Six Mile Sunday

Posted on November 18, 2012 by kaprise

Seven Mile Sunday sounds good too… but I only did six. I ran 6 miles in 56:34 – which comes out to roughly 9:26/mile. I wasn’t planning on running much today, but I stuck my head out the door and it was just so beautiful I had to go. Half way through my run the sun broke out of a cloud and threw this gorgeous rainbow over the path I was running. It’s a shame I don’t run with my phone or camera because it was a truly stunning look.

Yesterday, I ran 3 miles in about 26 minutes and I came home and was immediately ill. I started having issues with headaches after runs about…. 2 years ago. I noticed that after particularly strenuous runs that I would come home, and be sick. The kind of headache that makes you want to vomit, your balance is off, and those pesky tears seep out of the corners of your eyes. The distance varies with how I’m feeling, but recently I’ve been getting headaches after my runs even though they are short ones. My failsafe? Drinking Gatorade. I’ve tried Powerade and other sports beverages, but none of them eliminate the pesky headache like Gatorade. I’m not really sure the cause, I’ve been told that it has to do with electrolyte levels, hydration issues, sodium levels, and finally (and most terrifyingly) issues with vessels in my brain. The point is… I found that drinking some Gatorade and choking back an electrolyte gel packet eliminates the headache. Yesterday? I forgot and I was in bed before 9:00pm snoozing off my migrane. Today? I remembered and I feel great.

I’ve been trying to vary my runs between distances and speeds because I realized I have not been getting sore after my runs. And I kind of LOVE that achy soreness you get from working out that just proves you actually DID work out. You know… that kind of groan when you sit because all of your muscles are protesting the beating you put them through? I LOVE THAT FEELING! I’ve also thrown in some light weight exercises, and occasionally I walk on the treadmill just to vary my workouts.

There is no point to this post. It’s kind of a ramble of running stuff I do. And. So. Thanks for reading. Also – let me know in the comments if you want some of my reviews on running gear. I always have trouble buying multiples of things because unless you field test it, all work out gear feels great!!

xoxo

-H

Mountain Monday Morning

Posted on November 5, 2012 by kaprise

This morning I packed up the pup and went for a hike with my mother. We did about a 1.5 hour hike in the woods and let Boo run free. She loved it!!

It was nice to get out and enjoy the weather and soak up the beautiful scenery. Next time I’ll take my good camera to take some pictures, but I snapped some with my iPhone. It was about 44 degrees Fahrenheit and I wore my thermal Frank Shorter Insert Tights. Brooks sneakers as always, and a pair of Smartwool socks. I layered my top. I wore an UnderArmor Scoop neck I got from a race in Maryland under a thermal running top from Nike. And for the wind? I popped on my new AWESOME Burton hoodie I snagged at TJ Maxx of all places. I love it. This one is similar: Burton Lotus Pullover. I also recently snagged a cotton mix hoodie from Burton which I adore also.

It was chilly for the first 15 minutes, and then I chased my dog through the woods and I was plenty warm!! Here are some pictures!!

Friday Favorites (Link Love)

Posted on November 3, 2012 by kaprise

Good Morning!!!

In honor of rekindling my love affair with running, I wanted to share my running favorites with you. I started running when I realized during lacrosse practice that NO ONE else was enjoying those long training runs like I was… in fact I realized I only liked lacrosse for the running! So I joined cross country.

Over the years of running, I’ve come up with things that I like in my running gear. I’ve posted links where I found similar things to what I like.

Hat. Always. A deep one that comes down to my ears and has a brim to protect my eyes from the sun. I have a Nike golf hat that is my all time favorite.
I normally run with my MP3 player. Sometimes I listen, sometimes I don’t. I have a Sony W Series Walkman. Mine is the first generation and much bigger than the current ones, which are sleek and come in a few different colors.
Shirt? I have a variety of favorites so I won’t name them all. However, I look for things that have a comfortable and scooped neckline (don’t want to feel choked). I like things with slightly longer hems to cover my tush and prevent by belly shows if they ride up a bit. And I like my shirts to be cut loose. Those super slim shirts are not my favorite.
Sports bra – I have a few of the Nike Pro-Fit ones and a few New Balance ones… but my general rules are thick fabric, thick banded around the bottom, and generous coverage. I tend to like sports bras that cover more. I’m a 34C and I like to have everything strapped down and secured. I don’t like bras with a lot of stretch because those chafe.
Shoes – I am a diehard Brooks girl. I found them once in a clearance bin at Marshalls, and ever since I have been all over their shoes. The PureFlow ones are my favorite right now, but I also have been a faithful Adrenaline wearer for years now. Not sure about what shoes fit you? Brooks has this awesome shoe advisor.
Pants – I wear spandex. I like my spandex to be fitted, tight, and thick material. I also like them to have a drawstring waistband for easy adjustments. For winter, as it is now, I like Saucony and Frank Shorter.
Shorts – In the off case I do wear non-spandex shorts, I wear the Nike Tempos. Everyone has them. I think they run a little on the wonky-side of sizing, but they do the job and I can deal with the minor nuisances like the internal lining being HUGE.
Watch – When I started training for my first marathon I had a lot of trouble keeping track of my mileage, so I bought the Nike+ GPS watch. Mine is the first generation one so it’s the standard black and green, but there are many more colors now and it’s supposed to be a bit slimmer.
New – Vests. I recently purchased this Saucony Vest and I’m in love. It protects me from the wind, keeps my core warm, and provides extra storage. It also comes with a little light to help people see you in the dark. I’m contemplating order a few more colors.