PFTW #6 / #SummerTrailRun, Mt Rainier, and the most beautiful place I've ever seen

June 28-July 4

Monday: Day 1 of some Fitness Blender Challenge I found - HIIT and lower body strength. 

Tuesday: Day 2 - Upper body and cardio

Wednesday: Day 3 - HIIT and abs

Thursday: Day 4 - This was a kickboxing video, but kickboxing confuses me (I spend so much time trying to keep the moves straight, I basically stop moving), so I did an upper body and cardio video instead

Friday: I worked, then PACKED FOR VACATION! (All of the pictures in the universe down below).

Saturday: 2 miles-ish hiking

Sunday: 7-8ish miles, hiking

July 5-11

Monday: nothing 

Tuesday: walked ALL OVER Seattle.

Wednesday: nothing (flight home followed by an all-day communications training class for me, because I'm the luckiest).

Thursday: Hold on to your hats. For the first time in almost 7 months, I pinned on a bib and RAN A RACE. 

The Renegade Summer Trail Run Race #2 was a great time, as always. It's super hard coming out of retirement (ahem not running in 10 days on top of that...), and this race was certainly challenging. 

But I've really really missed racing!! Super psyched that I made it out for this one, even if I was grossly under-hydrated and unprepared. Renegade Races are just so great. 

Friday: Nothing

Saturday: 6.5ish miles on trails while #1 was at XC hill practice - luckily, I ran into another mom who was kind enough to join me and my slow pace.

Sunday: 4 miles with ex-neighbor Will

I am working a wacky schedule for the next several weeks while I have some new hires working at night, so hoping I can fit some runs in after work (even if it's a little late). Before work is tricky, because Gab can't be left home alone, and the other kids are in XC camp until 10am. I keep making excuses in my brain about not having time, but I really just need to make the time.

I know, this is revolutionary. Don't steal my idea. 

This week!

Monday: Lower Body, HIIT 

Tuesday: Upper body, 4 miles

Wednesday: HIIT and abs

Thursday: Upper body, 4 miles

Friday: Lower Body, HIIT

Saturday: rest

Sunday: 6 miles

***VACATION!!!***

Saturday: In an effort to convince #1 that the PNW is obvs where she should spend her college years, we spent a long weekend in Seattle. #2 was dressed the part. 

We got into SEA at 11:30am, and spent the day wandering in the Carbon River area. 

Me, all weekend: Man, that is a Big Mountain. 

We trekked up a giant hill in search of a waterfall that was apparently all dried up. It was kind of pretty. 

Sunday: We headed around the north side of the mountain, stopping a gajillion times for coffee and pretty views, before landing at the Sunrise Visitor Center and doing the Frozen Lake trail. 

Aside from a bathroom incident with Gab and #2 trying to fling herself off the mountain to avoid flies, it was a lovely hike. 

After lunch in Sunrise, we headed to Tipsoo Lake, where the wildflower game was strong...

After my family was sick of hearing me exclaim, "LOOK! So many flowers!", we headed south to the Stevens Canyon entrance, and hiked Silver Falls and Grove of the Patriarchs. 

Monday: Drove up to Bellingham via Chuckanut Dr and Larrabee State Park.

We wandered around the Fairhaven district for awhile and ate delicious, delicious pizza (for real, Fat Pie Pizza in Bellingham, you should go there). We took a walking tour of Western Washington U, which #1 did not LOVE, but I kind of did, and then ate all the food in the universe at Boundary Bay Brewery, which came recommended by internet friend Alma.

The beer was great, the food was great, the desserts were great, the service was great, it was all great. 

Tuesday: So many hours of walking and drinking coffee, and farmers marketing, and monrailing. 

After a super quick coffee with Alma at the craziest library I ever have seen, we took the ferry over to Bainbridge Island, which was fun for a couple hours (and so peaceful, besides the part when #1 lost her mind because she thought we might miss the ferry back, and didn't accept that there were later ferries to be had). 

Wednesday: 3:30 wake up for a 6am flight that was delayed to almost 7am when the co-pilot's chair broke. No, really.

PFTW?

So, let's catch up? I kind of assume if you're reading this, we've kept in touch through other social media, but it feels awkward to just start talking about training as if I didn't resurrect this space after a lengthy vacation.

#3 is still happy and healthy, with so much hair. 

#2 is a mini-me. She would be loathe to admit it, but... it's truuuuuuue. She's going to be in high school in the fall, and is joining XC/track. Wheeeee.

