Whenever I have Mondays off from work I sometimes forget that it’s the beginning of the week for the rest of you. So you’ll have to apologize for my absence yesterday – I slept in until 10:45, laid around all day and watched lots of The Big Bang Theory. No time for witty writing.
I started the weekend Thursday night with a 10pm showing of Gone Girl – GO SEE IT. I almost wish I hadn’t read the book only because I wasn’t blown away by the crazy twists and turns of the storyline but overall it was a really phenomenal film (but, and forgive the snobbiness, the book was better).
Somehow after getting home at 2am I miraculously made it to an 8:30am spin class – Flywheel has a real hold on my heart.
It was a special booty burn class! Set to all the faves – Sir Mix A Lot and JLo were highlights. So of course we did lots of hills and jumps, plus a quick upper body workout sandwiched in the middle. I love when cardio classes incorporate strength.
The rest of the weekend was spent with friends listening to live music and at breakfast with my family. My godparents were in town so we all met up at Egg Harbor for brunch. I demolished a veggie-filled omelet with avocado on the side and it was brilliant. Fun fact: artichokes are amazing in omelets! Who knew?
Also, if you follow me on Instagram, you know I had an interesting Saturday – it was one of those days when I just wasn’t having it. None of it. I love people a lot, but there’s that one day every once in awhile when I’m in awe of some people’s stupidity/selfishness (and by people I usually mean drivers. Drivers are not people – they are animals). I don’t usually feed an emotion, but after the day I had I KNEW that if I didn’t get some comfort food in my stomach I was going to burst into tears at Union Station so I bee-lined for the closest hot dog stand and ordered some fries. Sometimes you’ve just gotta be bad.
Finally, it’s marathon week here in Chicago! I had a friend recently ask me why I’ve never trained for a marathon. Good question! I love running so much so in a perfect world I’d absolutely love to train for one. I think the answer is two-fold: on the one hand, I love variety in my fitness routine. I love doing yoga one day, spin the next, running one day and sculpt the next. I just don’t know if I’d ever be able to adhere to the type of schedule that’s necessary to actually get better/faster/stronger at running. On the other hand, I know it’s a mental block. I AM a schedule-lover. So I know deep down part of me wants to dedicate a few months to developing my running game. But I’m worried about getting injured (I read about all of your injuries all the time and it just seems unavoidable!), worried about not sticking with the training and just giving up, and worried that even if I stick with it that I still won’t get better.
Silly mental blocks.
I’m going to do some thinking this winter about serious running goals for 2015. It’s time to get over that hurdle!
Questions:
- What’s your advice for an aspiring/scared runner? I’m stuck in a habit of 4-5 mile runs and then I stop.
- Are you guilty of feeding your feelings?
- What’s one of YOUR mental blocks?
i had a big lunch 
don’t even get me started on drivers……bad drivers. They are prevalent here. Artichokes in an omelette? I’m intrigued!!! But I’m salivating over those potatoes served with it…
I am guilty of feeding my feelings….but ironically don’t even enjoy the food as I eat it in an angry haste!
Haha that’s very, very true! Usually I’m just using the food to keep my mouth shut so I don’t scream at people on those days 😉 and yeah, idk what it was but the artichokes brought a really great flavor to the eggs. Unexpected!
Gone Girl. So good. Neil Patrick Harris. The End.
My advice for doing a marathon or longer running goal is to pick somewhere you have always wanted to go and run a longer race there. This way, you are breaking two goals with one stone…or something.
That’s a really good idea! I always run better/more focused when I’m in new scenery!
Just go for 6. It’s a nice, even number, an easy out and back. ANd the reward is getting to add on a new sight to your little tour!
Give yourself time until you are ready. Marathon training is like getting married–you have to be read for it.
100 and 1 percent agree with the getting married statement! I often tell myself that ‘my husband is waiting for me in the morning’…referring to my long run! haha!
Hahahahaha I love the analogy!! I just laughed out loud at Starbucks thanks
If I got six miles done a few times a week I’d be super proud haha. I really really love the “marathons are like marriage” analogy so brilliant!
Haha i would have done the same thing with the fries! Sometimes it just has to happen 🙂 I personally never got farther than 3-ish miles- my body just does not like running farther than that… (which is why i stick to barre 🙂 )
Still never tried barre! But I have to have one goal at a time 😉 haha. But a three-mile run is way better than no run at all, right?
Don’t be scurrrrred girl!! Hey if you need anyone to convince you to run a marathon…holla at me!!! 😉
Lol ok can you be my alarm at 5am every morning to knock out a run? Kthanks
I don’t get up at 5am unless I am teaching spin. But 6 am, I’m your girl!
I definitely dealt with emotional eating for many years, but I am much better with it now.
That omelette looks epic though. I wish we had good brunch places round here.
It wasn’t even anything special but I didn’t eat dairy last week so without cheese I figured I should stuff it with veggies and it ended up being amazing
#1 way to get over your fear of running > 4-5miles – run with a friend. for real….you push each other and all those extra miles will go SO FAST.
