My First Skirt

How's this for something a little different for today's Tuesdays on the Run link up? About a month ago it was my turn to share my "first skirt" story on Skirt Sports's blog. It was a fun experience to write for a different blog and to contribute to the Skirt community.

If you're interested in reading my post about getting my first skirt, click below!

Click here to read the full story!

Looking back on this experience, I realized that wearing my running skirts will always be a connection to my mom and my first marathon. It's funny how even the simplest material things can evoke so many memories and emotions, and take on more than just their physical meaning.

(By the way, if you want to treat yourself, Skirt Sports is having their 70% off sale right now, and as always you can use ABK20 on regularly priced items for a 20% discount, too. I wish I lived somewhere colder because their Toasty collection looks amazing.)

Tell me about a simple gift you've received that's taken on more meaning for you.

ABK

Surprise Races!

You all know I've been training for this 10k in October. It's my goal race for the season in the sense that my year of short/speed is coming to an end and it will probably be the last race I run in 2016.

Well, that was the plan anyway. But two races kind of snuck up on me this week and I couldn't say no!

Overused, always accurate. Fun story: when I first saw Elf I wasn't a runner yet, so I didn't get this line; now, I feel like he knows my soul.

The first surprise race is a nighttime 5k this Friday. As in, three days from now. The race is a bit of a drive for us, but I'm excited for it because 1) Sean (remember him?) loves it and swears it's great 2) the after-party/dinner is supposed to be fantastic (even though I won't be able to partake), and 3) this year is the race's 5th anniversary so there's a finisher's medal!

I plan to run it HARD and see if I've kept up my fitness from May's 5k; if I can keep paces in the 8:40s again I'll be totally surprised and stoked, but that's kind of my goal/hope.

The second race is after the 10k. The other CRT (whose office I share) and one of our 5th grade teachers have been talking about training for their first 5k. They've been excited to run it but I can tell they're also a little nervous. This week, they jokingly challenged me to join them, and I immediately agreed.

They hadn't signed up yet, even though they've been training since summer, and I had the feeling they might chicken out, so I signed up and forced their hands.

First races are a big deal and I know they can either hook you and make you love running, or they can kind of scare you off for awhile. I want this to be a good experience for them, so I plan to run it at an easy and fun pace (because it's a themed race and I'm not sure if it's worth busting my butt over, but we'll see how I feel!) and meet them at the end with big cheers and smiles.

I want Elizabeth to run either race with me, but I really wish she could run the first. She's never run a a race before, and it would give her a race experience before our 10k (she's not sure how she'll be in a race atmosphere, understandably!) and because there's a finisher's medal, I think it would really make her feel excited and accomplished. Either way, I'm still (gently) working on her to join!

I want this to be EVERYONE'S reaction after their first race!

I've missed running 5ks; I can't justify running a race every weekend like I used to, but I'm really glad these two races popped up on my radar so I can fit in a few more before 2016 draws to a close.

Do you have any last-minute races coming up?
If you're a more discerning racer, how do you decide if you're going to participate in a race?

ABK

Today I linked up with Erika @ MCM Mama Runs for Tuesdays on the Run!

Summer Running and a Shoe Update!

Summer running:
You know what's fun about summer running? That moment when you realize, halfway into the hottest month of the year, that you're finally acclimating! (Can you ever say, "I've acclimated" or is it an ongoing process with no definitive end?)

This weekend, I woke up Sunday at 6am and checked the weather: 79 degrees with 75% humidity. I contemplated skipping the run - 79F that early just seemed SO painful. But when I stepped outside, I was like, "Oh, this isn't so bad at all!"

Feeling strong and sweaty post-run!

And then I commenced to run at a fairly speedy pace without feeling like I was putting in too much effort or really huffing and puffing. I hardly felt I was sweating or working hard at all!

Sunday's splits.

Of course, after the run I realized I was completely soaked, but I felt totally great. I guess maybe I'm finally acclimated in a way I never have been before, because I've never experienced this level of comfort on outdoor runs in the height of summer.

Shoes:

I finally found them!

Soooo preeeeetty! They're a new color scheme for me, and I'm loving it!

