Category Archives: Fit Girl Happy Girl

Week 6: Sub-50 10-K (and Half-Marathon) Training

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try hard every day

(via Pinterest)

I have been really slacking on writing my weekly running round-ups lately. There are a few reasons for this: 1. I’m extremely busy with work; 2. This is a really busy time of the year in general; and, 3. I’m not sure how helpful they are to you guys, my readers.

The reason I started my blog was to document my experience with a Couch-to-5-K program last February/March. I wanted to use my blog mostly as a training log. As I finished the program and came up with new running goals I thought I’d continue doing round-ups of my training runs throughout the week. It also helps me to stay consistent with my writing but when I’m super busy with work, I kind of forget to do them.

But, after asking some fellow blogger friends, many of them said, write what you want to write, your blog is for you, and if it’s helpful to you then do it! So I’m going to continue doing it but I’m going to go about it a little differently. Instead of breaking down my workouts and runs each day I’m just going to do bullet points with distance, time and pace. If you’d like a more comprehensive description of follow me on Daily Mile where I usually go a little more in-depth with my run breakdowns.

Phew, glad I got that out of the way. And now, here are last week’s workouts:

Monday- 45 minutes of Men’s Health Delta Fit bootcamp at the Rodale gym. Involved lifting, squats and plyometrics.

Tuesday- Easy mileage day, 5 miles, 47:50, average pace of 9:33

Wednesday- Intervals with coach, 5 miles total, 37:00, average pace 7:24 (woah!)

–       2 mile warm-up

–       200m, 400m, 600m, 200m, 200m, 400m, 600m

–       ½ mile cool down

Thursday- 3 miles (semi-faster), 25:58, average pace of 8:39

Friday- REST!

Saturday- Long run, 9 miles, 1:24, average pace of 9:20

Sunday- was supposed to do a shakeout and it didn’t happen, oh well

Overall it was a really solid week of training. I hope everyone else had a great week!

{Friday Faves} Reads, Runs & Raves

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I spend a lot of time on the Internet during the week- hence, being a multimedia editor – and I tend to come across some pretty cool, weird and awesome things, especially related to running (because I work at the running mecca). I’ve decided I’m going to share these things with y’all every Friday with my Friday Faves. This is by no means an original idea, tons of bloggers do it, but now you can add mine to the list. But, mine will be a little different in that it’s not going to be just about running, but rather things that made me laugh, things I found interesting or just things that I find random and awesome and want you to know about. So, to kick off my inaugural Friday Faves, here ya go!

  1. This will just make you smile- There’s Running and Then There’s High-5 Running via Greatist
  2. I recently took a day trip up to NYC and was reminded how much I absolutely love that city. So, when I saw the NY Mag series about why we all love NYC I had to share – NY State of Mind via New York Magazine
  3. My kind of running playlist! – Sub-4 Marathon Playlist via Enthusiastic Runner
  4. Staying Strong Through Injury- via LV Runs NYC (sidenote: Lora has been cleared to run so a HUGE congrats goes out to her!!)
  5. My very own gift guide for runners! – via Me! (Fit Girl Happy Girl)
  6. “Clipped” by Oiselle– The story of one women’s running apparel company’s quest to make a USATF/USOC/IAAF approved singlet for the Olympic trials. 
  7. This is usually how I feel on Fridays – “It’s astounding how much one’s stress level goes down with the simple act of switching from skinny jeans to yoga pants.”

skinny jeans to yoga pants

Happy Friday y’all! I hope you run strong on your long runs and have a great rest of your weekend!

If you have some extra time don’t forget to connect with me on social media!

Facebook: facebook.com/FitGirlHappyGirl

Twitter: @FitHappyGirl

Instagram: hannahmcgold

Pinterest: pinterest.com/hannahmcgold

Fit Girl Happy Girl’s Gift Guide for Runners

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I was looking at my calendar earlier and couldn’t believe Christmas is in less than two weeks (and Hanukkah has already started!). I’ve been wanting to make a gift guide for awhile now but haven’t been able to get around to it until now so I guess this can be a gift guide for last-minute shoppers like myself who are buying for the runner in their life.

Also, this gift guide may look vaguely familiar to my own Christmas list submitted to my mom roughly two weeks ago because well it is. I figure many of the runners I know would also like the same things I like however, I’ve also made some additions to include my favorite tried-and-true running gear, accessories and apparel. I hope your runner likes them! (Sorry boys but this list basically applies to girls only… maybe you’ll find a great idea for your girlfriend or significant other?)

