Week 14 Phoenix Marathon Training Recap

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon, Running and tagged with Marathon Training, Phoenix Marathon, Running, Sick, Taper, Valentine's Day February 16, 2015

This is the first time that I’ve every truly experienced the taper crazies. Before, I wasn’t so stressed as much as excited. This time, I’m a nervous wreck.

Yep, pretty much.

I mentioned last week how I’d come down with a serious head cold, well it hasn’t gone away. In fact, last week it turned into a full blown I feel like death sickness. My head hurt, I couldn’t breathe, and I couldn’t talk–think smoker, raspy voice. It was bad.

But I ran. Oh, by golly, I ran.

On Sunday and Monday, I took a rest day after my twenty miler the previous Saturday. Remember how I lamented about my knee? Yeah, it’s sore 😦 Ugh!!!

Tuesday I forced myself to get to my run club’s Tuesday run. They all heard my voice and asked what the hell I was doing there. I managed to get in a good 5 miles (9:05/mile), despite sounding and feeling miserable.

Wednesday I was officially on the struggle bus. I had 9 Yasso’s on the schedule and I really didn’t want to miss this day of training. So I went and it was not pretty. Last week, I was so proud of my 800s and how consistent they were; this week, not so much. They were all over the place.

At least the circles are pretty 🙂

Thursday and Friday I rested. I tried to rest as much as I could. I actually took the day off from work on Thursday to help out my situation. I was just so exhausted.

In other news, I’m looking into transferring schools closer to home. My current commute is around 40 minutes both ways and even though I absolutely love, love, LOVE, my current school, I really want to be close to my kids and husband. On Thursday I found an opening at a school I’m interested in close to where I live. I scrambled all afternoon getting everything I needed to fulfill the application. As a result, it wasn’t as a relaxing day off as I’d planned lol! But still very exciting as I’m keeping my fingers crossed everything works out.

Friday, my husband and I had our Valentine’s Day dinner. We opted to do it then instead of Saturday night because I had a race on Sunday and didn’t want to run with a full stomach from dinner ha!

Cheesecake Factory 😀

A few of my friends and I had planned to run the first 8 miles of the Phoenix Marathon course the next morning, Saturday. We wanted to get our legs ready for that initial downhill. I set my alarm for 5 a.m. and tried my best to get a good night’s sleep.

But it didn’t happen.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm and my throat on fire. There was no way I’d be able to run that morning and not make my situation worse. I texted my girlfriends that I wasn’t going to be able to make it. And then I cried.

Yes, I cried.

I got so emotional. I’ve been working so hard this training and I feel like it’s slipping away. Between being sick and now this knee hurting, I’m afraid that any chance of doing well is going out the window. I know I’m being dramatic, but it’s tough having things so out of your control. Ugh.

Later on Saturday, my husband suggested we go for a run ourselves. He knew that I really wanted to get the mileage in. So we did 6 miles around the neighborhood and I came home to a Valentine’s card and a new pair of shoes!

❤

Those six miles were tough and I was not feeling good about the race the next day. If you follow me on Insta or Facebook, then you know that those tough 6 miles were a foreshadowing of a not-so-good Sunday 10k race. I’ll be doing a full re-cap tomorrow but yeah, it wasn’t my best piece of work. By any means.

Welp, there you have it! A big struggle week but I made it through.

Total miles: 21.7 miles
Water Intake: B+ (at least something went well this week lol!)

–Do you run when you’re sick? How about if you’re reeeeally close to marathon time?

–How was your Valentine’s Day?

Happy Love Day!! {link up}

Posted by hellyontherun in About Me, Link Party and tagged with Erin Condren, I Run 4, Love, Run Club, RunEatTweetAZ, Snacks, Valentine's Day February 14, 2015

Linking up again with the DC Trifecta girls, Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney!

This week’s theme? LOVE, duh!! ❤ Here ya go!

Things I Love, Part Deux (Part One is here)

1. I love my run clubs.

I have no idea what I’d do without them. I joined one on a whim last last October and have had a blast ever since. Stuff I never thought I’d ever do I’ve done with them. There are people who are super hella fast and people who walk and just meet up for the camaraderie of it all. It’s awesome.