Friday and Sunday's runs were both in my new shoes, and they are absolutely the ones I'm keeping. Some shoes I tried were automatic no's - like the Saucony Hurricane (which I wanted to love but knew the moment I put it on that it wasn't for me) - and some I vacillated between yes and no. But these Brooks Ravenna? Within minutes of my first run, I could tell a difference in the feel and feedback of the shoe, and yet it felt like they weren't even there.

They just felt like I didn't need to think about them at all. I could put them on and forget about them, which is exactly what I've been looking for.

Now, after months of stress and searching for new shoes, I'm almost glad for the changes in the Kayano because the Ravenna are so much more what I've been looking for - springier, less bulky, and lighter-feeling. (Although they're not light, they're 1.2oz lighter than the Kayano.) I may never have tried them out if not for the awful updates on the Kayano!

Remember this post? Oh, the drama!

I think going with the "energize" option (as opposed to "cushion") was also exactly right for where my running is these days. I ended up ordering both the Transcend and the Ravenna, but the Transcend felt clunky when I tried them; I never even took them on a run before returning them!

"Training":
My runs this week also gave me a little confidence boost! I've been worried about my speed work not paying off in longer distances (and by "longer" these days I mean the 10k), but the easy effort of my distance runs this week, paired with the paces of my repeats, have given me confidence for my 10k goal race in October.

Last week's runs via DailyMile.

I plan to add tempo runs more consistently into my training toward the end of the August, and I also plan to add a fourth weekly run into my schedule soon.

To be honest, I'm enjoying my working schedule, but I miss running, and I'd like to see higher weekly mileage, so I feel it's time to run more! Is it weird to miss something I'm doing consistently multiple times a week? I'm sure you guys know what I mean!

This post has been brought to you by the TOTR linkup!

Have you been acclimating well to the summer heat?
How many days a week do you like to run?
When you're not following a training plan, how do you make sure to get the most out of your speed work?

ABK

Marathon Thoughts

I'm not planning to run a marathon anytime soon, but watching all my friends' training has got me thinking! For today's TOTR, I'm reflecting on marathon training and what works best for me.

Despite running three marathons, I can't decide if I've figured out what works best for me. For my first (Space Coast), I felt pretty prepared, but I had no idea what I was actually getting into. I ran a single 20-miler and took an entire week off. Then, I ran an 18-miler and ended up tapering drastically because it took so much out of me, and in retrospect I wondered if I had missed too many runs or taken it too easy too early.

Really, there's nothing like the first one, is there?

For my second (BDR), I went in feeling over-prepared and strong but totally got my ass handed to me by the weather. I only ran one 20-miler for that race, too, but I did multiple 16-18 mile runs and didn't drop the ball on training after any of them. Still, there's no way to know if those extra long runs and the prescribed, gradual taper were good for me or not because of race day conditions.

Smiling, but not really that happy.

For my third (A1A), I used BDR as a training run and did a 20-miler a few weeks out as part of my training. After that, I dropped out of training a bit and had what was basically a repeat of Space Coast's extreme, sudden taper. If you recall, I wasn't even planning to run the full until the day before race day. That marathon ended up being my PR.

Now I can't help but wonder if BDR was an excellent addition to my training plan for A1A or if it didn't make a difference at all!

I think what I'm beginning to wonder about is the benefit of the 20-miler. Other than mental strength, does it do much? Does it actually break down my body too much? Or is it a good training strategy for me, seeing as it seems to have paid off in the last race? Should I actually be looking at doing a 22 or 24 miler as my longest run, to help give my body and mind more fortitude, or is less better?

My runner friends using Hansons seem to like that their long runs top out at 16 miles; the double long runs on weekends mean more overall weekly distance than I've ever put in for marathon training, and I wonder which would work better for my body: running 20 milers but topping out at 35 weekly miles, or keeping long runs shorter but getting up into 40-mile weeks.

I know that for my lifestyle, running six days a week and not having any time on weekends to sleep in (because of the back-to-back long runs) wouldn't work for me. But when I get back to marathon training eventually, I think it would be worth it to really do my research on tapering, maximum weekly miles, and long run times vs. distance.

I love that the marathon is a new beast every time you run one. Even experienced marathoners understand that 26.2 miles leaves a lot of room for error and even if the stars align, you really need to rely on your best training to get you through it. I wonder how many more of these things I'll need to run before I know what truly works best for me!

What are your thoughts on:
-distance vs. time for long runs?
-the 20-miler vs. back-to-back long runs?
-long, intense taper vs. gradual/shorter taper?
-true fatigue/over-training vs. under-training?

