Don't Be So Hard on Yourself

I had been planning to review The Sports Gene today (because I loved it so much!), but I was inspired on my run last night to write about a different topic.

I've made it no secret on my blog that I'm very Type A, and I recently bit the bullet and revealed I struggle with depression as well. Running is my way of exerting control over my life. (This is part of the reason I'm so resistant to group runs - I don't want any external pressure on my running!) All this translates into a tendency to feel down and be extremely self-critical if a run doesn't go perfectly.

There are times when my physical needs override my mental state. I was pretty bummed this summer when I couldn't keep up with Hansons, but eventually I was so overtrained and beat down that I had no choice but to back off. I've come to the realization that that wasn't the plan for me and moved on.

I've also talked about how right now I'm totally in love with RLRF. I'm able to fit in some of my other favorite activities (swimming and yoga) while still feeling like I'm getting the running preparation I need to hopefully run a big PR at Myrtle Beach.

As a quick review if you haven't been reading my absolutely thrilling weekly recaps (insert sleeping emoji here), RLRF consists of three runs a week - a track workout, a tempo run, and a long run. Each run has very specific paces to hit, based on a goal marathon time, which is in turn determined by a recent 5K or 10K time. I used a 10K time I had run a few weeks prior to starting to training, so I didn't "cheat" and pretend like I was at the same fitness level as when I ran my 10K PR.

So far I've hit my tempo and long run paces perfectly, and I'm incredibly excited. I have a lot of self-doubt as a runner and assume I will always be slow. I realize this is stupid and counter-productive, but I still think of myself as the girl that was literally last in every race in seventh grade track. It's bad enough to the point that I typically remember my 10K PR as being almost a minute slower because I'm obviously physically incapable of running a 56:08, even though I think if I had started closer to the front of the race, I could've finished even faster that day.

However, I've been struggling a lot with the RLRF track workouts. I think some of the struggle is I'm still trying to figure out how to fuel for a tough workout if I run in the morning before work. On the couple occassions I've slept in and ran after work, I've still gone to the gym at lunch to lift, so my legs are obviously a bit fatigued when I start, so it's not like I'm setting myself up perfectly for success and still failing - there are other factors at work.

The problem is, when you expect perfection, you will always be disappointed!

As of this post, I've done four different track workouts, and I've only nailed one of them. (But let me tell you, that runner's high left me floating the rest of the day!) In two other cases I've come pretty close (3/4 800s and 3/5 1000s), so it's not like I'm trying to run way beyond my ability.

This left me with a bit of a dilemma, which I contemplated as I trotted back to my apartment yesterday, tail between my legs. Should I scale my goal back? This was really tempting: I'm slow, what was I doing trying to run with the real kids? But I nixed that idea, since the tempo runs and long runs have been great, and I think those are probably much better indicators of my marathon fitness than pure speed workouts. I know leg turnover is important and all, but I have a very long way to go with building my endurance before I think this will be a major factor. Just rejecting this idea of dropping down, even before I had a new plan, was huge for me, because before any smidgen of failure led me to self-sabotage and back off, even though logic would seem to be that 2/3 faster workouts is better than 0/3.

What to do then?

I went with logic.

I know I can do the work for tempos and long runs, and I want to keep building my fitness. I've made the executive decision that I will start each track workout at the required paces until I can't any more (ie, I feel like I'm going to puke, my legs have nothing left to give, etc.), and then finish out the required mileage at an easy pace. I think a year or two ago this would've sent me into a tailspin, so I'm really proud that I've been able to get past that and look at the issue a little more objectively.

Five Things Friday - November 14

Things have finally been quieting down a bit in Eager Feet World (though there were almost tears one day at work, so take it with a grain of salt). Either way, I'm now comfortable that I'm able to leave work at 5 every day, which is a nice change. People were telling me some pretty scary horror stories about budgeting season, but so far the wheels have not completely come off.

