to be honest, the first month has been a little…boring? which is to be expected, and i knew it would be like this going into it, since the first 4 weeks are more base-building than anything else. i’m doing a marathon training plan found in the july 2013 issue of runner’s world, written by editor and 1968 boston marathon champ amby burfoot. i chose it for a few reasons: it’s long, made for first-timers, incorporated the base training i needed after coming back from a month of rest/IT band healing, and works with my schedule. it’s challenging without being overly so, and i trust it will get me ready to toe the line in november.

emy and i have the same shoes. naturally, mine are 10x bigger and i’m 5 shades paler.

of course, there have been some fun running-related things thrown in along the way. jeff, emy, and i participated in the inaugrual group run for the Young Involved Philadelphia (YIP) running club, where we did a 4 mile run down and over to Race Street Pier and ended with lots of water and food at morgan’s pier. i should also mention that this was during one of the worst heat waves of the summer, and it was still 95 degrees during our 6pm run. it was HOT but we did it!

later that week, i joined some friends for the electric run, its first time in philadelphia. basically, it’s like the color run but in the dark, and you wear neon clothes and glow sticks and anything that lights up. the energy was incredible as we were waiting in our wave to get to the start line, but we could see a storm rolling in and some scary lightening approaching. we were SO CLOSE to the start line when they announced that they had to shut it down and told us all to go home, for safety reasons. we were understandably bummed, but jeff, maegan, and i took the opportunity to run back to jeff’s house so we could still get a workout in. two miles in, the skies opened up and we were soaked from head to toe in seconds. i normally love running in the rain, but this was a bit much! the lightening was seriously just feet in front of us, a true electric run if there ever was one. and without a hat, the water was getting in my eyes and drying up my contacts in the worst way. after a brief stop under a bridge to let the storm pass, we finally made it back and clocked a solid 4 miles.

i’m the idiot with the red glasses.

last saturday i met up with a new running friend i met via the internet (this should be of zero surprise to anyone) and we logged 5 miles on forbidden drive, one of my favorite places to run. this week starts the actual training with a bit of a weekly mileage increase, and next week i begin working some goal pace miles (MGP) into the mix. i’m hoping to get over to a track to do a Yasso 800 workout and of course i’ll be throwing in some hills along the way (i’ll do a post at some point about my killer self-made hill workout). this weekend i’ll be home in rochester, and i’m looking forward to 6 easy miles on the canal, hopefully with my bff elizabeth who is training for NYC!

what’s on the horizon? thursday i’m doing a group run with philadelphia runner (there are cupcakes and massages after!), and on august 17th i’m doing the team livestrong challenge philadelphia 10k with some friends. i’ve been wanting to do this race for a few years and it’s finally happening! i love livestrong events, and hopefully this one won’t disappoint. i’m also working on some FUNdraising activities to get my friends involved without making them run a bunch of miles with me. i’m lucky they love me.

after writing all of this…i guess my first month was more adventurous than i thought! 16 more weeks to go!

don’t forget to DONATE!!!

now you tell me: what are you training for? how’s your training going??

i’m running a freaking marathon (the philadelphia marathon, to be exact), and i’m stupid excited about it.

i started running about 3 years ago, first training for a 10k (which at the time seemed like the LONGEST DISTANCE EVER), then a 10 miler, then a half marathon….then four more half marathons. during this time, i repeatedly said that i would never run a marathon. and yet, here we are. a week and a half into my first marathon training cycle, doing 3 mile baby runs, and i’m already craving more mileage. when do i get to the good stuff???

i knew i needed to run a marathon after my last half marathon (sorry, no recap, because i’ve been admittedly terrible at blogging for the past SEVEN MONTHS). it was the rock ‘n roll washington d.c. half, where i ran a pretty easy 2:05. of course it sucked at times, but i didn’t hate it. and when i crossed the finish line and called my mom a few minutes later, she couldn’t believe that i’d just run 13 miles. my body didn’t hurt the way it usually does after long distances – i was pretty much back to normal the next day. i didn’t say it then, but i knew in my mind that i needed MORE. i needed to challenge myself more, since 13.1 just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

then april came, and i ran a 5k, a ragnar relay (which i will formally recap later, i swear), a 4 mile race, and my favorite 10 miler in four consecutive weekends.

