Workout Wednesday - Playlist

I am terrible at updating my running playlist. Not that I feel like I need to change things up regularly, but I've realized that I've become "that mom" who listens to NPR instead of music stations and as such, I have no idea what the hip new music the kids are listening to these day.
We're saying hip again, right?
So it was a big deal that I downloaded and added three whole songs to my playlist this week.
There are now 44 songs on my "Half Marathon" playlist. I'm not sure why I still call it that; I listen to it whenever I run, not just when I'm training for or running in a half marathon. I should probably rename it, but I probably won't.
I don't really go with a theme for music, although I tend to go in waves of what I want to listen to, so I'll usually get a bunch of country or a bunch of hip hop at one time. Except this week. This week I downloaded the last three songs on the list below: a contemporary pop hit, a 1980s classic, and a song from a musical set during the Cold War. But I'm obsessed with all of them right now.
This is the order of songs on my list, although I prefer to listen to them on shuffle, so I never know what song I'm getting next. This way, I can get a little extra boost from a "power" song when I'm not expecting it.
Is that the best method for running? Probably not, but it makes things fun!

• "Let's Get it Started" (Black-Eyed Peas)
• "I Like to Move It" (will.i.am - Madagascar 2 soundtrack)
• "Low" (Flo Rida)
• "Footloose" (Kenny Loggins)
• "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" (Dropkick Murphys)
• "Shadows of the Night" (Pat Benatar)
• "I'm a Believer" (Smash Mouth)
• "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (Pat Benatar)
• "Telephone" (Lady Gaga)
• "Holdin' Out for a Hero" (Bonnie Tyler)
• "The Rockafella Skank" (Fatboy Slim)
• "Drunken Lullabies" (Dropkick Murphys)
• "Stand" (Rascal Flatts)
• "Comin' to Your City" (Big & Rich)
• "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues" (Martina McBride)
• "Suds in the Bucket" (Sara Evans)
• "All Star" (Smash Mouth)
• "New Orleans" (Lousiana Gator Boys - Blues Brothers 2000 soundtrack)
• "Fighter" (Christina Aguilera)
• "Poker Face" (Lady Gaga)
• "Listen to Your Heart" (Roxette - DHT Hardbounz mix)
• "Like a Prayer" (Madonna - Mad'House mix)
• "Salty Dog" (Flogging Molly)
• "Stronger" (Kelly Clarkson)
• "Jerk it Out" (Caesars)
• "I See You Baby" (Groove Armada)
• "Maybe I'm Wrong" (Blues Traveler)
• "SexyBack" (Justin Timberlake)
• "Whenever, Wherever" (Shakira)
• "Hey, Soul Sister" (Train)
• "The Edge of Glory" (Lady Gaga)
• "Hips Don't Lie" (Shakira)
• "Just Dance" (Lady Gaga)
• "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" (Trace Adkins)
• "Bad Romance" (Lady Gaga)
• "Something That I Want" (Grace Potter - Tangled soundtrack)
• "Thanks a Lot" (Martina McBride)
• "Good Time" (Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen)
• "Let it Go" (Idina Menzel - Frozen soundtrack)
• "SOS" (Rihanna)
• "Happy" (Pharrell)
• "Brave" (Sara Bareilles)
• "Glory Days" (Bruce Springsteen)
• "Nobody's Side" (Idina Menzel - Chess Live in Concert soundtrack)

What do you think? Do you have any of these songs? What are your favorite songs to listen to while running? What are some songs you think I just have to add to my collection?

Run for Ryan House - Race Recap

This is the third year that I've done the Run for Ryan House, up at DC Ranch in north (noooooooooorth) Scottsdale.  Like previous years, I ran with my friend Christie, whose daughter Sadie sometimes goes to Ryan House for respite care. It is also where my friend Alicia held her daughter for the last time, so while the race site is pretty far from home, it's always worth the drive to know that I'm helping support Ryan House, which is part of Hospice of the Valley (it offers both palliative and end of life care for children).
The race (a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and fun run) always the first weekend in March, this year the 1st of the month, usually prime running weather here in Arizona.
Not this year.
This year, March 1st was literally THE ONE rainy day we have had so far this year.
Coming from the Pacific Northwest, rain isn't quite the anomaly it is for native desert dwellers, but that doesn't mean I was pulling a Gene Kelly about running 6.2 miles in it.
I had thought about not going, really, when I saw just how rainy it was, since lots of rain means panic at the disco on the freeways here, but this was Christie's last race; she was recently diagnosed with arthritis in her knees, and her doctor put the kibosh on all running "forever." So I braved the panicked drivers and the slippery freeways (oil build up makes the freeways extra slick when it begins to rain here, but by the time I headed out, it was a downpour, so the oil was a non-issue) for a wet race.
I had to laugh at how the majority of the runners who actually turned out (it's the smallest turnout I've seen) were huddled under the awning where the check-in tables were, as if Elphaba's blood  were coursing through all of us; us, for I was also amongst the huddle, in a sad attempt to stay dry, like we were going to run the entire race under that awning.

