fie on you snow! fie!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were in perfect accord with my Marathon Training. Then, today, the great blizzard of 2010 happened. I woke up at 7 and immediately texted my office spouse to see if our office was closed. Now, i texted him before i even looked out the window. Thus, approximately 45 seconds after texting my office spouse, i looked out the window and noticed the ground wasnt even WET and promptly send a second text that simply stated, "nevermind." So, i got ready and drove on into work. By 8 am, it was rain-icing. By 9 am it was even more rain-icing. by 9:30 it had started to snow, and by 9:45 it was a blizzard. At this point our boss closed the office. While the roads weren't bad then, the snow/ice/rain combo continued all day, and Lord knows no one in memphis knows how to drive in this weather. I therefore had to forego my trip to the gym for safety reasons.

Instead of the gym, i took my sweet angel outside to play in the snow.

Here she is, patiently waiting to go outside. She just loves the snow.
Luna also loves to eat sticks and to dig them out from under the snow.
She really is the prettiest thing i have ever seen. Look at that face.
This is Luna right before she rubbed her face in the snow. Thats another favorite of hers.

I am hoping that somehow, someway (Somewhere Someday? if you can name that song reference, you win the awesome at life award) I will make it to the gym tomorrow for a 6 mile run. Sunday is supposed to be 10. Cross your fingers that I can get out to shelby farms for that to happen. It may be fun in the snow.

It also may not. We all know how coordinated i am in regular weather, ice and snow could be dangerous. But, if i want to be an ultra runner, i gotta live on the wild side- like wild bill, my roomba vacuum.

ultra love

Marathon Schedule

so, I have been maintaining my mileage over the last few months. as you know from my previous post, it has been difficult to run as much as i would like because of cold, darkness, and grad school apps.

this week, some of this is about to change. grad school apps will be in by Monday, and i have worked out my marathon training schedule that is conducive to limited light hours. While most marathon training schedules are 16 weeks long, i only have 13 until the Nashville Country Music Marathon on April 24. While most marathon training schedules only take you up to 20 miles, that really irritates me, so I am taking mine up to 22. While most marathon training schedules have only one cross training day, I had to make room for 2 - Tuesday/Thursday spin class.

drum roll please for the big reveal................

da-da-daaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1/25-1/31	sick	spin	3 miles	spin	3	6	10
2/1-2/7	3	spin	rest	spin	3	6	12
2/8-2/14	3	spin	rest	spin	4	6	8
2/15-2/21	3	spin	rest	spin	4	6	14
2/22- 2/28	4	spin	rest	spin	4	7	16
3/1- 3/7	4	spin	rest	spin	5	7	10
3/8- 3/14	4	spin	rest	spin	5	7	18
3/15-3/21	4	spin	rest	spin	6	rest/weights	20
3/22-3/28	4	spin	rest	spin	6	8	10
3/29- 4/4	5	spin	rest	spin	6	rest	22
4/5-4/11	5	spin	rest	spin	6	8	12
4/12- 4/18	3	spin	rest	spin	3	6	8
4/19- 4/24	rest	spin	rest	spin	rest	26.2- MARATHON

so this is my schedule for the next 13 weeks. i am sure they will fly by.

things to note in this schedule:
1. typically, people rest the day before the big runs in their week. my work/life schedule just doesn't fit that. therefore, i have some semi long runs before a few big runs. the days before my 20 and 22 milers, i am taking off to rest my legs.
2. i have lots of rest time the week of the marathon. i am only going to spin class that week, and i am going to take it easy.
3. the week before the marathon is a light week in mileage. two 3 miles runs and an 8 mile. not so bad considering the week before is 22.
4. some of my days with lighter runs (see 3/4/5 miles) that will be done at the gym (mostly the Monday/Friday runs) will also have some weights done at the end. I will probably alternate between leg workouts and upper body workouts.
5. wednesday is my current "rest" day, but friday can be switched with Wednesday if something like a trip to raifords or a trip to nashville is in the cards.

i am very excited about this marathon for three reasons:
1. my friend lauren is running with me (but she will probably run faster than i will. but at least she will be there with me)
2. my handsome and health conscious boyfriend lives in Nashville. killing two birds with this one.
3. i will knock something off my new years resolution list and then be on my way toward my ultimate goal, the ULTRA marathon.

