hey there, remember me?

I actually have gone a little crazy.  My life is a whirlwind trying to get ready to move.  

The race. First of all THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES OVER for all of your generous donations to The BCRF - it was such an inspiration and truly touching.  In the end I raised a whopping $1600 in one month for the cause.  Awesome awesome awesome.

The race was difficult for me this year, more so than last year mostly due to the heat and humidity.  I had to take it a little slower but I only finished 3.5 mins slower than last year - not awful.  Of course you know this is a disappointment to me and I'm still not over it, haha.  I'm in better physical condition this year but for a multitude of reasons I couldn't quite pick up the pace. Grrrrr.

Anyway it's done.  Next big race on the agenda is the Copenhagen Half Marathon on Sept 12th with the hubby.  Yep, that is our 1 year anniversary date.  We'll be running 13.1 miles and then going home to eat frozen wedding cake!  (He hates me)

Moving. Well it's all coming along, and SWIFTLY at that.  I am realizing that even what I consider not to be a lot of "stuff" - it's A LOT OF STUFF. Holy Cow!  Let's all join my campaign to Christian that he needs to buy me all new clothes over there instead.  :P

Job. It's a WIP.  I have some contract work with my current company/role to keep me busy for a month or so and a couple things in motion for a full time placement with Experian EMEA so fingers crossed these "approvals" happen and I'll be fully and gainfully employed by end of June.

Celebrating. I LOVE MY LIFE.  I have the best friends and family a girl could ever ask for.  Not a dull moment around here these days.  I need to work out extra hard just to minify damage to my body from alcohol and dinners out.  Wouldn't swap it for the world, though.

This weekend. GET READY FOR THE GAGA BAR CRAWL aka THE JMAs (Jill's Moving Awards).  Gail has done a fantastic job planning and gathering all my loved ones for this fantastic event.  I have super amazing friends flying in from all over the country.  This is going to be epic.  How are you going to get your JMA? 

Christian.  Firstly, I love him.  He gets in TOMORROW.  He has to help me with all my "stuff" as mentioned previously.  But can't wait to plant some big kisses on his face, I've missed him so much!

That is the update - as you can tell I have a bit of excitement running through my veins.

Countdown:

1 Day til Chr gets here
3 Days til the best going away party ever
7 Days left of work at QAS Boston
7 Days til we go home to see the fam
11 Days til we SHIP OUT!

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tips for hot weather running

I've done some research on hot weather running.  Mostly for my benefit but thought it useful to share!

The forecast for Sunday in Philadelphia keeps getting hotter – up to nearly 90 degrees at the moment.  

Broad Street Run might be Broad Street Collapse for me, I’m getting nervous.  I haven’t ran in hot weather in almost a years time.  I don’t know how my body is going to react.

From my research here are the takeaways:

• Stay hydrated! (most obvious) – you’ll need to drink water before, during and after your run.  Some even recommend a sports drink prior or during a run in the heat to keep electrolytes and sodium levels up.  I heart the Gatorade tables on a race route – after 5 or 6 miles it really helps me more than water, mental or not.
• Avoid the sun if possible – if there is shade on your route, use it.
• Wear light colored, light weight, wicking material – cotton will soak up sweat and build up body heat. Check out my “I just wanna run” tank from Lulu Lemon I’ll be sporting, I love it!
• Slow down – awesome, not what I wanted to hear but it is sensible. If you start too fast off the bat, after 30-40 minutes when you’re truly ‘heated up’ for any run, it will be that much harder to cool down your body.
• "Pour water on yourself" – love this suggestion from Jeff Galloway.
• Gear - sun screen (sweatproof), a hat if you can fathom it (I can't), sunglasses (lightweight)

I think my strategy for Broad Street Collapse will be to run with a water bottle in hand rather than rely on water stops.  I will NOT be wearing one of those belts with water containers on it - those things look DEATHLY UNCOMFORTABLE and would drive me insaneeee.  Not to mention, they're hideous.  

I’ll use the water cups at the stops to pour on myself, haha. I will, however, drink Gatorade when it’s offered.  

I need to work on my outfit – I have the tank but I’m not sure about the bottoms.  I’ve been running in capri running legging things for months, I don’t know that I have a pair of shorts I feel comfortable running 10 miles in.  Hmm, I think I will consult KC and her Lulu knowledge.  I’m liking these at the moment.

