recovery.

when i first started to train last year, i read all about the different runs that i would be doing on my plan. but there was also this thing called rest.  at this point in my training i was VERY "gung-ho"(even more than i am now, if you can believe it) and i didn't understand the importance of rest/recovery.  

as i read more and more about running...it talked more and more about how important rest days were. so i followed my training schedule and rested on those days.

i began to understand that when you train you are actually tearing down your muscles and providing a stimulus to improve a certain part of your fitness. but to improve, your body has to recover from your training and then adapt.  you can't improve without recovery days.  during my half marathon training, i understood that rest was important, but that was it.

it wasn't until i hurt my foot the beginning of december that i really started to learn about recovery. 

it was about a month after my half marathon...and i was not sure what direction i was going. i didn't have a plan, but i was still really "gung-ho".  i had thoughts/hopes of doing the san francisco marathon in july. so off i went to start doing my hillwork on the treadmill...4 days in a row. bad idea. really bad idea!!!

i wasn't stretching and by the fifth day i had a huge knot in my calf...which i believe, ultimately led to plantar fasciitis in both feet.  my heels were killing me. and i had huge knots in my calves.   i  took some time off, tried to take it easy, but finally went to the dr's in february.  he told me no running for 1 month.

i was devastated. i almost started to cry right there in his office. that one month seemed to last forever! but that one month was a turning point for me. i don't think i've ever learned so much or worked so hard as i did that month.  i scoured the internet for anything that could help my heels/feet. anything that could help me speed up the process of getting well so i could run. i missed running like i missed my best friend.  i had found a stress release and a time to think & pray & clear my head, and now it was gone. taken from me by this injury.  i wasn't going to let it get me down.  i tried everything.  the dr. recommended that i get orthotics. so we shelled out the $300 for those. i bought new shoes that were stability shoes, because that is what the running store said i needed. i found a site online that said plantar fasciitis (PF) could be helped by doing these certain stretches and then start to do strengthening exercises. so i was stretching my calves/hamstrings like crazy, probably like 6 times a day. before i was injured i could not touch my toes, in fact, i could probably only reach down to about mid-calf. pretty sad. i had this whole routine that i would go through. it included hamstring stretches, calf stretches, gas pedals, toe circles, & rolling my foot on a golf ball/frozen water bottle. 

then i started researching trigger points.  the podiatrist that diagnosed my PF had mentioned them during the exam and i wanted to find out what they were.  got a few books from the library and read all i could online. i figured out i had a few trigger points (knots) in my calves. i learned how to work the knots out with massage, using a tennis ball and "the stick". funny thing is...when the knots finally went away the pain in my heels started to go away too.  i never got used to wearing the orthotics.  they actually made the knots in my calves worse. i just continued to massage/stretch/strengthen my feet. and i went barefoot & wore sandals, which is the exact opposite thing the podiatrist told me to do.  didn't really trust him a whole lot!!  i also bought some compression socks to wear.  i know that i have bad circulation, and after i would massage/stretch/strengthen my calves/feet i would put on the socks and they would keep the blood flowing better through my legs, aiding in recovery.  i just wanted to run. i did tons of core exercises, anything i could do that didn't hurt my feet. 

finally after the month i went back to the dr for a follow-up. he checked my heels, and gave me the green light to walk.   WALK...are you kidding me???  i want to run. he said after a month of walking i could gradually add in some running.  there was no way i could wait another month to run.  i kept up with the stretching/strengthening/massage, and i started to walk.  walked 2 miles the first day. i rested the next day. the next day i walk half mile and ran a mile.  it was killing me not to run. gradually i started to run. i also learned about KT tape. learned how to tape my heel/arch. worked like a charm. i was back running...albeit VERY slowly...but i was running.  i also did tons of research on midfoot striking, chi running and how to run more naturally.

it was a long road back to running, but one i don't regret having to take.  i have really learned alot about my body and how to help it recover.  i am also more in-tune with my body now.  if i feel a twinge in my foot, i start massage and doing my strengthening exercises.  i always stretch, before and after i run, and on my rest days.

there has to be a balance between training & recovery.  when you train hard, your body needs to recover so that it is ready for the next hard workout. if you manage your recovery well then you can avoid injury and overtraining. 

there are a few things i do to speed recovery after a run.

