Marathon Updates

I set out to blog about my marathon training experience and as you can see… I've been slacking. Not only has life been insanely busy, but at some point I stopped having super interesting things to say.  Here is what a typical day is.

• Wake up
• Go to work
• Run
• Eat dinner
• Go to bed
• Repeat

·  

 But now seems like a good time to update everyone reading in the blog universe J

Let’s see… I’m nursing my first “injury” of marathon training. I knew it was bound to happen… I've had SO MANY problems with my right foot over the years so it was only a matter of time.  Thankfully it’s really not a huge deal.  I was starting to have pain along the top of my right foot a few miles into every run, and at the end of long runs it ends up getting pretty swollen. Honestly I wasn't going to do anything about it, but a good friend convinced/forced me to go see an orthopedic doctor at the same place he gets treated.  Turns out it’s just a pretty bad case of tendinitis. Yay? Treatment is daily doses of Ibuprofen and ice after every single run.  In fact they gave me QUITE the contraption to use.  It’s basically a boot made of ice cubes that you just keep in the freezer. I wear my boot of ice every evening and it seems to be helping. (Thank you Excel Orthopedics!)  My favorite part of the appointment was the following exchange:

Me: It doesn't really matter what you tell me it is.  I’m still going to do the marathon.

Doctor: I know. You people are all the same.

HAHAHA. So that was that.

I did hit a HUGE milestone last week that I’m super excited about.  That’s right… I hit my $4,000 fundraising goal!!! So psyched about that.  For those of you that don’t know how the marathon charity program works…. Runners commit to raising a certain amount… in my case $4,000.  When we sign off on that commitment we give them our credit card and by Marathon Monday if you haven’t hit your goal then CHA CHING! Your card gets charged for the difference.  So reaching $4K is a huge weight off my shoulders.  I still have one more big fundraiser coming up with my band… so all funds raised now are just extra for the MS Society which I am really happy to be able to do! Thank you to each and every person who has donated so far! I really can’t express how grateful I am J

Another big milestone is fast approaching.  It’s tradition for most of the charity teams in Boston to do their 21 mile training run together on the actual marathon route.  That run is coming up on March 29^th.  We’ll all meet in Boston and then get bused out to Hopkinton to test ourselves for 21 miles. Yikes. After that we start to taper down, and then a few weeks later my most favorite thing… CARBO LOADING.  Bring on the bread and pasta.

I’m feeling ready. I’m feeling nervous. And I’m no longer sleeping through the night because I keep having Marathon dreams.

LESS THEN 6 WEEKS!

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897

Gear Gear Gear!

Hello everyone! This week's blog comes as a request... a friend of mine suggested I write about all of the "gear" I'm using and what's keeping me warm during this cold winter... So I present to you... Ashley's favorite's list. :)

Sneakers -  I've been running in Asics GT 2000's for a few years now.  Sneakers are one of those funny things that are so personal to each person so I can't exactly "recommend" them to anyone.  They just happen to be the kicks that work best on my feet.  They are a high support shoe which I need with my history of Plantar Fasciitis and stress fractures (FUN!).  Side note... just scored a SWEET deal on a new pair from Runner's Warehouse.com.  Like my friend Krystina, I like shoes you can see from space. 

So what clothing is keeping me "warm" while I'm out there? Generally speaking I'm pretty loyal to the Under Armour brand. They know what they are doing, their stuff is comfy and for the most part within a reasonable price point.  If you ever have the time to hit one of their local outlet stores you can get some pretty amazing deals! I wear their running tights (Sometimes two pairs when it gets really cold), and their cold gear tops. One new top I grabbed this year and love is the Fly By Turtleneck. When I need neck coverage it provides just enough without being suffocating. I also have been loving my "Winter Sprinter Hoodie" from Lululemon. Super comfy, and perfect for the 30 degree days... you know... normal cold. :) 

I also grabbed myself a new jacket this year that is reflective for the times I'm running very early or late at night in the dark...  After much searching I settled on the Brooks Hi-Visibility jacket. Check it out below. You CAN'T miss me when I'm rocking this thing! It's not made for warmth, but it's roomy enough to layer underneath and be totally comfortable.  It comes as a vest as well which I might invest in as the weather gets warmer. 

