Wednesday Wisdom

Well it’s been a little while since I shared some wisdom or had close to a heart to heart on the blog.  I probably still won’t be going in that direction today but here are some of the links that I have been bookmarking over the last few weeks – maybe it provides a little insight into how my brain works or helps you figure out something in your own life.  A place to visit, a reason to relax and not worry too much about the future, a recipe to make with this last weekend of summer.

Sit back, relax, and get ready to scroll scroll scroll.

Happy Centennial to the National Parks Service!

Hip hip hooray because it’s the National Parks Service BIRTHDAY!  Whether you realize it or not, national parks come in all shapes and sizes and today is the day that this grand organization turns a whooping 100 years old.  Growing up I was fortunate enough to spend time in the great outdoors from Mammoth Lakes to Yosemite and even Crystal Cove in Laguna Beach, all of which I greatly miss while living back east.

Life of Late ~ 8.19.16

Can we get a little BEYONCE up in here on a Friday? Yes.  Broadway Bodies with Alistair was certainly a highlight from the week.  My attempt to be hip, cool, and sassy was a fail but it was 100% fun and worth it.

Since three of us won free classes, we’ll have to go back to dance part 2.  That or I’ll just add dance classes to my monthly budget.  #priorities

NYC Marathon Training: Weeks 1-4

It’s true that I’ve never really considered this blog a “workout blog” per se but I do happen to upload quite a few running related items.  When I first started the blog, I had planned to create this quasi food/lifestyle/workout theme and share certain runs and races to keep myself accountable.  As you will note, this has fallen by the wayside but there is no time like the present to get back on that wagon.  I’m going to attempt to make note of my training and random thoughts along this journey to 26.2.

Week 1 – July 18-24 (and 7/16)

Saturday 7/16 – 9 mi (Montrose loop @ 8:40 pace)
Monday 7/18 – 5 mi (8:18 pace) in Fairbanks prior to departing
Tuesday 7/19 – Hike steep/slow 4 mi in Denali
Wednesday 7/20 – Walk (transport 6am-9pm)
Thursday 7/21 – Run 6 + hike 3 + walk 3
Friday 7/22 – 3.8 run + walking around town
Saturday 7/23 – Walk + transit (watch said ~ 8 mi)
Sunday 7/24 – 10 min bike + 45 min elliptical

Thoughts: I considered taking this week easy since I never really gave myself a true break after the Brooklyn Half.  Eh, it was a so-so week, making do with the territory I had.

Week 2 – July 25-31

Monday 7/25 – 45 min elliptical + kayak
Tuesday 7/26 – 40 min elliptical + squats + 1 hr stand up paddle
Wednesday 7/27 – 30 min bike + 15 min elliptical + 3 hour “bushwack” hike
Thursday 7/28 – 60 min bike + 2 hr stand up paddle
Friday 7/29 – 40 min elliptical + 4 hr kayak
Saturday 7/30 – transit/off – only steps around Stika
Sunday 7/31 – 11 mi (9:00 pace) along my old XC trails.  Meghan was nice enough to run with me and my slow pace on the condition that I didn’t complain (especially about how much I had eaten on the trip).  She didn’t exactly say all of this but I know she doesn’t like the complaints.  Man it was struggle city out there but that’s another long run in the books.  I worked to focus on the landscape instead of my running and was shocked at how rivers and ponds that once were scattered along the trail are practically non-existent.

Thoughts: Well, vacations are fun but not always conducive to 1) maintaining your figure and 2) your workouts.  I have found myself to be somewhat of an all or nothing gal (not good, I know) and let’s just say that coffee with copious amounts of half & half with dessert three times a day for at least 1-2 weeks does nothing for my running.  That being said, it was interesting to see how reliant or obsessed I can be on my routine.

