Weekend Workout of the Day
Did you know that Lululemon stores allow canine visitors? Nigel Bear was a happy camper getting lots of belly rubs from the store girls and shoppers.
This Lulu trip wasn’t for me - it was for John who needed some running shorts.
In true Lulu addict fashion, I convinced him to try on and get two - the Core Short and the Run Response Short. He loves both and I’m happy he won’t be wearing too heavy shorts to run in or for hot yoga ‘cuz that’s not comfy.
My “long run” was only an 8 miler - but what an 8 miler!
1 mile in 9:01; 1.13 mile in 10:15; 1 mile in 9:18; 1 mile in 9:24; 1 mile in 9:29; 1 mile in 8:45; 1 mile in 11:40; 1 mile in 8:43
I decided to concentrate on intervals and running faster in the past week because of my 20 miler the week before and I’m shocked my body let me bust out a faster pace for the entire long run.
That 11:40? I met John at a gas station for Gatorade (he was completing his own run) and I forgot to turn my watch off! :D
Other Happy Points from My Run
A 10K or 6.2 miles in 58:58 - I have faster 10K times in races BUT I rarely focus on that during training runs - seeing a 58:58 motivated me to change that.
I ran a total of 8.13 in 1:16:34 and ran a total of 17.73 speedy miles this week. Looking forward to the final mileage push in the coming week!
And that cookie was my post-run reward - chocolate-chip with salty mini-pretzels. DROOL!!!!!
Pirate’s Booty
If you can find this Lulu vest at a Lululemon near you, it’s worth it. It’s reversible and lighter (silver toned) on the inside and I wore it that way for the first part of my long run when the temps were higher and the sun was beating down. I actually felt cooler!
I like a sleeveless layer - I get hot easily but with the variable temps in Chicago it’s nice to have some cover without a bulky jacket or long sleeve.
I am rolling out the kinks from my long run and looking forward to hot yoga tomorrow!
Rewinding to this morning, breakfast was two slices of Ezekiel sesame toast with an egg and an egg white, sea salt and cumin. Not too bad, but don’t love the onslaught of egg whites yet!
And a huge mug of coffee with almond milk! :D
Lunch was a pretty pear and some Gatorade to prep for my long run.
And post-run, I enjoyed another pear and half of this orange juice. I left it on the floor and Nigel was curious about the taste, so yeah, I can’t do it.
I’ve seen people drink from water glasses that their pets licked at, and I don’t know why but that just slays me.
A falafel sammie and and I shared this lentil soup with extra lemon with John - I ate most of it though. :D
This is how we do it around here post-long run - Pirate’s Booty for my treat.
It’s a fun treat and even John enjoyed a serving - it’s made with real cheese which surprised the heck out of me. They taste like little salty balls of puff so I think it is an acquired taste.
I’ll be honest, I got it because it was called Pirate’s Booty. :)
Hope you all had a good day!
Q:You are just a tiny bottle of cute energy! I love your blog and say hi to Nigel for me. I noticed you were wearing compression socks since the Disney races and wondered if you recommend them? Do they work? Do you feel different and do you feel like they help your running?
Anonymous
Hello, and thanks for reading.
Bottle of cute energy - patent pending! :D
I have been wearing Zensah compression calf sleeves since the Goofy Challenge. When I saw them, I was pretty skeptical - were they like those Vitamin C packets or Ezekiel bread that I loved? All hype, and no real effect?
It was wonderful wearing them on the plane ride home after 39.3 miles. They felt like they were massaging my legs and I also wore them around the park.
However, I mostly wear them now because they keep my legs warm. I like to run with shorts (yes, even in 30-40 degree weather) and the sleeves make it possible. The toasty feeling is awesome!
Do I think they do anything in terms of healing? Or preventing tiredness? Or helping with fatigue?
I have no clue. If you have the money and want them for warmth or for that snuggly feeling, yes, I would tell you to get them.
