Author: Fallon @ Slacker Runner

San Jose- Ready or Not?

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Rock n Roll San Jose as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

How is it race weekend already?  It just can’t be.

Don’t get me wrong, I am excited but I am also in denial because I don’t feel ready.   I missed a few runs and few miles along the way with this training plan.  I did well with the first 8 weeks of cross training then stumbled for 3 weeks.  This week has been strong again but is it enough?  I’ve been feeling poorly for 2 weeks now and stressed at work.  I haven’t run a half marathon since June and this is the longest race break I’ve had in years.

Ok, that sounds like I am freaking out.  Maybe I am.  Which is why I am reassessing that big goal I laid out in my first San Jose post.  And that finishing time goal I claimed on Athlinks.   I didn’t run enough flat.  I have a lingering right leg issue.  Work has become crazy (lost 2 employees in the last 3 weeks).  I am not canceling my PR goal just pushing it back a few weeks.

A bear!

So new plan- do what my legs and lungs want to do.  Take in the sights of San Jose- all I have seen before is the airport.  I am sure the city has more offer than that and what better way to see it than by running with a few thousand other people?

I love Rock n Roll races and what better way to shake the cobwebs loose than with some miles and good music along the way.   And for once the race doesn’t start at the crack of dawn.  Great news for a Slacker.  😛

So, here’s to a 4 day weekend (did I mention I took Friday off?) to decompress and run it all out.

Wish me luck!

Week 39:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 11

Upcoming Races-

  • Rock n Roll San Jose 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)-10/8
  • City to the Sea 13.1-10/14- maybe
  • Rock n Roll Los Angeles 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)- 10/29
  • Monterey Bay Half Marathon (Thank you BibRave!)- 11/12

Peek weak redux? More like epic fail.

Like I said in Friday’s post this week was less than stellar.   I was in a funk with no real reason as to why.    I started the week out sick and things just kind of went down hill from there.    We had an employee with a last day on Friday and it’s always sad when the team changes.  On the upside, I finally have a hotel for my work trip coming up in October so I won’t be sleeping in my car, haha.

The plan called for a 6 mile run, 6 mile pace run, 10 mile long run and 3-4 cross training workouts.

Monday- Sick
I felt fine in the morning and had my running gear with me at work.  However things went south around 4:00pm when I suddenly felt nauseous, clammy and like I was running a fever.   I went home and just curled up under a blanket.  It was still hot outside so it was a sign that I really wasn’t feeling well.

Tuesday- Liift4
I still wasn’t feeling well.  I couldn’t focus and everything took so much more effort.  I ran into my uncle during the day and he took one look at me and asked why the hell I went to work.  I’m stupid??  I felt like a total sloth so I dragged my way through a Liift4 workout in the late evening.  I did feel a little better after.

Wednesday-1.2 miles
Not what I intended.  I planned to attempt 5-6 pace-ish miles around the lake path but the path had other plans.  Creeper alert!  Both could have been false alarms but my #1 rule is Be Paranoid.   The first creeper was a windowless van parked on the path.  Ummm, why?  Next up was a gold Ford Fusion that slowed as it passed me, then drove in front of me.   When it came back for a second, slower pass, I was done -I’m out.  I’ll run another day.

Thursday- 3 miles
My leg was hurting.  I was stupid and sat in my chair this week- why do I keep doing that- and it aggravates my right leg in a bad way.  I toughed out 3 miles but managed to find a decent, easy pace actually.  I knew more would probably be stupid judging by how the leg felt though.

Friday- Nothing
I just wanted to stay in bed all day but I went to work.  I did bring back the desk chair instead of my stool though.

She had the right idea

Saturday-Nothing
And I mean nothing.  I set my alarm to get in my long run but when it came time to run I was so not feeling it.  In fact I was feeling like being a sloth.  So I did.  The upcoming month of October is looking to be crazy busy and this was my last weekend before things get crazy.  So, I did the bare minimum.  I ran 2 errands and I napped.

Sunday- 6.35 miles
I should have napped more.  I kept putting off this run because I really didn’t want to run.  I wanted to be lazy but I told myself that was stupid.   So I headed out for a run.   Why?  It was miserable.  It was too warm, I wasn’t into it and my leg started to hurt towards the end.  I walked a lot.   I was done.  I just looped and headed back to the car.   I should have just skipped it.  My pace wasn’t completely horrible- it was actually near marathon long run pace so I guess I have made some improvements in the last few weeks if I tanked that badly but it doesn’t look like it.

10.56 miles for the week.  Yay. And with that it’s race week.

How was your week?

Week 38:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 10

Upcoming Races-

  • Rock n Roll San Jose 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)-10/8
  • City to the Sea 13.1-10/14
  • Rock n Roll Los Angeles 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)- 10/29
  • Monterey Bay Half Marathon (Thank you BibRave!)- 11/12

Welcome to peak week.  Or at least I think it was peak week.

