Tuesday Tips!

Tuesday started off pretty well for me. The water heater was working (it's been hit-or-miss lately, but I'm not ready to dish out money for a new one until this one completely dies :D ). I got up just a little late, but letting the hair do it's naturally curly thing saves time, so I got to work right when I wanted to.

The printer was broken, go figure, but the AMAZING library secretary helped me out a ton, made my copies, and brought them to me. She is THE BOMB!

I had a different salad for lunch, it was pretty yummy! I still missed my salad that I dropped last night, though :( Maybe I can convince Aaron to bring me one for lunch one day this week ;)

After lunch we taught an AED class. Well, I was there. Paula taught it ;)

The new gymnastics outfit I ordered Lynny came in! I just ordered it yesterday, and it was here today! Such a cute outfit!!! I cannot wait to see her in it for gymnastics today!

I had to work an hour over, when I came home Aaron was doing the dishes and Lynny was playing. I got changed and got her some snacks and water and we met Billy and Paula at our local trail for what was originally going to be a 4 miler, but ended up being a 3 miler. It looked like a nasty storm was headed our way, so we cut that extra mile out.

Lynny made sure to get a few strides in, too ;)

The storm never came, so it was back outside to "mow"!

Lynny and I stayed outside while Aaron fixed dinner. I literally hit the jackpot when I married him!

Dinner was great. I am not a fan of hot dogs, but they are growing on me ;)

After we ate, we had to make a quick run to the grocery store. I HATE THAT PLACE! We finally made it home in time to get ready for bed and watch a few minutes of Frozen. Then it was time to hit the hay!

Today I want to talk about 5 common running mistakes I made/ still continue to make. I feel like sharing my mistakes may help others trying to start running, or getting more serious about it!

1. Forgetting to fuel

I don't know how many times I have had the fuel with me (Salted Caramel GU is my go-to! I also like the Chocolate Outrage flavor, I just recently tried it! Sometimes I have Gatorade Blocks, too, but usually only on my runs longer than 12ish miles.) yet I FORGET TO TAKE IT!!! I remember when someone is with me, because I fuel when they do. However, if I am alone, I almost always forget! This is great for my bank account, but it leaves me feeling icky with a less-than-par run, and usually starving.

2. Forgetting to take my water bottle

I have the FlipBelt and matching water bottle. I constantly forget the water bottle. I have only had it a for a little while, so maybe it's just that I haven't really added it to my routine enough. I am notorious for waiting until the last minute to find things... that could also be the issue ;) Lately, I have been needed TONS of water when I run. On my last 20 miler and 12 miler, I took my Camelback. I am seriously considering doing the same for my marathon... It is really nice to be able to have water any time I want it and not worry with whether or not I can fuel (mine requires water when you take it) based on where the water stations are. Water is SO important, staying hydrated is a MUST, so this is one BIG mistake for me!

3. Clothes

I mostly run after work during the week, meaning I pack my gym bag the night before... at least I SHOULD pack my bag the night before (remember, I like to wait until the last minute to do things ;) ). If I do not pack the night before (most cases), I end up throwing whatever I find in my bag. Nine times out of ten, it's the wrong thing for the current weather. It will be pouring the rain and I'll have a tank top, capris, and no rain jacket. Of course, it doesn't help that our weather lately has been completely unpredictable! It literally changes every hour. I need to be smart and pack a bag that has something for every situation and just replace it when necessary. Buttttttttttttt, that takes work ;)

4. Shoes

I am a stickler for having the right shoes. I LOVE my Brooks running shoes. I have both the Ghost 9s (2 pairs) as well as the Launch 4s. These shoes are wonderful. I cannot say enough about them. Having said that, I have made the mistake of running in these shoes for too long. Doing so can cause pain and injuries. My shins let me know when I need to buy new shoes. They KILL me once my shoes have higher mileage. Runner's World recommends that you retire shoes after 300-500 miles, depending on the shoe, how you run, and on what surfaces. For me, I get about 350 miles out of my Ghost 9s. I haven't had my Launch 4s very long, so I will have to get back to you on those ;)

5. Not rolling/stretching

I have been TERRIBLE at "forgetting" to roll or stretch after a run. When I do stretch and/or roll, I feel SO much better! It's so beneficial for your muscles and prevents injuries. I need to do it more. So do you. We are both guilty.

I plan on working on all five of these things (plus many more, Ha!) over the next few weeks. Maybe being out of school and having all day to get things together will help me ;)

Do you like going to the grocery store?

What running mistakes do you make?

What are your summer plans?