1. stretch.  i always stretch before and after i run. before i run, its usually just a quick stretch of my calves, quads and hamstrings.  but after i run, i take extra care to stretch my legs, calves, and hips. feels so good.

2. it's best to eat/drink something right after you run,within 2 hours, but the sooner the better. it's best to have something that has high protein/high carbs. this will aid in the recovery/repair of your muscles & replenish glycogen stores.  also drink tons of water for rehydration.  i love a big glass of chocolate milk, or a strawberry slimfast shake.

3.after every long run i always take an ice bath within 20 minutes of finishing my run.  i have found these to be very beneficial. i am not nearly as sore the next day. i run a bath & add all the ice from our icemaker and sit in it for 15 minutes.

4. after a hard workout,  i love to wear my compression socks. they make my legs feel great. keeps the blood moving and helps with soreness.

5. once the soreness sets in...i love to use "the stick".  this little gizmo is the best thing since sliced bread. you can really massage your legs and work out those knots. i also use hand massage and a tennis ball too.

6. and sometimes the best thing to help recovery is a nice, easy run.  gets the blood flowing and seems to work out the soreness. just make sure it's nice and easy!!

august recap

august was huge for me in many ways.

lots of things happening.

running-wise this was a huge PR month for me.

i ran 191.39 miles this month.

791.88 miles year to date.

getting closer to my goal of 1000 mi for the year.

had 4 long runs this month: 16, 12, 18, & 20

i ran my first 20 miler

and it was AWESOME.

i have my hydration/fueling dialed in.

such a relief.

had my very first run where i averaged

 under a 9:00 pace for 10 miles.

i'm feeling really strong,

and getting super excited for the marathon.

new goals in mind...

planning out my racing strategy...

deciding on a cute outfit to wear for the big day

(you know that is super important LOL)

and trying to stay focused.

"eyes on the prize violet...eyes on the prize"

school started this month.

loving my nutrition class...

chemistry..not so much.

both are going well though.

the kids started school too

shan's running cross-country

ryne wants to play clarinet & wants to join the robotics club

drew is happily playing legos & riding his skateboard

homework is taking forever at night
rich has been working TONS of overtime

and i'm just trying to stay one step ahead of everyone :)

this week is another big week:

mon: rest day

tues: 6 easy, recovery miles (was a little stiff this a.m.)

wed: 12-14 mi med/long run

thurs: 6 recovery miles

fri: rest day/strength/core

sat: 6 recovery miles

sun: 16mi w/12@MP

here's to a great week!!!

wahoo!! first 20 miler!!!

i couldn't be happier with how i ran my first 20 miler!!!  i was a little nervous to be running it alone, but knew it would be good practice for the race. i had no ipod, just me and my thoughts for 20 amazing miles.  my plan was to run out to woodward park and get in some hills during the first half, and come back by home to refill my waterbottle with gatorade, and then head out to clovis for a second loop.  it mentally broke up the 20 miles nicely.  finished the first loop and swung by home. rich was outside waiting for me with gatorade. he asked how i felt, and i felt awesome. ready to tackle the second half.  felt like i was just on cruise...occaisionally checking on the heartrate, and it was where i wanted it to be. the last five is where i wanted to push a little and i did. my legs felt strong. the wind picked up the last 3 miles, which is really crazy.  its been so hot this past week (in the 100's), and today its only supposed to be 80. so there was a little wind...nothing too big. just kept pushing.  kept checking heartrate to make sure i wasn't too high...surprised to see that it was relatively low for the end of the run...pushed a little more. and more. finished in 3:14:10.

here's the stats:
9:56 HR 149
9:52 HR 153
9:52 HR 152
9:34 HR 154
9:51 HR 154
9:44 HR 152
9:45 HR 151
9:46 HR 153
10:04 HR 152
9:50 HR 152
9:42 HR 152
9:59 HR 150
9:46 HR 152
9:35 HR 153
9:33 HR 153
9:39 HR 153
9:23 HR 155
9:29 HR 156
9:22 HR 158
9:12 HR 159
0:16 (8:37) HR 160

20.03mi/3:14:10/avgHR 153/74% HRR/avg pace 9:41

i am most excited about my HR. it never got too high and towards the end when i was trying to push it more..my HR didn't go super high.
gotta go eat...i'm starving :)

