The next 10 days - training

Well, I am back to work - so I'm ready to schedule the next 10 days of workouts!  I haven't run since Sunday due to time constraints, but I've had a nice little break.  Here are my plans for the next 10 days: 

Friday: Yoga (in the AM) - I did the "Pre-Run Yoga video", run 2 miles easy (I get to run with Phill today, YAY!) - I may also do some Yoga post-run, but it depends 

Saturday: 2 miles easy, Power Yoga

Sunday: 3 miles easy, Essentials Yoga (unless I feel up to participating in UCSC's alumni day...and then I will be doing something else.)

Monday: 2 miles easy

Tuesday: 2 miles easy, Core Yoga

Wednesday: 3 miles total, with 5 minutes tempo in the middle and strides at the end of the run, Recovery Yoga

Thursday: 2 miles easy, Core

Friday: Day Off

Saturday: 2 miles easy, Power Yoga

Sunday: 4 miles easy, Essentials Yoga

I am feeling pretty excited about the next few days and going on my runs with Phill! :) 

Fast Post

So busy!  I haven't run since Sunday.  I'll have to write about the trail that I spent most of my running time in Ireland within my next post(s). 

Just a quick post before I go to sleep - I leave Ireland super early tomorrow! 

Aveen's Wedding was beautiful - and she is soooo Happy!  

Here are some pictures from the Wedding:

And the adventure begins #worldmap #zelinskimullinswedding #wedding #weddingday #decor #inspo #map #travel

A photo posted by Shauna (@shaunazelinski) on May 25, 2015 at 9:22am PDT

And, pre-ceremony: 

Pre-wedding Champs!

A photo posted by D (@runningdizzy) on May 25, 2015 at 5:40am PDT

And, the Beautiful Bride:

And, finally, Mr. & Mrs. Mullins: 

That's it for now - I'll update you all on my trip and training plans later this week! 

I can't sleep...so I will post

Hi All, 


It has been a few days since I have posted.  I've been pretty busy running around doing things for the wedding.  I also went to West Cork, to see some Alpacas and go for a walk with my youngest Sister, Shauna, and my Mom.  Here is a picture from this adventure...more to come, hopefully:

https://instagram.com/p/230i6yMXbw/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Oh hello! #alpaca #cork #westcork

The Alpacas were really cool - one of them reminded me of my childhood dog, so I named her Copper.  And West Cork is beautiful.  Next time I am over, I would love to backpack around the whole country. 


Well, I should really try to sleep now. I have more to write, but I am finally getting tired.  I'll post more about my runs and additional pictures soon. I can't wait to give you all an update on a few of my runs this week.  Here is a sneak peak:

Scenery on my run today

A photo posted by D (@runningdizzy) on May 22, 2015 at 1:48pm PDT

In Ireland

Last week was a whirlwind - which is why I haven't blogged recently.  I am in Ireland now, and it is already 10:30PM and I need to be up early in the AM.  So, I am going to make this post quick! 

My nephew, Ben, is adorable.  And he absolutely LOVES trains. I look forward to spending more time with him this trip. 

Today was my first full day here; so I got up early, did some Yoga, went for a short run, and did some more Yoga.  Then, my Mom took me to get my bridesmaid dress fitted to be altered.  It's a nice dress, and I am looking forward to wearing it.  After that, my Mom and I met Aveen in town for lunch and some shopping.  Shauna later joined us with Ben. I am surprisingly not feeling any jet lag, which is a first! 

Today, I saw a Pied Wagtail.  It was exciting because, obviously, I've never seen one before.  I look forward to seeing some other new birds as well. 

Well, that's it for tonight!  I'll post more later.

No Run Yesterday

So, running yesterday did not happen.  I went out for a run, but it got cut short due to some stomach distress. Such a bummer! 

I believe I ran for about a quarter mile before having to go home. I walked for 20 minutes at lunch yesterday (I started a lunch time walking group with my Team recently), so that at least counts for something.  I think I am feeling better today, so I will run my planned 2 miles but I will also do Yoga since I didn't get that in either yesterday. 

I started this post thinking I could plan my next weeks' worth of running, but I've decided against it because I am really not sure how I will feel from the jet lag (I usually struggle!) or how my days will look while I am in Ireland.  So, I will make sure to update this Blog daily - even if it really brief - so I don't forget the work I put in while I am away. My goal is to keep my running at a similar pattern as I have been, and throw in one track workout to get my legs ready for WVJS Track Days in June.  

