Race Review- Columbus Marathon

Race Day:

Woke up around 5:20am.  I ate a hard boiled egg and a bowl of cereal with my normal cup of coffee.  I was dressed and on my way by 6:15am.  Getting to the start line was an easy 1 mile walk which also helped me warm up a bit.  

Warm-up (10 min):

• Knees to chest
• Side shuffle
• High knees
• Butt kicks
• Warrior lunges (hold for stretch)
• Side lunges (hold for stretch)
• Strides
• Kick throughs

After my warm-up I took off my sweatshirt and warm-up pants and left them at the gear check.  I headed to the bath room and then my corral around 7:15am.  This gave me another 8 minutes to warm up my hips which cause me the most trouble during long runs.  One last bite of a granola bar and a sip of water. I entered my corral.

The Race:

National Anthem and we were off.  

Although tempting, I stayed away from the crowds starting off under a 7:30 mile and stuck to a pace I was comfortable with.

I don't really remember much of the first 3 miles.  I didn't look at my watch much and just ran on feeling.  I watched the crowds and the runners around me.  I was averaging just under an 8:10 pace.

Around mile 4 I ran into two other runners that seemed to be just around my pace.  I decided I would take this chance to make some friends.  We chatted and encouraged each other for the next 13 miles.  I had no idea what kind of effect this conversation would have on my race.  We were hitting somewhere between 8:05 and 8:10 in pace which was great.  I quickly learned that one of the runner's goals was to qualify for Boston.  My focus quickly changed from myself to her.  Her plan was to make it to mile 16 at our current pace and pick it up to finish under 3:35.  I wanted to help her get to that point knowing I would eventually have to back off.  At mile 16 we said our Good-byes--she was off.

After exiting the excitement of the Ohio State Stadium, the course seemed boring at many times. We were running through residential areas with many quiet streets.  I backed off  and finished my next two miles just under 8:45 pace.  That leaves me at mile 18. 

Things began to go downhill from here. Something didn't settle right in my stomach, and I had to stop briefly to throw it up (sorry it's gross, I know.)  I lost a great deal of liquid, and my body was starting to cramp.  I made it to the next liquid station and had to walk a little.  I did my best to put it out of my head and kept running.  Mile 19 through 23 were an average of 9:30 mile pace.  This is quite slow for me, but my muscles were struggling.  

Mile 24 through 26 were a bit of a blur.  I was in a lot of pain and my muscles were cramping with every step.  I tried once to stop and stretch but that only made it worse.  I just kept telling myself..."If you walk you will only drag this pain on longer...keep running".  I looked around and I could feel the pain from all of my fellow runners.  I stayed positive and did my best to push what I had left through the finish line.

My Official Time

My Garmin Information---seemed like a common theme that the miles were slightly off.

Was it the time I had hoped for...not quite.  Was I happy with my time...yes.  I ended up finishing with about a 10 minute PR.  For my second marathon I will gladly take that, especially since my first marathon was only 5 months ago.  I have learned so much in training, and I know I will only get better from here.

What this marathon gave me:

After finishing and meeting up with my supportive Mom and boyfriend, I sought out a place to just sit for a moment.  To my surprise I ran into my running partner and couldn't help but reach for a hug. She reached her goal and ended up qualifying for Boston. 

Being able to complete 16 miles easily on pace for a Boston Qualifying time next to her made me realize something I had not thought much about previously...I have the ability to BQ.  This Ah-Ha moment is already embedded into my brain and has given me a great deal of confidence.  Although I am currently taking a little time off from distance running, I have already begun to reevaluate my training and what I plan on doing in the future. 

Thanks to my boyfriend I have these great pics, and he gladly lent me his arm that 1 mile walk back to our hotel. 

Columbus Marathon Review:

• Expo: Easy to get to, no lines or hassle picking up packet, good variety of vendors.
• Location: From what I could tell Columbus was a clean city. It was easy to get to and from the start/finish
• Porta Johns: Strangely set-up--waited quite a while before the race.
• Course: Pretty mild hills, great fans, ---some quiet miles through residential areas.  The best part about the entire weekend was seeing the Children's Hospital kids along the course. 
• Finish: It seemed like I had to walk a bit to receive any Gatorade and food. But a lot of medics and volunteers
•  Overall:  I would definitely recommend this race to another runner- especially one looking for a less challenging course that needs a good confidence booster. Plus your fee goes to a great cause, and it is clear the entire course who you are running for.

