Zombie Bash Recap

Last Friday was the first race that I've ran in a while. I went into it thinking that I would keep it really relaxed (AKA run as an easy run) since I was going to run with a costume for the first time. Basically, I just wanted an excuse to be able to run slow without pressure.

Thursday night, I went to Goodwill and bought a five dollar dress. I then proceeded to destroy it and put red paint all over it. This was the extent of my preparation for the race.

Extent of my artistic abilities

I tried all week to convince my co-workers to go with me, but I was only able to convince one into going. Good thing I'm not a lawyer and don't live off my ability to persuade. Apparently just shouting 5K! Zombie! Thriller! isn't convincing.

Joe (co-worker) and I arrived at the race about thirty minutes early, since he didn't do the early registration. I don't understand that. Why would you give up a chance to get a free shirt? I like to get the most bang out of my race bucks.

But since we were there early anyways, we decided to get our make-up done. There were people doing hair and make up. I actually would have preferred getting my hair teased and messed up (especially since once I started running, the some of the make up ran into my eyes), but the lines were way longer for hair.

Make up booth. That's Joe!

After we were sufficiently zombified, we were off! It was a really simple, flat out and back course. There was no chip timing (bummer) and I'm pretty sure the course wasn't exactly 3.1 miles. My garmin read something like 2.9 miles, but I'm going to call it a 5K anyway. I do what I want.

We finished the run in 24 minutes and I finished as the 15th women. It was a fairly small race and most people were in it for the zombie-ing and not the running.

After the make up but before the race. With the sun behind us, it just looks like our faces are dirty.

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to keep up a 8 something pace especially since I had eaten an entire Chipotle burrito during lunch at work. To be honest, I really couldn't have been able to do it without Joe. He refused to leave me behind even for the last 0.1 miles where I encouraged him to sprint it in.

Since I didn't want Joe's weak finish on my conscience, I picked it up and sprinted it in. This is why I love running with faster people. I felt terrible the entire race, but the aftermath was worth it. Clarification, I love running with faster people who stick with me and push me.

Did anyone race? Have you guys ever dressed up to do a race?

Zombifying my run

So at work yesterday, this happened.

A spontaneous 5K!

I just found out about this race Sunday night. This is going to be awesome!

1. I get to run a race! (Always exciting)
2. I get to dress up like a zombie! (Super exciting, but I may not be able to do it. I haven't prepared zombie stuff yet because I just signed up)
3. I get to do a flash mob thriller at the finish line. (Umm, who doesn't want to do the thriller at the end of an awesome race?)

And now at a 5K

All in all, this race is going to be a fun one. Of course, I won't be able to set a PR or anything. Why can't I PR all the time? But I just want to run a race in my new city and have fun. Also, it's this Friday night, so after Thriller'ing, if I so felt inclined, I could move over the run party to the bars.

I also managed to convince a few of my coworkers to consider signing up. #winning!

On a slightly different note, this also happened yesterday.

Boom! 

I'm just chalking up this run as a tempo run. Notice how I held about a 8:45/mile pace the first three miles? I kicked it up for the last mile and cooled down with the fourth. There's no warm up because it wasn't a planned tempo. But I feel like that still counts.

I guess what I should confess is that the weather was unusually cool and not humid yesterday, so the faster paces were doable. Fact: I even considered wearing long pants and sleeves to run, because it was that cold. But I didn't,so that I would remember what cold felt like. 

After the amazing run, I spent the rest of the day trying out a new class at the gym, zumba fusion. Awesome! I also went to a dance studio after that to learn the moves to the flash mob Thriller. 

To top it all off, I went to Starbucks with a coworker and tried out their Green Tea Latte. Now, I have a venti cup of it next to me in the office. All in all, yesterday was a great day! Here's to hoping that today is just as good. 

Another zombie graph humor for your pleasure

Do you guys have any fun races coming up? How do you determine your pace for a 5K? I usually run full out for the first mile and then slowly deteriorate, which I realize is not the way to do things. 

Shortcuts never work out

Today, I thought I was going to go run. But the combined effect of 90 something degrees weather with 1000% humidity and receiving of my new phone thwarted my plans. Sadly, the excitement of my new phone trumped the excitement of a good workout. On the bright side, now I can keep up with twitter.

But once I set the phone up, I realized that I wanted to celebrate my happiness with a workout, like a good blogger.

Happiness summed up in one picture. 

I ended up heading to my gym to try out their new Cardio Burn class. I figured a 45 minute class would be a fun way to get some sweat in. I should have known. Trying to take shortcuts (especially when it comes to workouts) never end up well.

