Let it rock, let it rock, let it rock!

So I took Friday off out of pure exhaustion, and went to bed around 9pm (oh so lovely!).

Saturday was a nice drizzly 40-something outside when we started our TNT run at 8AM, but the rain stopped after the first 45 minutes or so. My first seven miles were kind of rough; I just felt ought of sorts. My mentor, John, ran the last 5.5 miles with me and really pushed me through (Thanks, John!). I ran my total of 12.5 miles in 2:16 which is pretty damn good considering that I walked far more than I normally do.

Sunday I just did pilates with Neci at the gym, then had to scurry back downtown to see a friend's fashion show (which I ended up missing!). The weather was teasingly beautiful yesterday, too! Sunny, 70s, b-e-a-u-tiful!

Next weekend I have the Cherry Pit 10 Miler with fellow TNTer Katie, and I'm hoping to knock it out in under 1:45, or better. This will be my first long race, so we'll see how the pressure of race day affects me!

Great Wednesday, Even BETTER Thursday!

So, despite missing Tuesday's make-up run on Wednesday morning, I did fairly well in pilates (Neci, of course, would disagree), and then hit the pool. I did 60 lengths! Only two more sessions and I'll be at a mile (76 lengths)--so exciting!

While I was at the pool, the girl in the lane next to me overheard me talking to Jim about my upcoming races and asked what sort of events I do. I then got to pull out my ear-to-ear grin that goes along with saying, "Marathon," and tell her that I'm running with Team in Training for my first marathon. Turns out that she does triathlons, so we swapped woes on swimming vs. running and the illusory biking portion. It was just interesting because a few weeks ago some friends were trying to get me thinking in tri-mode...I am still thinking about buying a bike as it warms up (it would probably be quicker to get to work, interestingly enough), so we'll see. One major life event at a time...

So yesterday was bizarrely cool. I had the wrong contact in my right eye, so couldn't see half the morning (this after not getting up to run because I'd been up late working on my thesis), and then it tore mid-afternoon, so I left work at 3. That sounds bad, but it was great! I made it home in time to grab a snack, run 5 miles (at a 9:00 pace, no less!!!), shower, and get to class. LOVED it!

It would be phenomenal to just be able to do school and training... ::sighs::

Hope all is well with everyone!

Brianna

Can't Seem to Wake Up

The last few days have been rough; I haven't been able to muster the energy to get out of bed in the mornings, so Monday I made my "off" day, yesterday I missed running (but did work hard in Kickboxing...wound up talking post-class and therefore not running), and couldn't wake up again this morning, so I missed my make-up run.

I'm hitting the gym tonight for power pilates, then the pool for 60 (!) laps. Tomorrow morning I HAVE to get up and run!!!

I stopped drinking coffee for about 4 weeks, and I think that may be affecting me, so I had my first cup since I quit this afternoon. Definitely more awake and concentrated, so I think I'm back in the Coffee-Addicts club.

I wish I had an hour for lunch...then I could run on lunch breaks...

Recap & Updated Race Schedule

Sorry I've neglected for a few days! I was in San Diego and Vegas most of last week, so I wasn't near a computer. I ran once while I was out of town, probably no more than 2.5 miles (I'd been on the beach all day and it was hot!).

Friday I hit the gym hard after work: squats, lunges, leg weights and 45 minutes on the Arc-Trainer.

Saturday I was planning to just mosey on the elliptical for a while, since my TNT run was on Sunday this weekend. BUT, one of my TNT teammates was planning to run 7 mi. alone, so I ran with her instead.

Sunday's run was rough, taking into consideration the weights on Friday and the 7 miles (which went really well) on Saturday. I was supposed to do 10 again, but cut myself off at 8, and walked more than I wanted to (I've gotten pretty consistent about only walking at water stops). So I put in 15 miles this weekend, which wasn't shabby. Oh, I then went to pilates after my 8 miler yesterday--can we say ouch?

I'm walking like an old woman today...

Race schedule:

Sunday, April 5: Cherry Pit 10-Miler (Edgewater, MD)
Saturday, April 25: Run-A-Muck 5K (Rockville, MD)
Sunday, May 3: Frederick Half Marathon (Frederick, MD)
Sunday, May 31: ZOOMA Half Marathon (Annapolis, MD)

If you haven't yet, please donate! http://pages.teamintraining.org/md/rnrseatl09/bgrantham

Peace!

Brianna

Running on Solomons Island is NOT a Good Idea

So I decided to be all clever and run a different route last night. Which route, you ask? Well, I decided to change into running regalia at work and head out on Rte. 2 (Solomons Island Rd.) toward Edgewater. You see, it's a convenient 4.4 miles from my office over the South River Bridge and back (with lots of lovely hills along the way, including the bridge, which I can only describe as a nightmare for rollerbladers), so I thought this would be a great way to get my Thursday run in.

WRONG.

The first quarter mile from my office includes a major intersection and an overpass (Aris T. Allen Blvd. which is a minor highway), and there is NO shoulder room. Slightly terrifying, to say the least. After I made it through that alive, (almost spraining an ankle after deciding that chancing the grass was better than chancing traffic), the run to the bridge was pretty decent. However, I definitely am not a fan of running in the shoulder/bike lane of a 6-lane road, ergo, I will probably never make that run ever again. (Which is a shame, because it was great as far as the hills, etc.)

Anyway, I made it safely back to my car, stretched a little, and toyed with the idea of hitting the gym for some weights. Recalling the intensity of my workouts the rest of the week, though, I wisely decided that I should leave my day at running, go home, eat Cheerios, and go to bed. Which I did. =D

Just keep swimming...swimming...swimming...

