half way through my first ultra training schedule

Good morning!!:

I ran 4 miles this morning. it was a good run. It felt really good. My legs/soul/body needed it. 

I realized for the second time ( you'd think I'd learn after the first time ) that I need a "shake out run" the day after long runs. I always think no..I couldn't bare to run right now, but I think my recovery would be way better if I incorporate that run the next day. 

Post run I really wanted toast w 1 piece pb and 1 piece ab:

Then a delicious cup of coffee :) :

This week looks a little something like this..

Monday- rest

Tuesday- 4 miles

Wednesday- 6 miles

Thursday- strength 

Friday- 3 miles (TM because we are planning a hotel visit Thursday night and I want a light run with not much stress related ie finding a running course at an unfamiliar place)

Saturday- Volkslaufe which in German with means "The people's race" this is the 20 km race I'm running on the 4th of July :)

Sunday- shake out run 1-2 miles max

Total- 25.4 miles (before shake out )

week 9 finishes with double digits

Sunday morning was big...like 10 miles big!!

I worked all day Saturday and wore compression socks to help with fatigue. I ate good and had pasta the night before.

I had my route planned out. My accessories were: 1 bottle of water w a watermelon NUUN tablet in it waiting in the car for post race. My Nathan's water bottle filled and had 1/2 a watermelon NUUN tablet for me to drink on the way. I ate a Luna bar while I got my shoes on. I brought my ipod ( but never used it) in my faux fanny pack, cell phone, and honey stinger chews, pomegranate passion - I was trying these for the first time. (delicious)

This was about 2 miles into my run, I stopped to get the sunrise in the background. I didn't take a ton of pictures because I was just trying to focus on completing my run. I was also sporting a new Brooke's tank top I picked up a runners the other day, its super light weight and fabulous! 

My knee started to hurt around mile 8, which made me sad and kinda got into my head. All I thought about for the last 2 miles was my knee...but I didn't give up because it wasn't terrible more nagging at me.

Post run, runners high at it's finest!:

The proof from a great run (which I showed to the hubs and P when I got home...just a little proud):

2:02:33 

10.14 miles

12:05/ miles/hr

1205 cals. 

Compression socks and shorts were worn to work after my run. I stretched when I had a minute here and there, I stretched rolled really good when I got home from my run, of course. Then I rolled again before bed. 

Week over view:

Monday: 4 miles RT

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: 5 miles TM

Thursday: strength

Friday: 3 miles Trail, 6 mile bike ride 

Saturday: rest

Sunday: 10 miles RT

Total: 22 miles 

an urgent care LVT the day before a long run

I've been a licensed veterinary technician (LVT) for 8 years. I've worked at my current hospital for 6 of those years. I have worked the weekend urgent care for 2 years. I started training for an ultra 10 weeks ago.

Weekend UC hrs are Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 11-6. I am on my feet (no matter if it's during the week or weekend) all day long. Sometimes this makes running long runs on Sundays before I head into work, more difficult. I only know because every other weekend when I run I can tell a difference. To clarify I work every other weekend at UC.

My usual eats when I'm at work consist of this: Salad of mixed spring greens and spinach w strawberries and raspberries, raspberry vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes, apple, luna protein bar, GF pretzels.

My second cup of coffee accompanies me for the 40 minute commute:

This is what an LVT looks like: LOL

I usually wear compression socks the day I've run a long distance, but this morning I am going to wear them as well to help with circulation and maybe prevent really tired legs tomorrow?! 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to their weekend! 

checking out new trails

I have really started to worry that I am not getting enough trail time. I told the hubs this last Sunday over lunch and he took me over to our old high school and showed me all of the cross country trails available for me to use! Who knew it!?

This morning was my first venture out there. I know it's ridiculous that I wasn't aware of this little diamond in the rough. The worse parts I suppose would be 1) I went to high school there and was oblivious 2) I literally park/ run by the area 2-3 times a week. Sad.

So this morning and I think most Friday's after this will be well spent on this course. It's loopy and I was able to make up the 3 miles I needed. And boy was it was workout!!

