Monday, February 25, 2013

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (8)

Three weeks to go, and I'm feelin' good!

On Saturday, I hit the treadmill for a nine-mile speed workout. I wanted to do more, but I figured that I should end the run feeling like I could run more instead of exhausting myself.  On Sunday, I went out for a four-miler. Again, I wanted to run more but thought it would be best to take it easy and avoid injuring myself.

This week will probably be the hardest of this training cycle.  I don't see a need to do a full taper, but I don't want to run much the week before the race.

Here's the plan:

Monday: Stretching. foam rolling
Tuesday: 4 miles (easy)
Wednesday: Tempo Run
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 14 miles


Sunday, February 24, 2013

Runner Profile: Fauja Singh

Fauja Singh, whom I wrote about earlier this month, was recently profiled on ESPN's Outside the Lines.  Every time I read about him, I am so amazed and humbled.
Was it pain he felt as he approached the end, just footsteps away from redefining the limits of human endurance? No, this wasn't pain. Fauja knew pain. Pain was death -- you see plenty of that when you live 100 years. Pain was bloody limbs and overtaxed joints -- you get too much of that when you insist on completing every race you ever start. This wasn't pain but exhaustion. And Fauja could handle exhaustion, because exhaustion foreshadowed euphoria. When Fauja got tired, it often meant a record would soon fall.

He'd already broken a few. Fastest to run a marathon (male, over age 90), fastest to run 5,000 meters (male, over age 100), fastest to run 3,000 meters (male, over age 100), and on and on they went. But those records didn't roll off the tongue the way this one would. Oldest person to complete a marathon (male): Fauja Singh. The other feats had earned him recognition from the Masters Federation websites. This one would put him in the Guinness World Records. An official with the company had contacted Fauja's coach, Harmander Singh (no relation) several weeks earlier. Harmander told Fauja that Guinness would send representatives to watch Fauja run in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and as soon as he finished, they would award him the recognition he deserved.
- From "The Runner" by Jordan Conn

 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Meme, Meme: You Ran a Marathon?

A good friend posted this on my Facebook wall:


I can't stop giggling.


FLOTUS Wins; Everyone Can Go Home Now

This is my public declaration of my girl crush on Michelle Obama.

Okay, actually, I routinely tweet about how I wish that she and I could be besties.  We'd hang out, go shopping for cute dresses, share healthy recipes, and talk fitness.  And, I would tell her that - contrary to what some believe - her focus on family and healthy living doesn't make her any less of a feminist.  We would hug, and then the president would come in and tell me that he's appointing me as the next secretary of education...

...a girl can dream, right?

Anyway! Somehow, I managed to watch a bunch of videos this morning of the first lady being amazing.  (I really should have already started chores and gone to the gym by now.)

First up, the first lady and Big Bird (I know, right!?) have great advice on healthy eating:


Then, Big Bird showed the first lady his sweet dance moves:


Speaking of sweet dance moves -- Mom Dancing! This is the most amazing video on the internet.  There, I said it.


Also! Michelle Obama knows how to Dougie! I'm not even that cool!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

From Adios Barbie: Eight Ways the 2013 Miss America Pageant Failed at Equality

Chelsey Anderson at Adios Barbie published an interesting look at the ways that the Miss America pageant - despite giving women opportunities to become nationally-recognized public figures, support causes of their choosing, and finance their college educations - continues to miss the mark when it comes to equality.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (7)

I'm down to the last four weeks of this training cycle.  More and more, I'm starting to feel more confident about being able to reach my time goal.  Still, I have a lot more work to do.

Here's what I have planned for Week 9:

Monday - Hill workout
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Tempo run: 7 miles
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 13 miles

In other running news, the New York Times Well Blog published a piece about retiring old running shoes.  I usually go about 400 miles in my shoes or start a new pair after I run a big race.  It's a worthwhile read.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Non-Running Commentary: Never Forget the Victim

The New York Times published a short analysis of the life of Oscar Pistorius, the first double-amputee runner to compete in the Olympics -- who now stands accused of murdering Reeva Steenkamp.

This is tragic, and it's much too early to speculate what might have happened.  But, as the news broke, I couldn't help but see similarities between this event and the death of Kasandra Perkins, another woman who was killed at the hands of a high-profile figure.  As with coverage of Perkins' death, the tweets and headlines simply refer Steenkamp as Pistorius's "girlfriend."  The articles focus on how much Pistorius captivated audiences throughout his running career, his gold medals, his status as South African icon.  He gets an identity. But, what about Reeva Steenkamp?


We know that she was a model and a law student, but where are the articles about her life?
What about Kasandra Perkins?
What about the countless other women who've died at the hands of their partners?

These women have identities separate from their killers.  They had hopes, dreams, and fears.  They cared for the people in their lives, and had others care for them. 

Their lives were stolen from them. The least we can do is not forget who they are.

Creepy OKCupid Messages As Valentines

Happy Anna Howard Shaw Day, y'all!

Courtesy of The Frisky, JESS3 turned creepy OKCupid messages into hilarious valentines.  Clearly, this one is my favorite:


You have to give the person that sent this points for creativity.  (But, really, someone thought this would work?)

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tuesday Inspiration: Running for Safe Spaces

Fauja Singh is the world's oldest marathoner. 

He also believes that public spaces should be safe for women. 

Via The Huffington Post:
Fauja Singh, who says he’s “older than 101,” will be hanging up his sneakers later this month, but he wouldn’t do so before raising awareness for the rights and security of women, the Hindu reported. The seasoned racer, also fondly known as “Turbaned Tornado,” partook in the “Mini Marathon” in January organized by Punjanbi paper the Rozana Spokesman.

"I am pained to listen that my daughters, grand daughters and great grand daughters are no longer safe,” Singh, a follower of Sikhism, said at the event, according to the Hindu. 


Monday, February 11, 2013

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (6)

I'm happy to report that after last week's rough start, my week (and running) improved. 

Here's the plan for Week 8:

Monday: Rest Day, with a focus on stretching and foam rolling
Tuesday: 3 miles, easy, and strength training
Wednesday: Hill intervals (45-minutes)
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 13 miles
Sunday: 4 miles

With just a little more than a month to go until the half, I've started to think about how I can target my last few workouts so that I'm prepared to finish in under two hours.  As always, I will be more than thrilled if I cross the finish line in 1:59:59.

I've run this race twice now (for the inaugural RnR Half and in 2011 when it was the National Half) but, this year, the course is slightly different. Before the run, I want to run the course at a relaxed paced.  I'm obviously familiar with the area, but a trial run could help me plan how best to pace myself during the race.  I'll have to take a look at my training plan and make a few adjustments.  It's time to put in serious work.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (5)

Running is off to rough start this week.  I'm going to avoid coming off as whiny - because, after all, I'm doing this by choice - but I've felt incredibly exhausted.  (Yesterday, I skipped my workout and was in bed by 9 PM.)  I ran three miles this evening, and the workout was much harder than it should have been. Hopefully, I'll be at 100 percent soon.

Here's the plan for Week 7:

Sunday: 3 miles
Monday: X-Training and Strength
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: Speed Workout
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 13 miles