Because I know it's Thursday and a little bit of "Finding Nemo" makes everyone's day better. =)

Had a killer pilates class last night (Wednesday nights are "power pilates," so the moves are faster and we don't take any breaks--it's intense!), then went to the pool. I did my first 20 lengths without stopping (yaaaaay!), and then did groups of 10 until I hit 40. Jim (my swimming buddy) still had a few more laps, so I back-stroked for another 10 laps. So, goal was 40 and instead I did 50. Needless to say, I was a very happy Bri (and tired!).

Crystal and I decided that bed was too comfy and warm this morning to abandon for the 30s weather outside, so I'm running after work. I mapped out a 4-mile path down Rte. 2 (Solomons Island) over the Edgewater Bridge and back, so I'll change and work and go from there. I'll probably head to the gym after my run since I plan to take tomorrow off and haven't been keeping up my weight-lifting schedule like I want to.

If you haven't donated yet, please do! You're supporting a great cause!!!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/md/rnrseatl09/bgrantham

Cheers!

Brianna

Kickboxing!

This pic is of some of the TNTers who volunteered at the B&A marathon waterstop (it was soooo cold!). I'm wearing a poodle skirt, but you can't see because I'm behind everyone. My friend Annie ran her first marathon that day, so it was amazing to be able to cheer her on!


After yet another looooong, stressful day at work, the gym looked like heaven to me. I had a great cardio Kickboxing class, with lots of lunges and squats (note to self: stop doing leg weights on Mondays). After kickboxing, I did a nice little 3.5 miler over the Naval Academy brige. My shins behaved, and I was LOVING fighting to get up the hills!

Today is swimming & pilates after work. My lap goal today is 46--last week I did 40. =)

Monday's Recap

I had a really long, exhausting day at work yesterday, so I was really looking forward to the gym. I did a great 35 minutes of squats, lunges, side lunges, leg press, leg extension, adductor, abductor, and calf raises. I did 45 minutes of hill intervals on the Arc-Trainer after weights, then scooted home for some couch potato time. (Not really, I was addressing more TNT fundraising letters).

Looking forward to Kickboxing and a run tonight!

Great weekend!

Crystal and I ran together on Thursday night between classes; I'm not sure how much we did distance-wise, but we kept a pretty good pace and did a few hills. It felt really great to get out and run after the long, stressful week!

I took Friday off because I was just plain exhausted, and had a hair appt. and girls' date with Crystal after work.

Saturday I ran 8.5 miles with TNT on the B&A trail, including Nancy's favorite hill in one of the neighborhoods off the trail (I love Nancy, she's such a sweetheart!). We stopped at the water stops every couple of miles to grab a drink and stretch a little, and I tested out my Clifshots (they're gummy energy chews, basically carbs, to refuel for longer mileage), which are awesome! The weather was beautiful, so I also got to test out my running skirt (hey, when it's been in the 30's, anything about 55F is paradise!), which I really like. Overall, it was a great run! I felt fantastic, didn't want to cut off my legs and die, and enjoyed it during and after the fact.

Sunday is pilates day, so I did my pilates class at the gym, then upper body weights and 35 minutes on the arc-trainer, doing hill intervals.

I was exhausted again this morning--didn't sleep very well last night--so I'm heading to the gym after work. I have Spring Break through the 23rd, so I have my Monday and Thursday afternoons free for two weeks (yay!). I'll be in Vegas the 15-19, though, so I'm going to have to figure out how to tweak my running schedule...

Cheers!

Brianna

Marathong

Yup, marathong.

Thanks to Annie, I will be running the Frederick Half Marathong wearing a thong outside my running shorts. (Well, that's the plan at the moment...we'll see if I still have the moxy on May 3!).

Why? Because running is sexy...and Annie keeps typing marathong instead of marathon. =)

Craziness!

Tuesday I did my kickboxing class (which kicked my butt, haha), then ran 3.1 mi. on the treadmill. I felt good running, and my shins weren't bothering me, which was GREAT.

Yesterday I did my pilates instructor's "power" pilates class, then went to the pool and swam 40 lengths. Goal: 76 lengths (=1 mi.)

I could not get out of bed this morning, so I haven't run yet today. I know I'm over-stretching myself between everything that I do, but I can't find anything to cut out. I don't like that I'll be running between classes tonight, but that's what I'll have to do, since I already took Monday off, and I don't want to run tomorrow, with my long run on Saturday.

Catch-up!

I was a good girl and took Friday off last week as a rest day, since I had already worked out 6+ days in a row.

Saturday morning started out less-than-promising for my 7-mile slow run with TNT. I had taped my shins and was struggling to poke along for the first mile or so. I finally took the tape off and contented myself to maintain my own pokey pace. I stopped to stretch my calves once, and ran the rest of the 7 miles easily! No pain, thank goodness, and thanks to the company of Coach Nancy and Karen, I didn't even realize how quickly the last couple miles went. (Also mad props to my Ipod! You and me, buddy, we can make it through anything!) So after the great run, the TNT crew went to a TNTer's house for potluck and a nutrition clinic, then I headed to the gym. Did full-body weights and about 30 minutes on the elliptical.

Sunday morning was freeeeeezing as we manned the water stop at miles 3/11 on the B&A Marathon. I hit the gym after the marathon for 40 minutes on the elliptical to unfreeze (poor toesies!) and then had a brutal pilates class with Neci (there were only three of us there, so she really worked us!).

Yesterday we had a really big snowstorm, so I didn't go anywhere.

Today is a run day, but I'm leery of the ice and snow on the roads and sidewalks, so I'll probably be running on the treadmill after kickboxing again.

Daylight savings this weekend means I'll be able to run after work--outside--again!!! Yay!