Winter is also truly upon us, but we've been fortunate enough to not get any snow here yet. My main running path is only seasonally maintained  so I'm hoping any accumulation stays away for awhile, but this is Michigan, so I better start devising some alternative routes fast! I tried to hold out yesterday and wear a lighter jacket on my run, and while I didn't feel cold while running, my core was extremely cold to the touch until after I took a hot shower. I'm no doctor, but that's probably a bit not good.

Since this talk of snow is getting me a bit down, let's talk about some warmer places first!

1. The female winner of the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon was DQ'ed following an investigation that proved her splits were physically impossible.

I like to think I'm actually okay with numbers, and a 47-ish half marathon doesn't add up for me. (I ran it through my adding machine and everything.) It's important to note the men's half record is 58:23, held by Zersenay Tadese. The women's half record is a much "slower" 65:12, run by Florence Kiplagat. (Side note - I had no idea women had yet to break the hour mark in the half!)

It's obvious from the preponderance of evidence that the woman is lying through her teeth, so I think it's hilarious that she's sticking to such a ridiculous cover story (six minute PR my ass). I also greatly appreciate that Runner's World used Athlinks to find her old race results, as this is my favorite of verifying what people tell me about their PRs. I always chuckle when I find a fibber.

2. I set an unofficial half PR this weekend on my long run.

Speaking of half marathons, I ran a PR at the half distance on my 15 mile training run on Saturday. (Other than on my Garmin, I don't count this as an actual PR.) I accomplished this with the very strategic technique of only having ever run two halfs - my first, which was in very hilly and icy conditions, and my second, which was on technical trails and had killer bees.

But I think this "PR" is really important to note because it shows how far I've come in less than two years of distance running. Sometimes when I'm sitting around having a pity party because I'm so slow, this kind of thing helps put it in perspective. When I ran a 2:24 in February 2013, I really gave the race everything, and even turned in some excellent negative splits. I didn't collapse at the finish or anything dramatic like that, but I was pretty spent.

This past Saturday I ran a 2:23 - and then ran two more miles at the same pace. I was ready for a shower and a nap afterwards, but I wasn't destroyed. In fact, I probably would've felt quite comfortable if I had stopped at just 13 miles. My progress might be slow, but it's still progress!

3. Rita Jeptoo was caught doping.

I suppose if my progress is still too slow for my liking, I can take the Rita Jeptoo route and dope. (Just kidding - that is stupid.)

She has requested her B-sample be tested, but let's be real here. Still not a doctor, but I find it hard to believe that a blood sample could accidentally test positive for EPO. It's not like you pick that stuff up in the street. Runner's World predicts no major marathons will want her either way, which I think is good. There shouldn't be any room for cheaters in our sport.

4. Runners raced a SEPTA bus and won.

The first point that needs to be made is SEPTA is a horrible acronym and just makes me think of the word septic. But knowing what I know about public transportation, maybe this is a fairly accurate association. Either way, SEPTA operates in Philly and was taken on by a group of 50 runners.

Unfortunately the coverage does not indicate how much the runners beat the bus by, but I highly appreciate that the person live-tweeting from the bus dubbed himself Team Bus. Can I call myself Team Bus on days I feel like I've been hit by one? This is a serious question.

5. Brady Hoke likes to clap.

I didn't have any Tolkien things to share this week, so I will instead badger you with Big Ten football. Whatever your feelings on UM football or Brady Hoke, we can all agree the man claps excessively and inappropriately. If you need a boost to make it to the weekend, I advise you to check out this fantastic website. Do it for the lolz.

Do you ever look back on your improvement as a runner?

Who is your favorite hilarious sports figure?

2015 Marathons Preview

With my 2014 marathon season over and most everyone else's drawing to a close, I thought it would be both appropriate and fun to look ahead at the marathons I will be doing in 2015. The plan is to hit six new states and one new continent. I'm incredibly excited to travel to lots of new-to-me places and hopefully score a PR (or two).

Our method for picking races for 2015 basically involved staring at a list of ones that worked with my schedule (since I can't take any time of at the beginning of the month, yay accounting) and allocating the number of vacation days we would want to use for each candidate. After a few hours of deliberating, we managed to pick our six. (I have more vacation time than Michael and saved some up this year, so he's not really affected by choice to add a seventh race.)