one of my other goals for the next 13 weeks is to log what i actually do of this race training. i am sure that some things will flip-flop. i will get sick or need a vacation. or go on vacation (excitement!). anyway- look for that at the end of all this mess.

next thing on my marathon to-do list: research race nutrition and work on a meal plan for the next few months.

ultra love

let's get physical which equals sweaty

since sunday, i have sweat more than i have since i was on Georgetown's crew team freshman year (early mornings doing workouts on the erg, see below, in 30 degree weather and an old boathouse = sweat dripping from your face and your body steaming when you take a break)



anyway- i have been to three spin classes since sunday. the first was a two hour one on sunday, during which we watched "Behind Enemy Lines." The second was Tuesday, with a substitute instructor named Erica. Erica gets very excited about spin class, and you spend lots of time sprinting up hills. Thursday, Laurie was back (YAY) and we had a killer workout.

During all of these, sweat was just dripping from my face and my body. everywhere. it was so gross. now, i used to really truly hate sweat. when i was about 12, i entered my first tennis tournament. i won my first match and lost my next two. then i told my parents i didn't want to play tennis anymore because i didn't like a sport where i had to sweat.

well, now i get to sweat alot. and while i appreciate it more (you know, the more you sweat, the healthier you are), i still don't think i like it. sweat is moist. and it drips. and it smells like body and salt. sometimes, it is nice to know you are working hard. however, it is not nice to be in a small room at 75 degrees with 15 other human beings who are sweating like crazy and you just know their sweat is evaporating into the air and settling on your skin. and the walls. and the windows. ew.



now let me leave you with some facts about sweat:

It's cool to sweat -- literally. Sweating is your body's most effective way of cooling itself because when sweat evaporates from your skin, body heat is reduced.

While sweating is important, if you don't replace the fluids you lose through sweat, it can lead to dehydration and heat illness. That's why fluid replacement before, during and after exercise and activity is so crucial.

What Happens When We Sweat

During exercise, the heat produced by working muscles exceeds the heat released by the body, and body temperature rises. The rise in body temperature causes an increase in sweating and blood flow to the skin. As a result heat is removed by the evaporation of sweat from the skin, radiated from the body to the cooler surroundings, and is lost by convection to moving air.

Our bodies are approximately 55-65% fluid. When some of that fluid is lost through sweat, it affects our cardiovascular system and our ability to control temperature.

Factors that Influence Sweat Rates

Environment - High temperatures cause you to sweat more quickly and to lose more fluids through sweat. Humidity also affects your ability to cool off. It's harder for sweat to evaporate in hot, humid weather than in hot, dry weather heat index chart.
Exercise intensity - As your body works harder, body temperature increases, which leads to greater sweat loss.
Clothing and equipment - Minimal, loose-fitting clothing helps promote heat loss. Heavy clothing and equipment (e.g., football uniform and helmet) doesn't allow heat to be released as easily and increases sweating.
Genetics - Heredity has some effect on your ability to sweat, but being in good physical condition is usually a more important factor.
Fitness and acclimatization - As you increase your fitness, you become a better "sweater." You sweat sooner and you sweat more. The body adapts to exercise in warmer temperatures by sweating more.
Sweat Glands

The body has approximately 2 - 4 million sweat glands weighing a total of approximately 100 grams (about 3 ounces).
The most concentrated area of sweat glands is on the bottom of our feet while the least concentrated area of sweat glands is on our back.
Women have more sweat glands than men, but men's are more active.