Morning sky:

The trails were super well groomed. My only complaint was all the cobwebs I ran through. I guess at least they'll be done for the next person:

The sun started to peek through:

Post run- tired/excited/thrilled all in one!

I think this will be a great spot to get my trail run on. :) 

I have a little twinge of pain on the medial portion of my right ankle. I hope it's just sore and I didn't do something :( I will keep you posted!!  

Happy Friday!! 

5 miles flew by

This morning I ran 5 miles at the gym on the TM. I had to use the TM because of a time crunch with getting ready for work. I always worry about the whole TM running and work mornings. It's never an awesome combo and usually something has to has to be a less priority, and something is usually my hair. LOL.

Luckily I am in surgery for most of the day and I am sporting a surgical cap, so no one sees my hair for too long. :)

But back to my run. It went by really fast!! Has anyone ever said that about a TM run before??!! I was super surprised. I listened to music and tried my hardest not to look at the display and get frustrated when only 0.1 miles went by. I think that really helped.

Morning view from my car, an empty parking lot:

View from my treadmill, an empty gym:

Post run stats:

I feel like overall I was in a good mind set at the gym. Kinda thinking about my funk and "talking" aka typing it out made made things MUCH better :)

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!! 

Hello week 9!

I am trying to get excited, I really am. But the thrill of training has really decreased. I don't really know what has changed. This last past week a less miles, by design, I imagine. And I always think it will give me a boost heading into the following week, I mean Friday was 2 miles...2 miles. I just kinda want to sleep. Ugh. I gotta shake this off because Sunday I have 10 miles scheduled.

10.Mile. Run.

I am needless to say...nervous. And I kinda wonder as (I'm typing) I'm already psyching myself out about it. I'm getting more and more into my progression of running and I think I'm getting scared of reaching my goals. I've don't know if I've ever, in my life, set such a hefty goal. I'm also terrified of failing. Which is a reason I don't do a lot of new things. The sheer thought of me not being good/failing at it makes me just say "no."

When I was little I was told I would amount to anything. Everyone in my family, including my mom, made it known that my sister would be doing BIG things with her life. And I would be, well...me. I would not be someone special. And (see previous post : 5 categories) I was called weird. I was supposedly weird to my family because I liked animals and no one else really took an interests (besides my aunt). I had horses, no one else did. When I was 12 years old I became a vegetarian because I wanted this horse who was lame and was going to the meat market. It made me sick.

I stayed vegetarian until I was 26. (That's a 14 year stance!) I only started reintroducing meat into be diet because I wasn't getting the proper nutrition I needed. And it was when my head aches where at an all time high which later I found out was because I was eating crap..all the time.

So back to my original thought. I wonder now if I am mentally beating myself up, mentally sabotaging my progress and hard work because I don't have a confidence I can complete my goal.

Well I see things a little more clearly. I need to get myself right, get more confidence and show myself, and myself only that I can do this. I have amounted to a pretty great women. I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful baby girl ( who thinks I'm pretty great), a career, a home, a car, pets. I am a caring and understanding person. And I am a runner. A runner who has a big goal waiting for me in less than 3 months. I will not disappoint myself.

Wow! Thanks for letting me air that out. I honestly feel much better and as if I cracked the case. :) Back to running.

This mornings 4 mile run was gorgeous as seen here:

And here:

I will be more positive. I know I can do this. My running mantra is " I believe, I believe, I believe I can." 

Happy Monday! 

pink skies and crisp air

With Sunday being Father's Day I wanted to get my long run done Saturday just in case a last minute golf outing was scheduled and I would be left in the lurch.

So Saturday I got up at 5:25 am and got ready, ate my Luna bar and headed out. I had a pretty good idea where I'd go to make up the 6 miles, but I figured it would all work it's self out. Kinda a nice thing about running, if you need more miles, you just keep running. :)

Hello Gorgeous!:

And this one: (I didn't take any picture while I ran because...well... I just wanted to get done.):

I ran this 6 miles with no music. Which I believe I've ran all my runs this week without music. That's totally a first for me. I did 4+ miles on the road/RT and then back into the park where my car was and did some running on the trails and hills. It was interesting to do the hills after 5 miles because I could really feel it in my hips. Like my body was use to only moving one way and I changed it up, it was like hello we are going up now! 

