Hello there, August

Can you believe we've knocked out the first week of August? It seems like just yesterday we were ushering in June and now here we are saying goodbye to Summer. I'm not ready.

Pretty good week of training I think as I embark on my quest to do a century.

Monday -
Body Pump! I'm really liking that this is part of my schedule. I'd really like to focus on getting leaner and stronger. I upped my weights this week so I'm now basically lifting a chihuahua. Slow and steady, right?

Tuesday -
1.25 hours on the menu for after work. In all my Muncie training I hadn't done that long of a ride on a week night. I set out on the Seneca Bike loop around 6, hoping to miss the brunt of the traffic. I figured I'd ride the loop 3 or 4 times and see where I was. The loop itself starts from a park and residential area and goes around a small airport, then through a golf course. All in all I think it's about 3.5 miles. The first hill getting up to the loop is a bear though. It curves around near the top and I can't do anything but just spin in a low low gear. I beat it though, three times. Felt proud of that. There's a hill at the end too that's short but super steep. Definitely not reflected on my elevation map!

When I finished the third loop I decided to head home - the sky was looking pretty crazy. Sure enough, about 5 seconds after I got ghost in the door the sky just opened up and it was pouring. Perfect timing!

Wednesdays - 
I plan on running on Wednesdays, but this particular Wednesday it was a no go. I felt so crappy. My legs hurt, my body ached, I was tired. I think it was just the ravages of PMS (which are real, boys. Boy are they real), but it took a super hard toll. I worked a little later and then came home and totally crashed.

Thursday -
Thursday called for a 1.5 hour ride. I'm a little unsure of how I'm going to get these in, considering Thursday is also volleyball night. I decided to get on the trainer in the morning and do as much as I could, then hopefully get some more in later. I set the trainer up before I went to bed and stuck my water bottle in the fridge. I can't do it any other way. When my alarm went off at 5:45 I let the dog out and then got on the trainer basically in my sleep. I'm re-watching Homeland from the beginning. It's my "trainer thing" i guess. I love it. Turns out volleyball was smack in the middle of the evening so I never got the second half in. C'est la vie. Felt like I got in a good workout and some of the Wednesday Ick was gone.

Friday -
One thing I missed during Muncie training was Tennis! Hubz and I used to play several days a week but in the last year or two haven't played as much. Definitely during Muncie "Tennis" wasn't listed anywhere on my schedule so, we never played. Now we're hoping to play Friday afternoons. It's a lot of fun to come home and start the weekend off that way. I had a date with my mom at 7 so we only got to play a few games (of which I won, 4-2) but we still had a good time.

Painting Cards with my mom

Saturday - 
Luckily my friend and inspiration Jessie had an 'easy' 35 miler planned so I hopped on and did the Iroqouis special with her. For the first time, though, I met her at the starting point on Melwood about 4 miles from my house. This meant riding from my house to the start point alone. Eek. As you've noticed I"m not much of a solo rider due to my intense fear of flats/cars/potholes/LowSpeedFalls/etc. When I woke up it was super foggy. I wish I'd taken a pic - it was incredible! I clipped on my rear blinky light and set off into the fog! It wasn't bad at all really. It was a route I knew and it was dead quiet at 7:30 a.m.. I met up with Jessie and some of the speedier Landsharks and off we went. The fist 17 miles were a breeze. For the first time Jessie and I chatted and just pedaled away. I didn't even realize we'd gone that far! Overall it was a super speedy ride - only one 5 mile segment under 13 mph and that was the uphill in Iroquois. I was definitely sore after but it was super worth it.

Iroquois Park w/ my buddy Alex last week

Nothing feels better after a long effort than chocolate milk

Sunday - 
Today I was still a little sore so I decided to take it easy. Also, grapefruit knee has returned. I was wondering how long that would take given my uptake in cycling. Oh well. After a few hours at work I met my friend Emily and we took the beagle girls for a walk. An easy 2 miles (she'd already walked like 10!! Holy crap, she's amazing). It was a really great little walk. I love going on walks with her, especially with the beagles. It's my happy place.


The schedule for this week looks just about the same. Upping the biking mileage again. Also, why is fall so busy? Between football and work it's like every waking minute is spoken for. Gotta keep planning, waiting, and moving ahead. Eyes forward!

Happy Running!

How was your week?
Any recurring aches and pains? Can't get rid of this grapefruit knee for me. Ugh

Finish Lines & Starting Corrals

First off, the Finish Line

I finished law school!

Well, assuming that I passed all my classes (and Tax is really the only one I'm worried about) I am officially done with three years of higher education. In most states that means I get to add "esquire" to the end of my name, but in Kentucky we do it a bit differently: instead of Jennifer Siewertsen, esquire:

Boo-Yah

But just in case lets keep those fingers/toes/whatever crossed about the Tax final. I won't find out for sure whether or not I'm doomed to summer school until the 8th so for the next two weeks I'll bask in the blissful solitude of optimism and believe I'M DONE!

