Category: Travel

Wineglass Marathon Training: Week Seventeen

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This week I fully took advantage of taper. We were on vacation still Monday and Tuesday, so with limited time and daylight, workouts didn’t happen. Wednesday’s workout didn’t happen either, so by Thursday I was craving a hard run.

Thursday I got the chance to run with Second Sole, and it felt great to push myself just a little past the comfort zone. We ran Roscoe which always becomes harder than you expect with the rolling hills. I felt great, pain free, and my legs finally started to not feel so tired.

Friday was a rest day, but Saturday was my last “long” run before the marathon. I met up with Mallory and we ran 8 miles on Lester. Weather was perfect and the trail felt pretty good on my legs for most of the run. I wasn’t feeling too motivated, but we pushed each other, and kept up a pretty decent pace.

Monday: Off

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 4.4 Miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: 8 Miles

Sunday: Off

Total Miles: 12.4 Miles

I dropped the ball this week with my workouts, and I know I should have spent more time on my feet. It was a hectic week, and life happens. Hopefully the extra rest will help my legs feel fresh on race day.

So with this, the second week of taper is over, and just one week stands between myself and the marathon! I’m excited and nervous, and still can’t believe it’s almost here. It’s be a long training cycle, but I can’t wait to see what my legs do on race day.

SF Aloha Run 5k Recap

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While we were on vacation, I had hopes of running some sort of race. Luckily I found a 5k in San Francisco and I jumped at the chance to run somewhere new. I didn’t have a goal for this race, I really just wanted to get some miles in and enjoy the new scenery.

Saturday morning, I woke up extra early due to the time chance. We got ready, packed up the car, and headed to the other side of the city. We got there about 45 minutes early, picked up my packet, and relaxed until the race started.

Saturday morning, just hanging out at the bridge.

Saturday morning, just hanging out at the bridge.

Pre race was well run, and I really appreciated that they had pace groups, those 10:00 and under, 11:00-13:00, followed by those with dogs and strollers. I lined up where I estimated the 8:30 pace would be. I didn’t want to go out too quick, so I figured I’d play it by ear.

Ready to race!

Ready to race!

We were off and I was excited to run. The map showed a loop around Chrissy Park and a second half lap to the finish. We started on a sand/gravel path and it felt wonderful on the legs. I settled into a nice pace of 8:30, making sure I didn’t go out too quick. The loop took us towards the Golden Gate Bridge and I couldn’t help but get distracted by the views.

We continued along and made our first turn down the side of the park. About a half mile in, my stomach started to grumble and I realized I was suddenly starving. I also noticed that even though the weather was cool, the fog brought a moist feeling with the air.

Miles 1-8:32

We came up to the first mile and I was feeling pretty confident in my pace. A short while later I passed Darren, who I’m sure was thrilled he got dragged to another race of mine.

Working hard after mile 1

Working hard after mile 1

We continued along with what felt like the longest stretch of pavement. I started to wear down, and my pace slowed a bit, but stayed around 8:45-8:50. The hunger feeling and humidity/moist air was really playing minds games on me, and I struggled to stay focused.

Mile 2-8:47

We made the turn heading to mile 2 and I knew I could handle another 9 minutes of running. This part of the course we ran along the beach, so we dodged sections of sand and gravel. We also passed the water stop, but no one stopped, which actually surprised me.

We approached the turn off for the final half mile, and everyone noticed a giant banner that had “finish” written across it. We were only at 2.7 so I was slightly concerned until we got closer and realized it was for another event. This threw a bunch of people off, most of them had given their final kick and had nothing left for the real finish.

Mile 3-8:50

We made another hairpin turn and I started picking people off, mostly those who had just pushed it at the fake finish. My pace started to pick up and I finally felt like I was running like I should. I made the final turn into the finish and gave a decent kick to cross the line of my first California 5k.

Last .14-8:49 pace

Final kick

Final kick

Overall I thought this was a fun race. I didn’t really have a plan, and knew that since I was on vacation, I wouldn’t be taking it too seriously. I didn’t have my best performance, but with traveling and enjoying vacation, it didn’t really bother me. I also checked my Garmin data after the race, and noticed that it was a gradual uphill the entire way, which is why I probably didn’t run as well as I thought I could.