There are runners who SWEAR by all compression wear but it’s tough for me to gauge whether they are helping with muscle fatigue and I don’t wear them to run with the hopes they will help me with healing after.
I compare them very much to Vibrams. A lot of people get Vibrams for shin splints but frankly, rest, yoga, and improving your stride (for example, not pulling your toes towards your face when you run) is the more ideal solution.
Sleeves won’t prevent tiredness, but endurance building runs can - however, one could argue that keeping the muscle warm does prevent problems too.
Could compression sleeves hurt your running instead of helping?
Well, if it’s good enough for the qualifying women at the Olympic marathon trials, it’s good enough for us. ;D
Lululemon Mardi Glow Run + Resolutions for Lent
John sent me a notice about Lululemon sponsoring a 5K fun run for free and I was jumping for joy because it was FREEEEEEEEEE!
I hate paying for races under five miles!
It was this evening though (and we forgot about it) so when I was able to get home, I scrambled trying to get some of our running gear out since I didn’t know what John would want.
Since we were supposed to “glow” John wore a neon yellow fleece and I went all pink. Technically, I run like this all the time and I’m sure people are like, “Look at that chick in all that pink.” To which I reply:
{Source}
We both had five milers on our marathon training plan so we ran the two miles from our home in Wicker Park to the Lululemon in Lincoln Park.
I loved seeing the sun come down and passing through a different running route - really puts a pep in your running step.
They gave us glow sticks, water, and coffee and there was a crowd of about fifty people in masks, beads, and some serious costumes.
Somehow, we ran four more miles. Yes, that would not be a 5K which is 3.1 miles. The run was supposed to be between the Lululemon store in Lincoln Park and ending at the Lululemon store on Michigan Avenue at Bloomingdale’s.
John, me, and another guy surged ahead near the lake front and our merry band kept going ahead in the wrong, or “creative” direction. Apparently, lots of people split off and the people following us were sadly, also led down the longer path.
We got to the store and when I looked at my Garmin, we had run a total of 6 miles in 55 minutes. I’ll take it!
Umm…this might have happened too. But look! The pants are marked down! I also need it for a new adventure we are planning! It has “back vents for maximum air flow!” I’m out of reasons.
We had dinner at our favorite little spot near the Magnificent Mile for a quick meal, the Soupbox, where I had a lovely fire roasted veggie soup and John had a lobster bisque, with sourdough quarters for each of us.
And then we celebrated Fat Tuesday. John is Catholic and takes this very seriously, enjoying fried homemade doughnuts as a child. No fries here, but I thought ice cream is always a good decadent treat!
Yes, you just suffered from an ice-cream and sugar headache just by looking at this picture. It’s a waffle cone (my first ever!) with vanilla ice cream, warm peanut butter and chocolate and nuts. John gave me the cherry.
We didn’t enjoy it at all. :D
It was a happy day and I had a truly “fun run” - I hope I can find more of these events for us soon because it’s a great way to stay motivated for our mid-week five to eight mile runs!
******
With Fat Tuesday out of the way, here is our Lenten resolution.
We will be in bed by 11pm every night - exceptions will be made for non-negotiable deadlines, outings with friends, or if we are travelling.
However, from now until Easter there will be no staying up for just one more thing…and even if we end up staying up till the wee hours, we have to be in bed by 11.
Goodnight everyone! See you all tomorrow!
What’s Cooler Than Ice Cold? Winter Running in Chicago!
And it’s about time because I totally lost the snow game!
Yes friends, we have four to six inches of snow starting to settle on the ground in Chicago. I’ve pretty much been grinning and jumping around all day!
The perfect weather for my new Lululemon running jacket - and my review! Yes, I’m obsessed with Lulu and when John convinced me to get this jacket, how could I say no? It’s baby pink and great on my complexion, has a little hood with a hole for my ponytail (!), thumb holes, an asymmetrical, ruched collar, and zipper vents to cool off easily when I pull a Ryan Hall running down Wicker Park.
