{Friday Fab 5-Summertime Fun}

Posted in Friday Fab 5 by sneaksandstilettos

Good morning, peeps! Today was one of those mornings when you wake up and are in an awesome mood. Gosh I wish that happened everyday. Every single day.

This week flew by and I had planned to do another post with vacation photos, but decided to save that for another time. I don’t know about all of you, but this summer is just flying by. I’m trying to get all the sunshine I can out of it, so this week I did all the things you dream about on a cold, snowy winter day. If you haven’t had the time to savor summer, make the time. No excuses. Just do it!

{#1-Rendezvous}

Last Friday I mentioned I was at the lake. I was with some amazing friends from college celebrating life, summer and old times. Our crazy group gets together every summer at one of the guy’s cabins and has a blast. While we see each other a few times throughout the year, this summer weekend known as Rendezvous is one everyone makes unless they’ve just had a bundle of joy.

{#2-Noah’s Ark with my sista}

My sister was home from Texas where you cannot step outdoors without sweating a gallon and frizzing up the hair from the humidity. She came to Wisconsin to stay cool! Of course what do you do in the summer in Wisconsin…well many people visit what claims to be the largest water park in America-Noah’s Ark. Water slides galore, sunshine and fun. It was a perfect way to spend the hottest day our area has seen this summer-88.

{#3-Pettibone Beach}

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I've mentioned Pettibone before as a place to run in La Crosse, but it also has a beach frequented during the summer months. For the husband’s birthday on Wednesday we wanted to be outdoors and near water so we headed to the beach with my family.

{#4-Boating on the River}

After some beach time we met up with friends and boated on the Mississippi River. A bunch of people water skied, while I simply relaxed on the boat. I just wasn’t feeling the water that day. It might have something to do with the gnat bite I got on my left eyelid that made my entire eye swell shut, made my eyebrow look like a Botox injection gone wrong, and gave me the puffiest under eye I’ve ever seen. It is still swollen today, but is getting better. Or maybe I was just lazy that day.

{#5-Big Ten Network 10K}

Way back in February the husband and I registered for this race for our Valentine’s Day gift to each other. Nothing says love like running a race together. I had dreams of racing this 10k, but as the legs let me know on a run yesterday-WE ARE STILL RECOVERING. DO NOT MAKE US RUN REALLY FAST. They spoke loud and clear, so I guess I will probably listen. We are headed to Chicago as I type to run this race tomorrow morning. I love Chicago. I love the Badgers. It’s a perfect match…me and the husband that is. Then it’s off to another iconic summertime tradition in Wisconsin-summer weddings.

Anyone racing this weekend? What is your summertime fun?

Happy Weekend!

Sarah

23Jul2014

{State #15-Oregon} Foot Traffic Flat Marathon

Posted in 50 States, Race Reports by sneaksandstilettos

It feels like this race was a million years ago…perhaps because it sort of was. Writing race reports weeks after the race is hard. During the race I have so many thoughts and ideas going through my head. If I don’t get them down on paper or makes notes, then my mind is wiped clean after a few days. It seems like a different part of my brain gets used when running those long runs/races that doesn’t get used at other times. Good thing I have a few photos to conjure up some memories.

I had signed up for the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon back in December when this whole Go West road trip was still just a dream. No details were set or travel plans made. I just knew I’d be running a marathon, state #15, in Oregon on the 4th of July. I love holiday races as they give you an excuse to dress up and ~~it makes choosing a race outfit easier~~ it gives you a reason to buy new running gear.

Tank-Athleta Turbocharge Tank, Shorts-Oiselle Distance Short, Socks-Procompression, Headband-Bic Bands

Shuttle transportation was strongly recommended, so the husband and I were up at 4:15 to get on the road by 4:45 to catch a shuttle that would take us to the island.

Lets just say when I woke up I wasn’t feeling this race. The day before had been spent driving 855 miles from the Grand Tetons to Portland. We had been in the car for thirteen plus hours. The legs weren’t exactly used to moving despite a quick hike at Multnomah Falls en route to Portland.

