I'm almost done with the first leg of my European journey.  I've spent the past few days in Budapest, Hungary for an arbitration competition.  I am so exhausted.  We didn't quite get over the jet lag before having to wake up early to arbitrate and then attend the evening social events (cry me a river, right?) But as we write this I'm seriously on the struggle bus staying awake!!

We went on a 6 mile sight-seeing run throughout the city of Budapest on our first full day in town. It was so awesome.  We stopped ever so often to explore castles, take pictures, buy a few random goodies, and eat lunch.  The weather was sub-par but the company was great.

(Map of the run. We had no idea where we were going but we did a nice little circular tour around the downtown!)

 (Run/posing for the camera)

 (Teammate bonding!)

 (Castle in Budapest)

(Posing at the steps leading up to a monument).

All-in-all, a great run.  Where is the most interesting place you've run?

10k Training: Week 9

Weeeeek 9 is over. Week 9 was hard!!  I'm going to do this recap a little differently because I have come to accept that I will not be following the day-by-day guide, but instead, am at least trying to get most of the workouts done at some point during the week. My week:

Monday

Did nothing! Still tired from the bike/run with Brandon

Tuesday

Ran: 3.01 miles with a few walk breaks. 

Splits: 

Miles 1 & 2 @ 8'30" pace (then Walk)

Mile 3 @ 9'17" pace

Also did a Cardio H2O class and biked on the recumbant bike for 10 miles. 

Wednesday

Biked at the gym. 15 miles

Thursday

Ran: 3.00 miles at 9'46" pace on gym treadmill

Friday

Biked at the gym. About 10 miles

Saturday

Ran: 3.1 miles at 9'30" pace for the Earth, Wind, Fire 5k (recap to come!). I am going to call this my "hills" workout because the course had about a mile of incline.  Then biked 13.5 miles next to Brandon at the gym while he ran. I'm getting sick of the indoor biking for sure. 

Sunday

Ran: 6.2 miles at 10'18" pace for my long run--did it on the gym treadmill at my apartment complex. I had a little knee pain...which I almost always do. But I otherwise felt excellent! Very proud of myself for reaching this milestone. 

How was your week of training ?

10k Training Plan: Week 5

Five weeks down, eleven to go! This week I ran the most miles that I ever have in any given week, about 16 total.

My week:

Monday

Prescribed: 30 min easy run

Ran: 3.33 mi in 29:01 (8'42" pace).  Not exactly an easy run, but I started faster than I intended and felt good enough to keep the pace going. Proud of myself for pushing hard!

Tuesday

Prescribed: Easy cross train/off

Did: Nothing!

Wednesday

Prescribed: 2 x 1 mile at race pace or a bit faster

Ran: Warm up 500 meters, 1 mile at 8:37 pace, jog, 1 mile at 8:21, 500 meter cool down. Total: 3.29 mi at 9'23" pace.  Also did a deep water exercise class for an hour.

Thursday

Prescribed: 30 minutes easy

Ran: 2.84 miles around the neighborhood at a 9'55" pace.  Ate before running and didn't feel too swell! Gotta stop that eating before running. Also not a huge fan of 3pm Thursday runs. 

Friday

Prescribed: OFF

Did: Rock climbing, Ran 2 miles at easy pace, and some abs. So.... didn't take the day off. Oops!

Saturday

Prescribed: 4.5 mi long run at easy pace

Did: Nothing! Wanted to rest my legs a bit after 3 days in a row

Sunday

Prescribed: Cross Train/Off

Ran: 4.51 miles in 47:03 (10'26" pace).  I felt really pretty sick today, might be getting the flu?  My boyfriend came over to use the treadmills so I felt like having him around would at least give me the motivation to finish my long run for the week.  I did it! Not sure if I will feel better/worse tomorrow...

Nike Pacer running short review & presents to myself

I am no running short expert. I started running in November 2012 in the winter-weather-prone state of Illinois, and have only had one opportunity to run outside with shorts.  I just recently started running at the gym, and thus, just recently started caring about running shorts.  I have a few pairs from my pre-running days that I would wear to exercise classes, but I guess I just didn't have the same standards for those.  Anyway, that was a long and unnecessary introduction to my review on my favorite new running shorts. 

