By golly, I did it!

YAY! I actually DID all the workouts for the week! :) plus, my run Friday really surprised me! It was only a 5 mile run, but the whole way out was a gradual incline against the wind and my mile times were still awesome (for me anyways!)

Mile1:  9:20
Mile2:  9:03
Mile3:  9:10
Mile4:  9:05
Mile5:   8:46 (SAY WHAT!?) ;)
Average pace 9:05

I was SUPER SUPER happy with this run! Granted, it was hard...but this was a run that really proved to myself that I AM in fact improving, and that all the training has and will pay off. I really hope that this week I can stick to the schedule again...I think I am getting a little sick (cough, runny nose) but it hasn't been getting any worse, so hopefully it is going bye bye. Here is the schedule for the week:
Monday:  4 miles
Tuesday:  Cross training 60 mins OR REST
Wednesday:  12-13 miles
Thursday:  Depending what happened Tuesday...cross train 60 min OR REST
Friday:  5-6 miles
Saturday:  REST
Sunday:  REST

So, today is the hubby and my 7 year anniversary :) we celebrated last night by dropping the kiddos off at Nana's and going to an early dinner at my FAVORITE restaurant, Outback. mmmmmmmmmmmmm.....it was so good! I didn't really eat all day long because I wanted to save room for all the yummy food, the bloomin' onion, salad, bread, steak, mashed potatoes, and ofcourse, we shared an icecream sundae! We were sooo stuffed, we really just wanted to go home and take a 2 hour kid free nap :) But we had free movie tickets, so we went to the movies. All in all, we had a wonderful evening to ourselves...just wish it could be more often. We have had a great 7 years, and I am so thankful for all that he does for me and the family! LOVE you babe! xoxo

Long run...DONE!

Well, I did it! I actually ran my "scheduled long run"!!!! WAHOO! I was so strict with my training schedule for the half in January, and this time around, I have been just too busy or not motivated enough to fit it in (I think more so the second) ooppps! ;) But thankfully, I have completed 2 of my 4 scheduled workouts for the week.
Monday: 3 mile interval Completed 3.5 mile interval run :)
Tuesday: REST
Wednesday: 11-12 miles, long run( My schedule says 12, but I didn't do a long run last week, and the week b4 I only did 10.3...so I didn't want to increase it too much!) Completed 11.91 miles :)
 So all I have left is a cross training workout and another run of 5 or 6 miles.

I was sick to my stomach for about an hour or so after the run, not sure if it was from the gu or for another reason. I am trying to experiment with gu (tried the chocolate about a month ago, and then the orange burst today) but I am so not into the texture! I did better with the orange today than the chocolate. I loved the taste of the chocolate better, but it was way too sweet and I had no water until about 3 miles after taking it. ANy suggestions????? I have tried the jelly belly sports beans, and really like those!

4 more weeks

4 more weeks of training and 1 week of taper until the La Jolla Half Marathon! AHHH!!!! I have not been sticking to my training plan this time around....which is really scary since this half is a lot harder than the one I did in January! My longest run in the last 6 weeks has been 10.31 and my highest mileage week has only been 16 :( My goal was to average 20 miles a week with a long run by now of 12 miles....so I am behind. So hopefully this week I can get back on schedule. My schedule for this week:

Monday:  3 mile interval run
Tuesday:  REST
Wednesday: long run 11-12 miles
Thursday: cross training/stretching
Friday: 5 miles [3 @ race pace]
Saturday:  3 miles easy [did i say easy;)]
Sunday:  REST

On a positive note,I was asked yesterday by a coworker to run the San Diego Rock n' Roll Half Marathon with her in June...I think I gonna do it! ;) That would make it 4, count 4 half marathons this year! Carlsbad in January, La Jolla in April, Rock n' Roll in June, and AFC in August. Plus, maybe Long Beach in October! OH BOY! I know I am not going to PR in La JOlla, just because it is such a hard course. Here is the map and course elevation:
HERE

Dear training schedule

Dear training schedule,
I am so so sorry that I have abandoned you this week! :( I really wanted to hang out this week, as the weather here in San Diego has been absolutely beautiful! I wish I could say that we didn't get a chance to meet up because I was doing something important, or really enjoying the weather (like at the beach); but no, I have been way too sore to leave the house and hit the pavement with you. With all the crazy rain we had a few months ago, the hubby and I had completely ignored our yard, and the weeds grew 2 feet tall! So I spent most of Monday and Wednesday pulling weeds and doing yard work. I woke up Tuesday morning with the sorest hamstrings i have EVER had in my life! You called for a rest day on Tuesday (thank you, I love you) and then yesterday I was going to do the 12 miler you had planned. But after 3 more hours of yard work, I knew that my legs were not going to be able to handle it...I am so sorry! Even this morning my legs are still sooooo sore, I don't think we will be able to hang out today for 12 miles...maybe 6? I will let you know. Again, I am so sorry for flaking on you this week...I PROMISE next week, we will see each other a lot more!
Until later,
Kelly

