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Pace

Posted on by Jenna

Pace and running is such a mental game.

I’ve run off and on since around 2003-ish. I would run outside randomly or join a gym and hit the treadmill. It wasn’t until 2012 that I started getting seriously into running. I’m kind of a newbie here. When I started way back when I was around 12-minute miles. I entered a bunch of 5ks and shorter races and just ran three or four days a week, trying to increase distance and speed a bit.

Then I got the bug.

I wanted to run farther. I wanted to conquer the half marathon because 13.1 miles seemed super long to me. I found several training plans, picked one and followed it the best I could. I finished my first half in 2:31:50. And I was quite proud of myself! My ultimate goal was to finish at 2:30 and I was quite close!

When I train and actually run, my races and pace reflect that and stay close to the 10-10:30 pace level. When I’m not training? I’m in the 12s. My worst half marathon, with virtually no training, was 12:24. I am also a bit slower in December, even with training. I blame the cold air. I also struggle with March races because I do a bunch of races in December/January then I tend to take time off and struggle to get back in so then my March races suffer.

Sorry, I was analyzing my races since 2012 this morning! I can be a numbers nerd.

I am getting off track… so I started racing in 2012 and then in December 2016 and January 2017 I got sick. I had been training for my first marathon and cruising right along. I did my longest run on Christmas Eve. I was feeling strong and ready to run 26.2 and then my sinuses rebelled. I went through an entire box of kleenex in about two days. I took about a week off and tried to hop back into my taper. And around 2 miles/20 minutes I’d get dizzy. I assumed it was related to being sick, maybe inner ear troubles. I couldn’t get more than two miles in and had to drop out of the marathon.

I waited a bit, tried running again. Same thing. Waited a few months. Same issue. I figured my running career was over.

So I did not run much at all in 2017. Toward the end of the year, I was itching to run, so I started again. I could go a bit further but I’d still get dizzy. I ran one race, a turkey trot, in 2017. It looks like I’m really fast because it’s listed as a 5k but in reality the course was short. I did some more races in 2018, I just took my time and walked a lot.

At some point, I decided to read 80/20 by Matt Fitzgerald on heart rate training. I switched to heart rate training thinking my pace issue might be a heart rate or blood pressure issue. I had to start out super slow to hit close to the heart rate zones. I started at about a 16:30 pace, which is slower than I can walk! I have been slowly working on increasing my speed and am now hitting paces in the 13:30-14 minute miles after two months of heart rate training. I am getting there! Slowly, mile by mile, working my way back down to my desired 10-10: 30-minute miles.

In case you were wondering, I do not have any heart rate or blood pressure issues. I have vocal chord dysfunction.

So, I know what I have and I take medicine and do exercises for it. I’ve been doing this for about a month and haven’t had any issues. *knocks on wood* *crosses fingers* I will be starting marathon training officially on July 9th and I plan to redo my threshold test because I think I need to adjust my heart rate zones after two months. I am also going to start pushing myself. I know I have more in me. I just need to reach down inside and pull it out.

I have the potential and I have the drive. I just need to do it, as Nike would say.

I think the hardest thing with my current pace is the knowledge that I can be faster. I have been there before and I want to be there again. I am trying to be patient and appreciate the gains I am getting. I know I will never win a race. I am not even an age group placer. I am ok with that. I don’t need to win. I just want to be my best self. I want to be a better runner. I want to make new PRs. I want to improve. When I was at my “peak” before I was working towards 9:30-10-minute miles. I want to be there again.

It’s a mind fuck. But I am willing to put in the work. I am willing to run more. To race more. To focus on my strength and working to fix my weaknesses. I want to finish a marathon. I will finish a marathon and I will finish in 4:45. I am putting it out there and I am chasing it. I will catch it. And once I do? I will find a new challenge and crush that too. I have crushed every running goal so far, so why stop now??

What tips do you have for building speed or increasing cadence? Or form tips? I need to work on that too. I like to keep my head down.

