Medtronic TC 1-Mile Race Recap

Lastnight was the Medtronic TC 1-Mile Race through downtown Minneapolis.  It was a really well organized event. The atmosphere was great. The cheering and yelling running down Nicollet Mall was awesome. And I got to run the race with Kat by my side!

Unfortunately, we ran in the wrong heat. “Friends & Family” = My pace. “Open Wave” = FAST RUNNERS. We finished nearly last in the heat, but Kat talked to me the entire race, and overall, it was a really fun night!

Thanks to Jay, Brady, Kat, Hannah and Carrisa for a really fun night! Loved spending time together!!

And a special “thanks” to Kat for running by my side, distracting me, doing the “Superman That Ho” atleast 3 times during the race, encouraging me, pushing me, and doing the pageant-wave with me to all of our cheering (and adoring) fans. You are amazing!!

And now? It’s Friday. Happy Weekend-ing. 

Happenings

Time for a quick update…..

1. I’m still working on my Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon training plan, including the upcoming Red White & Boom! TC Half Marathon on July 4th. When I have my final FINAL plan finalized (did that make sense?), I’ll post it and discuss. Training plans are tricky because they really are unique to that person, but I’m more than happy to share what I think will help me be successful!

2. Speaking of marathons and running, some very special friends are gearing up for a busy weekend:
- Jen is running her first-ever marathon in Fargo!
- Amy is running the half-marathon in Fargo!
- Ash is running her 7th marathon, with the goal of finishing sub-4:00!
(Ash – we want more specifics of your Cross-Training plan! Post the details!)

3. The Medtronic TC 1-Mile Race is TONIGHT! If you’re not doing anything after work, head down to the Nicollet Mall to watch the races. There are different waves (I’ll be running the “Open Wave” with Jay, Kat, Brady and Carrisa) – the elite runners will run the final wave.

Click here to read an awesome article by Steve In A  Speedo. He profiles who will be running the elite race tonight, and some of the cash prizes they can win.

Lastnight, I went to packet pick-up at the Twin Cities in Motion offices…..

4. If you are getting the itch to run, sign up soon! According to this week’s Mile Marker, the price for the Red White & Boom! TC Half Marathon is only $60 – but will increase after May 19th! Click here for details.

The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is 75% full. If you were thinking about registering for “America’s Most Beautiful Urban Marathon”, DO IT!! And do it soon!!!

5. I was named a Fitfluential Ambassador this week, and I’ll be posting some details about what that means coming up soon!

6. I’ve still been struggling to get into a rhythm with my new job. I LOVE the job, and couldn’t be happier with the work I’m doing, my co-workers, the environment, the company (Everything!), I just can’t find a good rhythm of when to work out, when to get up, when to eat dinner, what time to go to bed. It’s a struggle, but I’m hopeful that it will begin to come together in the next few weeks.

Happy Thursday!

Do you have any races coming up this weekend?

A Heart Full Of Love

This past weekend was amazing. I spent time with SO many amazing friends and family. When Monday rolled around, although exhausted, I felt like my heart was incredibly full of love.

Thursday night, I met up with Kat, Brady, Hannah and Colleen at Yum! in Minneapolis. Not only was the food delicious, the conversation was amazing. We talked about running (Brady just PR’ed at the Big Sur Marathon), jobs (both Brady and I have new jobs) and stretching (Kat, unfortunately, showed us her extremely limited mobility).

Friday, Jay and I decided to have a date night…. and we redeemed our free tickets (I won on the radio!) to the Chanhassen Dinner Theater. It was an amazing meal and an INCREDIBLE show!! I LOVED it!!!!

Saturday was my emotional run (click here to read the recap), and then time spent with a friend walking through the beautiful neighborhoods of St. Paul.

Afterwards, Jay and I spent the afternoon in the yard – pulling weeds, planting my “wildflower” mix, and keeping the dog from digging up the Gard-Ann. He did, however, manage to bury his bone in the landscaping. Goofy dog.

Saturday night was a girl’s night. I LOVED spending time with such amazing women. We laughed, made mini-pizzas, drank wine, laughed, did facials, and laughed some more.

