Nike Training & Nike Run Club

Last month I was invited to go to a Nike training event with a Nike master trainer.  It was like the Nike training app in person.  

With Nike master trainer Flor who took us through a workout full of high impact squats, lunges and pushups.  

This Saturday Nike is throwing a training workout with Nike master trainer Flor Beckmann at the Kauffman center @ 10:00 am.  It is free and based on the two events I went to will be super fun.  This is assuming your idea of fun is a hard workout.  There will be healthy snacks and a Nike fashion show afterwards.  I would go but apparently my employer expects me to work Saturdays, so you should go and tell me about it.  You can sign up here.

Monday evening at Nike Run Club was the Kansas City kick off to find your fastest mile.  It was held at liberty memorial in Kansas City right across the street from Harvey's in Union Station where I wait tables.  I wanted to go to the event and in usual Gretchen style she was super pumped to go but then her enthusiasm quickly dropped once we arrived.  She did enjoy a blue Gatorade and then hung out in the shade of the tent playing on my phone during the event.  

One of the pacers giving a little talk about finding your personal best mile.  We started with a warm up jog then a series of warm up and running form drills.  Then it was time for the mile run.  It was a 1/3 mile course so three loops down hill then up hill in front of liberty memorial.  I think it was a cool 90˚ out.  You got with your pace goal group and went for it.  

I'm certain I can do better.  So if anyone wants to meet up for a liberty memorial fast hilly mile let me know.

Selfie with Gretchen, she enjoyed the oranges and Kind bar snacks.

The Beer Mile

The beer mile it's an actual thing.  You down a 12oz beer, you run 1/4 mile, you down a 12oz beer, you run 1/4 mile, you down a 12oz beer, you run 1/4 mile, you down a 12oz beer, you run 1/4 mile.  You do this as fast as possible and hope not to puke.  I realize this all sounds like a terrible idea but like I said it's a thing.  KC Running Company put this race on in Martian City.  It was an out and back 1/4 mile so you ran out and back twice stopping for your beer each 1/4 mile before crossing the finish line.

Before the race with some superstar beer milers.  My stomach actual hurt a little before the race but was fine after.

Nick Symmonds is pretty good at running the beer mile.  My performance was pretty much the same.

           

Or not so much.  It took me 15:03, chugging beer is hard.  The beer was made by Martian City Brewery.  It was good except not exactly what I would have picked for running.  I think a warm bud light would have gone down a little easier.  I didn't puke.  Lots of burping as I ran which was completely necessary.

Got a cool t-shirt and felt well enough after to sit and enjoy a beer so all good.  

Running the Mile You Are In

It was my birthday it was also a Monday so I didn't ask off work.  I like to save my ask offs for Saturdays and I might be too old to be asking off work for my birthday.  The only thing I was really wanting to do on my birthday was run and since my feet might not love double digit miles I figured I'd have time for both.  I managed to get out of work early enough for some outside run time before child pick up time.  It might have been a cool 97˚ out.  Their might have been an excessive heat warning, whatever.*  I'm fairly certain I like heat more than the average person.  Even if it's muggy heat, I still like it.  

I went for 4 miles on the Little blue.  4 hot slow sweaty miles.  Birthday present to self: getting full sweat on.  I stopped and dipped my head in the Little Blue River.  Might be gross but felt good.

Afterwards still sweating it out in the Sonic drive thru line.  2nd birthday present to self: route 44 diet cherry limeade.  I don't drink soda otherwise but these are so cold and refreshing  with their tiny ice cubes and limy goodness.

*Excessive heat warnings really shouldn't be taken lightly and could be dangerous. I'm kinda experienced and do well in heat.  I ran slow and carried Nuun enhanced water.  Be smart.

Run The Mile You Are In

Since I was running all the time I wanted to get a running related tattoo.  Who doesn't right? I'm also obsessed with quotes, especially anything running or exercise related.  I just had to pick the right one to be tatted on me for the rest of my life.  I have a bunch of favorites but wanted something more positive than dark.  Running related but that would mean something for the all of my non running life as well.