My mom gave me the Nike Pacer running shorts in black for Christmas. They are pretty similar to the Nike Tempo shorts that are very popular, except they have a slightly larger band and have a slightly lower rise (see someone elses' comparison).  I have a few hand-me-down Tempo shorts and I hands down (see what I did there?) prefer the Pacer style.  I think the Nike Pacers fit my 5'2"/narrow but hippy frame much better.  I don't have any pictures of me in the Tempos, but I went to Dick's last night to buy another pair of these Pacers and took a few photos. For reference, these are XS (I'm 5'2", 105-108lbs)

 I like the low rise, especially on my shorter build. I also like the fact that I can roll them or not roll them---they work both ways.  Sometimes I think rolling looks so high school but I don't mind it in these shorts.  I wore them today to the gym, and was really cool and took a picture for you (below). Question, do you guys wear underwear when you have built in underwear lining in the shorts? 

Wearing: GapFit Motion racer tank in powerful blue (here); 

Nike Pacer shorts (here); Garmin 210 watch & foot pod (here)

Now onto other important matters.  I like to reward myself for reaching certain milestones in running by purchasing workout clothes/gear that I've had my eyes on. It helps keep me motivated to reach the goals and makes me feel confident and happy while running.  My 10k running plan has me running 5 miles in a few weeks (first time ever going that far!).  I found a pair of shorts at Dicks last night that I think will be my 5-mile present.  They are the 3" Nike Energy shorts.  I am not completely sold on how short they are, but I like how they feel. 

Gahhh those socks are so bad. 

Do you reward yourself with anything when you reach your running goals? 

10k Training Report: Week 3

I'm sticking with my 10k training plan and have successfully completed week three.  Week three was pretty interesting because it upped the ante for running time and distance compared to weeks one and two.  Week three called for:

This is how it went:

Monday: 

Prescribed: 25 minutes "easy" 

Ran: 25 minutes, not so easy, but FUN, at the gym with my friends Sarah and Jen who are doing the 10k with me. 

Tuesday:
Prescribed: Easy cross train or off.
Did: 40 minute easy Cardio H2O class (my new favorite class, its so easy but so fun), AND a hardcore 1-hr core class after that where we did squats and planks until I thought I was going to die. I was SO SORE.

Wednesday:
Prescribed: 30 minutes running + 3-4 striders.
Ran: 30 minute at unknown pace or distance. Approximately 3 miles. (My friend also used her Nike+ and ours were .25 mile off each so that was kind of curious).  Three 100-meter striders.

Thursday
Prescribed: 25 mins
Ran/Did: Cardio H2O class again. Then did some running at a different gym.  Ran two 8-minute miles, did a total of about 2.6 miles.

Friday:
Prescribed: OFF
Did: NOTHING!

Saturday:
Prescribed: 4 mile long run.
Did: 4 mile trail run as part of fun run/race. Details to come! Average pace: 10:06.

Sunday:
Prescribed: Optional Cross Train
Doing: NOTHING. Homework all day!

In reflection of my week, I feel like I have improved from week 1, where running one mile was getting to be pretty tiring after taking a few weeks off due to finals.  I think after 16 weeks of this training plan, I will hopefully be more than ready for a 10k! :)

What running gadgets do you use?

Hi, my name is Paige and I have obsessive tendencies. I obsess about my grades, my outfits, the grey hairs that I am getting (I'm 25, wth?), and how to bake the most fluffy cookies in the land.  ANYWAY, it should come as no surprise that I have some tendencies when it comes to my new hobby of running. 

I like to track how far and how fast I run.  Why?  No idea, considering I don't run very far and I most definitely do not run very fast. Regardless, this is something that I like to do and analyze and obsess about.  In order to feed into this obsession, I generally use the Nike+ GPS app on my phone.  I like it because it tells me where I went, my pace, my total time, and it even gives me updates in my ear as I go.  

As of late, though, this phone app just isn't cutting it for me.  For starters, I am getting annoyed with wearing my phone on a band on my arm.  Nasty alert: I sweat a lot and it starts getting wet and heavy and eew gross.  Also, now that I am running for more than 30 minutes at a time, my already-horrible android phone battery is having trouble keeping up.  I've had my phone die multiple times, and while the Nike+ support has changed my time/distance on the Nike+ page, I think they are on their last limb with me.  Finally, I don't think the Nike+ app is very accurate, especially with indoor running.  For instance, I ran with my friend Jen at the gym today, and we both used our Nike+ phone app.  We pressed start and end at the same time. Her app said 3.15 miles at 9:55 pace. My app said 2.91 miles at 10:41 pace. Let me clear the air by saying that Jen does not have Edward Cullen capabilities to lap me without me knowing. This means that the app is off, pretty bad! Being off one minute per mile is bad! How am I supposed to correctly obsess about my time and distance?!?!