don’t ever do that, please. i’m pretty sure the furious downhill finish of the 5k messed up my knees (specifically, my left leg IT band), which flared up at mile 5 of my first ragnar leg six days later. which made legs 2 and 3 miserable, and put my training on hold for the next few weeks. i made it through the 4 mile race, but broad street was a death march from mile 4 on, and i probably shouldn’t have finished that race. but in my dumb mind, a DNF was worse than needing to take a month and a half off to let my body heal. i don’t know either, guys.

so here i am, fully healed, running without my IT band strap (little victories!), sweating through these workouts, swallowing lots of bugs on my river runs, all for the joy of crossing that finish line on november 17th. I AM SO READY.

and oh yeah, one more thing.

i’m finally fundraising! and i could really use your help.

i have been planning to fund raise for a race ever since i started running. i wanted the charity to really, really mean something to me, meaning i didn’t want to just sign up for something on a whim to cross it off my life list. so when i came across the girls on the run solemates page, it just felt so right. i have been interested in volunteering for girls on the run for years, ever since finding the blog of one of their local coaches. the programs around philadelphia were always too far away, or the times didn’t work for me. a philadelphia city chapter finally formed last year (i actually volunteered with them at a water station at the philly RNR half last year), but the timing still doesn’t work out for me. so i’m doing the second-best thing, fundraising through my most favorite activity ever.

here’s the blurb on GOTR, from their website:

Girls on the Run is a transformational physical activity based positive youth development program for girls in 3rd-8th grade. We teach life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. The program culminates with the girls being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5k running event. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.

i really, really wish i could have had something like this when i was that age. and i really hope that sometime soon i’ll be able to volunteer as a coach and get to interact with these girls one-on-one. but for now, i will run for them, and give them everything i have.

here’s my personal fundraising page (it’s pink, naturally) and i would be forever grateful if you could help me along in my goal. if you live in philly, i’ll make you cookies or cupcakes or some other baked good of your choosing. if you want to run with me, that would be ever better. but really, don’t do it for me. do it for these girls, and the wonderful program that GOTR is. please!! here, i’ll even make it easy for you:

DONATE!!!!!

thanks, you’re the best

• 3 packs of butter (that’s 12 sticks, aka 6 cups), plus the one we already had in the fridge
• 2 disposable aluminum pans
• a gazillion ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 bags of bits ‘o brickle heath bits
• 2 bags of pretzel rods
• 3 assorted bags of candy melt chips

i don’t take my holiday baking lightly, people.

my first task was on december 1st, when i made christmasy compost cookies, club cracker toffee, AND my very requested bacon-cheddar bread for various parties and get-togethers that weekend. (butter count: 5 sticks)

a few weeks later i had a last-minute dinner party and threw together some delicious chicken spaghetti (adapted it, i used bacon and parsley [leftover from the bread], and 1 can each cream of chicken and cream of mushroom. secret ingredient: 1 tbsp. sriracha) (butter count: 0, thankfully)

which brings us to last night, when i had the entire kitchen to myself to create the delicious goodie bags and platters my coworkers and friends have come to expect. this year i did candy-dipped pretzels and oreos (chocolate, red velvet/chocolate, and PB flavor) with sprinkles, along with another batch of my famous/addicting/most requested cracker toffee, aka CHRISTMAS CRACK.

since i can’t give you ALL a taste of this sweet buttery goodness, i’m going to post my “secret” recipe and instructions here in hopes of spreading holiday cheer worldwide. (warning: lots of butter ahead)

step one: preheat oven to 350. on an edged cookie sheet (i use the disposable ones because this can get messy), line up as many keebler club crackers as you can, with as little overlap as possible (or saltines, if you prefer). i usually end up using about a sleeve (protip: i use reduced fat crackers to save a few calories. not that it will make a difference after the next step, but ya know. just in case. and nobody can tell!)

