Give It A Rest… hard to do!!!!

Today’s workout.  Mile 3 and 4 felt real good but the 16 minutes of abs did not (16 minutes of abs is more than I did in the year of 2012).

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Early morning run…. I ALWAYS take pepper spray with me when I am running by myself.  

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Came home and Brooke woke up a little while later (she insisted on sleeping in her crab shirt last night) and I brought her in my room while I Compexed.  Our ritual after a run is that she always gets to play with my garmin.   Billy passed his obsession with electronics down to Brooke.  

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Lunch was a ginormous salad but I think you might be sick of seeing pictures of that but I will show you the most important ingredient of my salad:

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 I now have to buy guacamole in bulk. 15 avocados in each of the three packs.  

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Checking out Running Times is one of my morning rituals.  I love their articles and they have the best topics and they aren’t all about weight loss like some other running magazines out there.  

I thought THIS article was awesome.  

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It goes on to talk about how the ‘great athletes’ schedule in full on breaks (not just less mileage and easier running but complete rest) into their year of training.  Some add on a few lbs and take time to do things that they normally don’t because they are so busy with their running.  

The reason to do this— a break from running gives you time to ‘rejuvenate the body and mind in ways that outweigh losses in fitness.’  Without these breaks we are more likely to burnout/get injured/overtrain.  

*****After a scheduled break from running make sure not to just get back into what you were doing before your break but take time to build your mileage and pace back up. 

An example from Greg McMillan:

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This is hard to do.  One of the first things  I think about after crossing the finish line of a race is what race I am going to do next (and what delicious food I am going to eat).  Racing is kind of addicting and we crave pushing ourselves to the max again asap but we have to think about our recovery process first.

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(after my most recent race and already thinking about wanting to PR again ASAP and get back into hard training…. my body had other plans for me:)

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 What non-blog websites do you check out most days?

What do you do to keep safe when running by yourself?

Do you schedule in COMPLETE rest breaks after a training cycle?

With your chips… guac or salsa?

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75 comments

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I am with you… that race must have been a hard one because I still don’t feel 100%. And that’s with zero workouts… just easy distance and rest. Websites: Facebook, email, and random parenting things I get from email or recipes!

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Seriously… I think it was the 13.1 miles of crazy steep hills! Hope you are having a great day gorgeous girl!

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Hi Hungry runner girl, read a few of your blogs and think they are great. This is one I totally related to, thanks. Got my first marathon this Sunday so need to rest. Also to let your body recover in between. Ps your little girl is beautiful. I’ve got two boys 3 and 5 and work so fitting running in is hard as don’t want to be selfish on the kids but somehow you manage to fit it all in. Keep up the good work and thanks love HazelX

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Congrats on your first marathon!!! That is so exciting and good for you to fit in running with how busy you are! Take some rest and keep in touch!

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I don’t really check a lot of other websites except for Twitter/FB/E-mail and occasional news stories. I’m a very trusting runner…I usually only carry a heavy underarmor water bottle to knock someone out with if they try to attack me. After my half marathon, I took a week off of running and only two days off of cross-training. I probably should have taken more

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I spend lots of time on Pinterest…I always have something I can be looking for :)

I have never really thought about safety on a run and it was just recently that I started running with my phone (and I don’t even always do that).

I have a 1/2 coming up and there’s going to be some complete rest going on after that, before I start training for my summer races. My body is starting to feel the effects of my overly ambitious goal of a 1/2 6 months postpartum and I want to keep any injuries at bay.

And that guacamole looks delicous!

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I’ll normally glance at the New York times to see what’s going on in the world. I take my dog with me a lot in the mornings for safety or my husband bikes with me. The dog is a big sweet heard but he looks pretty intimidating.

Guac all the way

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I do pretty much nothing to keep safe, which is awful. I live in a small city in Canada and I just feel really safe (and I’m not overly cautious anyway). Hopefully that doesn’t get my into trouble one of these days.

I rested a lot last year because of my knee problems, and I think after my two halfs this fall, I’ll take a bit of a break before I (hopefully!) start training for a marathon. It’s a good time for me to rest because the weather in the winter here is crap for running outside.

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Oh my goodness!!!!! I have not been on your site in a year and wow your daughter is a beauty!!!!! Btw my sister gave my daughter pepper spray and she sprayed it upstairs in her room. Well it sent all of us coughing, gagging and running out of the house! LOL

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Pepper spray is a great idea. I need to get some! I don’t run with anything but I definitely need to start! I LOVE chips and guac! Yum!

