2012 in review

2012 was a good year for me.  I have a thing for Olympic years.  I was born in one (1984), the first year to have the Women's Marathon.  Can you believe it took that long for society to welcome women to running?  Anyway, I'm off topic here.

Here's the summary:

Professional

I decided to stick with my career in education, despite my unique background.  I love teaching, and my resume now has more in education than engineering anyway, plus it affords me the quality of life I want.  This means going back to school is strongly recommended and I finally got that ball rolling on that with a strong semester (a B and an A-), despite feeling very daunted by my classes this fall.  There's a long road ahead of me here, but finishing this first semester well was the validation I needed to know I'm doing the right thing.  My actual job has been expanding as well, and I'm getting the opportunity next semester to teach a couple new courses.       

Personal

I went to a great mini-conference at the beginning of 2012 and I feel it was great way to set things in motion.  This year I've felt more content, at peace and assured of myself.  In high-school I was a very insecure person with very few friends, and as I look back over the last 10 years I realize that I've grown up a lot and made friends along the way.  Also, despite my independent nature, my relationship with Tony has grown too, and while relationships inherently have challenges - I'm very content right now with who Tony and I are together.  

Physical
Ok, so let me just say - I had such a fun year!  I've been blessed to have no major injuries (only minor pain issues) and the time to pursue new challenges! So, without further ado...
I completed my first triathlon and loved it! 

I ran my second marathon 40+ minutes faster than the first.
I now have actual calf muscles instead of jiggly globs, which is pretty cool too.
Also, I completed 1089 miles total, it breaks out this way:

Obviously, I needed the biking (454.4 mi) to make the 1000 mile goal, but I'm glad to see that the running (610.5 mi) still accounted for the most miles.  Swimming doesn't sound real good in terms of miles, but I'll let you know it takes a long time to complete 7.1 miles swimming.

2012 was good to me; I'm curious to see what 2013 will bring.  

The Lull is over

This is the third fall that I've done a "big race" and it always takes a while for me to get back on the running bandwagon afterwards.  This year I had the complications of moving and finals to the usual lull.

I rekindled my energy this year in the way that I always do... RACES!  I also realized that if I sign up earlier I would save on race costs.   As a part of my desire to save on costs, I joined the Minnesota Distance Running Association (www.runmdra.org), which was $25, and allows me to sign up for a lot of very affordable and some free races.

Looking up interesting races and figuring out my 2013 race calendar (Race Plans) was super fun and totally gave me the runner's bug again.

In other news, I'm still chasing that sub 30 5K.  In keeping with that, here's something I found on pinterest...

Source: fantasmo.blogspot.com.au via Erin on Pinterest

Now, I must tell you I hate the title "Killer Kardio", as I don't care for poor spelling or masochistic insinuations about exercise, but it seems like a pretty creative and challenging work out.  I'd love to tell you that I just waltzed right though this, but I couldn't even come close.  I did a very modified (wimpy) version: I did less than half of the sets and about 6 mins of running for each interval.  So my goal is to work up to being able to complete the workout and I think that might well coincide with the sub 30 5K.  We'll see.

some thoughts on Mental Health

Recently, a tragedy occurred in my family.  Death is something we all must accept, but it feels harder when that life wasn't able to be lived to the fullness that it should have been.  In this instance, death is just the recent climax in a story that is as complicated as it is long, and in the interest of protecting my family members I'll be leaving most of the details off.  I will say that poor mental health played a veritable role on more than one level and in more than one character along the way.  It's uncomfortable to think about how things could have been avoided and answer-less for those of us who sat blindly on the sidelines.  Hopefully, in the aftermath, some mysteries will be revealed, but for now we are left to hedge guesses.

Though I do want to say a few things about how 'I think' you can stay mentally healthy.  My observations come largely in light of the recent tragedy but not strictly so.  I'm NOT a mental health expert, so please take these observations for layman suggestions that they are.  I'm also not convinced this is any way a complete list nor was I going for that.  If you have mental health concerns of any kind please seek out a mental health professional.        

1. Share Secrets
Secrets can be fun when it's a surprise birthday party, or a special Christmas gift... but oftentimes they can really weigh a person down.  I really like what the "Post Secret" project purports to do by giving people an outlet to get things of their chest.  Now, this doesn't mean share everything with everyone, healthy boundaries are still a good thing, but find someone who is worth sharing with and do.  Don't carry the weight all on your own.

2. Skip Stigma and Shame
Mental health is still fairly misunderstood even in our modern day.  Seeking help for understanding yourself, figuring out what's off and making good choices should be encouraged not admonished.  As a wise friend of mine once said "Therapy should be for everyone and free".  I have sought out therapy in the past when things were feeling off or I was sorting through difficult situations, and found it to be very helpful.

3.  Let your mind relax.
Throughout my day to day life there are many mini-monoloques of thought going through my mind.  Most of the time there is work to do and I don't get a chance to process those unkempt thoughts.  Meditation, Vegging, Running, Journal-ling and even sometimes games... are all ways to let your mind wind down.  Process what needs to process and feel refreshed so you can move forward.  The hardest part is sometimes giving yourself the freedom to do so... but think would you rather a clear mind or a clean house?  ... and for what it's worth sometimes methodically doing housework can actually be mentally relaxing for me as well.... sometimes.  

There's so many more little things I could say on this soap box of mine...  I still think there is much we don't know about the topic of mental health, and know that many times the answers aren't as clear cut a brief blog post.  I'm not sure I should open this can of worms but I will add that I know of cases where prescription drugs have been a part of that answer and cases where they have been abused, so I think it's a very case by case issue.

In closing, I'd be interested to know your own thoughts on the mental health issue... as I know I left a lot of things out.        

Thankful

As per American tradition I'll be spending today enjoying a good meal, connecting with friends, and hopefully playing a some games.   I might skim the store fliers, but I don't have any big plans to go out shopping tomorrow.  Tony and I plan to attend a local church who is doing an "anti-consumerism" service that peaked our interest.  Hopefully that proves to be a welcome change of pace from the usual hustle of Black Friday shopping.

I meant to post one thing I'm thankful for each day this month, but that sort of got away from me.  Indeed, I have much to be thankful for, but my "leisurely schedule" is not one of them.  

At any rate, here's 30 "things" I'm thankful for, some more tangible than others, for the month of November.

