Listen to Your Body!

Listening to your body is one of the most important things you can do! In my case, I am not running for anyone but myself and can do what I feel like. Some days what I feel like doing is nothing, which is not usually the right answer, but it can be.

Yesterday, doing nothing was the right answer for me. I was supposed to run 2 miles per my training plan, but I woke up and my legs were still hurting from a previous run, I had a splitting headache and my bed was just too comfy to get out of. So, I stayed in bed for an extra hour instead of getting up and running.

I made up for it this morning because Andy left for PT at his usual time and I never fell back asleep. Instead of laying in bed and checking up on Facebook, Instagram, and emails (what I usually do when I don't run in the morning) I was productive! I did my 2 miles and they felt awesome! I felt rested and my body was feeling good, it was also nice and cool out and the sun was just coming up. It was a pretty perfect morning run and I am glad I did it.

You just have to listen to yourself and see what is best for you that day. There is no rule saying you have to follow your training plan 100%, you can make adjustments as you see fit. If that was the rule, I would be a serious rule breaker.

What do you do? Do you stick to your training plan mile to mile? Or just go on what your body is telling you?

Hydration is Key!

Hydration is one of the most important things when running, and even when you are not running. When I was in high school, and sometimes in college, I would faint a lot. It was weird and I did not like it, and it happened so often that I could usually feel when it was going to happen so I at least had a little time to get myself seated somewhere and get it under control.

Until my mom and I were flying back from Greece with a layover in Germany and I almost knocked over a while display of cognac in a duty-free store as I was fainting. When we got home, we went to all sorts of doctors and they all told me to drink more Gatorade because I had an electrolyte imbalance (maybe those doctors got some sort of kickback from Gatorade, because they all told me the same thing haha). Well, drinking a million bottles of Gatorade a day was bad because then I started getting cavities. Gatorade has tons of sugar which is not the best. So, I stopped drinking Gatorade all the time and luckily I don't faint anymore.

I also love my morning coffee, hot or iced, I love it all.

But, coffee (caffeine) dehydrates you, so you need to boost your hydration back up during the day.

When I started running I knew I would need something more substantial than just water on my runs. Enter Nuun Hydration!

This is the best and I am so glad I found it! I first found out about Nuun on some other blogs that I read and knew I wanted to try it, no sugar and no carbs, but lots of electrolytes. Sounded great to me, but were to buy it in little ol' Lawton, OK?

Well, there wasn't anywhere to buy it here so when we went to Oklahoma City for Andy to pick up some new running shoes at the closest running shop to us (an hour and twenty minutes away) I figured I would pick up some Nuun. I did and I am so glad that I found it. Then, last month, Lawton opened a new shopping center which includes not only a Target (thank heavens) but also an Academy Sports, and they have Nuun in stock! So glad that I don't have to drive to OKC just for Nuun now.

They have all sorts of favors (14), but my favorites so far might be tropical or fruit punch. I will be ordering the watermelon soon because I hear that is awesome, and they are currently doing free shipping on their website!

What do you use to hydrate on your runs? Or during the day in general, because for me, Nuun is an all day affair, no just on a nice run. Have a great day!

I Love Planning

The title says it all, but yes, I really do like to have things planned out. That is why I loved getting a training schedule for our running groups, and was super excited when my new Lilly Pulitzer planner came in the mail on Saturday. Out with the old and in with the new!

Seeing the mileage that I need to put in for the day and getting to cross it out on my schedule when I complete it makes me feel really great. I feel like I have accomplished something and can go on with what I have planned for the rest of the day.

Also, since I got my new planner I spent Sunday afternoon planning some fall races for us while Andy had school work. I am pretty excited for the following races:

Saturday, August 24th: GloRun in Edmond, OK or Moore War Strong Run in Moore, OK
Saturday, September 7th: The Color Run in Wichita Falls, TX
Saturday, September 14th: Devil Dogs Run 10k/5k here at Fort Sill
Sunday, October 6th: Spirit of Survival! (Quarter Marathon for me and Half Marathon for Andy)
Saturday, October 26th: West End Center's 5k Spooky Sprint in Roanoke, VA

It is so much fun to have races to look forward to! We are currently only signed up for the Spirit of Survival as that is what we are training for with our groups, but I cannot wait to sign up for the others! What fun races do you have coming up on your schedule?

Weekend Catch-Up

I have defiantly been slacking in the blogging department lately, but I will get back at it. Starting off with our great weekend! This weekend involved a lot of relaxing which I was a big fan of! Friday night we went to one of our new favorite restaurants, El Greco, here in Lawton. Then came home for a relaxing night.

Saturday we were up bright and early for our training groups. It was a lot of fun, though I came home with about a million mosquito bites and my legs are itching like crazy. After our run, we came home and showered, then headed to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. That seems to be our new Saturday morning routine, and I am totally okay with that! After breakfast we headed out for some errands at Target and the farmers market.

When I got home, our new bedding had arrived! I was so excited and think it looks great, and matches our new bedside lamps perfectly! While I set up the new bedroom, Andy got to pickling. Yep, he made pickled watermelon rinds and a jar of pickled tomatoes and peppers. Now we wait, hopefully they will taste great in about a month!

Sunday was spent relaxing as Andy had a paper to write. So, I cooked a yummy breakfast of granola pancakes, eggs over easy and turkey bacon. Andy began his school work and I began laundry and catching up on the whole season of Real Housewives of Orange County. I also hung out with this little guy, every dog needs 4 toys in his face at nap time, no? Haha

Then we used our new storage bags, they are awesome and now all of our extra bedding fits nicely in one cabinet in the laundry room! (there is another full storage bag, but I didn't get a picture of that one)

It was a nice lazy day and was concluded with dinner at Red Lobster and the beginning of Shark Week! Everyones favorite week of the year is Shark Week, right? But I was rather disappointed in Megalodon, mostly because I think 90% of that was fake. They better step it up for the rest of Shark Week, or I am going to be one disappointed lady.