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I think that being alert is my best weapon when I am out running on my own. In general I am very aware of what is going on around me and I have carried that into my running. I also stay on well lit, popular roads. No trails or parks for me. I don’t bring anything with me that a mugger would see and want. I don’t bring my phone, ipod, rings, jewelry, etc.

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I usually spend a few minutes every day cruising through the news to make sure I’m not missing something really important.

A great way to get through recovery periods without going crazy is to schedule a trip or getaway after your big race. If you’re exploring a new place or lounging by the pool, you don’t really miss your training routine. I’ve also run marathons in early December. The holiday madness makes it easy to take a break & recover.

Ohhh, how about salsa verde AND guac! Chip-by-chip rotation! Yum!

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This is just the reminder I needed!! I just finished my first marathon mid march and took 1 week off before training (for a PR) for the NWM1/2 in DC this weekend. My knee hasn’t been very happy with me – to the point of possibly not being able to race this weekend. Fingers crossed….. But after this, I’ll be giving my body a much needed break!

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Is this the Johanna I know?!

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Yeah, girl :)

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I think I check out Athleta and Lululemon on daily basis to dream of what I’m gonna buy next. I also read Drudge report a lot. When running by myself I usually carry a knife or mace, now that I live on post I don’t really carry anything. I feel really safe here. I really over did it one year where I ran a marathon in Dec, Feb, April and then November and had some half marathons in between. I really ended up hating running for a while. I’m trying to tell myself only one or two per year now. Salsa with my chips, I hate guac! My family always tells me I’m not a real Mexican because I don’t like guac or jalapenos!

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Resting is SO important, and I’m really glad you shared that article! It’s easy to just want to KEEP going and going but that is a dangerous thing to do and hard on your body!! Good to always keep in mind :) I feel like COMPLETE rest breaks are super hard, though, but I’m working on it! ;)

xo

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It can be so hard to take a break knowing that you’ll have to go through the rebuilding phase — but it’s definitely necessary for me!

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Guac! For sure.
I usually try to do a week of rest but after my half marathon I couldn’t take it and started my full marathon training two weeks early. It is addicting and especially after a race, you are so motivated. The feeling after a race is the most amazing feeling, I think its natural to crave more.

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My mom has been trying to get me to run with pepper spray forever but I’m afraid I’d spray myself on the eyes or something. I definitely struggle with rest days but I’ve gotten so much better about it. I’d rather take one day off than multiple months.

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I’m going to try to take a break, but it is very hard! I rested for 2 weeks after my last marathon and it was torture.

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I’m pretty good about taking a break for the first couple weeks after a marathon. I would still do cross-training and other forms of exercise, but I would try to stay away from high-impact exercises.
I would eat homemade guacamole with chips. I’ll get on it once the prices on avocadoes go down.

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I actually don’t carry anything with me to protect myself when I run, I probably should!

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Chips and SALSA!! all day every day!!

And I run with Hot Pink pepper spray strapped to my hand! To many wacko’s out there… gotta play it safe!!

My dad is always telling me that you can’t be on-top of your game 100% of the time. Its impossible and not healthy. I know he is right it is just hard to listen!! But yes, recover is so so important and yet it is the first and easiest thing to neglect!

and i am pretty much OBSESSED with IMDB.com (internet movie database) anything and everything you would want to know about movies/tv/actors/actresses/directors/quotes/soundtracks…

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I always have my dog or a friend with me when I run! Always choose guacamole!!

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GUAAAACC! I could live off that stuff.

I don’t do anything to be safe while I am running. I do tell Ross my route and my expected time of arrival. I probably should be doing more though. You are smart.

I usually check way too many clothing stores websites (both for me and my kids…I have a shopping addiction), Freebies2Deals and waaaay too many cooking/baking blogs.

I don’t usually schedule COMPLETE rest. Maybe I should. And maybe if I did it myself, by body would stop doing it for me anyway. lol. Glad you had a great run today! I bet your core is awesomesauce after doing all this core work. I totally did that 8min ab workout the other day for the first time. Not sure if I got most of the core work from following what he was doing or laughing at him ;) Either way, it was a good one!

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First off, I love reading your blog and watching cute little Brooke grow!