1.  Tony,
2.  and my happy relationship with him
3.  My family's love
4.  and support
5.  My immediate family's health
6.  and well-being
7, 8, and 9.  My cats: Kenya, Sugar and Spice
10.  That I have a good job in this tough economy
11.  That I have a secure place to live
12.  That I can run,
13.  and run far
14.  That I earn enough money to pay my bills
15.  and even a little extra.
16.  That I live in country where people value treating women equally
17.  That I'm healthy
18.  That I have the opportunity to go back to school
19.  and not on my dime.
20.  That I'm capable of handling the coursework.
21. That I already have a degree.
22.  That I have access to clean water,
23.  and plenty of food
24.  That my life has not been disrupted by a natural disaster.
25.  That my Dad can help me with various car issues.
26.  For the internet
27.  For blogs and blog friends
28.  For coffee
29.  For gummy vitamins
30.  and for the many things I've yet to mention

As I was writing this list, I realized that I'm fortunate to even be able to write this list at all.  My heart goes out to those who have dealt with hurricane Sandy, are suffering from terminal illness or won't be able to enjoy a hearty meal.  Their lists might not be so easy to write.  For those in difficult situations this season, I wish them solace wherever they may find it, and to all - I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!  

On the Move...

In less than two weeks, I will be attempting (hopefully successfully) a move.  At the risk of being melodramatic this is the BIGGEST MOVE of my life!  I've lived at my current place for almost 5 years and it's amazing how much stuff I've managed to accumulate during that time.  Simply. Amazing.  While it remains true that I'm generally capable at life... things like packing, organizing, and minimizing stuff remain somewhat low on the list.  I'm confident I will survive this move, but not sure I can say the same for my furniture.

So far... I've packed 4 boxes... with so many more to come.  Yes, it's a bit on edge timing wise... and well aren't I always it seems.  The truth is we've been busy.  We spent the last weekend in South Dakota visiting friends and it was a truly enjoyed time, I might even say "a needed retreat" of sorts.   I've also been balancing work and school.  I generally enjoy the learning experience, but it takes up a crippling amount of time.  Math is hard, even for us math people.

It's honestly hard for me to know how to spend each day.... I have so many things I enjoy and want to do, and limited amount of energy and time.  I'm thankful I'm privileged enough to get to make such choices, but that doesn't make them always easy.   Lately, school has taken a priority and things like running have sunk a bit on the list.  At other times in my life it's been the precise opposite.   I think it's just an equation of what's best when.  Summer is a good time for running, and now is a good time to focus in on school.  I feel getting this next degree is on a timeline and I don't have the ability to put it off willy nilly, so I better buckle down.  People can and do fail upper level math courses all the time.  I'm currently riding between an A and B, but don't want to get too comfortable.  

Anyway... all that to say, this move has unintentionally snuck up on me and now with a slight break from school (ie thanksgiving)... I will hunkering down to more packing, among the festivities this weekend.  Also, if you are local and would like to lend a hand - I would be forever grateful.  I will also provide you with food.  (email rubyleigh31(at)gmail(dot)com )

Complete Sidenote: I've been getting really into grape tomatoes and hummus, as mentioned here. and this was the cute label on my last buy with Tom, Matt and Otto

Easily amused, I guess.

UPDATE: As of last night I'm up to 10 boxes packed.  This seems like a solid rate of change.

Post Election Recap

This isn't a political blog, and it's not about to become one.  But before we've completely forgot about the election I wanted to take a moment to process my concluding thoughts.

• This is the first year in a long while where I've gotten truly involved with learning about each of the races, the candidates and the issues at stake.  Because of this, I felt confident and reassured about my vote in every case (well except for the long list of judges), but you get the idea.  
• NPR (or MPR) National Public Radio or it's Minnesotan counter part have been a huge resource.  Especially the latter in terms of local races.  Unlike the presidential debate which is largely pageantry,  the local debates hosted by mpr were hugely informative.  While I can't say switched sides, I did in one case soften my view quite remarkably for "the opponent.", I could appreciate their perspective, but in the end regarded it as naive.  
• Big voter turn outs are fun to see in big election year!  Much is made of this in terms of what it means for the results, but to me this is a result in itself.  At the end of the day, I believe this is a right everyone should exercise regardless of their views, and I'm proud that Minnesotans are some of the most 'vote happy' people around. 
• Lastly, minorities in this country are a growing group, a group that is also finding their voice at the polls.  Obama has won in part do to his strong lead among women, Latinos, African Americans and the poor.  Now, more than ever appealing to disenfranchised groups matters.  Going forward, I believe a successful  presidential candidate is going to need to appeal to all people groups.  I can't help but think that's a good thing.    

Okay, and now, I can let you be done with the election craziness.  Promise.  

Saving on: Eating Out

When I first started this blog, I had a goal of eating at a very low cost.  I learned a lot through that extreme measure and challenged myself to do somethings I wouldn't otherwise done.  For instance, I made homemade bread and tortillas.  I realized at the time that cooking from scratch often yielded significant savings.  I also really liked the purity of the idea and wanted to eat as scratch-made as often as possible.  I wanted to save every penny, not just because I'm sort of a miser, but because I enjoyed the game of it.

Enter: Reality

The reality is I'm not a housewife, and I'm not on a that restrictive of a budget.  I need to be modest, but I can afford basic necessities such as food.

Also, if you consider your time as valuable in monetary terms, some scratch made items are not worth the time put it.

One of the down sides to my "commitment" to scratch-made food is that I very rarely had items in the house that were readily cook-able, and it turns out that not every day do I want to spend an hour plus in the kitchen cooking.  Sure, I like cooking and all, but it's not all that I'm responsible for either, and as I mentioned earlier: I'm not a housewife (or a house-girlfriend, or a house anything for that matter).  Anyway, so if I want to eat (which is everyday), but I don't want to put much effort into cooking... Solution: go out to eat! ...err... except for that's basically the most expensive, unhealthy way to eat possible (with a high range of variance).

Basically, despite good intentions, I'm not able to maintain a 'very' cheap food system for very long, so I find myself resorting to 'going out' foods more often than I really need to.  So, I found two things that really help with that.  They aren't novel ideas really, but they work none the less.  

