Week 9 in review- Chicago Marathon Training

Week 9

Monday: Bikram yoga 90 minutes
Tuesday: Bikram Yoga 90 minutes (Didnt run with the other group due to the heat)
Wednesday: Bikram Yoga 90 Minutes (CES group was canceled due to the heat)
Thursday: 5 Miles, 42 minutes (running)
Friday: Bikram Yoga 90 Minutes @ 6AM
4 Miles, 44:30 (Run with the CB dog, It was HOT)
Saturday: Bikram Yoga 90 minutes
6 Miles, 52:30 (running on the tread) Dont eat spicy food when you know you will go run later...
Sunday: 15 Mile long run- 2:09:06 (on the tread)

Total Hours Yoga: 7.5
Total miles running: 30! The most miles i've run for this training cycle!!


Things I learned this week:

I think this is the first week I've worked out everyday, in a long time- or ever. I have also eaten really healthy this week. Im feeling good, and think I'm starting to see some results.

Got my Running Chic shirt in the mail that I won over at Christy's My Dirt Road Anthem. I wore it to my first yoga class and it was so comfortable! I got the Navy Alo tank, and am contemplating buying a few more very soon. Thank you Christy for randomly picking me :) (I love the Chic with the dog.. reminds me of CB and I)


Bikram yoga is AWESOME. The 1st day I had to lay down several times because it was hot, and intense. (studio is 105 degrees with 40% humidity) By the end of the week I could get through class without having to lay down. Ive never sweat so much in my life. By the end of the 90 minute class i'm literally drenched- as in jumped in the pool with my clothes on then caught out in the rain kind of soaked. It is so refreshing!

Nothing is more perfect after a long sweaty workout than Horchata. (rice almond drink)
Just like morning running, early AM yoga is super hard more challenging for me. My flexibility and coordination and balance are a little off in the morning- just as my early AM runs seem to take more energy to achieve the same pace that I easily run at in the PM's

The calf/shin thing is pain free while running now. If I start poking the "spot" on my leg, it is still tender- like a moderate bruise feeling- No pain unless I touch it. I should stop touching it now.

I am still having motivation issues. The Bikram Yoga has really changed my view on life and running (maybe a change in cross training was all I needed). I am less sour about marathon training, but still just want to run for fun. and HOLY CRAP! Im running the Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon in 3 weeks. OMG. (praying for a freak cold front to come through and drop the temperature to 45 degrees during the race)

My 15 miler was on the treadmill again. Saturday at 2am a really wicked lightning storm rolled thorough dumping 5-7" on Chicago. Poor CB was freaked the entire 2 hour duration of the storm and as a result I didnt get any sleep. When my alarm went off for Marathon group- I accidentally hit "off" instead of snooze and woke up at 5:45, 15 minutes before the group run. D'OH.

CB looking all kinds of crazy after my 15 miler today.Eh, we both look a little off in this photo. I have an excuse! lol

This week i'm looking forward to:
More Bikram Yoga!
Celebrating my wonderful, wonderful's birthday with him (all the cool kids are born in July!) haha
Getting to show my dad around Chicagoland for the weekend (and drinking yummy craft beers)
*and going to the CES group runs this week- especially the long run on Saturday.


 What are your favorite cross training activities?


Does your running club ever get canceled because of excessive heat? (my friends in Florida laugh at me for this- because its consistently 95+ everyday and 100% humidity there. I thought it was supposed to be hot in Chicago during the summer...I dunno)

Chicago, I'm falling for you

I really miss the san Francisco bay area still- even after living in Chicago since late January of this year. Here is a list of the things I like about Chicagoland.


The lake front path is about .75 miles from my apartment. Yay running!

All the cool bars and restaurants near my place with craft (micro) brewed beer.



There is a great sushi place close by. (oysy)

Gourmet Food trucks. More Cupcake truck, southern Mac n cheese truck, meaty balls truck, haute sausage truck, tamale spaceship. And the newest one I've found: fido to go. Yes, it's a gourmet dog treat truck. On thursday nights about 7-10 food trucks gather outside "Ethyls dive"(a new restaurant in the west loop) I want to go soon. Cb wants to see fido to go too.


(from the fido to go website)

A new gourmet grocery store is opening very close to my apartment soon. Whole foods is currently 1 mile away, target .5 mile. I was SO happy to see them working on the store yesterday.

Farmers market at the daly plaza With the creepy baboon Picasso statue looking over the scene. Also, I get a goat cheese, honey, olive tapenade, crepe with balsamic reduction almost every Thursday now.


I also get plants from the market


That violet plant now sits on MY DESK in my NEW OFFICE!
After being a "temp" employee for the past 3 years, I got a real job 2 weeks ago. My first corporate job and I have a Fricken office. It's awesome!
That's one of the main reasons I'm starting to fall for Chicago. Having a real job =stability= peace of mind= happiness, at least for my world.