Marathon Week

First of all, if you haven't already check out my latest article on the weeks leading up to your big race.  It is all about preparing your mind and body.

“I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart.” – Mike Fanelli

http://insidetheathleticgrind.com/moments-before-the-marathon/

As far as my prep goes:

Sunday: Rest, stretch, walk, foam roll.
Monday: Easy 3 mile run, walk, foam roll, stretch.
Tuesday: Rest, stretch, walk, foam roll.
Wednesday: Rest, stretch, walk, foam roll.
Thursday: Easy 2 mile run, foam roll, stretch.

I have been maintaining relatively normal eating habits that I have this entire journey.  However I have added a few extra carbs to my lunch and dinner.  I am focusing a lot on hydration and sleep with trying to get no less than 8 hours a day and taking a short nap after work if I have time.

I will be heading to Columbus this afternoon/evening to head to the expo and check in to my hotel. That gives me a full day Saturday to relax and keep my feet up.

Doing my best to combat my crazy nerves.  I will be sure to update my blog post race and conclude this journey of my running career.

This race will end, but my running journey has just begun.

On your left.

Week of Tapering

I am officially in taper mode. It is an important time of training, but also the time of where your mind goes crazy.  All of a sudden your mileage drops.  Although I understand and know the importance of tapering my body goes crazy because I want to keep running. keep training, keep working harder.

Despite my need and want to run, I held back my pace and my mileage this whole week. 

This is what my week looked like:

Time, distance, elevation change, and average pace

I have been also focusing on rolling out and stretching as much as possible (at least 2 to 3 times a day).  On my off days I have been going to light yoga routines.  Most importantly I am making sure I am sleeping enough and keeping up my nutrition.

There is one week until the marathon and my nerves are in full effect. All the training, all the sacrifices, all the pain, and all the preparation for one run.  My goal this upcoming week is to continue with low mileage, keeping my focus on stretching, great nutrition and rest, but most importantly mentally prepare myself.  Reminding myself to have fun and relax.

Good luck to everyone training and racing this fall.

Less than 2 weeks until Marathon #2

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” -Edmund Lee

Sorry it has been over a week since my last Blog Post and update on my training.  Most of my spare time is spent resting or sleeping in hopes of giving myself plenty of time to recover.  These last few weeks are the most critical for your final steps of preparation until your race.

Taper, taper, taper...cut back on your miles. Let your body rest. Refuel. Prepare your body and mind.

Last Tuesday:

-Stretching

-Hip mobility and balance work

-Single leg squats

-Sumo squats

-Lunges

-Side Lunges

-Core work

Last Wednesday:

Short, quick 3.30 mile run.

Last Thursday:

Another short, quick run.

Friday:

Rest as usual. 

Saturday:

My Saturday run was 7 boyfriend miles + 4 girl miles back on the Montour Trail for a total of 11 miles at 9:25 avg pace.

Nick is training for a run in November which will be his first ever road race and first ever half marathon.  I remember how hard it was to get through some of the mental barriers of running when I first started, and I wanted to be there to help him through a few of his.

Neither of us took headphones on our run, so it was just us (pretty much alone) on a quiet trail.  I wore the watch and did not let him know of the time or the distance.  I wanted to push him (safely) to a distance that I knew he was able to accomplish at this point in his training.  I wanted to help him get through mental boundaries he had of a specific time period of consistent running and distance.

Earlier in my training I had major deficiencies in strength that Nick helped me through. He wrote me out lifting programs and schedules, ran power running workouts on the track with me, and motivated me in ways I could not do alone.  He continues to build my strength both physically and mentally.

Marathon training and running in general is often compared to life---the ups and downs, the mental endurance, the goal setting, and achievements.  My advice for those in training or just in life is the most important relationships are the ones where you both make each other the best version of yourself.  Keep the ones who make you stronger close by.

If you haven't already, check out Nick's Journey to his first road race.

One last "Long Run"

"Be unrelenting. If you don't believe, then who will?" -Kara Goucher

Heading into a race you always wonder: did I train enough? Could I have worked harder? What could I have done differently? Am I ready? Can I hit my goal?

