Grass Hog

This morning: two mile easy run around this awesome yet hilly crosscountry course by my house.  Then 5 hours of yardwork!

downhill.  I really like this course because it is a trail but very wide

Blanchard Woods Cross-Country Course

It is strange to take a break from running. It's a little sad, because nothing puts me in a good mood like a great run. For me, it's very beneficial that I take a few days off completely from running after a marathon, then ease back into it. Sort of like a reverse taper.

Of course, I am unemployed at the moment so I have even more free time right now. When you are employed, you wish you weren't and when you are not working, you wish you were. Just can't win! Too bad I can't get paid to run all day, that would be the easy solution. However, I have been interviewing over the past two weeks and have pretty much decided which job to take over the summer until the school year starts. But it still doesn't start until May 20th, so I have been trying new activities.

My newest hobby is weed wacking. Most of my life, I have been convinced that the second I try to use it, I would cut my foot off. I envisioned a huge machete type blade spinning around the bottom. I was shocked to find that there is NO BLADE! It is actually a very thick piece of something like fishing line that moves really fast.

love to the grass hog!

Our new yard is significantly bigger than our last home's, but the biggest difference is the sheer number of mulched areas that need to be weeded and remulched. Not to mention this hillside that needs some attention:

the jungle

To make it worse, it seems all our neighbors use a professional landscaping service. Most of their lawns look like the Augusta National Golf Course. That's why my newest hobby is weed whacking/ landscaping!

Unfortunately, I ran out of mulch so the final pictures will come another day. I weeded for about 2 hours and then edged everything with the wacker. I spreaded mulch, then spread pebbles on the trim around the patio. I potted some plants and rearranged the patio furniture. When it was all done, I filled up the baby pool for the pups to cool off, since they were hot and sweaty from all that weeding!

my fur babies in the pool...yes I'm a crazy CorgLady

Is anyone else out there a Weedwacker enthusiast as well??  I'm gonna guess no...

I am still obsessing over Boston....so if you didn't get the chance to read all about it, click here!
 Boston Marathon Race Recap

Important Race Decisions

One of the most important decisions for any race is what to wear.  For me, the item of most importance is to wear lots of pink.  I find that the more pink I wear, the more fans I get to cheer for me.  Usually, they refer to me as Pinky or Blondie and the lady spectators especially seem to like my outfit.  I have a pink sports bra top, pink spybelt (for my 4 vanilla gus) and either a pink visor or pink, glittery headband - TBD.  I will be wearing new, Nike Dryfit shorts that are gray with pink trim.  Jordan gave me these for my birthday.

In addition, I will be wearing the Newton MV2 racing flats for this race.  I wore them for the Augusta half marathon, and they worked out great.  The only thing is that they are built for 10ks and half marathons.  I really wanted a lighter Newton to race in, since I wear them on my training runs all the time.  THe shoe guru that I purchased them from told me I should be okay based on my size to wear them for the full marathon.  I definitly feel faster in them!

If you are running Boston and are anything like me, you have been checking the weather every 7 minutes to see if there is a cold front moving into Boston Monday morning.  Right now, the temperature could get up to 88 degrees on Monday!  I personally love running in brisk weather, but am trying to be optimistic about this forecast.  Obviously, I will have to adjust my PR goals and focus on running a strong, smart race where I can place well in my age group and have the luxury of passing others the last part of the race.  I also will be aiming to NOT to visit any medics.

 Any race temperature over 60degrees negatively affects race performance.  I found this neat calculator online that calculates, based on the temperature, how your goal time will be affected.  I was surprised that for a goal time of 3:10 in 80 degree weather my time would only slow by 6 minutes.  I will be putting this theory to test.

Check out the calculator HERE

After doing my extensive research today, I realized I have two things going for me regarding running a race in the heat.

1) I have lived in Georgia for a whole two weeks and ran two speed workouts and one long run in over 80degree weather.  Today it was 72 when Jordan and I ran and I hardly broke a sweat - of course that was only 3 miles at 8:25 pace!
2) I am small, and female.  I read that taller, larger males have the hardest time in the heat - more body surface to heat up, I guess!

I will be spraying myself with sunscreen before the race and of course take care to stay hydrated - while avoiding over-hydrating - which can lead to death!  I will be wearing a sports bra so I can get a cool breeze on my belly and am thinking about wearing a visor, I still can't decide if it will help me by shading my face, or if it will add more heat to my body.

I will still be hoping that the weather changes, but am very excited to run Boston for the experience of it.  And I will certainly be pushing my hardest, even if it isn't reflected by a PR. There is always the jacket to look forward to!