Week 3 – August 1 – 7

Monday 8/1 –  Swim 30 min – I was working from home but wanted to wake up and get the 700+ emails sorted before chaos ensued.  Swimming midday was good but I never feel like I accomplish much (probably because I’m flopping around unlike Katie Ledecky or Missy Franklin)

Tuesday 8/2 – 4-6 miles of walking + evening Intervals. ~ Speedwork: Meghan and I ran with California Republic in East LA at 8pm.  I normally don’t workout this late (or in the evenings at all) so it was sure going to be interesting.  Total miles 5.5 with 4×1200 thrown in.  The goal was 1) marathon pace 2) 1/2 marathon pace 3) marathon pace 4) 10K pace and no one followed.  If I ever run a 7:10 marathon or 6:58 1/2 marathon…yeah maybe in another lifetime.

I realized my goal now is to 1) NOT BE STUPID and 2) NOT GO OUT TOO FAST.  That should save me some trouble down the road.

Wednesday 8/3 – 2 miles round and round with NP_LAX + burpees thrown in.  6 mi later in the evening with one helluva hill (thank you for bringing down the average pace), which left me wondering how I ran all of those hills in high school.
Thursday 8/4 –  Yoga x 2. Was feeling ever so sore and decided to use my flex day to stretch.
Friday 8/5 –  12 mi (9:00) pace.  Started the first 7 with my friend Sarah and sister Meghan in Altadena and then slogged through another 5.  The quads were shot but it was a better pace than last week so that’s a success! Fueled with a Honey Stinger waffle pre-run and acai gel mid run.
Saturday 8/6 – Bachelorette weekend in Palm Springs >> 2ish mile hike (around 5,000 steps for the day)
Sunday 8/7 – 10 holes of golf

Week 4 – August 8 – 14

Monday 8/8 – 3.5 mi shakeout run in the evening (after a red-eye and minimal sleep the previous weekend).  Well this was somewhat disappointing.  I felt like a hippo (though my sister reminds me that hippos run fast) logging around the lower part of Central Park.
Tuesday 8/9 –  Intervals with the track crew. 5 miles (1 mi warm up – 1×1600 + 2×800 + 4×400 – 1 mi cool down)
Wednesday 8/10 – 3 mi trot around NP.  I was planning to fit in 3 during the 5:30 workout but didn’t get my butt out of bed in time.
Thursday 8/11 – 9 mi around 8:56 pace and … PHYSICAL THERAPY!  Lots of insight and readjustment and so grateful for NY Custom PT.
Friday 8/12 –  Biked 2.5 to the Brooklyn Bridge + 2.5 Jog with the backpack (not smart) + mini NP workout (I half-assed it) + walking around and around looking for apartments.

Saturday 8/13 –  14.8 mi (8:34 pace) Ran from 18th and 1st up to 72nd and down along Summer Streets with some stop and go into Brooklyn.  I probably should not stop as much but they say just to get the miles in…right?  Best part was getting ice cubes in Brooklyn to put in our sports bras and my hat. Genius plan. Fueled with 1/2 Honey Stinger Waffle and 1/2 Banana – mini cliff sample about 6ish miles in and NUUN for the win.
Sunday 8/14 – Couple of miles jogging before Brooklyn Mile (6:21).  Hot and humid and all the possible speed.

Thoughts: Marathon training is tough.  Fitting in all the workouts + strength + stretching is tough.  I haven’t even done all that I could or should but the goal is to enjoy the process and it’s going alright thus far.  Now onto weeks 5-8!

“It’s supposed to be hard.  If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it.  It’s the hard that makes it great” – Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own. 

Life of Late 8.12.16

Well now that I’ve been back in NYC for a week, I’m back to my regularly scheduled “Life of Late” posts but not really back to my scheduled routine yet.  I have had to adjust my routine already since this thing called marathon training is a beast.  Last night I went to physical therapy and my therapist told me that I was doing too much and too many of the wrong exercises.  Interesting.  Tell me more because the hamster inside of me is dying to go go go go go until I crash.

(source)

So physical therapy.  A couple of months ago my friend Chloe posted about this application to win physical therapy sessions with NYCustom PT.  Well, yours truly was lucky and won!  For the next few months, I’ll be attending weekly sessions and learning how bad my running form (or glute muscles) actually are.  The therapist was AMAZING and analyzed my running gait and figured out that the lack of strength stems in my core and my butt, despite all the working out that I do.

We chatted about my running history and what I wanted to get out of this experience. At the end, we chatted about whether I wanted to run for a long time or focus on running fast.  For some, both is possible.  But for someone who tries to do it all (hi, that’s me), I need to take things one step at a time.  Literally.