And if you didn’t know I’ve been adding videos to my youtube channel. Here is one I threw together real quick on pace!

Road Trip Roundup

Posted on by Jenna

We recently went on a road trip through northern Arizona and Utah.

Oh my god you guys! It was AMAZING! I am ready to go back already. Actually, it has inspired me to sell everything and just drive around the country. There is nothing like seeing the country from your car. Sadly we aren’t selling everything and quitting our jobs to travel but we may look at getting a cabin to escape to when need be.

Road trips might be my favorite thing ever.

The southwest is a magical place with so much to see. We were gone for 8 days and we saw a small fraction of northern Arizona and Utah. We were already talking about a second trip before we even left, now we have to do it! We had to pick and choose from national parks and there are some hikes we skipped because of time restraints. We wanted to see as much as possible and stuck with shorter hikes in order to see more. We had so much fun hiking and being amazed by the beauty this is mother nature. 

The road trip has also inspired some future conservation blog posts. Keep an eye out for those!

So… where did we go?

We started by stopping at Sunset Crater on our way to Page, AZ. We wanted to pick up our annual National Park pass and see the volcano. Because we all know I have a weird obsession with volcanoes. I am still amazed at seeing the life coming through destruction. In Page, we toured both the upper and lower antelope canyons. The photos will never do these canyons justice. I insist you go and see for yourself. Also, schedule the tour in which you see “the beam”. It is so worth it. We also stopped at Horseshoe bend to try and get the iconic shot.  

road tripAfter Page, we headed to Zion. We spent the afternoon doing all the short hikes and seeing most of the park. I think the only easy thing we didn’t get to do was the watchman. We went to a few stops that no one else seemed to be going to. It was so peaceful and calming to stand there and take in nature. I could imagine myself having a little cabin by a stream there. I see myself sitting on the front porch, sipping coffee and reading a book while nature played around me.

Our second day of Zion we got up early because we were hiking the Narrows. If you don’t know, the narrows is mostly hiking through a river. It was fun but hard. There were a few times I wanted to give up. We didn’t make it all the way to the turnaround but were very close. We went almost 5 miles, which was just a short way from the end. I would do it again. After doing it, I know what to expect and can prepare even more. I read several blogs and advice on it but you never know until you actually do it.

And afterward, I stuffed my face with nachos, burger, and fries. 

Before we left for our road trip I said I bet Bryce will be my favorite. I won that bet. I was disappointed that is snowed the week before and the week after because I really wanted to see it covered in snow. Next trip. Bryce is just another one of those surreal places. You look at it and go this was made by frost? I am amazed at what our earth can do. We saw as much of Bryce as we could from pull-offs and short hikes. 

After Bryce, we headed to Island in the Sky at Canyonlands. Next time we are taking the truck we don’t have yet so we can go on some of the dirt roads. But you can still see a lot of different and interesting landscapes with a few short hikes or viewpoints. It’s definitely worth a stop. The Green River overlook and Mesa arch are a couple of the coolest views. We didn’t think we’d have time to the Needles side but we actually did it on our second afternoon in Moab. It’s definitely different from the Island in the Sky side but way fewer people. There’s also not as much to see but was still worth the drive (it feels like you are driving forever and will never reach it). It’s another place where I’d like to have a few days to camp and hike, as most of the trails are longer ones.

We also went through all of the Arches you could drive or do short hikes to see. Add another place I’d like to spend more time to do some of the longer hikes at. I think Fiery Furnace could be fun and a bit intense since you have to have a guide. And after seeing it, I definitely wouldn’t try it on my own. It’s not a place I’d want to get lost it. We didn’t hike to Delicate Arch but it’s another one I’d like to try, as well as Double O. 

On our way home we went past Monument Valley. We stopped a few places along the highway to take photos. Again, we would take our non-existent truck next time to see more. We weren’t going to attempt a rough gravel road in our Cruz. It’s a great care but definitely meant more for highway driving. 

