Tag Archives: long run

Snow in May

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Another Saturday = another long run = a (mostly) happy Michelle.

And look, I even listened to music during the entire run! I think I like listening to music if I run later in the day, but I don’t care to listen to it in the early mornings because it is just too quiet and peaceful during that part of the day.

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I was a mostly happy camper, except for the white stuff on the ground! This marks 232 days between the first snowfall and the last snowfall of the season. I’m not convinced summer will ever come.

I talked to my dad on the phone before I went out for my run and we started talking about the weather, naturally, since we are from Minnesota. I told him it was 28* F. He said, “switch those two numbers and you have our temperature.” Sigh. . . . .

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I was not very excited to go for a run this morning, and I know it was merely due to the fact that there was snow on the ground. Seriously, it could have been the same temperature and same everything else, but since that darn snow was on the ground made me not-so-excited to run. DSC_0004

BUT I am way too addicted to not run, so out I went.

Distance: 13 miles

Time: 1:43

Average pace: 7:58 minutes/mile

Here’s how my splits broke down:

Mile 0 – I felt like I was running in a blizzard!

Mile 1 – 8:04

Mile 2 – 7:47

Mile 3 – 7:49 (Nice, I’m keeping a pretty decent pace.)

Mile 4 – 7:47 (Hearing birds chirping and seeing seagulls flying through the neighborhood was strange with snow on the ground.)

Mile 5 – 7:54 (Mile 5 and 6 I ran through a heavily wooded neighborhood, and I know my Garmin wasn’t picking up a very good signal.)

Mile 6 – 8:00 (Mile 6.5 took half of this Espresso Love GU—one of my favorite flavors.)

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Mile 7 -8:04 (Mile 7.5 my hamstring started hurting, so I stopped and stretched it out, which seemed to help.)

Mile 8 – 8:09 (Started running slower to protect my hamstring and because I was starting to run out of steam.)

Mile 9 – 8:10 (Took the second half of the GU.)

Mile 10 – 8:09

Mile 11 – 8:00 (I really tried to pick it up and push the pace the last few miles. I was mostly successful, but I was hoping for some splits around 7:45.)

Mile 12 – 7:49

Mile 13 – 7:50DSC_0006

I wore my Zensah gloves on my run today. I had completely forgotten about them. When I first reviewed them, I remembered thinking they weren’t anything special, but I’m a big fan now! They are super soft on the inside and fit like a glove (no pun intended). DSC_0009

I have been spending the past couple of hours following my post-long run recovery protocol, but Craig is getting bored, so it is probably time to get out of the house.

Mini-Blizzard in April

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Oh Alaska. . . . I wish you would Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)!

I don’t understand why we had to have a mini-blizzard in April. Geesh!

February 10, 2013: I don’t remember what the temperature was, but it was raining. (Still looks cold, huh?)

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April 6, 2013: 18*F and snowing. Just doesn’t seem right.

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Before running: not very excited because I knew it wasn’t going to be very easy-going.

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Afterwards: disgusted but glad to have finished the challenge.

I managed to cover 12 miles in the mini-blizzard we had yesterday that produced yet another foot of snow.

Distance: 12 miles

Time: 1:45

Average pace: 8:48 minutes/mile

I thought about waiting until Sunday to run, but I’m a creature of habit and like to stick to my Saturday long run routine. I also thought about running on the treadmill, but I hardly feel like I get a workout on the treadmill when I run on it. I almost slipped and fell a couple of times while running yesterday and was going to be really mad at myself for running outside if I did end up hurt myself with only a week until Boston. Luckily I did not fall, but there was a couple incidences where I threw up my hands and barely caught myself before I fell.

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Afterwards, I met Craig at Acai Alaska for 50% off acai bowls in honor of National Acai Day. DSC_0006

I didn’t have time to go home and change, so I had to wear my wet, sweaty clothes and at 18*F outside, that made me a extra chilled to the bone.

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I have to admit we weren’t fans of Acai Alaska at first but that was in big part to choosing our own flavor combinations and not mixing the right flavors together. Now we just pick one of the pre-designed bowls off the menu and stick to what we know we like.

Craig’s acai bowl.

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Yum! Even if it was winter outside, this tasted great. Although I do have to admit an acai bowl in Hawaii will always taste better. . . .because we were in Hawaii enjoying it of course!

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I knew there weren’t many options at home for food, so I made a quick stop at House of Bread before heading home. I was craving a sandwich and this was the closest sandwich shop in the area. I like the House of Bread sandwiches, but I think Great Harvest makes a better sandwich.

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This veggie sandwich with a cup of hot tea totally hit the spot.

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Saturday evening we went out to Jimmy’s Sushi to celebrate a friend’s birthday. I’m blaming the birthday boy for the snow. He said for the last 14 years it has either snowed or rained on his birthday or birthday party! Crazy, huh?

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Saturday night I was exhausted. Winter long runs always wipe me out!

Sore Hamstrings

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It is crazy how the body and mind are able to adapt to long runs. My 16 mile run yesterday went by rather quickly and really didn’t feel all that long. Plus I feel as though I could run 16 miles again today. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but I am feeling really good today. I remember the days when my joints would get so sore at the end of a long run, but I have not experienced that in a year or so. I’ve often thought that might be due to the fish oil I started taking a year ago??

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Once again yesterday’s long run wasn’t speedy, but I did realize that I am running faster than I did last winter, so I am happy about that. I keep a log of every run I do—jotting down a few sentences each day as to how the run went. Yesterday I took a look at my long runs from last winter and realized that they were actually slower than my pace this winter. I think a lot of that has to do with all the miles I logged this past fall.

Distance: 16 miles

Time: 2:18

Average pace: 8:38 minutes/mile

Weather: 30*F, light snow and cloudy when I started, sunny at the end

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Post-run fuel: Spinach Protein Smoothie. It never gets old.

Ingredients: unsweetened vanilla almond milk, two handfuls of spinach, 1 frozen banana, 2 ice cubes, Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder, and instant coffee (the secret ingredient!)

Served in my Shamrock Shuffle glass. DSC_0011

I have been forgetting to wear my compression socks after my long runs, so I made sure to wear them Saturday afternoon. I have been having problems with my hamstrings getting very sore after my long runs these past few weeks. They have even started to get sore during my long runs, which really worries me. I’ve never experienced this, so I am not sure if this was due to the snow (although I don’t remember having this problem other winters) or the new running form I have adopted. Either way, my hamstrings feel like a million bucks today, so I am thinking it was due to my compression socks?? Or maybe not. Whatever it was, I am glad they aren’t sore today.

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Saturday afternoon I had a hair appointment for partial highlights and a cut. I went to Escape Salon and Spa in downtown Anchorage. I have gone here a handful of times prior to my appointment yesterday, and I am always pleased with my experience. It is an Aveda salon with a clean, trendy, and professional atmosphere.

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I went super blonde and got my locks all ready for summer. I just need that snow behind me to melt!

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Today (Sunday) has been filled with the typical agenda: finishing laundry, church, lunch at church, and a lot of cooking and baking in the kitchen this afternoon.

One of my creations were these Vegan Banana Everything Cookies. I have made these before and have been very pleased every time I make them. I made these because it was our turn to bring a dessert to The Walking Dead dinner we have with our friends each Sunday night. DSC_0018

And that’s a quick recap on my weekend. I’m loving this sunshine we are having, and the sound of water dripping off the roof as the snow melts is music to my ears.