Gloves. This is an interesting topic.  When running my hands can't make up their mind. Hot, cold, hot, cold... I end up ripping my gloves off and putting them back on numerous times during long runs. For the most part my thin Under Armour gloves do the trick, but with this winter being particularly cold I needed something else for those 5 degree days! Last year my Mom gave me a pair of EMS gloves that are a very thin fleece and I never used them because they were too warm.  Well this winter they have been a lifesaver. I have no idea what they are called, but they are the EMS brand and will save your hands if you are running in weather like me :)

Miscellaneous stuff... I have a Nathan water belt that works just fine but I hardly ever use. (My team sets up water stops for our long runs). But once the Marathon is over I bet I will be using it more. My arm band for my iPhone is also by Nathan and it's done the trick up until now but it's starting to drive me NUTS on longer runs. So I'm going to start using my little iPod shuffle for tunes and I'm in the market for a GPS watch so I can keep an eye on my mileage.  I don't really need anything fancy so I'm eyeing the Garmin Forerunner 10.  It's got the great Garmin name behind it, but it's their entry level watch and will only set me back $130. I'll probably be picking it up this weekend to try for my... gulp.... 18 miler.

Nutrition. I've come to LOVE chocolate milk for my post run drink. Who knew it was the perfect refreshment following a long run?! During runs my team gives us Gatorade and water and I basically go back and forth between the two.  As far as GU is concerned... well... I hate it. It's a texture thing. Last weekend I tried the GU Chews and they were a little better but not great.  So if anyone has any recommendations for different brands to try I'd be interested to hear them!

 = GROSS 

I think that's it! Hope this wasn't super boring... if you have gear that you LOVE comment below, I love trying out new stuff. (as my wallet permits haha)

76 days....

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897

Sweet 16

I hope this entry finds everyone well! I hit a big milestone in my training this past weekend that I'm super excited about...

SIXTEEN MILES!!!!!!!!!! That's right. I ran (jogged? lol) 16 miles this past Saturday with the team.  That officially marks my longest run ever since my longest races have been half marathons.  It was a struggle for sure and I'm still hurting two days later, but still really psyched that I did it.  It was exactly the pick me up I needed.  Over the month of January I fell behind on training slightly due to the ridiculously cold weather we have had up here.  I'm totally OK with bundling up for a cold run but when the water in your hydration belt freezes during your run.... well... it's too cold.  And while I tried to log some miles in on the treadmill it just isn't the same.

Anyone who knows me knows that if you give me a schedule I HAVE to follow it exactly or else I get all anxious about it.  Talking it through with my team helped a lot... all of them agree that while the schedule is the optimum way to train, missing a day here and there is not going to ruin the Marathon experience.  I'm trying to take that to heart and learn to go with the flow a little better. I guess that's the mission for the next few months :)

Let's see what else is new... I've spent the last two weeks writing down every single thing I eat to show my nutritionist. (In a spreadsheet of course haha). I have my next appointment with her on Wednesday and I'm really excited to show her my food journal and see what she has to say.  I'm hoping she has some suggestions about how to fuel my body for this race.

I had a really successful fundraiser over the weekend.  Some of my most talented friends and myself put on a concert in RI with all of the proceeds going to my fundraising goal... Proud to say that I was able to raise $800! I'm in the beginning stages of planning another fundraiser.. this time with my band Walkin' The Line up in the Boston area.  I'm hoping to make it a huge party so stay tuned for more news on that.

I'm off... time to get in the pool for some laps.

84 days....

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897

It's Too Cold.

It's too cold. That is the theme of this week's training.

