What a Weekend

Friday

Work all day.  Rush home to get JD.  Pick up my mom and head to the salon for JD’s evening of pampering: mani, pedi and eyebrow shaping.  Quick dinner, head home and off to bed early in preparation for Saturday’s long run.

Saturday

We had beautiful weather all week: sunny and warm.  I woke up to clouds and temps in the low 40s.  This turned out to be a blessing in disguise since I run better in cooler temps.  Running skirt, compression socks and a long-sleeved running tee {with hand warmers!}.  Headed to Willow only to discover there was a duathlon in progress.  Not wanting to get in the middle of that, I headed over to Lower Huron, nervous because I wasn’t familiar with that park.  All things happen for a reason, as I ended up liking Lower Huron better than Willow and had a really great run.

Then the mad rush was on: go home, shower, grab JD and head to the salon to get her hair done.

Rush back home, put on dress, shoes and jewelry. 

Group pictures with friends and family.

Wave goodbye as they pull out of the driveway then hide in the bathroom for 10 minutes and cry because you cannot believe that your baby girl just left for her first high school dance.  Remember that you haven’t eaten all day {and you burned 1,000+ calories on your run}, go to dinner, eat all the food and drink all the beer.  Solidify your title as best mom ever by falling asleep before your daughter returns from the dance, causing her to have to wrangle herself out of her dress and remove one million bobby pins from her hair.  Oops.

Sunday

Wake up early-ish because you promised mom that you’d take her to breakfast.  Reinforce best mom ever status by making JD wake up early, too.  Get rewarded with unexpected gift:

More Pandora charms!  Go to breakfast, stop at Starbucks {of course}, go to Target, go to Meijer, come home, put everything away, make salad for Mother’s Day/mom’s birthday dinner at Grandma’s, go to Grandma’s, drink all the wine, eat all the food {Caramel Apple Salad – to die for}, go back home, feed the dog, crawl into bed and cry that tomorrow is Monday.

This week doesn’t get any better: two runs {one 4 miler, one 2 miler}, three soccer games {all away}, one dentist appointment, pick up new eyeglasses, pack, drive to Midland, run half marathon, drive home.

Next Monday I will be checking myself into an insane asylum.  It’s been nice knowing you all.

Natural Recharge

Shortly after posting about my doing it wrong style of running and my panic over my upcoming half, I received an invitation to check out a functional wellness center and take advantage of their services.  I didn’t have to think about it very long.

My stress over my crappy runs actually pushed me to the point of taking yesterday off work.  Seriously, I was that freaked out about it.  I decided that was the perfect day for me to venture out to West Bloomfield and check out Natural Recharge {formerly MigunLiving}.

I was provided with a list of services to try and I opted for the Functional Movement Screen Test and a session in the Migun Infrared Massage Bed.  Thanks to my panic-induced bazillion squats in the two days leading up to this, a massage bed sounded heavenly.

The drive was not bad at all {I’m in the Downriver area and it was just a straight shot up Telegraph} and the building was located conveniently on Maple Rd just off the corner of Telegraph.  Lots of signage pointed me in the right direction and I found their suite easily.

Waiting area {picture courtesy of Natural Recharge Facebook page}

I was greeted by David Sherman, one of the owners, who showed me around their new facility and explained the way the massage beds and the laser pain therapy worked.  I have definite plans to bring both my grandma and my husband {both suffer from arthritis pain} here to try the laser therapy.

After the tour, I watched a brief video explaining the science behind the beds {very interesting} and then I was set up on one to see for myself. 

Verdict: it was heaven.  There are several heated jade stones that gently roll back and forth, up and down your body, from your head to your toes.  It felt like a warm foam roller on my super tight calves and sore hamstrings, gently massaging all the tension right out of them.  You can bet I’ll be back the day after my half lying on this bed for pretty much the entire day {is that OK, David?  }.

Then it was time for my Functional Movement Screen Test with Brad Kegebein.  He asked me a series of questions {what type of physical activity I engage in, what kind of shoes do I wear, am I experiencing any pain currently, etc.} and then it was time for the test {for a better explanation of the test – with pictures! – check out Teresa’s post about her experience}.  First up, do three squats while holding a long, wooden bar behind my head along my shoulders.  No problem there {even with my sore thighs – they were already feeling better thanks to the massage bed}.  Next, while still holding that same wooden bar behind my head, I had to step over a hurdle and back, one foot at a time.  Right leg?  No problem.  Left leg?  Um, I knocked the hurdle right over.  I was swinging my hip out in order to get it over the hurdle, a sign of tightness in my left hip.  This was followed by some straight leg raises {nailed it!} and then a screening of my neck, shoulders and arms that showed I had some tightness in the left side of my neck.  This coupled with the tightness in my left hip explains the pain I’ve been experiencing in my left foot.  My total score cleared me to continue running but Brad advised me to work on loosening up my left side.  Very interesting and informative!

