December Lull, Running gifts, and dogs, of course

I'm honestly a little embarrassed by my running so far in December...up until this last week, it has not been a good month! We've been hit with some really cold weather and snow. I know, weather should not be an excuse, especially since I still have a gym membership.

Beautiful morning run from early December.

The runs that I have done have all been just okay.  Besides the standard 4-6 mile runs, I have done a couple of workouts on the treadmill-two miles warm up and then .7 miles hard (about 6:22 pace) and .3 easy x 4, and a mile CD. Running a workout on the treadmill is so much easier than going for a distance run.  Those people that can do that (a long run on the treadmill) must have a special sense for ignoring the time/distance slowly ticking by, or have a really amazing playlist to listen to. Mr. B ran ten on the treadmill the other night like it was no big deal...at least he admitted to me later that he wasn't a fan. After that he has done his runs outside- even the long 17 milers in close to 0 degrees!

Hardcore.

That is why I got him a running jacket for Christmas- the Nike Element Shield full zip:

from Nike.com

I went to Run N Fun, of course, and they had so many options! It took me a long time to pick out a jacket for him. Running clothes can be tough to buy for others since there are so many options and everyone likes different features. But I knew I wanted to get him one with the cuffs that extend over the hand with thumb holes, wind and water resistance, reflective strips, and a longer back than front. This one met all those requirements, plus it wasn't as flashy as some of the others. So far I think he really likes it!

Mr. B provided me with some of my own running goodies for my birthday and Christmas! My birthday present was a Garmin Forerunner 10. I love it. It is the most simple option they have, and that is perfect for me. All I want is the time, pace, and distance, and that is exactly what I get. I think you can download the runs onto the Garmin site too so that you can see splits and other stats. I always used my watch and online mapping site to figure out my runs, and then I started using the map my run app when I got my new phone. But the Garmin is a lot less bulky than my phone so no more running with the phone!
 
He also gave me the Nike Element Shield pants:

Photo from Nike.com- mine do not fit this snugly; I like my pants to have a little room.

And the Nike element half zip:

pic also from nike.com. I can't get enough shirts with thumb holes!!

Plus, some Smartwool socks! Very nice and warm. I think there's a saying that goes something like "there's no bad weather, just bad clothing" (or did I make that up? Did my college coach make it up to trick the team into running outside?). In any case, the new gear definitely makes outdoor running more tolerable when it's frigid and windy. 

Rodgy did not get any running stuff for Christmas; he got a new rope toy and he loves it. 

Here are some more pictures of dogs, since one dog picture is clearly not enough:

 

I found this black dog wandering the streets of St. Paul on my way to run some errands. He had a collar on so he clearly belonged to someone but there were no tags or anything. He was a sweetie, and jumped right into my car when I called him. I took him to the Animal Humane Society where they scanned him for a microchip, and luckily the information was current, so dog and owner were reunited.

Ari, my old running buddy. His mileage these days is even lower than mine so he's put on a few pounds. Still a lover though!!!

Thumb holes in running tops: Yay or Nay?
Did you get any running gear for a holiday gift? What kind?

A nice fall run.

A scene from my run this morning:

Such a perfect fall morning! I've said it before and I'll say it again: fall running is the best.

Since the 10 mile, I haven't been running much more than I was before (not like that was a lot to begin with...). But I signed up to run a 10k on Thanksgiving and I'd like to have a good race, so I am going to try to get a long run in on the weekend. You know, like most runners do. Today I planned a route of about 8.5 miles, but during my run I needed to take a .5 mile detour to use the restroom, so the run ended up being 9 miles even in 1 hour 4 minutes (7:05 pace).

I made a rookie mistake and overdressed for my run. It was about 35 when I left, and I knew the day was only going to get warmer, but I still was a wuss and wore two long sleeves plus a fleece headband. About 4 miles in, I was really regretting that second layer. 

My hip felt pretty good the whole run, but afterwards it tightened up. I have an evening of icing & stretching planned...along with watching the Packers game!