Important Vanity Point 1: this was my first personalized bib.

That my bib number was also divisible by three gave me an obscene amount of comfort. Don't ask; it's just a thing I have.

Thankfully, the rain let up a bit before the start of the 10K, so Christie's dad took the opportunity to snap a pic of us while we were still nice and dry.

Yes, I matched. It just happened. And yes, that's Sheldon around my neck. I'll get to him in a minute.
Christie's bib number was also, divinely, divisible by three.

I was nervous about my shins, but they have been feeling all right, and I've been careful to avoid wearing flip flops in favor of more supportive shoes as much as possible, and I'm fanatical about foam rolling, stretching, and icing these days, so I knew I could survive the 2.33 mile-long hill (Christie clocked it).
But I'll be honest, despite my preparation and care with the shins, I was still nervous. And seeing as the word nervous is a synonym for fearful, I broke my long-standing "no jewelry when running except for your RoadID" and brought Sheldon along to keep me company.
I am the tortoise. Fear is the hare.

I don't know if it was really great chiropractic care along with the maintenance I did throughout January and February to get my shins back into shape or if it was the placebo of knowing my running spirit animal was with me every step of the way, but aside from a few (concerning) foot aches, I felt great.
I was slow conservative in my pace, but I felt great.
So great, in fact, that at the end, I turned to Christie and said, "I'm gonna sprint." And I did. Her knees didn't let her go with me, but she finished right after I did.

Important Vanity Point 2: my name - my full name, not just the name on my bib - was announced as I crossed the finish line.
Of course, this vanity point might have been more glorious had I been one of the faster runners, but it was still exhilarating to hear that as I ran through the chute.

The rain did its work in the first half of the race. By the time we hit mile four (not so important vanity point: this is the first race during which I had to pee so badly I used one of the race porta potties), we were drenched. I mean, it was nice that the rain let up, but the damage had been done, and I discovered after the race that wet arm warmers chafe in a perfect circle. The more you know, kids.

In our post-race snap, you can see the dramatic change in our shirt color from the one before we set out.

Our shirts were so wet that they were also clinging to us in the least flattering manner possible, so that's fun.
Even though it wasn't a cold day, once we stopped running, the chill of wet clothes got our teeth chattering, so we quickly snarfed down the bagels and peanut butter and bananas at the finish line and headed back to our cars. I stopped at the Starbucks that was between the finish line and the car to get one of those caramel flan latte things; I'm sure this was the hunger talking, but it was delicious, even if it tasted nothing like coffee.
A final first: I had brought an entire change of clothes, and once I was back in the car, I turned into a contortionist as I changed right there in the driver's seat, stripping all the way down to have a completely dry foundation. So if you were in the insurance office in whose parking lot I utilized, you're welcome for the free show.
Related: thank goodness for heated seats.

My stats for the race:
Official Time: 1:07:58 (my slowest 10K to date)
Overall Place: 146/174
Women's Rank: 83/106
Age Group: 11/15

If I had known how few there were in our age group, I would have pushed myself a lot harder. Note to self - go balls to the wall during rainy races in Arizona!

I'm not sure what my relationship will be with the Run for Ryan House in the future. While I do love the race, not having Christie there with me will make it less desirable, and since this is also generally the date of the Phoenix marathon, I may want to set my sights on another half next spring instead (as long as my masters classes are chugging along well). We'll have to see when the time comes. In the meantime, I'm hell bent on getting through next January shin splint-free.