The class was horrible in a super good way. You know you're getting a good workout in, when you start thinking longingly of running in 90 something degree weather. From the warm up, I knew I was in trouble. I would probably equal the workout to P90X Pyrometrics.

After a million squats and other killer moves later, I am convinced that I need to make this class a regular thing on Wednesdays.

I was so happy with the workout that I texted all the friends that I have down in Baton Rouge (like two) for some froyo. Yeah, I just celebrated working out by eating a huge tub of frozen yogurt. But apparently, I made some wrong friends. What kind of a person doesn't want to go to froyo all the time?

This is how I felt on the drive to the froyo place. 

This is why I need more running friends. If he/she blogs? Even better. I have yet to meet a running blogger who doesn't love froyo.

Luckily, I live half a mile from Yogurtland.

I just had froyo by myself and took a photo of myself. Best part about living alone, no one's here to judge. 

Tell me the truth. How do you feel about froyo? If you say you hate it, I don't know if we can be friends anymore. JK. I hope your day is filled with awesome workouts and desserts!

First World Frustrations

Just when I thought I was done with running and was ready to put away my running shoes, a bout of first world problems brought me back to it.

After last night's declaration of doing things other than running, I spent all day at work thinking about the nap that I'd take when I got home. Unfortunately, my girl coworkers started talking about their desire to lose weight. (FYI, they really had no more weight to lose. Especially since one of them wears a size 00. There are no sizes smaller than a 00?) Thinking about napping, while other girls are mapping out their weight loss goals and fitness achievements made me feel like an elephant. So unfortunately, I had to scrap my plans of being horizontal with Friends playing in the background.

This cat was what I looked like during the weight loss conversation. 

Fortunately, there was a body pump class at the gym at a convenient time. It would have been a perfect way to get into weight training, since it's guided and has good music. I actually managed to psych myself up for a workout when I noticed that the iphone that I had been waiting for was sent back to the UPS store, because I wasn't home to sign for it. (I finally bought an iphone, because I was up for an upgrade and I was tired of being the only one among peers without a smart phone.)

On the way home from work, I decided that I would go pick up the phone from the UPS store. I had already convinced a coworker to go with me, since I have this weird phobia about crossing over the Mississippi River. Once when I first started driving, I accidentally got on the wrong highway and crossed the Mississippi River. Of course that was when my car GPS decided to freak out. Long story short, I had little experience with driving and little knowledge of surrounding area and lost on the other side of the river. From then on, I've stayed on my side of the river.

When I got home, I noticed that I didn't get a little UPS slip thing, so I called UPS and was told that the driver will try to deliver it again at night. Meerrr. So I waited till 7:30PM to no avail, not even being able to take a nap, because I don't have a doorbell.

I love the first world problems meme.

After all this, I was going to cry if I didn't at least do something productive and get a workout in. So I hopped on down to the apartment gym (it's not very impressive) and got on the treadmill for a surprising 6 mile run at 9:18/mile pace.

Boom. The longest run I've done since I've moved to Baton Rouge. 

The good news is that I have nothing super serious to worry about that I can waste my time getting annoyed at lack of iphone delivery. All in all, I have a good life and legs that haven't completely forgotten how to run. I'm going to chalk up today as an awesome day with an awesome run.

On a random note, I feel like this bumper sticker is one that all runners should get especially if you drive to run. 

Thanks for all your advice last post. I plan on incorporating more non-running workouts and stop stressing out about getting a run in. Yay it's hump day! 

Running blahs

What is wrong with me? I fell off the wagon again!

This is how I feel every night I go to bed on days I don't run. 

For some reason, as much as I love the aftermath of running, I find it to be the hardest to be motivated for.

Aftermath of running is the ability to run races. And those are insanely fun especially when people have fun signs. 

Every day, I read tons of blogs written by people who can't get enough of running or is sick and can't run. It all makes me feel pretty guilty about squandering away my ability to run. I mean I'm not fast or anything, but I definitely can mosey along and get a decent run in without problems.

Last post, I was worried about being an idiot and increasing mileage too fast, but that was a moot point  because that's the last that I've ran.

Today, I thought about running, but then I got scared off by the weather. I then thought about running on the treadmill, but I made it 0.5 miles, before I had to step off. Fail!

I NEED to workout, so that I can be as sexy as this bear. 

My coworkers/friends suggested that I workout doing something else because I was burned out. Well, they suggested watching TV on my couch instead of running. I'm actually not sure how I got burned out without really doing any actual running, but they may have a point. I, however, am certain that all my coworkers are tired of hearing about running.

