June: Sneak in Speed

Jeez, I can't believe we're more than half way through the month of June already. Counting down the days while making it through my 30 Day Yoga Challenge has definitely made the month fly by.

So, we're 6 months into the year and if you've been reading along for a bit, you know that I've been following the Runners' World Guide to a Fitter, Faster You over the course of this year. Each month has a goal that will ultimately help you to be a stronger runner. I've been following the month-by-month guide somewhat diligently with the exception of switching up the months of May and June, so here we are in June, where I'm following  May's advice: Sneak in Speed.

The Guide gives some recommendations for good speed workouts that don't involve a track, which is great because I have yet to find a track that is conveniently located to my DC apartment. I know that once Marathon Training rolls around, I'll have to seek out a track but for now, I'm happy to work on some of these workouts:

Strides: I typically run 20-30 second strides at the end of every mile on a run anywhere from 4-6 miles. I realized I was doing these wrong for a long time by going for an all out sprint, rather than just focusing on lengthening my stride. I aim to do these at least once or twice a week on easy runs.

Progression Runs: These are my favorite, especially when they happen without me realizing it. The goal is to run each mile faster than the mile before. This trains your body (and your brain!) to run faster even when your legs aren't feeling too fresh. I try to run my long runs as progression runs, getting just a little bit faster each mile, aiming to negative split the run.

Marathon Goal Pace Runs: Last week, I headed out for 4 miles and ran 2 at MGP. These are essential to marathon training and while, I'm not quite training yet, it doesn't hurt to start getting accustomed to the pace I want to be hitting in October, now.

Some of The Guide's other recommendations are hill sprints and running with faster friends. I haven't yet to tackle hill sprints, but there's a nasty hill around my block that's just calling my name and well, as far as faster friends go...who wants to come run with me?

That's that! What are some of your favorite speed workouts?

Do you sneak in speedwork during your off season?

Love/Don't Love

Today is one of "those" Mondays that I'm trying very hard to keep it from being one of "those" Mondays. Especially when I'm already feeling a bit like this:

With the exception of Jenna, I think I am the only person in the District of Columbia who does not have summer Fridays. Don't Love.

I don't want to talk about it.

Let's talk about the weekend and how I wish it was still happening.

Thursday, after getting out of work early because of the impending apocalypse (aka a 10 minute thunderstorm), I headed out for a quick run and came home and ordered pizza with The Pilot. We were planning to go to the movies since are evening plans had been squashed by the end-of-days until Jenna texted to say that they were still on and off we went to the Congressional Baseball Game where the Democrats ate the Republicans for dinner scoring a whopping 22 runs to the Republicans' 0. Yes, that's right, the final score was 22-0. Love.

Friday night after work, I headed to yoga for what was supposed to be a 90 minute Chakra Restoration class and turned into a 2 hour long class that undid all of the restoration I did because I was so furious that the class went so late and made me late for my dinner plans. It's one thing to go 5 minutes over in a yoga class but 2 hours? Infuriating. Don't Love.

When I finally got out of yoga, I went out for Thai and a glass of wine with one of my favorite DC friends, Andrea. Then I came home and went to bed where I slept for 11 beautiful, glorious hours. Love.

Saturday morning, I met up with Jenna at the SW Public Library for their Annual Book Sale. We spent hours there buying ALL the books. I do not have photographic evidence of my pile but here is Jenna's for comparison. (stolen from her blog) We both bought about 25 books for about $25. WIN. Love.

I got back from the library...via Metro...with ALL the books...in a box...and in a bag...around 2 and decided that 2:00 in June was a great time to head out for a 'long' run of 7 miles along the Mount Vernon Trail. Thankfully, most of the trail is covered in shade, but still...it was hot..and somewhere around Mile 3, my hip flexor totally locked up and I had to stop and do yoga on the grass for 10 minutes just to get it to loosen up again. It was weird and it has never happened before and I didn't like it. Don't Love.

Post-run, I realized that *gasp* I missed my yoga class. I had thought it was at 4, but it was actually at 5...so I pulled out my yoga mat and popped in a DVD and did yoga so that I didn't screw up my 30 Day Challenge. It counts and I'm still going strong! Love.