step two: in a small saucepan, melt 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter over low heat. when melted, add 1 cup of brown sugar to the butter, stirring constantly. bring to a low boil and simmer for just a minute or two. make sure this doesn’t caramelize!!

step three: pour the butter mixture over the arranged club crackers, making sure to cover the entire surface. use a rubber spatula to even it out. as soon as this is done, stick the pan in the oven, keeping an eye on the crackers. i usually keep mine in for about 5 minutes, or until i see the butter bubbling and the crackers have turned golden brown.

pre-oven

step four: as soon as you take the pan out, quickly rearrange any crackers that may have slipped around (my oven is tilted to this happens to me, but is easily remedied!). as soon as possible. pour chocolate chips over the whole thing. i eyeball this, but i think it usually ends up being about 1-1/12 cups of chips. let the chips melt a little, and using a rubber spatula, spread the melted chips around the entire surface, making sure to coat it evenly! follow this by sprinkling heath bits ‘o brickle over the chocolate, as much or as little as you want (some people also use walnuts, but i’m a purist and prefer to stay as simple as possible).

that’s it! you’re done! well, actually no, i lied. stick the pan in the fridge for a half hour or so to set, THEN you’re done. you can cut it up evenly (a pizza slicer is nice), or do as i do and just start at one edge and start to break it up with my hands into imperfect chunks.

butter count: too much. satisfaction: 100%

these 13.1 miles were the culmination of months and months of training. after a disastrous performance at the bird-in-hand half, which i’d hoped would be my comeback race following a frustrating injury, i set my sights on a PR and finally breaking the sub-2:00 goal i’ve had in my mind since i starting running more than two years ago. i didn’t take any time off after BIH, so technically you could say i’ve been training for this since july (after signing up in APRIL!).

i’m not going to recap the race by mile, but i do want to highlight some key moments from the weekend overall:

• easy peasy expo experience, where i acquired some new kicks
• delicious pre-race dinner at core de roma on south street, with the most delicious risotto i’ve ever had
• staying with my bff jackie at her apt in the city, which made it super easy for us to just get a cab to the race rather than dealing with less-than-stellar SEPTA logistics
• awesome conversation with a fellow runner on the train back from the expo. we were all easy to spot with our green bags. she was running the marathon, and i hope she got the time she was gunning for!!
• easy gear check and corral situations, both before and after the race. this was seriously one of the smoothest races i’ve ever been a part of, considering the size
• amazing crowd support, which really made the experience so much better – SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to my wonderful bff/roommate/platonic life partner madeline (and rob) for coming out and supporting me at mile 10. i told her this already, but knowing i’d see her is what got me up the worst of the hills. SMOOCHIES.

for all of my previous type-A race planning, i really didn’t go into this half marathon with any kind of plan. i knew what i wanted my time to be, and i knew approximately what i wanted my paces to be. i knew there were two big hills, i knew i could bank some time in the flat miles, and i knew that i didn’t want to be comfortable. i wanted to push myself and really earn this.

spoiler alert: i did it. despite the fluctuating paces, this was actually my smartest and most well-run race i think i’ve ever had. there wasn’t a particular moment or mile that i blew up like i have in the past (usually around mile 9 or 10). my slowest mile was actually RECOVERY from a hill, not running up the hill itself. the worst hill (which wasn’t all that bad, considering what i’ve done before) was actually mile 9-10, so there’s that. in the garmin stats, mile 12 is one consistent even line – incredible for me, given that in the final miles i am usually dragging and completely over the place. i didn’t negative split (had about 1 minute more in the second half than the first. again, best i’ve ever done).

pre-race in front of my corral, with my sexy throwaway clothes on.

mentally i was super prepared. i’m not going to lie, i’d been visualizing crossing the finish line in under 2 hours for the past two months. sometimes i would tear up just thinking about it – that’s how big this was to me. i wanted it so badly. i knew that my mental state was very much to blame at bird-in-hand (i basically gave up around mile 6 and slogged through 7 more painful miles), so i wanted to make sure i had my head in the game this time around. and it WORKED.