2012 Boston Marathon Jacket

Sadly, we had to take our puppies to the kennel today since we are leaving early in the morning.  I am not worried about them, I just miss our little buddies!  Its so weird not having them follow us around.  Mister Bruno was very upset to go to the kennel, while Penny was so happy to meet new friends.

Poor, unsuspecting pups

Tonight we will be relaxing (which calls for me checking the weather every 15 minutes) and having day 2 of our homemade meatballs and sauce, one of the best things about tapering!!

Cooking balls of meat

Any thoughts on running marathons when it is HOT?  Visor or no visor?  Ohhh the important decisions I have.

Believe in the Taper

Monday kicked off taper week and my running has really slowed down in preperation for Boston, which always has the side effect of making me feel lazy, tired, and cranky.  It seems like this happens to everyone, but it never will stop me from tapering.  I really believe that progressively backing off your miles and intensity over the last three weeks will help start the race rested and fresh, and you will have the endurance to finish strong!

This is what my week has looked like so far:

Monday: 5 miles easy
Tuesday: 4 miles easy
Wednesday: Workout totaling 6 miles 1.5 WU, 3x1200 with 400 meter rest.  These were faster paced (around 6:40) but did not feel bad because there were only 3 of them.  Ran them on the road in : 4:59, 4:57, 4:54.  Felt great to run fast in my marathon flats.
Thursday: 3 miles easy

For the rest of the week:
Friday: 3 miles easy (on grass) with some striders after to make sure I don't lose my turnover
Saturday: Complete rest
Sunday: Easy 2 miles, a few striders
Monday: MARATHON!

For the last two weeks, I have stopped lifting but continued with ab work.  I have felt a few aches and pains in my legs, which always happens when I taper.  I have been making more of an effort to run on grass and stretch and ice.

Starting today, I will be eating pasta or other high-carb foods for dinner.  I feel most prepared for a race when I each so much pasta I vow to never eat it again.

 

Have been studying the course and telling myself those uphills are just little speedbumps!

The weather forecast has been very scatteered for Monday.  At one point, Monday was predicted to reach 80 degrees.  Not nice marathon weather.  I run well in brisk weather, so I am hoping for a colder day.  Right now, Monday has a low of 51, high of 70, a 30% chance of rain, and scattered thunderstorms.  I'm thinking of wearing a sports bra top instead of the usual tanktop.  The only thing I hate about that is you have to awkwardly pin your number to your shorts!

Click below to track anyone running the Boston Marathon, my bib number is 7149 if you would like to track me!
Boston Marathon Runner Tracking


Besides tapering and obsessing over the weather in Boston, I have been out and about Augusta.  Have been doing some fun outings, as well as applying for and interviewing for different jobs.  Tuesday night, Jordan and I took the dogs to my favorite park to run at.  There is a big dog park there as well.  Bruno was ridiculous and barked at everyone at first, then finally calmed down.  He was very friendly to all the kids who came to pet him.  Penny made me look like a fool.  We were walking together so nicely on the trail when she decided to start her laying-down-in-the-middle-of-the-walk routine.   She did this in front of a huge crowd watching peewee football practice and they were laughing hysterically when I had to carry her on the rest of our 'walk.'

the two most intimidating dogs at the park

Have any magic tapering tricks for me???

Weenie!!!

 

Friday started off great....Jordan revealed to me my special anniversary gift that I would get later that night....

But first, I got to meet up with old running friends Autumn and Tasha at the Olive Garden in Robinson.  It was so nice to meet up and really made me miss running Cross-Country and Track with them.  It's so funny because when I think how I miss college I ALWAYS think about my running friends and cross-country memories.

Running friends!  Tasha, me, and Autumn

And here is my present!!!!

Our Puppy's Mommy

He will be named BRUNO!

so excited.  Please quit ripping my shirt off!

such a cuddly puppy

meeting Grandpa

Penny shared her red toy

Penny seems happy

He will be her husband someday

mid bark

Meeting his cousins

napping on Daddy

napping

Still my number 1 girl!!!!!!!!

Meeting Uncle Corey

1st bath

Penny was so glad she was not being bathed!!!

All clean now!

opening our wedding cake!

It was good

We are enjoying our new puppy so much!  I am very relieved because Penny seems as happy as ever.  Initially, she was very afraid when Bruno chased her around our house.  Now, she likes to get him to chase her, I just have to discourage him from the biting that puppies do so he doesn't make her mad!  And Jordan is being such a great Puppy Dad!

I am ready to enjoy our anniversary today :) !  Melting Pot tonight!!!
PS If you have any advice on getting two dogs used to each other, let me know!!!!!!