Workout Wednesday - Back in Training

For a while, I've been toying with the idea of finding a full marathon to complete.  I never thought I'd actually WANT to do one.  But then again, I never thought I'd want to do a 10K, either, so there's that.
But with the 15-year marker of my dad's passing coming up in 2014, I kind of wanted to honor him in a way that I hadn't before, and I thought that running a marathon, by which I could also raise money for the Colon Cancer Alliance in my efforts to eradicate this cancer that took my dad from me, would be a perfect gesture.
There are just two things wrong with my plan.
The first one is that I don't really like the idea of marking how long it's been since he died.  I began running to honor the memory of his wonderful, albeit too short, life, so it would be almost hypocritical of me to make the jump to the full marathon in memory of when that beautiful life ceased.  And even my dad both joined this world and left it during the same month - October - I think that I'd be better off focusing my efforts elsewhere.  I'm thinking about something in 2017, which would mark his 70th birthday, instead.
The second issue is that I'm starting my masters, and I don't want to commit to any marathon until I'm done with that.  Being a full time parent, wife, teacher, and student will take up enough of my time, I'm sure.
But I haven't had anything on my calendar since Pat's Run in April except the CCA's Undy 5000, which is always on my schedule, and I wanted to push myself further again.  I've already decided to do the Lost Dutchman half marathon in February, even though my masters start date is (hopefully) January.  But that left my fall literally empty.
When I was looking for a 26.2 for next year, I was steered to the Peoria Halloween Marathon, which takes place the weekend right before Halloween.  It's really the only full marathon I was able to find in Arizona in the month of October, so it would have been perfect for my original plan.  But it also works extremely well THIS year for a half marathon, so I'm signing up for it, and training has begun.
I loved using the Marathoning for Mortals book (by John "The Penguin Bingham and Jenny Hadfield) for my first half marathon.   It made the distance completely obtainable, mentally, and I felt extremely well prepared to run the distance on the morning of the race.  But this time, I've opted to use Hal Higdon's Novice 2 plan.  This one was created for the runner who has run a race (or two, maybe) but isn't quite ready to make the jump to the super serious training expected in his Intermediate plan.  Basically, it's perfect for me.  I'd like to do better than my first time, but I also just want to finish and have fun while I train, too.
Of course, being able to follow a calendar is a skill that, apparently, is completely beyond my comprehension.  I thought, ALL of last week, that I was ready to start training this week with Week 1.
Then, all of a sudden, I looked at the calendar and realized I was thinking a week behind.  Technically, I should have started the week of the 4th.
Last week.  Not this week.
So, oops.
I jumped in to the plan on Saturday, running the 4 miles that were on the calendar, and it was fine.  Even though I took a week off running, those miles felt really great.  Since it's still ridiculously hot, I ran two miles with Zooey, and then dropped her off at home before doing two more.  I'll likely be doing something of that nature until it either cools down or forever, depending on her energy levels (I hate to admit that she's almost middle aged).  I was crazy tired that night, but I felt better Sunday, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this plan, which has me running three days in a row during the week, will be on my legs and body.
Even with these two races added in, I'm pretty sure I won't meet my mileage goal for this year, but I'm OK with that.  Considering that the first four months of this year, which are prime running weather months here in Arizona, I was sidelined by plenty of injury and illness, I'm going to plan on calling 2013 a win in the mileage column anyway.
I'm really looking forward to hitting longer runs soon, even if I have to leave Zooey at home for them (she didn't like being left home, by the way - she was barking at me as I left as if to say, "Hey! You forgot me!"), and now that I know what I'm capable of for the half marathon, I'm excited at the prospect of working on my pacing, etc., so help me become a better runner.  Hopefully I'll see everything come to fruition at the finish line.

Workout Wednesday - New Kicks!

Since Zooey ate that hydration bottle last Friday, I needed to get in to the running store ASAP to replace it.  Having one less ten-ounce bottle is a big deal when we're breaking heat records left and right around here (I'm literally praying for it to be 103 this weekend - that's insanity).

More importantly, it was also time to get new shoes as well.

Now, I haven't been a loyal shoe brand/style girl.  Until this go round.  After trying on the Nikes, the Brooks, and the Sauconys, I went with my old staple - the Saucony Guide 5 (a Runner's World editor's choice this past spring!)  I love my Brooks Cascadia for trail running and hiking, so I seriously considered them until I did a test run and had a little heel trouble.  I liked the Nikes, too, with their additional support for my pronating feet, and I am sure I would have enjoyed running in them.

But the Sauconys just felt right.

They fit my heel better than the Brooks did, they gave me plenty of toe room (no lost toenails, please!), and I know that I am not going to get injured by wearing them.  

This is kind of totally super exciting, because not only will I know what I want regardless of where I am when in need of a shoe, I can also look to ordering all the fun, fabulous colors that Saucony has to offer (hint - I totally want the yellow ones).
Mostly the shopping for pretty colors.
Of course, I feel like this is another step in becoming one of those "real" runners I admire so strongly.  It's kind of silly, and yes, I know that I'm a real runner because I run.  But the fact that I know my body - my feet - well enough to identify that the Sauconys were the right shoe for them makes me feel like I've hit another milestone, so when I say "I'm a runner," I have a kind of "proof" beyond my mileage and my compression sleeves.
They'll go great with my new hydration bottles.

Do you have an "it" running shoe?
When did you feel like a "real" runner?

Workout Wednesday - That Stinks!

When we lived in Michigan, my brother-in-law's hockey bag was The Grossest Thing Ever.

It was big.
It was bulky.
It was Stank Butt Nasty.

Every athlete knows that smell.  That post-workout, "The Grim Reaper would probably hand over his scythe if he got a whiff of me" smell that probably even offends the dog.  The dog who eats from the trash with no qualms.
Of course, like, oh, probably most women, I didn't think that it applied to me.  That smell was Eau de Men's Locker Room.  While I'm not a huge proponent of the "we don't sweat; we glow" argument, I was convinced that, by virtue of estrogen and ovaries, I was immune and happily griped about my brother-in-law, his buddies, and their collective stench after their games.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Have you ever run when it's 90°, at 4:30 in the morning - before the sun comes up - right after a ginormous monsoon cranked up the humidity to Ludicrous Speed?  Because if you have, you know where this discussion is going.
You probably actually would know that regardless.  I have a pretty awful poker face. P-p-p-poker face
(yeah, I went there).

