Smoothies, Easter and the Marathon, Oh My!

Gavin and I had been talking about smoothies for a while, we were going to hold out and save for the Nutribullet... (Newest version retails $150) A friend of mine at work had just purchased an Oster with the sports bottle attachment and had nothing but good things to say about it. (Retails for about $30) Can you guess which miserly frugal way I decided to go?

And here you have it!

For the money, well worth it.

I also had a coupon at Bed, Bath and Beyond for 20% off my entire purchase, so I picked this bad boy up for around $23.  Don'cha Just Love a Bahgain??

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With our 5K coming up, the one that I need want to beat my PR time, we moved our schedule around to run Sundays instead of Saturdays. Which meant that Easter Sunday was a run day.  With time constraints and getting off to a late start we hit a local rail trail and eeked out a quick 4 miles. 

I might have started out slow but I pushed it in the last couple miles. My Garmin has a virtual partner feature. You set up the time/pace you want to hit and it shows you how far behind or a head of the "runner" you are.  On all of my outside runs, I have never beat my VP, as I have said before I am not a speedy runner.  I set it up to pace me at 10:57 pace... like I said not speedy. 

Look what I did!

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I fear I am burying the lead.  Gavin and I were watching the Boston Marathon last year. We decided that in solidarity to the city that we love we would go back for the same events this year. First the Red Sox game and then out to the streets where the Marathon goes by to watch the runners as they approach the finish line. 

What and amazing day it ended up being. The weather couldn't have been better for runners and spectators and the energy in the air was just all you could ask for on a Marathon Monday. 

Just about 1 Mile to go! 

Look who we met, Carlos!!! He was SOOO nice! 

Walking down the middle of Boylston while they wrap up the race.

Boston Strong and Running On

I am not sure how today will not be an emotional one for years to come, but it is also a day that will remind us all that something broken only grows stronger.  There are so many inspirational stories of victims striving through so much physical and emotional pain, and they are standing strong today. They truly give me motivation to strive harder for that next mile or 10 and make me so thankful for what I have and to live so close to the Best City, Boston.

Although, I had already signed up for my first half marathon 2 days before Marathon Monday 2013, it definitely gave me a push to train and accomplish a goal I had set for myself 3 years prior.

Very excited to be able to attend the Red Sox Game on Patriots Day again this year and as the game empties out onto the Marathon route and watch the runners once again.

Photos from last year...

From our race 4/21/2013

Castle Island Running

Gavin has been very excited about running as much as possible lately. He has discovered how nice it is to run around Castle Island in Southie. So we drive down and run around the loop as many times as possible.

This was my contribution. He of course went around almost 4 times. It is a little over 2 miles each loop.  Running in circles is not usually my thing, but when the ocean is all around you for a majority of the run, it makes up for it. Also, the people watching is never really a disappointment.

A little faster than last week's run, but also a little shorter

My view while streching

Looking forward to seeing leaves on the tree

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 The past few weeks there has been a lot more coverage of Marathon events, memorials, and celebrations of life. It might seem weird since I wasn't at the finish line last year, but it has still been emotional reliving that week of events from Monday to the Friday capture of the bombers. I had a hard time walking past an MIT Police car without getting a bit choked up.

I will say it is inspiring to hear survivor stories and see all the Boston Strong gear in support. Running around Castle Island I can't help but stare at peoples' T-shirts to see what sort of positive message people have put out into the world.

That  being said, I can barely run 13.1 miles at this point and don't know if I will ever have the opportunity to run the illustrious Boston Marathon, but for anyone who might see this here is what the State Police have put out in regards to what the runners should and shouldn't bring with them.

I am hoping to see some runners this year, as I am attending the Red Sox game again.  So excited, but if I can't see a police cruiser without getting emotional. I might need my fannypack full or tissues.

And lastly... 

Look I found Spring! 

Imprompto Red Sox Game

Sunday has become a day of rest, but just from working out.  We were trying to figure out what to do with ourselves on one of the most beautiful days we have had this year... it was still in the 40s but the sun was shining and we had to take advantage of it.

Come on spring!!! You have to come back eventually.

So we decided to hit up a Red Sox game!

I bundled up... 40 in the shade, in the wind tunnel that is the 3rd base pavilion level.

Let's not discuss how they were swept by the Brewers...

No matter what I do, getting up to hit the gym on Monday before work is a lost cause.  Starting to look like I should make Mondays my day off and going to the gym on Sundays. I also had minor dental work done yesterday which really threw me off my game. I could have gone to bed by 9:30 and passed out, but I made it through until 10 and it was lights out!

I don't know if it was the drinking Sunday or the dental work yesterday (which still hurts), but I was not on my game this morning when it came to my run.

The plan: 3 miles, then the 4th would be some tempo intervals 4x10th of a mile (.20 easy pace) for 4 total miles.
The reality: 3 miles, 1 tempo interval and 5 minutes creating negative splits to 3.7 mile total

Not really disappointed I still did a little bit of speed work. I can't hit it out of the park everyday.

Today: 3.7 Miles
MTD: 18.91 Miles

Tomorrow cross training - Elliptical and strenth

The Mindy-K Training Plan

So I found out about this a little too late, but I am coming up on my PR'd 5K. My hope is to beat my time from last year, running a sub 10 minute mile 5K would be my key to success.

Mindy Kaling, a Newton native has a little soft spot in my heart.  I personally think she is hilarious and she also recently put out there that she wanted to run a sub-30 minute 5K. Runners World stepped up to the plate to make her a training program. With only 2 weeks left before my 5K I might have to pick this up somewhere towards the end.

Cheers to some tempo runs in my future!

After that, then onto knock a few books off my reading list... (notice Half-Marathon is also included)

Castle Island Run Behind Gavin

Both Gavin and I are signed up for the Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon.  It is the same weekend that the Rock N Roll San Jose is, so I guess we are staying local this year.

He is very excited about training all ready, which is great for me and gets me motivated. Yesterday we went down to Castle Island in Southie.  He tried to start the run with me, but I could tell I was going just a little slower than he wanted so I told him not to worry.  He then became my slowly shrinking carrot.

As long as I meet my distance goal, I am not going to beat myself up over the pace.

And who is going to argue with the calorie burn! 

It is a little crazy that I see this 75 Thoughts Every Runner Has While Running this morning while flipping through Facebook. It isn't terribly far off from where my head was at, only there were lots of other runners and lots of puppies.

Then I joined some of my girls to watch the UCONN game and have jalapeno mango margaritas and taco night. Which was followed up by this...

Unfried Froyo! So delicious! 

Band Wagon... I think I am figuring this nutrition thing out

First off, let me say Happy Home Opener to the Boston Red Sox!!! (I am a proud hometown team supporter. Don't hate me, I grew up here! Also they are Awesome!)

A couple shots of Gavin and I experiencing the Run To Home Base 9K

Running and losing weight has been tricky these days, (since I approached my 30s).  Balancing my calories and also fueling my body for longer runs has alluded me. Now I am not hitting any earth shattering weight loss numbers yet, I feel like I am making progress doing both calorie counting and I have really hit my stride with running. (Again nothing earth shattering, but my runs have been strong thus far)

If I stay around 1600 calories for the days I run I think I still have the energy to run 5 miles or cross train but create enough of a deficit to lose weight.

I will keep plugging away at it, I am feeling really good about my running lately.