Horrible 14 mile run, Oiselle, vacation and yoga!

Where has the time gone?!  I'm really not quite sure how it's already mid-July, or how I've managed not to write a blog post in the last few weeks….  Somehow, time has gotten away from me!  I'm going to try to be better about this, but I think I might have said that in the last post, and clearly it didn't help….

Today I finished week 3 of marathon training for the Philly Marathon!  I've only had one miserable, horrible, wanted-to-stop-every-quarter-mile run. That was my last long run.  I had 14 miles on the schedule, and I did 14 miles, but not without FAR TOO MANY stops.  I was planning to run last Sunday, but when I woke up on Saturday and saw the Sunday forecast (thunderstorms all day), I decided to run Saturday instead.  Unfortunately, I didn't wake up until after 9:30, and needed to eat breakfast, so I didn't get started until 11:30.  Which means that I finished during the hottest part of the day.  And I paid for it.  Mentally, I was not at all prepared to do my long run on Saturday.  I love running in Central Park, but I don't really love running along the Hudson. But so I wouldn't get bored, I decided to do a loop of CP, then run over to the Hudson and run downtown, then back home.  I was fine until I got to the Hudson, around mile 8. The last 6 miles had me stopping, walking, trying to distract myself, nearly taking a shower like a homeless person in a water fountain, and struggling with every step until I got to 14.  I'm glad I didn't give up, and that I got the miles in, but I'm looking forward to a long run (my next is 16 miles) that does NOT feel like that!  I'm going to keep making myself run along the Hudson because it's good practice for me mentally, but perhaps not at 1:30 in the afternoon on a near 90 degree day, where there's little-to-no shade.  

What this run taught me is that I need to be able to be more flexible with my running routes and schedule.  If I decide to run 14 miles on Saturday instead of Sunday, it shouldn't be the end of the world!  And if I decide to run somewhere other than Central Park, my mind shouldn't totally give up on me.  Things to work on for the next few months before Philly!  It also taught me that I really can't wait for a cool, crisp Fall morning!  I know that training will be so much easier come September!

This long run also led to some really huge, nasty blisters that I've still been trying to get rid of.  I bought Injinji toe socks, which feel funny and make me look like a frog, but I think they're helping.  We'll see after my 16 mile run!  I've also been using Bodyglide and band-aids over my already existent blisters.  Let me know if you have any blister-prevention ideas!  My toes are crooked so they rub in weird ways….

Remember when I said I wasn't going to do the Runner's World Summer Running Streak, but I made my own Summer Workout Streak?  Well, I completed it!  Honestly, I think I made it too easy for myself, but I'm glad that it made me do more core work and cross training.  Of course, now that the streak is complete, I've slacked off this week, but I'm going to blame that on house guests, birthday parties and traveling to Northern California where I am now!  (Rough life here....this is right outside our private guest/pool house)

I'll get back on track next week! Last week, I got the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD.  I've only done it once so far, but definitely plan to do it at least once a week.  It was a great workout, for my arms especially, and was the first workout DVD that actually pushed me!

Okay, so I'm sure everyone is dying to know what I bought myself since I finished my streak!  Drumroll please….. ….   ……this awesome Oiselle top, which I debuted on a run this morning!

Yesterday, while walking in a parking lot in California, I found $20 on the ground.  And I happened to be less than a block away from Fleet Feet (I may or may not have already been there the day before....) so how could I resist?!  Fleet Feet here carries a lot of Oiselle products, but not many in my size, so my options were limited, but I couldn't be happier with this top!  It fits great, it's soft, and what sold me is that it's NOT a racer back!  My favorite sports bras aren't racer backs, so that complicates things in the summer.  When I saw that I could wear my favorite bras with this top (and it has a pocket- score, since most tops don't!), I had to buy it!  I wore it on my run this morning and can't wait to wear it again!

Last week I went to a blogger yoga event at Sangha House that Katherine organized (thanks, Katherine!).  The class was great- it was definitely the hardest yoga class that I've taken to date, but it was a great workout!  I would love to return to take that class again! (Anyone want to go with me?) After the awesome class, there was a giveaway for a Phat Buddha outfit, and I won!  I don't think I've won anything since I was a kid, so I was really excited!  I haven't gone to the showroom yet to pick out my outfit, but I'll definitely blog about it when I do!  Right now I'm scheduled to go at the end of July, so stay tuned to see what I pick out!

How's your training going?  Do you have any Phat Buddha wear? Have you tried the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD? Are you completely sick of running in 90+ degree temperatures too?!  Leave me comments, let's commiserate together!