1. Buying 'expensive' food
For example, I decided it was okay to buy already made hummus, and grape tomatoes.  I know these foods don't sound crazy indulgent, but before I thought I 'had to' make hummus from scratch, and only buy grape tomatoes when there was wildly good deal.  I don't though, and having foods I love around has made me more excited to pack lunches.  These foods are actually healthy too and require 'zero' preparation. 

Sunday morning we made breakfast burritos at home, we used good ingredients, like bacon and fresh veggies which are things that I think of as being expensive.  A very rough calculation on ingredient cost suggested it cost about $8.00 for the batch, and safe estimates say we will get at least 4 meals out of this (probably more) for $2.00/person.  When we go out to our favorite breakfast cafe, even with a groupon, it ends up being about $9.50/person.

2. Accepting some processed foods
We've also purchased frozen pizzas.  They are virtually deplorable health wise, but it's well 'easy', and though it's not all that cheap, we've often ordered pizza out when there's "nothing to eat" around here, so the frozen pizza is a lower loss option.  Frozen pizza can easily be purchased for $5.00 or $2.50 per person, and take-out pizza is usually at least $15.00 which is $7.50/person.  Also, as I understand it there are some more favorable health-wise options as well.

Last, we bought a box of breakfast sandwiches  like these ones:

 It was $13.50 for the box of 12, making it one of the most expensive items in my cart and I didn't even have a coupon.   There were cheaper ones at the store, but these seemed slightly healthier (and more edible).  The sandwiches round to $1.13 each, which makes them over a dollar less then their counter part at McDonald's and after a taste test, I can say they were comparable. In this case Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwich is a little more healthy than the McD version and has fewer calories as well.

Conclusion
In the first examples, I just need to get over my neurosis of buying mildly expensive food.  For instance... yes I can make decent garlic bread from scratch, but the awesome tasting loaf from target which is $2.00, is hardly a waste of money.  In the last examples, it's a case of the perfect being the enemy of the good.  Also, if I had to locate where food costs add up the most for us - it's very obviously going out to eat.  No question.  So options like frozen pizza and microwave meals make sense (in moderation).  These changes do save me money, but they also add balance.   

At the end of the day - the ideal would be perfectly prepared meals from all-natural, scratch made ingredients all the time.  I can't say I wouldn't want this, but the reality is it takes time.  Time away from other goals and priorities (such as getting another degree, and having a successful career, which are no less important and in some ways more urgent at this juncture in my life).  So I share this because, I imagine I'm not the only one who has to balance a variety of goals in their life, and hope it gives you some food for thought (har har) about where you can make changes to increase balance as well as save money.

10 great things about TC marathon 2012 (10 days later)

10.  I beat my last year's marathon by 41 minutes!  (never to be done again)  I came in a 5:01:21.  Here's the stats:

9.  I'm still among the thankful that there are port-a-potties along the course.

8.  I got one good photo from this event

7.  There was music blasting and crowds cheering the whole way through, including these awesome dancing robots

6.  Long distance fans, who cheered virtually from 900 miles away (Thanks @HealthyAlyse).

5.  I obsessed about this marathon... I won't admit how many times I might of calculated my possible finish time.  I also had all my long runs scheduled on my Google calendar since march (when I signed up).   I think it paid off.  

4.  I haven't ran once since the race (my knee has some soreness, but I will probably be back on my feet soon)

3.  This marathon made me realize I "like" marathoning.  I sort of did already, but now I officially have several marathons on my bucket list.    

2.  I've had this conversation more than once.
          Me: I ran a marathon last weekend
          Other Person:  Oh really, did you place?
          Me:  Ummmm.... no.
          Other Person:  Oh, sorry to hear that.
           *too funny*

1.  Friends

Basking in Blurry Marathon Bliss

I'm not even really sure what to say about this marathon...so settle in for a long post.

I was pretty nervous the day before, my expectations were high and in place, but reality was my shin felt imperfect, my training had slacked in the last weeks and I didn't really know what I was leaving to chance.  Note: when you run the marathon, there is always something left to chance.

I set the alarm for 5:30 am and began the morning ritual.  Bagel and Coffee, adorn race outfit, pin on number, check and double check that I have everything.  Make several trips to the bathroom.  

Tony asked me, "Do you feel better than you did last year?" I said, "I have the same nerves, even though I know my training was better."  On the way to the HH Metrodome, Tony made me laugh so much.  I was babbling on about the corrals and he made a joke about cattle... you had to be there.. but the guy is hysterical sometimes.  Like last year it was so busy that he dropped me off about a block from the location and as I was strolling in - I tripped and fell on the pavement.  Not the best way to start the day, but I was fine and several nice runner people asked if I was fine too.  Once I got inside the Metrodome, I made yet another trip to the bathroom.  (Never can be too sure). Then it was about time to head out to the corrals.

As I was waiting in the corrals, I saw my friend Anne from high-school. We recently reconnected while we were both running  in the Women's Rock Half-Marathon.  Crazy times!  We discussed typical runner things, and I said I would be so happy with 4:59:59... (even though my official goal was 5:12:22).

When we crossed the start line and began to run, I felt like all my nerves went away.  My shin pain was mild to non-existent and I just embraced the race.  The crowd was amazing and I tried to focus on taking it easy for those first few miles, even though I was still going pretty quick for me.  Unsurprisingly, I spent a great deal of the time thinking about running and marathons.  I observed many people wearing shirts that supported some sort of cause.  Running for world vision, Running for education, Running for people in Africa  running for voting no, running for voting yes.  I wondered what I was running for.... myself?  Seems slightly selfish when couched against all these causes, but perhaps a little more pure.  Maybe.  I guess I really don't need a "big" reason, I think I run because I can.  I'm really thankful for that... I've become more aware lately what a gift that is.

I saw several friends along the way.  Thanks to all of you for being there.  Many from the blogging community, but also others.  I believe I will miss some here, but Kelly at 7, Tony at 11, Jen, Meredith and Kris at 14, Ann and Jay at 16, Heidi at 20ish?, Carrie at 22, Annie at 24, and Juila, Jay, and Ann at the Finish (and Tony too!)  Also, Steph was at the finish too, and she saw me, but I didn't see her.