As most of my race reports read I also didn’t get to bed early at all. We ate dinner at 9:45 that night and it was nearly midnight when lights were out. But, sometimes we just suck it up, buttercup. So I did with the help of some Starbucks Frappuccino’s I’d bought for the trip and the morning sun rising over the Sauvie Island Bridge.

Participants and spectators could buy tickets to ride the shuttle, and tickets had to be purchased in advance for their planning purposes. Shuttles were efficient and took the parking chaos out of race day prep. The husband liked not having to drive around, drop me off and find parking.

The race took place on Sauvie Island which is fifteen minutes away from Portland. The race started at a pumpkin patch with a cute little farmers market type place with a barn and buildings selling goodies.

A 6:30 start time got us out and away from the worst of the sun, but it was still a warm one!

The course took you around the island with an out and back section first, followed by an loop that was part of the half marathon course. While there were half marathon walkers to run around in those last miles there were not so many that it was inconvenient or annoying. It also could have been the fact that I could be found walking at time those last miles. I was had begun dying a slow death from the sun and heat. I really didn’t notice anyone much those last miles. All I could think about were water, shade, and water.

The course itself was flat (as the name indicates) and was full of farms growing beautiful flowers and berries. It was unique to see rather than the corn fields, soybeans and alfalfa were used to in the midwest. One of my favorite parts of the race (other than the finish) was the field of lavender growing along the road. There was a bench in the middle of the field and it looked like a place you could just spend time reflecting on life or reading a book. Much of the course was along water as well with it being an island and all.

My goal for the race was to make it mentally easy and to run controlled. My legs were recovering from the 50k I’d ran less than a month earlier. I had another marathon to run in nine days. I had hiked almost 50 miles that week with lots more coming the next week. If I ran like an idiot, then I would pay big time. I kept the pace comfortable and challenged myself to run sans music until mile 13. Then I pushed it to mile 14 and then 15. Around mile 16/17 though I felt like I really needed that music.

The first half plus was in the sun entirely. There was a nice breeze and since the sun wasn’t high in the sky it wasn’t too bad. Around miles 14 there was some shade which made running seem so much easier.

I spent a lot of my time thinking about how lucky and prideful I feel to live in the USA. I get to race all 50. I get to travel when I want, where I want. I can share what I want about it. That pride for my country carries through all the time.

Then it was back to sun for more miles. Around mile 21 I got this surge and really picked up the pace and felt great. My legs were not tired or even sore.

Probably not the best idea because around mile 23 we hit the sun for the last three miles and it was like I had used up my batteries. Ugh! Those last three miles they ~~were~~ ~~unpleasant~~ sucked!

I’ve never been a great heat runner, but I definitely felt stronger because of pushing through. I was actually surprised I was able to finish in the time I did with the heat and only doing recovery miles since the 50k. Knowing there was strawberry shortcake at the finish helped me push through the heat. And my husband running next to me for a mile, too. What a nice guy!

The strawberry shortcake tasted just how I’d imagined it would, the shirts were great and the medals awesome! Plus I love when races put your name on bibs. Hearing your name cheered is so encouraging!

Foot Traffic Flat Marathon
Time: 3:54:41
Pace: 8:57
Overall: 127/347
Gender: 46/165
Age Group: 5/27

18Jul2014

{Friday Fab 5-At the Lake}

Posted in Friday Fab 5 by sneaksandstilettos

This week has been a whirlwind of family, unpacking and repacking, and time with friends. I have not been using technology much as I have not had a moment to and somehow it seems better this way . In an effort to live in the moment and enjoy sweet summertime I’m not posting a Friday Fab 5 post today because I’m at the lake with some great people. I’ll be back next week with two marathon race reports (states 15 and 16) and a full Friday fab 5 post. Blogging online is great, but real-life is awesome!

Happy Weekend!