HERE ARE THE REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS:

what really got me prepared was, obviously, my training. i approached this training cycle with a completely new attitude, focus, and method. first of all, i did the most challenging plan i’ve done to date – hal higdon’s intermediate training plan. this plan incorporated weekly speedwork, five workouts a week, and more mileage than i’ve ever done. before, i’d been doing plans that would get me to the finish, but weren’t challenging enough. this time i pushed myself to do something out of my comfort zone and to really learn how to train properly for a goal.

one of the biggest changes i had to make mentally was learning how to hold myself back in workouts, to keep myself from running too fast. most of my runs were done at paces that were very reserved (for me), rather than going all out and trying to top myself each time. i consulted the mcmillan running calculator, and YOU GUYS, i can NOT recommend this enough. it seriously takes all the guesswork out of pacing and gives you solid, realistic benchmarks to compare yourself to, and what you need to aim for in order to improve for any distance.

my regular weekly runs were probably around 9:20/9:30 pace. i kept my long runs consistent around 10 min/mi, and i ran tempo miles around 8:40 pace. my 400m repeats were around 1:40 each. that’s what worked for me, and even after a few speed sessions, i could definitely tell a difference. i raced a 5k a few weeks before the half, and mcmillan told me i should be able to do it in 26:1x at an 8:26 pace. i bested them with a 25:36 PR at 8:15 pace. SPEEDWORK WORKS. now i get a few days off, before heading into training for RAGNAR SOCAL in april, and the RnR DC (sandwiched in there in march) with a few of my favorite people.

after the race, i waited for jackie to cross the finish line (hey girl hey! great job!!!), and reunited with her for hugs and pictures. we went back to her place for showers and brunch, then i headed home for an epic nap. i wore my compression shorts all day and my legs felt pretty good by monday morning. this was seriously such a perfect race experience, i don’t think i could have asked for anything better.

me and philadelphia, we’re officially in love. see you next year xoxo.

this winter will mark my third season of winter running. ew. if you’ve just started running, or have tried to skip winter running in the past, i’m not going to sugarcoat it: it kind of sucks. i can’t tell you the number of times i’ve almost been blown off a path by 30 mph winds, almost ate it on a sidewalk because of black ice, or the countless times my toes have gone numb in the first few minutes of a run. luckily last winter was very mild snow-wise, with only one real day of snow before it all melted away.

HOWEVER. running in the cold is also kind of great. first, it’s a great motivator to run fast so you can get back home to a warm shower and sweatpants. second, there is hardly anyone else out there – so when you do see a fellow crazy runner, you can nod silently to each other in recognition of your craziness (also less people to get in your way on the trails). as an added bonus, a lot of the gear is neon, because we need to be seen out there. given that there is appx. 3 hours of daylight during the winter months, it’s inevitable that you’ll be running in the dark, so get used to it now. (and ladies, i’ve learned that all the kidnappers don’t automatically come out when the sun goes down – we’ve got another few hours in the day before that happens!) personally, i’ll be running the MOST this winter, because due to my spontaneity and poor race planning, i’ll be training for a march half marathon AND a ragnar during the most bitterly cold months.

over these past few winters, i’ve tested and accumulated a lot of running crap. like, a lot. i figured i’d pass along this wealth of knowledge to all my friends. so i present to you, this poorly done polyvore collage! yes, i really do own this crap!

quick reviews:

neckwarmer – i would call this the least essential item on the list, but still necessary sometimes. it makes a lot of tops more versatile (if you don’t have a hood/collar) and can be pulled up over your chin/mouth/nose for the most bitterly cold days.

gloves – while i mostly do run in my $2 target gloves, these technical gloves are great for longer runs, runs in the dark, and windy days. they’re reflective, warm but not bulky, and have a grippy texture on the thumbs for holding stuff. and they suck up snot like a boss.