After yoga, I met up with Jenna and Teri for margaritas and crepes on U Street. Excellent combination. We spent the evening on the patio talking about a plethora of absurd, random and inappropriate topics before calling it a night and heading home. Love.

via

Sunday, I took Peyton out for a run which went...interestingly. Then, Jenna came over to lounge poolside and soak up the imaginary sun that never came out. Once we started to feel rain drops, we called it a day and I went grocery shopping, came home and made a banana bread, went to yoga and then watched a bad ABC Family movie that I had DVRd, "You Again" before calling it a night. Love.

It was a great weekend and Sunday was an exceptionally long and wonderful day. Here's to not letting today be one of "those" Mondays and starting the week off on an exceptional note!

Happy Monday!

Meet the Mets

Hey kids, no Friday Finds this week. The internet wasn't all that exciting this week...with the exception of this gem that Jenna sent me that still has me cracking up...but will only make sense to people who live in DC...for the most part.

So instead, I'm linking up with my new blogger girl crush, Sarah, for Fan Fridays.

You all know that I'm on this major quest to visit every MLB stadium ASAP (20 down, 10 to go!) and that every time I visit a new stadium, I write a post called "Ballpark #__: Random City Random Team Name."

Well guess what I realized? I've never actually written a post about CitiField, home of the New York Mets, my favorite baseball team. CitiField opened in 2009, a year before I started my blog and I just started rattling off baseball stadiums in order of the ones I went to after I started this blog! So, here goes. 

All bias aside, CitiField is my favorite Major League baseball stadium. It is beautiful.  CBS agreed with me back in April and named it their #2 stadium (with Pittsburgh being #1 which is actually  my #2, so there).

It is a gorgeous park. 

It's easily accessible from Manhattan by the 7 line train and I love that when you get off the train, it's just there, in all it's glory, with the Shea Stadium Home Rome Apple right there in front of the park.

The exterior of the park was designed to look like Ebbets Field (home of the Brooklyn Dodgers) and thus, playing great tribute to the history of New York baseball. When you first walk in, you enter through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda which pays homage to Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn baseball.

There's a Hall of Fame which holds our grand total of 2 World Series trophies and features some great finds from Mets history.

Inside the Hall of Fame

There isn't a bad seat in the park. Believe me, I've sat just about everywhere! You can get tickets for as low as $5 and great seats for $20. If you're sitting anywhere in the Infield, you can see planes taking off  from LaGuardia Airport just behind the Scoreboard. You all know how much of a sucker I am for planes, so this just makes it magical...especially on an evening game when you catch that view at sunset.

*Sigh*

The park has some awesome food options including a Shake Shack (which always has insane lines), Big Apple Brews (great selection of craft beer), Keith's Grill, Box Frites, and the World's Fare Market (home to all of your gluten-free, vegetarian, and anything else to accommodate weird food restrictions).

Even though the stupid Nationals also have a Shake Shack, at least ours has a sweet skyline to  make it unique.

At some parks, when the home team scores a run, they shoot fire works. The Mets raise the apple. I love it. You can even buy t-shirts that say "Raise the Apple'.

The Mets are terrible. We are a Minor League baseball team with David Wright. There isn't much to say about the Mets other than we try...sometimes...and our fans never give up hope. People in New York like to say that there are a lot more Mets fans in April than there are in October, to which I like to argue that there are a lot more Yankee fans in October than there are in April. 

Mets games are a lot of fun though. As long as you aren't an asshole and don't show up in a Phillies or a Yankees jersey/hat/whatever when the Phillies or the Yankees AREN'T in town, we'll be nice to you. After all, we're just there to see our team play and hope that we don't have to go home with our tails between our legs. 

Not a great shot but this is Mr. Met praying on these shirts.

So if you ever find yourself in New York and want to catch a baseball game but don't want to give up your first born child for bleacher seats, head over to Queens and catch a game in CitiField because while we may not always win, at least we have good seats, good beers, and the best mascot in baseball.

Happy Friday!

