Weekend Workouts

The weekend was amazing. No, I didn’t have a 4-day weekend like many of you, but I loved having a whole weekend without soccer/futsal games, working an evening concert, or other scheduled obligations. So many weekends are scheduled to the brim. Instead, I had lots of time at home with my fam, getting things checked off of my ever-growing To Do List (someday that list has to shrink instead of grow!). We decorated the tree with hot cocoa in our hands and Christmas music in our ears. I love this time of year.

So… the workouts.

On Saturday I was short on time, so off I went to Planet Fitness one last time before my membership expires. It’s closer than my new gym, so I dashed over for a quickie of my old standard of 30 minutes on the elliptical and some Pilates/core work on a mat. I’ve been avoiding the elliptical lately since I haven’t felt as though it has been giving me a hard workout, so I did a high level for the 30 minutes and it felt great.

Why was I short on time? Don’t laugh. Promise me? It’s because I was desperate to work out before my hair appointment at the salon – silly perhaps, but I can’t stand working out AFTER getting my hair done and then showering and undoing all the stylist’s hard work. I will never get my hair to look like this again:

I got the gray colored out and had an eyebrow wax too – the whole works. I’m like a new person.

Sunday was one of those days where if  the time spent IN workout clothes counted, I’d have burned a million calories. I wore them all day long. However, I didn’t actually get out the door until after it was pitch dark outside.

I wore the workout clothes to clean out our basement storage area, I wore them to clear a place upstairs for a piano that will be delivered this week, and still had them on to set up the Christmas tree with the kids. So it was a pretty active day, but I was still itching for a real run.

I had a new toy to test out – Knuckle Lights – so I put the toddler to bed and got all bundled up to go outside. I ran 3 fun miles and it wasn’t as cold as I expected – I definitely got toasty with 3 long-sleeved layers on my top half. That’s what I get for trying a new layering system – I should always stick with my tried and true way of layering.

It was SO fun to run around my neighborhood with all the Christmas lights up! I won’t say anything else about the Knuckle Lights except that I loved them, because an official review and a giveaway will be posted next week as part of Runaway Bridal Planner’s big Blog Hop giveaway!

Look for an incredible amount of pre-holiday giveaway madness happening at a blog near you. Well, we’re all near you since all it takes is your keyboard – gotta love the magic of the internet!

In other news, I’m having a medical procedure today but will be back posting in a couple of days. I won’t be able to run for a few weeks, but I have lots of fun planned for December!

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Have you done any holiday decorating?

Tell me one fun thing you did this weekend!

Running Faster and Swimming Farther

I’m feeling great in my workouts this week  because I’ve reached new levels in two of my sports. Yes, just two… No, I haven’t been on the bike this week… [Should I subtitle this post: and Biking Fewer?]

New Level #1: Running Faster

I went through feelings of surprise and delight at my faster speeds this summer, thinking they were a fluke, a thing that I did once or twice – this running “in the 8’s”, as I call it. I’m happy to say that after several consistent runs, I can accept that my new pace is in the low 9’s without pushing it my hardest, and “in the 8’s” when I push it. It’s comfortable now.

Case in point, my three recent runs:

Friday’s Run was 3.06 miles:

Mile 1 = 9:30

Mile 2 = 9:18

Mile 3 = 9:15

Tuesday’s Run was 3.1 miles:

Mile 1 = 9:16

Mile 2 = 9:01

Mile 3 = 8:43

Today’s Run was 4 miles:

Mile 1 = 9:21

Mile 2 = 9:23

Mile 3 = 9:11

Mile 4 = 9:15

I didn’t eat much before this morning’s run, just 1/3 of a too-mushy banana. We had no groceries and I had no workout fuel on hand. Better stock up before my long run this weekend!

What accounts for this improved pace?

1. Losing weight. I lost 11.6 pounds on a diet challenge that coincided with my triathlon training this summer. I have been eating better and working out consistently 5-6 days a week and am still losing. I feel strong and have less of me to lug around.

2. Training with a running stroller. I push that thing around for so many of my runs that without it, I feel like I’m flying.

3. Cross Training. I noticed the speed increase as soon as the triathlon training kicked into high gear. In fact, I noticed it at my first bike-run brick where, to my absolute shock, I ran sub-9 minute miles with ease. My legs like running after biking, but in addition they seem to love running with the muscles I’ve built up cross-training.

I’m starting to think that with some focused speed work, I’ll be doing 8:30 consistently. Army 10 Miler, here I come!

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New Level #2: Swimming Farther

Yesterday morning, I got up early and went to the pool in the pitch dark again. I loved swimming before work so much last week that I bought a Buy-10-Get-12 pass and plan to make it a regular thing. My officemates better get used to the Goggle Eyes!