Part of me feels like this week was a hot mess and the other part feels like it was a moderate success.  I thought about trying to combine those terms in a catchy way and it just sounded inappropriate so, oops.

I feel like there is something I needed to tell you about work but I can’t remember what it was so we’ll push pause on that.

The plan called for two 6 mile runs, a 10 mile long run, and 3 cross training work outs of some sort.

Monday-3 miles
My legs generally aren’t fans of running the day after a long run but this was what fit the schedule.   That said I knew I wasn’t going to get the 6 miles the training plan called for.   Especially since work ran a little later due to being short staffed that day.   I kept the pace nice and easy and my legs actually weren’t as cranky as they could have been.

Tuesday- Nada
I was feeling lazy after doing what I needed to do.  Oops.

Wednesday- 6 miles bike/ 21 day Upper Fix
I planned on running however realized I had a problem when I changed into my running clothes after work.   My crops which had been with me for so many miles over the years had given up the ghost.   😂 No running was going to happen that night.  I knew I should have packed an extra pair of shorts.

Thursday- 5 miles
All right, let’s try this again.  I was feeling blah but I changed and headed to the river path after work to get in a few miles.  I told myself to at least get started.  I left my water in the car because I had a feeling I would be back soon.  Except at the 5k turn around point, I went left instead and kept running.   My brain was exactly on board but my legs were so I let them do all the talking.

Friday- Rest
I was lazy again.  Uh oh…the Slacker may be coming back more than I would like.

Saturday- Shopping
Yeah, I know not really exercise but I defenitlty put in my steps while getting some things done.  I thought about trying for my long run that evening but it was still above 90 until the evening so I passed.

Sunday- 8.5 miles
I ran in the morning!   I actually got up!  Granted a little later than I planned but still.  I headed out for my planned 10 miles.  The plan was to run 10 miles to a certain point- have my mother pick me up then go to lunch with her and my brother.  I had stashed a shirt change with her the day before in case I followed through with running in the morning.

About 1.5 miles in I heard my name being shouted- huh? Oh hey, I know you!  I ran into a friend watching her son play soccer so I stopped and chatted for a bit.   Between that conversion and a couple of lengthy stoplights as I made my way across town I was only able to fit 8.5 miles before the rendezvous time.   That said the miles I did fit in were surprisingly strong considering the struggle bus I’ve been riding lately.   I considered going out for another 2 later but once again it was 96.  Ummmm, Fall where are you?

16.5 miles for the week.  A not great peak week but not a bad one either.  Only 2 weeks to go to San Jose!

How was your week?

Get Your Shine On

Disclaimer: I received Brilliant Reflective to try as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

With Fall coming, runners often rejoice in the much better running temps.  However we also creep ever closer to the end of Daylight Savings time and the sun sets so much more quickly.  For an evening runner like me, that is not great.

A road running runner’s number 1 priority is being seen by traffic.  I have lights so I can see but how do I ensure that driver’s see me?  As a local safety add espouses “pedestrians don’t wear armor” and I would lose in a battle with a car.

I have a one of those basic “Hi-viz” running vests but it never seems very bright to me.  Some of that fancy running gears goes for more money than I would spend on a race.  I see those light up, fancy flashing ones online but let’s be real- that’s just one more thing I would need to remember to charge and I know sooner than later I would forget.

Brilliant Reflective to the rescue!!  Brilliant Reflective offers Iron on and Stick On strips by the pack that you can add to your regular clothing, running gear, cycling gear, dog leashes, etc to let drivers know that you are there.  Brilliant Reflective is super bright and works via retroreflection.  Which means it returns more reflection back to the driver than standard gear so they can better identify you as a person.

BR Info

Not only does Brilliant Reflective help keep you safer, it super easy to use.

Pick out the running clothes you want to apply Brilliant Reflective to, get your iron, iron on.  Done!  It’s that easy.  Now your standard running gear, which if you’re like me you wear the top 4-5 shirts in the drawer over and over, is safer and visibility friendly.   You can wash and dry like normal.  This is not my first time using Brilliant Reflective, I have the iron on strips on a couple of pairs of crops and tanks from over a year ago and it’s still going strong.    In fact the crops just ripped but the reflection was just as strong as when I first ironed it on.

Still shining a year later

I rarely run without my pack or trucker hat, so I took the stick on strips and went to town on them.   Now you see me- every time I run.  And what’s super cool is that when I want to wash the hats, I just remove the strips, let them hang from my hamper and then put them back in place later.

 

That might not work with my pack (haven’t tested it yet) but that’s where the price point comes in handy.  A pack of Brilliant Reflective strips is only $14.95… and they have colors and fun shapes!  I just could just change up my color scheme every time I wash it.  Which I need to do more often but that is not the point here.

I love this product because it easy, it’s affordable and it helps keep me safe. I’m still on alert when I run but at least I know drivers have a better chance of seeing me now.

Want your own Brilliant Reflective?  Use code BRP30 for 30% off your entire purchase!  I think I need to go buy myself the shapes pack.  😛

How do you stay safe and visible when running?