I didn’t use to carry anything but my boyfriend convinced me that I need to protect myself. He’s researched (like spent hours) finding the perfect knives and pepper sprays for me! So I’ll usually bring one of those two things, or in the winter/when it’s cool enough enough (i live in the hottest part of Az) I’ll bring my dog and I always carry my phone with me!

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When I coached for team in training we were encouraged to tell our participants to take off the number of days per mile of their event. So a 1/2 would be 13 days, a full 26 days. Not sure where that came from but it makes sense. On the other hand. I personally want to keep myself in enough condition after my half so i am able to do 8 to 10 miles regular so picking up 1/2 marathon training would not be that big of a deal. The main reason i want that is because it has been a major shock to my dear husband that i am gone for 2+ hours 1 day out of the weekend doing my long training. Really that should be a okay. Perhaps I will take a break but not share that I am off to relax vs train! He will never know!

I check our preschool online activity calendar frequently, have to plan our days!! I also am a preschool special ed teacher ( part time) so I am on pinterest and boardmaker share frequently.

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I refuse to choose between guac and salsa-I need both in my life frequently! I schedule one full rest day a week but rarely take more than a day or two off after a tough run/race.

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Those tubs of guac look insanely delicious. Like, lick the computer screen delicious. :)

I always make sure to text at least a couple people when I’m starting a run, when I should be back, and then I follow up to text when I get home. I also run in crowded/well lit areas and try to mix up my route/run inside at least a couple times every week to 10 days or so.

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Rest is something that I newer to me during training but I’m trying to make a genuine effort at listening to my body… I just started back running this week after 2-3 weeks of dealing with quad, hamstring, and soft tissue near my IT band so needless to say the foam roller is my best friend right now.

I HATE doing abs but I know I need to as a runner. Do you like the routine you’re doing with your coach? Is it worth the $ (the dvd you posted the other day)?

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I cut back my mileage and take a couple of days off but all I want to do is run. Actually my family wants me to run too. It makes me happy! On those days off I usually spin and work on core. It just feels so good.

As far as guac or salsa…both I can’t help it. I could eat them all day long even for breakfast.

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Mmm, so much guacamole! I love the wholly salsa as well!

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Rest is so important!! It took me way too many injuries to learn that :)

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I check out CNN.com almost every day. I like news.

When I run alone, I always tell someone where I’m going, when I will be back. I also carry my phone with me. I run facing traffic, if there is not a sidewalk and only wear one earbud, if any.

With your chips… guac or salsa? Guacamole! Avocado with everything!

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I follow a lot of running/exercise sites on facebook so I can click through to their articles. I like Active.com, Cooper Aerobics, and the Wall Street Journal…

I can’t get enough avocados!

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I always run with pepper spray when I’m outdoors. I had a loose dog come right up to me and act aggressively a few years ago and I’ve carried pepper spray with me ever since. I can be pretty bad about really taking enough time off after peak races. I’m itching to really get into some hard training after my marathon on Saturday since I lost a few months of training due to injury. But, I’ll probably do an easy week or two so I don’t injure myself again. And I also love Running Times. :) Have a great evening!

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I`d pick guacamole over salsa with chips every time!

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I love the idea of running with pepper spray

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Pepper spray is illegal here (canada) but I have some, just too scared to run with it incase I spray myself.. or get arrested for carrying a weapon!

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While I realize that there ARE some runners who I am insanely jealous of, who do not have take breaks, I learned the hard way that I most certainly am not one.

Though I’ve never “really trained” for a race, my mileage was such that I should have been giving myself a rest. Honestly, in hindsight OF COURSE if all I do is run ALL the time, I am going to neglect other important supporting muscles, hence my stress fracture.

Sometimes ya gotta learn the hard way for the message to sink in!

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This post is coming at kind of a perfect time for me. I just got back from traveling and having a super busy long weekend, and felt like I really should have gotten a workout in to stick to a training plan I’m following. But I just felt completely exhausted and decided to nap instead. Honestly, best decision I ever made. I’m feeling totally ready to jump back into things tomorrow!

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Ooo so much guac! That’s insane. I’d gladly take that challenge.

My boyfriend keeps telling me to run with pepper spray, but I hate having to hold things while I run. Guess I should probably try it though.

