2-27-14 Evening Run

My run tonight was satisfying. I have been feeling really depressed lately and running has helped some which is a plus. My work load at school is really heavy this semester, but I am still making it out to run which feels great. I found out if I don't get into my BFA program by next spring I will be able to graduate with a BS after a summer class next year.

But onto running, 51 days until I face the SLC half marathon. I plan on crushing my PR this time around. I am already feeling faster, and have lots of energy even at the end of long runs. I was informed that we will be incorporating speed work into my long runs next month (next Saturday). For my 10 mile run I have some peanut butter Gu and Salted Caramel Gu that I'll be having. I am kinda looking forward to them.

It's getting late, have a good night!

-Riley

2-25-14 A Simple Post

2-20-14 Running in the right clothes

I planned on running the 5 mile option today with the 3 minute run hard, 1 minute run less hard, but I got out later than I intended to. So I had to sacrifice 13 minutes to the homework gods. It turns out those 13 minutes were sacrificed in vain because I get home and the Masonite board with my drawing mounted on it has yet to dry completely. So I will wait these extra 13 minutes I had set aside to work on my painting and type up this post.

I wanted to get out early and run today so I could work with a clear mind all day, but I set off one of my mental illness triggers (which I am still fighting through the after affects right now). The trigger was letting my stress build up without venting it out properly, then staying up to late, and not eating healthy food. To my understanding most people can recover quickly from this. It knocks me out of sorts for only a day or two if I can identify it and make the needed changes right away. Running helps to subdue it, and I was happy I was able to make it out and run. I have gotten to the point where I still function relatively well when I experience these bumps in the road, just because I stick close to my daily regime. When things like this happen I am not able to sleep and am often up until 2 or 3 AM when I am used to being in bed by 11 most nights. My thoughts become severely pessimistic and I start to withdraw.

Ok the title of my post is about the right clothing for running. I have probably had a post with a similar title already, but this one was spurred by getting ready for the gym. I grabbed my compression shorts, one of my first pair I bought after I started running. I realized they weren't compressing any more. They have started to become a loose pair of tight fitting shorts. It's coming time to replace them, not due to wear, but due to me losing weight. This is a great problem to have in my opinion. By summer I am hoping to need to get new running shorts because of the same reason. I am also able to fit in a dry fit Under Armor top that I got about a year ago that was fairly tight on me. Soon I will be back in my non running clothes that I wore when I was teaching karate.

Well, I believe my drawing is dry and I can start work on my painting.

Have a great day!
-Riley

2-18-14 Good Runs Make Food Taste Better

Last night I went to the gym and rode 7.4 miles. It was intense especially since I did it in 30 minutes on a stationary bike. Then to add to it, I went running this morning. It reminded me that back to back running days are exhausting, and I am building up to starting them again next month.

My run today was great, right now I am listening to the TV as I type. It will be soon turned off so I can work on my homework, and eat something. After I have a solid work out, I am hungry most of the rest of the day. I read somewhere if you consume 35g of protein your hunger is curbed for most of the day. So I need to give that a try, it should help by the end of the night tomorrow when I get to my 700PM class. But back to my run, I did 4 miles today. Two of the miles were at a slower pace, then I was told to push myself for miles 2 and 4. I was completely spent by the time I got to my 4th mile. I pushed a little too much for mile 2 and think I should have done 5 miles with 2 warm up first. It took almost the entire 3rd mile before I caught my breath again. But those 4 miles were great now that I look back at them.

Reviewing this workout got me thinking about the last 5k of my marathon. It was hard when doing it, but looking back at it, it's amazing! After a tough run, remembering that feeling is great.

My workouts this week are simple, Thursday I will be doing 4-5 miles, with a segment of 3 minutes at a 11 minute pace, then 1 minute slow. Repeat that 4 or 5 times. I will be doing a 2 mile warm up and then my cool down will be what ever distance I have left. My goal is to do this up in the canyon. My long run this week is 10 miles, then next week is a rest week (so less intense workouts). It's nice that my marathon was in December, because my fitness level is allowing, me to really focus on getting faster.

Weight wise, I am staying within my calorie range easily. Sunday I binged on brownies, and went about 900 calories over. But had been under multiple days, so I'm not too worried about it. I need to get my quality of food up. That will allow me to have energy.

Well time to get back to reality.

Thanks for reading,
Riley

2-15-14 Compression Socks

 I am sitting here watching college basketball, wearing my Levi's, CEP compression socks, and an Old Navy shirt. In a few minutes I will start a marathon of homework here in the next few minutes (after some foam roller).

My splits weren't the greatest, but were ok considering I ran yesterday. And my last 5 miles my knee was bothering me. I still haven't fully taken care of my right knee, so I shouldn't complain about it. I started typing this post 20 minutes ago and still haven't progressed very far, so I will now focus to finish.

My run was great, it has been my longest run this year, I ran the whole way (accept that little pause where I had to make the decision to keep running). So I ran the whole 9 miles!

At the beginning of next month I will up my runs to 4 days a week again, and with the trend in weather I should be doing them all outside instead of cowering from the elements inside the gym. To help with that I will not be renewing my gym memberships this coming June.

I have been trying to decide if I am going to do the Canyon to Canyon trail run or change it to the Provo City Half Marathon (May 3rd) or the Vigor Bog Cottonwood Canyon Half Marathon (May 10th). Any feedback on this idea would be great!

As always, thanks for reading.

-Riley

2-14-14 Valentines Day Run

 It's Valentines day an I just got the internet working again on my laptop. It was funny, I could only do Google searches and go to Facebook. I power cycled the modem and router, and magically I am connected to the world.

I will be brief tonight, since my wife is cleaning up after the dinner I made, and the homemade chocolate covered strawberries. Dinner was shrimp scampi pasta. It tasted great, and I have one serving left for after my run tomorrow.

So for valentines day I made Silvia dinner, and we did desert.

Run wise, it was an exhausting run, and I need to get them in on the days I am supposed to. Tomorrow I have a 9 mile run and am a little nervous about it because of my run today. Then it will be home to work on my digital painting I am doing of a saber-tooth tiger.

Today has been a good day and Silvia and I will be heading up stairs do give me a leg massage. On a side note, about 5 years ago I was doing a fitness plan that didn't quite stick, and Silvia and I were at the gym on Valentines. I jst thought I would share that with you.

Thanks for reading,
Riley

2-11-14 NEW PR

Today was a great run, and it was that way from the beginning. I stayed at my target times for my first three miles, then rocked my forth mile with a 10:18 time. Considering I had a bad nights sleep and didn't eat the best yesterday, I think I did pretty dam good.

After my run I quickly went to Smith's (grocery store) and picked up a core power (like muscle milk but tastes like melted ice cream). I finished my water and ran my errands in SLC (picking up more oil paint and dropping off some essential oil at Irene's house). Speaking of Irene, she does a nutrition program that is really powerful. If you would like to know more about it I can get your information to her. I still haven't done it, but am teetering on the edge because I would have to decrease the intensity of my workout.

So my remaining work outs this week are simple, I will be doing 9 miles on Saturday, and Thursday I will be doing 5 miles. After 2 miles I will do a speed drill of 2 blocks at a faster pace, then two at a slower speed. Then cool down until I reach mile 5. Well, I need some food, to go grocery shopping, and start work on my figure painting project.

Thank you for reading,

Riley