So...what to do?

I'm considering getting a Garmin GPS watch with a foot pod. (Specifically Garmin FR 210). I've read reviews that this is a great watch for indoor and outdoor use and highly accurate. Specifically, the foot pod for the Garmin tracks cadence and steps so it gives a more accurate account of indoor running. The downside(s)? Price ($245+) and I would have to use Garmin Connect, which may or may not be a good thing. I like the prettiness of the Nike+ website and how it tracks my goals, but I know the Garmin Connect has a lot of nice features too.

I've also considered getting the Nike Sportwatch. I don't think it is as accurate indoors though, and I also am not sure of how sturdy it is.  I've read a few reviews of people's Nike watches dying in a year or so, which is not what I want obviously.  Also, I read somewhere that the Nike watch doesn't log miles that aren't completed? So if you run 3.99 miles it says 3.0 miles? What? It can't be. One upside to this watch though is that the foot pods AND the watch are much cheaper than the Garmin 210 and I can also stick with the Nike+ website.

What running gadgets do you use, and what do you like/dislike about them?

Abs by April Challenge

Megan, author of the blog Run Like A Grl, has started a challenge to help us all get better abs before swimsuit season!  Each week, she will post an ab/core workout or exercise that is the weekly challenge to help us get a sexay midsection ;).  She also requests workout advice, progress reports, and photos.  I'm excited to get into the challenge.  I'm naturally thin (I know, someone punch me), but my stomach fat lady lumps have always been a challenging thing to lose.  I say that as I shove my face with cookies. But for real, I am excited to get started on the challenge!

This weeks challenge: 1 plank per day. 

I am guessing that I won't get a 6-pack by doing one plank per day, so I will try to incorporate the fitness challenge with other core work that I do.  So far today, I've run 25 minutes, lifted some light weights at high rep, and then did planks for 2 minutes. That is kind of all over the place.  I probably need a plan? I will try to post weekly with updates on what I have done for the challenge. 

And now comes the pre-ab-challenge "ab" pics. I'm a tad embarrassed to post this on the web, but maybe they will help me hold myself accountable to actually do the ab workouts!!

(shown below: pre-ab challenge abs). 

10k Training Report: Week 2

Something about me is that I have grand goals when it comes to working out, and I rarely keep up with these goals.. For instance, the picture below inspired me to work out for awhile last year.. until I realized that no amount of exercise will help me grow two cup sizes :-\. Le sigh.

(photo credit: http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/103934703870699056_kgRpaAjK.jpg)

 I'm' happy to say that I still haven't quit running, despite starting back in November.  In fact, I've kept up completely with the first two week of my 10k running plan. 

My week in review:

Monday

Prescribed: 20 minutes easy

Ran: 23 minutes for 2.06 miles (10:58 pace) on the treadmill in my apartment complex before class. Felt pretty good, watched a little "Say yes to the dress" and went at a nice pace for me to sustain.

Tuesday

Prescribed: Easy XT or off

Did: Tuesday-fun-day. Went to a swim cardio class with my friend.  

It was pretty easy but really fun. I wore my new tri swim top and swim cap (aka mad sexayness)(do you guys think I look as good as the girl in the picture above??!!!?). 

Wednesday

Prescribed: 25 minutes run + 2-3 striders

Ran: 27 minute run, 2.69 miles (10:11 pace), 3 90-meter striders, no idea what pace. 

Thursday

Prescribed: 20 minute easy run

Ran: nothingz. Was busy! Ended up doing the run Friday

Friday

Prescribed: OFF

Ran: 20 minutes around the neighborhood, ~ 2 miles. 

Saturday

Prescribed: Long run, 3.5 miles

Ran: Nothing! Was resting my knee a bit. Glad I did

Sunday

Prescribed: Optional XT

Ran: 3.5 miles, 39 minutes, 10:58 pace on treadmill.  Made up for my long run miss today. Ran the whole thing, albeit slower than normal. 