I spent the entire race in some sort of blissful running blur.  I was really taken in with the run; I trusted my training and just kept moving.   Honestly, a few of my beloved spectators really had to scream to get my attention.  In one hysterical moment, I waved back, but didn't figure out who I was waving too until a few yards down... I shouted back "Hey Meredith!".  Also, I saw Ann and Jay with their awesome robot costumes... but because I was expecting to see them at mile 17 (they were at 16), I didn't fully realize it was them until later.

There were tough moments of course, miles 22 to 25 were the hardest, and I did walk some.  It was very good to see Annie at mile 24!

Running really takes you in if you let it.... There are some great days of running and some bad ones.  This was a great one.   I trained, the weather was perfect... the social element was the cherry on top.  I've talked on here about how I usually run without a soundtrack (ie no music) and that's not to sound elitist... but I don't miss it; I love that brain time.  I started the day with a few layers, a fleece, a long sleeve, and some mittens, but left all of that out on the course.  In a way that's how running is... it's best when you leave a some of what you were carrying behind.

I'll do a more "numeric" oriented post in a bit, but I will leave you with this.  Finish time: 5:01:21  Not quite 4:59:59, but hey, I'm happy.

5 days to go

Here's what's racing through my mind (pun intended):

- I recently ran a spontaneous 5k called The Big Gay RACE - total blast of a time.  You can read Liz's recap here. 

-Weather predictions for 8/7 (marathon day) are cold and cloudy.  mmm hmm.  That's what we runners like.  

-Don't have any idea what I'm going to wear.  I've had a habit of dressing 'too warm for running' in cold weather... so I am trying to avoid that but still prevent hypothermia while waiting in the corrals.  I also want to look cute. Nothing wrong with that.  If some knows a master plan here - I'd love to hear it.    

-Missed my morning run today, and I'm debating as to whether or not I'll actually make it up this afternoon.  Between my monthly visit from Aunt Flo and some "very minor" shin pain I'm not going to worry about it too much.  I've had a solid season and I don't think I can get derailed that easily at this point in the game.   

- I'm excited to join up with some other awesome blogger runners - Julia, Kat and Falon are going to be out on the course too.  

-You can stalk me here.  Look up Er!n M@nthey - hopefully you can translate to normal the non-google-able version of my name.  You must sign up by 7pm 8/6.  I believe there will be a live map day of on the TCM events site... but I'm clueless as too how that will actually work.

UPDATE: Jen will also be among us this Sunday.  Go her!  

Running the Numbers

My marathon training is coming to a close, so I thought I would run some numbers.  This is a bit of nerded out run post, so I guess you can't say you weren't warned.

For whatever reason this year's training plan ended up including a lot of 12 mile runs.  My runs were usually 12.4 miles because of the routes available around my house.  I think that last run should of been 12.4 too (as it was the same path), but my garmin was a little wonky (ie I don't run through building despite the garmin reporting differently).  I'm sure there is some clever way to shave off that additional 0.4, but it doesn't seem like that would do much for me, so why bother.  I decided to include last years time too... just to show off the stark comparison.      

Date	Distance	Time	Pace
Aug 24th 2011	12.45 mi	2:39:32	12:48
Jul 7th 2012	12.40 mi	2:23:45	11:36
Aug 25th 2012	12.41 mi	2:24:40	11:39
Sep 9th 2012	12.42 mi	2:23:55	11:35
Sep 23rd 2012	12.32 mi	2:22:33	11:34

Other than an improvement from last year, I've been pretty consistent during these runs.   Holding withing a few seconds of 11:35, it's not a bad pace and quick enough to meet my overall goal of 5:12:22 (11:55 pace) for the full marathon. 

However, I've also participated in two half-marathons this year, where I ran a little faster.  Even though I'm a back of the back runner... I think the race mentality really gets to me!

Date	Race	Time	Pace
April 28th 2012	Get in Gear	2:28:32	11:19
Sep 1st 2012	Women's Rock	2:21:22	10:48

So I found this jazzed out race time predictor (http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/calculator)... 'scuse my nerdy cheer... but it's so cool!  It produces so many numbers it will make your head spin, or if you're like me you'll be tenting your fingers and saying "Excellent!" (Simpsons Reference)

McMillan's Predictions:

Get in Gear's time predicts a marathon of 5:12:37 

Women Rock's time predicts a marathon of 4:57:31  

I'm really curious about how this algorithm works.  I read about it in Marathon by Hal Higdon, and as I understand it took years of work to perfect.  I've somewhat assumed it to be the most accurate.    

However, there is also a race time predictor available at runner's world (http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/trainingcalculator), which is strictly based on a formula instead of a fancy algorithm.  I entered my race times on here too   

Runner's World Predictions. 

Get in Gear's time predicts a marathon of 5:09:41 

Women Rock's time predicts a marathon of 4:54:44  

Runner's World has me going a little faster... I guess we'll have to wait and see what's the most accurate.  

Let me be clear - these predictions make me happy! They all meet my goal (except for one which is 15 seconds shy :\).  However... 

The reality is these are just fancy algorithms and formulas.  Interesting in their science and valid in many ways, all calculations have breakdown at certain point.  For instance the Mcmillian gives me an ultra marathon prediction as well... but reality is it isn't something I could do unless I trained very very hard.  

My fair warning though is that last year, when I was messing around with race prediction widgets... and the numbers were not so kind as they are now; I did "better than predicted" - so if you use these "tools" realize that they are just that. 
_________________________________________________

What do you think of race prediction tools? 
I think they are fun and nerdy.  (What kind of Math Major would I be - if I didn't love numbers?) They give you a great idea of how you might perform, but shouldn't be trusted whole heartily   

Slowing Down and Doing Things

I'm officially into the taper portion of marathon training... and it's a tad eerie.  My mind thinks I should be running more, but apparently that's not what you do.  I read a book about it.

I felt a little sluggish when I started my 12 mile run today, and never really felt like I got out of my sluggishness... however  it was a record pace for that route for me, so I guess I can't complain too much.    

I started school this fall, and not just in the teaching sense.  I'm also taking classes.  So while it's absolutely true that I'm really happy to be able to do this and happier yet that I don't have to pay (My work is covering tuition), I'm insanely busy right now! ... or that's how it feels.  I've been getting in the bare minimum number of workouts in with regard to marathon training and I still feel like I'm still only keeping my head above water with school and work.