Cutest Packers fan ever. 

Running plans for this week:

Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: Workout (6x800 m @ 2:50-3:00)
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: 6 miles

Plus hip stretching/strengthening exercises each day (AM & PM).


The mileage seems low,  but since I haven't been the queen of consistency I think it's better than nothing.We'll see!

Smells like cross country....and poor preparation

Do you ever associate smells with a specific season? To me, fall smells crisp, cool, and fresh (if that is even possible....). The summer humidity is *finally* gone, the mornings are slightly chilly, and running feels so GOOD!! I love love love running in the fall.

Hello St. Paul Fall Scenery..

 I loved running cross country, and still get nervous flutters in my stomach if I go running on certain routes in the fall. The smell of the season plus being on a route where I used to do workouts just brings me back to my more competitive days. Weird? Probably..but also pretty motivating!

Too bad the fall motivation didn't kick in earlier this summer for me- maybe then I would feel more ready for the TC 10 Mile this weekend! About six weeks ago I thought, oh six weeks left, no big deal I'll kick it into high gear and be fine...and then last weekend I thought, SHIT. Next weekend is the race. My preliminary goal was 70:00 but at this point...I'm not sure that is going to happen.

Running since September 10:

13 miles the week of the 8th
14.6 miles the week of the 15th
10 (!wtf) miles the week of the 22nd
10 miles so far this week.

Is that a recipe for disaster? Yes, probably, yes. Most of my runs are at around 6:55 pace so at least I have that going for me? I guess?! Yikes. I think this is my lowest mileage...ever. Or at least since 7th grade. Oh, and did I mention that a good friend's birthday party is Saturday night? Yeah this might not be my best race.

At least I have fancy new shoes to get me going! I went to Run N Fun to see if they had any of my beloved Ravenna 3s in stock...of course not, but I found a new shoe!

Conveniently advertising for Run N Fun on my socks.

These are the New Balance 870s (last year's model, I believe). I have worn them twice and really like them! They aren't as light as the Mizuno Inspires and are definitely more "shoe" than the Ravennas. But I think they'll do just fine, though I think I might still wear my Nike racing shoes for the 10 mile (I need every advantage I can get).

Non running related:

Rodgy and I went to a local self-serve dog "spa" (Bubbly Paws on Grand Avenue) and clearly he loved it:

 

Look at that face. So betrayed.

I actually did love it- I got a clean dog and my bathroom didn't look like a disaster. And since I'm clearly obsessed with dogs, this past Saturday I volunteered at the Great Minnesota Pet Together, which is an annual adoption bonanza with the Animal Humane Society and a ton of other shelter and rescue groups, at the State Fairgrounds. And I was thisclose to adopting this lover:

Gah those eyes...that tail....that scruffy little guy

Fortunately, I didn't get a chance to adopt him, because the sweetest little boy took him home as a gift from his grandma. So, it was still a happy ending! The event was a huge success despite the weather, and I was glad to be a part of it!

* If you are ill-prepared for a race, what do you do? Drop out? Suck it up and run?
* What is your favorite season & why?

Chiropractors & Creepers

Do you know what helps running? Getting professional help for an injury. Since May 18, I have been dealing with this sore hip/butt leg thing, and since I was cheap/stubborn/in denial, I figured I could just run through it or treat it using advice from the always accurate Google and web md. Now in some cases, that might actually work. But this pain wasn't going away (but, thank goodness, not getting any worse). So I finally bit the bullet and made an appointment with a chiropractor.

I chose a chiropractor for a couple of reasons. 1. I had never been to one before and like trying new things 2. This one was really close by and in my network for insurance 3. She was also an athlete so would *hopefully* understand that I wanted to keep training 4. Chiropractors typically cost less than a PT and I have a small deductible on my insurance plan.