There is also a 1-2 month section of the year when I really can't take any time off, and I only know it will fall between late summer and Thanksgiving. (This gives me huge fits, let me tell you.) With this in mind, we tried to steer clear of any potential conflicts, which is why there's only one fall race, despite it being peak season. (Hey, we figured Rhode Island can be seen in a day!)

Without further ado, I present my 2015 race schedule:

Myrtle Beach Marathon - February 14, South Carolina

After having to endure the entire polar vortex last winter without any respite, I'm super excited to have warm-ish locale to look forward to! I've been to Virginia Beach, so I imagine Myrtle Beach will have a similar flavor, but I'm hoping it will have a more relaxed vibe in the off-season. Plus where else would be a better place to spend Valentines Day?

And holy cow, people were not joking that prices are way marked down in the winter. We scored a king suite with an ocean view within walking distance of the race for 53% off! I can't imagine going in the summer - I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the price we normally would've paid for our hotel.

The course is known for being flat and fast (for realsies), and the average high is only 61. I'm training with RLRF for this race, and I'm hoping to run a 4:28. This will be by far the largest race we've done (MDI currently holds the record right now, with about 800 marathon finishers), and it'll be a new experience to have bigger crowds and a pacer to run with. I love me my small races, but I'm looking forward to trying something a little bit different, and maybe getting an extra boost.

Antalya Marathon - March 1, Asia

I'm not going to lie, I had to talk Eager Feet Mom off a ledge when I told her I'd be going to Turkey. After reassuring her that a beach town heavily visited by Germans is not crawling with PKK, she got pretty excited for me. I'm super fortunate that my best friend is in Georgia (the country, not the state) teaching English this year, so it will be relatively convenient for her to meet me in Turkey. It will also be relatively convenient for me to have someone fluent in Turkish to drag my white self around.

Our game plan is to spend a few days in Istanbul and then continue on to Antalya. I was originally planning to run the Istanbul Marathon this month until work got in the way, but I'm almost glad it didn't work out, because Antalya looks gorgeous! It's set on the Mediterranean among the mountains, and I can't wait to run there. This race is also organized by a German company, so I feel more secure knowing I will be able to understand the race officials and most of the participants.

 

I'm a tad bit nervous that the course limit is only five hours, which is why I'm feeling some pressure to pull off a 4:28 in Myrtle Beach, to know I have some cushion in Antalya. I checked out results from prior years, and it doesn't appear to be a hard limit, and I know Turks are super laid-back, so it hopefully will be a non-issue.

I have a semi-secret dream of doing the Seven Continents as well as the 50 States, and this will be a fun and unique way to sneak Asia in. Plus it will be another warm weather location. Bring it on, winter!

Knoxville Marathon - March 29, Tennessee

When I first looked at Tennessee races, I was leaning away from Knoxville because I somehow had gotten it into my head that it was a huge race. Once I realized it was my ideal size (about 800 finishers), my interest was piqued. It has great reviews, and I'm particularly looking forward to the special marathoner-only indoor finisher area. It'll also be nice to have a low-key travel situation after flying for the previous two marathons.

The course is designed to show off the various neighborhoods of Knoxville. Growing up in southeast Michigan, I associate major cities with blight and decay, so I'm excited to see a city where you can walk around without fear of death. (Example - the now vacant Science Center had a sign that said no gum, and I legitimately thought it said no guns every time I saw it from a distance.)

Everyone does seem to warn the course is pretty hilly, especially in the second half. Considering I live in Flatland Central, I'm not really sure how I'm going to prepare for this. I will probably use my patented "screw it, I'll just suffer on race day" method.

Blue Ridge Marathon - April 18, Virginia

My other method for dealing the hills at Knoxville will be reminding myself how deep the pain cave will be going just a few weeks later at Blue Ridge. This is billed as America's toughest road marathon, though apparently another race in Arizona competes with them for this title. Considering that race involves running up a mountain and then back down, I'm pretty scared. I could probably find a hilly location to drive to for some long runs, but there aren't any mountains anywhere.