Functional training area {picture courtesy of Natural Recharge Facebook page}

Does this sound like something you might be interested in?  In celebration of their Grand Opening, you can take advantage of the following specials:

Migun Bed Packages – An additional session added for each five sessions purchased {example: purchase ten sessions and get two sessions free – a $40 value!}

10% off the purchase of a Migun Massage Bed or a Migun Mat

50% off a Functional Movement Evaluation and training – $90 value for only $45!

Laser Lite Cure Packages – purchase any package and get an additional session FREE {$85 value}.  Just mention you heard about it on my blog.

All specials are good through the end of May so call them now! 248.203.7744

Disclaimer: I received my session free of charge and I was compensated to write an honest review.  All opinions given are my own.

Doing It Wrong

All of my runs last week were just plain hard.  Tuesday’s and Thursday’s 5 milers and Saturday’s 10 miler.  My legs were heavy and I felt really tired.  After the ten miler, I really started to panic, thinking there’s no way I’m ever going to be able to run this half marathon.  As I was bitching and whining about this to D, he made an observation: I’m not strength training.  Yeah, I’m putting in the miles each week, but that’s all I’m doing.  I’m getting tired because I’m weak muscled.  He also pointed out that I felt great during my eight miler, so what changed?  Well, two days before that run I went to yoga.

Maybe he’s on to something.  Man, do I hate to admit when he’s right.

I’m not much for strength training.  In fact, I hate it.  I was getting a little in with my BodyWorks classes, but thanks to JD having soccer games this Spring on Wednesdays, I haven’t been able to go.  And I did feel pretty darn awesome after that yoga class {not immediately after, but the next morning I felt great} but I haven’t gone back because the time and location just aren’t convenient.

My half is less than two weeks away, so I’m not thinking I can do much to change anything in that small of a time frame.  I am going to start doing squats and planks as well as incorporate my Barre3 DVD twice a week.  It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing.

In my defense, the route for my 10 miler was much hillier than any other routes that I’ve been running.  My hamstrings are still sore from that one.

Any other runners out there that don’t strength train?  Did it affect your endurance?

Lessons Learned

9 miles were on the calendar for Saturday.  The weather was beautiful and I was feeling pretty confident after last week’s 8 miler.  In the end, it wasn’t great {9 miles in 1:51:15, 12:21/mile pace} but I learned a few things:

• Long run stomach upset can be avoided - I was diligent about what I ate on Friday - no dairy and nothing fried.  It was tough passing up the saganaki at dinner Friday night, but I did and was rewarded for it.  Also, I hydrated like it was my job Friday and before I headed out on Saturday.  I tried nuun tablets for the first time and I liked them.  They will be added to the routine from now on.  My run may not have been great but I can’t blame my stomach - it didn’t bother me at all.
• Not all Shot Bloks are good and I do not like gels - I figured I better start working on my fuel plan for the half so I hit up RunningFit Friday and picked up some Shot Bloks {which I already knew I liked}, some Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gels and the aforementioned nuun tablets.  Everyone raves about the Margarita Shot Bloks so I picked up a pack of those to try.  The guy at RunningFit asked me if I’d tried that flavor before, and when I told him no he said I’d either love them or hate them.  I hate them.  The flavor is off and I do not like the saltiness.  I choked down three before I headed out the door and packed a gel {Island Nectar I think the flavor was} to try around mile 5.  After gagging and nearly puking that gel back up, I’ve decided I will be sticking to Shot Bloks {but definitely not the Margarita ones}.
• Side cramps suck - from mile .5 all the way to the end I had one hell of a side cramp that caused me to take a few walk breaks.  It really screwed with my breathing and almost had me wishing for the stomach upset instead {at least I was able to run through that last week}.  Any words of wisdom on how to avoid or overcome these?

A non-running lesson I learned yesterday - don’t schedule a dental appointment and an eye appointment on the same day.  Getting a crown followed by having your pupils dilated makes for one hell of a Monday.

Two 5 milers are on the schedule this week along with a 10 miler on Saturday.  Wish me luck.

This Is Why We Run

It was cold and rainy all day.  That didn’t stop hundreds of runners from showing up at Kensington to run.  The rain stopped around 5:00 and at 6:30, just as we started to run, the sun came out!  4.34 miles {was supposed to be 4.15, I’m sure my GPS just went wonky or I started it too soon} of beautiful {and hilly - my hamstrings are screaming today} trails through the park and around Kent Lake.  There was even free Muscle Milk at the end!

I’m so glad I was able to go.  I met and ran with some people I’ll probably never see again but I enjoyed it so much.  The atmosphere just made you feel like you were a part of something so much bigger.  We were just out for a run yet it felt like we were changing the world.

A year ago I never would have driven all that way to attend an event like this by myself.  Heck, six months ago I wouldn’t have.  I’m stepping out of my comfort zone big time and it’s being spurred on by how awesome everyone in the running community is.  If you show up somewhere alone, someone will come up and talk to you, run with you.  This community accepts everyone. 

I found out Alicia and Stacie were there after the fact…anyone else at Kensington last night that I missed?