Whilst trying to tell myself everything is going to work out... I've been imagining a life with less to do.  I wake up, maybe I run, maybe I blog, I knit, then sew... and then I play video games.  It sounds nice doesn't it.   I also think it's funny that when I imagine a less stressful existence... I still imagine myself doing things.  I guess I'm that way or something.  The reality though is their are bills I want/need to pay and degrees I want to get and marathons I want to run.  My daydream of playing video games will have to hold off.  

So then there's today; I'm pushing the reset button a little.  Tony is out and about, so I'm doing laundry, some house cleaning, homework, and oh yeah I ran 12 miles.  I'm trying to relish in it.

Also, while cleaning I re-united with this shirt:  

Yeah, I did that.


  

28 for 28

28 marks yet another year in my time here on earth.  My birthday was Sept 11th, but better late than never I say.  I'm very comfortable with getting older; I'm a bit of an old soul anyways and sometimes it feels nice to have the number start to match how "mature" I feel.  I've always tended to bond with people who are older than me and as a teacher having a an extra year between me and my students helps garner some respect (which can be handy).  That being said, I find it odd that there is less and less of my 20s left and that my high-school and college years are safely in the last decade now.  When I was young I always spent time looking into the future and wondering what was next, but now I have more years to look back on as well and that shifts your perspective.

Last year I created 27 goals for my 27 years. You can read more detail on how I did on those here!

The tally:
Check! 15
Almost  5
Made an Attempt 1
No, not really 6

While I didn't accomplish every single one, I enjoyed creating, focusing and working toward many of them, so I figured why not do it again.

1. Run a sub 30 5K! - I'll do it one of these years! (yes! - twice I might add)
2. Run a sub 60 10K - much harder, but I'm currently optimistic (almost, had a 60:36 - so close!)
3. Finish 2nd Marathon in less than 5:12:22 (done!)
4. Get A's and B's in my classes this fall and going forward (yes, but mostly B's, oh well)
5. Research appropriate grad programs (I pretty much know what I'm doing here)
6. Make connections and new friends at school (I'd say so, actually ran into some old friends too)
7. Complete the Rubik's Cube (yes, but I needed help, still not perfected)
8. Learn how to do strength training (yes!)
9. "Strength Train" (yes! - a modest effort, but yes)
10.  Do an Olympic Distance Triathlon (not quite, did a longer than sprint tri though)
11. Eat at one new restaurant a month. (no, and this one was easy - lol)
12. Try an ethnic cuisine I have not before. (I did, I think it was peruvian)
13. Learn how to make ice cream (nope!)
14. Keep the blog "updated"(pff!)
15. Do a blog giveaway (nope!)
16. Continue to grow blog readership (doubtful)
17. Get better at Writing Thank you notes (better, still sort of a needs improvement thing)
18. Volunteer once per month (yes)
19. Remember Birthday's. (bettter)
20. Bake something for my coworkers (nope!)
21. Have friends over for food semi-monthly (close)
22. Accomplish a small sewing project (pff!)
23. Read a couple fiction books (not audio, not blogs, not non-fiction - I do plenty of that already!) (pff!)
24. Seek out Live Music (I think so, though the bf helped a lot with this.)  
25. Organize/Update iTunes selections (pff!)
26. Seek out professional development (I have a conference in mind) (I looked into this conf, but it was both a work scheduling challenge as well as difficulties in getting funds.)
27. Learn more about public policy (I've paid more attention to politics, most of what I've learned depresses me)
28. Move Successfully. (done!)

It's hard to specify 28 goals! Good practice, but hard.  A lot them ended up having vague terms like better and more, I thought about ways I could quantify them, but in some cases I would really be okay with simple realized improvement (nothing more/nothing less).  I have a few "life" categories represented here.  Fitness goals, those were in someways the easiest to make, because they are so easy to quantify.  Academic and Professional goals, I've decided to take the steps necessary to pursue my long awaited dream of going to grad school, which involves taking some undergrad courses first.  Blog goals, I want keep the blog active, but I know with my school pursuits I have to be realistic.  Also, longer post needed, but I will have to move in December, so I think that will be really hard.  Moving isn't really my thing, I'm not very organized like that, so wish me luck!

Marathon - The book and my thoughts

The Twin Cities marathon is exactly one-month away, which seems like an ideal time to talk about what I've been doing to train.   As you know, this will be my second marathon and a primary reason I'm doing this again has been to do it better.  I may also be addicted to running.  My desire for improvement partially comes from my thinly veiled perfectionism, but also because I went into the last marathon pretty naive.  I thought it would be like any other long race (hint: it's not), and while I walked away from the marathon very proud, and I still am, I was also walking away with a distinct hobble.  This year I want to finish strong (though the hobble part might be inevitable)

To improve my performance this year I first needed to gain some knowledge.  The easiest/cheapest way to gain knowledge is by reading.  Welcome: Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide: Advice, Plans, and Programs for Half and Full Marathons  by Hal Higdon

Marathon manages to deliver a bulk of marathon training information, while remaining an enjoyable and entertaining read.  Hal Higdon has both established himself as a reputable marathoner, with 111 marathons participated, as well as a great writer.  In addition, Hal Higdon does not just rely on his own personal experience but relies on research provided by various higher learning institutions as well as data from surveys of marathon finishers.

There are many touch-points that I could reflect on in the book, but I thought I would take five to reflect on discuss how I'm trying to implement those ideas.

1. Consistent Running
Higdon encourages running often; as often as is possible without injury.  With respect to that I've tried to maintain never going more than 72 hours without a run, a metric he recommends, and a doable one for me.  At one point this meant, throwing in a short 1.6 mile run on an otherwise very hectic day.

2. Nutrition
While nutrition cannot replace good training (read running itself), it is important, and carbs are the name of the game.  Increasing your carb intake hardly seems like an important mandate in our carb saturated American diet but with the popularity of such diets like Atkin's and low carb rhetoric - it's a statement worth making.  Carbohydrates are a source of fuel, and if you are about to be running 26.2 miles you are going to want some fuel.  However, consuming more carbs doesn't necessarily  mean indulging in endless pasta and cake.  Carbs should be complex.  This means not just whole wheat, but bananas, other fruits, lentils and sweet corn.  Though carb intake should be increasing fat intake should remain low.  So throw out the greasy pasta (or keep it to a minimum) and bring on the bananas!  