So. The chiropractor was much different than I thought. I was expecting a 20 visit treatment plan and getting cracked and adjusted all down my back. Not quite the case... I had to do some lunges, walk on my toes, get my legs moved around, etc. The verdict? I have a crazy tight hip flexor and weak glutes. She gave me a bunch of stretches and strengthening exercises to do, and also adjusted my low back/hips. I've been there three times, and have one last appointment this Friday. So, fingers crossed that with some consistency with the stretching/strengthening, the pain will go away.

My favorite of the exercises:

Single leg squat

Hip flexor stretch

pigeon stretch

Because of the leg/hip/butt thing my running has been sporadic at best. I've been doing about 5 miles a day, 3-5 days per week. The Tuesday Track workouts have all but stopped since my workout buddies have been busy and I've been dealing with this pain. I'm really optimistic that my leg will feel good enough to get some good quality running in by the ten mile in October.

Non running related:

Mr. B and I put in a Pet Peek for Rodgy! He loves staring at the other dogs on their walks. What a little creeper.

Also, our new house is just two blocks away from a delicious, family owned and (best of all) cheap bakery. Mr. B surprised me one morning with some goodies:

I was too excited by the treats to care about taking a good picture. 

Real LIfe: 1 Julia: 0

It has been one of those weeks (or one and a half weeks?). I feel pretty much zapped of all energy after a crazy week at work, plus some crazy stuff going on in my non-running/work life...does this mean I'm a "grown up"?? So this post is going to reflect the disjointed nature of my thoughts. 

• I mentioned that during the Athleta 10 mile race I tweaked something in my left buttcheek area. This is still bothering me- not quite as bad as before, but it is a mild irritation. It might be piriformis syndrome (yep that is a wikipedia link- everything on wikipedia is true, right?)...so I have been rolling and stretching like a maniac.
• Because of this, I have kept my running to a minimum. Except for track workouts.   
• Wednesday I met up with Meg and Larissa to run some 1200 repeats. We ran them slightly faster than 6:00 pace. I believe we did 4 total with about 2:00 recovery between each. This workout actually felt okay until we decided to run the 3rd repeat clockwise on the track. That made it flare up a bit.
•  To try and avoid worsening my leg, I took it pretty easy the rest of the week- short runs of only 4 or so miles. 
• Sunday I did 10.5 miles from my house, including some wicked hills. My butt felt okay. 
• Tuesday: Track workout- 2x400, 2x800, 1x1200, 2x800, 3x400, at 5:55-6:00 pace, with 90 seconds recovery (plus some bonus seconds recovery after the 1200).
• I wore heels to work yesterday and I think that cured my butt pain. 
• My sister Kit moved to Seattle for the summer so I have to go to estate sales on my own. 
• Mr. B and I put an offer in on a house...and it was accepted! I'm cautiously excited... I've heard horror stories of things falling apart at the last minute. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen to us! 

This weekend I'd like to get two solid long runs in, or maybe a long run and a race. We'll see.

How was you past week or so? Is anyone else crazy busy?
Favorite ice cream flavor? 

And to avoid this being a boring words only post:

 

Get this. You'll thank me later. 

A delicious Odell Cut Throat Nitro from the Groveland Tap.

At least someone like the mud from all the rain.

The Athleta Race recap + an amazing new running map

Ten Mile Race Report & Review: The Athleta Race (warning: boring no photo post)

I signed up for this race a couple weeks ago, since it was cheap ($37 since I procrastinated- it was $32 until May 7) and would be a good training run for Grandma's Half in June. It was also a smaller race so there wouldn't be the craziness of a large, popular event. It was drizzling when I got into my car and ten minutes into the drive it was full out pouring. Once I made it to the race I parked and just hung out in my car for a few minutes, to see if the rain was letting up at all. Nope. I had to sprint to pick up my packet.

This brings me to annoyance #1 about this race: Pre-race packet pick up was held from 2-6 pm on Thursday at the Mall of America Athleta, and 2-6 pm on Friday at the Edina location. Not exactly convenient for those with jobs. At least they offered race day pickup.