Anyway, back to where I tell you about how totally and utterly repugnant I smell when Zooey and I get back from our runs.
Like to the point that HRH, in her preschool innocence and lack of filter phase of life, will merrily scream at the top of her lungs, "Mommy!  You stink!" and then not want to give me a hug for fear that she'll start attracting flies.

The good news is that I can shower and smell pretty rather fast.  I'm not a shower lingerer, so once the business of Getting Clean and Unstanky is over, I'm out and done, fresh as a daisy.
The bad news is that getting that same funk out of my running clothes isn't as easy.
There are a few reasons for that:

• My clothes don't take a shower every day (like I do), so usually it's a few to several days before they see the light of the laundry room.
• Zooey enjoys sleeping on them sometimes every single night (fun fact: most scent hounds have a bit of a "musk") because I keep the running clothes separate from my "civvies" - no cross contamination here.
• I refuse to use a special "athlete's" detergent filled with chemicals I'm trying to avoid in other areas of my life.

That's right; we're back to me being all crunchy and trying to go off the grid.

But I'm holding fast to this; between The Husband and myself, we create exactly one laundry load (of six) each week that is dedicated to athletic gear.  Investing in a special detergent, which is probably just a different label and a little extra "fragrance," isn't worth my money or my health, or, quite honestly, the health of our beautiful planet.
So my challenge was to find a way that used a more natural approach but at the same time did manage to leave me with a pile of clean and neutral-smelling (no nasty perfumes here!) workout clothes when all was said and done.

Well, it took me some time, but I think I've got it.  And the process was easy, inexpensive, and you probably have everything already.  Except the natural laundry detergent that is just a step away from me making it myself, which I want to try at some point in the near future.
If you don't have a more natural detergent or, for some weird reason, don't make your own, you can use your regular detergent.  But try to make sure that you use one that doesn't utilize fragrances to perfume and cover odors (I'm well aware that I sound like a freakin' Febreeze commercial - the irony, right?) instead of actually getting rid of them and the gunky stuff that is causing that Sasquatch stink.

And, for the sake of All Stuff that is Fun, can you please imagine me giving you these directions in some sort of Donna Reed or Harriet Nelson get-up, apron and all?

1. Turn your clothes inside out; button any buttons, snap any snaps, and tie any ties (this is actually a process that I learned from The Queen of Clean for all laundry).
2. If clothes are, on a scale from one to atrocious, scoring at least a vile, soak them in a solution of water and white vinegar (you want to be able to smell the vinegar, but you don't want your neighbors to be able to).
3. Once soaking is complete (by complete, I mean "when you remember that you were soaking clothes"), or if you opted not to soak them, place clothes in your washing machine.
4. Add detergent as usual.
5. In the place of liquid bleach, add (more) white vinegar.
6. Set the water temperature to warm (not hot!), and use a longer wash cycle (this will make sure that the water rinses cleaner - no detergent, no vinegar).
7. Air dry all the clothes (even socks and undies!), preferably outside, in the sun.

This strategy even worked on one of my Sparky the Sun Devil technical shirts, which would just not shake that smell for a good long time.
I'm hoping that whenever the Arizona temperatures decide to cool off in about three or four months from now, I can at least get back to the house before I nauseate myself.  But I'm definitely going to work on perfecting this.  Hey - it even worked on Zooey's collar, a haven to Hound Musk everywhere!
Go ahead - try this and let me know how it goes.  I can guarantee that you won't turn crunchy by trying.  Unless you decide you want to.

How do YOU get the stink out?

Workout Wednesday - July 11 - Quick and Dirty Version

This is going to be fast and furious tonight, since I'm working on a project I hope y'all will participate in.  It will be totally worth your time, so stay tuned.
So, over the weekend while we were in San Diego, I ran about five miles along the boardwalk down by the harbor.  At about 60° when I headed out and maybe 65° by the time I finished, it felt like a little bit of heaven after running in 80° or hotter weather here in the Valley (even before sunrise).

We never got to tour the Midway, but it was awe-inspiring to run past it.

I could get used to this view.
Yep, I'm used to it.

I still don't know what this is.
But I love it.

I also walked about a bazillion miles at the San Diego Zoo, so I got some serious calorie (and shoulder) burning in there, especially when HRH decided she had to do #2 when we were exactly As Far Away As Possible to the nearest bathroom, so The Husband and I hoofed the heck out of that one hill.
Off topic - the zoo was totally awesome; we saw a baby giraffe...

