Comments (9)

By kilax, December 1, 2016 6:44 am

• Ha, when Steven and I were at Target on Sunday, I stopped in the cat food aisle to get the ONE flavor of wet cat food Data likes (Mariner’s Catch) and that Target only had three cans of it left. I had bought the last five cans at a different Target earlier that week. So I say to Steven “This must be really popular – it’s sold out at both locations!” And this lady walking by in the main aisle (not the cat food aisle) turns around and says “What’s so popular, I have to know?!” (not in a nosy way, but in a “is it so popular I need one too?” way). And I am like “this flavor of cat food…?” “Oh.” Ha ha ha. Ha.

• We saw Arrival last night. Has anyone else seen it? It’s definitely a movie you want to discuss after seeing it. And a movie where I did not see the twist coming (but that’s why it’s called a plot twist, ha).

• Gosh, our leisure schedule is so much different at the new house (as expected). We used to see movies much more frequently. The last time we saw a movie was five months ago!
• Rihanna’s song “Love on the Brain” is my new “listen to it on repeat five-six times while running” song.  Anyone else digging it?

• All of the new sets of balls we got to decorate the tree came with some glitter balls (first picture below). And we have a STRICT “no glitter in the house” rule (Steven HATES glitter). So… we have lots of glitter balls that won’t get used (second picture below). Maybe I should put them on the mailbox garland?

• Something strange happened at Starbucks the other day when I had them reload my card (in the store). They accidentally charged 20 cents instead of 20 dollars and there was no way to undo the transaction and fix it… but somehow, Starbucks still put 20 dollars on my card. They said it was like a Christmas present from Starbucks! I was using it to get someone holiday gifts, but had to add on the guy behind me in line’s drink too!
• I think I can get to 2000 miles run this year if I don’t slack off this month! I am at 1845 miles right now, and I typically run 40 miles a week. So if I stick with that, I should be good! It’s going to be hard with all the travel and guests BUT the people I am spending time with run too/or understand that I run! I can make it happen!

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 117

Comments (12)

By kilax, November 29, 2016 6:40 am

(Or any travel)

… is the opportunity to run someplace new!

I’m in Cincinnati for work and had time for a short run this morning. And bonus – I’ve never run in Ohio before so I get to add that to my “states run in” list (I also ran through Kentucky today, but I’d run there before, also on work travel).

I wasn’t sure how safe it would be to run alone, but I talked to the front desk about it, and they said it was safe, and then I saw A LOT of runners out – yay! I wish I would have had time to run farther!

Now, let’s hope my work day goes as fast (and is as enjoyable?) as this run did (was)!

Comments (6)

By kilax, November 27, 2016 8:36 pm

Highlight of the Week: Running a 5K with Steven and friends / people telling me how much they love fitness boxing class.

Monday | November 21, 2016: teaching strength class
Strength: Plyo box and one dumbbell, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, relieved my headache went away
Tuesday | November 22, 2016: 7 m run
Loc: VP Woods loop, Temp: 25°/26°, Time: 1:13:24, Pace: 10:29 avg, Difficulty: easy enough, Felt: good, but a bit tired and HUNGRY!
Wednesday | November 23, 2016: 5 m run (incl. 5 hill repeats) + 15 m ride
Loc: hood, Temp: 43°/43°, Time: 52:06, Pace: 10:25 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, annoyed with all the rocks in my shoes
Indoor Ride Time: 56:01, Pace: 16.1 mph avg, Difficulty: easy until the end, Felt: good, just a sore butt!
Thursday | November 24, 2016: Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot 5K (W/Steven, Eric & Abbie)
Loc: Gurnee, Temp: 36°/39°, Time: 36:13, Pace: 11:28 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Friday | November 25, 2016: teaching strength class + 1,008 yd swim
Strength: plyo box & one dumbbell, Difficulty: medium, Felt: so so, a bit barfy
Loc: FitNation, Time: 23:40, Pace: 2:21 min/100 yd, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Saturday | November 26, 2016: 11.9 m run
Loc: DPRT, Temp: 38°/42°, Time: 2:10:04, Pace: 10:56 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good, just slow for me
Sunday | November 27, 2016: teaching fitness boxing
Strength: cardio, boxing mitts and pads, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good

