Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Well that was not the plan

I got to the gym and was extremely tired after being kept up til 3am (!!!) by an undisclosed individual. So I decided a strength work would be better than endurance, so I worked my legs, back, and arms. It didn't seem like an intense workout when I started. But by the end of it I was already sore.

Like seriously sore.

This girl was wrecked... and I run 10+ miles for fun!

It's all thanks to the personal trainer that my beauty queen housemate has! (I was there to support her, and she was there to kick my butt). After our arms I did the "Ab Burner" from my Nike Training Club app. I can only imagine how rough tomorrow will be.

IN TOTALLY AWESOME AMAZING SUNSHINE NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally finally finally entered/paid for my NWHM and my Baltimore 10 Miler!!!

Only one more big race fee to go! (200 for a 5k, 13.1, and 26.2) 

xx
Molly

Tomorrow's schedule...

Well I'm awake at 12am which is definitely not great considering I have an 8am class...

But I don't have to shower before class! I'm just going to wake up, grab some breakfast and head out! I after my lovely lovely 2 hour 8am class on Anthropological Theory I am going to head straight to the gym! I plan on getting in a nice LSD. Hopefully around 70 minutes, followed by around 20 minutes on the stair stepper!

Of course I'mma hit up my core and do some burpees or push-ups, but the main focus is jump starting my stamina again after these few days off!

Wish me luck everyone!

xx
Molly

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Sick + Snow + Training

Big storm hit my campus last night, but the snow turned to rain around 3am. So my college is still having class. And unlucky me got very sick last night. I thought I was getting sick and when I woke up I had absolutely no doubt. I have a fever, sore throat, headache, and chills. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, in general I just feel absolutely run down and terrible.

But my campus still has class so I'm currently sitting in Ethical Theories and I'm heavily delirious. This post will probably be taken down and/or ended tons of times throughout today.

My biggest worry is how this will affect my training. While it's only a minor illness, this will put me out of the running game for at least 5 days while I fully recover. Also running while on antibiotics (which I have a prescription for) can be extremely rough on your liver, so I'll be waiting until my antibiotic session is over.

I just want it to warm up so I can start running again and up my mileage!

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Review! Nuun Hydration Tablets


Go to the store, right this second, and grab yourself some Nuun. You can get them online by clicking here! I LOVE THESE LITTLE BABIES! Order them today and they'll ship out to you within a week (: -- how great is that?

I love sports drinks, and I need them for the electrolytes, but a lot of time they can get difficult to carry, they can get expensive, and if you have food dye allergies (like me) they can get tricky. Nuun is different because what you are buying are the tablets to make an electrolyte drink. Nuun+16oz H2O+2minutes = an electrolyte enhanced drink! 

They are fast dissolving (none of that shake-the-bottle dance needed) and they taste amazing! A lot of flavor and a little bit of fizz. I hand them out to my friends like candy and trust me, we're all obsessed.

I don't know a lot about the science behind Nuun, I just know how they make me feel. They are great for the standard after run slump, but they are also my new substitute for coffee! While Nuun doesn't contain caffeine, it does contain a lot of electrolytes, which gives your body a boost! I love everything about Nuun, except their price and website. They are a little on the steep side (even though they are still cheaper than an average energy drink), and their website is difficult to maneuver. When I was looking at their products they didn't have a lot of the clothes/apparel that they had in graphics all over their website. Slight false advertising there, but it doesn't change the fact that Nuun is outstanding, and I highly recommend them!


Company:3/5
Affordability:4/5
Quality:5/5
Usage:5/5
Overall:B+

Review! NWHM Training Club Kick-Off Event!

Hey everyone! I'm finally getting around to writing a post about last Thursday and the Nike event I went to in Georgetown-DC, MD! The title of the event is a mouthful so here goes: 

The Nike Women's Half Marathon Training Club Kick-Off Event!