After the race there were vendors, a kids run and a few more local events. I picked up my shirt, bag and medal post race and took a few more pictures before packing up and heading on our day trip to Muir Woods.

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My favorite part of the race, and really the reason I signed up was the race swag. Not only did we get shirts with the Golden Gate Bridge printed on them, but we got matching bags and medals. A great race, a great location, and a fun way to enjoy vacation!

Golden Gate gear!

Golden Gate gear!

Official Results:

Time: 27:21

Female: 23/232

Overall: 71/384

Wineglass Marathon Training: Week Sixteen

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The first week of taper is complete and half of it was spent on vacation. This wasn’t originally planned, but when everything aligned about a month ago, it seemed that taking a vacation would be the best way to kick off taper and reward myself for all the hard work I’ve done.

I’m done lifting for the training cycle, so my first workout started Tuesday. I had my final set of 800 repeats. I got a little carried away on my first one, but I was able to settle into a comfortable pace and was feeling pretty strong. By the time we got to the second half of the workout, the sun was setting pretty quickly, and we ended up running the last 3 in the pitch black. I’ve definitely learned to love the 800 repeats and this workout was no exception!

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Track essentials

Wednesday I took off to do last minute things, but Thursday I did a morning run before we left on vacation. I headed to the trail and zoned out. It felt great to fully relax and enjoy the start of the day.

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Friday I had hoped to run in the morning after we landed in California, but unfortunately, we were tight on time, and I didn’t feel comfortable going out by myself in the dark. Saturday however, I was finally able to get some miles in. I found a 5k a few weeks ago, and registered for it before we left. So Saturday morning, we headed to the Golden Gate Bridge and I ran a 5k. I’ll have my recap up later this week.

Not my typical morning run view

Not my typical morning run view

After the run we had a chance to head up to Muir Woods and hiked 7.5 miles. The weather was absolutely perfect and the views were breathtaking. It was definitely a hard workout at times, and there was a ton of vertical, but it felt great and I was able to spend a decent amount of time on the trails.

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And I finished out the week with a run outside of our hotel on Sunday morning. I surprisingly felt pretty after the previous day’s hike. The hotel we stayed at had a 6 mile loop around the harbor, which was perfect for a safe trail and some beautiful views.

Harbor views

Harbor views

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 7 Miles, 1 mile w/u, 10×800(3:59, 4:07, 4:04, 4:00, 4:05, 4:06, 4:02, 3:57, 3:55, 3:34), 1 mile c/d

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 2.4 Miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: Aloha Run 5k + 7.5 Miles of hiking

Sunday: 3 Miles

Total Miles: 15.4 Miles Running, 7.5 Miles Hiking

So there we have it, week 1 of taper is complete. I definitely had a chance to relax and let my legs recover from the hard training cycle. I didn’t get in as many miles as I had hoped, but traveling makes it hard to get everything done. The views were amazing, and I’m glad I got to spend time in new locations. My only complaint was the sun didn’t come up until late, so with a busy schedule, I was limited on outdoor running when it was light. But still, running and hiking around San Francisco was definitely a great way to begin taper!

February Rewind

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I’m thrilled that February is over. For being such a short month, it always seems to drag on. I’m not the biggest fan of March, but we’re one step closer to spring….well hopefully. February was a rough one, not only with the weather, but it took a beating on my body. I was in the final two weeks of my 5 week work trips and getting sick was something I was starting to grow accustom to. Let’s take a look at the numbers, and cross our fingers this is the last month of terribly cold weather and snow every day.

