarily the ‘roided out Hulkette look, but in my mind that was me. There are a few times that you want to shake your fists at the heavens above and shout ‘Why?!?,’ last night was one of them. Am I being overly dramatic? Yes. Do I have anyone else but myself to blame? No.

As I was carrying my plateful of scrummy dinner to the sofa, plopping down and balancing said plate in one hand, pushing play on the remote with the other, that’s where I made my idiot move. I was getting into that ‘good’ spot on the couch and there was a balance mishap that soon left me a shrimp, noodly-broccoli mess. ACK!! Needless to say I was royally cheesed at myself. Anyways, cleaned the mess up, made dinner number two and finished that movie. Which totally wasn’t worth tossing my dinner for by the way…it was an Irish comedy about two couples who booked their wedding receptions on the same venue. Then again it was a free rental so you get what you pay for.

SATURDAY! Well, I know that is race day for many folks out there, I know some peeps getting their race on, so I’m collectively sending you well wishes. Also, if there is anyone reading this out there who had a race today feel free to take the opportunity to brag on yourself in the comments section…I’d love to hear it! 🙂

Me, I did a longer run and pushed on the middle five. Rounded out with throwing my ginormous weights around (I’ve got to look like that picture, remember?) for a quick upper-body routine and now I’m going to be a lazy bum for the rest of the day. Good times.

On a random note, and maybe some of you gals can relate, as I kept having to swat fly-away hairs from my face the WHOLE run, I was beginning to wish I was just bald. So annoying, and that whole hair/running issue is one of the few times I really envy the guys. (But then I check myself because recently I saw a dude running an entire 5k in a full-body speed suit…not pretty and trust me, those watching do not appreciate it, fellas! haha) I’ve seen pictures of my mom back in the day and she was racing without anything tying her hair back, and I’ve seen pictures of elite women doing the same. That would drive me bonkers. Anyways, I think I need to pick up some of the elastic headband type things, maybe that will work. The only reason I haven’t used them in the past is because I’m paranoid they will either be too tight and give me a headache or they will be too loose and end up slipping and cause me further angst. But I’ve seen lots of people use them…anyone have experience there?

Also it appears that today is the end of the world. Well, what are you doing wasting your time reading my ramblings? I’m flattered. Seriously, I also love how later after the predicted end of the world and they ask these people to explain themselves…the excuses they come up with, but it always ends with them saying that it was just a mistake but they have since come up with the REAL next end of the world day. At any rate, here’s to hoping we don’t all meet our demise before tomorrow! 🙂

1) What are times when you envy the opposite sex?

2) Would you rather known in advance when you were going to die or opt for not knowing?

Ignorance is bliss in my book. And there is always something to be said for living each day like it’s your last. I always try to make sure that I end any exchange with my loved ones on a good note and let them know that I love them, because ya know, you never know. 🙂

I’m off for now, hope your Saturday is shaping up well!

Our Second Superhero and It’s Friday, Baby!

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Cait — 3 Comments ↓

Yay it’s Friday! AND the sun is shining. I must say it’s nice to wake up and see some rays of light poking out through those blinds. I’m also really stoked that with the warmer weather I can really stick it to PG and stop paying them out the wazoo on my utilities bill! Huurah!

It’s my fault, there are some things that I just refuse to suffer through and one of those is being cold, so even though I of course don the long sleeves and pants in the house I refuse to be uncomfortably chilly. I think part of this goes back to when I was growing up and my dad was a bit of a temperature control freak. He barely let us use the AC during the summers and then was skimpy on the heater in the winters. I’ve already established how much I dislike being too hot or too cold so now that I’m ‘all growed up’ it’s one of my sticking points.

Mooooving on. Okay, so isn’t is beautiful how you can feel pretty good one day and then like total @$$-monkeys the next? I’m referring to my run today, in case you’re scratching your head. Had a nice tempo yesterday but I was paying for it today. Gotta love that.

Speaking of, we’ve gotten our second addition to the Running Super Group. Hmm, I have yet to come up with a really good name for this new breed of Superheros…so the name is going to be a bit up in the air for now. But here’s the story with the new guy: (Note: I’m going to keep it clean for our fair viewers…hehe…my dad doesn’t like me to cuss, I’m trying to be better)

It was the final 200 of the final lap on the final repeat, he could feel his hamstring complaining at him but told it to once again shut up. He’d finally gotten to a point where he was able to run pretty fast without it actually screaming in pain. He’d had a good workout thus far and he’d be da**ed if he wasn’t going to finish off with his fastest one. He look at his training partner running just off his shoulder, purring along, they both nodded in agreement, picked up the pace and started to really hammer.

Rounding the turn they were on. They kept pushing until they both saw the obstruction up ahead in the middle of lane one down the homestretch. It was two ladies getting in their brisk walk, chatting no doubt about how nice the weather had been getting, ignorant of the two harriers panting their way through a self-inflicted torture session. Our running friend looked at his partner in mutually understood annoyance as they both swung out far into lane four to finish, stopping their watches. At least it was their fastest interval. He slapped his training partner on the back and went to change out of his spikes. The two ladies had made it just to the start/finish line themselves and quipped, “Wow, you guys looked like you were going fast.”

Later that night, having showered off and devoured most of a pizza, okay and truth be told a few beers too, our running friend plopped to the other place that was probably just as much of a staple in his life as his running: in front of the computer. He had a few status updates to attend to and oh, did we mention a few message boards to frequent as well? It wasn’t too long until his mouth dropped open in gaping horror…a few cookie crumbs (he’d earned a few after all) sprayed onto the screen. “No, this is just too heinously ridiculous to be true!” he thought, though on the heels of that he couldn’t stop a fit of laughter from taking over. After composing himself he decided that there may be a way for him to prevent such a ridiculous event to occur. It was a known fact that doping in the track scene had gotten to a despicable level, and he’d be da**ed if yet another noted athlete would fall victim to just such an abominable act.

And thus, The Cranky Hamstring was born. In a freak twist of chance it was in that moment of utter outrage and hilarity that the time continuum was ripped. A chasm opened up from that computer, through the message boards he flew, and was spit out on the other side. He recognized the trophies on the wall, the medals, the lush pad. “Well, I know for da**ed sure this couldn’t be the house of a distance runner. It must be a sprinter’s salary,” he thought. And then it dawned on him. He knew where he was and he knew what had to be done. And so he burst into the room…

Below is the following comic, our second edition on the heels of The Kankled Avenger. I’d like to take a minute to back up because maybe not everyone knows what this whole thing was referring to…so if you don’t follow track and fields related news, last year there was a noted sprinter who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. He claimed he tested positive not because he was knowing trying to ‘roid up but because of something that was in the male enhancement products he was taking. Anyways, I’m not trying to point the finger of blame, or say one way or the other what the truth may or may not be (wow, I sound like a political candidate here), I’m just poking fun at the whole situation in general.

Okay, I’m sorry if I’ve geeked out too much here for those who aren’t running nerds, but I was in a drawing mood yesterday and wanted to add this to the Superhero chain. At any rate, I hope your Friday is plugging along and you’ve got some fun stuff planned for the weekend! 🙂

1) What is something you refuse to be cheap about and will shell out for?

2) What’s the worst thing you’ve ever cheated on?

I’m so lame, I never cheated off of anyone else because I know I’d just be too guilty to not confess. But I let a girl cheat off of my homework in 5th grade, we got caught and I kid you not I felt guilty for way too long.