70 days and counting...

this is me from last year's two cities half marathon.  i can't believe it was almost one year ago.  last july, i started my half marathon training with a 5 mile tempo run which took me 1:00:30. that is a 12:05 pace, and i weighed 179 lbs.  that is 40 pounds more than i weigh now.  by october, i ran a 10 mile long run on the treadmill in 1:54:14, an 11:25 pace. and i ran the half marathon in 2:23:57, a 10:58 pace.  i started out running 13 miles a week, maxing out at 25 miles a week. all that seems like a lifetime ago. i made huge improvements over that training cycle, but i wanted more.  i wanted to be faster. 

70 days until the marathon..70 days to prepare.  70 days to give it everything i have. yesterday on my schedule was 10 miles with 6 at tempo (8:30). 8:30...wow...to look back to where i was last year and the improvement since then. i'm excited, but i'm pushing for more.  i was a bit nervous for this run, especially since my last tempo didn't go so well.  i really wanted to go out and nail this run.  tempo runs are not my favorite, but that is because they are hard. ultimately, i know that these are the runs that are going to make me faster. these are the runs that are going to get me to my goal.

the run went well. i'm not stoked about it, but not disappointed either.

the 2 mi warmup felt great...9:57, 9:35

speed up to LT pace...thinking this isn't so bad...8:35 HR 167

start to get in the groove...couple hills in there...8:03 HR 171

oops...think i pushed a little too much that last mile, getting tired...8:37 HR169

gotta keep "checking in"...8:39 HR169

last two miles...keep going...8:30 HR 168

last one...push...8:35 HR 168

2 mi. cooldown...10:03, 9:21

10.03mi/1:30:07/avgHR 163/avg 8:59

that is the fastest i have ever run 10 miles...a 6 minute PR...WOW!

and that is the first time my avg pace has gone under 9:00  Wahoo!!

and today i had 5 nice easy recovery miles.  5.67mi/57:37/avgHR 146/avg 10:09

getting ready for my first 20 miler tomorrow.

can't wait!!

note to self:  "you can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough."-Abraham Lincoln

i found this really inspiring article by Pete Pfitzinger, M.S. that was printed in the June 2002 issue of Running Times Magazine, entitled "Do We Know Too Much?".  It goes along with what i had been asking myself...do i want to take a risk, and push myself beyond what i thought possible....to go for that "crazy dream"??

"Perhaps we know too much. Perhaps in our efforts to stay healthy and uninjured, we have become too cautious. If the objective is excellence, do we know too much for our own good?"

"The key to success is to understand both the risks and the potential rewards. The most successful runners take calculated risks based on an understanding of physiology and an understanding of their bodies. They find that fine line where the potential gains roughly balance the potential risks and train close to that edge. Are you training by the edge of your abilities or staying safely within your limits?"

"If you want to reach your full potential you need to train optimally "

"To train optimally, you need knowledge. To reach your potential, you need to read everything you can (taking much of it with a grain of salt) and pick the brains of experienced coaches and runners. And you need to learn to discern between the running gurus whose role is to help you simply survive your first marathon and those who can help you shave another minute off your personal best"

"If you take your running seriously, it is your responsibility to learn as much as you can about training, about recovery, about hydration and carbohydrate intake, about what shoes suit your biomechanics and how much sleep you need. Then decide what to do with that knowledge. If your objective is recreation, then err on the side of caution as an insurance policy to keep yourself healthy and injury free. But if your objective is performance, then find that fine line of what your body can handle and take it to the limit."

"Man imposes his own limitations, don't set any." -Anthony Baily

this morning i set out for my 12 mi med/long run that was on my schedule, with the plan of pushing it a little bit.  pushing out of that comfort zone.  i wasn't trying to go crazy, but i didn't want to go as easy as i normally do.  i set out at 5a.m. with my headlamp/waterbottle and headed towards woodward park. it was already 78 degrees, which is about ten degrees warmer than it has been in the morning, and it was humid. it's supposed to be 110 degrees today :( 
  