#1 had a KILLER track season, setting meet records, PR'ing with a 5:14 1600 and 11:17 3200, taking 3rd place in league, and going to CIF prelims.

We spent the Memorial Day weekend heading north.

And on our first college visit because I am OLD.

So that was exciting.

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PF(What's Left Of The)Week!

Wednesday: 3 easy, arms

Thursday: Lower body

Friday: 3 easy, arms

Saturday: 4 easy ("long")

Sunday: Rest, track banquet

I've been very, very slowly working back into running - it's shocking and humbling when you run zero miles for months, and then try to run 2-3 miles. 

After running Holiday Half (which I didn't blog about, but Becka did!), I had a thutt situation that I decided to rest, which rolled right into "resting" for 3 months. Okay, 5 months. 

I've been wanting to get back, and craving that terrible dead-leg-post 20-miler feeling, but was stuck in this cycle of well, I'm not registered for anything, so it's hard to be motivated to train, but I want to register for something, but what if I don't train. 

So obviously.

All the small things

There are so many exciting things happening, I barely even know how to start!

1. Work is still great. Part of what I do involves searching up things that land me at stuff like this

I lol'ed for like five minutes.

2. I just bought tickets to see BFF Evan Dando (and Psychadelic Furs) next week at Downtown Disney. This is, like, sensory overload, these are all of my most favorite things! 

3. AND THEN I was lamenting to The H that it had been awhile since I'd seen Mighty Mighty Bosstones on the west coast, so I googled, and SURPRISE FOR ME, they'll be here in December! So psyched. 

4. XC season is coming to an end - our league finals were last week, and we came in 3rd in the league. Next weekend they head out to Mt. Sac for Southern Section prelims, and I anticipate the following week, they'll be heading to Finals. I don't think states are in the cards for them this year, but.... it could be close!

5. I haven't publicly discussed it too much, but #1 has had a tough season. I think (and her coaches agree) she's just a bit overtrained and her legs aren't recovering very well - her times got slower and slower (lol at 19:30 for 3 miles being slow), and her legs felt tireder and tireder. After a week of intensive massage, stretch, roll, and ice, she finally bounced back a bit for the league finals. Her confidence has taken a bit of a hit the last few weeks, so I'm really glad she had a strong race to close out the season, before heading into post-season competition. 

I believe the haircut is what worked a magic run fast spell on her. 

It takes sole.

6. I cross-trained 4 days last week, and ran twice, so Desi and Shalane should just step aside right now, because I'm the Greatest Athlete Ever.

7. Related to Desi/Shalane, I wish Kara would stop crying. But I have a cold, dead heart.

8. I am DYING DYING DYING for a race-cation. I can't find a spring/fall race that I'm obsessed with, though. Sad times.

9. This time change is not the greatest. I keep waking up toooooo early, and one day last week, I made cookies by 6am. Lame-slash-awesome.

10. THE END.

Three Things Thursday

1. Y'all, it's hard to figure out what to blog about when I'm not running.

I LOVE my job so far, and everyone here. I really, really didn't like my last job. I'm at the end of my fourth week here, and it's so great being trusted to handle the responsibility I was hired for. The work I'm doing is certainly nothing earth-shaking, but it's engaging and really fun. AND THE PEOPLE ARE SO GREAT. Also, fun fact, it's a restaurant marketing company, so they keep us really well fed. Which really makes the not running extra trecherous....

But after spending a year+ having allthetime, I totally feel like now, I have NONE of the time. It's befuddling to me how I ever trained for marathons AND worked full time.

I recognize that I'm just making excuses and being whiny, because in reality, I'm working great hours, I get to take the kids to school, and my commute is half of what it used to be. I just can't seem to get it together. Yet. I'm sure I will. I'm just adjusting still, I guess.


2. Would you like to see my kids instead?

First day of school!

ignore the dining room that is currently in remodel phase...

Me: Take a quick picture I can send to grandma.

#2: Like this!

Um. Okay, then.


3. Cross Country season is in full swing, and there are so many numbers and statistics and man I love it! For the first time in years, #1's girls' varsity team was not ranked in our division, and the coach was very sad about that. To be fair, they lost the three strongest runners when they insisted on graduating and going off to college or some nonsense.

But the new team is working hard, and they're doing pretty well - they're all better than they were at the start of last year, so hopefully that trajectory continues.

I was SUPER excited to hear that they were going to be bussed to the races this year, so we didn't have to go so so so early, and STAY all day.