If you are thinking this, you are not alone.  As runner's we are based on individual success. This allows us to put a great deal of pressure on ourselves.  Our outcomes are determined by our work, our preparation, and our execution.

Just breath. Trust in your training. And take one mile at a time.

"If you have the courage to fail, then you have the courage to succeed." -Shalane Flanagan

This is something I deal with a lot.  I put a great deal of pressure on myself and often forget about having fun with running.  I want to be the best I can be at this sport. I am one of the most competitive people I know (ask my boyfriend).  But with all of this I go through ups and downs with my confidence levels.  I am new at running, and after only completing my first marathon only 5 months ago, I have a lot to learn.  I try to gain something different from every run, every workout, and every emotion I feel along the way.

Saturday was my last "Long Run" before my next marathon.  I will start tapering the next 3 weeks.

17 miles that felt at a rather easy pace for me.  I felt pretty strong for the majority of the run.  I was lucky to be able to complete this run back on a trail which is relatively flat with a few small hills.  I learned last marathon training that I could not continue to do my long runs around my neighborhood because the hills are so drastic that it was killing my legs.

Sunday: Homemade whole wheat apple pancakes for breakfast and homemade "healthier" Greek yogurt mac and cheese.  Love experimenting in the kitchen with good food and fresh ingredients.

Monday: Recovery run, lots of stretching, hip mobility, and core work.

 Keep on running.

Keep your head up.

Prepare for YOUR race.

On your left.

Less than a month until my next Marathon

My next marathon is officially less than a month away.  I will be running the Columbus Marathon on October 19th.  The nerves and excitement are beginning to set in.  My training started off pretty bad with severe IT band pain that I developed shortly after my last marathon in May.  That has put my training behind quite a bit.  Despite that I hope to finish with a PR and more experience under my belt.  I have learned so much from December when I first started training for marathons.  I know that in time my knowledge and experience will only enhance my performances.

Monday:

Pretty chilly out for my nice 6.5 mile run through my neighborhood.  I finished off my run with hip mobility exercises.

• Single leg balance (10 each leg hold for 5 sec)
• Leg raises (30 each leg)
• Clams (40 each leg)
• Hip raises (20 each leg)
• 4 way hip (10 each way x2)
• plank (3 minutes)

Tuesday:

Completed the same workout as previous weeks. Won't bore you with the details but check it out if you missed it.

Wednesday:

Stretch, rest, walked about 1.5 miles, and stretch again.

Thursday:

Usually do some sort of tempo run on the track, but some football game was going on at the high school track near my house.  Although frustrated I had to alter my run, I decided to do 6 miles at just around my half marathon pace.  Again through the hills of Mt. Lebanon this was still a tough run for me.

Also got a nice surprise in the mail today from CLIF.  They are one of the sponsors for the Columbus Marathon and are providing the Pace Team for the Race.  They sent me a package with some post workout protein, a CLIF shot (during), a hydration packet, a traditional CLIF bar, and their energy Blocks.

To all who are running a marathon this fall---keep your head up and stay focused.

On your left.

Tempo Thursday and a 20 miler

A quiet track. Just how I like it. 

Tempo Thursday:
Took a nice light jog and dynamic warm-up from my house to the high school track (about a mile).

My goal for this tempo run was to prove to myself that I could be 'better than the last mile'.  I like this concept because when you think you've just pushed yourself as hard as you could go, you end up surprising yourself.  In any run I do, unless I warm-up for about 40 minutes, my first few miles are my slowest.  I can't seem to get out of that rut, but luckily for me, I typically have many miles after to make up the time.

Here is how my 'Better than the Last Mile' run went:

My legs were pretty heavy and still a bit sore from Tuesday's workout, but I pushed through this one nicely.  After yelling at myself at mile 2 for not being better than my last mile, I proved to myself I am a lot faster than I sometimes lead myself to believe.  Strangely enough, my body feels in most control and comfortable around the 7:10 pace, but my conditioning and strength is not there yet to maintain that pace for a distance run.  This is what I strive for though.  

Friday:

Nice long stretch (2x) and rest.

