Training recap - week of 3/11

Middle of March and it's still been chilly here - I am most definitely ready for Spring.  This was a busy week for me, but I was able to get (almost) all my workouts in.  I am exhausted from my half this morning (New Bedford Half Marathon - race recap coming later this week) so I am keeping this one short and sweet.

Without further ado - this week's training schedule.

Monday - 30 minutes cardio + 10 minutes stretching

Tuesday - Refine class (not as sore after this one so that is good!)

Wednesday - Speedwork.  First speed workout in a long time.  Felt good to do it, but definitely didn't go insane.
    - 1 mile warmup
    - 8 x 200m, with 200m recovery
    - 0.5 mile cooldown

Thursday - Kickboxing

Friday - Rest day

Saturday - Unintentional rest day.  I had all plans to get up and run Saturday morning, but could not get out of bed.  Since I was racing on Sunday, I figured the sleep was good.

Sunday - New Bedford Half Marathon.  Full recap coming this week, but I felt good.  Got to check MA off my list of states!

Hope you all had good weekends!

Goodbye Google Reader

Does anyone else use google reader to follow blogs?  Did anyone else have a minor panic attack when they saw they were discontinuing it?  I know I did!  I've been using google reader for a long time to follow the blogs I read (way more then I'd like to admit) so I was annoyed (no other word for it).

But fortunately for me (and you!) one of the blogs I read has already made some suggestions for what to use instead.  Right now I am trying out feedly   It was super easy to set up and linked directly to my google reader account so I did not have to redo everything (they kind of made it idiot proof, which is awesome).  I only just started using it, but I have to admit I already like it better!  I figure I have some time before they officially discontinue it on July 1, so I can test out some different ones if I don't like feedly.

For simple step by step instructions on how to transfer to feedly, click here.

I'm sure there are a bunch of different you could use, so tell me - which one do you use?  Is there another besides feedly I should try?

Training recap - week of 3/4

So as I mentioned - I am finally feeling back into the swing of things!  I don't know if it's because I know spring is coming or I am finally rebounding from being burnt out, but who cares!  I ain't going to fight it!

This week was a nice week to get back into it.  Lots of runs mixed in with some cross training and core work.  Starting some speedwork this week!  Plus, I have the New Bedford Half Marathon on Sunday (checking Massachusetts off the list!).  Since the race is on St. Patty's Day, I am going to be wearing my green shirt from when we ran Dublin (it has a shamrock on the front and says New York runs on Guinness on the back - we had them specially made for us for the race!).  Looking forward to getting back out there!

Monday - 3 miles easy; Took it nice and easy at a 10:40 pace (in fact I walked the first 5 minutes to warm up)

Tuesday - Strength training; did one of the Nike Training Club strength workouts

Wednesday - 3 miles easy; got up early and did my first AM run in a looooong time.  Felt great - 3 miles, 9:51 pace

Thursday - 45 minutes cross training; 40 minutes on the arc trainer (which I am liking more then the elliptical lately, 5 minutes on the stationary bike plus core

Friday - Rest day

Saturday - 9 mile long run; Pace lead with the 10:30 group today as there we no non-NYC half 10:00 minute pacers.  Felt good the whole run; 9.17 mile, 10:45 pace

Sunday - 3 miles easy, beautiful day out and felt awesome the whole time!  3 miles, 10:00 pace

Book Club Friday: Witches of East and and Serpent's Kiss

It has been so long since I've linked up with Book Club Friday!  That doesn't mean I haven't been reading a ton though!

This week I am reviewing the first 2 books in the Beauchamp Family series by Melissa de la Cruz - The Witches of East End and Serpent's Kiss.  Since it had been so long I figured I'd do two!  

Book #1, Witches of East End synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

The three Beauchamp women—Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid—live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret—they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there’s Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it’s time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

FYI - Book 2 descriptions contains SPOILERS from Book 1 - READ AT OWN RISK!!!

Book 2, Serpent's Kiss synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

The intriguing Beauchamp family, introduced in the New York Times bestselling Witches of East End, returns in Serpent's Kiss, with dizzying plot twists and spellbinding magic.