...a baby hippo snuggling with his mommy...

Baby is on the left; Momma was keeping him safe.

...and two baby jaguars that brought squeals of awe even from the men.

After this shot, all my pics are blurry, because someone's nap
was interrupted by a boisterous sibling.
Hilarity and squees ensued.

Running in San Diego made me realize that while I am a bit a lot a tad complain-y about our summer weather, I am fortunate to be able to run outdoors year-round.  Of course, one can do that in San Diego, too, but since we don't actually live there, that's a moot point.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting out for our pre-dawn runs again.
The Husband left for Chicago basically the second we got back from San Diego, so HRH and I have been flying solo this week.  She's been getting in some great workouts at soccer camp (hello, eating complete dinners and going to sleep in ten seconds - I love you), but Zooey and I have pretty much been slugabeds.
I even forgot to work on my Hundred Pushups Challenge, so today, a week after my last endeavor, I finally did Week 4, Day 3.  It was not pretty, especially since HRH was extremely curious about what I was doing and kept asking questions and accidentally dropped her blanket on me while she watched me from the comfort of my bed.
But it got done.

The next step is another "max out" session.  In my last max out, I got up to 16 (from the baseline of 5), so I'm looking forward to seeing how far I am coming.
The total I did today was 80.
Not bad for a girl who couldn't even get 6 done a month or so ago.

My mom is coming into town on Saturday, so I'll start running again on Monday in order to get back into the swing of things before TH gets home Tuesday.  I'm sure Zooey will be pleased, too, although since she was at the doggie hotel all weekend, she's been happy to be a lazy hound dog.
I like being lazy, too, but the pull of fitting into smaller jeans is a girl's best motivator.

What's your favorite weather/season to run in?
Which zoo (or aquarium) critter is your favorite?

Workout Wednesday - July 4

Happy Independence Day (and a belated happy Canada Day to my neighbors to the north)!!!!!

The Husband and I see holidays, weekends, and other various days off in a different light.  In his mind, it's an opportunity to sleep as late as possible.  In my mind, it's an opportunity to get in a bit extra "oomph" into my workouts or runs.

Case in point: today.

Until I start "officially" training for my next half marathon, I'm running on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, so today is a running day, regardless of the holiday situation.  Since it's been ohmigosh-so-stinking-hot round these parts (and basically every other part of the country), motivation to get up and head outside for a run has been.... ummm.... rough.  I am careful not to overheat Zooey (who gets almost two full bottles in my hydration belt all to herself) or myself, but I don't want to contain myself to short down and backs.  Almost as boring as running laps on a track - blech.

I like variety in my scenery, thank you very much.

Thankfully, we've had a bit of cloud cover, which has helped cool the temps down a bit. 

A bit.
Comparatively, I mean.  It's not like we're back to the 60s or anything.

But even a small difference in the heat can mean that I'm willing to stay out a bit longer before heading back in.
I'm a little concerned about how things will go when I do start that "official" training.  During August, even my long, slow weekend runs are going to be short enough that I'm comfortable bringing Zooey, but September can be just as miserable as August.  I always hope that the temps will cool off earlier than usual, but every year I'm disappointed that I'm cursing the heat well into October.  There is the chance that we will see evening (and subsequent early morning) cooldowns, which will make running at 4:30 tolerable again, but really, who knows?

Currently, The Husband and I are still in talks regarding possible treadmill purchase/gym membership.  However, Agnes, our Buick, decided to crack her head gasket, so we're currently in the market for a new(ish) car, which takes precedence over either a treadmill or gym membership. Soooooo... whichever one of those we end up choosing will have to wait.  In the meantime, I'll be sweating it up along the canal.

Oooh, a cooling trend!

On a more positive front, I'm making strides in the Hundred Pushups Challenge.  I did take a small step back and repeated Week 3 last week, which, the time around, was almost too much for me.  While I didn't love repeating the week, I think it was a good decision, as this week I've felt stronger as I began Week 4 with 63 on Monday.

I have done more pushups in the past 5 weeks than I think I have combined in my life; the only time I remember ever doing them prior to this challenge was during the Presidential Fitness Test in grade school, and I'll be honest - it's not like I went out there trying for those.

I had to save my energy for rope climbing.

If you read this blog with any regularity, you'll remember that I posted a week or so ago about how my focus is changing here.  A further epiphany I had this week was that I now follow more runner and running-types on Twitter than I do food bloggers.  While most of the people I have met via The Twitters are truly a friendly group of people, I'm continually impressed with the welcoming atmosphere that these running Twitter-ers (tweeters?) have for others who enjoy running.
I still consider myself a "baby" runner, having only run for about two years with not that many races under my belt, and I'm constantly awed by those who are training for their bazillionth marathon, ultra marathon, or Ironman but still are kind enough to say hello during Sunday #runchat.
Defense Exhibit A: Bart Yasso (read: BART FREAKING YASSO!!!!!!!)