(chomper 4, from the farmers market)

I love Bikram yoga in a studio a stones throw from my apartment. What the hell took me so long to sign up for this when I've been seeing the signs since February? Probably the job situation. This is my first week and LOVE it!

I'm falling for you Chicagoland.

What are some things you love about your city?

Have a great weekend!


-Xaar

The thrill is gone

Recap of the week:
Tuesday: 7 miles running in 59:30
Wednesday: 5 mile worth of repeats workout. (5 x 800 @ 7:15 per mile pace- with warmup /cooldown)
Thursday: 9.15 miles/ 35 minutes on cycle
Friday: rest
Saturday: 13 miles in 1:52.37 (1st 4 miles at 9:00, 2nd 4.5 at 8:40, 3rd 4.5 at 8:30- 8:00pace)
Sunday: 7 miles , 30 minutes cycling

My new orchid "Chomper 4" bought from the farmers market. Had to replace "Chomper 3" who traveled cross country with me from San Fran to Chicago and recently died due to bugs.

Its the most i've run in months, yet I am disappointed.

I ran by myself on saturday for the long run because psychologically, I am done training for the marathon. Ever since my calf blew up around May 28- after / during the soldier field 10, I have struggled to stay motivated. I have cycled more on the stationary bike than I ever would have imagined.And I created crazy treadmill workouts (like running a 9:30 pace for 2 minutes on a 6 incline, repeat 8 times, with a brisk 2 minute walk in between) because the incline would not bother whatever was wrong with my calf.

I ran by myself this weekend because I have been sick of telling the pacers and whomever else I was chatting with on the saturday long runs, that I would be cutting out to only do 5-6 miles instead of the 10+ miles that were scheduled. I needed to show myself that I could run 10+ miles without my calf exploding again.

The thrill is gone, because I no longer really care about races (Im sure this will change). I thoroughly enjoy reading all of your race recaps- they seriously inspire me,  but I am dreading the Rock n Roll Chicago half (in a month) the Chicago Half (in 2 months) and the Chicago Marathon in less than 3 months. To pay $$$ for an entry, to actually follow a plan to train for the event, and to put so much emotional/ physical time into the event many months into the future only to get sidelined by injury is beyond frustrating. I just want to run, to run again. I would love to just go out and run 10 miles for fun. Or do a speed workout to go fast and sweat a lot without the pressure of being healthy for a race. Maybe focusing on shorter distance races will help with this. I love running. It is my drug, my therapist...

I am disappointed. 

• Because I paid $$$ to train with the Chicago Endurance Sports group and have made it to maybe 45-50% of the group runs in the past 9 weeks.
• Because I got injured- out of my control I know. everything had been going so well up until then.
• Because I could have been doing *more* during the last 6 weeks. More cycling, start swimming, more core exercises, push-ups, weight training...
• Because I must abandon my time goal for the Chicago Marathon. It was lofty. But that goal is on hold until the next marathon.
• Because I dont take CB for runs anymore for fear he will get killed by one of the douchebag cyclists on the lake front path. (not all are DB;s, but when they fly by going 25+ mph, its dangerous- combined with the clueless tourists and all the other runner/walkers, its just too crowded) I need to find an alternate place to take him.

I am optimistic:

• Because  I am almost fully healed. There is some discomfort in the calf/shin, but i can run and the pain is very minimal to non-existent after a run.
• Because I did the right thing. I MICE'd (movement, ice, compression, elevation) like a crazy person. "Yes, those are CEP compression sox on with my boots." Without the MICE, I would still be in a lot of pain- plus some massages didnt hurt (well at the time they did). And foam rolled, used the stick and the trigger point kit. All life savers.
• Because I ran this weekend 13 miles in a time that was consistent with my PR half marathon of the "Hypothermia Half" (haha) Chicago Spring Half marathon. Apparently I am back to my pre injury fitness, or even better.
• Because I can make delicious smoothies and my extreme aversion to pasta is slowly going away.

I am thankful:

• For the support of my wonderful, wonderful who helps me through these "tough" times when I sound like a damn crazy person because im so bummed about my leg.
• For you! The bloggy universe who give encouragement and thoughtful comments when I really needed it most. 
• For my family and the CB dog who always listen to me rant about this crap. 

This week i am looking forward to:

• Following the marathon schedule this week and going to all CES group runs- wednesday and saturday.
•  maybe trying out running with another club on Tuesdays near my place.
• Trying out Bikram Yoga at the studio very close to my place. They have a great special for the 1st month. I have never done yoga in a studio- usually I just use a DVD at home, so I think this could be really beneficial for staying healthy and a great cross training tool to help improve my fitness for running.

Cheers to a new week!