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Ugh, I know that I personally struggle with giving myself time to rest. It’s tough for people like us who strive to achieve such large fitness goals to recover every once in a blue moon. I’m definitely going to try and rest a bit more and take it easier on myself. Thanks for the wonderful post. Xoxo

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Hate resting- means I get less endorphins! But our bodies need it!
LOVE Wholly Guac!

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I definitely run with pepper spray! I was attacked by a dog once so I now run with pepper spray strapped to my hand. It makes me feel much safer having it with me! I have even given it as gifts to my runner friends to keep them safe too. I also wear a Road ID tag on my shoe with my info and contact # in case of an emergency. It was actually my husband’s idea when I train for marathons and I’m gone for hours at a time. I’ve also given Road IDs as gifts to my runner friends. Safety first!! :-)

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Always carry pepper spray – can’t tout it enough to my friends who don’t. OK, getting off my soapbox!

Other than last summer/fall when I was training for an ultra, I’ve always taken a break between training cycles. I think the only reason I didn’t “break” was because the pace was so much slower. Since that ultra, I’m much more normal again :)

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UGHHHH I do not recover. EVER. I am constantly in training mode and I teach group ex every.single.day. I am great about cross training, though! Somehow my body can handle all the training.
I run w/ a friend/training partner 90% of the time and feel safe!

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I tried the funny ab video for the first time today. love it!

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I think the biggest website I go to everyday that’s non-web is definitely Pinterest. I check it all the time!

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When I’m by myself I honestly just turn the auto-lock off on my phone so that I can make a call ASAP if I need to. Definitely need to get pepper spray! And I’m bad at resting. I substitute other workouts for my lack of running haha! Guac is making its way into my life…I’m stuck on the salsa train for now ;)

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I will schedule some rest after my half in May. I won’t want to, but I will! I just tried guac for the first time on Easter and omg how have I not been eating it my whole life. I don’t carry anything when I run… probably should.

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My mom gave me pepper spray to bring on my runs…Err…haven’t yet taken it with me. I know one day I’ll regret not having it.

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I always check out Runners World. That article however is great that you found. So hard to take a break! I always take my RoadId out with me. I need to have both gauc and salsa.

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I think i could eat my weight in avocados!

Nonblog websites I go to most days: Facebook, shutterfly, pandora, dailymile, & my employers

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I used to run with pepper spray until one afternoon someone actually groped me and I sprayed it at them (unsuccessfully, I might add). Well after the run I used my arm to wipe off my forehead and nearly blinded myself for hours. The strength and staying power are ridiculous! Definitely not the smartest move, so now I just pay attention and only run with one earbud in. :)

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Back in those wonderful days when I was running (aka before my stress fracture in january because I neglected the recovery period :P) I would never carry anything with me when I ran! I never even considered bringing some form of protection but pepper spray is such a good idea! and i like to mix salsa INTO my guac :)

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It really is hard to relax and take a break from running after finishing a good race. I am really trying to build in rest/cross-training days now, so that I do not get injured again…hopefully it works!

I always check Facebook and my email…and I get a lot of emails from running, parenting, and eating well sites, so I usually check those out as well.

Guacamole all the way! I’ve had it that past 3 night with some Kashi Sea Salt Pita Chips :).

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So glad to hear about your early morning/alone runs. It is finally starting to get nice and I want to get my miles in early in the morning when it may still be a little dark. I was just thinking today, I wonder what Janae does?! Do you listen to music on your early rubs our forego the ear buds for safety sake?

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I’m a sucker for Yahoo, I probably check it out like ten times a day, because it’s such a good mix of actual news stories but silly stuff that keeps it light too!

I always run with my phone and pepper spray when I’m outside, I just think you can never be too careful, especially these days.

I don’t think I could ever choose between salsa and guac, when in doubt go for BOTH! :)

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um yeah i am the worst at this. oops.

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Us magazine and people.com

Try and have my phone nearby/handy

…try to

actually…neither…BBQ sauce :)

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I spy a little tooth!

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I can’t even begin to describe how perfect the timing of this post is. I had an amaaaazing half marathon a little over two weeks ago, but I was getting pretty tired of training. Between that and being sore post-race, I decided to take some time off. A few days turned into a week turned into two weeks and counting…And the past few days I had been feeling pretty bad about not running (there goes the mileage I built up!) but now after reading this and realizing that I’m actually EXCITED to run again, I think resting longer than I had originally planned was a good idea :)

I don’t do anything in particular to keep myself safe. But I usually run in well populated areas during the day. Since it looks like I’m going to have to shift gears into early morning running (Ahhhh!! I like afternoon running! Oh well :P), I might have to copy you and carry my pepper spray. I do not do not do not run outside at night.