So anyway. I got my packet and went back to my car. I basically sat in there until 20 minutes until race time, because it was still pouring out. I jogged over to the start of the race, which was a sign on the road-not exactly easy to see. This is annoyance #2: the race was not super organized. The start line wasn't close to packet pickup and it wasn't really clearly marked, so I just ran behind some runners that I hoped were running the ten mile and not the 30k. As it happened the two races started on the same road, but on opposite sides and running towards each other. Recipe for disaster? Sort of. A lot of runners lined up with the wrong race so there was some last minute scrambling.

The race itself was fine- a few small hills, but mostly flat. Of course it was pouring the entire time. But the field was strung out fairly quickly so I could just pick people off as the miles wore on. I felt good but my splits were all over the place:

7:13, 6:52, 7:00, 6:38, 6:57, 6:47, 7:00, 6:45, 6:39, 6:34

I guess I could look at the race as one mile easy, one hard, one easy.... but it felt pretty even to me until mile 7 when I made a conscious decision to run harder. In any case,  I ran 1:08:28. At about mile 6ish something weird hurt in my left butt/hip flexor area. It went away mostly for the rest of the run but reallly hurt on Sunday (I took the day off). Yesterday i ran three miles with Rodgy and it hurt a little during the run. I've been foam rolling and stretching like crazy so I hope that helps....

Oh and I lied....of COURSE I'll add a picture...of Rodgy! He sat in this spot for an hour just watching me weed the yard. He probably was waiting for me to step into a hidden pile of poop. 

so freaking cute!!

 ***********************************************************************************

Speaking of poop........the greatest running map in the history of 2013:

http://minneapolisrunning.com/bathrooms/

looks like heaven....

A map of all the runner-friendly bathrooms (indoor & porta-potty) in the Twin Cities area! If you have never experienced the panic of needing a bathroom RIGHT NOW then you are lucky and I hope you appreciate your GI system of steel. For those of you who have dealt with that feeling.... this is amazing (as long as you live in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area).

Have you every purchased workout gear from Athleta? Thoughts on quality/value? They seem to have cute stuff but I've never tried any of their stuff.

Do you prefer small races or larger races?
I love the energy and organization at big races but love the lower cost & convenience of small events. How's that for a non-answer?

Track workout report and the Walk for Animals

Confession time: After my track workout on Tuesday I didn't run until yesterday! I think my 'runner' card might get revoked. In all honesty, I'm not super worried about the unplanned break. I *still* don't have my car back from the shop, we got more snow (!!!whatthehell), and I was relying on Mr. B to haul me around. So, I'm letting it go.

However, the track workout went rather well! It was so nice to be back on campus, even though UST has done so much renovation/new construction that it feels like a different place. At least the track is still the same!

Meg and I ran about 15 minutes for our warm up. As I mentioned, we planned the following ladder:

200, 400, 600 (all at 5:40 pace) and 800, 1000 (at 6:00 pace)

We gave ourselves roughly 200 m to recover between intervals but took a little extra between the 600 and 800s. I'd rather finish the workout strong at the goal pace than be super strict on recovery and really struggle on the fast stuff.

Our college coach always wanted us to be on pace right away- if we were way too fast or too slow at the 100m mark, he would call us back to start over and adjust our pace(and we didn't get credit for the 100 m that we had already run). He wanted us to get used to the correct pace for training and racing. So that is how we did this workout- luckily we hit the right time for each interval.

Our 2,4, and 6 were perfect and we both felt really good. Slowing down even 20 seconds/mile for the 800 felt nice, and all the long intervals felt great. I am good at setting a pace for the first part of a workout and Meg is a strong closer, so we swtiched off leading with 400 to go. It is really amazing how much easier it is to sit on someone than it is to lead. Our 800 and 1k ended up being slighly faster than 6:00 pace-I think more around 5:50. But it felt great. Tomorrow we have another track workout planned- probably just some 2s and 4s. The 1 mile is on Thursday so there's not much time to get ready!!

