The White Christmas That Wasn't & an Epic Run

{See the white stuff on the rocks? It's actually snow! But alas, no white Christmas for us.}

After a long Christmas selling season I couldn't wait for Christmas to arrive. I had planned on running Christmas Eve and couldn't believe it when it started snowing just as I was heading out.

I'm sure most of us runners have experienced an epic run. The ones that speak to your soul as much as they work your body. They are few and that's what makes them so special. My last epic run was 2 years ago as I grieved for my friends who had just lost a child to cancer.

It was as if the Christmas Eve run was orchestrated just to be a balm to my soul. Snowflakes on my eyelashes, sleet soaking my clothes, squirrels running along side-even my iPod shuffle shuffled to the exact songs I needed to hear. I will not soon forget the gift of this Christmas Eve run.

{the country road i ran on-no more snow by the time i took the photo.}

When I tried to explain the feeling to my husband he said maybe I'm getting a little obsessed. Back to reality my friends. :)

{Gratuitous shot of my legs. I just really love my Christmas tights!}

Recharge

I quite simply have the two most awesome employees I could have asked for here at Sporty Girl. They put up with a lot since the studio is in my home so we work around kids, clutter and general mayhem.


To celebrate then end of the Christmas busy season I treated us to manicures. (trust me when I say it's a good thing I did not post before photos. Sanding jewelry takes its toll on your nails!)

Thank you to all of our new Sporty Girl Jewelry fans and readers. Merry Christmas!

Top 10 Reasons to LOVE My Treadmill

I am a die-hard outdoor runner but even I don't want to brave -8 degree temps so I was forced to hit the 'mill today. I spent my time on the hamster wheel- I mean treadmill- making a Top 10 list of what I love about treadmill running. Anything to pass the time, right?!

1. I get to run in my favorite shorts
2. No need for headphones-just blast the music
3. I can sing along if I want and not look like a psycho
4. no nature (insert your nature foe here- mine lately have been spider webs, errant branches & a disturbing blood stain on the bike path) to run into
5. No gloves, base layers, cold ankles between my socks & tights, no headband to squeeze said headphones into my brain
6. I get to be in my happy green guest/family/game room and just enjoy the bright color
7. pace control. when bored, just go faster, then slower then faster again whoopee!
8. my kitties can keep me company (granted while loafing on big fuzzy pillows)
9. short commute

And my #1 reason I love my treadmill is.....

10. I love my treadmill because I can run even in crappy weather

(Also, why do I run with my thumbs up? Who knows?!)

Tempo-Speed-Fartleks OH MY!

I'm devouring training plans as I look forward to a winter/spring training schedule and I swear it doesn't matter how many times I read them, I still don't know how to work in these specialty runs.

I don't know the difference between my 5K pace, my 10K pace and my 1/2 pace. I have running and not running. My runs are almost always the same pace. Is it better to do these training runs on a treadmill to monitor speed and distance, or is it possible to learn to feel the different paces?

Any advice on how to learn the feel of these workouts is greatly appreciated!

Nutrition, Mileage & Weight Loss

I've been ruminating on this topic for a few weeks-not sure how to put it into words. Since I've started increasing mileage I have dropped some weight I didn't really need to lose. While I realize that most women would be thrilled to have this problem it has left me in uncharted waters.


The reaction of those around me has been like a slice of pop culture today. Most comments are positive and admiring of my "willpower". A couple have told me to eat a sandwich and only one has asked if everything is ok.


One advantage is that running is super easy when you don't weigh very much! :)  However, I want to be sure that I'm adequately fueling my body for running & training. While I am at the weight I was when I got married, I don't think it's a healthy weight for a woman (not a girl) and an athlete. And psychologically it has been hard to regain. I have been conditioned to want to see the scale go DOWN- not up.

So I guess this is what I'm wondering: How thin is too thin? Are there advantages to being on the thinner side in running? Have any of you experienced a decrease in appetite from running?

1/2 on the fly?

I was reading through my September Runner's World magazine and came across an article called Late Entry. Bascially how to jump into a race you hadn't been preparing for. It caught my eye because although I hadn't been specifically training for a 1/2 this year, I really want to do one.


According to the article I have been logging enough miles to put a 1/2 on my calendar in the next 4 weeks. Well my interest was piqued so I looked around for a 1/2 in January. And I found one. What is it about runners that the harder the race sounds, the more we want to do it?


Here are some highlights in the race description:
"with continuous ups and downs throughout most of the route the elevation difference seems greater"
"There are several steep inclines along the race course, with at least three gaining over 100 feet in elevation"


And this is how the race description ends:
"If the course is not daunting enough, the conditions the day of the race may be. The unpredictability of Kansas’s weather is a certainty, even during the middle of winter. With the course traversing mainly north to south and with a predominately north or northwesterly wind, there is usually a tail or side wind. That normally means colder temperatures. Race day has featured temperatures as low as the single digits and readings well below zero with the wind chill factored in. Conversely, there has been occasion when the sky has been clear and under bright sunshine mid-day temperatures reached into the 50s or 60s and shorts and singlets were the apparel norm. Snow, sleet, or even rain before or during the event is also a possibility and that means more often than not there will be some footing issues to consider. Paved roads are generally manageable, but the country roads can often become a sloppy mess or may be mostly ice covered."


So let's see, possible sub-freezing temps not to mention ice and/or mud, hills, good 'ol Kansas winds. What's not to love?

What do you think? Go for it? Or hold out for milder conditions?

Thanksgiving Day 5K

My son & I have run the local Thanksgiving Day 5k twice before. The first time when he was 7, then when he was 9. We decided to go for it again this year (age 11) but I was a little hesitant since this is how he looked 7 months ago.

After a ski accident left him immobile for 12 weeks and followed by a few weeks of physical therpy he is not quite at 100%. He really wanted to continue our tradition so we gave it a go. It was 21 degrees with windchill of 7 but it was a beautiful morning. We had a great run and ended up beating our team PR by 1:30. I couldn't have been more proud and I am so thankful to have these memories with him. I asked him before we left if we were running unplugged to talk or with music and he very resoundingly said unplugged. How sweet is that?

Balance

I love to run. That's all there is to it. But it can be hard to find the balance between increasing miles and enjoying the sport I love and preventing injury. Any suggestions about upping mileage without blowing out your knees would be greatly appreciated!

Contentment

I wanted so much to capture how glorious it was today when I ran. The sun was out-just enough chill in the air. Landscape photography is not my forte but I went with a small aperture to try to capture the sun.

I drank my post run protein shake outside to maximize the time. Mornings don't get more perfect than this!

Eat Pray Run Repeat ~ Now available online!

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