The track workout will be 4 - 5 x 400 with 2 minute walk recovery.  The pace is currently a mystery, so I think I will start at 1:50 for the first lap (7:20 mile pace) and then work from there. 1:50 will probably feel pretty easy, but it will be a good indication about how the rest of the workout should go.  If 1:50 feels good, then I will try to run 1:48 (7:13 pace), then 1:45 (7:00 pace), then 1:43 (6:52 pace), and then 1:40 (6:41 pace).  The purpose of the workout is to prepare my legs for running faster, so if my paces are slower than this I really won't care.  It's been a couple of months since I've done anything faster than 8:00 pace, so my legs will probably feel a little weird. 

My first mile at my 5K in Napa was 7:13, so my current goal is to be able to run a 7:00 minute mile at WVJS in June.  Mileage in March through present has been much less, so I am unsure about my fitness level.  Personally, I feel fitter than in March due to adding Yoga in to my exercise routine, but I don't know how this translates into running fitness.  I am looking forward to finding out, so I can make plans for July and August's training. :) 

Tonight, I get to make "Fun Fact" cards for my Sister's wedding.  I think I have 60 facts put together, so I will be in crunch mode for the next couple of days! 

Good weekend of running

Well, my running plan deviated a little.  On Friday, Phill and I decided to eat dinner early and then go for a run.  Well, after dinner, I feel asleep at around 7:00PM and I didn't wake up until 9:00AM on Saturday!  I was obviously exhausted! 

I woke on Saturday feeling absolutely terrible!  I probably felt terrible because I slept for a very long time, but also because I knew I had to battle the Mall that day.  Before going to the mall, Phill and I wandered around the Farmer's Market.  We got this delicious bread - it is really tasty and unique: 

Cannot wait to try this! Smells super good!

A photo posted by D (@runningdizzy) on May 10, 2015 at 10:10am PDT

After a long trip to the mall for just a few items, Phill and I ran 3.5 miles.  It was a night run, so the weather was nice and cool.  Santa Clara University's campus is a great place to run in the evening - well lit and safe. 

Sunday, Phill and I woke up to do 25 minutes of Yoga.  WOW - my shoulders were tight! I also walked to 7-11 to get some Half and Half for our morning coffee.  Phill went to make breakfast for his Mom for Mother's Day and I vegged out by watching 3 episodes of  Grey's Anatomy while, finally, organizing our socks.  Then we ran 3.5 miles around our neighborhood - 8:3 pace felt like an easy jog on Sunday, which is great!  I followed up the run with 30 minutes of the "Power Yoga" video.  Today my abs are a little sore.

My foot feels pretty good today, so I think I will probably choose to run 2 miles and follow the run up with the "Core Yoga" video.   I leave for Ireland in 5.5 days...and the few days will be a whirlwind. I have so much at work to prepare for, and I still need to pack!  

I can't wait to let you all know why I had such a busy day last week!  Let's hope I can tell you all on Friday afternoon. :)  

What a day!

Wow!  What a day!  I had a very intense day, and I wish I could tell you all about it...but I can't right now.  I hope to be able to let you all know within the next two weeks though! 

Just a quick up date before I go to sleep - yesterday I did 20 minutes of Yoga, next I ran 2 miles and walked a half mile, and then I took the "Yoga Fit Challenge", which was good for my core.  Today, I ran another 2 miles and walked .75 miles.  I also performed 30 minutes of Yoga and a few minutes of additional core.  I felt great on both days. No pain during running and no tightness after...great news!

I know I scheduled a 3.5 mile run today, but I held off until I could run it with Phill - he is studying hard as I type for a Calculus mid-term and just didn't have time to go for a run today.  So, I reserved the longer run for tomorrow with him. 

That's it for now - goodnight! 

Good Progress

I had a very successful day of running and working out last week.  I've been able to stick to my plan, and today I have a day off from running.  I will do some Yoga and core work because it feels good and is fun.  

Yesterday, I ran 2.5 miles and did Power Yoga. I felt pretty good on my run.  Yoga was a little hard, but I waited to do it until after dinner so I was tired.