Notes:

• I’ve had a headache on Monday the last two weeks, and consequently, haven’t run that day. Blah. I think last week’s was from being on the go all weekend with the baby shower, and this week’s was because our upstairs furnace kicked on in the morning and had a burning smell to it (which bothered my head). I hope next week starts out better!
• Blah, I would think I’d learned this by now, but no – I HAVE to wear gaiters around here when it’s raining or after it’s rained. I do so much running on the shoulder that LOTS of rocks get in my shoes and socks if I don’t have gaiters on. Which is what happened on my Wednesday speed/hill session.
• Eek, I did NOT manage my time well this week. I really need to get workouts in in the morning if I want to get them in – our days are too busy with chores and errands, and now, preppy for guests for the holidays. I hope I do better this week!
• Gosh, I felt so good after teaching fitness boxing on Sunday. Quite a few people came up to me after to say how much they like the class – how nice of them! You can’t really go wrong with getting to punch (and sometimes kick!) other people, but I like to think the touches I add to class make it fun, too. Ha ha.

Link to Training Week 370

Comments (8)

By kilax, November 25, 2016 4:28 pm

Who else did a race on Thanksgiving?

Our friends that we (almost always!) spend Thanksgiving with – Eric and Abbie – emailed us in mid October asking if we wanted to do a 5K on Thanksgiving morning. I was surprised when Steven said yes!

We picked the Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot (a 5K) in Gurnee, IL. From their website:

Jon Callaghan was a student at O’Plaine School in Gurnee, who passed away in 1997 after a courageous battle with Neuroblastoma cancer. Per the Callaghan family, the funds raised have been used to help University of Chicago Neuroblastoma Cancer Research, School District 56 Program for Learning Disabled, and many others.

The race was casual and perfect for our crew (who just wanted to exercise on Thanksgiving morning) – it was non-timed and there were no bibs. There were mile markers each half mile and a few timers on course, and we received a comfortable cotton long-sleeved t-shirt (which I have already worn for a nap, and to keep me warm on the car ride home from the pool).

Steven invited some of his Fake Meats employees to join us, and one of them (and her boyfriend) was able to!

Eric, Abbie, Mark (Hanna’s boyfriend), Hannah (Fake Meats employee), Steven & Me

The course started on a quiet old downtown street, then went in to a crushed stone park, back to the street, through a neighborhood, and back to the street to finish. It seemed a bit crowded a times, but none of us cared!

It was in the high 30s with a slight wind – perfect running conditions. I ran in shorts, a t-shirt and arm warmers. Everyone else in my group was much more bundled up, but I run hot!

Steven, Eric, Abbie and I all started and finished (and mostly ran it) together! Hannah and her boyfriend finished behind us. We ran it in 36:13, averaging about 11:30 minute miles.

I am really proud of Steven – he thought he’d have to take more walk breaks, but he only took one, for two minutes at mile 2.5! He was enjoying talking to Eric and didn’t need the walk breaks.

I’d love for this to become a regular tradition for our Thanksgiving crew! Especially the after part – I went home and took a nap before we drove to our friends’ home for Thanksgiving dinner, hee hee.

Comments (1)

By kilax, November 20, 2016 10:07 pm

Highlight of the Week: Seeing Rachel after SIX (gasp!) months apart!