That is our road trip in a nutshell!

We stayed at a lot of nice places and ate a lot of good food. I was afraid it would be difficult to find gluten-free foods but there were options and they were good too!

Where would you take a road trip to?

Shop now and give back to the National Park Foundation with each purchase. 15% of every purchase is donated to the National Park Foundation because I believe we should save these lands for future generations. 

Maui: Road to Hana

Posted on by Jenna

road to hanaIf you are looking for adventure and happen to be on Maui try the road to Hana.

The road to Hana is one of my favorite things to do there and you can see new things each time. There’s waterfalls, beaches, cute little shops, and much more! I’ve done it twice and would love to do it again! I really want to spend more time exploring some of the hiking trails. We’ve only done some of the short walks to waterfalls. Plus, I’d really love to sunrise or sunset at Ohe’o Gulch. It is basically the end of the road so you’d have to either stay in Hana or camp out. 

The road to Hana is full of wind, curvy roads. Sometimes on the side of a cliff and at spots, it becomes a one-way road. If these things scare you, it may not be the best adventure for you. If you aren’t sure, give it a try! You can always turn around if you decide you’d rather not take the drive. If you get car sick it might be best to pack the Dramamine or skip this. If you do go and take it slow, be sure to pull over at spots to allow others to pass. The line of cars can grow quickly if one person is going under the speed limit. 

Five tips for your road to Hana adventure

  1. Leave plenty of time to explore. If you don’t want to be driving these curvy, wild roads in the dark head out early in the morning. If you want to go all the way to Ohe’o Gulch and/or explore all the little spots on the way, it can be a full day.
  2. Download the Gypsy Guide app. They recommend places to stop on the way up and stories for the ride back. It’s $5.99 and well worth it. If you are doing Haleakala as well get the $9.99 version. We used it on both trips. 
  3. Even with the app, plan ahead. Know what your must see and must-dos are. You don’t want to miss any stops that you were looking forward to! There aren’t a lot of places to stop and buy food so plan water and snacks if needed. Also, the cell phone connection is spotty so you won’t always have service.
  4. Take cash. Some of the spots and places only take cash. You may want to grab some fresh fruit or banana bread on your way!
  5. Remember, this drive is truly about the journey and not the destination. You are experiencing the road to Hana, not Hana itself.

What is your favorite road trip or drive? 

Want to own your own piece of Hana? Head over to the Shop and peruse the Maui gallery. 

Book Review – Running is my Therapy

Posted on by Jenna

Scrolling through Instagram one day I stumbled across a post about Running is my Therapy by Scott Douglas and was intrigued.

I immediately went to Amazon to read more about it. And then pre-ordered it.

running is my therapy

I struggle with anxiety and mild depression.

I have since at least high school, more anxiety than depression. My brain is a constant swirl of worries. I struggle to shut down the thoughts that pop up almost every second. I like to tell people my brain is like a browser with 281 tabs open and when you close one you open two or three more. I struggle to fall asleep because I start thinking about everything I need to get done tomorrow. And the next day. And next week, next month. Hell, I start thinking months out. It’s hard to shut down. If I awake in the middle of the night my brain immediately starts winding up again.

I thought Running is my Therapy could be an interesting read, as well as a refresher, and chance to learn more about the relationship between running, anxiety and depression. I would say it was definitely all three. Douglas does a great job of mixing in his own and other’s struggles along with studies to show how running can help ease anxiety and depression.

The book focused a lot more on depression than anxiety but it was still worth the read. It was a pretty easy and fast read for me. I would, and have been, recommending it to many people. Douglas explains the scientific stuff in a way that is easy to understand and not boring. Even if you know all of this information already it is a nice refresher and I think all the personal stories help illustrate that you are not alone. Some professional athletes even suffer from anxiety and depression.

