Category: BibRave

Still Loving It

Disclaimer: I received Watermelon Gatorade Endurance and Mango Energy Gels to review 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!

The calendar tells me that fall officially starts this weekend but I think it lies. We may not be hitting 100* days at the moment but it is still hot out there.

Yet the heat didn’t make me any less lazier. If I was given the option to run in the morning when it was a little cooler or in the afternoon when I would melt, I usually chose the stupider option. That said, I made it through a summer of stupid, hot running with no hydration issues and no headaches due to running in the heat.

I give credit to my watermelon Gatorade Endurance Formula and Endurance Energy Gels. It’s been a few months, I’m calling it a committed relationship. I am still in love. I don’t know how I ran without it. I now have a tub of the Endurance Formula powder at home and one at work. I tried a little travel size tupperware thing for a while but that just didn’t work for me. Then for awhile I was just carrying the one back and forth. 🤦‍♀️ No worries, just get another canister!

Gatorade

Now- you may be thinking- do you really need an Endurance Formula for a 4 mile run? When it’s 90+ outside, yes I do! I also dilute it- so a little less powder in the scoop and a little more water.👍

I admit that long run fueling is still a work in progress. I am getting better at it- the ease at which the Mango Gels go down helps- but I seriously need to a set a reminder for myself. ⏲ Every run where I actually fuel usually ends on a better note than when I don’t but I struggle with the actual remembering to do it.

I’ve also actually branched out to trying actual mango things which I never had before. I always assumed I disliked mangoes. But now I can’t remember why. So, thanks for broadening my horizons Gatorade!

Do you have a fueling plan in place or do you struggle like I do?

Week 37:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 9

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

This week was ruled by sunburns, migraines and then peeling. Oh yay!

That said, it surprisingly wasn’t a complete wash on the workout front. I was feeling a little adrift after the Liift4 challenge was done so I joined another challenge group but this one is less focused and you pick your own workout so I was a little slacker-like in that respect.

The plan called for a 4 mile run, 30 minute pace run and a 10K race. It was kind of a step back week. There weren’t any 10k’s locally so my original hope was to sub in a 10 miler.

Monday-Rest
The sunburn from hell kept me from doing anything too active. I wore one of my loosest dresses but even that made me cringe anytime I moved at work.

Tuesday-4.2 ish miles
I headed for the river path to get in a few miles. I really wasn’t feeling it but I told myself to just get started and see what happened. I felt better once I got started and even threw in some tempo bits. I guess I should say fartleks. I was glad I didn’t bail and followed through with my run like planned.

Wednesday- 21 day Fix- upper fix
What the hell? After 8 weeks of Liift4, I figured 21 Day Fix would be a walk in the park. People, I was sweating in the 2 minute warm up. 10 minutes in, I was like what the hell is this????? I finished but need to reassess my fitness level.

Thursday- 3.6 miles
The plan called for a 30 minute pace run. The migraine that rolled in had other plans. I still headed to the lake path for a few miles but I wasn’t optimistic. The pace run didn’t happen but I did get a few easy miles around the lake. Took a few walk breaks whenever I felt like I needed and just kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Friday- Nothing
I meant to do another 21 day fix but the migraine was still hanging around and by the time I got home after 7, I was done.

Saturday- 21 day Lower fix
I was supposed to do my long run. I was supposed to go to my boss’s boss retirement party. Instead I didn’t get out of bed until 10 AM and I took a 2.5 hour nap in the afternoon. Damn migraine, you can leave anytime now. I did manage to complete another workout in the evening though.

Sunday- 7.2 miles
I woke early to run but my head was still fuzzy and I admit when I saw the temp was 42*, I wimped out. Where did the cold come from?? So like an idiot, I put it off until the afternoon. Where I rode the struggle bus. I had hoped for 10 miles but yeah no. My headphones died just past mile 2. My stomach cramped horribly around mile 4. Cramped like I started walking a lot- there were no bathrooms on my route. I had the driest mouth ever- even though I was chugging all the Gatorade. I called it at 7 miles.

15 miles for the week and 2 cross training workouts. Considering how I felt for most of it, I am calling that a quasi-win right now.