3. Rest
So Running a lot is good, but rest is still a part of the process.  Higdon talks about the many negatives of over training ranging from decreased running performance, increased chance of injury and lower libido.  He talks about warning signs of over-training and how to make adjustments.  I usually pretty happy to take a rest day, it is rest after all, but when I was training for both the tri an marathon at the same time I did experience some signs of fatigue. Luckily, I was usually able to find a way to recoup, sometimes that meant a full rest day, sometimes just toning down the workout.

4. Drop back week
The idea of a drop back week is well known among experienced marathoners, but I was unfamiliar it last year as I was training.  I ended up unwittingly instituting drop back weeks out of sheer exhaustion.  This year I had things planned out that way from the get go, which has consequently allowed me to have more and better long runs over all.

5. Speed Work
Higdon discusses many options for incorporating speed work into your marathon training regimen. He also warns that too much speed work or introducing speed work as a novice runner is not always a wise idea due to the possibility of injury.  While I've been slow to implement any sort of consistent speed work into my training, Marathon did give me a lot ideas about how to get started and things to try, and made the idea of speed work seem less daunting and mysterious.  

I recommend the book and enjoyed reading it cover to cover.  It also includes inspiring marathoner stories, thoughts from Olympic marathoners and logistical advice on how to prepare for race day.

Check out Hal Higdon's site for access to free training plans for many different race distances as well as forums where Hal himself gives training advice.  

I purchased the book Marathon by Hal Higdon myself and wrote this review completely of my own volition.      

WOMEN ROCK - Half Marathon

This race epitomized why I sign up for races.  The energy, the swag, the friends, the Champagne!!! at the end! Not gonna lie - this race had it all!

Oh and there is one more reason I like to race... because it pushes me to go fast.

My goal was to PR, but I wasn't sure if that would happen.  My training runs have been slower than the required pace.  When I started, I was cruising and I thought for sure I was going to BONK and be hurting by the end... but I basically maintained (a little slowing down) and came through the finish chute strong!

Time: 2:21:22  

This is a 10:48 pace... which is a better pace than my 7K this spring, and more than twice the distance.   Also, for the first time that I can remember I passed more people than passed me.  Yippee!

Seriously, I'm really feeling way too good about myself right now, feel free to take me down a notch.  

I guess I could add I'm still in the back half for my age group, but it was just barely this time.  46th percentile for the numbers people, but that doesn't feel so bad anyway.  

Picture credit to Kelly

The WOMEN ROCK race was an excellent experience and the race organizers and volunteers were really awesome. ... and the swag was excellent!!

Picture credit to Nora.

I paid $10 for this picture! (and other tri costs)

I consider myself a somewhat frugal person.  Largely, this comes out of necessity as money has been really really tight, but recently I've had more flexibility and feel like I am slowly getting back on solid ground.  I still like to price compare and use coupons at the grocery store, and I keep the food budget for Tony and I below national standards.  How people make their financial decisions can be really personal, and I know that I spend money on things some people would never consider, while others spend in ways I never would.

All that to say, the cost to tri includes a monetary one, not to mention the time commitment and so on.  I think examining monetary costs is interesting and important, so after some debate, I've decided to plow forth.

Swim:
Suit: $25 - I didn't have anything suit wise that didn't fall into the camp of beach bikini, essentially nothing appropriate for athletic activity.  I saw sport suits run as much as $100, but I bought this one at swimoutlet.com for less and I have no issues with the quality of it.
Goggles: $7 - also purchased at swimoutlet.com
Swim Cap: $7 - I wanted a lycra one for practice... I was given a mandatory to wear latex one for the race.

Bike
The Bike (of course) - $850 - read my post on this!
A helmet - I had one, but could have been $40 to $200 (I bought mine several years ago, but I'm sure it was no where near $200)
Bike Shorts - $50 (also purchased at swimoutlet.com)

Run
Race (ID) belt - $8 - mine had a zipped pocket for gels, also an id badge.  I've been using this using this as a safety measure and gel carrier on my long runs as well.

Race:
Race Entry - $89 (this is with the early bird discount)
1-day USAT Membership - $12
MinnefotaMomentsPic $10

Total: $1058

What I didn't include were things I bought primarily for running such as new shoes and the garmin, partially because I didn't use either of them during the actual race, but also because I would have bought them anyway for just running.  Most of the stuff on this list can be used again and again, so this hardly reflects the cost of one tri - but it does show there is a fair amount of upstart costs to getting into the sport.  The bike is area where I could have spent less and may have had the money not been available, but also an area where I could have spent way way more (like more than my car more).

On this list of things purchased was this picture:

that's me - who knew?

I might not recognize myself if my name wasn't attached.   I look determined ... and dare I say - athletic?  

So the costs to to tri are high... but to me the experience was priceless.  Also, I'm so showing this photo to my hypothetical kids one day.  

Tri-umph!

You guys -  I'm in love with triathlons... !  My experience on Sunday was beyond my expectations. 

Ok, that's the condensed version... but now for the nitty gritty. 

Trench coatin'

Weather predictions were gloomy for this day... and it made me a little nuts in the last couple days, because I was totally planning for 80 and hot all summer long.  I don't have a wetsuit or bike pants or anything warm for tris.  In this picture, I am wearing my trench coat over my "suit" as I wait for us to be herded like cattle to the swim start.  Luckily, I had a Tony to take this from me for safe keeping shortly before the actual start.  On the plus side, cold air meant the water felt warm and it was at 78 degrees, so I didn't miss the wetsuit.  

Can you find me?

My parents came out to see me and snapped this of the crowd as we were getting going.  I was able to spot them first and then wave to them so they could see me.

Swim: (10:57)

As much as I've enjoyed swimming, am pretty comfortable with lake water and have even gotten quicker over time - This was still the hardest part.  Just something about that murky water, getting clunked in the head a couple times and having un-perfected sighting skills which caused me to go crooked a couple times... makes this all pretty hard.  This met my expected time though, so I can't complain.    

Wash station

 T1 (4:54) 

I splashed my feet to get rid of the sand, got the bike shorts and shirt on, helmet on, made an attempt at drying off and the time flew by. 