For so long (like a year), my identifier has been "runner." I don't think I want to give that up. I like being a runner. I love being  part of a crazy, fun community. I also love being able to set certain goals (time or distance) and be able to reach that goal.

In a fit of frustration, I actually went to the gym and got some information about hiring a personal trainer. Aren't they supposed to break you out of workout ruts and get you all pumped up? But then the price of sessions made me cry a little inside.

So for now, I'm going to try going to the gym more and get in other forms of workout. I don't know what yet, because I get bored on spin bikes and ellipticals are similar enough to running but easier so that I feel like I'm cheating myself.

I decided to not sign up for any races yet and stop stressing out about running so much. I put so much pressure on myself to keep a certain pace or run a certain distance so that I could race again. I need to take a chill pill and just enjoy being out on the lakes.

What kind of workouts do you guys engage in when you are not running? Also, how do you know what to do for weight training? I never know which machines to use. 

How to combat idiocy

Do you ever do something stupid? And while you're doing it, you know that you're being stupid but you keep on doing it anyways?

Did I tell you that the Starbucks barista already knows my morning order? 

Well, that is the place in life that I am at right now. I know that I shouldn't increase mileage drastically. And seeing as how for weeks, my weekly mileage total has been in the single digits, I should be starting off slowly and maybe go for 2 miles each run. If I followed the running rule, I'd be running pretty much 0. Because 10% of nothing is nothing.

So in an attempt to counteract some of my idiocy, I've been super good about stretching and foam rolling after runs. I also showed up to work like this.

Boom! Compression socks. 

Side note: Best part about my engineering job, I can wear my retired Brooks to work.

I was actually thinking about maybe doing some cross training today to celebrate yesterday's awesome 5.25 miler.

But at work, I was approached by two of my coworkers who wanted to go run with me at the lakes. And since I was in no position to refuse any running opportunities or friends, I gladly accepted.

You mean you'll be my friend and run four miles?

Also, running with friends made me let go of my anal-ness. Usually, whenever I stop for any reason during a run, I stop my watch and don't move from the place as to not mix up my walking mileage with running mileage, but then I had to let that crazy shit go. I just cried inside silently and decided to call it a fartlek.

My guy coworker actually pushed my pace during the times we ran. And then we'd walk to let my girl coworker catch up.

Since there were no set intervals or speed goals, I'm just going to call this run a fartlek.

All in all, it was fun. I wish it was more running and less walking, but I guess you can't really be insane if you run with others. On the bright side, I didn't have to navigate through afternoon LSU traffic, so it was a win.

Afterward, all my coworkers, not just the ones who ran, and I went to a bar for some good boozing. I did not partake in the debauchery, because well 1. I don't like beer and 2. I'm trying to make up for my idiocy by doing healthy things. 

Do you guys follow the 10% rule? Is it bad that I'm blatantly ignoring it?

Nailed it

I had an awesome run outdoors today!

Since the last time I posted, I have given up on waking up before work to go running. I'm usually out the door of my apartment at 6:20AM at the latest to go to work. Since, I'm probably not going to wake up at 4AM any time soon, running before work is probably not going to happen again. EVER!

I feel like this every morning when my alarm goes off. 

Usually thinking about running after work makes me want to kill myself, thanks to the weather. But today, I just went out and did it. Yes it was annoying to have to drive to a place where I can run, especially since traffic around LSU is crazy. But the aftermath was definitely worth it.

I definitely did not negative split. In fact, I gradually get slower. After 3 miles, I was ready to call it in, but I was not close to the car and I really wanted to get as close to 6 miles as possible. 

This is the longest run that's ever happend in Louisiana sadly. But on the bright side, this run made me realize that I could be a runner again with the right motivation.

I really wanted to run 6 miles, but I kept on getting slower and every step felt torturous. With the excuse that if I get too bad of blisters and chafing, I won't be able to run next time, I just called it quits. 

I still had to walk back to the car because I planned my route ambitiously, but it was nice to be able to walk. I also awkwardly attempted to take my own picture, but then my sweaty hands kept on messing it  up.  

This is pretty much the only place that I drive to in order to run. 

 I briefly considered doing some sit ups when I got back to the parking area, but then I had no more f*cks left to give. All I wanted to do was to take a nap, so I drove home.

Exactly what I felt like after finishing the run. 

Hopefully, I'll remember this run and be motivated to run more. During last year, races were enough to keep me motivated for most of the year, but now I don't think it's working anymore, maybe because I haven't put down any real money for races yet.

How do you force yourself to get out the door? I feel like the hardest part of the run is always the beginning. 

Also, a little Louisiana humor for your amusement. What do you call a bayou that's lonely? 

A bayou self!! You're welcome for the laugh.