Monday | November 14, 2016: teaching strength class
Strength: medicine balls, cardio & core, Difficulty: easy, Felt: surprisingly good (was so tired during the day!)
Tuesday | November 15, 2016: 12 m run + 798 yd swim
Loc: DPRT/Kilbourne loop, Temp: 50°/49°, Time: 2:06:10, Pace: 10:31 avg, Difficulty: mostly easy, Felt: good
Loc: FitNation, Time: 19:53, Pace: 2:29 min/100 yd avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: pissy about my goggles
Wednesday | November 16, 2016: rest
Thursday | November 17, 2016: 4 m run + 10 m ride
Loc: hood, Temp: 61°/65°, Time: 41:00, Pace: 10:14 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: oddly tired, dead legs
Indoor Ride Time: 37:50, Pace: 15.9 mph, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good, but so hungry!
Friday | November 18, 2016: teaching strength class + 2 m run (w/Anne) + 1,302 yd swim + 8 m run
Strength: plyo box and dumbbells, Difficulty: medium, Felt: hot
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 61°/60°, Time: 24:49, Pace: 12:23, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: FitNation, Time: 30:42, Pace: 2:17 min/100 yd, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, tired shoulders from class
Loc: hood, Temp: 61°/62°, Time: 1:21:10, Pace: 10:10 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great, after I warmed up!
Saturday | November 19, 2016: teaching strength class + 4 m run (incl. 5×400)
Strength: kettlebells and boxing, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: hood, Temp: 37°/36°, Time: 39:39, Pace: 9:55 avg, Difficulty: easy-ish, Felt: pushed around by the wind
Sunday | November 20, 2016: 10 m run (w/Rachel)
Loc: White River State Trail (WI), Temp: 23°/27°, Time: 1:38:28, Pace: 9:51 avg, Difficulty: easy (stomach off from cold), Felt: great after bathroom break

Notes:

• One of the nice things about buying a pool pass is that I don’t feel as bad if I go and don’t work out for that long – like this Tuesday, when I got so pissy about my foggy goggles that I just said “forget it” and left (I ordered new goggles for Friday’s swim – swimming is my zen time – I save pissy for running). Before I’d feel obliged to stay longer since I was paying per visit. Now I can go as much as I want during “open swim” times each month.
• BLAH I need to quit putting off speedwork until the end of the week – it just makes me dread it, especially because I “have” to do it at that point to fit it in before the week is over. I don’t get to be choosy about the weather when I do that either. When I did my speedwork this week, there were 21 mph constant winds with 34 mph gusts! Eek!
• My last two weekend long runs have been with people (my dad last week and Rachel this week) and WOW they really fly by and feel easier with another person! What wonderful treats those runs were!
• Related to fitness – I thought this article (pdf here) detailing how a chess grandmaster uses physical fitness to keep his mental endurance up was interesting!

Link to Training Week 369

Comments (10)

By kilax, November 14, 2016 6:48 am

Highlight of the Week: Running with Dad (in Iowa) and going to Lake Andrea (in Wisconsin) with Steven (I ran while he walked).

Monday | November 7, 2016: 6 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: hood, Temp: 61°/63°, Time: 58:13, Pace: 9:42 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Strength: medicine balls, core and cardio, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Tuesday | November 8, 2016: 10 m ride + 4.5 m run + 1 m walk (w/Steven)
Indoor Ride Time: 37:57, Pace: 15.8 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good (sore butt!)
Loc: Lake Andrea, Temp: 55°/55°, Time: 40:51, Pace: 9:04 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Wednesday | November 9, 2016: 1,407 yd swim + 5.5 m run + 5 m run (incl. 5 hill repeats)
Loc: FitNation, Time: 34:43, Pace:2:22 min/100 yd avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: decent, but slower
Loc: Gurnee, Temp: 39°/38°, Time: 55:32, Pace: 10:05 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, dressed just right!
Loc: hood, Temp: 51°/54°, Time:49:53, Pace: 9:58 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Thursday | November 10, 2016: rest
Friday | November 11, 2016: teaching strength class + 2.5 m run (w/Anne) + 4.5 m run
Strength: medicine balls, core and cardio, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 46°, Time: 31:52, Pace: 12:45, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: hood, Temp: 50°/50°, Time: 44:33, Pace: 9:54 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Saturday | November 12, 2016: 10.2 m run (w/Dad on bike)
Loc: Cedar Falls loop, Temp: 25°/38°, Time: 1:48:09, Pace: 10:36 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Sunday | November 13, 2016: 2.8 m run (incl. 6×1:00)
Loc: xx, Temp: 36°/36°, Time: 28:30, Pace: 10:11 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good