Alex (@alexbridgeforth) is another - non-famous - runner I've met this way; it's always nice to meet fellow runners here in Arizona.  He's one of those people who is currently training for his bazillionth marathon, and he's one of those people you can just tell greets everything with enthusiasm and excitement.  His positive outlook is contagious!  Alex blogs over at Addicted to Running, where he regularly interviews fellow runners, including moi.  You can read (and see, via the magic of Skype) the interview here; thanks a lot, Alex - it was a lot of fun to chat with you!
(if you would like to take part in Alex's interview series, let him know - I'm sure he'd love to chat with you as well!)
Oh, and it was also pretty awesome that Bart Yasso tweeted me AGAIN (he is one of the people I told Alex I'd love to run with someday).

Yes.  When Bart comes to Phoenix, you can be sure as shooting that I'll skip work to run with him.
And blog the s*** out of that experience.
Stay tuned.

This weekend, we're headed to San Diego, and I'm so looking forward to running along the beach that I can hardly contain myself.
I actually may never come home.

How are you spending the holiday weekend?
Do you pack your running gear for vacations?
Has anyone famous ever posted to your Facebook or tweeted you?
What is your vehicle's name (yes, I'm assuming everyone names their cars)?

Workout Wednesday - Cocktail Week Edition (Or, A Shandy is Dandy, but Nothing Rhymes with Radler)

I fully admit that I never really cared for beer until I studied in Germany.  That summer of 1999 was when my world was rocked to its core.

To my credit, you can't really call the carbonated yellow water that is generally offered at college parties as real beer.  Sorry, Keystone Light, but you certainly didn't make a connoisseur out of me.

So imagine the overwhelming joy at my first sip of a Pils vom faß (the pilsner on tap) at a local Regensburg restaurant my first full day as a student abroad.
Oh, my stars.
It was like hundred of tiny fairies were dancing on my tongue.
Truth.

Full disclosure: Radeberger is from Saxony - not Bavaria.

Regensburg is in Bavaria, home to the 1516 Reinheitsgebot (purity law), which mandated that beer could only be made of barley, hops, and water (the law was lifted in 1988).  Thanks to many a Samuel Adams commercial, you probably already know that Bavaria grows the world's best hops.  You can infer from that, then, that Bavarian beer is some of the best in the world, specializing in Helles (light), Weißbier (like hefeweizen), and Pilsner, as well as the smoky Rauchbier.  You can also get a slew of other styles of beer, so if you have a hankering for a Dunkel, don't fret - you'll find it.

Another Bavarian contribution to the annals of beer history is the Radler.  Shortly after the end of World War I, cycling became extremely popular across Germany.  One innkeeper, Herr Frank Xaver Kugler, came up with the idea to have a bike path leading from Munich through the forest to his inn - the Kugler-Alm.  Thus, cyclists would stop off at his inn for something refreshing to drink on those hot, humid summer days.

Herr Kugler was not prepared for the thousands of cyclists who took the opportunity for a little weekend cycling.  Frantic, he mixed some of his remaining beer with a lemon soda and served it up, calling it a Radlermass (Radler - cyclist, Mass - liter of beer, the amount that was served) and claiming he had done so to ensure that his dear customers would remain safe and on their bikes on their way home (translation: don't drink and bike).

The cyclists loved it, and it became an instant hit.

Originally made with a Dunkel, as Bavarian taste evolved to the lighter beers, the Radler evolved as well.

You can get a Radler anywhere in Germany now; many breweries even bottle it and sell it on shelves.  But unless you're at a German restaurant here in the states, you'd be hard pressed to find one.  Most English pubs will offer the British version, the shandy (half beer - usually an ale - and half ginger beer or ginger ale).  I like the shandy and will often order one when I'm out at a pub, but I prefer just to make my own Radler at home.
There is, of course, the story of The Incident at the "German" Restaurant in Which No One Knew What a Radler Was Nor Would Anyone Make Me One Once Defined.  It was ugly, folks.  Then the poor waiter tried to convince me that the specialty of the house was a traditional German dish; for the record, anything with cranberries is NOT German; cranberries are indigenous to America.
Also, German chocolate cake is not German.
But I digress.

The Radler is the perfect drink when you want something a bit sweet but not "girly" sweet, something bubbly but are out of Prosecco after your indulgence in Peach Pie Prosecco Palmers, or something light but not a light beer.
And it's easy, too.

Radlermass

• German "blond" (preferably Bavarian, if you can find a good one) beer - pilsner, helles, etc. (I like Pilsners, but others will tell you that a light lager is the way to go - use what you like - I've even used Hoegaarden)
• Lemon soda - this is hard to find in the States, so I recommend 7Up or even Fresca (in my opinion, Sprite and Sierra Mist are too sweet); don't use Mountain Dew or other fake-y "citrus" sodas.  That will just make it gross.