Sarah

11Jul2014

{Friday Fab 5-Portland Edition}

Posted in Friday Fab 5, Travel by sneaksandstilettos

Currently in the land of no wifi or cell service, this post comes to you having been written last Sunday en route to the beautiful and so-worth-no-technology Glacier National Park. Being without technology has its perks and really makes you reevaluate it’s influence in your life.

But, who am I kidding? I’ll be back to my tech dependency in a matter of hours upon returning to civilization I’m sure! Seriously, how did people live without the internet?

Last weekend we spent the weekend in Portland after I finished state number 15 by running the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon. We had lots of time to walk around and explore and eat AMAZING food. I’m not one to totally love and enjoy meals I eat, but Portland made me realize how you could. Probably a good thing since my waist band would be tighter and my pockets significantly emptier if we had those kinds of delicious eats where I live.

So what did we do and what are these great places to eat that I speak of? Here’s a look at our Saturday!
{#1-Voodoo Doughnuts}

Voodoo has been mentioned on the Food Network and after tasting five of their flavors (Memphis Mafia, Miami Viceberry, Raspberry Romeo, Voodoo Doll and The Loop) it is easy to taste why. Their unique decor in pinks and purple (loved those colors my whole life) and their amazing flavor selection and taste make Voodoo a must stop if ever in Portland (or Denver.) We ate at the original and waited in line for 40 minutes. After we left the line was much longer so be prepared to be patient for your doughnuts. The wait is worth it though! No hexes needed!

{#2-Forest Park}

After putting ourselves into a sugar-induced coma it was time to get moving! We headed to Forest Park where miles of trails awaited. We enjoyed the shade and scenery and were passes by many runners. Oh, how I’d love a place like this to run!

{#3-Grill Cheese Grill}

After hiking we were hungry again. The Grill Cheese Grill was a food truck that I’d heard great things about online. Grilled cheese seems to be one of those childhood favorites that can be made more adult yummy by what you add to it. This place had awesome food. I had the jalapeño grilled cheese which had jalapeños (duh!), cream cheese and cheddar cheese. It was delicious as was their tomato soup. The husband ordered The Cheesus, which was a hamburger that had a grill cheese on the top and bottom to replace a bun with your standard fixings. We shared half our sandwiches with each other. I’m now inspired to get a lot more creative with this childhood favorite when we get home.

{#4-Salt & Straw}

After walking around the Alberta neighborhood filled with unique and fun places to eat we worked up a hunger for a snack. When we saw Salt & Straw I knew I wanted to try it as I had read about it somewhere previously. They specialize in homemade ice cream using natural and organic local ingredients (ok, so who doesn’t in Portland, but…;). I had the strawberry with cilantro lime cheesecake and the husband had the summer cucumber and raspberry sorbet. Both were so yummy and refreshing. The best version of this iconic summer treat I’ve tasted.

{#5-The Red Tavern and Kell’s Irish Pub}

After strolling our way through the Alberta neighborhood we headed to downtown Portland. Our visit included Pioneer Square, drinks at The Red Tavern and dinner at Kell’s Irish Pub. At The Red Tavern I had their signature drink made with vanilla vodka, black raspberries and citrus. It was perfect. After drinks we headed to dinner at a place the husband’s aunt recommended. Here I crossed two new beer flavors off my 30 beers bucket list, and we enjoyed yummy Irish fare and music. What a fun place!

If ever in the Portland area all of these places were awesome! Anyone have other Portland area food recommendation?

Happy Weekend!

Sarah

9Jul2014

#100happydays {post-100 days}

Posted in Uncategorized by sneaksandstilettos

A little over a hundred days ago I decided to complete the 100 happy days photo challenge. The task: take the time to find something that brings you happiness each day. The goal isn’t to buy or make this challenge about material items. I did my best not to derive my happiness from shopping or store bought joy, but sometimes new shoes just make a girl happy.

The end result they say is happier people who find joy and smiles in little things each day and who can find positives in each day. The end result is a shift in thinking or simply put-an attitude adjustment.

It’s easy to get caught up in the stresses of life and forget what we have or more importantly who we have. The 100 happy days challenge helped remind me to think and some days search for good that happened.