(facts courtesy of this website)




yummmmmmmmmmm. ultra love.

how to be good at life

by elise and luna

step one: wake up in the mornin feelin like p diddy

step two: go to 9 am spin class with crazy cathy.... let me tell you a little bit about spin instructors. they really do make a difference in the quality of experience you have. now laurie is the best. i love her. crazy cathy's class is well, like having a crazy person in your head for an hour. she screams things like "blue jeans!" and "work those booties" and "yeahhhhhhh" - and then she stares at you with these creepy eyes and her head wobbles back and forth. and then.... to top all this off---- at the end, the very end, when we are sweaty and tired and want to leave, she yells "SMILE!!!!" i almost threw my camelbak water bottle at her face. listen woman, i do not want to smile a) at the end of spin class b) at you. so back the eff off............. at least it was a good workout

step three: go home, eat some turkey

step four: rest up by watching "what a girl wants" with colin firth

step five: take luna on a 6 mile run out at shelby farms (tour d'wolfe again peeps). in the rain.

luna and i had a goooood run that day. the whole time, all i could think was "there is nothing like a good run with your dog." it is such a peaceful, easy feeling- not running/walking your dog but just being with your dog. anyway, luna had a good time. i let her off the leash at one point, and she would jack rabbit runnnnnnnnnn then do a somersault into the grass. get up. jack rabbit runnnnnnnnnn and then do a somersault into the grass. it was hilariousssssss. luna also ran through a few mud puddles, as is custom. yes, muddy puppy syndrome. my favorite.

step six: go home and give your dog a bath.

step seven: let your dog outside to go to the bathroom

step eight: let your dog back inside, only to see she has been rolling around in the mud under the deck.

step nine: give your dog another bath.

step ten: meet your handsome and health conscious boyfriend at the gym for exercise round three (yep, three). I shadowed my man around the gym, doing his workout (but obviously with smaller weights). Five sets of 10 standing bar bell shoulder presses. Five sets of 10 pull-ups. Five sets of 10 dips. 5 sets of 10 bicep curls. reminder to the world- I HATE BICEP CURLS. HATE HATE HATE. but i did them.

annnnnnnd you're done. be proud. be tired the next day. but most of all, feel good at life.

ultra love.

run, run, runaway run

yes, that's a hanson song.

so my "ultra running" has taken a back seat to a two things.

1. graduate school applications

2. safety

1. My graduate school applications will be complete in the next few days. 2/5 submitted as of 10:47 pm today. Once those are officially done, I can breathe a little more. I can be less stressed. I can really set my training schedule.

2. My safety is something I wasn't counting on being an issue. See, when I wake up at 7:00, it is still semi-dark outside. This means that if I woke up at 6 to take Luna running, it would be really dark. As vicious as Luna is (HAHAHA- well she at least looks intimidating being 80 pounds), I still do not feel safe running in Midtown Memphis in the dark.

Now, I know you are alllllll thinking, "well how about after work, silly?" Ahem, dear friends, I already thought of this. Unfortunately, after work = dark. All of the good running areas just do not feel safe enough for me to take an adventure in the dark.

THEREFORE, during the week I am super limited in my ability to run other than on a treadmill. Hopefully, this will change as daylight time gets longer, daylight savings time approaches, and grad school apps magically apply themselves.

In other news, I have had to put the Vibrams aside since it has been below freezing here. Toes get pretty cold in those things when temps are below zero. As the weather warms and I run outside more, the Vibrams will get more use.

Until then, I am relying heavily on spinning for my cardio and putting a little more focus on weights. Being a mother to a year old lab puppy has made me feel a little pudgy. Here's to toning it up in 2010.

Speaking of 2010, New Years Resolutions-------

1. Don't eat bad terrible evil food

2. Fried food can only be eaten once a week

3. Run a marathon

4. run an ultra marathon

5. make luna calm down when she meets people and dogs for the first time

How to accomplish these- a very important part of making resolutions is knowing how to go about making good stuff happening.

1. buy fresh groceries each week. order salads instead of french fries

2. sub fruit and veggies for anything i want to eat that is fried.

3. make training schedule

4. do number 3 and keep adding mileage. 50K is not that much farther than a marathon and would be an ultra. the better i get at running, the more mileage i can add for 2011's ultra.

inspiration: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/run-karla-run/2009/dec/23/best-runners-decade/ ---- see scott jurek. my secret love.

5. watch caesar aka the dog whisperer. doing this right now. luna is calm submissive, well asleep, next to me.

ultra love

thoughts on life

a few things to keep you awake at night:

Lyrics that let you know that a song

a) should never have ever been written

b) should also never be used as a spinning song

"this used to be a fun house, but now it's full of evil clowns"

really? what does that even mean?