Oh yeah I ran 5 miles yesterday. Nothing else to report on that. Sorry.

**********

I also walked 5 miles on Saturday with Mr. B and Rodgy for the Walk for Animals! This is a big fundraising event for the Animal Humane Society.

Rodgy is taking it all in...I hope he's grateful I didn't make him wear a tutu.

All animals welcome. Even ducks.



Despite the drizzle/wind/general unpleasant weather, the walk was really fun. Rodgy was exhausted at the end of it and passed out on the car ride home. Success!!!

- What is the strangest animal you've seen out for a walk?
- Do you enjoy/ever do track workouts? Why or why not?

I need a bike

Not because I am going to start competing in triathlons (I am a TERRIBLE swimmer) but because the most annoying thing happened tonight!

Poor little Mazda.

I was sideswiped!!! I have never been in a car accident and am always super paranoid about getting into one...and now, it's happened. I am fine, the other driver who hit me is fine...but our poor cars are both pretty beat up. My timing is impeccable since I can borrow a friend's car for the weekend (Thanks L!). But it still sucks being without my car.

Before the curious incident of the car and the other car, today was turning out to be great! It's my half day so at noon I enjoyed a 6 mile run (6:45 pace) in our lovely weather. I'm not even kidding about the weather, it was sunny at 50 degrees! Then Rodgy and I hit up the dog park, followed by two hours of dog walking. Just look at this face:

You know you want to cuddle this little honey....

I am so surprised that I still only have one pet.

Husband of the year, Mr. B., shoveling the snow

Other running:

6. 75 miles on Saturday (7:10 pace)
8 miles on Sunday with Meg (7:28 pace)
Snowstorm Monday, did not run-----------------proof-------->
7 miles Tuesday (7:10 pace)

My plan for yesterday was to warm up 15 minutes, then run 30 minutes harder (I was hoping for 6:40 pace) and then cool down for 10-15 minutes. Hmm no. Didn't happen. I felt like crap. The "hard" part of my run felt like sprinting, but when I checked my pace I was running 7:00 miles! In fact, it felt so crappy that I decided to modify the workout into three ten-minute chunks of hard running. And that didn't go any better. I ended up calling it after 15 minutes of total hard running and just did a normal run back in...and the last couple miles ended up being 6:50 pace.

I'm chalking the run up to just a bad day- those happen, I'll deal with it and move on. I have a 10k on Saturday so I hope that goes better!

Have you ever been in a car accident?
Ever had one of "those" bad running days? Are these from being tired? Dead legs? The impending full moon?
Random question:  where do you buy most of your running clothes? Online? Local store? Big-name store like Dick's or Sports Authority? Have you ever bought consignment running clothes?

Running hills and the "perfect" bikini body

What a GLORIOUS day!

The view from my cube at work. Yeah, it's raining.

If that is not bad enough we have another winter storm watch in effect until 1:00 Thursday - another 5-6 inches of snow is on the way. YAY. However, today I will be running hills outside. Hill work is part of every reputable training plan. Hills build strength, which in turn makes you faster and helps prevent injuries. I like how hill workouts can be completed in a pretty short time frame and while they are hard, they don't kill me like intervals do.

For my hill workouts I try to find a hill that takes about a minute to run up, and one that is about 15-20% grade (I think?). I do about two or three miles of warm up, and then run the hill continuously- the only recovery I give myself is the slow walk/jog to the bottom of the hill. Depending on the hill, I will do about 6-12 repeats and then cool down about 10-15 minutes. Is this the perfect or only way to do hills? No, of course not- but it works pretty well for me.

