Fuel

Normally, I don't really worry too much about what I'm eating. For the most part I have a healthy diet with lots of veggies, fruits and proteins (and candy of course). But the day before a long run I usually try to eat well and not to heavy. 

I have had a few instances where I ate too much the night before and felt uncomfortably full the next day. Today, I'm trying a new pre-run diet and we'll see how I feel during my run tomorrow. 

For Breakfast I had a Herbalife cookies and milk shake. I love this stuff. It's easy, nutritious and effortless. For lunch I had an egg sandwich with ham and green beans. Lately, I've been digging the egg sandwiches. 

I stopped by Road Runners to pick up my bib for Conquer the Bridge in San Pedro on September 3. 

I got a coupon for 20% off any purchase and bought some more fuel. Energy gels. I bought a bunch of new flavors and jelly bean sport beans. I'm excited to try the jelly beans.

Gu: PB,  Mint Chocolate, Jet Blackberry, Tri-Berry, Chocolate Outrage and Honey Stinger Vanilla

Just... START!

This morning was my rest day from running. I'm taking it easy for tomorrow's long run.  Instead of running, this morning I read about running. I came across a blog, here, and stole this picture the blogger  got from runners world.

I love these two messages and wanted to share.



I totally agree with the first message, every day is not the same. Some days I feel really good, really fast and strong. Others I have to drag myself to finish the workout. It happens, and it's okay. It's important to understand this when you are having a hard day and remind yourself that the next workout will be 100X better.

The next message speaks for itself: Just Start. I always hear (and have been guilty of saying it): "I'll start tomorrow or on Monday". What's wrong with NOW?!?!  Most of the time, getting in the mindset is harder than the actual task or workout. So. Today. Don't think about what you will start tomorrow, instead stand up and get started TODAY!

7 mile recap

This morning I set out to do 7 miles at MP (under 9min/mile).

This is how it turned out: 1) 9:05, 2) 8:16, 3) 8:48, 4) 9:13 (hill), 5) 8:56, 6) 8:30 7)8:31. I'm starting to get a feel for what an 8:30 pace feels like and I really need to work on being consistent on my splits. 

On Saturday I'm doing a 20 mile long run, so from now on I'm going to focus on letting my legs rest. and stretch and ice!

Concaf Champions League Recap: Last night the LA Galaxy played in the second game of the CCL against Puerto Rico. (I'll spare you the picture, I know they all look the same). They won 4-0. It was a good game. The first goal was scored within the first 7 minutes!! The last two goals were scored with 10 minutes left in the game. The fourth goal was scored 2 minutes after the third! Talk about exciting. 

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When  you work out, do you go out with a game plan? or play it by ear?

How do you recover from a hard workout or a hard day at work?

Ever been to Puerto Rico?

I haven't. It's on my Travel bucket list !!

I used to be a sprinter... used to be

In high school/ jr high/ 6th grade, I used to be a sprinter. I ran the 100, 200, 4X100, one time ONE TIME I ran the 4X400 and it almost killed me.

This morning I woke up not excited for the 800's I was suppose to do. First of all, I didn't know what to expect. I haven't ran as fast as I could in over 8 years. I don't think I'm fast but I'm trying to be so I bribed myself with some gummy bears and forced myself out the door.

Oh gosh! It was hard. The first 800 was a killer. I tried to run as fast as possible the entire way, but half way into it I started huffing and puffing. The second and third were kind of the same. I'd start off really strong and I could feel myself slow down in the last 400 meters and my lungs felt exhausted. The final 800 my legs felt super uncooperative. Is this normal!?

After every 800 sprint, I walked 200 meter or how ever long it took for my heart to stop trying to break though my chest. I read that if you want to run a marathon at 4:00h, you should run 800's at 4 min. (I don't' know if that's right, or even where i got that bogus info from). Anyway, I was aiming for 3:45 on every 800. This is what the numbers looked like: 1 mi warm up, 1) 3:39, 2) 3:34,  3) 3:29,  4) 3:35 and 2 mile cool down.

I felt super slow. But this was my first attempt. Hopefully the numbers keep getting faster.