  • Oiselle Roga Shorts – I just ordered these not too long ago and have fallen completely in love with them- honestly I don’t know if I’ll ever run in anything else! The beauty of these shorts is really in the waistline because it is designed similarly to the waistline of yoga pants. Therefore, unlike some other running shorts I have, you don’t get a super sinched in, pinching feeling around your waist when you’re running and they feel like they aren’t even there! Also, there’s a pocket in the back for keys/ID/Gu and built-in undies (I happen to know some runners who go cammando with these- that’s how comfy they are!).
  • Sparkly Soul headband – I have tried many headbands in the past while working out and they ALWAYS fall off my head. Not Sparkly Soul headbands. They have stayed put through some of my longest, sweatiest runs and haven’t budged during my fastest races. Also, they are super sparkly and I get tons of compliments for them all the time!
  • Garmin Forerunner 10 – This is the perfect GPS watch for runners who don’t need all the bells and whistles of a standard GPS watch. This is Garmin’s “beginner” watch and it does everything you need it to – distance, pace, time, calories burned and records. Also, it is $129 which is vastly less expensive when compared to some of it’s more advanced counterparts.
  • Lululemon Hot Cheeks running skirt – I mean this is unnecessary but it’s too awesome not to add. I told my mom I really wanted this for Christmas and when she asked me why I couldn’t come up with any other reason except it’s cute and sometimes my butt gets cold! It’s really for the runner who has everything.
  • Race bib holder – I think this is the greatest idea ever! It’s a great way to display your bibs and accomplishments for all to see and it’s decorative!
  • Zensah compression socks – I’m a huge fan of these compression socks! They aren’t too tight but they feel great while running or after for muscle recovery. I wore them in a recent 5-K and felt great the whole time even though it was a little chilly out. They helped to keep my blood flowing in circulating in my calves.
  • Erica Sara Say It Do It bracelet – I love the whole idea behind the Say It Do It bracelet because it is customizable for your running goals. You can get a goal or motivational saying engraved onto the bracelet and pick your band of choice! This is a great way to personalize a gift for the runner in your life.
  • Believe I Am Training Journal – Super cool stocking stuffer, especially as we are approaching a new year! The Believe I Am training journal was inspired by elite runner, Lauren Fleshman, and it’s the perfect way to keep track of your runs while staying motivated. Also, I just think there’s something amazing about putting pen to paper especially for a running log (no offense, Daily Mile!).
  • Oiselle Flight Kit – The Oiselle Flight Kit is really perfect for any runner on the go. It’s packed with Nuun Hydration tablets, Picky Bars (can’t get them here on the East Coast yet but you’ll get them in the kit!), a Runfinity scarf and so much more! It’s a totally new take on a “gift basket.”
  • Pedicure – Although it’s winter and most of us aren’t strutting around in sandals, a little primping is always welcome, especially when we keep our feet crammed into running shoes and winter boots during the colder months.

Also, because it’s the season of giving, nothing says Happy Holidays to the runner in your life like donating to their favorite charity. If you don’t know what their favorite charity is, or you think they might not have one, consider donating to Girls on the Run or Mighty Milers, two great outreach programs with a mission to get kids running.

I was not compensated for any of these suggestions. Any of the products I already own I paid for myself.

Monday Motivation: I can and I will

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Setting goals is always scary, especially when you tell people about them. It takes courage to set goals because if you try to achieve them but miss the mark, it’s disappointing, not just to you but to other people. But it’s important to be confident in yourself and even when you might miss your goal, take comfort in knowing you tried your best and gave it your all. I have some big goals for 2013 and they scare me but that’s okay because I believe I can do them and that’s what matters. Don’t be afraid to dream big!

I can and I will

Week 5: Sub-50 10K Training

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Me and my friends Cassie and Madeline doing our Race for Recovery 5-K

Me and my friends Cassie and Madeline doing our Race for Recovery 5-K

Another great week of training has come and gone. I had some really great moments this week including an (unofficial) 5-K PR, a fantastic trail run and the Race for Recovery. I also ran my highest mileage week ever this week for a total of 27 miles!

I started off training this week with some cross-training on Monday. I did 2 miles on the elliptical and then 40 minutes of strength training. According to my training plan, I can either rest or cross train on Mondays and so far, I’ve cross trained every Monday. No rest days!

