A Neurotic’s Guide to Visiting A Church

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Coco

I can’t believe that it is Palm Sunday already, and Easter is next weekend! At this time of year, many people visit a church that they don’t attend regularly. They may be staying with friends or family, and going with them to their church, or they may be attending church on their own because Easter is such a major Christian holiday.

palm sunday

As comfortable as I am with my faith, I am always uncomfortable visiting a church.  While almost every church has a sign that says “Visitors Welcome” or “Join Us,” I always wonder if I will be welcome, or if I will commit some faux pas that will have the regular members hoping that I don’t darken their door again. I thought I would put together a guide to visiting a church with a few things I do to put myself at ease. Continue reading →

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Steady Saturday Run

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Coco

Today I planned a 6 mile run to round out my “in between” week after the GW Parkway Classic and before I start (continue?) training for the Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon. The weather forecast called for rain, but I thought I could at least get a few miles in before I got wet. As I got ready, the sky got darker, but the rain held off.

I’m pretty sure I lost my iPod Nano at the race last week.  Today I discovered a hole in the fanny pack I had it in, so it probably fell out while I was walking around afterwards. 🙁 Luckily I still have my old (first generation!) iPod Nano. It has some good playlists on it, and only needed a few hours on the charged to be ready ready for use.

I tried to plan a route that is not too hilly, but that’s really impossible for my neighborhood. My 4-ish mile route is the least hilly route, but it’s hard to make that one longer without adding hills or running on the track (which I honestly didn’t think of this morning). The route I took today has a short hill at the end of mile 1, a longer hill in the middle of mile 2, and is pretty much all uphill (with varying degrees of steepness) from miles 3-5.  So much for an “easy” route!

My pace was amazingly consistent:
Average pace: 9:30 min/mile
Split times: 9:35, 9:28, 9:24, 9:28, 9:30, 9:30, 9:35 (last 1/2 mile)

For my Half Marathon Training, I think I need to pick a long run pace and use my Garmin to stick to it, so I don’t run too fast. Maybe 9:40 – 9:45 min/mile?

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The Week In Between

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Coco

This has been my recovery week from the GW Parkway Classic 10 miler before I gear up for the Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon in June. As the week comes to an end, I am a bit concerned that I didn’t rest enough, and that’s not just because I’d like to pour another glass of wine and sleep in tomorrow. 😉

The race was Sunday, and I ran hard. Even though I finished faster than expected (1:27!) I did cross the finish line smiling like I wanted to. I started my recovery with a nice massage on Sunday afternoon.

Monday I was ready to get back to my weight routine, since I hadn’t done that since last Wednesday. I took it easy on my legs and focused on my arms, back and abs.

Tuesday I had a long-overdue physical complete with a fasting blood draw, so I eased into my day with the “Standing” program of my Rodney Yee A.M. Yoga For Your Week DVD.  

By Wednesday my legs were itching for a run, so I decided to hop on the treadmill instead of the elliptical before I did weights. After walking for 5 minutes to warm up, I ran for 30 min (10 min @ 5.7 mph, 10 min @ 6.0 mph, 10 min @ 6.3 mph). I walked for 5 minutes to cool down and then did my weight routine. I did a full-body routine, but did two sets of the lower body moves instead of three.

Thursday I planned an “easy” run of about 4 miles in my neighborhood. I miscalculated the route a bit and had to add a segment that included a hard hill to reach 4 miles, so it wasn’t quite as easy as it should have been.

Friday I got back to my usual elliptical/weight routine. My legs felt a bit tired on the elliptical, but not enough to make me want to stop. I added back my lower body strength moves (lunges, squats, etc.), but trimmed my sets to 12 reps instead of 15.

My plan for Saturday is a 6 mile neighborhood run.  Hills are unavoidable, but I won’t take the hilliest route.

My plan for Sunday is to unwind with Rodney Yee.

My exercise routine is such a routine, it is hard for me to change it, even for a planned recovery week. I’m not sure if this week is “easy” enough to let my body recover from Sunday. I probably can afford to make next week a lighter week too, although I do plan to run 8 miles next Saturday to start working my long runs up to 13.1 miles. 🙂

How do you rest and recover between races when you have a busy race calendar?

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Wordless Wednesday (Finish Line Photos)

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Coco

(Watch the girl in purple)

Thanks to Bazu Sports for the awesome finish line photos!

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Pampered Recovery

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Coco

After the Army Ten Miler, I was jealous when my friend had a post-race pedicure, so I planned ahead for some post-race pampering after the GW Parkway Classic, and scheduled a massage. (My toes still are not fit for public viewing after last fall’s injury. I don’t know what I’m going to do as the weather calls for open-toed shoes!) I got a Swedish massage, which is a bit gentler than the deep tissue massage I usually get. It was perfect for getting the tension out of my lower back and soothing my legs and feet. Aaahh.

I also got a regularly scheduled manicure. I am still loving the light-cured Gelish polish. There really is no chipping whatsoever after three weeks!

Today I planned to take it easy with 20 minutes on the elliptical and then one of the programs on my Rodney Yee DVD, but as I was on the elliptical I found myself wanting to do upper body weights. It’s been a few days, and I don’t want to lose the strength I have built up for those push-ups! Some day I will have to face that Bob Harper Pure Burn: Super Strength DVD again!

My quads are a bit sore when I walk down the stairs, but otherwise I am feeling good!

In a quiet moment yesterday, I realized that I would not be able to tell my Dad about my race. He wouldn’t have come to the finish line like my Mom did, but he would have asked me how my “marathon” went. (To him, all races are “marathons!”) I know you were proud of me Dad. I love you and miss you.

Do you have a post-race recovery plan?

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