Perhaps sensing my blissful mood at the end of all formal education, the Bar Prep company delivered a most amazing package to me today

The enormity of the event hasn't really hit me yet. Unlike a race, law school is something you spend three years training for and then....you wait. When I left the exam there wasn't a finish line or a medal to wear, just some greasy a@$ wings and beer at Hooters (yes...Hooters). Maybe once I actually get to wear the floppy hat and hood (which I must return promptly after commencement is over) I'll realize that I'm in fact a Juris Doctor now. Wish there was a medal though.

Next up, the Starting Corrals


We're officially 2 days away from the start of the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon. There is just about one word that defines how I feel about this fact: panic.

Saturday's 8 miler was wonderful. It was a little rainy and cool, but a great last-minute confidence booster. Monday morning I went out for a really nice run around the block - as per the training plan - to just keep the legs loose. I'd been feeling a twinge in my right hip/glute which I chalked up to my hilly 8 miles Saturday & then sand vball Sunday. Monday's run seemed to help, so I wasn't too worried.

Monday night, though, the illusive and deadly grapefruit knee was back. Yesterday it was at it's prime. I couldn't really bend my knee past 90 degrees and squatting or kneeling was damn near impossible. Needless to say I skipped my last scheduled "workout" for ice and tennis ball treatment. Today it's better - not quite as swollen, more mobility - but I've developed a really tender bruised spot where the pain is from all the tennis ball rubbing and foam rolling. I'm pushing the Motrin and water and spending some quality time with the ice pack in hopes of getting back to 100% by race morning.

The worst part is that this feels like an excuse to be petrified. I've run hard during training, I won't deny that. I've put in my miles and done it mostly alone. Before the Flying Pig I was nervous that I couldn't finish just because it was new and hey,  I had no idea. Now that I know I can do it, it feels like anything less than a stellar finish is a failure. Obviously I know that's not true; every race is different, every road to the start line is a new one. The knee problem is just an excuse to embrace the fear, and to give myself an excuse to fail.

So courage it is then.

There are a couple things I'm wishing for this week:

• An awesome marathon experience! (duh)
• Catching up on all of YOUR awesome blogs! I love sharing in your journey and I'm so behind. Prepare for mass commenting by yours truly
• I'm really hoping for a blogger meet-up with the lovely Julia from over at Pain Pride & Perseverance. Did you know we went to College together? True story! 

In the meantime, I'm testing out some "healthy rice-krispes treats" (don't be skeptical!) while Josh is out running on his own in "our" park. I'm so proud I could burst! And then i'm super annoyed that I'm stuck inside with a swollen knee. Now I know how Ali Mc felt with her newly running hubby. Gotta take the good with the bad :)

Happy Running!!

Anybody ever had an "injury" or a flare up before a race? How did you handle it?
Anybody racing this weekend?? 

The Lowdown On My Rubdown

After a pretty restless (read: awful) night's sleep, I was really happy that today was massage day.  I arrived my recommended 15 minutes early to fill out the paperwork and hit the table. I'm still on the fence about the whole thing, but here are just a few of my initial thoughts after my first Sports Massage

• The staff at Apex Spa Louisville are kind, knowledgeable and very professional (they also have a super awesome dog that works there too, and that was almost the highlight)
• It wasn't awkward at all, which I was kind of worried about (being my first massage)
• Though their sports massages normally stick to the lower body only, I asked her to also take some time on my lower back & she gave me a detailed explanation of everything she would be doing before she did it
• One thing I noticed is that there were times that I almost couldn't feel her hands. Maybe I'm desensitized because of the foam roller, but her dainty little fingers weren't doing much for my hips and hamstrings
• When I left, I didn't feel that much more relaxed OR sore than when I went in
• It's really really expensive

We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but my thinking is that it's something I could maybe do as a post-race treat but not at all regularly. 

After the massage I commenced a day of baking. I spent most of the day running in and out of the kitchen making upwards of 50 Almond clouds, some sugar cookies, and the innards of a chicken pot pie J and I will be eating for dinner shortly! I also managed to get in Cardio Core and Balance while one batch was in the oven. 

As you can see, it's not what you would call 'spacious'

Since my student budget is a tight one, I like to make gift baskets with love from my kitchen for friends and family. Most of these recipes came out of holiday desperation: when I was losing my initial weight I needed cookie/candy alternatives that I could eat without losing my diet goals. Over the last three years I've accumulated some good ones! I also love that I can feel good about giving my family treats that aren't (too) bad for them, but that taste just as good as any other holiday goodie. Enter, Almond Clouds. 