Hello 20 Mile Saturday:

Woke up at 5am to eat, foam roll, and stretch before traveling about 30 minutes to an entrance for the Montour Trail.  This was my first time on the course, and I must say, it is beautiful.  At that hour it was not crowded, very quiet and peaceful, and tons of restrooms.  To be sure I hit my 20 mile mark, I ran 10 miles away so I had to complete the 10 miles back to my car.

It was tough.  The first 14 miles I felt great. 16 and 17 were so-so, but when I hit 18 I mentally was challenged.  My legs ached, I was out of water, and I had entered the part of the trail where the trees no longer shaded the course.  I promised myself I would slow down, but not stop.  The final mile was off the actual trail, at a conjunction that led to Peter's Park.  I downed a Gatorade and banana at the finish and luckily my boyfriend lives close enough that he came to drive me home.  

Positives:  

• I mentally conquered that run.  My mind drove me further than my legs would have on their own.
• I tested out my race outfit to be sure there was no rubbing, and it was comfortable.  Loved it.  I was apprehensive trying the Nike Epic Run Boyshort, but they didn't move the entire run.  They were less restrictive and fit my body type better than typical running shorts.
• I found a new trail I will definitely take more advantage of in the future.

Enjoy your training!

On your left

Short Run, Fun Workout, and a Yoga Session.

A throwback to my favorite place to do post run abs and stretching (my parent's backyard)

Monday:

Really light 4.5 mile run.  Kept a nice easy pace and threw in some strides to really loosen up my legs. Came home for an ab workout.

• Roll Outs- 10 down the middle, 10 to each side (2x)
• Single leg hip raises (15x2)
• Supermans (15x2)
• Bicycles (15x2)
• Alternating Leg Raises (15x2)
• Dragonfly (10x2)
• Russian Twists (50)

Tuesday:

• Warm-up, 1 mile warm-up run to the track.
• Ladder Work-out (10 yard ladder, jog back)

• 1 leg in each (2x)
• 2 legs in each (2x)
• Side high knees (2x)
• Single leg hops (2x each leg)
• Hops 2 feet in 2 feet out--hopscotch style---deep squat (2x)
• Squat hops (2x)
• Squat hops lateral jump (2x)
• Side the side hops (skiers) (18x2)
• Squat stair jumps (11 stairs, 2x)
• Push-up stairs (with feet on the ground lean up a set of stairs, do 2 push-ups, in your extended position hop your body up to the next stair, repeat until you reach the top)--8 stairs (2x)
• Single Leg Squats 
• 1 mile quick walk home- dynamic stretching along the way
• 2 min front plank (2x)

Wednesday:

Do you have a workout you are embarrassed or shy to do in front of people?

Well, I do...Yoga...

I did Yoga in front of other people one time.  I was so embarrassed.  I was falling all over the place.  I was tangled up in my legs, and I gained nothing from the workout. I was too worried about what others thought, and how I was not as good at it as everyone else that I never did it again.  I love yoga, but I am bad at it. I am not that flexible (I mean I can touch my toes), and I am not that graceful.  

I get so tense from long hours at work, and then long hours of training and running.  I stretch everyday, and I often incorporate Yoga moves I found online.  Today I did a routine I absolutely love doing.  It was created specifically for runners, and it is quick and easy to follow.  The best thing about it...you can do it in your own living room where no one else can see you. Enjoy!

 http://www.runnersworld.com/power-yoga-for-runners

Long Run Routines- Prep and Recovery

Today Inside the Athletic Grind will publish my article on the What is recovery? .  It got me thinking about how as runners or athletes we all have our own routines.  What we do leading up to a long run or a game. What we do after.  How we rest and recover for the next one.

As a college soccer player our schedule typically consisted of game Friday night and a game Sunday afternoon.  So I quickly learned the importance of recovery.  What I did after the game Friday and how I actively recovered Saturday determined my performance on Sunday.  The same concept translates into my running routines.  The better I cool down and recover after a tough run, the better my legs feel for the next one.

I am still learning a lot about the sport of distance running, and I am sure my routine will change many times before I have it perfected. However, I decided to share with you my long run routine. Everyone's body works differently, and this is what I found works best for me.