Joanna and her daughters, bookish Ingrid and wild-child Freya, are just settling into the newfound peace that has been cast over their small, off-the map town of North Hampton. With the centuries-old restriction against practicing magic lifted, casting spells, mixing potions, and curing troubled souls has never felt so good for the three witches. That is, until everything gets turned upside down—from Joanna's organized kitchen to Ingrid's previously nonexistent love life to Freya's once unshakeable faith in her sexy soul mate, Killian Gardiner.

When Freya's twin brother, Freddie, suddenly returns, escaped from Limbo and professing innocence on a long-ago crime, Freya should be ecstatic. The golden boy can do no wrong. Or can he? Freddie blames no other than her fiancee Killian for his downfall, and enlists Freya's help to prove it. Now Freya doesn't know who to believe or trust.

And for the first time in—well, forever, really—Ingrid is also busy in love. Matt Noble, the handsome and charming police detective, has won her heart. But can romance work between a virgin witch and a mortal who doesn't believe in magic? Things get even more complicated when it appears Ingrid is harboring the prime suspects in Matt's police investigation.

To add to the chaos, a dead spirit is attempting to make contact with Joanna—but does it mean to bring harm or help? Joanna asks her sort-of ex-husband Norman to help figure it out, only to accidentally invite him to a Thanksgiving dinner with a dapper gentleman she's recently begun dating.

As the witches pull together to discover the serpent within their midst and the culprit behind Freddie's imprisonment, everything is thrown into peril. Will the discovery come too late to save those they love most?

My review

I really enjoyed both of these books.  They were light easy reads that I got through pretty quickly.  It's a pretty intriguing storyline weaving not only witchcraft but basically all the different stories of the gods together (if anyone has seen the movie Thor you'd see overlaps).  Personally, I really enjoy those types of stories, but not everyone does.  I like that there are a couple of different plot lines going on the background which roll-up to the main one, but there are not too many to make it confusing or annoying.  Book 3 is scheduled to come out this summer and I can't wait to read it.

Has anyone read either book?  What did you think?

See what I am reading!  Be my friend on Goodreads!

What would you do?

Another blog I read shared the below video.

It definitely made me stop and think.  I don't think it's something easily answered (at least for most people). I've definitely entertained myself on long runs with "what would I do if I won the lottery?"  which I think is a different answer.

So while I think it over, you tell me.  What would you do?

Is it Spring yet?

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Depending on where you live, you may already have gotten or will be getting soon some kind of massive snow storm (basically the entire East Coast).  It hasn't started snowing in New York yet, but I know it will.  Is it spring yet?  I am so ready for spring.  Any who...

I'm back from another successful Disney trip!  I had such a great time at the Princess Half Marathon weekend and a great trip with my mom.  A full race report will be coming soon, I promise.  I've been back a week and am getting back into the swing of things.

While I had a great time at the race, it was by no means a PR for me.  Yes, I did stop and take pictures everywhere which affected my time, but even if I hadn't, I was no where in PR shape.  I knew I had been half-a**ing my workouts for a while now, but this race really hit home for me that I am not in the best of running shape.

So this week, I am stepping up my running workouts.  Going to start doing speedwork again and really focusing on cross training.  On the cross training side, I took a Refine class this weekend.  I'm not really sure how to explain a Refine class.  It's kind of like TRX.  You use a pulley system attached to a wall and kettle bells and other items for an hour of interval training.  Think lots of squats and lunges and the like.  It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I have to say I really enjoyed it.  So much I am going to try and go once a week (I'd like to go more, but it's not that cheap and I am not made of money).  I was definitely sore on Monday!

And in terms of running, I am going to start adding speedwork (starting slowly since it's been so long since I have done it) with a 'B' goal race of Flying Pigs in May and then continue to build on the base I have been building with some more intense speedwork with a 'A' race sometime in the fall (not sure what that will be).  I am using a race plan for Flying Pigs I found through Nike and am doing some research for a race plan for the  all.

It's not going to be easy, my speed is definitely off.  But for the first time in a long time, I am excited to run again.  Might be because it is starting to get warmer or because I didn't do speedwork for a while that I am excited, but I am glad I am.  I even got up this morning for an easy run before work.  I haven't done that in so long (in all honestly, I actually can't remember the last time I got up and ran before work).  It felt awesome and I am excited to get back into the habit.