Bike: (56:17)

My first rookie mistake here was not making sure the chain was on properly before starting.  It fell off as I started to pedal.  I've dealt with this before as I was (trying to stay calm and) leaning down to fix it a race volunteer was already there to help me.  Needless to say, I was really impressed with how well this race was supported with volunteers.  Also, despite that mishap slowing me down... I had no trouble biking my heart out and even shaving a few minutes off my expected bike time!  whoo hoo! 

T2: (1:07)

Much smoother... but my second rookie mistake was leaving my helmet on... luckily I saw Tony on the run course and was able to hand that off to him - phew.  

Run: (32:54)

My legs were not feeling 100%, and I needed to tie my shoe, and I walked all the water breaks... but I guess I didn't need to worry much, because I totally rocked this! This is literally had my second best official 5K time ever.  I would have never guessed!

I'm in red

I had my polar on, but I didn't look at it until the run portion.  I wasn't sure how I had done on the swim or bike when I rounded the bend towards the finish line.  I told myself it would be okay if the gun time was past 2 hours, because I had started in the third wave.... but when I saw the 1:51... on the clock I knew I had done really really well.  At the risk of sounding conceited - I totally wowed myself. 

Final (1:46:08)

If you remember correctly, I was hoping for under 2 hours, with 1:46 being my best hoped for.  So, I'm 8 seconds shy, but really I'm floored.  I really feel like I put the umph into Tri...if you know what I mean.  It really makes we wonder what I can do now (or what I should do now).  I'm so sorry if this post just sounds like me reveling in my own glory - I honestly had so much fun and I don't even know how to feel.  

Tony and I

Tony provided me with race transportation and chauffeur service and he makes most of my meals for me :).  He's been all-around supportive!

My parents and I

My parents, I must say, were excellent spectators - I saw them at almost every transition point!  They are also responsible for most of the pictures on this blog!  

I'm gonna tri: Race Predictions

So I'm calling these race predictions as opposed to goals... because my goal is to finish.   That being said, I might be a little down if I end up wildly outside of these times.  Also, I'm writing this with a bit of a schedule crunch looming, so I apologize in advance if it is haphazzard.  

Swim (500yd):  10-12 minutes
I've been going a little towards the slow end of this in the pool, but I know with the run in and run out of the water I can shave some time, just not sure how much.

T1: 2-4 minutes
Haven't totally figured out how to get into bike clothes, shoes and on a bike very quickly.

Bike (15.5): 60-70 minutes
I have a huge window here because ... I really don't know.  I was uber fast in my practice tri, but normally I've been a little slower.  However, I usually have to break or stop when I'm out on the roads, which I assume I'll have to do less of during the tri.  Also, true truth I have yet to bike a full 15.5 miles on the road bike, but I've done a few 15s... and 27 in one day(but not one ride) on the hybrid this spring.

T2:  1-2 minutes
I did this in 30 seconds for the practice tri... as much less needs to happen during the second transition.  I basically just hung up my bike and kept on moving.  That being said there will be a little more going on with the race tri in terms of where I can enter in and so forth... so I gave myself some extra time.

Run (5K or 3.1 miles): 33-37
I've done a few post-bike runs... all of them ha-urt, and my legs feel like lead.  Surprisingly though, it hasn't made horribly slow, just slower.  Anyway, no record breaking 5Ks for this race, but if I'm this range it will feel respectable.
_____________________________________    

Total: anywhere between 1:46 and 2:05 would feel about right.  At some-point I might of said out-loud that I wanted to be under 2 hours, so I'm in fairly decent shape to do that too... just not sure.  Wish me luck!

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Tri-packing

...  since every blog needs a picture.

Buying a Road Bike

I thought I should take a moment to document my experience in making what was my single most expensive  purchase this year, and naturally also my biggest expense in regards to the tri.  

I bought a road bike, and I learn a few things in the process, so I thought I could share the story.          

When I first started looking into road bikes this spring they were all too expensive and the options to difficult to understand.  I knew it would probably help me go faster, but I wasn't about to drop a lot of cash on something I had no idea about.  I also currently own a moderate hybrid bike (so I could still practice without making a purchase).

A little later I learned that there are three different price points in most brands of road bikes.  A good description of what that means here, scroll to mid page to read the bike part.  The bottom line price in any of these bike brands is around $800 (when you account for tax and so on), which was near the tippy top of my spending bracket.  I didn't like the idea of spending a lot for a little, so I shelved the new bike idea.

I got tipped off by the roommate to the idea of searching on craigslist, but didn't quite know what to look for before navigating the endless list of ads.  Tony introduced me to his friend, Mark, who works at a bike shop and he taught me the ropes and showed me what to look for.

The hardest thing to figure out was sizing - the good news is that if you are close enough you can usually make adjustments, since I was looking in the used market I knew I might be going for close enough.  I had my bike friend Mark size me at a 19in frame size. I was glad to have a friend help me, but an easy way to figure out if a bike fits you is to stand on the ground over the bar of the frame and lifting the bike up to you.  If you can lift it more than an inch it is too small, and if it is less than an inch too large.  Obviously, if you can't stand over the bike with your feet still on the ground - too large.  Once I knew I needed a 19 inch (plus or minus an inch) frame I was able to pre-screen out a lot of bikes.

The cool thing about shopping for used bikes is that there are quite of good finds, but you will have to filter out a lot of others.  Bikes are a little like boats, people buy them with great intentions, but sometimes they just sit in the garage.  I was able to weed out most of the "bad eggs" simply by following a few simple "rules".

• Seems obvious but I looked for bikes that were being labeled as "road" bikes as opposed to commuter or touring.  
• Stick to recognizable brands : Specialized, Trek, Fuji, Cannondale, Surly and Terry is a good list but there are others.
• Staying with bikes under 10 years old
• Shimano brand gearing (which is fairly standard - other options might be okay too)
• 3 front gears minimum, 8 back gears minimum. (or at least a 24 speed)  
• Curved handle bars

This list alone shortened my list of possibilities quite significantly.  From there I looked for added features, such as clipless pedals and tribars.  I ended up trying out two bikes.  A Terry at $550, which I liked, but had two different size tires, which was really weird and I felt it was too small.  I also tried out a Fuji originally priced at $950, which was notably outside my price range, but was clearly in excellent condition, so I thought it was worth a test ride.