There is a very generous course limit of eight hours (I probably would've skipped this race without that insurance policy). I may have to take a very conservative strategy and do a lot of power-walking, but I'm looking forward to getting up close with a part of the country I've never seen before. My true love is the high deserts of the West, but I imagine these forested mountains will speak to my Michigander heart.

Which may not actually be able to appreciate the scenery because of how hard it's beating....

Hatfield-McCoy Marathon - June 13, West Virginia

This was the only picture I could find, so let's roll with it.

I did this race in 2014 and counted it for Kentucky, but Michael wasn't with me, so I'm excited for him to experience it. It seems like this marathon is basically a rite of passage for 50 Staters. (It probably helps there are so few races in West Virginia.) It is a giant pain in the butt to get to, but they work very hard to keep costs down, and all the little details make this race worth it.

But remember, this is not pretty enough to take a picture of!

I won't lie though, this was a tough course, and other runners told me it was about 10 degrees cooler than in other years. I'm hoping we will luck out with good weather, but you never know. I didn't find the hills nearly as challenging as I had expected, so I'm hoping I can be a little more strategic this year, now that I'm familiar wit the course. Plus I know the firehouse will be about two degrees at night, so I'm hoping I will do better after I get more than four hours of sleep!

Missoula Marathon - July 12, Montana

Other than Antalya, the race I'm most geeked for next year is Missoula. I've been to Montana briefly, but my parents and I never made it up to Glacier. (We always wanted to hit multiple parks per trip, and there just isn't much else up there.) Pictures I've seen of the area look absolutely stunning, and I can't wait to see it in person. I wish I had more vacation days so we could spend more time there, but that just means we will have to pack the fun in, sore legs be damned.

Besides Myrtle Beach, this will easily be our most expensive trip next year. (I'm paying for Turkey out of my tax refund, so I'm not counting that in the same bucket.) But I think it will be worth every penny. Everyone loves the race, and everyone loves the area. Plus I've always wanted to get out there before 2020, when supposedly a lot of the glaciers will have melted.

The actual race itself starts out in the country and then ends through downtown Missoula. I'm expecting this to be spectacular as well. I don't think you can lose when it comes to being out West!

Newport Marathon - October 11, Rhode Island

First off, there is nothing worse than someone excitedly asking you where you'll be running next year and having to tell them Rhode Island. I have a map of the states I've run up in my cube, and the pins I use to mark the race location are literally bigger than Rhode Island. It's certainly not the most glamorous explanation.

That being said, just about everyone I meet that has spent time on the East Coast tells me how beautiful Newport is, and the reviews seem to reflect that as well. My chiro used to live in Newport and was all set to lecture me if I told him I had picked a different race for Rhode Island.

This is another area I've never been really been to (other than Maine, which I don't think really counts), so I'm excited to do some exploring. Plus, flights from Cleveland to Hartford are shockingly cheap, so it won't even break the bank, despite being a "flying" race.

Most of the course runs along the water, and it also goes through some parks. Running along the ocean and through Acadia in Maine was incredible, and I can't wait to do it again. I'm also hoping this race will give me ammunition as to why so-called "boring" states are actually some of the best. (Looking at you, Nebraska!)

This schedule feels a little bit scary, but I'm way more excited than nervous. The only real bummer is that I will only be able to fit in a full training cycle between Missoula and Newport, so I'm determined to work really hard leading up to Myrtle Beach, as it will be difficult to build fitness for a long time afterwards. I'm open to suggestions on how to set up my training in between races, especially when the gap is an awkward four weeks.

It'll be one fun challenge, that's for sure.

How do you train when there's a two to four week gap between races?

Do you have any tips on these marathons? 

Run Less Run Faster: Week Two

I'm very happy to report that after my second week of RLRF, I'm still loving the program! Only running three times a week means I look forward to each run, rather than slowly burning out. I find my workouts are leaving me energized and refreshed, rather than collapsed in an exhausted heap. The runs are certainly quite challenging, don't get me wrong, but alternating them with cross-training is keeping my drive alive.