How was your week?

Week 36:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 8

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

Fried. That’s how I would describe this week.

I knew it was going to be a hectic one and I thought I planned accordingly. But well, life.

The week was already short due to the holiday and then I was off Friday to chaperone a multi-day tennis trip for my mother’s team. I tried to cram all I could in at work in 3 short days as well as get in all my workouts before we left.

The plan called for a 6 mile run, 50 minute tempo, 9 mile long run and the last 4 Liift4 workouts.

Monday- 9 miles/ Liift4
Long run on a Monday- say what?? I knew the weekend ahead was going to be super busy so with a Monday off work I thought I would get my long run out of the way. Yet, I woke up nauseaus again. I did a crazy Liift4 workout in the morning and debated skipping the run. I headed out in the late afternoon for what I was sure was going to be a 4 mile slog. Instead I somehow had the best 9 mile run that I have had in over a year. Hell, it was the best long run I’ve had in years. Who knew?

Tuesday- Liift4
This final week of workouts was kicking my ass. I don’t think I’ve ever sweat this much in my life.

Wednesday- Rest
I meant to do another Liift4 workout but my stomach was being a total asshat. So instead I picked up some last minute supplies for the weekend trip.

Thursday- 3.75 miles
This was supposed to be longer but my legs weren’t feeling it. This was actually slower paced than Monday’s long run too. Way to bring me back down to earth legs. My right hip was cranky, I really need to start doing my PT exercises again.

Friday/ Saturday- Tennis Road Trip
So tired, the days were long and stressful and so freakin’ hot! I layered on sunblock, I stayed in the shade as much as possible, I wore a hat and somehow I still ended up with my worst sunburn in years. It hurt. By the time we got home on Saturday, I was just mentally done. Teenagers are hard.

Sunday- Rest
This was not the plan. I needed another 6 miles and should have completed the leg workout for Liift4. However… the sunburn. Owwww! Everything hurt. It hurt to the touch, it hurt to move, clothing hurt- there was no way I was putting a sports bra on. Nope.

12.77 miles for the week. Stupid sunburn! Also the Liift4 challenge is complete even if I missed a few and I feel a little adrift. Oops.

How was your week?

Week 35:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 7

Upcoming Races-

SLO ULTRA 5K-9/2
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

So, I’m finally on the right week. Did anyone notice that I posted “week 32” 3 times? Haha, I really need to pay more attention when I copy and paste.

Last week was fairly uneventful outside of running which is fine by me. Plus this week is shaping up to be crazy so I needed a calm one.

This was a surprisingly solid training week. It had it’s ups and downs but when it came to sticking to the plan, it was pretty solid.

The plan called for a step back week with a 5K race instead of a long run. So it should have looked something like this- 4 mile run, 3 mile run, 5K race, maybe an extra easy run if I was feeling it and 4 Liift4 workouts.

Monday-3.1 miles
My legs do not like running the day after a long run. Not even a recovery run, my right leg and hip protest but running on Monday was fit my schedule. I kept it slow and easy and a little shorter than plan called for but I knew there was only so much my leg was going to put up with. That said, it was a decent few miles.

Tuesday- Liift4
I really meant to do this in the morning but nope. Another late night work out. We’re in the final 2 weeks of the challenge and my arms were shaking.

Wednesday- Rest
Oops. I meant to run but was easily distracted on the way home.

Thursday- 4.2 miles/ Liift4 legs
My hip was so stinkin’ sore. I’ve been trying to use my chair this week and I just can’t, it hurt my hip. Or aggravates my IT band. Whatever. By Thursday, my hip was pissed by 3 days of trying to make do. I had to stop and stretch it out various times throughout the run. I didn’t feel like things really loosened up until the middle of mile 3. By then I was done. Then at home I did the Liift4 leg workout not knowing what a sweat fest I was in for. 😛

Friday-Rest
After the brutal leg workout the day before and having a race the next day, I thought rest was the best choice. If you read Friday’s post, you know I wasn’t exactly stoked on the race but one of the upsides of the new location was that it was a 10 minute drive from work. So I hustled down on my lunch break to pick up my bib and shirt. Funny thing- a local runner I’ve met before was working packet pick up so I chatted for a moment but could tell that he had no idea who I was. Ha!

