Squeezing Minutes out of Seconds

This past weekend was paradoxically slow-moving and jam-packed. It was my first trip with my boyfriend to visit family in Boston (technically, Watertown, MA) and I was incredibly excited for him to meet everyone. We left for the airport straight from work on Friday carrying our Adidas bags (we still haven't grown out of our high school soccer days into mature, suitcase-carrying adults) and arrived in Boston that night. My brother and his dog, Jack, picked us up from Logan and we crashed early.

The next day we woke up around 8 o'clock and went for a run through Watertown Square and along the Charles River. It was almost 40 degrees out and compared to the freezing temperatures we've been bearing in Chicago, it was practically t-shirt weather.

After a 3.5 mile run, we showered and headed to  my Grandma's to spend some time with her and my aunt. We sat for several hours eating and laughing, and then headed over to my aunt and uncle's house less than a half mile away. Fortunately, all of my cousins were there to entertain us for another couple of hours of laughing and snacking.

On Sunday, my brother, my boyfriend, Jack, and I went to Harvard Square after a goodbye breakfast with my aunt and Grandma. My boyfriend had never seen Harvard before (he is from California) and so we walked through the campus and perused the bookstores, feeling extra motivated to read every novel on the "Staff's Picks" shelf. 

Conveniently enough, my boyfriend's cousin - the author of The Language of Flowers, a bestseller the past two years - lives in Cambridge, and we were able to have dinner with her family before heading off to the airport. She said she knew Lois Lowry well (the author of The Giver and Number the Stars), and I think I became star-struck for the first time in my life - without even seeing the "star". 

More pictures to come! My workout is definitely on a brief hiatus - I opted for skipping the workout and indulging in a big breakfast on Sunday. I also forgot my gym bag and couldn't train with my track runners at practice today as we prepare for tomorrow's first meet (which will aso keep me out of the gym). I will be traveling to New York on Wednesday night to Friday night, so I can only hope that my hotel has a gym!

Forcing the Habit

I think that often the hardest part of starting a new plan is forcing it into a habit. That said, this first week has been challenging. Because I coach track and often work with students after school and before practice, my schedule is tight. 

To save time, I use the gym at school, which usually works, but when other students need to use it or when I'm working out with a buddy, one working treadmill doesn't cut it. So to accommodate, I ran laps in the hallways this week. The only downside is that my shins have started to become sore. In fear of shin splints, I took to the streets tonight despite the freezing temperature and ran an easy two miles to give my legs a break from the treadmill. 

Wednesday, 2/27

• Ten minute warm-up (laps around the hallways)
• One mile faster than race pace (8:30 min on the treadmill) 
• Five minute cool-down (laps around the hallways)
• Leg Workout: 5x12 reps of squats using the bar (without weight added)

Tip: Eat oatmeal as a late-in-the-day snack for these evening workouts. I recommend Quaker's travel size containers with added nuts and berries (it's called "Real Medleys")!

I Love Jennifer Lawrence

I loved her in Hunger Games. Silver Linings Playbook was my favorite movie of the year. And this article just made me realize why I love her even more, especially her reaction to her Oscar fall. 

Training Update

To hold myself accountable and watch my progress, I'm going to try to post regular updates about my workouts: 

Sunday, 3/24 

• 3 easy miles (29 min)
• Long stretch

Monday, 3/25

• 1 mile warm-up (9:40 min)
• 4x400m 
• 1st: 8:05 min pace
• 2nd: 7:50 min pace
• 3rd: 7:35 min pace
• 4th: 7:20 min pace
• Core Circuit (30 sec each 3 times)
• V Sit-Ups
• Spiderman Push-Ups
• Crunches (stayed at an angle, keeping my back and legs raised)
• Plank
• 1 mile cool-down (10 min)

Blues and Beers

Rather than falling asleep early and spending Saturday with another episode of Downton Abbey, I took an amazing two-hour nap before venturing out to B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted, an awesome bar with live music seven days a week. My boyfriend and I found some corner stools around 8:30pm, and cozied up to our neighbors as the crowd grew over the next hour. 