I love guac and salsa. Mixed together and separate. I also like mixing sour cream into my salsa. Yum!!! :)

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I SWEAR I did not read your blog ahead of time. I quoted Greg McMillan from the very same article today on my blog! He holds running camps in Flagstaff (where I live) and his words have really been speaking to me lately.
I wish I could eat guacamole. I am allergic to avocado. :(

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Love that pepper spray idea. I run down on the lake early in the morning and so wish I could get my hands on some of that, you never know who could be lurking down there. They don’t sell it in Aus unfortunately…. Great blog by the way!

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I had an uncomfortable run-in with a creeper when I was out with Bungee the other day. Luckily, I think having a dog kept me safe, but I think pepper spray might be in order.

Other than blogs, I stick to facebook, twitter, and instagram. You know, all the good time wasters :)

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Saying I need complete rest implies that I don’t totally slack off during training… and let’s be honest, if I’m really not in the mood to run (especially if something is hurting) I don’t. I’ve never really been a run-through-the-pain kind of person.

Running in DC, I stay away from trails in the dark and when there appears to be no one else around. I did most of the training for my first marathon around a single, well-lit, well-traveled city block because I didn’t know where else to go and figured the treadmill would be equally, if not more, boring.

I love chipotle mild salsa. mmmm.

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I run with mace to feel safe when I run alone. It is getting lighter out @ 530 am so I am less inclined to bring it with me. I need to get better at that for safety though! Mine has a strap so it’s no pain at all to have it with me. I took a planned break for 4 wks per Jack Daniels running formula in December. I may have fallen into the category of those who start back up TOO SOON immediately following a break. Like yourself I suffered an IT band injury that lingered for quite some time. Probably from adding too soon and new sneakers that weren’t a good fit for me. BUT I am happy to say I just hit my highest wk of mileage yet of 50 miles & am ready to race! Oh both guac & salsa… hot sauce too :)

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My “rest cycles” are when we travel. Just spent 6 days in Mexico at the beginning of April and the only exercise I got was walking around the resort and swimming in the pool (mostly to the swim up bar)! I have a hard time resting, too, so vacation is the perfect time. I am so busy having fun and seeing new things it makes it easier. Getting ready for another 3 days of “rest cycle” as we head off to Durango for a long weekend. The key for me is to stay busy and remind myself that “rest is when you make your gains as your body heals and recovers”….

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I really needed to read this post!! It is very hard for me to think about implementing periods of COMPLETE rest, even though overtraining was the cause of my last major injury that forced me to stop running for 4 whole months.

I also appreciate the pepper spray reminder… now that I do most of my long runs with a group, I don’t always need it but I did do a 7-miler alone in a park a couple weeks ago and I remember feeling nervous that I had nothing to protect me besides a car key…

The last question is easy… GUAC!!! I should start buying it in bulk too.

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I read that article too and realized that it was something that I was missing out on. I started running marathons and then ran one every 3 months. I’m planning on running this one (in 1.5 weeks) hard and then taking time off for sure. Have the full training cycle has really improved me as a runner – my Half marathon PR went from a 1:46 to a 1:37! Almost 10 minutes! After this race when I get back into it I am going to run some races for fun and not for racing because I love the atmosphere!

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Hi! Long time reader, first time commenter. I really enjoy your blog, especially with your perspective of being a mom and runner (I have 2 young kids).

I have a random (and probably dumb) question, though. Does your coach email you your daily workouts? Otherwise, how do you get them? I need that kind of direction in my training. Thanks!

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I’m a big salsa person.

I run with my dog for safety. I’m not 100% convinced he would protect me over giving kisses to my attacker, but I like to think it deters people.

I have an ultramarathon in June and I don’t start training for my next race for a month. So that time will all be about just doing what my body wants – easy runs and rest.

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This reminds me of an infographic on REST that I saw on Fast Company’s website! Instead of talking about rest between training programs though, it is about how much pro athletes sleep each day, and how sleeping more/napping improves performance!! Love it. Usain Bolt is one of the athletes they highlight – he gets 8-10 hours of sleep a night!

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663723/infographic-of-the-day-why-pro-athletes-sleep-12-hours-a-day

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