Combine equal parts in a tall pilsner glass (or, really, any glass that you want).  Enjoy, preferably with some bratwurst and sauerkraut slathered with thick, spicy German (or homemade) mustard.

Seriously, it's that easy.

Since American sodas tend to be a bit sweeter than the lemon soda you will find in Germany, I generally use a little less of the soda than the beer.  We also are in the "pour the soda in first" camp, but it really doesn't seem to matter.  The Husband would also like me to let you know that if you add the soda to the beer, that foamy head will be created, which, in his estimation, is a complete waste of time and beer.
The important thing is that you find the combination that tastes best and is most refreshing for you.  Especially after that long, grueling bike ride.
Or that feat of mowing the yard in the sun.
Or just because.

Prost!

Hopefully, you're enjoying this virtual pub crawl we're calling Cocktail Week.  So far this week we've sampled:

• the Raging Aztec (and a KITCHENAID BLENDER GIVEAWAY) at Wanna Be a Country Cleaver
• a Raspberry-Thyme Tom Collins at Bakeaholic Mama
• some Peach Pie Prosecco Palmers from yours truly
• just a few Traverse City Cherry Mojitos over at Comfortably Domestic
• an Amaretto Sour poured by Tenaciously Yours,
• a Paloma from Climbing Grier Mountain
• Watermelon Mojo from The Hill Country Cook

...and we've only just begun!  Still on tap this week are at least six more lovely drinks to wet your whistle and keep you cool, so make sure that you come back for another round tomorrow!

Workout Wednesday - June 20

So.
My arms are killing me today.
At the end of the second week in the Hundred Pushups Challenge, participants are directed to do a second baseline "max out" set.
If you recall, when I started this project, I maxed out at 5 pushups.
Gulp.
Sunday, then, after a nice rest day, I maxed out at 16.
OK, so we've still got quite a ways to go until we get to 100, but by my math, 16 is more than five.
And more is more.  So there's that.
Thanks to my awesomeness of 16 in a row, the training plan made a big jump in Week 3.  As in from 33 total to 45.
That meant sets of 10-12-7-7-9.

This was the first attempt in which I only managed to do the minimum number of pushups in the last set.  I've been priding myself on being able to go at least 2 or 3 further, but it wasn't in the cards yesterday.  And it certainly wasn't in my muscles, either.
Today, I am quite sore, so I'll make sure that I am well rested for tomorrow, when I'm supposed to do 50.
Double Gulp.
One of the nice things about this app is that it offers me the ability to redo days or weeks.  If tomorrow is rough, I will probably repeat Week 3 next week in order to make sure that I can do proper, good-form pushups and not phone it in with sissy-pants, fake-y ones masquerading as the real thing.

But pushups aside, I'm starting to worry about my summer running schedule.  While I'm not officially officially training for the half marathon yet, I'm in pre-training training mode, and I want to go into that official training confident in my running strength.
But then there's this:

Ignore the 75° (especially because my other weather app is telling me that it's actually 80°).  Pay more attention to the three 111°s in a row there.  As well as the "lows" for the week.
Even at 4:30 AM, it's hot.  And the pavement?  Even hotter.  Yuck.
I know I can leave Zooey at home, but I shudder to think of what symphony would erupt at home if I left her at home to go for a solitary run after "our" alarm goes off.  I may have mentioned how loud a coonhound can be.  When she's distraught, she's louder.  When The Husband is woken from a dead sleep, she's probably louder still.
Plus, I am never opposed to creepers thinking my girl is a fierce, barking, frothing Doberman whose ears haven't been cropped instead of just an excitable coon dawg who wants to let you know how happy she is to be running.
So this weekend, once The Husband is done with his conference that's keeping him busy all this week, we need to have a family meeting about the possibility of a gym membership or the obtaining of a treadmill.  I hate don't love the treadmill, but it certainly can serve a purpose when times are tough hot.
That being said, if I deem that it will be cool enough Saturday morning, Zooey and I will be seeing this once again:

Yes, I'm hooked.

How do you deal with extreme weather conditions when you are trying to train/keep up your exercise routine?