Notes:

• I meant to post this in my last training post and forgot! I liked this opinion piece on shape.com “I’ll Never Run a Marathon—And That Doesn’t Make Me Less of a Runner” (pdf here). Basically, the author gets crap from some rando about “only” training for a half marathon. Sigh. I don’t get the distance shame. This is an old story, but when I was still in a running club, some members were giving me crap about training for a 5K. “That’s it?” “Yeah, that’s it. I am running 30+ miles a week training for a 5K PR. What’s it to you?” I see it all the time – people pressuring others to do what they are doing (marathons, whatever else), but that will never be me. You do you. And let me do me.
• I’ve decided I need hill repeats back in my life! It’s not as hilly where we live now (as it was by our townhome and even rental home), but I can make some of these inclines work for repeats… if I run them during non-rush hour.
• Everyone my dad and I encountered on the trails on Saturday was super friendly! Besides saying hello, they’d also say “good work!” or “looking good!” The runners in Iowa are either really nice… or we really looked liked we needed encouragement. Ha ha!
• Saturday was the first really cold morning this fall, where my family lives in Iowa, and I didn’t even check the forecast before I packed! I usually do, but didn’t this time. I definitely layered up for my run (and felt fine… my poor dad though! He was too cold on his bike).

Link to Training Week 368

Comments (19)

By kilax, November 10, 2016 6:40 am

• Today is my ten year anniversary of the date I started running. Woot woot!
• Our friend (and old neighbor) Jen alerted me to a deal for some outdoor heated cat houses and VERY generously bought one for us! We bought another so each cat could have their own. Of course, they sleep on top of each other, in one of them! The house has a heated pad underneath the white top you can see in the photo, and plastic flaps at both entrances (there is one on each side so they can escape out the back if a predator shows up) to keep the heat in.

• We typically do one side of the family’s holiday celebration in December and the other side in January, but this year we are doing both in December, and one of the celebrations will be here! This means we get to Christmas the hell out of the house! Woo hoo!

Steven brought home ALL the holiday decorations yesterday.

• Denali (the dog) showed up yesterday. We haven’t seen Denali since mid May! Hope he/she leaves the cats alone… they didn’t welcome the visit.

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 115

Comments (5)

By kilax, November 6, 2016 4:31 pm

Highlight of the Week: Feeling strong on my Saturday swim!

Monday | October 31, 2016: teaching strength class
Strength: kettlebells & circuit, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Tuesday | November 1, 2016: 8 m run
Loc: Lakefront Trail, Temp: 68°/69°, Time: 1:17:13, Pace: 9:39 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Wednesday | November 2, 2016: 5 m run
Loc: hood, Temp: 57°/56°, Time: 49:53, Pace: 9:58 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: angry, but good
Thursday | November 3, 2016: 1,218 yd swim + 5 m run
Loc: FitNation, Time: 30:30, Pace: 2:16 min/100 yd avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: tired shoulders, but good breathing
Loc: Gurnee, Temp: 63°/61°, Time: 49:34, Pace: 9:55, Difficulty: medium, Felt: legs tired AF, TOO WARM
Friday | November 4, 2016: teaching strength class + 2 m run + 10 m bike
Strength: medicine balls, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: hood, Temp: 55°/55°, Time: 20:18, Pace: 10:08, Difficulty: medium, Felt: more tired than I should
Indoor Bike Time: 38:46, Pace: 15.5 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Saturday | November 5, 2016: teaching fitness boxing + 7 m run (incl. 1/2/3/4/5/6 intervals) + 1,218 yd swim
Strength: whole body dumbbell moves & boxing, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 58°/62°, Time: 1:08:38, Pace: 9:48 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great! much better than last two days!
Loc: FitNation, Time: 29:33, Pace: 2:10 min/100 yd avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Sunday | November 6, 2016: rest (just kidding – yard work!)