This jacket is much nicer than the previous ones where a long asymmetrical line ran down the body - and it’s a bit longer so it covers your bum during extra-cold runs.
I mix and match my layers and I love how toasty yet light I am on these runs! Sadly, the above items were gifts so now I’m off to sell a kidney to pay for the jacket. :D
We are completely out of groceries so breakfast and lunch were the same - pb and blackberry spread sliders on Red Hen whole grain bread - love the nuts and seeds.
I was craving an apple but the market on our block is sold out of fresh food because of Snowpocalypse - so I made do with leftover apple sauce as a snack…
…with a cup of coffee with the last of our unsweetened almond milk.
Stay warm Tumblrettes!
New Year’s Day 5K
We are very excited about 2012 around here. And like last year on New Year’s Day, we ran a chilly 5K in 31 minutes to bring good luck, health, and happiness to 2012!
We’re pretty excited about the new year - Nigel joined me in my jump for joys!
John likes cold weather running but hates the cold - he’s like the Bear from my favorite children’s book:
I’m a little more of a heat machine. Even though it only snowed for a second, the temps dipped down to 30 and I paired my new Lulu running vest with my Nike hyperwarm shirt and I was toasty!
John needs layers, including the monkey mask, so he likes to run with me if he runs at night because otherwise imagine this scenario: you, a female runner, are running along ponytail flying behind you. Suddenly from behind, sprinting down the street at a 7-8 minute mile pace comes a six foot tall man in a monkey mask.
{Doesn’t Nigel look regal here? He loves running but we only let him sprint a block to protect his short legs!}
Dear running ladies of Chicago - please don’t Kung Fu Panda my adorable boyfriend. He is a puppy about the cold and needs his running mask.
I hope you started the Happy New Year with a super workout and you are having a great day dreaming about the good things that are going to happen down the road.
You Say Stop, And I Say Go Go Go!
First, What I Wore to Workout:
Lulu Run Shorts, Lulu Long-Sleeve Running Shirts, and Lulu Running Vest
Yes, Christmas was good to this athlete. And yes, someone robbed a Lululemon store for me so I could run in chilly weather. This running vest is a first for me and I love it - it hugs the body and you forget you have it on, unlike a heavier jacket. This outfit was perfect for a run last night - 38 degrees with a bit of a wind chill and some drizzles. I was super toasty with the new long sleeve and vest combo and this will be perfect the whole early spring and fall!
I think if the temperature dips ten degrees more, I am going to try tights and my lovely pink Nike cold weather shirt with the vest - if that works, I’ve got my snow race running gear! The best part? My new violet running shirt has thumb-holes. And life is not complete without thumb-holes in your shirt! And the second best part? The vest is reversible and silver on the other side.
After watching his football game and doing some work, John was super excited about our run, but I was more like “eh.” I had come back from hot yoga and just wanted to snuggle with my boys. Sometimes you need a little push from someone - I usually run alone so I knew I would push myself tomorrow, but I had a run planned TODAY, and it needed to get done TODAY.
I’m grateful for his pushing - we ran a solid five miler in 51 minutes.
Oh yeah, and there might have been a promise of frozen yogurt at the end.
Runnin’ happy, runnin’ in love, runnin’ for fro-gurt! :D
Work the Curls for the Girls, and the Tris for the Guys
The I don’t recognize my arms edition.
The get me in a strapless and backless dress now edition.
The check out my new tank top from Lululemon edition.
The get yourself one right here edition.
The check out my new awesome super power running shorts here and here edition.
The damn, look at my waist in these photos edition.
The ladies, get this top edition, because they will give you these edition:
Seriously, I don’t have these but the shirt got them for me with this built in bra that does edition.
The yeah, I’m obsessed with I Used to Be Fat trainer Joey edition.
The yes, arm circles can work and stop hating on Tracy Anderson edition.
The I love Mondays edition.
The who says running can’t give you definition edition.
The who says hot yoga can’t build muscle edition.
The every mile was worth it edition.
The even Nigel pup is amazed edition!
