Thursday, January 20, 2011

My Favorite Things & Tempo Thursday

I've been wanting to write about some things I'm loving lately and I saw Corey did the same thing so I'm copying her! 

1) Bath and Body Works Bubble Bath and Taking Baths
I'm on a bath kick lately and this stuff is amazing! So many bubbles!  My favorite! There's nothing like relaxing with a bubble bath and a good book (I'm currently reading Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl)

2) Foam Soap
I love love love Foam Soap from Bath and Body Works.  I have foam soap in every bathroom and every sink in my house.  And extras under every vanity.  I never want to be without it!  Bonus- when restuarants have foam soap- makes my day : )

3) Sex and the City on E!
Umm, I could watch SATC over and over and over again.  I love that they've been starting from the beginning and showing episodes when the characters used to talk into the camera... such a fabulous show!


4) The treadmill

This is my favorite treadmill on the planet and they took them away at my gym!! So sad!  I love the fans on the side.  In general though, I do love the treadmill for helping me pace better.  But I need a treadmill with a TV and a fan.  I would die without it!

5) Threading
looks painful right?  I mean it's not fun but threading is so much better on your skin then waxing and it lasts a really long time!  I've been so impressed with my salon in Boston.  My eyebrows have never looked better!


6) Good Movies.  Finally.  The Fighter.  Social Network.  Inception.  Black Swan.
 I majored in film but I don't like a lot of movies. Crazy huh?  Well, truth is, I've been really UNIMPRESSED by Hollywood movies in the past few years.  But 2010 changed that for me.  The Fighter, Inception and Social Network were all inspiring stories that were well directed and even better acted.  I haven't seen Black Swan (seeing it Friday) but I've heard great things about it as well.  I was so happy to finally see some movies that left an IMPACT.

7) My Backpack
I wear this thing everyday and I'm not embarrassed.  I keep full size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, flips flops, my straightner and make up.  You can't tell, but those side pockets are to put your worn gym clothes so it doesnt stink up the bag.  Pretty sweet feature!

8) Ripe Bananas
Random right?  As I've mentioned, I don't really love fruit, but I love me some ripe bananas so I can make my baked oatmeal loaves for the week!

9) Jersey Shore/Chopped/Gossip Girl and Top Chef
Jersey Shore is such an amazing trainwreck.  Chopped and Top Chef are fabulous cooking shows.  I love the challenges.  And Gossip Girl... oh where are you Gossip Girl, I've missed you!

10) Posterpedic bed
 Okay, okay, we actually have a Bob-O-Pedic... but its seriously the best bed in the world.  I just melt into bed and get a great night sleep every night!

11) My Water Bottle
 I love love love water.  I drink 6-10 of these a day filled with tons of ice water! Mmmm.  I honestly crave water!

12. Dry Shampoo
Yep, I'm a huge fan of dry shampoo.  I have a few brands, but I like this one the best.  I don't wash my hair unless I sweat on it... its a rule of mine.  This is my dirty little secret- but it works amazing!  On days I lift or take off from the gym, I shower without washing my hair... shhh, don't tell!
_______________________________________________________________________________
On another note I just went to the gym during lunch since I couldn't get up this morning (damn you Top Chef and your 10pm start time!) and I attempted what I thought was a Tempo.  Turns out, according to my super fast friend Leah (who ran a 3:10 Boston by the way)- I really did a "Pace Run." Tempos are when you warm-up, then go 5 minutes at normal pace and 5 minutes at faster pace for about 5-6 miles.  What my plan was:
 What I did was:
10 minute warm-up, 1 mile, 6.0mph on the treadmill 1.0 incline
2 miles in 16:27, 7.2-7.4mph on the treadmill at 1.0 incline (8:13min pace)
400 rest (walk 200, jog at 6.0mph for 200)
1 mile at 7.5 mph (8 min mile)
then I jogged for .75 (3 quarters of a mile) at 6.2-6.5 
Ended with 5 miles in 45:45

I kinda wanted to die during the faster miles.  I wanted to run 3 miles under 8:23 but after two I needed the break.  Oh well, something to work on I guess!

What are your favorite things?  How do you run Tempos?