Tuesday’s run was a 3 mile tempo and I hit every split at my tempo pace or under which was really great. My first mile came in at 7:57/mile which is really fast for me and I was honestly a little surprised to see that on my watch. My second mile was a bit slower at 8:06/mile but still below my tempo pace of 8:12/mile. In the third mile I decided to try to kick it up and hit 8 flat but hit 8:02/mile which was still pretty awesome. Since my paces were so great I decided to run .1 mile extra to see what my 5-K time would have been and I finished at 24:14 which is by far my fastest 3.1 miles ever and it felt great!

I decided to run trails with two of my speedy coworkers on Wednesday because we had some trail shoes to test out. I was a little apprehensive about running with them because they are just so much faster than me but they assured me they wouldn’t leave me behind so I went. We ran about a mile and a half to the entrance of the trail which was kind of annoying because the shoes were clearly not meant to run on pavement but once we got to the trail they felt great.

The actual trail part of the run was about 3 miles of very steep inclines and jagged declines. The trail goes up a mountain near our office and gets pretty narrow on the way up but the views are beautiful. I will admit though, the ascent was pretty hard and I was forced to hike for some of it. I’m not too great at trails but I do really like them, especially the downhill because I feel like I’m literally frolicking through the woods. The entire run was just over 6 miles but it took us longer than the average 6-mile run just because we all run trails slower than we run on the road.

My ankles and achilles were killing me on Thursday post-trail run but I had intervals on tap and couldn’t skip out. I had to do 3x1200m at race pace (8:02/mile) with 400m easy pace in between. I did these on the treadmill and although they were not fun, I was surprised at how good my ankles felt once I actually got running.

Friday was my rest day which was good because my legs were completely dead and it gave me time to rest up for the Race for Recovery on Saturday morning. I took part in NYC Running Mama, Michele Gonzales’, Race for Recovery to raise funds for Sandy relief efforts on Saturday. She asked that everyone run either a 5-K or 10-K wherever they were so I ran with two of my friends at a local 5-K in Bethlehem. My roommate and I ran to the race start line to add on an extra 1.3 miles and ran the 5-K with our friend. It was great to get out there and although I didn’t time myself it felt good to run watch/GPS free for once!

I had my long run on Sunday and when I woke up, looked out my window and saw rain, I was less than thrilled. I procrastinated the run until noon and finally made myself get out the door, suck it up and get over the fact that I’d have to run in the rain. Turns out my run was fantastic! I did an 8-mile out and back run in 1:19 (9:31/mile). My legs felt so fresh and strong, I really couldn’t believe it. I almost wanted to keep going but towards the end of the run it started to rain harder.

During my long run I did a lot of thinking and couldn’t help but realize this is the first training cycle I’ve done where I haven’t felt super tired or achy or sore and I am so thankful for that (knock on wood!). I’ve never felt stronger and my paces are feeling much more comfortable. My goals with this time-goal for a 10-K was to get faster overall and I’m definitely starting to notice some changes.

I hope your training went well this week too! Also, I know I haven’t been blogging as much as I used to but that will change soon! I’ve been so busy getting acclimated with my new job that I’ve just felt completely shot by the time I get home after work. But don’t fret, I’m going to make an effort to keep it up :)

 

Week 3: Sub-50 10K Training

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A beautiful Thanksgiving picture from my sister Georgia and myself :)

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and is gearing up for the holiday season!- I know I am! My training this week went really well although I missed two of my training runs for very good reasons.

I knew my training was going to be affected this week because I traveled back to Massachusetts to be with my family for Thanksgiving. In preparation for this I mixed up the earlier part of my week by cross training on Monday but then doing my speed work on Tuesday. My speed work went really well and it was a much harder workout than the one I did the previous week. This workout called for 5×800 meter intervals at race pace (8:02/mile) with 400m easy pace in between.

This. Was. Hard.

But I did it! Although it was really challenging and I REALLY wanted to stop after the fourth interval, I felt really great after finishing the workout. I was extremely proud of myself for not stopping when my legs were begging me to do so and couldn’t believe I was able to run 4 miles total at an average pace of 8:32! I’m getting there!

I planned to wake up early on Wednesday to do my 3-mile tempo run before getting in my car and traveling up to Massachusetts all day. The morning came and I woke up a half an hour before my alarm ready to run! I checked the weather and the thermometer read 27 degrees. Burr! But that didn’t discourage me and I was out the door at 7 a.m.