ABK

One And Done? & the Spartan Race Winner!

Today's topic for TOTR really spoke to me...in a way that made me laugh! I've never been a "one and done" runner. I never even said it about my first marathon. I knew that no matter how it went, I'd want to run at least two.

I'm joining Erika and the ladies for TOTR!

But really, I was tickled by this topic because I'm notorious for running the same races over and over again. I have so many duplicate bibs and medals from local races - especially 5ks - because I just love a familiar, nearby course! Here are some notable repeats in no particular order (all the race recaps can be found on My Races page):

Sanibel Race for FISH 10k. This is my favorite 10k and I've run it four years in a row. I plan to run it again this year and I'll be dragging Elizabeth along as well. The course is beautiful and always a joy to run. This is my most-often repeated race because they've never changed anything about it and the date (early October) is always easy for me to fit into my schedule.

My PR is on this course and I hope to break it here again this year.

Race the Roof 8k/15k. This race is absolutely gorgeous. It winds through lots of vegetation and over boardwalks. The inaugural year they offered a 5k and 8k, and after that they bumped the 8k to a 15k. I missed it in 2014 and 2015 because they don't advertise registration very well and I always miss it, but I plan to repeat it a third time this fall.

The Fast and the Furriest 5k. This was the first race I ever ran alone. I loved that the course was the same as the Race for the Cure course, so I knew it really well and could plan my strategy by it. I ran it the next year with my friend Kim, who drove over from the other coast to visit and run it with me, and that's another reason this race has such good memories for me. They moved it in 2014 and now it's too far for me to drive for a 5k, so I don't run it anymore, but I'll always think of it fondly.

A1A half/marathon. When I ran this half in 2015, it was on my birthday and I was getting over some sickness. I was surprised by how strong I felt and how much I enjoyed the entire course. Obviously I returned this year and surprised myself (and everyone else) by running the full. Again, I loved every step of the course. I'm debating going back next year for logistical reasons, but this is definitely one I like to repeat.

ALSO Youth Turkey Trot. I really loved this race when it was a 10k, but when they got rid of the 10k option I ran the 5k once and lost my love for it. Running over a HUGE bridge twice in a 5k is just too much to ask of me; I'm not against running it, but it hasn't been a priority for me over the last couple years. I do love the cause it supports, though, so I hope they bring back the 10k option eventually.

Shark's Tooth 10k. The Shark's Tooth is a 10k I've run more than once but probably won't run again. Last year it was just too hot! The first time I ran it was as the last race in a series challenge, and it was fairly cool out and a nice race. The next year, it was downright brutally hot. I wish it weren't an April race because the course is lovely and the medal is cute, but there's no shade during the entire 10k and the start time is after sunrise, so it's just too hot for me to truly enjoy.

Pretty course...but no shade at all! In April in Florida, that's a deal-breaker.

These factors make me want to repeat a race: location, cost, swag, and my own personal experience on the course. If I had a magical time out there, I'll probably be back for the next one!

PS: The winner of the FREE entry to the Spartan Race is my good friend Montana! I know that seems improbable, but I used Rafflecopter to generate a random winner, so who am I to argue?!

I know the race entry is going to someone who will really use it, so that's good news, too :)

Are you a "one and done" racer?
What is a race you like to do every year?
What factors win over your race loyalty?

ABK

Weekly Workouts 4/18-4/24

Remember back in January when I decided 2016 would be the year of simplicity, shorter distances, and speed work? Well, I've finally found my groove. It only took four months! To be fair, running the full in February did kind of throw off my original plans, so I'm not feeling bad about finally finding my stride in late April.

Monday: Two Nike Training Club workouts for a total of 20 minutes of ab/core work. I was proud of this workout because Monday was a total cluster - it was the day we sold the Prius and had to go to the bank and the DMV directly after school, so I was starving and exhausted when we got home after 6pm - and I had to do my workout without a buddy. Despite the craziness, I got it done!

Tuesday: 8 x .33 repeats with upper body during recovery with Elizabeth. Eventually maybe we'll move to a real track and do more traditional mileage for this workout, but the circle is working well for us right now.

I did a slightly better job with paces this time around.