i wanted to run by feel and my breathing. i read an article recently about different levels of breathing techniques...i think it was in running times magazine. there were 3 levels: easy, moderate, & hard. anyway...i wanted to try to keep it to 4 step breathing...two steps for a breath in, and exhale the following two steps. this would be an easy effort. and possibly towards the end of the run move into the moderate level, which is inhaling for two steps and exhale completely on the following one step. worked like a charm. it was really dark, and i didn't feel like keeping an eagle eye on my garmin...so i went with the flow. i just ran and concentrated on my breathing. the whole run felt really good. got my hydration/fueling figured out and now i'm able to really focus on the running. at my turnaround point, i filled up with water and tried to push a little harder. the sun was finally rising, and i was in shock when i looked down at my garmin and saw i was pretty much cruising at about a 9:30 pace.  the last 3 or so miles my breathing moved into the moderate level, but i still felt good.

stats for run:
12.0mi/1:54:26/avgHR 158/avg 9:32

10:03,9:43,9:41,9:29,9:28,9:33,9:28,9:28,9:30,9:29,9:22,9:12

pretty excited about those splits!!


lesson learned...don't underestimate yourself!

pushing the limits.

“You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone.” —Percy Cerutty, running coach

change is hard for me.  i am a creature of habit. i like to park in the same row when i go to target or the grocery store, and i always take the same route to school.  i find the way i like to do something and just continue to do it the same way every time.

i like to be in my comfort zone, and when i'm not, i am very anxious.

i try to figure things out way ahead of time, so as to avoid being surprised.  i always arrive places early. after all, my motto is, "if you're on time, you're late". things in my life are very orderly & predictable.  i like to have a contingency plan at all times, and a realistic view of things.

but when i decide i am going to do something, i go all out. i do everything i can to obtain my goal. i have a fierce determination and drive. 

but are my goals too realistic? 
am i too anxious and afraid to really shoot for the moon?? 

i don't take chances.
every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.
but are my dreams not high enough??

i want to push my limits
both mentally & physically
to see what i'm really made of
i want to shoot for the moon

that is why i'm reassessing my goals for this marathon.
i want to go past what i'm comfortable with
or think i may be able to do.
i want a "pie in the sky" type goal
i want to be outside my comfort zone
it's scary
but i'm taking a risk
i'm pushing the limits...
big time :)

It is the mind that rules the body. -Soujourner Truth

i heart sundays.

because its long run day. well that is not the only reason, but its a big one. i LOVe to run long. to just keep running. and today was probably the best run i have ever had.  it just felt amazing.  it's hard to explain. but everything clicked.  it wasn't difficult, i wasn't tired, my stomach didn't bother me, my breathing wasn't labored, i wasn't rushing it & i wasn't worried about my hydration.  it just felt awesome. i definitely had the runner's high today. i really just wanted to keep going. today i ran 18, but i felt like i could have run forever.  i can't wait until next week's 20 miler.

                                                 

                                            today's run:   18.04mi./3:01:11/avgHR 151/avg 10:02

my new love.

i'm already a huge fan of these.
i notice a big difference when i use them and when i don't.
i have been taking them every hour that i'm running.
this morning i decided to take one before i ran
and then again at the 1 hour mark.
the whole run i felt awesome.
i was also using my handheld bottle
with gatorade.
this morning's run was awesome.
felt so great, especially after my less than stellar run on tuesday.
even at the end, i felt like i had alot left in the tank.
can't wait for sunday's 18 miler.
that will be the real test for my hydration plan.
stats for today...
                           11.01mi/1:47:48/avg 9:47/avgHR 154

it takes a bad one..

to appreciate the good ones.

yep...this morning's run stunk.

i really had high hopes for this run.

my plan called for 10 miles lactate threshold run w/5 mi @ 15k to half marathon race pace

so for me that would be 8:50-9:02

but two weeks ago,

i ran 4 @ 8:33, 8:38, 8:28, 8:37

so i was hoping to run that or better.

well my legs did not want to move that fast this a.m.

the plan was run 3 mi warm-up, 5 @ tempo, 2 mi cooldown

by miles 2, my legs felt like bricks.

not sure what happened.

i didn't have my usual bagelthin w/pb2,

instead i had yogurt.

and i didn't have my normal bedtime snack last night.

i'm trying to watch my calories.

my stomach was growling in the middle of the night.

so maybe i wasn't fueled enough.

but also my allergies have been bad lately,

had to use my inhaler yesterday.

so maybe that is it too.

the run went something like this:

10:32

10:28

boy, my legs are tired.