Run the mile you are in(from David Willey, editor in chief of Runner's World) was one of my favs and also short enough to make a nice tattoo.  Be present with the mile you are running because you're done with the ones behind you and the miles in front of you won't happen till this one right here does.  It's important to enjoy where you are at in life  even if at the time it seems really hard to see anything good about it.  Enjoy the pain because that's what is going to make you a better, stronger  runner and person.  Besides sometimes pain is fun and owning where you are at in running and life makes everything easier to deal with.

As for where to put the tattoo.  I had a rose tat on my left shoulder from when I was 20 and did lots of  idiotic things.  Just walked into a tattoo parlor and said that looks cool.  It did not look cool. Point being I wanted it covered up.  Now I know some people (hi mom) might not think the way to deal with a small ugly but faded tattoo would be to cover it up with a much larger fresh new tattoo but I think it was the perfect solution.

I did my research as in I took a poll from all my FB friends on tattoo artists.  Looked at all the suggestions and settled on Luke Whitmire at Glory Bound Tattoos in Blue Springs.  Picked because I thought his work I saw online reflected the kind of all round look I wanted even though I wasn't really sure what that was at the time.  Also he did not have a six month wait. Waiting is not my favorite.

I made a pintrest board of lettering styles I liked along with the quote I wanted.  Took it to him and mentioned I liked trails and trees.  What you see above is basically what he came up with other than I thought the original trees he drew looked more like west coast trees than Missouri trees.  I told him I would like the trees to look more Midwest and he nailed it.  I don't really know what the going rates are for tattoos but thought the cost was totally reasonable, I would have paid more.  I'm really happy with how it turned out and you can't see the old tattoo underneath it at all. 

Anyone else have a running or exercise related tattoo?  If not what kind of tattoo would you get if you had to?

  

Ya Let's Stab My Feet With Needles, That Sounds Fun

The needles were not that big and there wasn't blood squirting out.  This is just a picture of what it felt like.

Apparently I'm willing to do just about anything to get rid of the pain in my feet and back to running again.  Last week I decided to give dry needling a try.  I mean if it's supposed to work even better than just the foot rubbing thing why am I not doing it?  Well, it hurts and the thought of it really grosses me out.  He stabs 2 needles into each foot then swishes my muscles around with them, or something like that.  It does seem to be improving things even more than before though.  Overall my feet feel better especially at work where I'm on my feet all day.  I ran 4 days in the past week.  A 2 miler, 3miler, 4.5 miler and 2 miler.   The 4.5 was outside the rest was on the treadmill.  All the runs felt great while in them but after the 4.5er I had to go straight to work and it wasn't a good day for my feet.  They did feel better the next day so much so that I ran a 2 miler and felt fine after.  This is kinda the same pattern for the past 3 weeks.  The 2-3milers don't bother my feet but the longer distances do.  All of the 2-3 milers have been on the treadmill and the longer ones were outside.  It's easier to limit myself on the treadmill than outside.

Things seem to be improving overall but so so slowly that it is so so frustrating.  A month ago it hurt to even start running and my feet bothered me at work everyday so this is better. 11.5 miles of running in a week is better than 0 but it's so far from where I want to be.  I have another appointment today to have needles stabbed into my feet and I'm mostly dreading it.  Ugh. 

Running Again

Gretchen and I drew a picture of how happy we are running.  Everything is flowers and butterflies.

I think I know why you're having foot pain Kristen, your running form looks terrible.

I went 7 weeks of basically no running, when I did run after I'd be "nope shouldn't have done that."  Four weeks in  I saw a doctor.  She gave me  prescription strength ibuprofen and said ya don't run.  Clearly not acceptable.  So on week 7 I went and saw a chiropractor that another runner recommended.  Then like magic my feet started feeling better.  Like f***ing magic!  My first visit was a week ago.  Over the next few days my foot pain while not gone was greatly reduced while on my feet all day waiting tables and I ran 3 days spacing them out.  The pain and tightness I felt after running was way more tolerable.  My 2nd visit was 2 days ago.  Then yesterday I ran 5 miles then after zero pain in my right foot, ZERO.  Still felt it in my left foot but not horrible.  