How do you run your hill workouts? Do you like them or loathe them?
**
On a sort of related topic- last Thursday Jezebel posted an article from the Lingerie Lesbian  (http://jezebel.com/5993383/the-concept-of-a-bikini-body-is-absolutely-infuriating) about the "bikini body" craze that hits magazines and websites about this time of year (warning: the comments on this article get feisty). As a runner, maintaining fitness is important to me. But obsessing over fitness in order to conform to what people view as the "ideal" body seems sad.
I understand that our country has problems with weight and that obesity is a major contributor to increasing health care costs. But calling out women (or men) who don't look fit and toned yet still dare to go out in public in a bathing suit is not the way to combat this problem. It bothers me that so many women and men feel uncomfortable in a swimsuit because of what people might think. Motivation for weight loss or getting in shape should come from wanting to improve health, not to fit some mold of what is appropriate to look like in swimwear.

On the other hand, does it matter what one's motivation is for losing weight, if the end result is better health (I'm giving the entire world the benefit of the doubt and assuming they are going about this in a healthy manner i.e. not restricting/binging etc, and stopping once they have hit a healthy weight)? Shouldn't we all strive to be "healthy"?

What are your thoughts on this?
Do you run or work out for fitness/health or for looks? Is it a little of both?
- I won't lie and say I run purely for the joy and fun of it all. I also run to avoid gaining weight and to avoid buying new clothes.
***
On a less serious note....


Run Rodgy!!!!!!! Don't worry, everyone was just having a good time. He survived.

All red jelly beans! MY LIFE IS COMPLETE.

Procrastination at its finest

I am going to run today. But not right now. And maybe not for a couple hours. All that complaining about running in the cold/snow? Well I also don't run in the rain.

Ewww rain......

I mean if I was already running and it started to rain, whatever, I can deal. But heading out into the rain, on purpose, is just not my thing. Sorry not sorry.

So. While I wait for the rain to stop, here is my week in running:

Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 2.5 miles
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: 5 miles

Wednesday's run was short because I took Rodgy! Our dog park is closed because the parking lot is flooded and there are so many potholes it is like driving on the moon. But he needed to get exercise so he went for a run! He is not the best running buddy because he weaves across the sidewalk, sprints for squirrels, and tries to become best friends with everyone we run by. But it was still a good outing.

Get this stupid thing off my face. Let me off my leash. I crave freedom.

We saw this guy skateboarding in shorts and a t-shirt. That means it is 40 degrees in MN.

Question: how do you make yourself run easy?? I know that nice, relaxed, easy runs are essential for training. But I have the hardest time making myself do them! If I am on a treadmill I just want the run to be over so I'll crank up the speed. And when I am outside I tend to get competitive and try to pass  the people in front of me. Any tips?

In non-running news, I discovered these dark chocolate sea salt caramels the other day:

Holy delicious, my life has been changed. But also. $9 for this box. So these will go onto the "special occasion" treats list. How much are you willing to spend on candy/treats? I mean these are good but so are starburst jelly beans and those only cost $2 a bag at target.

And Mr. B and I are officially house hunting! I am excited and nervous because I have heard that houses are getting snapped up right away- so we need to be ready to make decisions! All I want is six bedrooms, four baths, four thousand square feet, heated floors, a fenced yard, a professional grade kitchen, and easy access to running trails. Kidding!!!!! The only thing I'm serious about is the access to running areas (and maybe the fenced yard for Rodgy).

I'm In!

I got in to the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon! I'm actually not too surprised...I've gotten in every year I've registered and I actually wonder if everyone gets in. The fact that you have to enter the lottery might just be how they entice people to enter- because you might not get in! My sister got in and we'll see if Mr. B decides to run it. He would get "elite" status and a free hotel room! So I hope he does because hello free hotel! I just hope that he doesn't have to share a room with another runner because then I am out of luck!!

Mr. B loves chocolate chip cookies. He has been trying to perfect his recipe for a while. Here is his latest attempt:

Not great. The dough is delicious....but the cookies are so flat!!! I think it is because the recipe has butter and so the dough just spreads out. Any tips for making thicker, more substantial cookies???

Could I bring more stuff with me to the gym?? Two sports bras, two shirts (I change between my run and core work/stretching...I sweat a lot okay?!?! it is totally normal), a sweat towel (I'm serious....a lot), deodorant, sweatpants, sweatshirt, headphones, Ipod, tablet,  makeup remover, socks, headband....