10k Training Report: Week One

I posted my training plan previously (here), but this is a quick view of what my plan was for the week.  Basically, anything that says "easy" was supposed to be in the 12:00 min/mi pace, and then speed is kind of just my general walk/run pace which tends to be 10:15-10:45 min/mi. 

This is how the week turned out for me:

Monday

Two mile "easy run" at the gym, which ended up being at a faster pace than I intended. I forgot to stop my time, it was actually about 20:40, so 10:20 per mile pace.  Then I did 25 minutes on the bike while watching E! Turned out to be about 5 miles on the bike. 

Tuesday

Tuesday is rest or easy XT.  I did the  Jillian Michaels "6 week to sixpack" video followed by 5-10 minutes of free weights.  Felt pretty good but man I can't do burpees!

 (Shown above: Gracie wondering what is happening in the living room??... below: Adding a little resistance mom!)

Wednesday

Ran 2.08mi in 20 minutes (9:35 pace? Couldn't believe it myself).  Then did 3 x 100 meter sprints at a 6:30 pace.  Ran at night so I got to wear my new Highgear running light that my brother got me for Christmas. :)

Wearing: lululemon brisk run toque (here); Highgear running light (similar here)

Thursday

Ran at the gym with boyfriend's mom (don't worry, we're buddies).  Ran 2.19 miles over 24:31, so a nice 11'10" pace.  I think 11:00-11:30 will be a comfortable pace for long runs for me. I felt really great.  (besides a weird knee pain, I'm going to roll my knee today).

Friday
Rest day!!

Saturday

"Long" 3-mile run with Jen on campus. We were supposed to go at a slower pace but she's a speedy one so I found myself running at my race pace the whole time. Yikes!  Still had a good time and the weather was beautiful (50 degrees) for January.  We only ran 3.06 miles at first, and then I took a break and watched my boyfriend run the 3000m at the Illinois open indoor race (he is 26, he ran unattached). Afterward I ran back to my car because it was dark and rainy! I decided to do the Nike+ for that too for fun.  I'm starting to think that the Nike+ app is not all that accurate.  I sprinted part of the way home and it showed me going at a 7:30 pace (I was sprinting, no way I could sustain that for longer than .2 miles), but then I stopped to walk a bit, and the MPH graph shows me going a steady 9:30 min mile.  Not that its a big deal but I guess I just prefer accuracy!!

Sunday
Thinking I'll be taking Sunday as a rest and homework day :)

10k Training Starts Today

My friend Jen and I signed up for the Illinois 10k (part of the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon weekend).  We both started running in November/Dec of 2012 and are somewhat on the same level of speed and fitness.  Ok, fine, she's a bit faster than me. BUT she's a good friend and is going to stay on pace with me and train with me for the 10k on April 27 of this year. 

I looked up several training plans online, it seemed like there was not one that fit right for our level of fitness.  We aren't quite beginners because we have been running for a few months now and can finish a 5k if need be (let's not talk about my latest running slump).  We surely aren't intermediate yet, having only run for a short number of months and not quite having a base level of fitness.  So we are beginnermediate I suppose?  Alas, there were no beginnermediate training plans that I could find, so I combined a few (here, here, here) and made my own.  It is 16 weeks long because that is how long we have until the big race. You can click on the image to view it larger.

My primary goal is to remain injury free during this entire period and finish the race.  If I want to have a lofty goal, I'd like to run the entire race nonstop.  An even loftier goal would be to run it at a 10:00 min/mile pace.  My loftiest goal will be to complete the race, outfitted head-to-toe in lululemon with my mascara still looking great and a radient but not sweaty-pig-like glow ;)  Anyone have any good pictures of their first 10k?

First 5k tomorrow!

I signed up for my first 5K yesterday! I am running the Turkey Trot in my hometown and will be running with my 12-year-old brother (yes, he is 13 years younger than me).  I actually plan to jog/walk seeing as I cannot yet run 3 straight miles, but I am excited to get out there and do it.

I will try to give an update on how it has gone.  I am a bit worried about my knee, I am having runner's knee issues, but I got some new shoes and have been running a bit less so hopefully I can keep from injuring it. Wish me luck :)

What I wore: November 20, 2012

WHAT I WORE RUNNING, NOV. 20 2012