Miles run: 47

Races run: 1 (Frosty 5k)

Miles biked: 4 Miles

Favorite Workout: 2/19 Speed work- Mile Repeats

Books read: 1 (Thinking in New Boxes)

Places traveled: 2 (Dallas & St. Louis)

New recipes: 0

I was down 4 miles from January, but considering there were a few less days, I think I was just about on track. I didn’t actually start half marathon training until the 10th, so the week before was a little low on miles before diving in head first. I was also sick as a dog in Dallas, which meant every free moment, I spent sleeping instead of running. But I’m healthy now, so I’m hoping to get well beyond that mileage for March. My favorite workout (new point for the monthly recap) was my first speed day of the training cycle. I did two mile repeats, 8:12 and 8:02, and completed 4.5 miles in 39 minutes. This workout definitely gave me hopes of some fast races coming up!

I did get some miles in on the stationary bike, but no where near my goal. I can definitely see this number going up once the weather is nice and I can spend more time outside rather than trapped inside the gym. However, I have been using my Body Fusion class as cross training and it’s been great! Two months in and I can lift more than I expected and I’m finally getting toned in my arms and back.

I finished up my travels to Dallas, where it snowed, and to St. Louis for work. I wish I could have stayed in St. Louis longer to explore the city, but it gives me an excuse to come back to run someday. I also read “Thinking in New Boxes” for work, which was interesting, but I felt it was definitely a book I would have read in grad school. I’ll be back into my own books now, as soon as I can pull myself away from House of Cards.

So there we have it. February was spent running, traveling, being sick, and waiting for spring. I’m hoping to add at least 20 more miles to what I did in February, hopefully get some time on the bike and maybe dive into a few books.

What was your most exciting thing you did in February? Are you sick of winter as much as me?

Balancing Running and Traveling

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Over the past month and a half I’ve been doing a lot of traveling. I’ve actually spent more time on the road than in the office or at home, so balancing working out and traveling has been a bit of a challenge. But over the past couple of years, I’ve come to accept the fact that January and February are the hardest training months because of travel and I’ve come up with ways to work around it. Whether you’re traveling for three days or for three weeks, each of these tips can apply to you and hopefully help you find some balance!

  • Stay hydrated! People tend to forget to drink water when traveling, and usually end up drinking more coffee or alcohol during trips. While it’s ok to have some fun, your body depends on water to keep you feeling fresh, especially when you’re training. When flying you should have 16 ounces for every two hours you spend in flight, and you should make sure to finish it before you land. Can’t stand the taste of water? Try adding Nuun to your drink to pump up the flavor.
  • Get enough sleep. Just like staying hydrated, not getting enough sleep can really wear you down on a trip. If you’re able to, try to stay on your regular schedule or adjust to your time zone. Sometimes, like traveling 3 time zones, you can’t stay on your own schedule. If this happens, then try to get as much sleep as you can the first night, this will help so you’re not playing catch up through the rest of the trip.
  • Plan your workouts ahead of time. Take a look at your schedule and try to find open gaps of time where you can fit in workouts. I know I can usually get a workout in on the first day of the trip because it’s set up day. You may have to switch to a morning run or evening run, but at least you’re still putting in the time and you can follow your training plan.
  • Explore the city. The best way to explore a new city is on foot, and what better way than by lacing up your shoes and heading out for a few miles? I love running in new cities because you get to see more than you would on a regular trip, plus the miles go by quickly! If you’re not sure where to go, ask the front desk of the hotel or check out lo-ca-lei-kki, a website and app that helps you find a local place to run while traveling!
  • Try new workouts. If you’re stuck inside and have to use the hotel’s gym, try to make it more exciting than limiting. Get on a machine you’ve never tried before or lift weights that you thought would be too heavy. You may be surprised to find what you like and add it to your regular routine.
  • Sign up for a race! Check online ahead of time to see if there will be a race going on while you’re in town. It’s a great way to get a workout in and see a new part of town. Plus you never know, you could end up running a PR or place in your age group! Check out Running in the USA to find local races when you travel.

There you have it, these are my top tips for balancing traveling and running. It can be a challenge to get all of your workouts in when you take a trip, but hopefully these will help you get them accomplished!

What are your tips for balancing running and traveling?