I was SUPER excited to hear that, until this news was followed up with instructions to have them at the school by 5:45am on race days. That is less appealing to me.

Anyway.

Our school hosts the third largest invite in the country - this year was the 34th year, and it's AN ORDEAL. The kids head over on Friday before lunch, then work to set up the course and act as course monitors, leaving after the last race around 11pm. The next day, they race while parents are course monitor, from 2-10. AND THEN we get to break down the entire course, and transport everything back to the moving trucks. It's a pretty special time.

I don't even get to watch her race!

The highlight of the evening was when the company that supplied the timing chips advised a group of 50 kids at 11pm that all FIFTEEN THOUSAND chips needed to be sorted into numerical order. That was really fun.

The next morning, a friend alerted me to this cool shot in the local paper.

Which was followed by 20 minutes of me driving all over Irvine looking for a copy, only to be thwarted by Late Sunday edition I could find being different from the home delivery edition he was showing me. It's all cool, though, because I totally snagged some killer coupons, so it paid for itself, because last night I used it to buy 10 yogurts for $3. #ExtremeCouponing

Don't Call it a Comeback

Because I don't know if this will stick.

First, some SoCal holiday race discounts, and then I'll update on the exciting happenings around here. (that's an exaggeration, kind of).

The INAUGURAL Halloween Terrifying Ten Miler!!!

They're so cute!!!

There's a 10 mile, 5k, 10k, and kids Super Hero run - I'm SO excited for this one! Oct. 26 in Dana Point - I hear the course is beautiful. You can register HERE - I'll be running the 10 mile!

The Turkey Tri, Pumpkin Pie Kids Du, and Turkey Trot in Bonelli Park in San Dimas

November 22 and 23 - register HERE.

And finally, my FAVORITE race of the holiday season, the Troutman Sanders Renegade Santa Run.

This is home to my 10k and 5k PR's, so obviously there's something magical about the course. That's the only explanation. The race is fun, the medals are adorable, there's a kids' race, and there's a costume contest, so obvs it's the best ever. Previous recaps here for the 10k, and here for the 5k. Register HERE.

You can use HEATHERDISCOUNT for all of these to save an extra 10% - Renegade Races are really reasonably priced, and they consistently have great organization and swag - I love being able to support a local company that's so fantastic.

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July was spent mostly wallowing in the lack of job, and waiting waiting waiting waiting and hoping hoping hoping for a position I was interviewing for to come through (seriously, I think I started interviewing in late April? May?).

I also started marathon training! I picked a pretty big goal, and my training started really great.

And then August.



We spent a few weeks in Florida visiting our families - a week in Miami, then up to the Tampa area - and my training stopped dead. I really thought I could rearrange my training schedule to run just short/speedy runs during the time I was there - so I ran 15 miles the day before we left, and planned to run long the day we returned.

None of those planned things happened. We went out for a run the second day we were in Miami, and I couldn't hang. Florida/other Southern State people, I don't understand how you do it.

At least it was pretty?

When I wasn't heaving my way through stupid 2-3 mile runs, we did some fun things.

#nofilter, Dunedin 

Fun fact - there were DOLPHINS AND MANATEES by those rocks. O.o.

Ft DeSoto

Later, gator.

It was a really great trip, even if we didn't fit Disney World in there.

And then my IL's were visiting us, so training continued to be derailed.

And then XC started again.

The Face of Fast?

And then - THEN....

I got a job. 

And that brings us to right now.

I started working last week, and so far, it's been pretty great. They had an incredibly long hiring process, which I admit, I mocked mercilessly at the time.... but everyone I've met has been wonderful, and so funny, and nice-but-not-too-nice-but-still-snarky, so obviously that's the culture they've been trying to build and this process apparently works for them.

I am working in secret places, no one can see.

I ran zero miles last week, so I'm pretty sure I'm gonna drop the marathon in November plan, because I just don't feel like I have time to train properly - getting back into working, and school, and figuring out schedules is more complicated than I remembered, so I don't want to overly complicate things by throwing in marathon training, too.


Anyway.

I've decided to go for a half PR in late December at San Diego Holiday Half - I heard it was super fun, and it should be an easy target because it's downhill HA. Friend Shannon-the-no-longer-blogger is running, too, so I'm excited. And it gives me heaps of free time to get through new job and XC season.

so. Hi. Maybe I'll be back, because I really do enjoy documenting my training.