I hated it while I was doing it, but then I kinda loved it. It reminded me of HS and how much fun it was. I also remembered why I liked sprinting; it hurts like crazy but then it's over. AND it's over a whole heck of a lot faster than 26.2 miles.
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Ever done 800 repeats? hate it or love it?

Ever "force" or "bribe" yourself in to working out?

Did you participate in any sports as a kid/ teen?

Consistency

People always ask me; "how can you run EVERYDAY??!?!" At this point, it has becomes a routine, like getting to work on time or having lunch. It did take some time though, I've been running for more than 10 years and it wasn't always easy.

I started thinking about when, why and where I learned exercise consistency from… 

I'm pretty sure I learned exercise consistency from my Mama. When I was younger my mom would clean, cook, take care of a family, do a thousand other things and then put in 40 hours at her job ( she still does and she's beyond amazing!!)  But before all that, she would go on an early morning jog / speed walk and get her workout in.  

In elementary school, I would sometimes join her and after school I ran cross country and track but I don't really think I was active. It wasn't until 8th or 9th grade that I started to do some form of physical activity on a daily basis; soccer, track, running or walks with my mom.

During college,  I took the whole working out to far because I thought I needed to lose weight. I worked out everyday and it became a habit. In a way, it helped me get more focused and consistent with running but it was definitely for the wrong reasons.  Over time, working out before getting the day started became normal.

I'm big on schedules.  I have to schedule everything and then cross it out. (Crossing it out makes me feel like I accomplished something) When I first started running, I had to schedule it in. I still have some kind of schedule going, but now it's my morning run is really a habit. --> wake up, brush teeth, run.

I think consistency is a good thing. It's a lot easier to just stay in shape and create an exercise habit than constantly taking breaks from working out and trying to get back in shape.  But consistency has to start somewhere. so my suggestion would be:   (* disclaimer, I'm not a professional or know anything about anything. This is just some tips that worked for me)

1. schedule it in. If you write it down, you may be more inclined to cross it off your list

2. workout in the AM. studies have shown that people are more likely to workout in the AM than after work or evenings. Plus, you get feel good endorphins to help you get through the day!!

3. Work towards a goal. You'll be less likely to blow it off if your working towards something (weight loss, an upcoming race, health results) 

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Do you have a workout routine? 

How, why, when did it become consistent?

If you don't, do you want to? 

a long line and hill repeats

Monday: 7 miles. It felt like a good shake out from this weekends long run. I didn't post yesterday because I was a little overwhelmed aka feeling dramatic. I had to stand in a 3 hour line at CSUDH because there was some f'd up stuff going on with my tuition. It was worst than standing at a DMV line followed by another DMV line and then another endlessly long line. (haha, i know, i know, i'm clever) Anyway, I get to go back today because the problem didn't get resolved :(

After that torture I went to 24hr fitness for another torture, Bodypump. My gym membership is expiring at the end of the month and I don't have the funds to renew (note: the tuition problem) so I decided to really put on the weight last night. I thought I might be overdoing it, it was so HARD. I felt really good afterwards even though my arms were still shaking 2 hours after the workout. The good news, I'm not even sore this morning, which means I should go a little harder again tomorrow.

Today, I did hill repeats. It wasn't on the schedule but I felt like I needed a hard workout and I'm avoiding  the 4X 800 repeats I was suppose to do. I did 10 repeats up this killer hill by my place, and it was amazing. My legs felt all tingly and hurt.

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Do you have a gym membership? what gym?

Any tricks to keeping yourself from going crazy in long lines/waits?

lazy weekend continues...

Yup. Lazy all weekend long. Sunday is rest day. Rest from everything day!!  Except from soccer.

Major League Soccer today featured LA Galaxy vs. FC Dalla. It was a really good game.

It was 0-0 for a long time. It was exciting because Galaxy came close a few times. A little after half time, Juninho scored the first cool. This guy is great. He's brazilian, and a great player and so awesome he only needs one name. Just Juninho. The second goal was scored by #2 Todd Dunivant. 

We won!! Weee!!

For dinner, we had pho. My first time. I'm not a fan. I have heard really good things about it but I thought it was really bland. eh, you win some you lose some.

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Do you like pho?

Sad the weekend is over? or excited for a new week?