I went to support a friend of mine who's a brand ambassador, even though I'm not registered for the race (I missed the entrance time by one day! Drat!). We ended up metroing in from our college and arriving just as the event was starting (so I missed the scenic run which was definitely a bummer). Instead of going out for the runs (that varied in length and speed) we were on water and Luna duty. We handed out tons of little Luna bar samplers - Chocolate Peppermint! Mmmmm! - and little mini waters as the runners returned.

There was a little raffle going on and if you entered you would possibly win entry to the race, so I threw my name in (not expecting much), well would you believe that when the drawing time came the said that EVERYONE who put their name in the basket would get race entry!!! My friend didn't even know this and she works for the company!!!

I am so excited to run this race!!!!!!


It's amazing! You get a shirt, and a week of massages and facials leading up to the race, and then at the end of the 13.1 you get a Tiffany's necklace handed to you by a service man! The necklaces are specially engraved for the event and ONE OF A KIND! I love it!

A HUGE HUGE HUGE THANK YOU TO NIKE FOR MAKING THIS GIRL INSANELY HAPPY AND EXCITED!

Thursday, February 6, 2014

FIX YOUR FEET! (21 free days!)

CLICK HERE

From Runnerworld.com !

I'M SO EXCITED!

TONIGHT I'M GOING TO A HUGE RUNNING EVENT IN 
GEORGETOWN, MD!


IT'S FOR THE NIKE WOMEN'S HALF MARATHON!

There will be a group run, music, FREE GOODIES, and an after party!!


Come out tonight! 

Nike Georgetown, 3040 M St NW (Washington, DC)

Thursday, 2/6 at 6:30 PM


When shopping for supplements...

When shopping for supplements the biggest advice I can give it to do your research. Don't just trust the guy on TV because he happens to have made a work out routinue that went viral, or the person at GNC because they're in uniform. While some people like those know their stuff, they tend to be the exception and not the rule.

Protein powder, salt tabs, recovery drinks, and electrolyte tablets are expensive. Trust me. The bill can add up quickly. So I have a list of a couple things that I like to keep in mind when I go shopping. 


Do both general and specialized research. It's as easy as just googling something broad like "essential vitamins and minerals" to get started. The problem comes with doseage and when to take what. For example, iron is vital for all people, however women from around age 15-45 need more iron than other women, and women in general need more iron than men. Make sure that in addition to the broad research that you dig a little deeper to find specialized doseages for your sex and age. (Google your age to the nearest 5, ie: 44= google 45, to get more results!)


Evaluate your goals and what products will best help you accomplish them. Runners (and most women) want lean muscles. Lifters (and most men) want large, powerful muscles. Competition lifters tend to want huge muscles, but aren't always concerned about their functionality. Look for special training plans, nutrition, and supplements for your goal. For example, I'm an endurance runner, so I need lean, powerful muscles with tons of stamina. So I personally op to take casein, which is a slow releasing protein, after I work out. My brother is a lifter and he tends to take whey protein. I don't know any of the science behind whey, so I won't even attempt to explain that here.

There is tons of free literature out there to help you figure out exactly what you need  to achieve your goals. Make sure to double and triple check everything, and if it sounds too extreme there's a chance it is, so keep digging!


Consider the "race day" or "competition day". When I train in my long runs I take salt tabs every 45min-1hr. Granted that's a little more than most people take in the cold months, but I personally found that I like it. I've found that my body needs around 450-550mg of sodium per hour to be up to par. So I train with those same levels (even though it's in the winter) because come race day I want to be used to running with that salt regiment. 

When training for your big day, train in the same way you intend to compete. This is more for racing, because I know competition lifters have a slightly different procedure on comp day. There's a phrase "nothing new on race day" ad I endorse it 100%. Race day is not the time to figure out that your stomach hates your gels, or that your salt tabs don't have enough mgs, or that your socks give you blisters. Prepare and plan and you'll have a great race day.

Happy running everyone!