Tell me, how do you get motivated to run?

Two on Tuesday on Thursday

Let's just call it Two for Thursday since the above title is a little much, shall we?

I am off again to Disney tomorrow for the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  I could not be more excited!  The weather is going to be high 80's when we are there and it makes me really excited.  A little warm for racing, but I don't plan on racing this one.

Speaking of Princess, I bought the above top to wear during my race.  It says "Forget the Glass Slipper, this Princess wears running shoes".  Nothing too crazy but more theme-y then I've ever run in before (we are going full costume for the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare, don't worry!).  I am planning on wearing the blue capri's with it, but in case it is super hot, I have a pair of shorts as a backup.

Anyone out there watching Downton Abbey?  The season 3 finale was this past weekend and it broke my heart.  **Spoiler alert** I knew Matthew was leaving, but it still killed me.  Not as much as when Lady Sybil died (I had no idea she was leaving and was totally blindsided and sobbed uncontrollably longer then I'd like to admit), but it still got to me.  Goodbye, Matthew.  We'll miss you.

That's it for this week's installment.  I've off to Disney World until Wednesday, so I'll update when I am back next week!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Two for Tuesday

Just a couple of random thoughts this Tuesday...

Does anyone play the game 'Drop 7'?  I'm not sure if they have an android version of it, but I have it on my iPhone and it is CRAZY addictive.  I was playing last night as I lay in bed and have planned to play for 15 minutes and then go to sleep and before I knew it it was 1 am.  Holy crap!  I am exhausted today but still could not stop playing on the way into work.  I almost missed my stop I was so engrossed.

We had our first major snowstorm in over 2 years this past weekend.  We only got dustings all last winter (which secretly {or not so secretly} I loved).  While I am not a huge fan of the snow, I do love going for a run in Central Park right after it falls (before it gets dirty).  The park was especially beautiful this weekend with the snow covering everything.  It was also full of kids sledding - their excitement over the snow was so infectious I couldn't help but smile!  I snapped some photo's during my run and this is definitely one of favorites.

Paleo Update

So it's been almost a month and a half and thought I should give an update on my attempt at Paleo.  I have finished my freezer meals (which I loved) and while I definitely felt better on it, I don't think it is something long term I can commit too.  I missed cheese, yogurt, peanut butter and hummus (all no-no's on Paleo).  Because it was too restrictive, I feel like I was cheating a lot (which I was).

But, as I said, I did feel better while following it so I going to try something different this month.  I am going to go gluten-free (which was part of Paleo too) but I can have dairy (yay!), nuts and legumes (which I don't understand why was not allowed on Paleo).

I did another all day of cooking yesterday of all gluten free foods for the month.  I was a crazy person at the grocery store checking labels for gluten in products (that stuff is in EVERYTHING) and now have a full freezer of yummy gluten-free foods.  Last months cooking lasted me about 6 weeks, so hoping this round will also last me 6 weeks and I won't have to do this again until April.

Anyone else gluten free?

I organized the freezer much better this time!

What's next?

With the start of February and the official race recap for #30 in my 30 by 30 Challenge posted, I am ready to announce my next challenge.  Personally, I like having a goal - something to work towards.  I feel like it gives me focus and I like that.  My first goal after college was to run a marathon.  Then it was run another.  Once I felt like I had that down, it was to do a triathlon.  Last year my challenge was to do 30 half marathons before my 30th birthday (yep, done).  So, what's next?

After some thought and serious consideration, I have decided to take on the States.  As in all 50 of them.  Before my 40th birthday.  That's right, I am going to run a half marathon in all 50 states within the next 10 years.  Obviously I am not starting from scratch, I've already got 9 under my belt.  And I'm already registered for 2 more states - the New Bedford Half in MA and Flying Pigs in Ohio.  We have some more planned for this year as well!

It's going to be a lot, but I am excited to get started!  I've created a page to track my progress so check it out here!

Challenge extended.  Challenge accepted.

Of course I made an icon for it!