 
The test ride proved very successful and I learned that the bike was top of the line parts and materials.  Spoiler alert: I bought it.  Had I purchased a comparable bike new it would have been $1350 to $1500 in price.  Granted this one was 8 years old, but most of that time it had sat in a garage, and it was well maintained.  Also, I was able to negotiate them down $850, which is almost like a $650 savings (almost).  It came with tribars as well, but not clipless pedals.  Since $850 is still a pretty expensive purchase for me, the clipless pedals will have to wait for now.

As I said earlier, I've been in a bit of debate about this purchase.  I don't exactly have money to throw around, but I had a couple cash influxes that helped with this.  I also think I sort of "deserve" get a "reward" for all my training.  I was going to treat myself to a fancy lululemon run outfit, but I found some great deals on cheaper run clothing at marshalls, so I think this bike will fit the bill.   :)

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Unrelated blog update: I deleted the Disqus comment app on this blog, because it was giving at least a few would be commenters grief.  Unfortunately, this deleted the comments along with it and I'm still in the process of figuring out how to retrieve those as they still exist on the disqus site itself.  Oh technology *sigh*  

To the lone runner.

I'm not sure how many of you follow the PostSecret.com blog.  I'm a fan, but sometimes it's absolutely heart wrenching.   I saw this secret on the blog today, and my heart went out to this person.

When I finished my first race of a significant distance the TC 10 mile - I finished alone.  There were others that I knew in the race and I had support from friends and family outside of that day, but I got to the race by myself, finished alone and drove my own self home alone.  I asked a stranger to take the picture in this blog.  

I'm sure if I had written a secret before this race, it might of looked similar to this one.  However, finishing on my own taught me a valuable lesson about myself... simply that I was a very capable person all by my lonesome. Perhaps something I knew to some degree already, but this knowledge was invaluable at the time I received it.  

It also helped me separate myself from the expectations of others, something I've always struggled to do.   Suffice it to say, very few people expected me to run.  I truly ran that race for no one else's approval or because I was supposed to, and I ran it at a time when I had recently failed on a lot of things I had felt I was supposed to (not that doing those things was making me particularly happy).   Running has made me strong in ways that go beyond running.  I'm not convinced that running is a universal remedy for all, but I think there must be something about the pushing, pounding of the pavement, and sweat that makes it work for many.  Running has worked for me because it helped me find a seed of strength at a time when I otherwise felt weak.    

Greek Chicken Gyro

I made this because I had both yogurt, chicken and balsamic vinaigrette dressing on hand.  It's not much more interesting than that.

I used the recipe Chicken Souvlaki Gyro Style from allrecipes.com with a few additions and subtractions, which I'll mention.

The marinade:

Somewhere mid-mixing

I followed the marinade instructions almost exactly, except for omitting greek seasoning (simply because I missed that on the grocery list).  I love how this chicken turned out regardless, so it wasn't exactly missed, but I'm not familiar with ingredient so I guess I wouldn't really know.

I pan-fried the chicken as opposed to grilling it, which obviously changes things too, but I think it's just a preference thing.  

Tzatziki Sauce

Other than not seeding the cucumbers for the Tzatziki Sauce, I followed these instructions closely.  It turned out heavenly... we really are in culinary debt to the Greeks on this one as there is no American substitute I can think of.      

Other Toppings

The other toppings were other Romaine, Feta, Tomatoes, and Black Olives (instead of Kalamata as the recipe suggests) and we took a pass on the red onions (thanks, but no thanks).

Final Product

 I served these on Tortillas, instead of Pita bread.  The decision was made because they don't have Pita bread at Aldi's and I didn't want to make another trip.  That being said, despite expressed hesitations by the dining party (ie Tony), it tasted pretty good this way too.   

Conclusion: given the few rounding errors and missed ingredients due to cost, simplicity or other wise this was lick your lips good!  (not to mention fairly light and healthy)

Luna Chix Mini-Tri

Have you heard of a mini-tri?  I hadn't either.  I literally heard about this event about 3 days before I signed up.  It was only $20 ( a donation to Breast Cancer Research) and it was a perfect opportunity for me to practice all things tri.  The goody bag which included a water bottle and some Luna bars as well as the opportunity to open swim and have someone to watch your stuff while you swim ... made up most of the cost on this event, plus I'm happy to donate to this non-profit.  Also, they made if very clear that the donation was optional, so I could have done this for free had the expense been an issue.  All that to say that while the event was incredibly low key, the Luna chix did a great job throwing this together and I would sign up again no questions asked.    

Me at the start!

Swim (400yd): I decided to try swimming in my sports bra and swimsuit bottoms... worked fine and makes for an easier transition going forward. They taught us some tips to get into the water quickly, how to lift your legs so you can run farther, and then dolphin jump until you can no longer reach bottom.  I'm sure this approach really sped me up and I did the swim in 7:59

T1:  I tried to go as quickly as possible as I threw on a shirt, Squeezed into bike shorts and attempted to remove the sand from my feet.  (ProTip: Bring a spray bottle for that pesky sand.)  Fast as I went (or didn't) those seconds chip away fast.  This took 2:44

Bike (8 miles): Smooth sailing.  I'm loving my new road bike and I even pushed hard and passed people as I went (I got passed too).  I did the 8 miles in 27:51, which is my fastest pace yet.  

T2: Hung the bike back on the rack, apparently this takes 29 secs.

Run (2 miles):  My legs felt super heavy during the run, but I dared not walk.  I was honestly concerned I wouldn't be able to get started again.  Did this in 20:20.

Total time 1 hour 5 secs.

Now truth be told, this was in no way a regulation course, and I'm sure that some of the distances were a little exaggerated - not significantly, but enough that my paces are probably a little quicker than they 'really' were.  I didn't have my garmin with though, so I'm currently non the wiser and I can't say I mind at least sounding faster.

Hula Hooping!

Hula hooping is sort of one of those goofy things that people do.  I think it's fun and the people at Studio Booya! think so too.  They rallied a bunch of folks together to hula hoop in the part with live music.  I was one of them.  

Double Decker Hula

My new hula hoop - $5! 

My Hula Hooping pal! (Jen)

My hula hoopin' skillz!

I have some work to do on video uploading, but this girl was a pretty rockin' hula hooper!

Just a little slice of life from what I've been up to lately, perhaps I'll put up a 'real' post soon.