I put off seeing a chiropractor since my insurance doesn't cover it and despite several people telling me to see one I didn't think it would help.  I saw Dr. Cotter at Active Health Solutions: Chiropractic and Rehab.  I picked him because he was recommended by another runner and a bit cheaper than another guy that was recommended to me.  He dropped the fee for the initial consultation for being a Tail Nerd so that was cool.  Now paying per visit which is totally worth it since it seems to be working.    He basically just rubs this piece of hard plastic into my foot so hard I want to cry then a few adjustment things at my ankle joints, hips and lower back. Magic!

  

What to do? What to do?

FreeState 100k is on Saturday and I am not particularly ready for it.  I've been having planter fasciitis issues since the 100 miler at the end of January.  It's definitely gotten a lot better but my feet are not 100%.  Then there is also the part about my mileage being really low while dealing with my foot issues.  Mostly in the low 30's just getting back up to 40 miles last week.  My long runs have all been in the 10-15 mile range with the one marathon 4 weeks ago.  I almost didn't even ask off work for the race but decided at the last minute to take the day off and see how I felt.  I already paid for it months ago.  My options are just not go, go but drop down to the marathon or half marathon distance, start the 100k and see what happens dropping out if I need to.  I think the smart option would be to drop to a shorter distance but my instinct is to start the 100 and see how it goes.  I'm fairly confident I could finish it well with in the allotted time, 16 hours I think, assuming I didn't need to drop out if my feet start bothering me at an unreasonable level.  But my milage has been pretty low so I might be stupid, hard to say.  

Gretchen showing off her foot taping technique for me.

What would you do?  You do, not what would Jesus do unless you have an opinion on what he would do in this situation.

I Bought a Candle, Who Am I?

I have never been a candle person.  Never understood why people have them.  I mean you have to remember to blow them out and if your house stinks maybe just buy some bleach.  However tonight I was prusing store shelfs and thought I needed one.  I feel calmer already.  

I need a pair of America themed running shoes.

After a month and a half of low mileage, tons of stretching, foam rolling and foot exercises I think the feet are getting better.  My runs have felt fantastic this last week,  I feel like haveing a few days of running in tank top weather really helped my feet.  Most days have been too cool for tank tops but still shorts weather, so much more plesant than last month.   I was about to start thinking about skipping Free State 100k next month or at least dropping to a shorter distance but finally going to have a decent amount of milage this week so just see if my feet hold up I guess.

Greatest Fear Realized and Back At It

So apparently I was a little delusional at 3am on the trail about there being no one close enough to hear me singing.  I guess having someone hear me sing was better than someone attempting to murder me.

Took a solid week off from running after the race.  My legs felt fine after a couple of days but my feet were still achy.  I started back with 4 slow miles yesterday.  Not the best but not bad, felt good to run again.  Feet didn't seem to like the first 1/2 mile while they were on concrete but fine after that.

I quit lifting weights about a month and a half before the race, mostly because I was using all my exercise time to run and then didn't want to make my muscles all sore right before the race.  I started back up with the weights and my muscles are all a whole diffrent kind of sore this week.

And I decided on the rest of my race schedule for the year.  I had already signed up for Rock and Roll, Free State, and Rockbridge before running the 100 miles but wanted to hold off on signing up on any more 100's till I knew how I felt about them.  Turns out I want more.  I'm going with the Hawk for my 2nd 100.  I did the 50 last year and it's a good race and nice course.  I kinda wanted to do something different but its local so lots cheaper than traveling and I already have 2 runcations this year.  

Rock and Roll DC Marathon March 14th

Free State 100k April 18th

Psycho Psummer 50k July 11th

Hawk 100mile September 12th

Rockbridge Revenge 50k  October 3rd

Running Music

Generally when I start a new playlist for workout music, I'll keep with it a couple of months then abandon it and start a new one.  However my current one I started at the beginning of August when I signed up for The Hawk 50 miler and have been keeping with it and adding to it ever since.  It is currently over 5 hours long, perfect for those long runs.