Hey, at least I got out there! ;)

Well, I wasn't able to get in my full 12 miles....but I did get in 10.31 miles. Thank God I was still able to get out there. It was raining earlier and then just cleared up! :) I was definetly feeling it at the end of my run, and couldn't wait until it was over! I knew that I wouldn't get the full 12 miles in, because I wanted to finish before dark (with the Chelsea King thing and all so close, I don't think I will be running at night for a while) :(
But I was excited to check out my Garmin when I got home:

Mile 1:  8:56

2:  8:56

3:  8:57

4:  9:13

5:  9:20

6:  9:12

7:  9:42

8:  9:26

9:  9:39

10:  9:38

Total Miles: 10.31

Total time: 1 hr 35 min 56 sec

Avg pace: 9:18

The reason I was so excited was that I felt so dang tired at the end, and now I know why!  My average pace was kicking some serious butt compared to even my half marathon race pace of 9:33! So eventhough I didn't get my full 12 miles in, I was happy with my run! :) Hope everyone else had great runs today!

Kinda Nervous

Oh Boy! I am kindof nervous about todays long run. My training schedule is calling for 12 miles, which will be my longest run since the half in January. YIKES....and I will running it alone :( To prepare, I am going to make sure I drink a TON of water throughout the day, and get a good protein filled lunch in! Not running until this afternoon, so I am praying that I have the energy later! I will post later about how it goes! Not sure if I should do 11 or 12. My longest run since the half has been two 9 mile runs, so I am concerned that jumping up 3 miles may be too much. Hmm....I guess I will just gauge how I feel! Anywho, hope everyone has a great day...praying for less wind today than yeaterday!

My new FAVORITE breakfast, lunch, and snack!

I am addicted to this new recipe that I found a while back...it is soooo good! It is a ricotta strawberry parfait. I usually just go to frazier farms and buy the part skim ricotta, spices, strawberries, carob or yogurt chips, granola, and shaved coconut. I also usually only make 1 batch at a time...and it lasts 3 meals worth. So here is the FABULOUS recipe:

3/4 cup part skim ricotta

2 T brown sugar

1-2 tsp vanilla flavoring (depending on how thick or thin u like the ricotta)

2 T either cool whip lite or whip cream

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp clove powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 packet of splenda

I usually just cut up 1 cup of strawberries, scoop 1/4 cup of the ricotta filling on top and then add 2T granola, 1 T shaved coconut, and 1 T of either carob chips or yogurt chips. Mix it all together, and you have the most amazing snack/meal ever!!!! The above has about 330 calories, 11grams of protein, 35 grams of carbs, and 14 grams of fat. I am absolutely in love with this super food! ;) Seriously, it has enough protein as a snack to keep me full, enough calories and carbs to give me energy for my runs, and the fat comes from the ricotta...a little more than I would like in a snack, but still, gives me the calcium I need since I DONT drink milk! Try it, and let me know how you like it!

Been M.I.A.

Hello! I have seriously been missing in action from all social networking period. I havn't blogged, hardly checked my email, and didn't go on facebook all week! The hubby was off of work Tues, Wed & Thursday so he decided to start a remodel in our kitchen! We own a home that was built in like 1960 and ever since we bought it, the water heater has been in a cabinet in the corner of the kitchen. (um, hello! why????) Anyways, my husband initially wanted to get a tankless water heater, so we checked it out, and it was going to be too expensive...so he just decided to move ours to the garage. 11 hours later on Tuesday, it was finally moved, and by mid day Wednesday the cabinet was torn out and out of my kitchen! Now I have an 8 1/2 foot wall in my kitchen that only has our refigerator and stove :( So after seriously 20 trips to both Home Depot & Lowes, we have picked out new cabinets for that wall! :) This is the part that I am excited about! We still have to order them (probably next week), then it takes 3 weeks to get them in! So my kitchen will be in a sorry state for about a month! :( Oh well!
So folks, that is where I have been...every time I get on the computer, it is for researching kitchens, floorplans, appliances, etc... As far as my training...been soooo busy this week, as of today, I have only ran twice this week. 3 miles on Monday and then 9 today...so hopefully I can squeeze out a 4 miler this weekend! I say hopefully!!!! I have soooo much catching up to do on all my blogger friends posts! Hope everyone had an awesome week!