Let's see... I left off last week talking about how I had a 13 mile run coming up with the team over the weekend.  Well needless to say that didn't happen.  There were a few brave (crazy) souls who set out on the team run Saturday morning but most of us opted to do it on our own later in the day...  The temp outside at 8am was zero degrees with a -20 wind chill! That just didn't seem safe to me.  I actually ended up doing my long run the next day... Sunday was a balmy 30 degrees... stuff on the streets and sidewalk was melting away... it just seemed like the better day!

Well, that Sunday I had my first "bad run" of the year. It was awful. If you are a runner you know what I mean... from the first step it just feels awful... like you can't do it... every mile is a chore.  I knew right off the bat I wasn't going to make 13 miles, so when I hit the 5 mile mark I turned around and headed back to my car... 10 miles seemed good enough considering the circumstances.

It was the first time I actually question myself for setting out to do this.  Plenty of people have told me I'm nuts... and a few have even said "You're not ready, you shouldn't be running a race of this magnitude yet", and I've always been able to brush those comments off with lot's of self confidence.  I'm going to take everyone's advice and not let that run get to me... we all have bad days right?!

The rest of this week has been spent training on the treadmill due to the extreme cold... have I mentioned how much I HATE the treadmill?? Hamster on a wheel, that's all I have to say. haha. I'm headed to hot yoga tonight which will probably feel even more awesome then usual!

This coming Saturday the team has a 14.5 mile run.  This is a big deal because (If I make it the whole way) it will be the longest distance I have ever run. Ever. Pretty cool... I'm hoping to make it happen, but also preparing to not beat myself up if it doesn't.  The ultimate goal for this whole journey is to get to the starting line in Hopkinton and of course the FINISH LINE on Boylston Street.  So I'm going to make sure I listen to my body so I can get there injury free.

Don't forget to donate below, every dollar counts!!!

PS. Three cheers for 40 degrees this weekend!


109 days....

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897

Happy Holiday Running

Ooops... it's been awhile since I updated this! Been so busy over Christmas and New Years that I started to slack!

Training during the holiday break has been a dream come true! No need to get my miles in before the sun comes up or after the sun goes down because I've been on a two week vacation from work. It's going to be tough going back on Monday that's for sure. During the week of Christmas I got a few 4 - 6 mile runs in in Bristol RI... the bike path is a beautiful place to run.. I didn't even mind the cold so much because the ocean views made me so happy :)

I have to admit I missed a few days over the last few weeks... I can make every excuse in the book but bottom line is I should have made the time.  This Saturday's long run is 13 miles... (A freaking half marathon!) and I'm hoping my missed runs don't affect me. If they do it's my own fault, but I plan on powering through! I've also been bad about making time for my twice a week yoga class and I can feel it starting to affect me, so I guess my New Year's resolution is to get back on track. Real original lol.

I haven't talked much about diet on this blog but thought I would touch upon it this week. It's no secret that one of my goals with this marathon is to drop a few pounds in the process, and figuring out the right diet to follow has been tricky. My first few weeks I ate my normal 1300 cals a day and felt super sluggish. Over the holiday it was the opposite problem... nothing but food and drinks as far as the eye could see, and that also made me feel super sluggish! When I got back from RI I was craving fish and veggies so badly that it's basically all I ate for a few days and I felt much better.  Now that I'm back on track the trick is to find the right balance. I want to be giving my body the fuel it needs to be running 30 - 40 miles a week... but I'd also like to lose some weight.  My acupuncturist recommended a nutritionist he often works with so I'm in the process of making an appointment with her.  Here's hoping she can help guide me in the right direction! If I learn any fun tips and tricks I will share them here of course.

Luckily today is a cross training day so I don't have to battle the snow outside in order to run :)  I'll let you all know how Saturday goes!

PS. I'm trying to kick my fundraising into high gear this month... click on the link below to donate!

PPS. I also got LOTS of running and yoga gear from Santa this year. 2 new jackets, some hats, new base layer gear to keep me warm... Santa is a good guy.

109 days....

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897

Nine Miles. Nine Degrees.