It started with all country mostly red dirt and Texas country.  Nothing I used to consider workout music but all perfect for trail running when I was pretty much in a crummy mood everyday.  After running my 50 miler I was still loving my playlist but started adding to it.  Some mainstream country then my favorites from Eminem and Theory of a Deadman made their way back in.

I've started singing during my long runs for entertainment I guess.  I think this makes me a lot more aware of my surroundings thus safer since I'm clearly way more worried about someone hearing me sing than being murdered.  I go from singing about whiskey and exes to being racially profiled to firing at the british to rolling blunts to loving beer and trucks.  I'm sure my singing makes me sound crazy, maybe help keep the real crazies away.

My current top songs to listen to at the gym compared to outside.  I think I'm angrier at the gym.




I added This Land is Your Land after seeing this commercial.  It's a good commercial, I wanna go buy some North Face and run up a mountain.



If this commercial doesn't make you wanna run up a mountain I don't know what will.

Finished the week at 75 miles.  It's all downhill from here till the race on the 31st.  Taper time starts tomorrow.  What to do with all my free non running time?  I don't know, taper is the worst and 3 weeks seems like a long taper but that's what they say to do.


Whats your favorite songs to run to?  I love suggestions!

Winning, Not Winning

Looks like I found a pacer for the Rocky Raccoon.  Never met him but he is apparently from the area, is familiar with the trails we'll be running and upon inspection of his FB page runs a ton completed a full iron man this year and loves beer.  I am so pumped he offered to pace.  My day was really looking up then I went grocery shopping and they were completely out of Boulevard Nutcracker Ale.  You win some you lose some.

Started my Christmas shopping today got about half way through it all.  Switched gears for the afternoon getting out in the warm 30˚ overcast weather for 22 miles.  Saw a few bikers and one other runner while I was out.  Two miles from being finished I decided to walk for a moment and take some pics of all the geese and deer but my phone died as soon as I snapped one pic.  No music for the last two miles but made it through without my jams.

Half way through my run I snacked on a gingerbread cliff bar.  So freaking delicious or I was starving and 11 miles from my car, either way.  Later this evening Gretchen wanted to make gingerbread men cookies so I bought a mix and we made some.  So not good at all.  Should of bought more cliff bars and cut men out of them.

This evening I got an email saying I had been accepted as a Nuun ambassador for 2015.  Nuun is my sports drink of choice already so this is exciting for me.  It is a 7 calorie electrolyte enhanced drink tabs that dissolve in your water bottle.  No sugar or sugar substitutes and so tasty.  The energy flavors are caffeinated.

Flavors currently in my cabinet. 

I Ran Now Give Me Pie

Had a really solid 20 mile run Thanksgiving morning.  I was not looking forward to it and not sure how it would go seeing how it was a super warm 25˚ out.  I was starting out at my parents house and planned to run to my sister's house in Warrensburg, exactly 10 miles away.  

About 5 miles out I decided I wouldn't turn around and texted my sister on my ETA at her house.  Then took a couple of pictures.  The whole run was a lot more pleasant than I pictured it being. Even though it was below freezing out there was really no wind.  I had dressed well for the run and did take a 30 minute break at my sister's house to dry out my sweaty clothes(gross I know).  She had water and saltines with peanut butter which was perfect snack for running the 10 miles back to my parents house.  The run back went by fast and I was starving when I reached my parents house.  Worked out perfectly since there was a Thanksgiving dinner to eat.

Got mentioned in the December issue of Ultra Running magazine.  A magazine no one has ever heard of but it exists.  It was a race report on the Hawk in September.  

Finished last week with 52 miles and the week before with 51 all ok but need to beef it up with only 6 weeks left of training till taper for the Rocky Raccoon.  Weather guys are says temps and conditions look to be pretty mild for the first half of December so I'm hopping.  Decent temps would make training so much easier and pleasant.  