Deep in the Cold of Texas

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Last week I traveled to Dallas, Texas. It’s usually my favorite week because A) It’s usually 70 degrees and a little humid, B) The hotel gym is amazing and usually empty, C) The food is amazing, and D) It’s a quick fly in Tuesday, fly out Thursday trip. But guess what, none of these things happened. I started off the week sick again, but this time I had a fever, chills, achy body and the worst sore throat in years. I looked like a zombie and felt like I had been run over by a semi truck. I could tell I had a fun week ahead.

We flew out early on Tuesday morning and when we arrived to Dallas it was about 40 degrees, the warmest it would get all week. I opted out of my usual first day workout in the amazing gym for a 3 hour nap, hoping I’d feel better. Unfortunately I didn’t, and so the rest of the week I was sick as can be, in 20-30 degree Texas, and nothing I ate tasted delicious. However, I was able to get some pictures, and I have some reviews of the normally amazing tasting restaurants we ate at. I was even able to attempt a workout on Thursday, key word is attempt.

More importantly, it snowed while we were in Texas, something I never thought I’d see. And coming from Cleveland, you’d think there was a 10′ blizzard the way that everyone reacted. We even shut down our show early because of the “dangerous” weather.

Welcome to Dallas

Welcome to Dallas

Cleveland or Dallas?

Cleveland or Dallas?

First sign of snow!

First sign of snow!

Just some cattle in the park

Just some cattle in the park, nbd

Time to work out

Time to work out

Hotel

aloft – I loved staying at aloft. It has got to be my favorite hotel out off all the ones I’ve stayed at for work. The hotel was created from an old industrial building, but is still very modern and chic. The gym actually makes you want to work out and the lobby looks like a club. aloft hotels are all over the place, and I recommend staying at one just to check out the scene.

Restaurants

Daddy Jacks, New England Lobster & Chowder House – The best place in Dallas to get seafood. The same gentleman is always there and he remembers everyone that comes in to visit, even if it’s just once a year. I can never decide between the Shrimp Scampi and the Pasta Linguini with Shrimp, so they create a mix of the two and I love it.

Texas de Brazil – Quite the expensive meal, but you never leave hungry. I’ve been to the one in Dallas every trip, and tried the one in Vegas, both times I leave at the perfect moment before I have to get rolled out of the restaurant. The salad bar is huge and has more options than you could think of. After you stuff yourself with lettuce, staff comes around and offers you slices from different kinds of meat. You can choose what you want, and how much you’d like. The trick is you never know how much you eat, until you’re stuffed.

wxyz Bar – The last night we stayed in, mostly because we didn’t want to walk outside in the cold. It was easy to grab some appetizers, hang out at the bar and people watch, all in the convenience of the hotel. No online menu, but we had a range of food including: edamame, chicken mac & cheese, 4 cheese personal pizza, wings, and pot stickers. All good, all different taste buds.

So there we go, another trip down, and another week of horrible Cleveland weather avoided. The upside to all this traveling is that I haven’t had to fill my car with gas for 3 weeks, $180 in my pocket, so I call that a win in itself. This week is my final trip for a while, a short stint in St.Louis, a city I’ve never been. Hopefully the snow stays away!

Have you been to Dallas before? Craziest thing you’ve seen in Texas? How do you keep your immune system safe while traveling?

A Trip Up North

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Last week I spent Tuesday through Friday in Toronto, Canada for a work trip. I’m no stranger to the city, in fact I’ve done this trip at least four times. The first time I was there, I toured the city the best way I know how, by running it. This time it was a little too chilly to run the city, but I was able to capture some pretty good photos.

Welcome to Toronto!

Welcome to Toronto!

View from my hotel

View from my hotel

Check out the clouds

Check out the clouds

Good morning Toronto!

Good morning Toronto!

Such beauty

Such beauty

The beautiful CN Tower

The beautiful CN Tower

Ok, so more than a few photos from my hotel, but the city is gorgeous, so I couldn’t help myself. Toronto is a beautiful city to walk, and I felt really safe. If you’re looking to stay in the downtown area, I highly recommend the Residence Inn Toronto Downtown. The rooms were large and spacious, and even included a kitchen. You can easily walk to the lake, to the convention center, restaurants, bars and a few of the sports arenas.