17 comments:

  1. Ooh SATC would be a great TV show to watch on the treadmill!! I love reading about other people's favorite things - it gives me ideas! Like the idea that I could not wash my hair! Haha, that sounds like something I need to look into.
    I like to experiment doing tempo runs different ways - I think my favorite way is to warm up 1-1.5 miles, spend 1-2 miles building up to my 10k pace, sustain my 10k pace for 15-20 minutes, then gradually slowing down and cooling down.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love that SATC is on E too! so convenient - I could watch it over and over as well.

    I run tempos with 1 mile warm up, then 4-5 miles tempo pace and a few miles cooldown. Slowly trying to increase the number of tempo miles though!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also love Bath & Body works soap! I always buy like 4 at a time and can't go through them fast enough to put out new "flavors"!

    also EAGERLY awaiting the return of Gossip Girl!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gossip Girl comes back this Monday! I am so, so, so excited. it's actually rather sad :) Though Jersey Shore has been doing well holding me over.

    Great job on the tempo run! My secret with tempo runs is to do your warm-up mile really slow. Then ease into the tempo and negative split it. For example, I don't usually keep a 7:45 pace for 3 miles. Instead I do one mile at 7:55, one at 7:45, one at 7:35 so the average is still the same. I'm not sure you're really supposed to do that, but it works for me :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sweet list! I agree with SATC on E! and the dry shampo is a must. I have this new found respect for those who run on the treadmill after breaking a long streak of only running outside I attempted a speed workout on the treadmill and struggled the whole time. Glad you got your workout in.
    Other things I am loving..my stash of fitness magazines and my water bottle.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I agree with so many of your facorite things!!!

    Jersey Shore is a guilty pleasure of mine! And LOVE me some Top Chef.

    Did you see all those dramas? I saw Inception and The Fighter! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love dry shampoo too. Whenever I straighten my hair, I try to go a couple days without washing it, so the dry shampoo is perfect! I also love foam soap. And thanks for telling me about SATC! I love re-watching the old episodes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love baths! I've been taking one every night. I've also been watching dumb Sex & The City. I don't why, but once it's on, I can't stop!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm a fan of waxing my eyebrows. I've tried threading but waxing just gets it over with so much quicker. My eyebrows grow super fast and I have to get them done once every two weeks no matter how I get the hair removed.

    Have you seen 127 Hours? Great movie.

    ReplyDelete
  10. That foam soap seriously is the best. I am constantly washing kid germs off my hands and it's the only stuff that doesn't get my hands all chapped.

    You know how I feel about the treadmill - love it! I love group runs more, though! This snow needs to stay away so we can RUN!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I want to try that dry shampoo!! I pace runs too. I need to do some real tempos! I love the treadmill for tempos because I can control my pace.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice list! I'm with you, I drink A LOT of water. If something happens that I don't, I can totally feel a difference.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am a bath junkie! But I love Philosophy products. My current fave is hazelnut espresso. YUM! And totally agree about SATC on E. It comes on at the perfect time for the night to start unwinding a little.

    ReplyDelete
  14. yay for favorite things. I wish i had a nice bathtub. I want to try the dry shampoo but what is up with the painful looking eyebrow procedure. where do you get it done and how much does it cost?!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love this! Although I have to admit -- I actually hate foam soaps. :( I'm just not convinced they're doing anything. So I pump and pump until I have a mountain of it in my hand...just to make sure things are clean. Obsessive?? Maybe ;)

    Also, I have always done tempo runs the way you described, not by going 5 min normal/5 min fast. That sounds more like a fartlek to me... Anyway, great job on getting through it! I try to break it up into smaller segments to keep myself motivated. If I approach it as one mile at a time that I have to do hard, it makes it so much easier.

    Hope you enjoyed Black Swan!! I just saw it last weekend and was kind of stunned silent afterward. It's pretty intense, but really really good.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I am really interested in the dry shampoo you posted! I've looked for dry shampoo at my grocery store but haven't found it. My scalp dries out really easily, especially in the winter (maybe it has something to do with my super hot showers?) but I'd love to not shampoo my hair every day.

    I thought tempo runs were more at a set pace - not in intervals. But I'm still learning...

    ReplyDelete
  17. I need to get in on this dry shampoo business. Missed you yesterday!

    ReplyDelete