Go Run

So not loving this cold weather,  started doing some miles on the treadmill.  I feel like my life is really boring lately.  Gym, work, run, that's about it.  I know what you're thinking " Kristen your life is always this boring, nothings changed."

Gretchen did turn 4 this past week.  That was a big deal.  We had a party, she had a great time, getting lots of great clothes, Anna dolls, play dough and much more.  She told me she wanted a pineapple for her party.  I was like "yes, something I can deliver on!"  I didn't do a great job of taking pictures but oh well.

I had a Saturday morning off which never happens unless I ask off for a race so I signed up for volunteering for packet pick up at the Pilgrim Pacer race.  Really cold that morning and I forgot to bring my coveralls but glad I went.  First time at a race I wasn't running.

So cold!

Less than 10 weeks out from my 100miler.   This means only 7 weeks left of high mileage before tapering down for the race.  Thursday is my only day off work this week so planning on getting a serious amount of miles in before Thanksgiving dinner.  My longest run last week was only 15 miles so I need to pump that up a bit.

What's Up Round Up

Been a few weeks.  Had another solid 60 mile week then spent the next week sick only got in 29 miles.  Back on track this week hopefully finishing with 50+ miles after tomorrow.   Made it to the gym 4 times for weights and piyo once. 

Halloween happened, Gretchen went back and forth between Hello Kitty and princess Anna from Frozen.   Finally decided on Anna.

Found the ear piece to my headphones I lost in the gym parking lot over a month ago.  Decided it was best to leave it there to avoid disease and such.

Made a pie chart while I was lying around not running last week.  It's how I'd like to spend my time if you know I didn't have to work.  I suppose at some point I would want to be social but that could just overlap with any of the categories.

Then I went ahead and signed up for my first 100 mile race.  The Rocky Raccoon in Huntsville, TX on January 31st.  It will be the biggest Ultra race I have been to by far.  Last year they had 485 people start the race with 280 finishers.  It's a flat trail course of five 20mile laps.  From everything I have heard and read about the race I think I have a good shot at completing it in sub 24 hours.  I have nothing planned out as far as how I'm getting there or what I need to think about bringing or hotel room but it's happening.  I think it will be good even though I'm slightly less excited about getting to train in 30˚ temps this week.

Random

Found a good pic of myself on the Tough Mudder website.  I mean my face says "oh f this" but I'm covered in mud and I made it across so I think I look good.

The more I run the worse my diet gets.  Going to attempt to reintroduce fruits and vegetables to myself this week,  will see how that goes.

Found out where the sidewalk ends on one of my runs this week.

Got a new yoga mat since my old one was dirty and gross.  Probably should of unrolled it before I bought it.  "Dance Love Sing Live" has never been my mantra.

Miles Ran this Week:  60 

Time Spent Running: 8:40 about

Time Spent Lifting: 1:30  made it to the gym twice this week

Time Spent in YoPi classes: 2:00 I think it is good for stretching out the legs from running

Managed to get all my workouts in and still take 2 complete days off this week.  

Tough it Out

Gretchen finding use out of more of my running accessories.  We took a walk after dark the other night so headlamp came in handy.

Proof that I did a tough mudder on Saturday.  I couldn't decide if I really wanted to go or not because  I thought I would feel awkward in the group I was with but race money is never refundable so I went.  I guess it was mostly what I thought it would be.  10ish miles though a muddier than I expected field with obstacles every so often.  The running wasn't really hard, I mean it was sloshy mud the whole way but you stopped every mile or so for an obstacle.  Some of the obstacles had long lines and I really hate waiting in lines especially when you are freezing cold from jumping in a pit of water at the last obstacle.  Some of the obstacles were stupid:  walking through a creek for I'm guessing 1/4 mile,  it's cold and not fun but not hard to do.  Some of the obstacles were scary:  jumping off of a plank 25' high(I don't know how high it was just felt that high) I screamed like a girl,  jumping into a vat of ice filled dirty water and having to go under to reach the other side to get out and the monkey bars which were very long and over top a water pit.   The first two I just did without thinking because thinking would of caused me not to do them.  The monkey bars I thought there was no way I could get across without falling and was going to skip but went for it and didn't seem so impossible once I got going and it was either get across or fall into a pit of cold water.  