The run itself wasn’t so great. I didn’t hit the goal pace but I was having a hard time breathing because it was just so cold. My nose was runny and my mouth was filled with mucus but I was still proud of myself for getting out there and getting my miles in before a long car ride up to New England.

I left my apartment in PA just after 9 a.m. and arrived back in Massachusetts around 2:30 p.m. My mom came running out the front door and greeted me with a huge embrace. I know I’ve only been away from home for just over a month but it’s felt like ages and I was just so happy to be home.

I had planned on running 6-miles on Thursday (Thanksgiving) but when I woke up and sat at the breakfast table with my family while we watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade I didn’t want to leave. I was having such a nice time with my family and my mom asked me to help her cook so I decided to skip my run and spend some quality time with my family instead. I was able to squeeze in 30 minutes of power flow yoga though before it was time to head to my aunt’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, but honestly I’m glad I decided to forgo my run and spend time with my family- being away from home has made me realize how important my time with them is.

I had a lovely Thanksgiving with my extended family and woke up on Friday feeling great and ready for a run. I got in 6 miles at 9:30/mile pace around the neighborhoods in my town. It was really great to get out on the roads in my town again after having run in PA the past few weeks.

This was my last run of the week because I decided to spend the rest of my time at home with my family. Although I’m disappointed I missed out on my last two runs of the week, I was happy to have the time with my parents and sister. If anything, being away from home and then coming back made me realize although running is really important to me there are other things that are much more important.

I’m not worried about this impacting my training at all either. I have an extra week at the end of my training before my goal race so I can play catch up then.

Have you ever skipped out on a training run to spend time with loved ones? Tell me your story in the comments below!

I’m a FitFluential Ambassador!

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FitFluential Is Fitness Found

Seriously, could these last few weeks get ANY better (knock on wood!)? I am very excited to announce that I have been accepted as a FitFluential Ambassador! This means I will become a member of another amazing community of health, fitness and wellness bloggers who share common goals in spreading the good word of health to their communities and readership.

If you’ve never heard of FitFluential than I suggest you take a look at their website asap because it’s filled with a directory of other amazing fitness and health bloggers! Also, if you’re on social media I’m sure you’ve seen the hash tag #fitfluential used by some of your followers. Well, that is just one of the many ways FitFluential reaches out to the larger fitness community. According to the FitFluential website:

We deliver positive messages of health and wellness, but we also promote maintaining a healthy balance. Too often, people view fitness messaging as restrictive and harsh. We showcase how anyone can incorporate habits that will improve their overall health and well-being.

Fitness is all about fitting in to your LIFE. We’ll focus on four primary areas in everything we do: Eat, Sleep, Move, Enjoy.

I’m very excited to be a part of this community and look forward to connecting with more FitFluential Ambassadors! To stay up-to-date with me and my running escapades, follow me on:

Facebook: facebook.com/fitgirlhappygirl

Twitter: @FitHappyGirl

Instagram: @HannahMcGold

Pinterest: pinterest.com/hannahmcgold

Week 2: Sub-50 10K Training

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This past week was another great week for training. I’m nervous to get too excited about how my training is going because, in the past, I’ve had problems with injuries/soreness but so far so good! That being said, it’s only the second week so I’m taking it day by day.

It’s been really great though to run five days a week. Most training plans I did before had me running four days a week, sometimes only three, but I really like running more often. I’m a strong believer in the fact that the more you run, the better you become. Which, is really starting to prove true in my times and how I’ve been feeling on my runs.

The week started off with cross training on Monday. I went to the gym after work and did two miles on the arc trainer (elliptical type machine) and then did a bunch of strengthening exercises- squats, lunges, lifting weights and ab exercises. I also made sure to stretch a lot too because I want to avoid any muscle tightness-related injuries.

On Tuesday, I had a 2.5 mile tempo run at 8:12/mile. I did this run during my lunch hour and nailed the pace time which felt amazing. It was fast but my breathing was really steady and my legs felt strong.

Wednesday was an easy paced 5 mile run. Unfortunately I had to do this run on the treadmill but I got it done. I ran 5 miles at 9:50/mile. When I first got going, my ankles were really bothering me for the first mile. I think this is due in part to the treadmill but after the first mile I felt really good and finished the run with no problems.