I know running helps me with my anxiety and depression but had been having troubles getting consistent with it. It’s one of those catch-22s. Your anxious and/or depressed and can’t get out for a run because of it. You know running will help but your brain tricks you into thinking it won’t and it’s too hard. Or it’s not worth it. It won’t help but in reality, it is one of the best helpers. I will definitely pull this book out again to ready when I’m having moments like these.

I have been running consistently since the start of May. I am in no way healed, those of us with anxiety and depression will never be fully healed, but I am feeling better. I am having many more good days than bad. It’s a lifelong condition and I need to make running a lifelong habit. Whenever I fall out of it, I get more anxious and depressed which causes me to run less, gain more weight, and get even more depressed.


You can find Running is my Therapy on Amazon. I am an Amazon associate and will earn a few pennies on each purchase from the above link.

2018 Gluten Free Expo

Posted on by Jenna

The Gluten Free Expo is back in Glendale!

Gluten-free? You don’t want to miss out on the expo. You can hang out in the air-conditioned and sample all sorts of gluten-free goodies. Plus you can collect coupons for great deals on the products you loved. The expo is on June 23rd and 24th from 10 am – 3 pm, the perfect time to head indoors!

You know what’s better than just going to the gluten-free expo?

Going to the gluten-free expo for FREE! I have five free tickets to give away. You get to pick either Saturday or Sunday to attend. I am giving away two here on my blog and the other three on my Instagram, Runs_On_Espresso. To win one of the blog tickets, just comment below on why you want to go to the Expo. To win on Instagram, head over to my account, give me a follow and comment on the gluten free expo post! You can enter on both! Winners will be chosen on May 28th at 12 pm, Arizona time.

If you don’t win, you can always get 20% off your tickets! How? Head over to the ticket page and enter the code ADVANCE through June 22nd. Now that is a deal!

At the expo, you can learn more through several different classes that are offered over both days. Or just check out all the vendors. I would highly recommend Smart Flour. I discovered their pizzas a few years ago at the expo and now buy them all the time. I also love checking out Schar’s booth. I love their products but rarely find them in store so it’s nice to try out different products before ordering.

I see honey stinger will be back. Maybe I need to talk to them about sponsoring me as a gluten-free athlete. I absolutely love their waffles!

*As an official blogger I receive $1 for each ticket purchased through my referral link.

heart rate training

Heart Rate Training

Posted on by Jenna

In April I read the book 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald. I had heard how great heart rate training is and it seems every runner I know has moved to it. I decided to give it a try and started May 1st. It’s been eye-opening and a challenge but I am remembering how much I love running and how I want to improve. I want to reach my goal of running a marathon. And I want to do it in under 5 hours.

I feel as if I’m starting over.

heart rate training
Will run for tacos

My very first heart rate training run was extremely hard. And slow. Like super slow. Like I feel I could walk faster. My average pace was 16:52! I’m usually around 10:00-10:30 in my races. After this run, I was feeling really discouraged. How would I be able to complete the Las Vegas Rock N Roll marathon in under 5 hours? If I don’t meet the cutoff time I will get swept.

But I kept going.

I am following the plan as close as I can. I have not skipped a run yet. I had to move a couple items around but I am doing it. This week marks the start of week 3 and it’s getting easier. And I’m shaving off a little bit of time here and there. This morning I averaged 15:26, more than a minute less than when I started. I am comparing the same run (Foundation 3) for these numbers.

Yesterday I did a 7-mile long run and I felt so good after. I was tired but not too much. My legs were a little tired but not too much. My first long run (6 miles) was 16:17 pace. Yesterdays was 15:57. It’s not a lot but it’s trending in the right direction. My hope is that after two months of heart rate training, I am closer to my usual training times.

My real marathon training starts in July. I hope to cut more time as the weeks go on. I really like the challenge and philosophy behind heart rate training and I want to keep doing it. It’s humbling to be back at these times. And frustrating. But I am not having any of the health issues I get when I don’t follow (dizziness, nauseous) so I want to keep at it. (Don’t worry, I have a doctors appointment coming up to have everything checked out to make sure I don’t have an underlying issue). If I can’t get my time down, I will drop down to the half and try again for a marathon.