I'm glad I did one just to do it but would much prefer an ultra run over a mudder.  Mostly because  in Ultras there is no waiting, the aid stations are only a million times better and ultras aren't "produced" events.  You are running on the land how it exists naturally.   And of course I think ultra's make you way cooler and tougher than a tough mudder.

Miles ran last week:  40 low but not bad low.
No weights but getting back on that this week.

And More Running

New to me route that I'm liking on cloudy days.  The path travels by the road but not a ton of traffic and senic views.  This run was sunny and 80˚ so a bit warm with no shade.  5.5 miles is as far out as I've ran on it so not sure how far it goes yet.

As far as running goes this week went great.   I had no trouble hitting 48 miles while still having 2 days off.  My knee pain from last week is all gone.  Had a long run on Wednesday of 21 miles divided up before and after work.   

Miles Ran:  48

Time Spent Running: 6:40

Time Spent with Weights: 2:15

I've been trying to get Gretchen to go for walks in the evenings.  She says yes or even suggests we go but then half way up the street this happens.  I get a good 1/2 mile in with all 38lbs of her on my back.

What's Up

Win at Life?  There was zero information in the issue about how to win at life.  Thank you Self, the most pointless magazine ever that I only subscribe to because you've got me on auto pay from clicking the wrong button on the Active website once.  

This week I felt like I recovered super fast.  Felt like I was good to go by Wednesday morning.  Ran 8 miles on Wednesday then Thursday went out for 9.  Unfortunately my knee was bothered by this.  I think it was just still bruised from falling on it in the race.  It only felt bothered by impact exercise.  To be smart I didn't run again till today and I think it's recovered.

Time spent running: about 2:15 didn't have a watch for all of it but thats about right.
Time spent lifting: about 2:00  Started at new gym this week.  It's convenient and not to packed when I go.  I feel like I'm going to have a hard time getting a squat rack when I want it but other than that it's good.

Plans for the week include plenty of gym time, getting out of the house a bit earlier in the mornings and as many miles as my body tells me it can do.  Slowly working on getting my mileage base up to 60.  Trying to build a relationship with my pull up bar.  Needs to get serious so I can make these pull ups happen.

Fallin' & Flyin'

Miles Ran:  51
Time Spent Running:  6:45
Time Spent with Weights:  1:30

Run of the week was the 14 miles I ran on a flat trail.  About 11 of those miles were in the pouring rain which made the temps perfect.  I saw no one else out while it was raining during that run and was really surprised that no one jumped out onto the trail and murdered me.  Did see some murdered fish, a little creepy.

These next two weeks are for taking it easy during the week then racing on the weekends.   Saturday the 6th I'm running Run the Burg in Warrensburg, MO then next Saturday the 13th is the Hawk 100 where I'll be running the 50 mile in Lawrence, KS.  Always half marathon ready never 50 mile ready but both are happening.

My running song of the week.

                                             

Past Week

Miles Ran: 48

Time spent Running: 6:40

Time spent lifting: 1:30 still only went once this week

One cycle class: :50 

 Last time teaching the class.  Mostly because driving to a gym that was 20 minutes away with Gretchen after she had been in preschool all day was really just not working for us.  Partly because pretending I was super upbeat and excited to teach the class was hurting my head.

I'm happy with the miles I got in for the week especially with the temps being above 90 most afternoons this week.  I had a 15 mile long run that was good, but hot and humid.  Temps been a little lower and if that pesky women wouldn't of stopped me I may have felt like pushing it a few more miles.

In the interest of safe running I have been wearing sunscreen on all my runs this week.

For the first time ever I have nice looking feet.  Thanks Heather.  I'm sure this won't last long but was gifted a professionl pedicure and manicure.  I was nervous about having this done because apparently completely normal things scare me.