I could eat this picture, they taste that good

These delicious meringue-esc. goodies are a little bit chewy, a little bit crunchy, and a lot tasty. They're SUPER easy, keep for ever, and one batch makes a gazillion (give or take a few). I can't remember if I stole these from Weight Watchers or Ina Garten, but either way, they even out pretty good on the nutritional values. Check out the recipe, here. 

Hope those of you in the mid-west/Ohio Valley aren't washing away - GO AWAY RAIN!

Got any good holiday recipes for me? How was your run/workout today?

Back to Basics

I'm convinced that there are few evils that a rest day and a swim in the pool can't cure.

The one good thing about my Insanity® rest days falling on Tuesdays is that Tuesdays are the easiest days for me to get to the pool. Swimming and I have had a love-hate relationship that I've mentioned time and time again. I've made a serious effort go go regularly though, and I've been making it work. Swimming is like "going home" for me - it was the first sport I ever really 'played' and being in the water always felt second-nature. As a runner, I've been trying to get the best out of both.

If you've never swam, you should give it a shot. It can be a challenging way to get cardio and build strength (especially in key areas we don't work while running). Aside from that, there's a zen to it that is really relaxing and it has a way of stretching, realigning and releasing muscle tension that I've only otherwise found in light yoga.

Easy Dozen 200 Easy warm-up Freestyle 150 Reverse IM (no fly) 150 Kick Build 4x50 Build on 1:00 (finished ea. under 45) 150 Pull Freestyle 150 Kick – fly work, abs 200 IM Drill Total – 1,200 Yards

I made sure to stretch out really well afterward, focusing on my hip flexors and quads. Mobility in my knee is getting better, but it still feels really unstable. Not a good sign. Brought the tennis ball with me to school today so, despite looking like a total weirdo, I've been "rolling" it out all morning. Fingers crossed!

Dietary outlook is looking pretty good today. I'm here at school until about 9 tonight, which always leaves room for 'snacks'. It's so hard to plan for being gone that long and the vending machines are just so temping. They are, however, the silent killers of my weight goals AND my wallet. So today my lunchbox is stuffed with: lowfat mixed berry yogurt and granola, Baby Carrots, 1/2 Honeycrisp apple (be still my heart), Mint Chocolate Chip Luna Protein bar, and a baby almond joy (b/c hey, a girl has to have something naughty). If I can stick to it, I'm headed for dietary victory!

Hope you all are no longer working insane hours and/or plagued with injury!

Do you have a favorite type of cross-training? Got any tips for how to stay healthy while working long hours?

You can't spell S%*$ without 'IT'

Today's workout: Cardio Recovery and Volleyball (later)

Lets just get this out there:

• Thursday's run felt amazing. It was absolutely energizing and renewing
• Friday morning my knee was the size of a big fat apple - couldn't bend it past 90 degrees, can't squat, nothing
• After a week of smart food choices, good workouts, and NO peeking on the scale, I finally got on the scale on Saturday ready to see some preliminary results. I was not ready to see the that I'd actually gained weight

Friday and Saturday were long, stressful days that reminded me very glad I'd gotten a run in. After about 5 hours of sleep I was up Saturday morning for a Law School competition. To say I was underprepared would be an understatement. In running terms, I'd prepared for a marathon with a long run of 13 miles. Needless to say, it was stressful and I was exhausted but I advanced to the semi-finals! So...I get to do it again next week. 

And the Cards won too!
Is it too much to ask that we both win next week too?

After 5 hours of constant mental stimulation I was shot, my knee was still swelling, and I just couldn't endure a workout. So I put a big circle on my workout chart (signifying 'missed') and spent the evening walking with J, eating froyo and drinking microbrews. GREAT decision. 

I'm at the end of my rope in terms of my IT band. It only bothers me when I run. I've been doing Insanity® for 3 weeks and it has yet to rub, swell, or irritate me. In fact it's gotten more flexible and comfortable. Then I run for 40 minutes and I can't bend it for 3 days. Infuriating. A friend of mine who coaches Cross Country at my Alma Mater reminded me I needed to be more diligent with the foam roller. "Four or five times a day, at least" he tells me. Okay Coach, I'll do my best. 

Still feeling pretty tight and tender, I changed today's workout and did the recovery video instead of the scheduled workout. Boy am I glad I did. It's a working recovery video with lots of squats, yoga and pilates moves. It definitely helped to shake out the stiffness that comes with not working out for a few days.  Afterwards I immediately jumped into a warm bath with epsom salts & hit the foam roller. It's up to you now, IT band. Don't disappoint!

As far as the weight goes - I'm doing my best not to feel defeated. Sometimes your body is resistant to change, right? Well listen here, body - change is coming!

How do you deal with nagging injuries? How do you rebound from bad weeks on the scale?