I don't think legs are supposed to do that.

I thought this week would be a bit difficult to manage with a busy work schedule, but I was able to make everything happen, relatively stress free. I had to run one day after work, but that's only because I stayed up too late the night before watching Hobbit special features. No regrets.

Monday, November 3
600 yd swim

The swim for week two involved some actual, you know, swimming, rather than just kicking. I was immensely pleased to find everything came back immediately, just like riding a bike. I can tell I've lost some speed, but I'm going to attribute that to the loss of volume. This swim would've been perfect if it weren't for the creeper encounter, but I guess you can't win them all.

Tuesday, November 4
AM - 4.7 mi total (4x800 @ 4:10)
lunch - lift

The 400s were very challenging, but they went much better than my lone mile repeat last week, since I actually fueled and hydrated beforehand. My legs had nothing left for the last repeat, so I just pushed as hard as I could manage and did it in 4:30. I think I need to bring a bit of fuel on these runs for between repeats, since I don't have that much in my stomach to start with.

Wednesday, November 5
600 yd swim

Same swim as Monday. It felt good to work out some of the stiffness in my quads.

Thursday, November 6
lunch - lift
PM - 7 mi tempo (10:36 min/mile)

I stuck to the same weights in the gym as I used Tuesday, even though I obviously felt much fresher without a run already on my legs. It paid off, and the tempo run felt frighteningly doable. I honestly got a bit annoyed with how "slow" it felt, since I'm used to tempo runs being a harder. On the other hand, it was great to know that five miles at MP didn't tax me too much.

Friday, November 7
rest (aka more Hobbit bingeing)

Saturday, November 8
15 mi long (10:57 min/mile)

I somehow managed to hit my target pace down to the second again. I love my new Garmin and being able to give it a pace range to keep me in, rather than spending the whole run doing mental math. It almost feels like "cheating," but, hey, I'm still the one that has to maintain that pace.

Even though this run was significantly slower than last week's (15 seconds per mile slower, to be exact), it felt much harder and I had to fight a bit more. There was more wind, but it wasn't anything horrible. I wonder if a stressful week at work just took its toll on my body. In the end, the run was still enjoyable. (Though I can't wait to nap on the couch instead of going to work afterwards next week!)

Sunday, November 9
Slow Flow Yoga


I enjoyed class much more than last week, now that I knew what to expect. (What can I say, I'm a control freak.) My hips felt much looser than last week, but my low back was not a happy camper. And my core is still hilariously weak. But I managed to (sort of) get myself up into a shoulder stand and on the way to plow pose, so I was very happy with that.

Run Miles: 26.7
Swim Miles: .7
Lifting Time: 46 mins
Yoga Time: 60 mins
Total Time: 6:34

Work should be a little less crazy this week (in that I should be able to leave at 5 every day), and I'm hoping it reflects in my runs. I'm looking forward to doing my first ladder workout Tuesday. I'm also pretty amped for another long run. I've obviously only done two so far, but they're fun and challenging, and I think I'm really going to improve. They looked scary at first, but now that I know the prescribed paces are within reach, I'm pumped to tackle them.

And to tackle the contents of my pantry afterwards.

Five Things Friday - November 7

This week has been a bit crazy over in my world, since work decided to schedule two big projects at the same time. I've been keeping my head afloat and getting much better at saying no to random requests.

Overall, I've felt much calmer than I expected, and I credit a lot of that to actually taking a lunch (how novel!) to work out. Just one short hour away from my desk helps clear my head. I've also really fallen in love with running in the morning. While working late isn't exactly a blasty blast, it's nice not having to stress about fitting in a tough run afterwards. Other than one day, I've been successful at going to bed early enough to get up on time while still feeling rest.

Why did I fall off the wagon one night? I'm glad you asked, because that once again leads me into beginning my Five Things Friday with Tolkien nerdiness!