As for food, let’s just say that I’ve never had a bad meal in Toronto. We went to a variety of restaurants after the show, and I’m pretty sure if I didn’t walk so much, I would have easily gained 10 pounds.

  • Paese Ristorante – Located on King Street, Paese was about a 5 minute walk from the hotel. The restaurant is very chic but also very cozy. I ate an entire Margherita pizza by myself with a glass of Verdicchio ‘Macrina’. Both the pizza and wine were excellent, so you better believe I’m adding that to my HelloVino list!
  • Jack Astors Bar & Grille – To me this was similar to BW3’s, but a little bit more upscale. I had the Shrimply Delicious Pasta with a side of poutine. It was the first time I ever tried poutine, and honestly, I really liked it. I may try making it at home sometime.
  • e11even – This restaurant was in the heart of the sports district. The atmosphere and design was very sophisticated and the meal was amazing. I had the crab cake, lobster mac n’ cheese, and followed it up with the warmed nut brownie for dessert. The menu is pricy, but it’s definitely worth it.

Have you ever tried poutine? Have you traveled to Toronto?

 

 

 

Base Week 4

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This week my body turned against me. Traveling finally caught up with me and I was sick as a dog Sunday evening through Tuesday afternoon. Knowing that I’d be traveling all week, I headed into the office Monday and tried to get a few things done. By the afternoon I felt miserable, stopped at the Minute Clinic and spent the rest of the day on the couch. I missed my Body Fusion class, but I knew I had to stay home if I wanted any chance of getting better.

I lucked out with the cold weather, my first flight was canceled on Tuesday, and I was rescheduled for the 5:50 flight to Toronto. A small delay in travel plans, but I was able to sleep for 11 straight hours and felt so much better when I woke up. It was still negative degrees when I got up and I knew I wouldn’t be heading to the gym, or outside to run. So I invented my own workout and ran the basement for 20 minutes straight, about 2 miles. It wasn’t your typical workout, but when you’re sick and need to get something in, you do what you can.

I finally made it to Toronto and spent a lot of time on my feet, working the show and walking the city. I only took advantage of the hotel workout room once, and I’m pretty sure that’s all I could handle on the treadmill. It was a small workout room and got hot quickly, but I got three miles in before I headed out for dinner. I wish I had gotten a chance to run the city again, but it was just far too cold and dark.

The 80's called...they want their treadmill back.

The 80’s called…they want their treadmill back.

Monday: Sick

Tuesday: 2 Miles

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 3 Miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: 3 Miles

Sunday: 6 Miles

Total Miles: 14 Miles

Saturday I had originally planned on running the Blizzard Busters 5k in Ashland, but after being sick all week and not running that much, I opted out of the 90 minute round trip drive and ran my own 5k around town. I headed out on the country roads and took advantage of the warm weather. I even had a few rain drops fall on me, something I’m typically not excited about in winter. I felt good and even though I passed on the race, I was glad I got a few miles in to test the waters.

Rainy, Saturday bliss

Rainy, Saturday bliss

Sunday was one of those days where your feet decide the run. It had snowed and rained overnight so the roads and sidewalks were covered with snow on top of ice on top of slush on top of snow. Footing was touch and go at times, and my Yak Trax kept getting weighed down with slush, but I was able to get into a decent pace once in a while. I had originally hoped for 3-4, thinking that I had fully recovered from being sick. After about a mile and a half in, I decided to run down town and see how many miles I could get in. I ran to the square and then headed back, dodging puddles and slush almost the entire way. I got back towards home and ended up at 5 miles, still feeling pretty good, I decided for one more before I headed back in for some lunch. Sunday’s run was the longest I’ve run by myself since last fall and I felt great. I probably could have run a few more miles, but I was starving, and well, food always wins.

One of my favorite views

One of my favorite views

This week definitely wasn’t what I had in mind, but when your body needs a break you listen. I’m hoping that I won’t get sick again for a while so I can focus on my mileage again. This week is another week of traveling, so I’ll be trying to run between shows and customer dinners. Also, if someone could send some warm weather down to Texas this week, I’d appreciate it!

