Quickbooks gets me hot and bothered.
Labels:
cross-training,
lululemon,
rim to rim,
running
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I will take this moment to profess my love for my Lululemon Brisk Run Toque. They call it that so that you think it's something more than just a beanie for running and therefore charge $28.00 for it. It's just a beanie. But it was the best overpriced item I have bought in a long time. I love it for 3 reasons:
1) It's the perfect material. It keeps my head warm but not to the point of sweating. If I do sweat (and this girl can sweat like an overweight man), the material soaks it up. Gross but effective.
2) It's reversible (black on the other side). If i'm going to over-spend, at least I can trick you all into thinking I have two of them.
3) And the best part:
It has a freaking hole fors me ponytail! Brilliant. Business in the front, party in the back. Winning.
If you are looking for the last running hat you'll ever buy, click here.
I find it incredibly more effective and motivating for me to get up if I know I have something to train for. This year will be a pretty chill year for me in terms of races. Tommy is racing IronMan Coeur d'Alene in June which means I will have little time for training outside of my gym time. The one thing that I do have on the books is running what is called "Rim to Rim". This is not a sanctioned race, but simply a term used to describe a hike from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other. It is approx. 26 miles but the terrain is very challenging. It is a very popular hike for the seasoned hiker. But here's where it sounds too tantalizing for me to turn down: I want to run this sucker. I have heard that the first 15 miles are a pretty brutal downhill trail and by the time you hit the bottom, temperatures can hit the 100's and your quads are weeping for mercy. And then of course, you get to run up. Someone I recently talked to that had completed it had described the last 7 or so miles as a stairmaster climb. You have to pack your water, clothes and all food with you. To some people this sounds completely heinous. But what I hear is adventure and challenge. Sign me up! It sounds like we have a large group of tough homegirls that are going to be suffering with me (about 18 or so). I can hardly wait for the adventures to begin. This is the stuff that makes my world go round. So unless I want to die at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, I need to train. Hence, I got out of bed at 5:00am this morning.
One of my favorite discoveries over the last few years has been the importance of cross-training in your run training. I had no idea what I was missing. If you think of the absolute beating your body takes when you run (especially downhill or uphill), it only makes sense that you need work on strengthening those muscles. I have found that by cross-training, I have been able to significantly decrease my mileage needed while increasing my pace. Since I have started GPP, I have been able to take about 1.5 min/mile off of my average pace. And this is with an almost laughably low amount of actual run training. Today we did one of my favorite workouts, which includes this movement called high windmills:
It may not look like much but you are working on balance and strength in so many areas and muscle groups. Plus you get an amazing stretchy wetch.
That tis be all for me today, I just got my new Quickbooks Pro 2013 software in the mail.
I am in for a night of endless number crunching pleasure.
Answer these pretty please:
1) What is one piece of workout clothing or a fitness related item that you can't live without?
2) If you couldn't answer #1 because you don't do any sort of physical activity, what is your problem?
3) I am kidding about #2, this is your opportunity to tell me to go straight to Hell.
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Kenzie, I have done the Rim to Rim twice, and it is FABULOUS! You will love it, and you will rock it!!! Especially being a runner and doing GPP. Both times we did it, we did it in the month of October. We started in below freezing temps on the North Rim, but finished in sweltering temps on the South Rim. And YES, it did get in the 100's across the bottom. I don't know if things have changed, but when we did it, the last chance to fill your water carriers (bottles, camelbacks, etc.) was at the bottom. So, we actually had someone hike into the canyon about 1 mile on the South Rim to give us water. It was a huge relief for us, and made getting through that last mile of switchback easier. Those switchbacks up the south rim are brutal. And, running down the north rim, is tricky....you are sharing the trail with the mules sometimes, and the edges with cliffs(!) are really close! But, you will love it! I want to do it again someday! When are you doing it? I can't wait to hear all about it!
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