My results: I do feel happier, struggle less to be positive about a bad day and feel I can find good in each day. Try it for yourself. But, the key is TRY it for yourself not just post random photos. Finding happiness in the simple things on a rough day isn’t easy! We could all use a bit more try in this area. We’ve got nothing to lose!

Here are my past 100 days:

Simply post a photo each day of something that brought you joy, happiness or was a positive in your day and add the hash tag #100happydays

Have fun!

Sarah

4Jul2014

{Friday Fab 5-Go West: Part 1}

Posted in Friday Fab 5, Travel by sneaksandstilettos

By the time you read this I will likely either be running my Fourth of July marathon or be done. Because we are on the road and pictures do a lot of talking, we are going wordless on the fab 5! Here are some trip highlights to fill you in. We live in a beautiful country. God bless America!

{#1-Badlands National Park}

{#2-Grand Canyon of Yellowstone}

{#3-Grand Prismatic Spring-Yellowstone}

{#4-Hiking around Jenny Lake-Grand Tetons}

{#5-Multnomah Falls}

Any one else racing this 4th of July? Have a safe and fun weekend!

Sarah

27Jun2014

{Friday Fab 5-Sobelman’s, Girls’ Weekend, Summer Salads, Go West Itinerary, Mountains Are Calling}

Posted in Friday Fab 5 by sneaksandstilettos

{#1-Sobelman’s}

Earlier this spring the husband and I ate at AJ Bomber’s and Sobelman’s while in Milwaukee over two different weekends. We wanted to do our own little Food Wars competition. I wrote about AJ Bombers in a previous Friday Fab 5, but I realized I never mentioned we also ate at Sobelman’s several weeks ago. So here are our results: beer selection-AJ Bombers, bloody mary’s-Sobelman’s, atmosphere-can’t compare as they are totally different. Sobelman’s feels like your grandpa’s fun and friendly bar that serves awesome bloody mary’s while AJ Bombers has an urban and modern feel with great local beers. Now for the important part-the food. While AJ Bombers offers organic grass-fed burgers (yum!), Sobelman’s burgers were hand-down the best burgers we have eaten. Both were great places to eat and I encourage you to do your own version of the Food War’s whenever you have a chance.

{#2-Girls’ Weekend}

Last weekend the ladies in my husband’s family got together for a weekend of fun. Most of the guys were gone on a fishing trip. We enjoyed good food, drinks and fun. One of our stops was the River Walk Pub in Wisconsin Dells. It was a beautiful place with good food, too. Any girl traditions you have in your family?

{#3-Summer Salads}

Lately I’m obsessed with salads-specifically summery salads with fruit. The left was one I made at home, the middle from a local restaurant, Sprecher’s, and the last is the Strawberry Poppyseed Salad from Panera. Anyone have any must try salad recommendations?

{#4-Go West Itinerary}

Today we go west! Our trip will include the Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Portland, Oregon (run marathon-Foot Traffic Flat), Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Glacier National Park, Missoula, Montana (run marathon-Missoula Marathon), and Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I will be posting tons of photos on Instagram so follow me @sneaksandstilettos (http://instagram.com/sneaksandstilettos) to see some beautiful images of the US of A, two more states in my 50 in 50 journey and other road trip fun the husband and I embark on! Stay tuned for a post with tips about staying active while on vacation sometime next week!

{#5-The mountains are calling!}

Packing for a vacation that involves camping, backpacking in remote areas, running marathons, and wanting to dress cute on weekends is time intensive. Then do it alone. The husband has been on a fishing trip in Canada since last Monday and he gets back just in time for us to leave again. I can hear the mountains calling. I’m ready for a break!

Happy Weekend!

Sarah

24Jun2014

{Garmin Forerunner 220 Review*}

Posted in Products I love! by sneaksandstilettos

My love for Garmin Forerunner’s began while training for my first marathon in 2008. As my mileage increased I quickly found it was super annoying to plot my running routes in advance so I knew how far I was running. I also didn’t enjoy using a simple wrist watch as knowing my time didn’t exactly tell me my pace. I had a goal of running a marathon in under four hours, and I felt I really had no idea how my runs were going in terms of pace. It is hard to stick to a goal without the data to give you feedback.