Wednesday: Game day at the Y courtesy of school (20 minutes of outdoor relay games, 20 minutes of Zumba, and 20 minutes of pilates) followed by T25 legs. OUCH.

I've never done Zumba before but I totally loved it! I hope to work it into my schedule.

Thursday: Rest.

Friday: 4.12 miles alone. I pushed the pace and definitely felt it in my inner thighs, which were still sore from Wednesday, and I ended up needing a couple walk breaks. I think I'm acclimating to the warmer temperatures, and I was fatigued because I'm starting my period, but overall this run felt good.

I really liked my outfit that day and wanted to capture the entire thing. The Lioness skirt in Free Love is seriously my favorite new piece of running gear ever.

It felt nice to push it even though I couldn't hold the pace consistently. I'm enjoying my workouts feeling hard.

Saturday: Rest and Passover. I indulged during Seder, as is to be expected, but I didn't even feel a little bad about it. I know that food-guilt isn't healthy and having a day of indulgence after two weeks of balanced eating is totally fine. I was worried I'd feel bad, but I didn't!

Sunday: Somehow I managed to roll out of bed and go collect Elizabeth for our first "long" run in awhile. We did six miles at a nice steady pace and I enjoyed pushing the distance again. I'd like to get my Friday runs up to about six miles and my weekend runs around 8-10; I feel like I'm on track to get there pretty soon.

My eyeballs look tired because I was beyond exhausted. After our run I went home and napped for two hours!

Also, on Sunday around mile 1.5 I needed a bathroom so we stopped by a church that has outdoor access to its bathrooms. The women's room was locked so I used the men's. And I just need to take a moment here to comment on how ridiculous it is that that would be considered illegal in certain places in the States these days.

Today I'm linking up with Erika, Marcia, and Patty for TOTR!

Did you have a good week?

ABK

The Race Shirt Controversy

I'm linking up with Erika for TOTR!

It's easy to pick out new runners at races; 90% of the time, they're the ones wearing the race's shirt.

Now honestly, I don't find this topic controversial, but I do have a pretty strong opinion on it for myself. When I signed up for my first race, I wore the race's t-shirt because the race organizers asked us to...and it was cotton, to boot.

Since then, I developed the sneaking feeling that I shouldn't wear the shirt until I'd earned it by beginning - and hopefully finishing - the race.

It's also how I felt about owning any kind of 13.1 or 26.2 paraphernalia or putting the distance stickers on my car before I'd completed those races.

There are other, more valid reasons to save the race shirt until after race day.

1. I don't do anything new on race day. It's a good rule for a reason; you have no idea if that new shirt will chafe, bleed color, or otherwise bother you until you've tested it out! Even for a short race, I prefer to wear my tried-and-true racing clothes.

One exception to this rule: I bought this tank top the night before Cape Coral because I knew it would be too hot NOT to wear white. I didn't regret it. 

2. Some shirts aren't the right style. Many winter races give out long-sleeved shirts, but it's often in the 70s or warmer on race day! And quite a few races give out cotton shirts, which I absolutely won't run in anymore. Not to mention that I prefer tank tops and very rarely run in any kind of sleeved shirt; I find them annoying.

Space Coast was a November race and their shirts were long-sleeved, but the race-day temperature was in the mid-70s!

3. I put a lot of thought into my race outfits. I spend good money on my cute running clothes and I debate multiple outfits before leaving the house on race day. I factor in temperature, humidity, the possibility of rain, whether it will be partially-cloudy...I'm not going to eschew my perfectly planned, color-coordinated racing ensemble in favor of the race shirt!

Just a few "Flat-Ali" pictures. Laying it all out is imperative to planning. The bottom three are each of my marathon outfits!

4. It's not good fashion. You don't wear the shirt of the band you're seeing to the concert, you know? The same rule-of-fashion applies to races. 

Okay, that last one isn't really a valid reason, but it's how I feel!

The truth is that I rarely wear race shirts for anything other than lounging around the house or coaching volleyball. Someday I'll get them made into a quilt, but it hasn't been a priority.

I know plenty of experienced, talented runners who wear the race shirt on race day, but for me, it just never felt right!

Where do you stand on the controversy?

What do you do with all your race shirts?

ABK

PS: Skirt Sports is having their Spring Sweeps giveaway! It's really easy to enter, and they'll be giving away a $100 gift card every day until March 30.

Click here to enter!