Sunday was Mother’s Day! After some cleaning and errands, Jay and I met up with my family to celebrate my sister’s college graduation. We gave my mom a beautiful hanging basket, and celebrated with food, drinks and trivia. It was the perfect ending to my weekend!

I realized I got a new haircut last weekend and never posted a picture! Here’s a few snaps of my new ‘do!

Did you have a great weekend? When’s the last time you’ve felt like your heart was “full of love”?

Week 2 Training: Red White & Boom! TC Half Marathon

On to Week 2 of training for the Red, White & Boom! TC Half Marathon coming up on July 4th. I haven’t solidified my training plan for this race yet, so this week was really about listening to my body, trying to be mindful about my activity, and continuing to log the miles.

Here’s the break-down:

Monday: Planned to go to Spin but didn’t make it there in time. Opted for a rest-day and early bedtime.

Tuesday: Logged 2 miles on the treadmill before work. I felt stiff and sore trying to get my legs moving… but stuck with it, and was proud to have finished before my work-day started.

Wednesday: Jay and I stayed at home and did a weights/agility/strength/stretching workout. We did squats, lunges, weight-lifting, and stretching. It was a good 35 minutes of staying loose, and I was INCREDIBLY sore the next day – especially my abs!

Thursday: I got up to log some miles before work and remembered that Janae (Hungry Runner Girl) had talked about this AMAZING show she watches while she runs inside – Make It or Break it. I found it on Netflix and the length of 1 espisode (43:00) was perfect for warm up/3 miles/cool-down, and I ran at a 12:01/mile pace. LOVED it!

Friday: I wasn’t planning on running, but I was SO EXCITED about watching another episode of Make It or Break It, that I got up early and logged another 2 miles at an 11:58/mile pace. I spent the last 10 minutes of the show stretching, and my Friday morning started off on the ABSOLUTE right foot!

Saturday: I got up early, not knowing how many miles I would be able to run on my knee. I was nervous about the pain I was having, but headed out to do atleast 4 miles. It was a beautiful day, and I put on Coldplay’s “Paradise” while I warmed up. I immediately started to cry (I know, right?) because I was just so moved by the song, and by my desire to be successful.

I want to be a runner. I want to run a marathon. I’m going to be a marathoner.

The overall feelings of desire were so powerful, and they dictated my entire run. I ran up the river parkway, up Ford Parkway (and a killer hill) and back down towards my house. I tried to keep negative splits during the run, and even reached a “runner’s high” during Mile 3. My knee was a little stiff, but the pain subsided and the run was relatively easy. I sang out-loud to Kelly Clarkson and danced to LMFAO. It was an INCREDIBLE run, and I teared up again when I finished 4.16.

I can’t put into words how much I want this…. I WANT TO RUN A MARATHON!! Knowing that every step, every mile, every run takes me closer to reaching my goal is amazing.

After my run, I met a friend for a nice walk – 3.6 miles down to the River Parkway and back up Summit Ave. It was a beautiful morning, and great company… unfortunately, my knee was KILLING ME by the time we finished. The pressure and pain was pretty uncomfortable, and I tried to take it easy the rest of the weekend.

I’m excited looking forward to the next weeks of training. Coming up this week, I’m hoping to solidify my training plan (I promise to post some details about it), and Thursday night is the Medtronic TC 1-Mile Race. I cannot wait to run with my friends and watch the elite runners compete!!

Click here for the recap of Week 1 Training.

What’s your next race coming up? Are you running the Medtronic TC 1-Mile Race?

Note: if you are running the Medtronic TC 1-Mile race on Thursday, please note that packet pick-up will begin at NOON tomorrow (Tuesday, May 15th). Please contact Twin Cities In Motion for additional information.

Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome moms in my life, especially Nancy! She is one of the most amazing, supportive, encouraging, wonderful people in my life, and I am so thankful to have her as my mom!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!

Click Here to read last year’s post: My mom rulz.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!!

A Quick Friday Check-In

Hi, and Happy Friday!

Just a few quick links for you today…..

#1 – My frien Erin is running a race for charity, and giving all of her donations to the Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota. Click here to learn more, read her story, and give a donation.