My long runs are almost always Saturday mornings, but my prep starts Friday morning (or does it ever really end?)
*all of the eating times are estimates based on my schedule at work

• 5:20am wake up. Get ready for work. Stretch while I'm getting ready.
• 6:20 am eat small meal (whole grain cereal and almond milk)
• 8:30 am eat snack at work (bagel peanut butter or oatmeal with peanut butter)
• 10:00 am eat another snack (fruit or veg)
• 12:00 pm lunch (another veg, carb, protein, fruit)
• 2:00 pm snack (carb and protein)
• 6:30 pm dinner (3 part carb and 1 part protein)
• 9:00 pm snack (graham crackers or small bowl of cereal)
• 9:15 pm- 5:30 sleep

Saturday morning:

• 5:30 am wake up. Eat 1 egg, 1 piece of toast, bowl of cereal with almond milk, coffee
• 5:45 am- 6:45 am go back to sleep
• 6:45 am to 7:30 am get dressed, grab my things, warm-up
• 7:30 am start my run. (I take a GU with water about every 45- 50 minutes of running)
• Finish my run.  Walk and light dynamic stretching for about .25 miles.
• Drink about 12 oz of water. Continue stretching with longer holds.
• Make a protein shake (1 scoop)
• Foam roll anything that seems to be bothering me.
• Stretch for another 5-10 minutes
• Long shower (applesauce if my stomach is upset)--at this point I ice anything that is nagging me
• bread or bagel with peanut butter with more water
• Legs up in bed
• 1-2 hours after I finish I eat a complete meal

Recovery continues the rest of the day by activating my muscles by walking and light stretches.  Plus if I'm lucky (I get a message from my loving boyfriend). I make sure I drink enough water and continue to eat often and healthy throughout the day.

It's about keeping pace and letting your legs go

Saturday's long rainy run

After last weekends long run going so bad I knew I needed a week of building confidence.  The best way for me to do this is to focus on power and pace.  Before becoming a distance runner, I prided myself on being a quick and powerful runner.  This was a necessity for a soccer player, especially a defender.

Tuesday:
So Tuesday I went back to my roots and did an agility workout with some long sprints.

• Run to the local high school track (0.5 miles)
• Dynamic warm-up (10 min)
• Ladder work-out (10 yard ladder, jog back)
• 1 foot in each (2x)
• 2 feet in each (2x)
• Hops-both feet in each (2x)
• Hops- right foot only (2x)
• Hops- left foot only (2x)
• Side shuffle (2x)
• Side shuffle high knees (2x)
• 2 feet in 1 foot out (2x)
• Hops 2 feet out, 2 feet in (hopscotch style-2x)
• Squat hops (2x)
• Side to side hops- 10 yard burst 
• Quick feet -20 yard burst
• two feet 20 secs lateral
• two feet 20 secs horizontal
• single foot 20 secs lateral (2x)
• single foot 20 secs horizontal (2x)
• 100s x 4
• 400s x 2
• Light jog back home (0.5 miles)

Wednesday:

Light 2 mile shake out run.

10 minute abs and push-ups

Stretch out

Thursday:

Tempo Run: 

10 minute dynamic warm-up

4 miles at 7:34 pace

Cool down

Stretch

Saturday:

My focus for my long run this week was pace and not distance. My goal was to run a half marathon at my Goal Marathon Pace.

It rained pretty much the entire run. But the positive was that it was a lot cooler and less humid than my previous long runs.  I reached my goal and felt good the whole run. I just let my legs go. I wasn't focused on saving energy or worried I wouldn't get through the run. I don't even remember looking down at my watch until about mile 11 to make sure I was on pace.  

I ended the week with a little over 27.5 miles.  Time to recover and prepare for next weeks 20 miler.

The Ups and Downs of Training

Rolling out after my run. Make it a habit.

If training were easy...then would crossing the finish line feel the same?  Would setting a PR feel the same?

The simple answer is no. We all run for many reasons.  Some for health, some for a good cause, some to fulfill a competitive nature, but whatever the reason, we do it.  Through it all we endure the aches and pains of training, the broken toe nails, the dehydration, the exhaustion, but we all have our reason for why we do it.  Our reason is what pushes us through the ups and downs of training.  Then we cross the finish line, and the rush of emotion we feel is evidence enough that it is all worth it.

This past week I faced a few ups and downs in my training--mostly downs.  I was sick earlier in the week which lead to low miles and fatigue. My long run on Saturday was just bad.  My legs felt good for the first 10 miles, but I could feel my body beginning to cramp up and pain shot through my legs.  The humidity was playing a huge factor in my fatigue.  Plus the remnants of my cold lingered in my ear, nose, and throat.