Despite this I didn’t buy a Garmin right away. I felt like I wasn’t a serious enough runner to buy such an expensive and advanced watch. Eventually I caved, and I was SO glad I did. What does it mean to be a serious runner anyway? There is no set mileage or qualifying pace we need to run. If you run, then you are a runner. Seriously!

The Garmin Forerunner 301 I purchased in 2008 served me well. In fact it still worked when my husband bought me a new one, but I was having troubles charging it. Sometimes it would not charge or would randomly turn on during charging instead of actually charging leaving me to find a dead Garmin and made me an unhappy runner. After using ponytail holders to position the charging cord just right too many times, I professed my need for a new watch. The only problem-while I love having the latest technology, I also find it super wasteful to always buy the newest model when the older version works fine. I didn’t want to spend my money on a new watch.

Lucky for me the husband does listen to me when I’m talking (most of the time), and he surprised me with a new watch for Christmas. Recently I was asked some questions about the watch, so I decided to finally do a review of the watch. I don’t like reading reviews of something technology related when the user has only had the product for a short time. After using the watch on most runs for the past six months, I feel I am ready to review it for others to decide if it is the right watch for them.

Cost-
I consider the Garmin Forerunner 220 to be the perfect watch for most runners who do not race competitively or for money. The Garmin Forerunner 620 has some amazing features, but in reality most runners will not use these features making the $450 price tag steep. The 220 is much more reasonable coming in at $250 with a heart rate monitor.

GPS-
Since the main purpose of this watch is to track distance and pace this is sort of important to a runner. I’ve found that after running in the same location for a couple of runs, the 220 will recognize where you are and will take only a minute or less to load satellites for you to be ready to run. Each time you travel more than 30 miles away from your “home” location or previous route plan for the Garmin to take a few extra minutes to recognize where you are and load satellites. Annoying? Yes. Dealbreaker-No! Again, if you tend to run in the same area for your runs (which I usually do) then this isn’t too much of an issue.

In terms of accurate distance measurement the 220 is on par with other GPS watches and apps. When running with both my Runkeeper app and the 220 to compare they do not always register the same mileage, but neither do both the Forerunner 220 and 301. This is actually common with many GPS devices and the disparities between devices tend to be rather insignificant (as in tenths of a mile). Running routes I’d mapped out prior to using the 220 seem to measure the same distance with the 220.

Signal-
I’ve never had the Garmin drop a signal or quit working while running. The only exception is of course when you go where GPS can’t reach as in through a tunnel, under a long bridge, etc. No watch or app will be able to help you in those conditions.

Battery-
My 220 lasts for 10-15 hours of actual running time. You can wear the watch while not in GPS mode and it will last for a week or so. This is solid battery time and it recharges very quickly (in a matter of a couple of hours).

Features-

Under the training tab on the 220 are three useful features: My Workouts, Training Calendar and Intervals. My Workouts allows the runner to create a Garmin Connect account online (can be synced to the app for your phone, too) and download specific workouts you’ve selected or created yourself like the one above to your watch. Once you’ve selected workouts you can run them and track your results on your watch which can be synced to your phone and online account. Training Calendar allows runners to create just that and have it sync to your watch. Intervals allows you to create interval workouts such as 4×1 mile with 1:00 rest. The watch keeps track of your run and rest times and alerts you to run and rest. Intervals are editable so you can change them to any distance, number or rest time you want.

History-
Keeps track of your activities by date and lets you review your pace, time, distance, calories, cadence and heart rate for each activity. It also tracks your laps which defaults as one mile, but could be changed. Totals are also kept track of here where you can review your weekly and monthly miles and total time spent running.

Records-

Records for times and specific distances (1 mile, 5k, 10k, half, marathon and longest run) are kept under this section.