1. The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition was released!

I had gotten it with guaranteed delivery, so UPS had to drop it off at my apartment office, which is open until 6. I busted my butt at work and brought my computer home to finish some stuff up so I could pick it up before closing, only to discover they locked up over a half hour early with no warning.

Don't worry, I told my boss I had to work from home in the morning until they opened at 9 (since I wouldn't be off work before 6 until potentially next week), so that I could get it. Wednesday night I dove into the special features and couldn't stop. Let's just say, I know what I'm doing after my long run tomorrow. (And if something can pry me away from college football, you know it's serious business.)

2. The NYC Marathon was on Sunday. (Yes, this list is in order of importance.)

And people wonder why I'm fine skipping this race....

I woke up with plenty of time to settle in for the coverage. I love that our sport was on a major network, but I wish they would show more of the actual race. Ok, I don't want to watch people just run for two hours either, but I don't like how they miss so much action to do their heart-warming story segments. I wish they could maybe do this type of coverage on ABC for all the non-runners and do more extensive race coverage on ESPN2.

I was so thrilled to see how well Meb and Desi did! I try to keep up with how Desi is doing (Rochester is fairly close to where I grew up), so it was awesome to see her finish in the top five.

3. What would you change about your body?



This video has been going viral, so this probably isn't the first time you're seeing it, but I loved it so much I had to share it. My favorite person is actually the older woman at the end who has embraced her changes because they make her, her. This is the same reason I don't feel the need to wear make-up or do anything with my hair. It's not perfect, but that's what I look like, so I don't see I need to worry about it.

4. Winter is coming is here.

Though the weather people can't seem to decide if we'll have a mild winter due to El Nino or another polar vortex.

While running after work Thursday, I noticed some particles flying in the beam of my headlamp. I thought they might be bits of leaves or dirt, but no, I eventually realized it was snow. (Which I much prefer to run in over rain, anyway.) It was still a bit bittersweet. It means the cool, comfortable running temperatures are here, but it also means I'll be back to frantically shoveling my car out of my carport in the mornings - as my neighbor/coworker laughs as he blasts away in his SUV.

5. Pools are creeper magnets.

I'm not sure what it is about pools that attracts strange people, but the force was strong on Tuesday. An older, overweight man in inside underwear without goggles was swimming alone in the lane next to mine. After each lap, he would dunk himself under the water about 20 times. (Side note - is this a real swimming thing I don't know about?) (Second side note - he seemed totally mentally capable, which is what made him creepy.)

I think he was annoyed that he would get sprayed with water when I was doing kick sets and he was doing his bobbing thing. This led him to critiquing my form. I accidentally engaged on the first time because I didn't expect anything bad - big mistake. He then proceeded to tread water at the other end and wait for me to get there to offer more advice. At this point it was frustrating, but nothing more.

However, he then decided to get out of the pool and stand at the end of my lane, and talk to me there. Huge creeper alert. Obviously, there were other swimmers and a lifeguard, so nothing could happen, but if I had been alone, I would've felt pretty scared.

I wish I was less terrified of confrontation and had told him to screw off rather than just ignoring him (which goggles and a swim cap actually make pretty easy, since I can't see or hear all that well to start with). I've practiced my response in my head in case I run into him again. My workouts are a way for me to relax, and I hate having a huge adrenaline rush because some weirdo thinks it's okay to follow me around.

Who's the creepiest person you've encountered while working out?

What's your favorite movie? 

Tips for Running in the Cold

One of things that surprises me most as a runner is how often people are impressed that I run outside in the winter. (My evil secret is I loathe treadmills and indoor tracks with every fiber of my being.) But I truly do love winter running!

And those of us running Myrtle Beach don't even have until spring!

After a few conversations with coworkers on this topic, I've realized a lot of people just don't know how to run in cold weather. It seems like people think I'm hardcore because they assume I'm cold the whole time when I'm out running. This couldn't be further from the truth. If winter long runs meant being cold for three hours, I wouldn't be doing them. (If they meant being cold for 10 minutes, I wouldn't do them then either, let's be real.)