^^ Yep, hoping to stay running for the long term.  Thanks to these gals for helping me through my long run last weekend.

Days Unplanned ~ Why My Lifestyle Blog (DaysUnPlanned) Makes Me Smile Too ~ Such a great reminder to find an outlet and little hobby to put a smile on your face

Revelist ~ “If you put one foot in front of the other, YOU ARE A REAL RUNNER.” ~ Inspired by a friend, fellow NP runner, and ‘ultramarathoner who was told she was ‘too fat to run’ put her body shamers in their place’.  You go girl.

In It For The Long Run ~ Vegan Fruit Pizza w/ Graham Cracker Crust ~ May not be the cheesecake I would like but fits along my “attempt to streamline my eats for full running potential” plan (or so I hope)

Tech Radar ~ “iOS 10 Will Include More Diverse Emoji(s)” ~ PUMPED!

^^ Last weekend I took my first trip to Palm Springs for my friend Liz’s bachelorette party! It had been at least three years since I had seen her (and our other friend Katie) and we had quite the relaxing weekend to celebrate the bride to be.  Her sister organized it all and I have to give her MEGA props for the details, schedule, and swag.  Liz’s shirt and hat said “bride” and ours said “tribe” so together we were the “bride tribe”.

^^ Super super excited to be a part of this group.  As mentioned on Wednesday, I have been looking for a way to volunteer and give back and when my sister told me about Janji awhile back, I knew it was something that I could do.  As a runner, I understand the importance of water and honestly couldn’t imagine a world without it.   Along with a number of other runners across the country and world, we hope to help raise awareness and fundraise for organizations that help alleviate the world’s global water crisis.

If you are fan of funky running wear (or athleisure wear), I highly recommend checking out their site.  Also check back on August 17th for a new collection of clothes!  From the snippets I saw in the email, it’s going to be good.

^^ Trying to tone those butts at November Project Los Angeles.

^^ Good morning sunshine!  A little view along my Thursday pseudo long run.

This weekend entails a long run, celebrating Summer Streets, packing parts of our apartment, the Brooklyn Mile, and oh so much Olympic viewing.

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t do” – Rikki Rogers

The Power of Water & Running for Another

Having grown up in Southern California, I’d like to say that I know something about drought and water conservation.  In reality, I know nothing at all.  Sure, my home state is mostly consists of an environment that suffers if it doesn’t receive the annual amount of rainwater to sustain its bodies of water.  Between global warming and human over-consumption, it has become a mega-problem. For some people, it’s a big deal and for others, it’s whatever (I’m making an assumption that some individuals that don’t care too much about this subject may use this fun phrase when referring to the drought).

When doing a bit of web-search, I found that California has its own man-made circulation system with canals that carries in water from mountains to where the people are.  There are thousands of places to consume water without worrying about disease.

Did you know that the global water crisis takes away 3.4 millions live each and every year??? (*)  Because so many people don’t have access to clean water, water-related diseases kill 1 out of 5 children under the age of 5. (*)

So why am I writing about this?  What’s just another charity or organization?  Well, I have been looking to give back for some time and haven’t found something that matches my interests.  Ok, I have volunteered at some races and at the local soup kitchen through New York Cares but I wanted something that I am truly passionate about (very millennial thing to say).  In its own words, Janji is a running apparel brand that helps provide water for those in need.

All runners understand the importance of water in their daily lives.  There’s the daily routine of hydrating and of course the crucial pre/mid/post run and/or race refuel.  But what about the areas that aren’t so fortunate to have clean water as a basic necessity?  Well, proceeds from apparel purchases go towards organizations that help to end global water crisis.  I’m excited and fortunate enough to say that I will be able to support Janji for the next year and hopefully beyond, raising awareness and funding for this issue.

I’ve got a few ideas rotating around in my head and if you happen to be interested in helping out and actually made it to this part of the blog, please let me know 🙂 All fun things and minimal to no cost of course.

Janji Pop-Up Shop
~ About ~ Men’s Gear ~ Women’s Gear ~ How It Works ~
144 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02115