Thursday was my speedwork day and I had to do 4x800m at race pace (8:02/mile) with 400m resting in between. This was a 10 percent increase from last week’s speedwork but I was able to finish it and feel good. Eight hundreds are HARD, there’s no doubt about that, but I am really seeing results in my long runs and easy runs.

Friday was a complete rest day!

Saturday was my long run of 6 miles. According to my training plan I was supposed to run 6 miles at an easy pace (9:50-11:05/mile) but, instead I ran at 9:23/mile average and my fastest mile was at race pace (8:02)!! I was so happy on this run but I just felt amazing. I actually really wanted to keep running but I need to stick to the training plan to avoid injury. I don’t know what it was- the speedwork, my tempos, running more frequently- but I felt amazing on this run. Also, this was the first time in a VERY long time that I actually ran on the road with music. I always listen to music when I run on the treadmill but I usually don’t when I run on the road. However, I think this had something to do with my faster paces because I was jamming the whole time!

After my long run I came home and did some post-run yoga stretches and foam rolled.

Sunday (today) I just did an easy 4-mile recovery run. I ran at 9:27 pace and felt really good. It was a bit colder out today but I felt comfortable and strong. I also did some post-run yoga after my run today and was home in time to congratulate my cousin on finishing her first full marathon!

Training is looking good this week as well, although I’m a little concerned with when I’m going to get all my runs in because I’m traveling home for Thanksgiving. I may have to juggle the training plan around to accomodate my travel plans and some much needed family-time.

Also I officially signed up for my goal race 10K and it will be on February 3- it’s a Superbowl 10K! This actually gives me an extra week of training so if my schedule gets messed up because of the holidays, I have some wiggle room on the outset of the training program. I hope y’all had great training runs last week and I know everyone will run happy this week because it’s finally the start of the holiday season! Happy running!

Week 1: Sub-50 10K Training

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Last week was a week of first in the life of Fit Girl Happy Girl. For one, I became a Greatist ambassador and it marks my very first ambassador-ship as a blogger! Also, I ran my very first lunch run and PR my mile time (according to my Garmin at least). Another first, which really wasn’t a first, but I ran five days last week, something I hadn’t done in a little over a month (I’ve been sticking to three or four times a week). And, to top it all off, I feel great!

As you may or may not know, I’m following a new training plan that will hopefully get me on track to run a 4?:?? 10K. I’ve never officially run a 10K race, although I have definitely run 6.2 miles (plus!) and know I can do it in under 60 minutes. Naturally, my next goal was to run it in under 50 minutes.

I’m following a training plan I saw in this month’s issue of Women’s Running. The plan has me running five days a week, cross training one day a week and taking one full rest day.

I started the plan last Monday and Mondays are cross training days so I hit the gym to do 20 minutes on the elliptical (really an arc trainer) and strengthening exercises afterwards. I want to get better at strengthening my leg muscles to avoid injuries so I’m hoping with this new plan, and the extra down time that comes with winter, I’ll be able to focus on that.

Tuesday I had a tempo on tap and I was determined to run my first lunch run. At my knew job, most of my coworkers go running during their lunch hour, so I thought I had to try it! Well, I LOVED it! It was great to not only get my run out of the way in the middle of the day but it was also amazing to get outside and get some fresh air! What made the run even better was I nailed my tempo pace of 8:12/mile and felt really great.

Wednesday I had to do 4-5 miles at an easy pace of 9:50/mile. I did a little over 4 because I was exhausted from work that day and my legs felt a little tired.

Thursday was by far the hardest day because it was speedwork. I hadn’t done a track workout in a few weeks and since I’m still new to the area, I don’t have a track to workout on so I had to do it on the treadmill. The plan called for 3 x 800m at race pace of 8:02/mile, with 400m easy pace in between. This was my first time doing 800s and they are no joke! I finished the workout and was pooped but glad I was able to power through it. (According to the plan, I increase this workout over the next 11 weeks!)

Friday was my full REST day! Phew!

Saturday was my “long run.” I put long run in quotes because according to the plan, I only had to run 5 miles at easy pace, which is nothing compared to the half marathon training I just finished up. I felt good on this run except for a little knee pain towards the end but I finished strong.

Sunday was a 4 mile recovery run at an easy pace but I ended up running about a 9:09 average mile. The weather was so beautiful and I felt great so I thought I’d kick it up a bit.

Overall I thought the week went really well and I’m excited to see what’s in store this week!

Are you training for something? If so, how did you runs go last week?