I will conquer the marathon distance. I need to. I am driven.

Already doing heart rate training? Tell me about your experience. I am trying to trust the process but some days are harder than others.

Interested in heart rate training? Check out Matt Fitzgerald’s book and let me know what you think!* 

*I am an Amazon Associate. If you purchase the book through the above link I receive a small percentage.

 

Hollywood Hills

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Hollywood Hills

Back in January of 2017, we took a magical trip to the Hollywood Hills. 

I say magical because we went to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios. There will be a blog post about that at a later date. For now, we are looking at the Hollywood Hills. Everyone knows the famous Hollywood sign. It was originally read Hollywoodland and was for a housing development in the 1920s. It also used to light up in sections, holly, wood, and land. I bet that was a site to see! 

In 1932 a young actress climbed up the letter H and jumped to her death.

We stayed at Hollywood Historic Hotel, which was built in the 1920s. It still has a lot of the details of the 20s, which I always appreciate. The room we had was a little small, but that wasn’t really an issue for us. The bathroom was a little small, which was the bigger drawback than the room size. The walls were decorated with photos of old Hollywood and stars of days gone by. They added a nice touch. I am pretty sure the elevator is the original one so we only used that when we checked in and out. The stairs were much faster. We chose this one for the location and the uniqueness. I like to find hotels with a little bit of history and charm over the cookie cutter Hiltons and Holiday Inn types. 

We drove up to Griffith Observatory on a Sunday, not realizing it was closed. Not a big deal, we walked around the observatory and enjoyed the views. I took a few photos and appreciated the architecture of the Observatory. I have plans to go back someday when it’s open because I enjoy astronomy.

I have been enamored with stars ever since I can remember. 

In 1896, Griffith Griffith (what a name!) donated the land now known as Griffith park to the city as well as money with the stipulation that a planetarium, observatory, and hall be built to bring astronomy to the general public. Construction began in 1933 and was completed in 1935. The observatory closed for four years, starting in 2002, for renovations and expansion. 

To keep up with my travels in real time follow me on Instagram and Twitter!

 

World Penguin Day

Posted on by Jenna

World Penguin Day

April 25th is World Penguin Day. I have been a fan of penguins for as long as I can remember. There is just something about those cute birds that just pull you in. Their tuxedo-like appearance, the waddle, and their sliding/diving antics. My dream is to someday photograph these amazing birds in their natural habitat. 

Penguins natural habitat is in the southern hemisphere, stretching from the Galapagos to Antartica. They spend up to 75% of their life in water. They look for their food in the water and actually catch it in their beak and swallow whole as they swim! 

Did you know the penguin’s unique appearance is called countershading and it keeps them safe in the water? It’s not for those fancy dinners they attend.

Each penguin has a unique call they use to find their mate and chicks. Most penguins are monogamous during mating season while some are for life. The main reason they may choose a new mate is if their previous mate doesn’t return to the nesting area. The king and emperor penguins lay one egg each mating season while all other types lay two. 

Penguins aren’t endangered but we still need to raise awareness with world penguin day because the Adelie penguin populations are falling in areas where climate change is established. Adelie penguins depend on sea ice for their food, krill, with the warming Antarctic and ocean their feeding grounds are being affected. Krill depend on sea ice and the sea ice has reduced by 60% in the last 30 years. Adelie penguins are important because they eat krill and small fish while they are the food for larger mammals like leopard seals and killer whales. 

Enjoy a fun little video about the cranky chinstrap penguins.

My dream job/favorite Antartic photographer’s website. Someday I hope to be half the photographer he is. 

 

Earth and Arbor Day

Posted on by Jenna

arbor dayEarth and Arbor Day

April is quite the month for those of us dedicated to helping the Earth. Both Earth Day and Arbor Day are celebrated this month.

It’s like Christmas for hippies!