Maybe!

Summer Trail Run Series! Weekly Recap / PFTW

This week kicks off the first race of the Summer Trail Run Series!!

I absolutely love this event, and I'm SUPER excited to run again this year. Registration is still open for Thursday's race - only $33 and it includes a fun expo after the race with a barbecue (or a shirt). The series runs June 19, July 10, and August 7 - register for the full series for only $28/race. What a bargain. Use HEATHERDISCOUNT for an extra 10% off, yo.

Plus, who WOULDN'T want to run with me when I'm so fashionable.

Yeah. you know you want to.


Last week...

Monday: Nothing

Tuesday: Nothing

Wednesday: run/xt
Did 5 miles with 4x400 at a relatively easy pace (it was actually my goal 5k pace, so "easy"). I haven't done real speedwork for awhile, so I wanted to ease in. Went well. Followed that in the gym with a total body video from FitnessBlender - this wasn't so bad while I was doing it, but the next day I could barely even move, my hamstrings were sooooo sore. So tricky, FB!

Thursday: Nothing, again!

Friday: run/xt
4 miles, easy pace, and this was teeeerrrrrriiiiibbbbllllle. I didn't enjoy it, is what I'm saying. Followed by an old FB arms video, which was also terrible, so I guess it was just an off day. Lame.

Saturday: Nothing!!

Sunday: run
TEMPO! I had no idea how this would go, but I thought I'd give it a shot. 2 mile warm up, 3 at tempo (9-8:42), 1 mile cool. I was close - 9:05, 9:01, 8:42. It was hard. But, looking back at my older workouts, it's the fastest I've run since last October, so I guess there's that!

Related: I think I've lost a handful of pounds over the last month, but since I'm not doing nearly as much strength work (because I'm lazy), I'm assuming it's muscle loss. Womp.

Related: Instead of working out, apparently, I spent the entire week just cooking things.

Mmmmm. Pork.

PFTW

Monday: nothing
Tuesday: 4 miles easy, XT
Wednesday: Swim
Thursday: trails! and arms
Friday: Bike, swim
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Bike, run long


Unrelated to training, but related to everything else, I've jumped back into job hunting and golly, is it the Least Fun Activity Ever. People are crazy, man. Interviewing is so bizarre. Sigh. SIGH.

Week in Review / PFTW

Wow, was last week LAME.

Monday: rest 
Nailed it.

Tuesday: speed work
5 miles, with 5x800. Goal was 8:24-8:02 - actual was for sure on the high end of that range, but it wasn't the worst ever, so success!!

Wednesday: XT
17 min abs and a short (SHORT) arms video. This was the beginning of the end...

Thursday: Nothing
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Nothing

Sunday: "long"
Actual was 4 super terrible awful lame miles, and then I quit, because apparently now in addition to being lazy, I AM A QUITTER. (I'm not that bummed about it, I really just hated every second).

9 miles for the week, because I'm a super-star.

Thursday, Gab had her regular check at the cancer clinic. For the first time since we've been going there in 2011, they didn't remember her name. THIS IS SO EXCITING.

I would barely even know it's the same kid, if I hadn't taken both of those pictures.

Friday, #1 raced in League Finals, and took 4th in the 1600 and WINNER in the 3200 - with a new meet record!

so fast, you can't even seeeee her

They did medal ceremonies for each race, and for every race, the kids used the podium right.. until it was #1's turn, and then she turned it into a party.

join me, everyone!

FINALLY, FINALLY track season is over. Thank goodness.

And then Saturday was #2's birthday. I'm not thrilled about having TWO teenagers, because it does not even seem possible that I'm that old. HOW.

To celebrate, we took her to the track to practice long jump for her meet next weekend. She's so lucky to have me as a mom.

I don't know anything about long jump, but this looks fancy and impressive to me.

********************************************************************************

PFTW, and maybe this time I mean it?

Monday: XT - arms/core
Tuesday: 5 miles tempo; run club, unless it's too hot for my delicate nature
Wednesday: 3-4 easy, XT
Thursday: Long (12-14)
Friday: rest, yoga
Saturday: 6-7 easy; XT
Sunday: #2 is racing!!

I don't even know what happened to me last week, I got really caught up in sudden job-hunting mania, and just couldn't tear myself away? I don't know.

The forecast this week is unpleasant ("sizzling sunshine" ???? WHAT??!?!), so while I'd love to go to run club Tuesday evening, I will even more love to not burst into flames.