Post run happy face:

I didn't stop while I was running to eat my mango, I was definitely on a mission. So I ate these on my quick drive home:

I got home and stretched/rolled. No one was up yet which was kinda nice. :) LOL Then I took a shower and made myself some breakfast:

Oatmeal with a dollop of peanut butter (yum!) blueberries and cherries (double yum!)

And this of course after breakfast, not the whole pot though (I'll share some with the hubs):

I hope everyone has wonderful weekend!! :) 

Week 8 round up:

Monday-Rest

Tuesday-4 miles

Wednesday- 3 miles

Thursday- cycling and trail run 2+ miles

Friday- 2 miles

Saturday- 6 miles

Sunday- Rest

Total--15 miles

a quick run and some extra's

This morning was a 2 mile run. I went to bed Thursday night at 9:00 pm but still struggled to get up at my 5:25 am alarm. I wanted to get out do my run and get my day started. I didn't get out the to RT until 6:15 am. Goodness gracious. Well P also woke up as I was getting dressed and I had to get breakfast for her so that took a few minutes. But was not the only excuse that my rear end was not in gear. I mean seriously 8+ hours of sleep, get your act together Melissa.

This is much better:

This mornings air was so cool and crisp and delightful. It was a wonderful morning for a run:

This part of the RT is very pretty:

And the sky was just beautiful:

And this one as I finished:

The park has been calling our names :) It ended up being such a great day today. We played at the park for awhile while we ran errands. We stopped mid errand run to let off some steam and enjoy the outside. I get to escort "wolfy" around as P plays. As you can see 1) "Wolfy" gets a lot of loving 2) "Wolfy" goes everywhere with us:

My second cup of coffee ( how did I seriously need an extra kick after all that sleep?!) Was delightful on the porch while P played on the swing set. She just learned how to swing and pump her legs. Adorable.:

ps. not our backyard. This is the park. In case there was confusion. :)

In 15 days I have a race schedules a 20 km run. I'm a little worried about it but also excited to run with a group and see how I do at the aid stations and with my nutrition on the road. :)

I hope everyone has a great weekend!! 

Cross training my way and a trail run tossed in

I had a scheduled strength and cross training today up at the gym this morning. I had full intentions of doing said scheduled workout but after an awful nights sleep, I turned my alarm off and went back to sleep. This was only after I went to the sofa to sleep and laid down on cat vomit (TMI?) OH SO GROSS! But totally par for the course after the night I had LOL!

So I decided since I had to entertain P and try to get my cross training done we would be inventive so by 8:30 am we were on our way to the RT with my bike and her weehoo. ( a wee hoo is a child's bike that attaches to an adults where they can pedal or don't have to. Its great for families who go on long rides and don't have to worry about their kids petering out after mile 1).

We did 8 miles on the bike/weehoo which was pretty fun. We stopped once to itch her back but the rest of the ride was pretty smooth. 

Once we were done it was about 10:30 am so we went to tropical smoothie for a little post cycling fuel. Great excuse right? 

I appreciate whoever the person was that made my smoothie. I love their enthusiasm with the additional "smiley face." I too smile when I think about an Island green smoothie!  

Once we were home I did my grocery list for tomorrow, exciting I know. Then P and I played "hot lava" in the living room. i.e. and excuse to walk on everything but the floor. :) Then I got a text from my mother in law saying she'd watch P if I'd like to go out for a run. I usually do not like running in the afternoon, let alone on an afternoon that's already 80+* outside. But I took her up on it! 

I went to my prime/favorite trails. I pulled in, paid my $2.00 and then parked. I then noticed all the trails were roped off with caution tape. All the trails were flooded. awesome.