Three Things Thursday

1. Nose Ring - When I turned 21, I decided to get my nose pierced. I headed out the morning after my 21st birthday with my girlfriends and got my nose pierced. I loved it. Two months later, I had to take it out before going into surgery and had it re-pierced (most painful thing ever) as soon as I could. I had it for 5 years and have been thinking about taking it out for some time now and two nights ago, while I was in bed and The Pilot was in the living room, I yelled to him, "I'm going to take my nose ring out on July 1." 5 minutes later, I took it out.

I immediately regretted the decision and went to bed. I'm fine with it now (a little bit?)...I have no desire to rush out and go get it re-pierced, but it makes me a little bit sad that this phase of my youth is over. I may have to go get another tattoo to console myself.

2. 30 Day Yoga Challenge - Day 13! Some days are better than others and today...kind of sucked. I guess yoga can be like running in that way, but it's going well as per my update last Tuesday. Since you all seemed super impressed with my ability to do crow (and thankfully unimpressed with my inability to touch my toes), here's a little photographic evidence...aka...here's what happens when I come home and say "Boyfriend! Look what I can do! Take a picture of me so I can post it on my blog!" Please be nice and don't tell me if my form is horrible. I almost cried when I found out I've been doing downward facing dog wrong my entire life...I thought that was supposed to be the 'easy' pose. 

3. Pinterest - I joined Pinterest (add me!) last summer and then kind of forgot about it. Lately though, I've been pinning a ton of recipes and actually making them! My favorites? 

Sweet Corn & Chopped Spinach Quinoa Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
aka today's lunch

Homemade Ranch Dressing that tastes EXACTLY like the real stuff

Creme Brulee Baked Oatmeal

So there you have it! Have you done something drastic lately like taken out your nose ring? Am I going to keep regretting it?! What fitness challenges or accomplishments have you rocked lately? Any great pins you've been eyeing? Share them with me!

Happy Thursday!

30 Day Yoga Challenge Update

This morning, I woke up at 5am to go to yoga. 

I did the same thing last Tuesday, Wednesday AND Thursday. 

Ally will totally approve of this gif. 

Who AM I?

I think I'm becoming a morning person.

I KNOW. 

It's hard to get out of bed, but once I've actually started moving, I don't mind it...and you know what? 5:45am is beautiful. I think I might actually start running at that time...we'll see.

So yes, I'm 11 days into my 30 Day Yoga Challenge and it's going really well. I've been having a little bit of pain in my lower back since Sunday's class so I've been doing modified poses but as far as the challenge itself goes, I'm feeling really good. 

I've taken a mix of hot and cold classes varying in duration from an hour to an hour and a half and the classes have all gone really well. I like some instructors better than others and actively seek out their classes, but for the most part, I just go to classes that fit into my schedule. I've been going to Mind Your Body Oasis which is oh so conveniently located at the Crystal City Metro station...and I love their studio.

The "Zen" Room...aka the cold studio
via the MYBO website

Things I've Noticed through 11 Days of Yoga

-I still can't touch my toes. Nowhere near them. It's somewhat embarrassing, but every once in awhile there's someone else in class that can't touch their toes either and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

-I hate Downward Dog. 

-I can rock a serious crow pose. 

This is not me. It is some random chick off the internets.

-Tree Pose is utterly impossible in a hot room. There is no way to get my leg to rest on my thigh while I am sweating like crazy. 

Tree Pose 

-I thought this would be a lot harder than it actually is. I'm not sure if it's just that I'm that committed or if it just really isn't that bad, but I don't feel like this is a never ending challenge and I don't ever dread going to yoga. In fact, when I practice in the mornings, sometimes I crave class in the evenings...I haven't managed a double day yet though.

So that's that. I've fallen in love with yoga. Even though I don't think I'll ever be able to touch my toes, I find solace in the fact that I love the way my Goddess pose looks and that I feel like I'm getting stronger every time I sink a little bit deeper into Pigeon...and that's what matters.

Tell Me: Have you ever tried a Yoga Challenge? How did it go for you? Do you practice yoga? What's your favorite pose?