Settings-
Allows runner to tailor data screens and heart rate, set alerts for run/walking, pace and heart rate, change auto lap, turn auto pause on or off, turn auto scroll of data screens on or off, and set timeout periods (when your watch changes from GPS mode to simply a watch to save on battery.)

You can also add sensors and use bluetooth to connect your mobile device to your watch so all your workout data syncs to the Garmin Connect app. I have not been able to successfully do this after repeated attempts, so I simply use the online Garmin Connect and not the app. Other settings include creating alert tones, turning vibrations on and off (I love the vibrations at each mile) and setting an alarm with this watch.

Garmin Connect
Garmin Connect is where all your data is stored online. Honestly every piece of data you could imagine wanting to see is all there. See below from a long run I did this spring.

Additional Notes:

I’ve run with this watch in the cold (windchills of minus 12 and actual temps below zero), in the heat (90 degrees plus), in the humidity and in the rain. I’ve used the 220 in races from half marathons to a 50k. I love that the 220 has a plastic wristband with holes making it easy to clean and way less smelly than the fabric band of the Forerunner 301. Imagine 5.5 years of sweat all in one strap that can’t be removed from its electronic device-or don’t because it’s pretty nasty. The purple color is super cute and the size is appropriate even for those ladies who have smaller wrists. The wrist band can also accommodate a wide range of wrist sizes and still be comfortable. Ryan has worn the watch too and attests to its comfort and fit for a guy.

Even considering all of these features some of you are probably still unsure. Now that running apps are available to track similar data for free some wonder why would you want to purchase a GPS running watch? The reasons are actually pretty strong. In my experience it can be annoying toggling between songs and your running app while running, and I often need to stop running to go back into my music or my running app for data or to change a song.

If this isn’t a problem, then the whole battery thing is. My iPhone never makes it tracking a run of more than 17 miles while using RunKeeper alone even when all other apps are closed and it is fully charged. That means no picture taking or music on the run either. That is so not cool during a long run or marathon. I should know as it happened to me during the Chicago Marathon a couple of years ago. Mile 17=dead iPhone and kill the music and knowing your pace. Good thing I loved that marathon course and all the fans!

Another battery killer-runs in the cold. My iPhone does not last long in the cold. Another bad combination-iPhones and rain. In remote areas my iPhone sometimes doesn’t find my location as well as my Garmin 220. Finally, Runkeeper simply doesn’t have all the features (alerts, training calendars, heart rate workouts,etc) my Garmin does. I do use RunKeeper on shorter runs and to track mileage, but it is just easier and more efficient to use my Garmin 220 on a regular basis. This also makes a happier runner!

The Garmin Forerunner 220 is seriously one of my favorite (if not my favorite) running accessories ever. I even find myself wearing it just for fun. If you are on the fence about the watch, I encourage you to think about how often you will use the watch and how long the watch lasts if taken care of (my last Garmin Forerunner lasted 5.5 years.) Divide the cost by miles or time spent wearing it and decide if it is worth it to you. I know it was for me.

And what else do runners love to take pictures of besides their sneakered feet? You guessed it! Their GPS watches with their running stats!

Hope this helps anyone out there thinking about whether or not a Garmin Forerunner 220 is for them!

Sarah

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for this post.

23Jun2014

{Training for Multiple Marathons Close Together}

Posted in Uncategorized by sneaksandstilettos

Some say running a marathon is crazy. Once you’ve done that your crazy meter is forever skewed and you must aspire to new levels of madness to feel the same effect. While I would never recommend running multiple marathons to a new marathoner, someone who hasn’t been running for a couple of years, or to someone without a ton of time on their feet already-for some of us we are ready to embrace the bat shit crazy phase.

For some of us running multiple marathons can be about more bang for your buck. Why train for multiple marathons throughout the year when you could run them close together? One training cycle-multiple marathons! Wham! Done!