LED light – this particular model has like 7 different strobe effects. it’s inexpensive and the battery lasts forever. if you run in areas that are poorly lit but highly trafficked, i highly recommend this or something similar.

jacket – now i’m not saying that you need this exact model, but really, you do. don’t look at the price. DON’T LOOK AT IT. i can’t believe i own this, but i love it (in my defense, i got it with store credit from shoes i bought but did not like). this jacket is EVERYTHING proof + built for 40 degrees and below. last winter i ran on a day when winds reached 40mph. i may have blown away, but my upper body did not feel a thing.

compression capris – i absolutely love old navy’s active line and recommend it to everyone i know. i got these hottttttt pink capris last week and took them for their first spin this week. i definitely turned some heads, but you know what? i didn’t get run over by a biker.

earband – if you don’t have one of these, you will get frostbite on your ears and die.

traction aids – i was gifted these last year from my dailymile secret santa, and on the one day i was able to use them, they were FANTASTIC. if you get these, you really have no excuse not to run in snow.

rosebud salve (you can use Vaseline too) – i rub this all over my lips and face to protect from windburn. it works, and the tin lasts forever.

walking to the start

in line, waiting to start

mile 1

mile 2

mile 3

mile 3’s hill

mile 4

mile 5

mile 6

mile 7

mile 7’s hill

mile 8

mile 9

mile 10

mile 11

mile 12

mile 13

mile 13.05

finish line

after the race

running to music/with headphones hasn’t always been a practice of mine, however. on the cross country and track teams in junior high and high school, i never ran with music. i don’t even think it was possible back then (the days of yore, 1999). apart from the one mile warm ups and cool downs each day, we always ran in packs with people who were about the same pace. we would talk and chat and laugh and joke while running at paces i can’t even believe i was ever capable of. on the weekends the coaches would let us loose for two hours to run wherever we wanted throughout the large state park where we practiced.

/end tangent. 2012 tara can’t bear the thought of running without my headphones and baby ipod strapped to my person. although on my longer runs the music eventually takes a backseat to my mental thoughts and i don’t even realize it’s on, sometimes having the beats of some of my favorite tunes is the only thing putting one foot in front of the other one (hey, btw, that’s a GREAT song for running). the one problem that i’ve had over the past few years, however, is the headphones situation. i’ve burned through probably 2-3 pairs of ipod buds because, let’s face it, they break easily. and i sweat a lot. in the ears. last summer i ordered a pair of sport headphones from amazon that promised they were sweatproof, waterproof, etc. they were pretty cheap but had good reviews. and they did the job just fine, but i was always having little problems with them that honestly could bring down the whole run.

enter polk audio. the kind folks at polk offered me a pair of their new ultra fit 3000 headphones to review, and as i was pretty fed up with my current pair, i of course jumped on the offer. the box arrived a few days later, and i couldn’t wait to take them out for a spin! the first thing i noticed while unboxing was just how many options there were to customize your headphones. the HP’s (yep, i’m shortening it) come with three sizes/sets each of two different silicone in-ear covers, and two sizes of a foam model. you’ll seriously be able to find the perfect fit after mixing and matching for a bit.

THEN you have three different options for your cord length. there are two extenders, the longest of which has a “remote” for volume and phone control (if you use your phone – i just use a little shuffle). the second extender was juuuuuust long enough for me to put my shuffle on my shorts waistband, but ultimately i ditched both and just had the HP’s go directly into my ipod, which i now clip onto my sports bra near my shoulder. it works well, and i don’t get that pulling/bouncing sound – you know the one.

AND the cord is flat and doesn’t get tangled. ever. isn’t that genius/perfect/amazing?? these are just the physical features!

the headphones themselves produce great sound and deliver it right to your ear canal. however, at a low enough for me volume, i was still able to experience the great sound AND was able to hear cars, bikers, and other runners around me that i needed to be aware of. another feature of the headphones is that they’re flexible and moldable, so you’re able to wrap the HP around your ear and get the most custom fit without any bounce or chance of it falling out.

the handy zip case to store everything in

i’ve used my headphones four times now (including a 9-miler this weekend) and have yet to have a bad experience with them. with my old pair, the cord was almost as long as i am tall, and i had to clip it literally across my entire waistband, and then up my shirt to keep them in place. but because they were all wonky, the right ear HP was constantly falling out because the left side was always pulling. i don’t see any signs of this happening with the ultra fits, and I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED about future runs!

okay. here’s where your incentive comes in for reading all of my blabber. polk graciously included a second pair of headphones to give away to one lucky person! seriously, you want to get in on this.