Workout Wednesday - June 13

The Husband returns from the first of his (almost) back to back trips tomorrow.  Before he leaves again Saturday evening, I'll get at least one run in.  However, since we 1) don't have a treadmill 2) aren't members of any gym 3) live in Arizona where it's really hot 4) have a 3-year-old who can't just hold down the fort while Momma goes for a run, it's difficult to get a run in while he's gone.  Yes, I KNOW that I could probably suck it up and go out for a run in the later morning after HRH is off to daycare but before it hits triple digits, but since I run with Zooey - and LOVE running with Zooey as much as she loves running with me - I can't justify taking my black and tan girl out when I know the sun in going to be bearing down on her.  Plus, while it might be in the 90s when I go, the pavement will likely have already reached the 110s or more, and I don't even want to think of how hot the blacktop will have already gotten.
Yes, it is true that we can fry eggs on the sidewalks here in the summer.
We are also not opposed to driving with oven mitts on.
So what to do in order to keep the activity going while The Husband is out of town.
Thank heaven for the App Store.
I'll admit it - while I really really really wanted an iPhone, I wanted but at the same time didn't want an iPad (I'm not totally sure why).  But now that I have one, I wouldn't give it up.  Not only is HRH learning German (the other day she pointed to her eyes and said, "There are Augen!") and how to add with the apps I've gotten for her, but I have found some fantastic apps for myself to help make my cross training easier.
Of course we've already talked about the Hundred Pushups Challenge.  At first, I was just going to keep a spreadsheet to log my weeks of pushups; a simple sum formula was all I needed.  But it has been absolutely worth it, thus far, to download the Hundred Pushups app to keep track of everything (Matt over at For the Sole, who initiated the challenge on Twitter, is also using the app, and you can check out his post about it here).

This is a snap from last week;
I'm up to 27 thus far.

I'm not going to lie - even though I am only about a quarter of the way to 100, I'm already feeling the difference in my arms.  The first few days were killers; I was so so so so so so SO sore.  Ouch.  But I sucked it up and got over it.
But two dozen pushups three times a week isn't cutting it.  And while I'm not training now, I've already picked out my next half marathon and plugged my training schedule into my calendar; I'll be starting in August.
I've got to get my cross training in.

OK, I admit it - when I trained for London's Run, I used my pilates and yoga DVDs for my cross training.  And I love them.  I loooooooove pilates.  But it didn't really give me the results I was looking for, partly because as I got busy, it was too easy for me to cheat. "Oh, I have a ton of grading to do; I can't possibly fit in that 30-minute video today."
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I KNOW - I need to make time.  Stop it.  We've all made that excuse.  Don't pretend you haven't.

This is where my other favorite apps have come in.
Daily Workout was the most expensive app, at a whopping $3.99, that I have purchased.  But within the full workout, I get abs, arms, butt, cardio, and leg workouts that start at 5 minutes apiece (they go up to 10 minutes, and there are different levels of workout intensity), so I can space them apart but can NOT make an excuse that I can't fit the workouts in here and there.
The format is simple, so it's extremely user friendly.

This is the ab workout.
There are three intensity levels;
you can select 5-, 7.5-, or 10-minute workouts.

You can see the list of each exercise in the workout.
If you choose the 5-minute option,
you would do each of these for 30 seconds.

Once begun, the instructions are on the screen, and the audio posts which exercise comes along.  I do recommend going through the workouts before completing them to make sure that you know how to do each exercise; even though there is a video of the instructor modeling it, it's always best to make sure you're not confused.
Except I still confuse left and right, but whatever.
The minimum time requirement that I have for this during a cross training day is 20 minutes - 5 minutes each for abs, arms, butt, and legs (although I don't do them in that order; I like to change things up a bit and make that a game time decision).
The cardio is reserved for my regular "running" days, although since it's not actually running (there is running in place), I guess that this, too, counts as cross training.  Nuances.
Also at 5-, 7.5-, and 10-minute increments with different degrees of intensity, I can repeat these sessions a few times throughout the day while HRH is otherwise occupied and still attend to her 3-year-old needs.
The only one who isn't thrilled about this arrangement is Zooey, who has had to slum it with boring walks, but since she has been playing hardcore in the new kiddie pool with HRH (and drinking about a bazillion gallons of water in the process), she's been sacked out by 8:30 every night anyway, so I think she'll survive these few weeks before we can head back out for our usual 4:30 AM dates.

Mooooo-OM!  I'm trying to sleep!

I also downloaded the free version of the Daily Workouts Daily Yoga app; this is great for travel (all of these apps, in fact, are compatible with both the iPhone and iPad at the App Store - I can't speak for non-Apple-based phones).  I do prefer my yoga DVDs for a good evening relaxation workout, but when I am in need of some relaxation or gentle stretching without a great deal of time, it's perfect.
Since I decided to use my vacation time to get back in the habit of cross training, I've already seen a difference in my strength; today I had to change the water jugs out (instead of usually waiting for The Husband to do it), and I was almost surprised at how NOT heavy those 5 gallons were.
My overall objective is to start my half marathon training stronger than when I began training for my first half marathon.  Not just able to lift more weights or do more pushups, but a stronger runner.  I know that the cross training will help with both.
Plus, my butt is gonna look GREAT in jeans.


Disclosure: all opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the makers of any of the apps that I mentioned in this post.  I purchased all these apps without being instructed or requested, and I have in no way been compensated for my opinions.  However, if the makers of these apps would like to shower me with gifts, I have no issue with that.