Distance Versus Time

In chatting with my trusty travel buddy, Tara (who really should start blogging again because she's hilarious), I was reminded that when we trained for the NYC Marathon in 2012, our coach taught us that maybe we should focus on time rather than miles when training.

You can't?! How am I supposed to let the world know I'm awesome?

Most marathon training plans consist of running certain miles on certain days, with long runs of increasing distance until you reach about 20 miles and then a taper. The problem is that if you are a slow runner, that means numerous runs over three hours. Apparently, once you've been running for 3 to 3.5 hours, you're no longer helping or training your body, but actually doing damage with excessive wear and tear.

Answer: Both. Simultaneously.

Before we left for NYC in 2012 for the marathon that would ultimately get canceled, I had done one long run of 16 miles and one 18. Even though it took me 4 hours to do 18 miles, I still felt that I needed to hit that distance to not be completely freaked out about the idea of being able to finish.

Marathon training doesn't officially start for me until June, but I'm trying to wrap my head around exactly how I want to approach it for this year. Mind you, I have already completed one full as part of Goofy, so I'm not a marathon virgin, but I'm curious as to how others approach their training plans.

I'm all ears to the pearls of wisdom anyone wishes to share! Also, cross training? Any advice there?

 

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Calming The Crazy

Is anyone out there good at meditating? I've had way too many people tell me that I need to meditate. Is that weird? I assume this means that I give off some sort of crazed anxious vibe that gives people the impression that I should maybe chill.

When someone says to me that I should meditate, I have no trouble translating their true meaning, which is something like Dude, your crazed, incessant worrying and blabbering is making me insane, so either get yourself medicated or meditate, which is really just a nice way of me telling you that I would like to play an adult version of the "quiet game" with you.

Maybe I should exercise more...ya know, or run, since I'm a runner in training for a marathon. Official marathon training begins in June but I'm steadily working on my form and speed during shorter distances so that going for a 15 miler doesn't actually mean being out in the Arizona sun for like 4 hours.

Oh, I also had a brief moment of insanity where I considered signing up for the 2015 WDW marathon. No challenges, mind you, because I've decided that shit sucks and I don't want to do them anymore...at least until I find my rose colored glasses and convince myself they're a blast and I should do Dopey.

Whew, that was close.

We'll just see what happens when the marathon is 95% full. I may not be able to stop myself.

 

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Injuries and Candy... I Haz Both

I've managed to hurt myself. I somehow managed to strain a muscle that is in a weird place. I think it's my quadricep but it hurts into my inner thigh. It's in such a weird place, that it's really hard to even stretch it out. I have to put my leg up on a step (or on my desk at work, even though my boss doesn't appreciate that) and lean into it to feel it stretch at all.

I'm assuming it's my quad because my inner thigh muscles are crazy strong. I've ridden horses competitively since I was 11, so it's weird that the inside of my thigh hurts. Even though I have a nice protective layer of blubber on my thighs, I swear I'm not exaggerating when I say that I can do the thigh machine at the gym on the highest setting.

The stuff of nightmares.

PSA: If you lift 200lbs on the thigh machine at the gym, it tends to frighten potential boyfriends. I don't think they are seeking women that can crush their skulls with their thighs.

It doesn't hurt to ride, either, but it hurts to walk, much less run. Suckola.

In other news, I'm trying to cut out sugar. I've made it 2 days and my coworkers are paying the price. Since I don't like black coffee, I'm trying to substitute hot tea. It's keeping me from completely losing my mind, but it's not nearly as satisfying as coffee with hazelnut creamer. I've been terrorizing my office like Godzilla. I'm hoping this passes soon, because it is not making me popular.

I think this sums up my behavior quite well.

There's candy all over my office and I'm seriously feeling like an meth addict that can't stop. I figure cutting it out for a bit would probably be beneficial. Also, I'm learning that nutrition should only be discussed with certain individuals much like politics and religion. I also warn that the more research one does, the more frightening most of American foods become. There's ingredients in American food that's not even legal in Europe. Because it makes people sick! The problem is that unless you're able to afford shopping exclusively at Whole Foods or local organic markets, how is anyone supposed to cut all the processed crap out of their lives?

What the...?