Tomorrow, I have a 2 mile run and Recovery Yoga.  And Wednesday, I have a 3 - 3.5 mile run with the Essentials Yoga.  

I may as well plan out the next 10 days (from Wednesday forward), so I have something to look forward to: 

Thursday: 2 - 2.5 miles, light stretching and core

Friday: 1 - 2 miles, Essentials Yoga

Saturday: 3 miles

Sunday: 3 miles, Power Yoga

Monday: 1 - 2 miles, Core Yoga

Tuesday: 2 miles, day off from Yoga

Wednesday: 3.5 miles, Essentials Yoga

Thursday: 2 miles, core

Friday: 2 miles, Power Yoga

Saturday: 4 miles, Recovery Yoga 

I leave for Ireland the Saturday I do my 4 miles, so I probably won't get a chance to run until Monday or Tuesday.  If I run on Monday, it will probably be 1 mile to get my legs shook out.  I usually feel terrible for the first 4 - 5 days after travelling to Ireland. Perhaps Yoga will be my good friend the first couple of days I'm there.  

Middle School Mileage

I was thinking about my training this past week and reflecting on what I've done in the past to get to the point where I was easily running 70 - 80 miles a week.  What it comes down to is steady, consistent progression over a course of many years. 

I started running in 5th grade.  Well, I kinda of started to run in the 5th grade.  I discovered that I really liked running the mile during PE, so I started to train to run the fastest mile at my school.  Prior to running, I was a gymnast - pretty good for my level, as I often won events for Bar, Vault and Floor exercise and took the All Around frequently.  But...I got to the point where some of moves really, really scared me. I have a fear of heights that is pretty intense.  The fact that I was able to do any gymnastics is amazing when I think about it. 

Anyways, after I made the decision to quit gymnastics, I started to try to find other sports.  I had ballet, which I started at age 2.  And then I started training in Shaolin Kung Fu, since there was a studio right next to my ballet studio.  And then I added running into the mix.  

In Middle School, my Dad signed me up for Cross Country & Track and Field.  Very exciting stuff.  The distance for Cross Country in Middle School is 1.5 miles.  So, I worked up to being able to do 2 miles a day (around and around and around the track at SJCC).  I ran a couple of 5Ks in 6th grade, and I remember struggling during my first 5K. I remember running somewhere in the 24 minutes range, which I was very happy about since my best mile time in 5th grade was 8:13.  By the time I was in 8th grade, I think I done a few 4-5 mile runs and some interval workouts but not a whole lot.  The longest run in 8th grade was at Humboldt's running camp - I think I ran 7 - 8 miles one time because I got lost on a run with the Camp Counselors. Thinking back, they must have been jogging.  Hahaha. 

Anyways, the point of my ramble is that I am currently training like I was training in the Summer and off seasons in 6th and 7th grade..minus the ballet and the kung fu, but I am doing Yoga which I can argue is similar.  So, I have a long way to go before I am back to doing even 30 miles per week.  But I feel like I am taking the right approach.  I was rarely injured, unless I sprained my ankle which happened frequently before the start of a cross country or track season.  I think those sprains happened because my legs were very fatigued and I wasn't paying enough attention. 

Yesterday I went looking for a new training shoe.  I tried on 4 pairs of shoe, and ended up purchasing my first New Balance shoe, the Fresh Foam Zante. I liked the shoe because it fits my foot really nicely, it is flexible and light, it has a low offset, and it just seemed to give me feet and legs the extra spring I've been looking for.  I am not going to completely give up on my Glycerines (since I only have 60 - 70 miles in them!!) but I think I just found my new favorite shoe.  My Glycerines are still a great, cushy shoe - which may be perfect for when I am running 9 - 1 0 miles. 

I ran 1 mile in them yesterday (and walked a mile).  Today, I walked two miles in the morning - Phill and I enjoyed a falefal for breakfast this morning and then walked over to Peet's - and ran 3 miles this evening.  My feet and legs feel great tonight. 

Tomorrow my plan is to run 2 - 3 miles and then go the Power Yoga video.  If I feel really good, I will also do the Core video. :)  Then...I get to finish my Compensation Management assignments (woots!), do laundry, and play with Dunsmuir.  Oh!  And I am getting a haircut in the AM.  

Looking forward to having a nice Sunday.  I hope you all are too.