#2 – It’s the LAST DAY to register online for the Metronic TC 1-Mile Race!! The 1-Mile race is next Thursday (5/17) on Nicollet Mall. It’s a super-fun event, and after the run, you get to watch the elite runners race the 1-mile. Last year, Ryan and Sarah Hall were there!! They also give away entries into the TC 10-mile race to 1-mile participants! Don’t miss this awesome event!! Click here to register!

#3 – My girl Ash is running the Ogden Marathon in Utah next weekend and she needs your help picking an outfit! (First-world problems, right?) Click here to see her outfit choices and vote.

#4 – Jen wrote an awesome blog today, “Is it possible to just love the taste of food?” Click here to leave YOUR imput!

And finally…. a shout-out to my sister, Kate, who is graduating from the U of M (University of Minnesota) this weekend! I can’t wait to spend time with her and my family celebrating her amazing accomplishments!!

Do you have any fun weekend plans? How do you plan to celebrate Mother’s day?

Gard-Ann: In The Ground

Alright…. time for another Gard-Ann update. If you haven’t been following the Gard-Ann (garden) this spring, here’s a quick recap….

I bought seedlings and declared I had no idea what to do with them.

I re-planted them into compostable containers and kept them inside and they looked great!

Then, I moved them outside and they shriveled up. I started digging a place for them in my backyard and found trash instead.

But, I have good news! I haven’t given up! I bought more seedlings and decided I was going to use a different [read: BETTER] location for my veggies + herb.

Last weekend, I got to work preparing the ground for the Gard-Ann. I started pulling up weeds, leaves, and anything else I thought might not belong in the Gard-Ann.

I started finding lots and lots of weeds. REALLY BIG, REALLY DEEP weeds. Bags of weeds. It was disgusting. It felt like they were never-ending and I was pulling weeds up for HOURS.

Does anybody have any idea about what type of weeds these are, or what I can do to prevent them from choking off my vegetables?

After I got as many weeds as I could, I laid out the plans for my Gard-Ann. I had 6 different vegetables + herb I was planting from before, along with 2 blueberry bushes, and 2 tomato plants.

For each vegetable, I laid out 3 compostable containers on one side, and 3 compostable containers on the other side. In the middle, I planted fresh seeds from new packets.

On each area, I used fresh soil and “plant food.” Even for the blueberries and tomatoes, I thought they could use some good, fresh, nutritious soil.

I also got a nice little garden fence/edging to help keep out the critters. And my dog. Well…. mostly my dog.

He’s a digger.

This you know.

Besides the Gard-Ann, we’ve been doing some other yardwork and upkeep this spring. It’s been really fun to see our yard in a “full year”, since we bout our house last summer, we haven’t gotten a chance to see the yard in all4 seasons, yet!

Last year, we bought a “flowering pear” tree (mostly because I thought it would look cool) and we got to see it bloom and blossom this year. It is BEAUTIFUL right now!

We also have a HUGE overgrowth of ferns and hostas in our yard. The same day we planted the Gard-Ann, Jay also replanted some of the hostas around our big tree in the backyard. They look GREAT, and I love that we can plant and garden in our yard!

It’s been a few days since we planted the Gard-Ann, and I’m already seeing a few sprouts coming up! I hope it’s not wishful thinking, but I’m thinking that planting new seedlings are going to spur some good growth and maybe… just maybe…. I can grow a vegetable or two this summer.

Are you growing a garden?

What is your experience with weeds and getting seeds into the ground?

In Touch Physical Therapy

After the 5k on Saturday, Jay, my mom and I headed to In Touch Physical Therapy in Owatonna. My mom had seen an ad in the local paper for a free 10-minute session on the AlterG – an anti-gravity treadmill that Anne from In Touch Physical Therapy recently purchased!

You bet we jumped on the opportunity to try this amazing piece of equipment and get some alone-time with one of the best Physical Therapists around!

The office was closed when we got there – it was SO incredibly nice for Anne to be at In Touch Physical Therapy and see us on Saturday morning. Having the place to ourselves was AMAZING and she was great with explaining exercises, equipment details, and giving lots of instruction.