Has anyone else done a lot of research on illness and food? I'm curious what others think...

 

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Sunday Runday and Randoms

Sometimes, just for funsies, I put on running clothes and pretend to be a runner. This morning, I met my trusty running partner, Lara, at the desert trail. I've been pretty sedentary as of late which I attribute to my Netflix Addiction (and my love of sitting) but I decided it was time to get my ass moving again.

I should mention here that my Netflix addiction has not improved, I just managed to fit in some running. I finished the second season of American Horror Story and let's just say, my dreams are getting weirder. Combine that with my love of Hannibal, and you end up with dreams that involve someone suturing extra body parts to your own. No joke.

Back to running. Surprisingly, I didn't struggle as much as I anticipated. We ran 3 miles out and then back for a total of 6 fairly low key miles.

Lara stopped for yoga.

 

I stopped for a clover.

We were almost back to our cars when we realized that we couldn't find Lara's dog, Juno. So we got to add an extra credit mile to our total for 7 since we had to search for her. I'm fairly certain that she found shade and refused to keep going.

Yep. She's done.

Don't let this act fool you, however. This dog loves to run. I'd guess she runs at least 2 for every 1 mile we run.

If you look closely, there's a horse on that ramp...

This afternoon, I took Louis The Perfect Pony for a stroll around the neighborhood by my barn for an extra mile. That gives me a total of 8. I didn't get a picture because I didn't feel like carrying my phone, but trust me when I say he looks adorbs in his work out gear. I jest, I jest. We left his work out gear at home.

I also continued my search for a gym. I found one really close to my house which is not just a bonus, but a necessity if I'm going to actually use it. If I have to drive too far out of the way, I just won't go. I haven't been by to visit, yet, but hopefully I will get a chance to do that on Tuesday or Wednesday.

I'm really hoping they have wifi, but my main concern is this color scheme. I seriously don't know if I can spend time in here without having a seizure. That is really...electrically green.

Omg, my eyes. They burn.

Shouldn't gyms be soothing with neutral color schemes? But it's close enough that if I felt extra motivated, I could jog there. I'll scope it out and if my brain doesn't ignite from staring at those walls, maybe I will give it a shot.

Gaaaaaaahhhhh

On a side note, a friend of mine wants to set me up with a friend of hers. Even her husband who constantly tells her to stop playing matchmaker thinks it would be a good match. Dating is very nerve wracking for this girl, which may come as a shock because I'm a pretty outgoing person, but it causes me a significant amount of anxiety. He sounds pretty nice, so I think I might just give it a try... At some point. When I work up my nerve. Apparently he's shy.

 

If anyone has had a successful set up before, I need to hear about it before I talk myself out of it. I gotta go, I have to find another TV series to binge on.

 

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I Need An Intervention

 

Dude. Netflix is ruining my life.

 

Honestly, though, Netflix is like the coolest shit ever and I can't believe I waited so long to jump on the cool train to sleep deprivation because once I start watching something I can not stop. This also means I can't run because, you know, I'm busy bingeing on TV shows everyone else told me I should be watching but just now realized they were right and my life is empty without these stories filling my brain.

I've already plowed through Orange Is The New Black, House of Cards, The Following (omg, if you're not watching this, you should be) and I'm working through American Horror Story and Breaking Bad. PSA: if you watch American Horror Story, make sure you sleep with your lights on and have your attack cat ready.

Grrrrr! So ferocious!

I've decided that if there is any hope of training for the NYC Marathon, I must find myself a gym with wifi. This way I can at least park my ass on a treadmill or an elliptical while I binge on TV. This gym also has to be on my daily flight path, which is limited. I don't have a life, people, so I don't venture too far out of my daily commute triangle.

Supposedly, there's a really nice gym opening right in the Bermuda Triangle that is my life sometime this year, but it hasn't opened, yet. The other locations are super nice and have all sorts of cool stuff and wifi, which is the most important.

This is a solid plan, right? I mean, it's already in the 90s here, so I feel like being able to watching some American Horror Story while running will train me to sprint from the evil spirits that are sure to escape the trusty iPad and haunt me all while in the air conditioned safety of a gym.

I just have to find some other gym to tide me over until the new one opens. #firstworldproblems

 

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