I swam 1600 meters, or 1 mile, and felt uh-ma-zing.

I am certain that I was the only one at the pool for early morning lap swimming with a froggie towel. But it did the job – that thing is super absorbent!

Maybe I need my own pool towel, which could be animal-esque if necessary, for times like this so I don’t have to steal my toddler’s towel. Sorry, Finn!

I’m totally game to tackle a longer distance triathlon with a swim like that! I got home at about 8am for kid-craziness, A.K.A. breakfast/getting-ready-time in my house, a little later than planned since I showered and got dressed at the pool instead of at home. But at least I was already showered and ready to focus on the kids.

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Guilty Admission: I hereby admit that I looked up the further vs. farther usage before publishing this blog post. I consider myself pretty savvy with grammar, but I can never remember this one! So I used the guidance of The Grammar Girl – she won’t steer me wrong!

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Have you improved your speed or distance in a sport?

If so, how did you do it? Any tips and tricks to share with the readers?

Race Report: Dirty Girl Mud Run

I’ve been so caught up with my recent birthday celebrations and travels that I haven’t posted my Race Recap of the Dirty Girl Mud Run in the DC/Baltimore area. It was my first mud/obstacle run and I can’t wait to do another!

My sister has recently started running, and really wanted to do a mud/obstacle run for her first race ever. So me, my sister, sister-in-law (who has gotten into the most amazing shape), and my au pair signed up together as a team for the Dirty Girl Mud Run.

The instructions from Dirty Girl said to arrive 90 minutes before your start wave. We were in the 8:45am wave, and didn’t quite make it there 90 minutes prior (hey, I needed coffee!) – it was more like an hour before our wave’s start time. There was a line of cars to get into the farm but it moved pretty quickly.

We laughed at this sign as we came in.

It just took a sec to pay the $10 cash fee to park and then no time at all to park and walk over to the registration table.

Things were pretty well organized with the check-in table – easy peasy, lemon squeezie, to quote my 3 year old.

We picked up our shirts. The logo for Dirty Girl is cute, although I’m sure wearing a shirt that says “Dirty Girl” will inspire commentary.

Everyone over 21 received a bracelet for the post-race free beer.

They had a Paul Mitchell station for hair braiding, which I totally would have done if I had left more time before our wave. I wore pigtails, which is highly unusual for me!

We were not coordinated enough for costumes or matching shirts, but saw plenty of cool ones at the event that inspired me for the next one! We just came in old clothes and shoes, things we didn’t mind getting muddy. My sister decided to wear long pants to save her knees from rocks and other rough obstacles. She had the right idea because my knees and elbows were pretty scratched up afterwards, but I wouldn’t have wanted soggy sweatpants weighing me down through most of the race. Maybe kneepads are the answer!

Here’s a “Before” picture – we’re too clean!

We walked to the starting area, where they had an emcee getting everyone excited and involved. Then we were off!

The run itself was in a large field, and because it had recently rained, it was a little slippery and muddy already – this got us into the spirit of the race. We ran between obstacles but saw plenty of people walking, jogging, and just laughing their way to the next one. I would deem this race for any fitness level, because they don’t time it and allow you to go around an obstacle. But honestly, everyone I saw just went straight through every obstacle and had a great time!

The obstacles were fun, a neat mix of going under, through, and over things.

The muddy “After” shot!

It was impossible NOT to get muddy unless you skipped things. I seriously felt like a kid again.

The only flaw in the organization and layout was that we had a hard time finding the washing area after the race. We picked up our bags from the gear check and wandered around a while. It turned out that it was completely on the opposite side of the layout from the gear check and through some trees.  At last we found it – it was basically a big tent with hoses set up inside. I decided to do a basic wash and then take a real shower at home.

I had worn old shoes that should have been cleared out of my closet years ago. I can’t believe I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in these things! There was a shoe donation area right outside the changing tent, so I passed them along.

After the race we enjoyed a hard-earned beer with our free beer tickets. It’s 5:00 somewhere, right?

What a fun day, and a great experience for my sister’s first race ever. She’s now prepping for a local 5K and then doing another mud/obstacle run with me in the near future. Maybe someday I’ll convince her to do a half marathon with me! A girl can dream… right?

So all in all, I’d give the Dirty Girl Mud Run two thumbs up. We had a blast, the course was just the right length, the obstacles were fun, and everything was well-organized with the exception of needing signs to lead us to the washing area. I would do it again.

And next time, we will actually coordinate those costumes we talked endlessly about.

If you did a mud/obstacle run, did you wear long pants or kneepads?