(sorry if the pictures are a little dark – we have the lights off and it was nice and cool in the office/gym.)

Here it is….. the AlterG.

I pulled up the AlterG website, and found some basic information about the treadmill itself:

“If you’ve suffered an injury or gone through surgery, you know the recovery process can be long and challenging. Whether you’re a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, a senior citizen or a young competitor, the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill can help optimize your treatment outcomes to get you back faster to the activities you love.

The science of healing and art of training combine here at AlterG to give you back your health faster. That way, you can spend more time living your life, instead of fixing your body.

Originally conceived by Dr. Robert Whalen to design effective exercise regimens for NASA’s astronauts, Differential Air Pressure (DAP) technology has been adapted by AlterG for use in training and rehabilitation. Cleared by the FDA in 2008, the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill is a medical device that can be used for:

• Rehabilitation of lower extremity injuries
• Treatment of neurological conditions
• Weight reduction
• Aerobic conditioning
• General training to combat the diseases of aging

Race Recap: From The Heart 5k

On Friday night, Jay and I headed down to Owatonna to stay with my parents. We only stayed for a short time, but did a LOT of stuff! Saturday morning, we ran the From The Heart 5k. Afterwards, I paid a visit to In Touch Physical Therapy. I also got my hairs cut, went outlet shopping, and had a delicious dinner cooked on the grill. It was the perfect day away from the house/daily messes/life stresses – time to spend with my family and simply relax.

I haven’t run the From The Heart 5k before – this year was the 4th annual race in Owatonna, and the website says, “We ask for your participation, from the heart, in an event which gives back to a family in need year after year.”

You can click over to the site to read more about Kyle DeKam, a 40-year old Junior High Principal battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Samantha Nechansky, a 3-year old girl with Pre B cell acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia – both families live locally in Owatonna and the proceeds from the race will go to them.

The From The Heart was a 5k and half-marathon this year; it was administered by Anderson Race Management. The packet pick-up was the night before the race (thankfully, my mom picked up the packets for me & Jay), and Anderson included timing chips, as well.

It was a beautiful morning for a race. Despite the slight chill in the air, it was nice and cool for running. Not too cold, not too windy, and not too hot or sunny. Just perfect.

The race started at Lake Kohlmeier and ran along a trail to Morehouse Park. It cut up Lemond Avenue and back down the trail to the lake.

The half-marathoners took off before the 5k runners, and I saw my friend Lisa running by! I think there were over 1,000 walkers and runners total. A HUGE turn-out for a great cause!

My favorite thing about the race? Running it with my mom. She told me that she didn’t want to walk, and I promised her I would keep her on track. No ipod, no sprinting – just pushing her and encouraging her during the race. Our first mile flew by, and the 2nd mile included a steep hill (which I made her sprint up). The final mile dragged, and I wouldn’t let her walk!! It felt SO GREAT to cross the finish line together (Jay had run ahead and had a great 5k, as well) – the feeling of pride and accomplishment for finishing was SO MUCH MORE, knowing I had helped her reach her goals, too!

We stayed and chatted at the finish line with some friends and people we knew, and then headed back up the road to see the half-marathoners. We found a good spot (right before the Mile 11 marker), and cheered on everybody that ran by! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!

Overall, it was one of my favorite race experiences. I got to spend the morning with my family, running a race side-by-side with my mom, helping her reach her goals. The From The Heart race went to help local families in need, and there was an amazing feeling of “community” at the event on Saturday.

Because of the experience, my family and friends, the beautiful weather and the amazing sense of “community, this was the first time I can say I really, truly enjoyed running a race!!

Have you ever ENJOYED running a race before? What made it so enjoyable?

Week 1 Training: Red, White & Boom! TC Half Marathon

Hi, Happy Monday!

It’s been a really busy week. I started my new job last Monday, and it’s been a whirlwind of new names, new faces, new responsibilities and LOTS of training. I am absolutely loving it!

This past week, I had to take my schedule ONE. DAY. AT. A. TIME. There was NO WAY for me to focus on planning more than 24 hours in advance. Amazingly enough, I managed a full week of workouts – my 1st week of training for the next race: the Red, White & Boom! TC Half Marathon on July 4th.