I quick vomit on mile 14 was my sign to start running back home.  This feeling is definitely not something you want to feel less than 2 months until your next race. The week had shot my confidence. My legs were heavy. I was gasping for air.  My last mile home I had to remind myself why I do this.  Why I put myself through this pain.  I continued home, showered, and put the run behind me. I knew I could not dwell on what had just happened.

I rested Sunday.

Today I headed out on a challenging Up and Down Coarse with no music.  I wanted to focus on my footsteps and my breathing.  I did not want the distraction of music.  My goal was to run off just my motivation and just relax. I took the 8.5 miles slow and steady as I climbed the hills. Focusing on my stride and my controlled power up and down the hills.  I felt good. My confidence began to slowly creep back.

Confidence plays a huge factor in running and in life.  We must believe in our capabilities in order to succeed.  Fear of our inabilities will only set us up for failure.  We must prove to ourselves that through our hard work, determination, and focus that we can confidently conquer challenges that may arise. 

Keep running.

Believe in yourself.

On your left.

10 Things About Me Challenge

I was tagged by Missie at www.melissahalerz.blogspot.com to write 10 things about myself.  Here goes nothing.

1. My athletic life started when I was 3 when I started playing soccer (my first love).
   
2. My first reason for becoming fit was so I never have a reason for a coach to take me out of a soccer game. After college soccer I decided to take up running.  I am now training for my second marathon.
   
3. I have a cat named Watson.  Named after both Watson and Crick and Sherlock Holmes' trusty sidekick.
   
4. I write for a website Insidetheathleticgrind.com  where I am able to tie my two passions, fitness/health and science, together.
5. I am a vegetarian.  I haven't had red meat in over 9 years, and I haven't had chicken in over 3 years.
6. One of my favorite books is Catcher in the Rye.  I left my only copy in our rental car when my boyfriend and I were traveling the coast of California.  I hope someone else is now enjoying it.
7. While most women collect designer heels and flats, I collect running shoes and Vans.
8. My boyfriend has become my best friend, my biggest fan and supporter, and best friends with my cat --I could not ask for more.
   
9. I am from a small town, and I hope my parents never move.  I love knowing I can always go there to retreat from a somewhat hectic life.
   
10. I have big dreams, both athletically and in my career.  I am motivated by these dreams, and I know that one day I will write a book of my journey. Stay tuned!

Thanks for the Challenge Missie. 

When to rest and when to run??

Via Flickr

As runners we run through rain, snow, sleet, humidity, stuffy nose, and sore legs.  We hate to miss a run, and we hate to cut a run short.  However, there are times when resting means getting back to 100% quicker.  The tough part is that fine line that separates when to rest and when to run.

This back and forth battle with your head, your body, and your motivation will drive you crazy.  No, I'm sorry I do not have the answer, but I will share with you a few tips I have learned to follow:

• Any illness from the waist down- do not train.  This means stomach aches, lower back pain, but this does not mean menstrual cramps.
• Any signs of fever or increased heart rate- do not train.  This means your body is already working hard, and you do not want to take energy away from that process by training.
• Dehydration or malnutrition- do not train.  Often when we are sick we do not eat properly, and our bodies dehydrate naturally.  Do not train until both of these have been addressed.
• 80-90% rule.  There is that day when you are starting to feel better but have some lingering symptoms- I call this the 80-90% Day.  My advice is try it.  Go for a light run, start out slow, and make adjustments based on how you feel.  BUT never reach your max and keep it light.

After my run Monday I ended up getting worse and worse.  I came home from work Tuesday (did not train) and slept about 4 hours. Woke up to eat and went back to bed for another 7.5 hours.  I stayed hydrated and ate even though I wasn't feeling it.

Today was my 80-90% Day.  I went on a very light run and stretched out after.  If I am 100% tomorrow I will get back on my normal routine.

Labor Day Weekend Runs

I headed home for the day Saturday so I decided to take advantage of a local trial I had never run before.  I wanted to change things up for my long runs, because the hills in Mt. Lebanon are beginning to wear my legs down.  I completed just over a Half Marathon through the trails of Twin Lakes, Greensburg, PA.