For others of us running multiple marathons it is more about logistics. Wisconsin is a frozen tundra unsuitable for running marathons half the year and traveling to races costs a lot of money. Since I don’t have a money tree in my backyard, I need to find creative ways to run a marathon in every state. With that being said, these are all reasons for running a half marathon, three marathons and a 50k in two and a half months. Once I cross that finish line in Missoula, I’m taking a break from the high miles and racing…for two weeks that is. That next race is only a 10k though (again with the crazy mind distortions running a marathon created in terms of distances). Years ago only a 10k was the furthest I’d ever ran.

While I have three of the major races completed, I still have two to go. In 2010 I was disappointed with my performance at the Medtronic Marathon in Minneapolis. This brings me to yet another reason why some runners choose to run multiple marathons close together. After running a disappointing race my solution was to sign up for another race three weeks later to see if I could do better. My logic was this gave me some recovery time and the marathon served as another long run. The results-I ran a minute faster in my second race at the On the Road for Education Marathon in Mason City, Iowa. Was a minute worth it? Have you ever talked to a runner about PR’s? Well, then duh it was worth it.

Thinking about running multiple marathons close together? Feeling a little batty? Need to save some cash? There are plans out their for running multiple marathons close together. I have followed Hal Higdon’s multiple marathoning plans and had success with feeling strong and recovered in (most) my races. While plans are great it is so important to mention when running multiple marathons close together to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! If your legs feel heavy, your are irritable and don’t feel like running, or something hurts then no plan is going to get you to the starting line of your next race. This is why rest and cross training are also key in your training. During the Med City Half Marathon my legs felt heavy and tired. The next week I traded my 10 mile run for a 30 mile bike ride. My legs got a work out, but I also gave them a break from running.

Below is the in between plan I’m loosely following to get me to the starting line in Portland and Missoula in a couple of weeks. The first week I didn’t run at all after my 50k. Simply put, I didn’t want to. My legs didn’t want to. My head didn’t want to. So I didn’t. Instead I went for a few walks and a bike ride. Then I resumed training at week 2, but listened to my body. A couple of days I went shorter than the plan said and some I went longer, but I tried to stay within a mile or two of the plan.

Anyone else ever ran multiple races close together? These tips and suggestions will work for those of your running two half marathons or two 5k’s close together with adjustments to mileage of coures. Tips for others? Recovery and training ideas?

S & S

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or trainer. Use common sense and your own judgement when starting any training plan.

20Jun2014

{Friday Fab 5-Pro Compression Stars and Stripes, Whitewater Rafting, Orange Is the New Black, Chaos…}

Posted in Friday Fab 5 by sneaksandstilettos

My first week of summer vacation is coming to a close. The week was filled with coaching responsibilities, visiting lots of babies and their mommas (6!) and catching up with yard work (it is never-ending).

{#1-Pro Compression Stars and Stripes}

Believe it or not the 4th of July will be here in no time. This year I have an actual, real race to run (Foot Traffic Flat Marathon outside of Portland, Oregon) on the day, so I’m giving you a sneak peek of my race day outfit. Proper recovery will be essential as I will be running another marathon nine days later.

{#2-Whitewater Rafting}

I added this to my 30 things in my 30th year list. The husband and I will be going whitewater rafting on the Snake River while in Jackson on our ~~field trip~~ (that actually came to my mind first) vacation west.

{#3-Orange Is the New Black}

My affinity for dark shows continues. I did JUST learn that this show is based on a true story. This is both disturbing and interesting. Spoiler Alert: Thank God Pensatucky got some new teeth. I cannot handle her teeth, especially at the start of season 2. Brush and floss at least twice a day and stay away from meth folks.

{#4-Celebrate YOUR Runs}

Summer running and humidity can easily get you down. Celebrate your progress. Hydrate right. Stay strong. One of my favorite cross country sayings is “Autumn holds no secrets about how summer was spent.” Those hot, steamy miles you put in this summer WILL benefit this fall.

{#5-Sneakers Before Stilettos}

Saw this recently and found it fitting. The true hierarchy of shoes. Although I love both types, my favorite are days when I lace up my sneakers and then slip on stilettos for a fun night later on.

Happy Weekend? Any fourth of July races planned for anyone?