Good point – I’ve only done that once but when I did the miles just flew by!
I completely agree about liking variety in my fitness routines! I trained for a triathlon two years ago and I was so burnt out by the end because I was so sick of running, swimming and cycling. At least there were three activities! I guess the good thing with marathon training is that you should also cross-train and stretch so you could still incorporate some sculpting and yoga!
True – I guess I’d just have to sacrifice the multiple trips to flywheel but overall when it comes to cardio nothing is better than a run so I Guess it’d all be worth it
I think with marathon training it has to be something that *you* absolutely want to do. If you sign up for a marathon because you feel like you’re “supposed to” or that you won’t be a “real runner” until you do a marathon, I think you’re setting yourself up for a miserable time. You also need to be a in a place where it works. It’s a HUGE time commitment, and if you don’t have the time, or don’t want to make the time, to train, it’s not worth it. You have to be willing to give up your Friday or Saturday nights for 18 weeks, to accept that fact that you’re not going to have much time to give to the “regular” (non-training buddies) people in your life, that you’re going to have to miss things, both small (get togethers) and large (weddings. I’ve missed three over the past two season’s: a cousin’s, an ex-roommate’s, and a friend’s, because none of them were in Chicago and all of them fell on the same weekend as major runs [18 miler, the 2013 marathon, and 20 miler, respectively]). If that’s not something that appeals to you, then honestly, there’s no point in marathoning. You don’t have to run a marathon to be a runner. You don’t even have to run races to be a runner. If you enjoy running just for yourself, that is perfectly fine.
If you DO want to go farther in your running career, though, honestly, you just have to do it. Period. It’s kind of like that scene in How I Met Your Mother: there really are two steps to running a marathon (or increasing your distance, period). Step one: start running. Step two: stop when you’re told. That’s it. There’s no magic formula, no major secret. You start running and then you keep going until it’s time to be done. Now, obviously, I wouldn’t recommend going out and running and not stopping until you CAN’T go any farther. But if you add on one mile at a time, it’s pretty remarkable how quickly you can break out of a rut. I never thought I’d be able to run more than two miles, until I ran three. I never thought I’d be able to run more than three miles, until I ran four. I never thought I’d be able to run more than four miles, until I ran five. You get the picture 😉 Again, though, you have to want it. You have to WANT to follow a training program and WANT to increase your distance. If that desire isn’t there–and no one can make that desire appear for you–it’s not going to happen.
You always give the best advice, seriously. I love that. I really had no idea how much you gave up to run a marathon – very big reality check. But I honestly really need to prove to myself that I can do it. My whole life I’ve been good at everything but never great/dedicated to any ONE thing because I feared failing. I just like to be the jack of all trades, and that’s sunk into my fitness life as well. I WANT to be a marathoner so I can prove to myself that I have that dedication for one activity – and there’s no greater workout than running
Okay if I can stick to and train for a marathon so can you!! You just have to want it! And thank you for making realize that it has been MONTHS since I’ve had a french fry. Now I’m dying to have one!!
Hahaha I see so many people training for marathons and I think “wait if he/she can do it I DEFINITELY can haha” you aren’t in that category but I see what you’re saying. I need to read up more on your training! Also months without French fries? The horror
French fries are clearly always a good idea. I want to train for a full as well, but I’m definitely afraid of getting hurt. I got hurt just training for my half! I think with proper strength training, it is possible to do it injury free, but that’s more work than I think I am willing to give to it right now.
See that’s what I’m saying! When was the last time you read a blog where someone trained for a marathon, injury-free? It’s so drama-filled and risky! Strength training is huge.
Hey girl!! Love the Stephen King quote!! A great one for sure!! 😉 I always love your posts because you definitely ask powerful questions that ya know, get me thinking!! Um, TOTALLY LOVE IT!! French fries sound sooo good right now!! Definitely a great way to feed feelings which yes, I do! Also, I think your workout schedule is phenomenal!! I love your variety!! It’s definitely important for me to have variety, too!! I get it!! Do what you love girl!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks! I love variety too but if also love to prove to myself that I have the dedication so many of you other bloggers have 🙂
Hey Lauren!! I know you can achieve any and every single goal you set your mind to!! I know it!! xoxoxo
My advice for your running – only attempt if deep down you really want to! If you do, then it’s all mental. You already have a great baseline with 4-5 milers, you just have to slowly increase each week!! Eating piles of fries helps with that.
Yeah I suppose I’m a lot closer than I’m giving myself credit for 🙂 If I can already run five miles that’s a great start. Just gotta add slowly and surely. I’ll tell you one thing – my first double digit run I’m totally throwing myself a party. A BIG one.
Go run the Chicago marathon! It’s a BLAST!
I am super excited to go see Gone Girl!
Next year, maybe 😉 I always say that though haha but this year I’m big on finishing my goals!