I've figured out what works best for me through a lot of trial and error (and willingness to look like a dork). I thought I'd share some tricks of the trade I've picked up over the last couple years. Hopefully at least one of these will be new to you.

1. De-wax your ears.

Let's start with the grossest first! Before I started getting allergy shots, I usually saw the doctor two to four times a year for sinus infections. These infections gave me some level of ear discomfort, so I always asked the doctor to check to see if I had a separate ear infection. (I was so miserable I couldn't tell.) Finally, one doctor told me she couldn't actually tell because I had too much earwax in the way, and she recommended drops to reduce the wax.

This sounded like the weirdest thing I'd ever heard, but I was concerned that my ears were so clogged no one could actually examine them properly, so I popped into CVS and picked some up. Be warned - the drops release oxygen when they come in contact with earwax, so, if you have a lot like me, it will sound like you set off bombs inside your eardrums.

I noticed the benefits right away. I had always had problems with excruciating pain in my inner ears if I exerted myself outside in the cold (even if it was an easy effort and I was wearing a hat). I never put two and two together, but clearing my ears out has completely taken this pain away. I'm not sure if this is a common problem, but I know I never thought to ask for a solution, so I'd say give this a try if your ears are aching. (Bonus - this removed the post-swim vertigo I used to get on a regular basis, too.)

2. Know when to dress in layers.

Dressing in layers is probably the most obvious cold weather tip there is. However, I found it much more helpful to know when to put on an extra layer. For example, if it feels like it's below 15 degrees and dark out, I wear a loose pair of sweat pants on top of my tights. If there are high winds (determined by feel or if they're strong enough to be included in the weather report), I wear my balaclava. Pretty simple, but these rules of thumb cut down on the time I spent contemplating my wardrobe.

And speaking of balaclavas....

3. A running balaclava is your best friend.

I feel like the biggest dork ever in this thing, but it is seriously a lifesaver when there are brutal winds or even just very cold temps. There are tons of balaclava choices, but make sure to get one designed for running. Mine has a nose slit and lots of holes over the mouth. (The nose slit is also easy to grab if I want to expose my face but my gloves have swallowed my fine motor skills.) Neither of these let in a significant amount of cold air but let me breathe normally. It also has a neck gaiter, so I tuck it into the neck of my Underamour. This means when it's freezing out, the only thing left exposed are my eyes. Totally worth feeling like a dweeb.

Hott.

4. Base layers are also your best friend.

Again, this is an obvious tip - but I want to touch on two base layers I think a lot of people miss: gloves and leggings. I have pair of Smartwool liner gloves that I wear under heavier gloves when it's really cold out. (When it's not quite as cold, I wear the liner gloves on their own.) I'm more prone to cold fingers because I have Raynaud's, and having that extra layer really makes a difference. Plus the liner gloves work are touch-screen sensitive, so I can adjust my iPod without having to expose my hands.

I also have a pair of wool leggings that fit under my tights. While my legs don't get too cold when I'm running (they're busy working, after all), having a snuggly layer against my skin helps, even if only psychologically.

5. Gaiters have multiple uses.

My final tip is to get a pair of gaiters. I'll be the first to admit they are a giant pain in the butt to put on (and getting them on right so that they stay in place is key), but they can keep a run from turning miserable fast. I usually wear them when there's slush on the ground, to keep any from splashing onto my legs or into my shoes. (I don't typically wear them when there's only snow, since it doesn't melt on me until I get back inside.) But my other secret is wearing them when it's extra cold out, to cover that final bit of skin between the bottom of my tights and my socks.

And yes, I do photograph almost everything on my bed.

None of these tips are exactly earth-shattering, but I wanted to collect them all in one place. Just don't let my coworkers know...I like that they think I'm superhuman when my apartment is actually set at 80 degrees.

Run Less Run Faster: Week One

I have to admit, I wasn't too sure how this week was going to go. So many people online had negative things to say about the Run Less Run Faster program, but it seemed everyone who had actually, you know, done it, said the workouts could be killer. I was a bit worried this week was going to land at one of those extremes, but it fell perfectly in the middle.

Can't stop, won't stop.