At 9:30pm, the music started. We were fortunate to come on a night to catch the local Carlos Johnson & the Serious Blues Band, a group that has been playing together for forty years. They dedicated the show to Magic Slim, a Mississippi blues singer and guitarist who recently passed. I was mesmerized by their passion for the music; I've never witnessed a musician truly possessed by the strings of his guitar. 

I didn't realize why Johnson looked slightly off until I looked him up today: he was playing a right-handed instrument upside-down because he is left-handed. His funny anecdotes and jokes made the show even more enjoyable and close-knit. It almost felt like we were listening to the band play in their living room. Not having much experience with blues music myself, I left B.L.U.E.S not only excited to return soon, but ready to change up my Pandora stations and give Sara Bareilles and John Legend a well-deserved break.

The Training Plan

I've signed myself up for some races that can help me mark my progress toward my marathon: an 8k in April, and a half-marathon both in May and June. Today marked that first day of training with a 3 mile run. I've posted the rest of my training schedule on here to the 8k to hold me accountable. Every Thursday, I'm aiming to make it to the gym for one of the listed classes. I'll post my progress and changes that I make throughout - hopefully only positive ones!

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
2/24 Run & Stretch: 3 mi.	2/25 Rest	2/26 1 mi. warm-up & 1 mi. cool-down 4x400 Strength: Core	2/27 Mile Repeat: 1 (faster than race pace) Strength: Legs	2/28 Cycle: 7pm Power Yoga: 7:15pm Nike Training: 7:15pm	3/1 Rest	3/2 Long Run: 3 mi.
3/3 Run & Stretch: 3 mi.	3/4 Rest	3/5 1 mi. warm-up & 1 mi. cool-down 6x400 Strength: Core	3/6 Mile Repeats: 2 (faster than race pace) Strength: Legs	3/7 Cycle: 7pm Power Yoga: 7:15pm Nike Training: 7:15pm	3/8 Rest	3/9 Long Run: 4 mi.
3/10 Run & Stretch: 3 mi.	3/11 Rest	3/12 1 mi. warm-up & 1 mi. cool-down 4x800 Strength: Core	3/13 Mile Repeats: 2 ((faster than race pace) Strength: Legs	3/14 Cycle: 7pm Power Yoga: 7:15pm Nike Training: 7:15pm	3/15 Rest	3/16 Long Run: 5 mi.
3/17 Run & Stretch: 3 mi.	3/18 Rest	3/19 1 mi. warm-up & 1 mi. cool-down 6x800 Strength: Core	3/20 Mile Repeats: 3 (faster than race pace) Strength: Legs	3/21 Cycle: 7pm Power Yoga: 7:15pm Nike Training: 7:15pm	3/22 Rest	3/23 Long Run: 6 mi.
3/24 Run & Stretch: 3 mi.	3/25 Rest	3/26 1 mi. warm-up & 1 mi. cool-down 6x800 Strength: Core	3/27 Mile Repeats: 4 (faster than race pace) Strength: Legs	3/28 Cycle: 7pm Power Yoga: 7:15pm Nike Training: 7:15pm	3/29 Rest	3/30 Long Run: 7 mi.
3/31 Run & Stretch: 3 mi.	4/1 Rest	4/2 1 mi. warm-up & 1 mi. cool-down 4x400 Strength: Core	4/3 Mile Repeats: 2 (faster than race pace) Strength: Legs	4/4 Cycle: 7pm Power Yoga: 7:15pm Nike Training: 7:15pm	4/5 Rest	4/6 Long Run: 2 mi.
4/7 8k Race Day

Missing D. Rose

Last Thursday, my boyfriend and I watched the Heat dance around the Bulls. Looking for a Valentine's Day gift for him, I snatched up the only tickets that fit my budget for a game against the Heat: the absolute last row in the stadium before standing only. Still, being so high up didn't stop me from watching Lebron send a ball twenty feet in the air intending to dunk it or catch him faking a limp. And to be honest, my favorite part was during a time out when senior citizens did the Turbo or get down to Big Sean's "Dance". It was a good night, but I'm still trying to wait patiently for D. Rose to make his come back!