Only 2 short months away!

This training cycle is going to be different than the last training cycle:
1. It’s shorter (9 1/2 weeks!)
2. I’m focusing on losing weight, knowing that pace will also improve with additional weight-loss
3. The weather and conditions for this training cycle are completely different

Alright. Jumping in, here are the details for Week 1:

Monday: I made a glorious return to my favorite spinning class with Kristi (who, recently started a blog! click for details!). The class was REALLY HARD since I finished the Get In Gear half-marathon on Saturday and went to the bike on Monday. I was planning on taking it easy – go ahead and laugh now – and she decided to make it a SPEED night. That means, you can’t easily cheat because the focus is on the revolutions, not the load. IN ADDITION, she kept turning the lights on during class!!!! I DIED!!!!

Tuesday: I set my alarm for 5;30am and logged an AM workout. I knew my legs were completely shredded and I took it REALLY slow for the 1st mile: 14:35. Then, I sprinted as fast as I could. Mostly, I wanted to see how fast I could go, especially after finishing a half-marathon a few days earlier. Mile 2 was an 11:21 pace!!

Wednesday: It seems like the cards were stacked against me. I got home late from work. Jay and I planned to go to a track for a workout, and the 1st track we went to had a track meet on it. The 2nd school we went to, THERE WAS NO TRACK! I guess 3rd times a charm – we ended up on a beautiful college track and we each ran a track workout.

Pros of track workouts: Jay and I can show up together and run “together” but do our own separate workouts at our own respective paces.

Cons of track workouts: They are hard as HECK! I had NO IDEA how difficult they would be.

I was planning to run 1 lap fast, 1 lap recovery, 1 lap fast, 1 lap recovery (for 2 miles total) but I totally fizzled after a few laps. Here’s the details:

Warm Up – 2:55.2
1 lap fast – 2:21.8
(3 minute recovery)
1 lap fast – 2:31.7
(3 minute recovery)

After that, my lungs were tight and I felt like I was suffocating. So, I gave up the lap-repeats and ran “killers” instead. Do you remember those from school? I started at one goal line and ran to the 10-yard line and back to the goal line. Then I ran to the 20-yard line, and back to the goal line. I repeated the “sprints” every 10-yards until I had run along the entire length of the football field.

It was a REALLY good learning experience, and I really want to take at least 1 day/week to practice sprints and get faster!

Thursday: Back when I started training, Kat told me that the Thursday workouts would be the most difficult. She was 100% right. I wanted to make sure I finished the week strong (and I knew I would be taking my rest-day on Friday), so I ran before work AND after work on Thursday.

Before work, I ran the 1st mile at 13:03. I sped up my pace and finished the 2nd mile in 11:35. The “distance” function wasn’t working on the treadmill, but thankfully, the pace was. I kept the pace consistent for 2 miles and ran for 24:38 total.

After work, I headed out to Lake Harriet and logged 2.6 miles. The first 2 felt OK, but then I had HORRIBLE pain in my knee and shin. I haven’t talked much about it on the blog, but it’s a constant, steady pain behind my left kneecap. It usually travels down to my shin and it comes and goes during the day – while running, sitting, standing, or laying down. On Thursday, the pain came and I had to stop and walk the last 2/3 mile to the bandshell to meet Jay.

I’m happy to have logged the miles (before the pain was too intense to continue), and on Wednesday, I’ll share some good info regarding the knee pain and strengthening exercises!

Friday: my beloved rest-day, spent icing my injured knees.

Saturday: a 5k in Owatonna with Jay and my mom. My running friend Lisa ran the half-marathon, and it was a beautiful morning and a REALLY fun event! I’ll post a full race recap tomorrow!!

Overall, Week 1 was a good, solid week of training. This knee pain is a pain in the neck, but like I said – I have some great info (including my experience on an anti-gravity treadmill)  that I’ll post on Wednesday! Stay tuned!

Did you have a good weekend? Did you race or log any good runs or workouts?

• Hi, I’m Ann!

  

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