I then went to another park that has trails, this is a much more populated place, there is a pool, a day camp, and a pond ( this is where P and I fed the fish/ducks the other day). I really dreaded the time of day and amount of people I would be seeing because I knew I'd be the only runner. I then decided it was my only chance, I'm not getting out on the trails as much as someone running a 50 km trail race should and I should be grateful for the opportunity. I grinned and bared it basically. 

Sporting my Brooke's pure grit trail shoes, only the second time I've worn them. Jury's still out on my feelings for them.

Happy trail :) I'd already started to hyperventilate and I'm only 0.2 miles in. :( Boo humidity. 

So peaceful. Once I got away from ALL the people and kids there, it was nice to be on the trails. So I guess it was a good idea. A run is always a good idea...right?!

Not cool, figuratively and literally. (I'm sorry my dash is so dusty, please no judgement).

My little baby elephant on my necklace is drowning in my sweat....

I ended up doing just over 2 miles on the trails. ( like 2.68 ) I'm pretty happy with how I ended up getting my workout done today. It worked out well for me... I'm happy :)  

5 things per category

There are a couple things you might not know about me. I thought this would be a fun blog post:

General about me things:

1. I was named Melissa because while my mom was pregnant there was a horrible plane crash and the only survivor was a 4 year old girl named Melissa. She figured the name would be good luck.
2. I am terribly right handed. I always apologize at work when I have to use my left hand for anything. 
3. I have very blue eyes that I got from my dad ( which P also has..yeah!) I got Best Eyes in high school too :)
4. I have 5 tattoos. 
5. I had a very difficult delivery for P. I was rushed to surgery and had to stay and in the hospital extra days to get blood transfusions. I don't honestly remember a whole lot from her first day. I almost didn't make it :( scary to think about. 

Relationship things:

1. I have been with my hubs for... it will be 14 years in August
2. We have been married for 6 years ( in April )
3. We had a spring wedding because it's my favorite season (It was 72* and sunny on that April day..perfection!)
4. We are both leaders and we both work really hard to maintain our power struggle. Which I might add we do an amazing job. 
5. We both love being parents to our little girl. 

Mom things:

1. A younger me didn't know if I'd ever want to be a parent. 
2. P's middle name is my maiden name (can't believe the hubs agreed to that :) Win for me!
3. We can't safely have any more kids do to what happened when I had P.
4. As much as I adore my child, I still need "me" time ( i.e. running) and it took me a long time and a lot of frustration to figure that out.
5. I worry constantly that I am messing her up.

Quirky things:

1. I don't use the word "weird" to describe people. It's one of those words I hate and I was called it growing up and I think it's awful to make people feel bad because they might be different.
2. I don't like wet feet, like dew on the grass and you walk on it. ewh.
3. Which brings me to wet hair, I don't like wet hair on my back
4. I don't like to blow dry my hair with the clothes I plan on wearing that day because I don't like when there are pieces of hair on the back or shoulders of my shirt. 
5. I HATE my feet touched!! I have a birthmark on the bottom of my right foot and when I was younger my mom thought I stepped on something and tried to dig it out of my foot. Still remember that one!  

Working on things:

1. Being kinder to myself. My body has done a lot for me, I should repay it be being kinder and seeing the beauty and strength in it. 
2. Patience. Always.
3. Finding my running groove. 
4. Stressing less
5. Playing more!

LOL just some fun stuff!! 

summer time fun

Summer time is now consisting of morning runs and fun!

We went out to see our fish/duck friends.

They fought over bread with the big gold fish and blue gills.

P running a head on our walk through the trails. She was telling me quit a story about a lion who lived in those woods. (imaginations are the best!! :) )

She chose "the spooky" trail to take me on. I realized at this point she did not have on the right shoes for 1. trail walks or 2. trails they had a lot of standing water. (She's in a "dressing herself "phase so I gotta let it go)

We ate our weight in watermelon. The thermometer is out because P was sure it would tell her she was too hot after our walk. 

Cooled off more in the sprinklers. In case you noticed, no this kid never walks. 

At last an orange Popsicle. :) 

Ahhh Summer....just like it's meant to be!!