Earth Day, April 22nd, started in 1970 and next year (2020) will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. This year’s theme and focus is ending plastic pollution, which is a mighty big undertaking, considering how much we rely on plastics. I’ve been trying to reduce my plastic use but it is everywhere! Even recycling all the plastic I can, some still ends up in the trash because it’s not accepted by our city.

The Earth Day Foundation wants to help with the issue of not being able to recycle all plastics. They are working on making global regulations for disposal of all plastics. They also want to end single-use plastics.

But is that even doable at this point?

I think getting better disposal and recycling will be easier than getting rid of all single-use plastics. We, as a society, have grown accustomed to single-use, disposable items, like water bottles. Reversing the trend will be a difficult task. I admit I use water bottles in very limited circumstances. And I always take my bottle home to recycle it. 

All this plastic puts our wildlife and oceans at risk. We need to find solutions and alternatives to our dependency on plastics.

What can you do?

Start small by recycling what you can. Eventually, I hope we can get to 100% recycling but we aren’t there… yet. Check your cities website for what is and is not recyclable. Reduce your use of water bottles and other single-use plastic items. Get yourself reusable cups or tumblers. Look into glass containers or bento boxes for your lunches. Look for products with little or no packaging or those with packages made from recyclable materials.

Arbor Day is April 27th. In the US, the very first Arbor day was in 1872. It was started as a day to plant trees.

Fun Fact: The first recorded Arbor Day was in 1594 in Spain! 

How can you participate in Arbor Day?

If you are planting a tree, be sure to choose the right tree. Look for one native to your climate. This is especially important when you live in a desert like I do. You don’t want trees that suck down water if you don’t get a lot of rain. If you aren’t planting trees you can take a tree hike and try to identify all the different types of trees you see. You can also volunteer to clean up a public place. Or just take a walk through your neighborhood and pick up trash as you go.

Some fun tree facts:

  • One acre of forest puts out four tons of oxygen and takes in six tons of carbon dioxide.
  • There are 60-200 million spaces along city streets in the US that could potentially have trees planted. Those trees could absorb 33 million tons of CO2 each year and save approximately four billion (!) in energy costs.
  • Want to save on your AC costs? Plant shade trees. They can save up to $175 per year!

Want to plant a tree this year? Here are a few tips. 

Want to learn the basics of recycling? Get your today!

Kilauea Lighthouse

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Kilauea Lighthouse

kilauea lighthouseThe Kilauea Lighthouse is located on the beautiful island of Kauai. It is also a national wildlife refuge for many seabirds, including  ‘Ā, Mōlī, ‘Ua ‘u kani, and the nēnē, the official state bird. The lighthouse sits on a cliff of a dormant volcano and provides protection to the birds that live there as well as a sanctuary in the water below for honu, ‘Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, and Koholā. The refuge helped bring the nēnē back from the verge of extinction. 

The location was chosen because Kauai was the first landfall for ships coming from the west. The cliff at Kilauea was chosen because it meant the tower didn’t need to be as high, thus cutting costs. Kilauea Lighthouse was made of new, cutting-edge technology of structural reinforced concrete (which is apparently standard now). 

An interesting little story from Kilauea Point National History Association site:

In 1927, the Kīlauea Point Light Station would play a role in aiding a new mode of travel, aviation.  The first flight from the mainland to Hawai‘i overshot its intended destination in O‘ahu in bad weather. Lost in the night, the pilots finally spotted the double flash of Kīlauea Point, realizing they were over Kaua‘i. They circled the tower for an hour and a half, waiting for daylight. Then they made the 100 mile trip to O‘ahu.  

kilauea lighthouse on metal

The lighthouse went dark after the attack on Pearl Harbor and was not lit again until after the war. Soon after it was no longer necessary to man the lighthouse and in 1976 the light was turned off. In 2008 restoration work was started and completed in 2013. 

The Kilauea Lighthouse looks great printed on metal, why not order one today?