Saturday- SLO Ultra 5K
Race recap to come. I’ll just leave you with this-

Sunday- Liift4
I had hoped to add in that extra easy run but without giving away race details, I still wasn’t feeling quite right. I decided to just play by ear and see how things went and that ended up being the Liift4 workout late in the evening. I am fine with that.

10.7 miles for the week. Low but I did all the required workouts for the week. I missed a Liift4 workout but that was also deliberate- I tend to pass on the ones that are entirely HIIT because I end up breaking myself. Seriously. I cannot do a mountain climber without hurting myself- no matter how many modifications I make.

How was your week?

Week 32:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 5

Upcoming Races-

SLO ULTRA 5K-9/2
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

If I had one word to describe this week, it would be- pain.

I think I watched more stupid movies than ever before. Netflix shamed me with “are you still watching” a few times. 😛I kind of buried myself in a dark hole, I was barely even paying attention to those movies, I just needed background noise (there were some good ones though).

The plan for this week was 3 runs- 4 miles, 40 min tempo, 8 mile long run- and 4 Liift4 workouts. Reality, however-

Monday- 2.5 miles
I was looking forward to my run after work. I thought I had 5 miles on the plan -oops – but I was on board with that. The bottom half of me apparently was not. Right from my first few steps, things felt off. My legs hurt- not just sore but hurt. I walked the first half mile hoping they would loosen up but no luck. I tried running and it felt like the pain was deep in my bones. WTH? A little over a mile in, I stopped to try and stretch it out and almost screamed. It hurt from my hips to my knees but in the bones. I turned around and hobbled back to the car. I didn’t know what was going on but it wasn’t worth risking an injury.

Tuesday- Liift4
My legs were still not right so I focused on my form and modified anything that required any jumping. I kind of do that anyway as I know my limitations but I really did it now.

Wednesday- Liift4
I drove to the lake path to run. I had changed, I had my pack in my lap but I wasn’t feeling it. Like deep down, really NOT feeling it. I’m not a believer in there are no bad runs. Yes, there are. The times in the past that I have forced myself to run when I feel that against it I have either hurt myself or broken a piece of running gear. I drove away without running but I wasn’t completely lazy.

Thursday- Migraine
Bring on the pain. I woke up to the oncoming pain but hoped it would ease up. Both because I had an early morning meeting and because I wanted to run after work. I finally admitted defeat around 11:30 and did something I rarely do- I went home sick. Then I spent the rest of the day napping, watching movies and alternating between being too hot or too cold.

Friday-Liift4 ish
I still had a migraine but I made it through work. I attempted Liift4 in the evening but I only pulled off the lifting portion. When it transitioned to the HIIT work, I tried one move and was like, umm, not happening.

Saturday-8 miles
Maybe it was the migraine that was still around but this was the hottest 8 miles of my life. In hindsight, I maybe shouldn’t have tried for my long run after 2 days of pain. I started my run around 9:15 and while that is early for me; it was already hot. Miles 1 and 2 were good and I was optimistic. I slowed during mile 3 but I was also entering the section I lovingly call the “surface of the sun” so that was to be expected. However mile 4 went south. It got super warm, I was too hot, I was feeling dehydrated and I almost threw up. I was almost out of water and I was only 4 miles in. I rerouted back to my car but I had slowed to a shuffle. I refilled at my car and sat there a bit as it was fully in the shade. By then I needed less than 2 miles so I dumped my pack thinking running without it would be cooler and just shoved my phone in a pocket and carried a water bottle and my pepper spray. I then looped the river trail and the neighborhood until I hit 8. This route needs some shade!

Sunday- Rest
I may have gotten in my long run but I was kind of broken the rest of the weekend. Not only did the migraine not go away, it was a little pissed at me after those 8 miles. The most strenuous thing I did on Sunday was clean my car. Except it was so dirty, that really was a workout.

10.5 miles for the week. I couldn’t have 2 good weeks in a row, could I. Shake it off.

How was your week?