Taking a week before training to get my sleep schedule in order was a great decision - I had no issue getting up early the two days I needed to, and it should be even easier this week now that DST is over.

It was also good practice to start using my lunches to workout. This month is going to be crazy busy at work, and I have a bad habit of working through lunch, even if it fries my brain. However, I put my swims and my gym workouts on my work calendar, complete with reminder, and that encouraged me to treat it like any other meeting and get up from my desk on time. I think having this mid-day release is going to be super beneficial over the next few weeks.

And overall, I really really like how RLRF is structured. The workouts are just as tough as people said, but knowing I have a day of cross-training afterwards to recover helps me push through. This was helpful too when I was doing my long run Saturday - I knew I had to two days off from running after, so I didn't waste any mental energy worrying about being tired afterwards. I knew I was going to be tired - and it didn't matter!

Monday, October 27
500 yd swim


I was a bit nervous about getting back into the pool after so long away. The workout called for nothing but kicking, so I'm sure today I'm in for a rude awakening when I actually have to do things with my arms. I also discovered that the pool at lunch time is very odd - tons of people come between 11 and 12, and suddenly everyone is gone at 12:15. (Seriously, I went from circle-swimming to have my own lane in a five minute span.) This was good because now I know if I need an extra 15 minutes, I should still leave at 12 to avoid people.

Tuesday, October 28
AM - 5.75 mi easy (11:16 min/mile)
lunch - lift

The morning was a catastrophic failure. For some reason I thought running mile repeats without eating or drinking beforehand was a great idea. Spoiler alert - it was awful. I was ready to give up and go home after the first repeat (which I didn't hit my required pace at and nearly puked from at the end), but I knew I should at least get the mileage in. Even those easy miles were painful from the lack of fuel.

Wednesday, October 29
500 yd swim

Same workout as Monday. I could definitely feel the fatigue from Tuesday's run in my legs, but they got nice and loosened up from all the kicking.

Thursday, October 30
AM - 6 mi tempo (10:27 min/mile)
PM - lift

I learned my lesson from Tuesday, and I drank a full glass of water and ate some Saltines before heading out the door. I felt a little tired, but I think it was only some sleepyness. I felt very strong during the tempo miles, so I'm glad I got the problem solved so easily. It is very disorienting running in the dark, since I have no point in the distance to focus on when running hard. It's a new kind of mental exercise.

Friday, October 31
rest


Saturday, November 1
13 mi long (10:42 min/mile)


I had to go into work for a bit Saturday, but I wanted to get my run out of the way earlier. I was awake early enough I could've gone in the dark, but I decided I'd much rather run in the sunshine instead. This was clever stalling technique, as I was pretty worried about hitting the prescribed pace (MP+30).

All this worrying was for naught - I ended up averaging exactly 10:42 minute/miles, right down to the second. I loved my new Garmin: I told it my desired pace range and it beeped whenever I went out of it, taking out the work of mental math to figure out my pace. Instead I was just able to settle in and enjoy my podcast. The weather was absolutely perfect, and I only needed to call on my mental strength for the last two miles.

Sunday, November 2
Slow Flow Yoga


In college I tried to go to yoga once or twice a week and got fairly good at it. Since then I've occasionally done a few videos at home, but I really missed having a live instructor, so I decided to cash in some of my credit card rewards to pay for yoga class once a week (it is expensive, yo).

I was easily the worst student there, but I surprisingly didn't feel bad about it. I know with some work I will improve, and the instructor and other students were very welcoming and non-judgmental.

The only bad part was when the instructor asked if I should get a student discount, since I was in high school. I wish people would be a little more PC when asking about my age, but I'm learning to roll with it.

Run Miles: 24.8
Swim Miles: .6
Lifting Time: 45 mins
Yoga Time: 60 mins
Total Time: 7:02

My biggest challenge this coming week will be balancing a crazy work schedule while staying energized for my workouts. I'm framing my lunch workouts as a great mental break for my days, and my runs as a way to pound out the stress. But let's just say I already can't wait to relax during my long run next weekend!