Notes:

• My legs felt dead A LOT of the week so I cut Thursday and Friday’s run short. I was surprised I felt so good for my speedwork on Saturday, after the two previous days! I woke up too late Sunday to do a long run before doing yard chores so I skipped the run – my legs obviously need the rest.
• We had a lot of fun at Fitness Boxing Saturday and I added a few classes to the calendar for December. I don’t feel like next month is December. And it doesn’t feel like November, now! I hope we get some colder weather soon.
• October recap! I ran 176 miles, cycled 42 miles (5 indoor rides) and swam laps 6 times (7,938 total yards). My coldest outdoor run was 40°F and my warmest was 81°F. I taught 9 strength classes, and did zero (again!) strength sessions at home. I taught 2 fitness boxing classes.

Link to Training Week 367

Comments (10)

By kilax, November 1, 2016 1:20 pm

I love starting the first day of the month off with some running miles. Today I treated myself by taking an hour leave so I could do a longer run during my lunch break.

And… hopefully that will be the hottest run of the month! Eek!

I NEVER see anyone I know in the locker room at work, and today I saw our director when I was getting ready to run, and our receptionist when I returned. And I saw someone from my team when I was returning to the building. Also, eek!

Although, I am not modest and don’t actually care. How could I, when I post pictures like this?

Yeah, my run today resurrected my tan lines! Eek!!!!

Comments (6)

By kilax, October 30, 2016 5:39 pm

Highlight of the Week: Getting a massage!

Monday | October 24, 2016: 8 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: VP Woods loop, Temp: 52°/51°, Time: 1:19:50, Pace: 9:59 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: fine, just pissy
Strength: kettlbells & core, Difficulty: easy, Felt: too sore to do much with my legs!
Tuesday | October 25, 2016: rest
Wednesday | October 26, 2016: 8 m run
Loc: Reverse VP Woods loop, Temp: 48°/48°, Time: 1:16:49, Pace: 9:36 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Thursday | October 27, 2016: 10 m ride + 4 m run
Indoor Ride Time: 38:54, Pace: 15.4 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, sore butt
Loc: hood, Temp: 48°/48°, Time: 38:52, Pace: 9:43 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Friday | October 28, 2016: teaching strength class + 1,008 yd swim + 7 m run (incl. 8×400) + massage!!!!!!!
Strength: kettlebells and stations, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: FitNation, Time: 24:16, Pace: 2:16 min/100 yd, Difficulty: medium, Felt: out of practice
Loc: VP Woods loop, Temp: 52°/55°, Time: 1:06:33, Pace: 9:30 avg, Difficulty: hard, Felt: fine, just bad setup for speedwork
Saturday | October 29, 2016: 14 m run
Loc: To Pine Dunes & West loop, Temp: 65°/67°, Time: 2:32:04, Pace: 10:52 avg, Difficulty: hard, Felt: lead legs, warm
Sunday | October 30, 2016: 3 m run + 3.28 m walk (w/Steven)
Loc: Lake Lawn (Delavan, WI), Temp: 48°/49°, Time: 29:26, Pace: 9:48 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good

Notes:

• I’ve been so angry about work lately that even my runs aren’t helping. I ran after work on Monday and just felt mad the whole time – mad about running in the shoulder and all the cars. Chill out, Kim.
• I’m not riding my bike as much as I used to (I am swimming more) and my butt can feel it – ouch! The good thing about my ride this week though, was that we put the TV back up in the basement! Woo hoo! We took in down in August to do ceiling work and couldn’t put it back up until we patched a hole, which Steven did last weekend. Yay for bigger screen entertainment!
• Merry (early) Christmas to me! I decided to buy a yearly pool pass for the gym I’ve been going to. Now I just need to 37 more times by October 28 next year to make it worth it.
• Ha, my speedwork was pretty goofy on Friday. Trails, running in to the wind, and up hills made it a bit sucky. I’ll remember not to do that again.
• The bugs came back with the warmer temps on Friday and Saturday. Blah!
• I got a massage on Friday. I thought my legs would be really tight, but my back and shoulders were the worst! Hopefully I am not messing it up more with swimming!

Link to Training Week 366