Oranges (clementines and tangerines) would all be better off if they did not require the peeling process. think about it.

When playing basketball (cough elliot williams cough) go for the simple and effective dunk, not the show-off supa dunk that, oh wait, DOESNT ACTUALLY GO IN THE BASKET

sometimes i wish i were a dog. because then its okay punch other dogs with your paws when you are "play" fighting.

if you get in a line totally separate from mine at kroger, i will injure you if you try to sneak in front of me.

in the waiting room at the girly doctors office they played the song, "you're having my baby"

in my recently purchased sections of itunes i have:

39 songs from Glee

2 Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

Tik Tok by Kesha-- excuse me, TiK ToK by Ke$ha

Down by Jay Sean

aaaaaaanddddd Danny's Song by Kenny Loggins

.................... what does this say about me?

orange is the ugliest, most terrible and horrific, vommy, sucky color ever.

think about all of that as you go to bed. then try to sleep.

ultra love.

the fall(s) of tour de wolfe

a few days before christmas, luna and i went for a 6 miler on the tour de wolf. see previous post for a full description of its awesomeness.

this post is about the things i need to get used to if i want to be an ultra runner. lets go over my run in detail.

Mile zero- the beginning. Luna and i start off down the only paved portion of the run. probably about the length of a football field. we are running, luna is obviousuly excited, but being pretty good. im watching her enjoy herself when BAM. i trip over a sneaky speed bump and go a-tumbling over. see battle wounds for proof.

so that was a great way to start our run. i sat on the ground for about 30 seconds, wallowing in self pity and embarrassment (there was definitely a couple who saw my spill- they wore matching jeans suits with mullets and rocking sunglasses). then i thought to myself, self, if you are going to be an ultra runner, you have to be a little tougher.

thus, onward. i got up and kept running. luna was not even phased by my spill. she was enjoying the newness of everything, sniffing everywhere, running through mud puddles, looking back at me, and then around mile 1 1/4- BAM! yes folks, i fell again. this one was in dirt and leaves. so i got a little dirty. again i thought to myself, self, you have to get dirty if you are going to be an ultra runner.

thus, onward. luna and i continue- out of the woods, down the hill and onto the open lane. up the hill of grassness, through the dog park, past the dog pond, and back into the woods. we make it to mile 2 3/4 when BAM! yes, a third fall. at this point, im a pro. and i dont even need a conversation with myself to get up. HOWEVER- i did tell luna that we probably shouldn't fall anymore. she agreed.

thus, onward. we keep going through the woods. after this third fall, things really started to go well. luna and i were running like one person. it was like she could sense which way i wanted to go around trees or at splits. She led the way at times- mostly because her four legs are much more coordinated than my two. as proved by the previous 3 falls. i could go off on a long tangent about how beautiful she looked as she travelled the landscape, but you people would get bored with that. bottom line- i was in awe of my dog's grace and nimble-ness. (side note- she is currently snoring on ellen's lap.bahaha). we continue to run, enjoying each other's rhythm when BAM!

ha just kidding- no fall this time, but there was an ugly wolfy dog waiting for us around the bend of a trail. luna and i just pranced around his ugly butt and kept on going.

this really was a nice run for the two of us. Around miles 4 and 5 there are two different open fields of grass that are more secluded than the beginning of the run. at these points i let go of luna's leash and let her run free. when i would let go, she would look back at me as if to say, "are you sure mommy?" it was precious. most of the time she just jack rabbit leaped around until i called her name to come back to me.

her favorite part was definitely the mud puddles. i have proof below.

See the muddy belly? multiple mud puddles of fun.

Happy muddy girl. Isn't she majestic?

My muddy shoes after the run. I know this picture is upside down. deal with it. Y'all get the idea here. It was muddy.

My muddy spandex after the run. This picture makes my knees look like i stuffed donuts in my pants. Oh well. Maybe thats a sign of being awesome.

In conclusion- something to ponder. I fell 3 times during my six mile run. If those statistics keep up for my ultra run (50 miles)- i will fall 25 times during those 50 miles. Not sure how i feel about that.

Next post: New Years Resolutions (for luna and for me) and an excuse for my lack of blog-tasticness.

ultra love