Do you exercise when your sick, or sit it out? Rain or snow, which do you prefer?

 

 

Running Vegas

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Last week I spent Tuesday through Friday in Vegas for work. We’re constantly working and I rarely get time to get outside, usually only when we’re taking the taxi to the hotel and then back to the airport. Luckily I had about two hours of free time on Tuesday, so I took advantage of the nice, warm weather and got my chance to run the Strip. It was definitely crowded, and something I wouldn’t recommend doing too late at night or alone, but it was definitely a great way to tour the city.

Beautiful Rockies

Beautiful Rockies

I love the Bellagio

Running fancy in my diamond Rogas

Picture perfect

Picture perfect

Welcome to Paris!

Welcome to Paris!

New York, New York

New York, New York

Chasing daylight

Chasing daylight

As much as I loved running in shorts outside in January, I really struggled with how dry everything was. I always forget how much harder it is to run in the desert, but it was definitely a great workout!

Have you ever been to Vegas? What’s your favorite casino?

 

 

Base Week 2

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What a week. It was week one of five that I’ll be traveling for work. For me, this was one of the hardest weeks, not only knowing how busy I’d be, but I had a three hour time change in my day. Talk about sleep deprivation. I spent most of the week in Vegas for the PPAI show, and there was barely any spare time. Luckily I did better than I had expected during a travel week and feel great with how the week went.

Monday was my Body Fusion class, and I was definitely glad I kept up with the class. I feel like I’m getting stronger, and have seen a little bit of definition in my back and arms. I can’t wait to see how well this class will help me this year!

Left: Before Body Fusion, Right: Two Weeks of Body Fusion

Left: Before Body Fusion, Right: Two Weeks of Body Fusion

Tuesday, I headed to Vegas and somehow ended up with two hours of free time. I took advantage of it and ran the Vegas strip! My boss joined me, and thankfully I felt a lot safer than had I ran by myself. I forgot how dry the air was, so it was a little tough, but it was great to stretch my legs after a long day.

Run the Vegas Strip, check!

Run the Vegas Strip, check!

Wednesday, I only had time for two miles on the treadmill, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have lasted any longer. With my iPod at home, and being rushed between the show and dinner, I struggled to stay focused. I forgot how much I dislike the treadmill, but I was glad to get a short run in.

Monday: Body Fusion Class – 30 minutes of lifting/abs/squats & 30 minutes of yoga

Tuesday: 3 Miles

Wednesday: 2 Miles

Thursday: Off

Friday: Off

Saturday: 4.5 Miles

Sunday: 5 Miles

Total Miles: 14.5 Miles

I made it back home on Friday night, but didn’t have any major plans for my weekend runs. I did 4.5 miles on Saturday in honor of #megsmiles. I got lost in the run and reflected on how fortunate I am to be able to run and how amazing the running community is. My pace dipped down to the low 9:00s and under for the last half mile. It felt good to be back to my old pace, but it felt better to have the honor to run for someone who couldn’t.

Sunday I wasn’t really feeling my run prior to the start of it. I still had some jet lag, so I was exhausted, but I also had to drive to Detroit that night, so I kept thinking about my giant list of things that needed to be done. I started with the intent of running just three miles, but the first 1.5 felt a lot better than I had expected. I ran a new route and had the wind at my back to push me along. Unfortunately the wind started to pick up and was coming at me from all directions. My pace ranged from 9:10-10:05, but I tried to keep it at 9:30. On the way back home, I took detours along every road I found that I had never ran. The miles flew by and I even found some short cuts through town to cut out traffic when it gets busy. Despite a brief moment of tired legs, I felt good and was excited to get some decent miles in back to back after a long week on my feet.

So week one of five travel weeks is complete and I’m glad I was able to get in as much as I could with small windows of time to workout. Thankfully this next week I’ll have more time to run and travel days fall during regular work hours.

 

Did you run for #megsmiles? How do you get your workouts in when you travel? Have you ever run the Vegas Strip?