Motivation Monday: “don’t complain and work hard.”
Brandon Adam — retired US military, Iraq War veteran, lost his legs to an IED in 2007. Competes in mono-ski at Winter X-Games. (Side note: watching mono-ski was significantly more OMG! nerve wracking than any other WXG event.)
BAMF if I ever saw one.
Me Time, aka The Long Run
This was my first attempt at a long run in 2.5 months. I had forgot how different the long run feels.
The pre-run rituals — carbs, shoes, gear.
The feeling of starting out slow and waiting to settle into the run.
Finding the rhythm of your feet when your mind is finally free to just wander.
I set out to do anything more than 3, probably about an hour, but with no set parameters.
I feel refreshed.
Always tastes good going down. Always makes my tummy upset.
Will I ever learn?
(Also, just not the same without rum in it.)
Excuse me for beating a dead horse, but I think this message bears repeating (yet again): “I want very much for us to stop thinking that there is only one body type that is acceptable.”
by Heather Comarty (orignally posted at Shameless) (emphasis added)
For some reason, though, this photo troubles and angers me more than the first one does. Because here’s the thing: you are worth more than what men think of you. Marilyn Monroe was, to put it mildly, very sad, very often. She was a sex symbol, and thus, stopped existing as human being, a regular girl. […] Being “adored by thousands of men” didn’t stop her demons from consuming her. It angers me to no end that, again, in the name of self-esteem we’re going to make a poster girl (literally) out of a woman who was notoriously down on herself.
I want very much for us to stop thinking that there is only one body type that is acceptable. I would prefer the focus be on health, rather than appearance. The Monroe Meme seems about the furthest thing from healthy. This is a woman who abused alcohol and sleeping pills later in her life, this is a woman who (probably) died due to depression. But, hey, as long as someone thinks she looks good, I guess that’s what matters.
I need a sanity break. I need a run.
Too much sickness around me. Too many things I can’t control.
Not a Tumblr, but she’s my friend Kate’s training partner for Boston and she seems right up our crazy little alley.
So if you feel like you don’t get enough snot posts from Brenna or silly pictures from ShortMom/Moxy, check her out.
When I started running, 5k was a goal. Then I tried to race it, to really strategize and push and hit a certain time. And I did in September 2010. Then I started running long and stopped worrying about pace, focusing only only on finishing. But, I want to try to race again. So…
If I’m really going to RACE this 5k in March, I need a plan (I love plans & planning. Mmm planning).
Stuff You Need to Know (from Runner’s World)
Pace Intervals (PI) If your 5-K goal is 10:00 pace (31:02 finishing time), run pace intervals at 1:15 (for 200 meters), 2:30 (400m), 5:00 (800m). For 9:00 goal pace (27:56), it’s 1:07 (200m), 2:15 (400m), 4:30 (800m). […] (9:30 goal = 2:22.5 = 400m)
Speed Intervals (SI) For 10:00 pace, run 1:11 (for 200 meters), 2:22 (400m), 4:44 (800m). For 9:00 pace, it’s 1:04 (200m), 2:08 (400m), 4:15 (800m). […] (30 sec faster per mi @ 9:30 goal = 2:15 = 400m)
Recovery Time For pace intervals, slowly jog half the distance of the repetition (i.e., 200m jog after 400m repetitions). For speed intervals, jog equal distance (i.e., 400m jog after 400m repetitions).
Tempo Run (from about.com): Tempo runs help you develop your anaerobic threshold, which is critical for fast 5K racing. Start your run with 5-10 minutes easy running, then continue with 15-20 minutes running near your 10K pace (but not at race pace), and finish with 5-10 minutes cooling down. If you’re not sure what your 10K pace is, run at a pace that feels “comfortably hard.”
Found a totally doable speed-workout-intensive plan on about.com — 5K Training Schedule for Intermediate Runners — that has now been loaded into my training calendar.
Now, to set a goal pace. My 5k PR is from fall 2010: 29:46 on a totally flat, dry course. A PR of 29:30 would be an average pace of 9:30. That will be tough based on my current fitness, and specifically running, level — but I’m going to try.
Hump day happiness. So, so looking forward to the studio tonight. Gwen (instructor) promised to help me work on some tight/weak hamstring issues we id’d last week.
Guess what just happened….
Registration for half marathon #2!!!
Training starts in a month.
I cannot tell you how hard I laughed.
Equinox Yoga Parody.
For all of you who drooled and swooned (and did other things) over the scantily-clad young woman in the Equinox Yoga video, here is your follow up. Featured in Elephant Journal.
Much more similar to what my (and I’m sure most other people’s) practices look like. Though I personally enjoyed the Equinox Briohny Smyth video through a peformance art lens, not “this is what all yoga looks — or should look — like.”
Just a reminder to myself that with only 30 minutes between getting home last night and having a wedding work call, I ran instead of making excuses. 1.5 fast, slushy miles at puppy pace.
(If how you spend Chinese New Year is how you spend all year, I will be a content lady.)
For a certain friend (or in case someone else needs them). Matsyasana (fish pose) and Ustrasana (camel pose) are two of my recent favorites.
I can’t make it to the studio tonight, but I’m interested in a short practice tonight. I would love online free (or cheap) videos (also have Netflix streaming). Go ahead, Internet, give me what you got.
Abstract Monday morning self-portrait. It’s a gray soggy Monday here in Boston and despite the coffee and pop of color, I’m tired & struggling.
I did not watch my alcohol intake Saturday night or my food intake Sunday. I did not sweat enough. But that was then and this is Monday.
So, instead of a recap, a plan:
tl;dr: Monday Motivation: making plans & paying it forward.
