All Work and No Play?

All work and no play makes Heather a dull girl.

All work and no play makes Heather a dull girl.

That's kind of how I have been feeling with work lately and questioning how I was going to juggle everything in my life. BUT...planning, lists and living on your Outlook calender...one can achieve the goal of doing it all...kind of...


I guess I should back up, I thankfully had a "recovery" week right after Atlantic City, that was perfect timing with the craziness of work and running around putting finishing touches on Christine's bridal shower that Erica and I were hosting with her mom, which went off without a hitch.

And was filled with lots of wine goodness....

Then there was Easter Sunday where I, wait for it....took a day off from training (oh yes!) to chill out and spend time with Mike and family....

And then in the spirit of celebrating the end of lent (i.e. foregoing shopping for 40 days) and kicking off yet another high mileage week,  I did this.....

Packages compliments of Nordstroms, Urban Outfitters and Lush

followed by a little internet shopping at Trisports.com which will be shared in a triathlon fashion post when the Wells-fargo wagon hits 30 Hobbs Rd.  After this, I buckled down for my next two weeks of hell report writing of an 8 country report...and lots and lots of training...

My cat Ozzy that sleeps on my arm while I type...weird.

My shopping expedition left me in a bit of a high, so I was super productive with structuring work and training, plenty of sleep and some good meals.  I was able to fit in lots of outside riding and running and pool fun and top it off with a great training weekend that consisted of a 50 mile (2,100 ft) Mooseman-prep ride of hilly goodness with Yasi which was nothing short of fun.

 When I thought my legs could not even think about the run that would happen later on in the day and all I wanted to do was snuggle with the puppy (Mike was at a gig), I bucked up went for a run and after 1 mile of sludge, the legs showed up and it was a great end of my play time till I had to go figure out a quick meal and get back to work for the rest of the night before I embarked on Sunday's long workout of a long run and swim.

Sunday Funday did not go as planned when I fell in a blaze of glory (the final stretch of the run) running downhill at my favorite trails.  My grandmom said I would never be a leg model....

Luckily my best friend's wedding will have us wearing short dresses so I can show off my battle scars hot legs...


I came right home after the run since I didn't feel it was appropriate rolling in the gym with my bloody legs and elbows and taking a dip in the pool, SO instead I went home where my house was overrun by the metal gods of Beyond Dishonor and my adopted children, Sky Came Burning.  I promptly poured myself a beer and got eggs made for me, before heading out on that beautiful Sunday to watch the boys play in Philly!

And that my friends is how to make it all happen...lots of planning, lots of lists....
All work and all play makes Heather a fun girl....if only Jack read this post...

9 years later, finally a PR....

9 years ago in 2003 (in case you had trouble with math), I was 27 years old and decided to do my first half-marathon after taking a fairly long sabbatical to running from high school track...(I am not counting playing field hockey in college).  I ran a 2:02:21 at the Ceaser Rodney Half Marathon in Delaware.  I ran one more that year and did a 2:03:05 at the formerly called Philadelphia Distance Run and then I took yet another sabbatical of running any longer than a 5k and went back to kick-boxing and weights and other activities.

When I took up triathlons in 2008, I became addicted to the bike and improving in the swim.  Let's face it, I was hit with one issue after another with my legs and feet that I was faced with the feeling that I was doomed to be a 10min/mile runner in anything over 10 miles.  I did a couple half-marathons and 10 mile Broad Street runs and it was constant....

2009 Philadelphia Half-marathon - 2:12:42
2011 NOLA Half-marathon - 2:11:17

I dropped out of a 1/2 in 2010 but my debut in 1/2 Ironman that year proved another cursed 10 minute miler...it was getting to the point where I only signed up for these things in the hopes of not doing it, because I was tired of not doing anything any better than seeing the 10:xx flash before  me.  This year, you heard (or read) me talk about how I changed my foot strike and have been working on my gait.  This change has led me to (knock on wood) NO calf cramps which was the demise of any of my half-marathons around mile 9 or 10 during the running races or during a half-ironman.

My last report was the DC 1/2 marathon which I had a small PR (since 2009) and did a 2:10 (yes, another 10min/mile - however the Garmin SAID 9:50).  I had a couple small issues, but I also had a "not-so secret goal" for Atlantic City.  This was an area where I not only spent most of my childhood days at the Jersey Shore walking the boardwalk, but also a recent family shore house (sister-in-law).  I am used to running the course the opposite direction at least 3-4 times a year during the summer while training on vacation.  Oh yeah, and it is flat....

My only negative thought on PR'ing was that A, I was 2 weeks after the last half and I never went on a recovery week, I was still in my Build phase for the 1/2 ironman plan which meant getting in about 15 hours before Sunday.  However, I have been feeling extremely healthy and recovering remarkably well after hard workouts. 

It helps when you have plenty of good food...

good beer and friends....

and making beer...(this is another post for another time)

Our cherry bourbon stout we are kegging....

The day before was a 3.5 hr trainer ride while "stalking" my favorite peeps in Oceanside which watching some flicks...

We left later that night to pick up the packs and stay over at my ever so generous sister-in-law's awesome home so we could sleep in....Best part of race day morning?  The fact that we could use casino bathrooms instead of port-a-potties...not so good for the casino goers with 1000 runners vying for the toilets and well you know how it rolls race morning...

Our biggest supporter, my sister!

Myself, Christine and Nicole with the beach in the back...

The race started and looked at my Garmin 8:47, we know what happens when I start out like this so I kept a 9:20 -9:30 pace depending on water stops.  As I waited for something bad to happen, I kept going, my heart rate was in check, I felt good, it was nice seeing the ocean and reminiscing in various areas.  At mile 8 I saw my Garmin say 1:33...which even if I did 10 min miles for the last 5 miles I would PR.  What this meant to me was if I got a cramp I can still pull this off....but I wanted to keep going and kept the same pace, no cramps, no elevated heart rate, nope just steady....and then I saw my mom on the side lines and my sister and dad and reeled it in.

Clock time 2:01:35 (9:22 min/mile)

I think this sums up the race!

FINALLY A PR from 9 years ago...at this point I feel better than I have in a while, and completely excited about the next 9 weeks of training for Mooseman!