It was a nice easy run for me.  I never at any point was gasping for air or needing to stop.  I wanted to keep a nice slow pace despite my excitement for running in a new place.  My legs definitely felt it afterwards, but I rewarded myself(rather my mom did) with a nice frozen Skinny Vanilla Latte with a Protein Shot from Starbucks.  

I ended up finishing just over 100miles for the month of August.  This is about 30 miles under where I would have liked, but IT band issues held me back from accomplishing that.

After resting Sunday and enjoying some down time, I ran a nice light 5.3 mile run around my neighborhood.  I started to feel sick so I headed straight to the store for some Vitamin C and throat lozenges. Fingers Crossed.

A couple runs, a lift, and a rookie mistake

Tuesday is typically my speed workout on the track, but a high school soccer game kept me from completing my workout.  I was able to do a bunch of 50s on a flat surface above the field.  Nothing compared to my planned workout.

Wednesday was a Day Two Lift in the early morning:
1. Chin ups 3x5

2. Summo Deadlift 5x5

2. Knee to Knee stretch 2x30secs/ Hammy stretch 2x20secs/side

3. 1 legged squats 2x10/right leg 3x12 left leg

4. DB Reverse lunges 2x8/right leg 3x8/left leg

5. DB step ups 2x12/right leg 3x10/left leg

6. Farmer walks 3x 20 yards

7. 3way plank
In attempts to make up the missed workout Tuesday, I came home to run a set of hills (plus to and from).

Thursday:

Today I woke up sore and tired, but pushed myself through a quick 15 minute yoga session to stretch out my body.  After work I pushed through 6 (rather easy) miles.

The Rookie Mistake:

I am not one to wear a lot of make-up...ever.  But I made the rookie mistake of not washing my face to remove the mascara and lotion I had applied before work.  I ran home and quickly headed out for a run before a storm set in.  The humidity, my sweat, and a simple mistake led to my eyes feeling like they were on fire.  No matter how much I wiped my face with my shirt as I was running, the make-up filled sweat was running into my eyes making it hard to see during most of my run.

I know, as women, we try to look good doing everything we do.  And that often includes wearing make-up during workouts.  Well don't do it.  Especially not during a run.  It clogs your pores, drips into your eyes and mouth (things you should not be ingesting), and no one looks good with dark mascara running down their face.  Ditch the make-up and run natural.  Thank me later.

-On your left

Two Workouts and Fresh Vegetables

Another 2-a-day Monday Complete.  5:30am Day 1| Phase 4
Warm Up-

1. 1. Wall Slides x12
2. T-spins x6/side
3. Warrior lunges x8/side
4. Supermans x10
5. Bulgarian Split Squat x8/side
6. Standing leg swings x8/side
7. Squat to stand x10

Day 1:

1. Pullups 4x3-6reps
2. Wallslides 2x10/ Wrist flexor stretch 2x10
3. Feet Elevated Pushups 3x8-12 reps(elbows in)
4. 1-arm cable row 2x12/side
5. 1-arm cable press 2x12/side
6. Facepulls 2x10/side
7. Pallof Press 2x12/side
8. Cable Woodchops(Full Extension Twist) 2x10/side
9. DB Deltoid raises 2x10/side

A little over 3.5 easy miles around 4:45pm.  Legs felt a little tired (probably from sitting at a desk all day), but by the end of my run I was feeling great.

After a long day my body needed a good meal to help me refuel for my track workout tomorrow.  I was lucky to have a bunch of fresh veggies in my fridge from a local farm back home (thanks mom).

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers:

Ingredients:
cooked brown rice
can of black beans
chopped onion
diced tomato
corn
few tablespoons of pasta sauce
season how you like (I added chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper)
some water
olive oil
cheese of choice
large peppers!


Directions:Preheat oven to 375F.  Saute onions in olive oil.  Add rice, beans, tomato, corn, sauce, and seasonings to pan.  Stir in cheese and cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes.  Add warm water and stir together.  Hollow out peppers (remove seeds and white membrane).  Stuff peppers and place in oven for about 20-30 minutes (depends on how soft you want your peppers).  Let sit for about 5 minutes and enjoy!

I also baked some mini egg plants with olive oil (375F for about 25 minutes)