Pray for me!!  I think I’m back to hoping that I "finish" rather than striving for a time.  We’ll see.  Maybe I’m just over reacting and I’ll be fine (likely story).

Run run run!

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pretty aggressive...

This week KC taught us how to do a Turkish Get Up with a kettlebell. Turkasaykettlewhat? It is a kettlebell exercise I've always seen people do but now I can do it too! I am so proud of me and the baby 8kg kettlebell, haha.

Check it out:

I would have given KC some blog fame here but her video is only on FB and I can't figure out how to put it on here. However, she will support my disclaimer that you shouldn't try this without proper instruction first. Or at least she instilled enough fear of Turkish Kettleball Gods in me during her instructions to think so.

So from what I remember (more on 'learning' later), the exercise has several benefits for mind and body.  It's mentally exhausting to concentrate and ensure that this weight doesn't come crashing down on you.  You have to keep your core engaged pretty much the entire time and it is certainly an act of stability.  It will also get your heart rate up as you start to do them continuously.  The one other thing KC reiterated was about teaching your arms how to move around your body properly.  Turkish Get Up - voila!

The other exercise we did last night has left what feel like welts on my hip bones. I had a resistance band around my hips and had to sprint against it with someone holding me back. Harder than it looks. Ouch.  

I got to thinking last night... Training adults in a gym must be a little like teaching children in a preschool. However, it is not an official classroom and for this I think adults struggle to understand that personal training requires as much listening as it does doing. I couldn't count on my hands the amount of times that KC had to tell me "your other left" last night.

You've got all your typical children in a gym that you would see in a preschool. The know-it-alls (who don't), the adhd, the panic stricken, the complainers/whiners, those who need constant reassurance and pats on the back and the aggressive bullys.... But worst of all, it is in adult form.

I probably represent a little of all those qualities.  I sometimes fight the urge to raise my hand to speak... but that's only after I've completely cut someone else off from speaking.  HAHA. I am a piece of work, but I don't think I'm the worst out there.

It just further proves the point that no one's job is easy and it takes a certain kind of person to be able to do different jobs.  I would probably end up throwing a kettlebell at someone if they weren't paying attention to what I was saying.  And that's why I can't be a trainer... amongst several hundred thousand other reasons. 

Here we go Broad Street Run a mere 5 days away! Ahh!

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running for a cure!

I am absolutely so touched by everyone that has donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) as part of my competing in the Broad Street Run. Wow! You are all beautiful, generous people!

So far I've raised $250 which is just about half my goal. However, I think I have the opportunity to massively beat this target with the fundraising I'm doing at work. I am so glad I decided to fundraise; even if it is awkward asking people for money, it's going to a much greater good.

Visit my fundraising page to see why I chose to run for the BCRF as well as donate - any small bit helps!

I feel pretty well prepared for the race but I almost feel like I'm jinxing it by saying that. This year, thanks to Kelly the master trainer, I have incorporated interval sprints and hills into my training which has made me a more agile runner. I feel stronger and faster, anyway.

If you're thinking of running a race sometime soon or at any point in the future - I recommend following "Active.com" on Facebook or just regularly visiting their site.  They always have some great articles about training.

A couple of favorites recently: 27 Ways to Run Better Every Day | Training Runs for Building Race Speeds 

Hoping my cousin Mat still runs the race, he is undertrained but in boy terms this just means he'll be fine if he paces with me. Mat Ward get on it.

My super fit aunt (Angela) and a few of her super fit friends are running but I'll most likely be eating their dust.

Must get a good running mix together. Taking all suggestions!!!

Broad Street I'm coming for you. Please don't rain. :)

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UL Week 3

Here is the obligatory update.  Sorry so boring! ;)

I feel as though I worked out really hard this week.  But I probably was just trying to make up for the weekend prior all along.  I didn't take one day off which doesn't seem like much but it was good for me, I think.  I dropped 1.6lbs from last week.  Nothing huge but something just the same.

Need to get my running back on track - that is my goal for this week.  Got a good 'distance' run in this morning.  Tired leggos tonight, but it's a sense of accomplishment! :D

Does anyone want to run Broad Street Run with me??  It's 10 miles - all flat, practically downhill.  Mike ran it with me last year and he hadn't run more than 5 miles... he survived.  It's in Philly but the more the merrier!  Let me know :)

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