Well it’s been quite a busy week in marathon training land!  Every Saturday the MS Marathon team holds a long team run and last week was my first run with the team.  9 miles in 9 degree weather. Delightful.  On Friday night I had a gig with WTL at Toby Keith’s in Foxboro, so it was already going to be a struggle to get up early the next day and run.  I decided not to drink at the gig… got some interesting looks from the guys lol, but in the end I think it helped.  I woke up Saturday feeling tired but otherwise fine.  Then I pulled up the weather on my iPhone and saw this.

Christ.  This would certainly give my winter running gear a run for its money! I got to Forever Fit in Newton and met up with the team.  I decided to give myself a little bit of head start knowing that I was slower than most of the team and set out on the route that Coach Karen had mapped out for us.  We actually got to run a little bit of the Boston Marathon route and got a taste of the Newton hills which was cool! Down route 16, left on Walnut street, then left on Comm ave and run till you get to BC.  Turn around.. run back. Whew.  As expected I’m the slow poke of the team, but I’ve decided I’m ok with that… just going to keep working hard and not let it bother me that I was getting passed left and right. Haha.  And my team is the best… I got so many high fives and “thatta girls” along the way, I couldn't help but feel motivated.

From the waist up I was toasty warm but for that kind of weather I have to revisit what I wear for bottoms.  My Under Armour leggings did not cut it.. I literally felt like I had two icicles for legs and when I showered later it burned like HELL to let water hit them… almost like I had wind burn or something.

This Saturday will be 10 miles.. my first double digit run since October of 2012 at the Amica Half Marathon in Newport. Weather is looking positively balmy (hello 40 degrees!) so I’m excited!

123 days....

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897

Happy Training, Week 1

Well.. it's Wednesday and I'm halfway through the first "Official" week of training.  Meaning instead of making up workouts as I go, I'm now following the team training schedule provided to me by Coach Karen. Coach set us up with two options... a novice schedule and an intermediate schedule.  I'm opting to follow novice because A) This is my first marathon, and B) I don't have a specific "time goal" to finish by... I simply want to finish and stay injury free.

Last week I was able to take an amazing trip to Key Biscayne for my Uncle's 70th birthday. (Thank you Uncle Tom and Aunt Kathy!)  The beach, cocktails, and overall relaxation was exactly what I needed before my training started... it sort of felt like a last hurrah before my life becomes totally consumed :)

   

Basically my training schedule consists of three shorter runs each week, two cross training days, one day of rest (THANK GOD) and one long run with the team.  I've decided my cross training days will be spent swimming... I just love my time in the pool... and then when I have additional time I'll try to get some yoga in or some weight training.  My goal is to attend at least one yoga class a week. It's good for me on so many levels!  So this week looks like this.

Monday - 4 miles
Tuesday 5 miles
Wednesday - Cross train
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - REST
Saturday - 9 miles with the MS Team
Sunday - Cross train

So far I've been doing well. The weather really tested me this week... first two runs of the week were in sleet and snow.  I really have to find better winter running clothes. That is the mission for this weekend I think. And maybe Santa will bring me some too.

I'm super excited for my first team run but I'm also a little nervous.  I'm always plagued by negative thoughts. What if I can't do the full 9 miles, what if I'm the slowest one on the team, what if I don't make any friends on the team.  But as my wise friend Krystina said while I was venting to her.. "Just do it".  She's like a Nike commercial. ha. But she is right! I'm going to just do it, and try not to care about all those silly things that don't matter. It's going to be a GREAT 9 miles. (repeat in head over and over).

I'll update you all again while I'm icing on the couch come Sunday afternoon :)

Don't forget! I'm running to support the National MS Society and any donation is greatly appreciated! Please help me get to my goal of $4,000 by clicking on the link below!

131 days....

xoxo
Ash

"We choose to run for those who sometimes can't."

I am running the 2014 Boston Marathon on the Marathon Strides Against MS Team! To make a donation to help end Multiple Sclerosis please visit my personal fundraising page:  http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=12612971&pg=personal&fr_id=22897