Packing up

I ran about 6 miles outside yesterday- more ice hurdles and dodging slush. I ran hard up the hills on my route to give myself a little more of a workout. Tonight I went 6 miles in 44:20 on the treadmill. I felt bad because the gym was pretty full and there was a lady trolling the cardio machines, waiting for someone to get off their machine. But this gym doesn't have time limit signs or anything so...wait your turn!

I will leave you with one of the cutest Rodgy pics (of February):

So so cute!!! He is wiping his nose or something. Rodgy went a little too hard at the dog park yesterday and hurt his hip. He really exploits his injury and demands extra treats. What a lover.

Success!

A weird thing happened today.

I woke up before my 5:00 alarm! It was Rodgy's fault- he sleeps with me & the mister (I know, it is not good for us, blah blah blah i don't care he is cute and cuddly!) and he was being all twitchy at around 4:50. So I just bit the bullet and got up.

I had the brilliant idea to run to the gym, run on the treadmill, and then run home. I thought this was the perfect plan because:

1. the Pioneer Press website said it was 38! That is downright balmy!
2. too much treadmill makes me stabby
3. running outside on Saturday was so fun I wanted to do it over again.

Well the Pioneer Press needs to hire a new weather service because it was not 38! It was freezing and windy! The gym is only 1.7 miles from our place so at least that was over quickly. I ran 3 more miles on the treadmill, then back home for a total of 6.4 today. The run home was way less windy but since I was wearing my sweaty treadmill outfit under my outside running gear, I did have a little chill going on.

In other news...Rodgy was busy chewing on one of his favorite treats yesterday:



Running shoes! He has starting gnawing on the right heel pad...thank goodness he didn't get too far so they are still wearable! He has eaten a pair of the mister's asics before- to the point that they were not even suitable for mowing the lawn.

Cuddling vs Running

As I mentioned, the following tips are supposed to help you wake up for an early morning workout. Here is how they worked for me today:

1. Set everything out the night before.

• This was helpful because I didn't waste time trying to find my socks/sports bra/shorts...but I did forget to set out my sweat towel (none are provided at the gym), headphones, and a t-shirt to change into after my run... so I guess I need a checklist of "gym stuff".

2. Put your alarm clock out of reach.

• This was the cruelest, yet most effective tip. I set my alarm in a place that I had to actually get up to turn it off. BRUTAL. I did press snooze (ignoring tip number 6) but I didn't fall back asleep like I normally would.

3. Go to bed earlier (WHAT! Mind blown....)

• Didn't happen. Probably would have helped. 

4. Program coffee maker the night before.

• Ugh I wish I had remembered to do this...

5. Meet up with someone

• Not an option because I don't know anyone else that goes to this gym :( but I did see a colleague (not someone I'd call to meet up though)

6. Have a "no snooze" policy

• See number 2....oops. I guess this habit will be hard to break. I love my snooze button!

7. Plan the work out before you wake up

• I did plan out my workout in my head as I was falling asleep. I guess this helped? I didn't really have to fret about what I would do once I got to the gym, and it was nice having a goal.

So- how successful was this attempt to wake up early? My alarm was set for 5...and I got up at 5:20. There was part of me (okay about 75% of me) that wanted to say screw it and just get more sleep and cuddle Rodgy.

Who could resist cuddling with this little guy??? Creepy sleeping pic courtesy of the mister. Please note the phone next to us...sometimes I'll keep it in bed after the first alarm goes off...so I can press snooze over and over and over....

But I knew I wouldn't go work out tonight, and of course I'm glad I went.

The workout itself was pretty boring. 5 miles- 10 minute warm up, then 5x 3 min hard, 2 min easy, and maybe 4 minutes cool down. I know I should take more time to recover but the treadmill already is the worst. Don't judge.

Tomorrow I am going to try to get up at 5, just like my alarm says to....and I want to get 6 miles in. Here's hoping that is successful!!!