My AZTNT crew

I also joined a new one this past year that was started by a blogger I “met” on Instagram. He’s local and asked if I was interested in being a part of a local running group of social media runners. I blog, I insta, why not? It’s been a lot of fun so far and Jeremy has really done amazing things with the group since he’s started.

#RunEatTweetAZ

2. I’m kinda sorta obsessed with David’s BBQ Sunflower seeds.

Like, it’s not normal.

This made the ultimate top 5 list because recently, David has decided to “upgrade” the flavor and let me tell you, TWO BIG THUMBS DOWN. The taste is so incredibly different and not good different that I’m going through a mini depression. I can tell by the packaging which is the old flavor and which is the new so whenever I come across the original bbq, I stock up. I have a bad feeling I won’t be finding the old bags anymore.

I bought 5 bags yesterday. That was all the store had.

Old is better.

3. I’m on the Erin Condren bandwagon.

I was forced to try something new this school year as far as where I’d organize my lesson plans and school calendar. My old planner had stopped printing 😦 and I was left with no idea what to do. Then, one of my AZTNT girls mentioned EC Planners and as soon as I checked out the website I was hooked. They’re a little pricier than what I was used to, but it’s been worth every penny so far.

Personalized with all the things I love 😀

4. I Run 4 Graisyn

I joined the I Run 4 community last year and have been so moved by the love people have for one another. This community pairs you with a person with a disability and you dedicate your miles to them. My little boy’s name is Graisyn ❤

I Run 4 Graisyn

Sometimes it’s tough to see stories so heartbreaking. You wish you could do something for each and every person. It’s tough to see. But, it’s real, it’s happening, and they need our support. So I joined and have been so grateful to be a part of something so special like that. I wrote about the process here if you’re interested in becoming a part of the I Run 4 community.

5. My Valentines

My loves.

Daddy’s taking the picture ❤

I hope everyone has a good weekend!! I actually have a race tomorrow, a 10k, that I’m pumped about running. It’s a local race called The Lost Dutchman and it’s super fun with amazing views. Recap soon!

❤ , helly

–What are some things you’re loving right now?

–What’s your go-to snack?

–Have you heard of the I Run 4 community?

Random Things I Love

Posted by hellyontherun in Not Running Related and tagged with Love, Personal Stuff, Random, Valentine's Day February 14, 2014

Here’s my obligatory Valentine’s Day blog about love : )

Of course we love our family, we love our kids, we love our jobs (well some of us do!), we love running, but today I want to share with you the little things that make me happy–just out of the blue things that bring a smile to my face : )

Random Things I Love:
(in no particular order)

1. I love how all the people who live on my street park their cars on their driveways or in their garage. There are zero cars lined on the street and this really makes me happy.

2. I love that my mom never leaves me voicemails. She’ll simply text me to call her back.

3. I love that Coca-cola puts their caffeine measurement on their cans. When I was pregnant, I wanted to know how much caffeine I was consuming and there it was, easy to find.

4. I love that Arizona doesn’t experience daylight savings time.

5. I love our Tempurpedic bed. It’s seriously the best ever ever.

6. I love the remote start on my car. I can get the A/C going before I get in.

7. I love Craig Sager. His style choices amuse me.

8. I love the refrigerator in my room. Another pregnancy related love–I’d get so thirsty and make my husband go downstairs to get me water he finally just bought a mini fridge and it’s never left our room.

9. I love that Jimmy John’s delivers even if you’re buying just one sandwich.

10. I love that I haven’t conformed to mechanical pencils.

11. I love the timer on my oven. I barely discovered it about a month ago and a lot of food has been saved since then. (I seriously thought the button was just to set the clock time.)

12. I love it when people tell me they can’t believe I run with no music.

13. I love forever stamps. I never have to worry if I have the current stamp price I just stick it on the envelope.

14. I love that Derek Jeter stayed a Yankee his entire career. I’m not a Yankee fan, or really a baseball fan for that matter, but I like loyalty and there’s not a whole lot of that in sports nowadays.

–Of course now I want to know some random things YOU love!! Share them in the comments section below!!

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