TO ENTER: comment on this entry and tell me one of your FAVORITE workout songs (or audiobook, or podcast – your choice! [because i’m always on the hunt for new tunes, i figured this method could benefit me as well. sorry not sorry.]). you can enter multiple times, just limit it to ONCE per day. i’ll select a winner using random.org on AUGUST 15th, 2012.

and if you happen to be running the philadelphia rock ‘n roll half marathon in september, polk will have a booth at the expo. also check out their ad in the newest issue of runner’s world!

disclaimer: i was provided with one pair of headphones from polk audio for review and one for giveaway. i have and will not receive compensation for my review. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

UPDATE: Our winner is the lucky CARYN! Congrats lady, I’ll contact you soon!

via

let’s pretend this never happened – jenny lawson

i actually just finished this but wanted to add it to the list so i could sing it’s praises. though i’m not a regular reader of the bloggess, i do read the occasional post and always enjoy it. i bought this for kindle before my flight to vegas a few weeks ago for my “trip read,” and it did not disappoint. while her childhood was nowhere near even what i had, or think i would even want, it left me in stitches at some points, and was actually surprisingly thought provoking! i reminisced a lot about my own childhood and how i want to raise my future kids – normal like me, or with a bit of a twist? jenny is blessed with an amazing ability to write and tell a story, and i’ll be forever glad i purchased this book.

room: a novel – emma donoghue

this is the selection for june, for a small book club i’m in. i downloaded the free kindle sample of it, and while it took some time to get used to the writing style, i can tell i am going to like this book a lot. now, do i get it in paperback, or kindle edition?

hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet – jamie ford

i honestly don’t know much about this book, other than it sits on the makeshift bookcase/dresser in our house, belongs to my roommate, and apparently tells a (fictional) story of the strikingly similar true tale of the life of my friend’s grandparents. that along intrigued me, and so it finds itself on my list of NEED TO READ ASAP.

visit from the good squad – jennifer egan

another one i don’t know much about, but it has a cool cover and my roommate liked it, and i generally trust her taste in books. plus, i can borrow it, saving me some cash, and won’t be the end of the world if i don’t end up enjoying it.

sarah’s key / a secret kept – tatiana de rosnay

am i like 10,000 years late on these or what? again, more borrow-able and accessible books, and i want to keep with at least SOME popular literature.

the unfinished work of elizabeth d. – nichole bernier

i just read about this book in a magazine as being one of the summer’s hottest beach reads, so naturally i looked into it, and think it’s what i’m most looking forward to reading right now. with my love of real-life mystery and the like, this seems like something i’ll start reading and won’t be able to put down.

what are YOU reading this summer?

since my left foot is still bumming, i decided to finally pump up my tires and take my bike out for a spin on my favorite trail. 10 miles roundtrip in under an hour! my bum is still a little sore, let’s just put that out there.

our kickball banquet (btw, we’re still undefeated, 5-0!) was saturday night, and those are always a great time with our crew. the party ended up back at our house, where there was much kitchen dancing, a campfire, and ridiculous picture taking games to be had.

stolen from sean
doesn’t our backyard look magical?!

sunday was the famed philadelphia international bike race that makes its way through manayunk TEN times, and also halts any kind of travel/parking/sleep. we brunched and people watched along the course and caught a few laps of the men’s and women’s races, hung out with good friends, and made some new ones. then i took a much needed nap even though there was much partying going on outside my windows. it happened.

i’m already looking forward to next weekend, which will be heavy on the relaxation.

______________________________________________________

i would also love to give a HUGE shoutout to my bff elizabeth for graduating from law school on friday! she is truly and inspiration and is going to do great things. i’m so proud of her

stolen from eliz