Fashionista

I'm I have been shopping for more awesome workout clothes this month....here is the new pair of compression shorts I got myself. I did not initially notice the horizontal stripes on the shorts when I ordered but man, my ass looks very ROUND in them.....but heck, it is what it is....round it is. 

The back of my workout top is mesh, which helps keep me cool....also looks great with my workout bra peeking from underneath. Above, is me after 4 fast miles on the treadmill where I sprinted at the end, using my no-injury method run of sprinting the last 10% of the runs. Overall, I'm very happy with my run today....super easy. Some days it's pure head run and some days my body can handle the run, without much coaxing. 

Had to get clogs to support my feet at work....once work starts I am on my feet for at least 7 hours a day and not JUST on my feet, walking! Look, these even have a heavy duty rubber support on the bottoms. Considering that last and only ever injury was caused by a fall in my classroom, this rubber addition is essential. 

Seeing as I am working out with weights for the past 3 months now I needed to be refitted for a better fitting bra.....I am a DD now!! yikes!.....hope this is more muscle than fat...LOL. Nevertheless here is the bra I got myself. Moving Comfort brand, of course. But the red and black combo just look pretty nice. I have permanent chafing on my bra line both in front and in my back now, and hoping these will not do the same markings on my body. 

continuing on the theme of.....NEVER GIVE UP.....

           The funny thing about being a runner is that you don't feel like one unless you've run a respectable distance (whatever that is for you) within any given week. I could take 2-3 days off running and all of the sudden feel like the Slob of the Universe. Only running anything over 4 miles again can bring me back to feeling good about myself as a runner. 

           Running has been quite a struggle lately. It actually should be a lot easier seeing as I am a teacher on summer vacation, but, it's not. Being a stay-at-home-mom seems like a piece of cake until you do it. Kids are ALWAYS hungry, always fighting with each other, requiring some kind of maternal intervention; If one gets any rest, it's a COMPLETE miracle. 

         Great news! Today I went to the runner store in Rockville, MD, called RoadRunner, and bought tons of new running gear. I bought myself a killer Moving Comfort  Rebound Racer running bra, a black Nike tech T-shirt, a cool, strappy, RoadRunner blue tank and a pair of black 8" RoadRunner shorts. My bottoms are always an XL, and my tops are always L.....finding anything XL in the running store was not easy, but I tried not to lose my patience and kept on looking and telling myself that despite the fact that most items did not come in my size, I belonged there. After 45 minutes of trying thing on in the dressing room, I felt happy with all my purchases. I turn 42 in a month today.....and frankly, I deserve it!

            More great news....we are closing on a house July 15th and negotiations, which were grueling and stressful, ended yesterday, another reason why I am celebrating with some wine. The whole week I have been using my runs as stress relievers. Now, I can use my runs to purely daydream about my new running trails around the lake that's about 2 blocks from our new home, or how I can now get my kids bikes so they can use them to accompany me on my runs, around the lake....

           I am in week 3 of my marathon training for the fall. Needless to say, I am making sure no matter how much I skimp on my weekly runs, to not skimp on my long runs. I feel myself getting stronger as a runner and it's reassuring to feel myself meet each challenge with some struggle but not anything I can't handle. Marine Corps and NYC Marathon, here I come. 

Updates on longer runs, running stores and new buys

Quick updates....

***I ran 11 miles this past Saturday.....I have never run that much at one time in my life....Needless to say I felt amazing. I was also happy to find that the next day I experienced very little cramping. 

***Making time to run is one of my big issues lately.  Although I am still running about 20-22 miles a week, more and more if it is being chewed up by my long runs, making the weekday runs easier and easier to miss.......In addition, the cold makes running outdoors so unappealing, despite knowing that the minute I get out there I am loving it within minutes of starting. It's the 'getting out there' that takes a high level of resolve, resolve I lack when trying to make up needed sleep.

***I found a running store a few blocks form my house. PR Running. I went in and bought Under Armor women's shorts, 2 pairs of Wright socks, and a leg compression sleeve. The man who helped me was quite friendly, even measured my calf to measure me for the right compression calf sleeve. I was happy to get a free copy of Competitor magazine, which I love. Can't wait to have a minute to go through it. Being a full time teacher with 2 young kids leaves you with very little me time....reading is quite a luxury. 

***In the next few weeks I will see how my body handles the upping of long-run miles. I know myself and only in seeing that I am handling these higher miles well will I begin to even entertain the possibility of preparing for a marathon in late 2013, or early 2014. No sense rushing this decision. In time it will become clear whether or not I can wrap my mind around this new possibility.

*** Tossing around the idea of doing a juice fast before going to my mom's next weekend. I will need the weekend to plan and buy enough vegetables and fruits to make double what I normally drink. I am curious to see if juicing more daily affects my level of performance while running. Will update you all on that as I find out.