10:02

8:51 HR 167

why am i having to push so hard?

keep going.

8:50 HR 170

push harder.

9:02 HR 171

come on rachelle...keep it going..

talking to myself alot..

don't give up

keep it under nine minutes.

9:11 HR 169

i'm getting my butt kicked this a.m.

keep going.

you can do it.

almost done.

one more mile.

9:02 HR 169

done.

that stunk.

cool-downs.

9:49

9:33
10.08mi/1:36:07/avg pace 9:31/avg HR 163

my HR was actually higher on this run

and my times slower

than it was on my tempo run two weeks ago.

bummer!

but i know it is just one run.

and i still have 12 weeks til the marathon.

plenty of time to redeem myself :)

on a side note..

school yesterday was awesome.

love my chem class.

can't wait for nutrition wed night.

drinking water like its my job

 this week has been a recovery/cutback week.

it felt great. i've needed it.

 i feel rested and strong again.

today was a 12 mile long run.

rich ran with me the first couple miles.

and then i headed toward woodward park

to finish the remaining 10 with a few hills.

took my handheld with me.

and yes, i still love it. 

don't even really notice it anymore.

i did really make sure that i kept on the

hydrating routine.

felt really great the whole run.

nice and strong.

here's the stats:

12.16mi./2:01:30/avg 9:59/avgHR153

this week is gonna be busy.

i start school tmr.

chem class mon, wed, fri. at 9am, with lab mon at 10

nutrition class wed night.

so excited.

and i have 50 miles on my schedule this week

monday: strength/core

tuesday: 10 miles LT w/5@8:30

wed:  4 mi recovery

thurs: 11 miles med/long run

fri: rest

sat: 7 mi. general aerobic w/8 strides

sunday: 18 mi long run

last week of vacation for the kids.

they've been enjoying the skatepark

and eating lots of ice cream.

can't believe summer is almost over.

went by WAY too fast.

learning from a master.

headed out for my run this a.m.

so this hydration/fueling issue
has been weighing on my mind for a while now.
i had this sinking feeling
that it would be my downfall during my marathon.
i needed to get a plan down so that during the race i will know exactly how often to drink/fuel.
after my 16 miler last weekend.,
the whole chills thing had me researching more and i knew i was not hydrating enough. (thanks for worrying about me grandpa & pattie :)) i figured i only drank about 30 or so ounces of water the entire run.
not enough!
i sweat like a pig and the weather isn't even that hot.
i usually run early in the morning when its nice and cool,
and i still come back from runs covered in salt.
usually i have white patches on my arms, legs and face from the accumulation of salt. so gross.
so i know i need to drink.  my problem is always how to carry it, & how often i should be drinking.  i have a fuel belt, which i hate.  the thing is so bulky and jostles around, and is not the least bit comfortable.  i've tried to make the best of it.  so i don't usually carry water. i plan my routes so that i will have access to water fountains, and usually just grab a few sips whenever i pass one.  but that is not the only problem.  my friend, katie, went with me on my run last weekend on her bike, and she carried my water, and i still didn't drink anything until about mile 5.5.  i drank when i gu'd. we were chatting so much that time just flew by and i hadn't drank anything. i know i need to pay more attention to hydrating.  so i've been emailing with my new running coach...just kidding.( hi tony!) and he's been so graciously giving me tons of advice.  i told him about my frustration with hydration/fueling and he gave me the ins & outs on how to become a HYDRATION MASTER. 
1. lose the fuel belt...get a handheld waterbottle...he recommended this.
2. sip gatorade or GU brew from said waterbottle every half mile...refill every 7 or 8 miles.
3. gel every 45 mins
4. use a salt tablet every hour.
how could i question what a Western States 100 mile endurance finisher is telling me??  I was out the door and at REI buying my new handheld water bottle within 30 minutes. i would have been there quicker, but the kids took a long time to put on their shoes. LOL seriously. i tried to hunt down the salt tablets too, but no luck...so i just ordered them online.  should have those soon!
so this morning, i was like a kid at christmas time. so excited!  i couldn't wait to use my new waterbottle/hydration plan. i weighed myself before my run and i was 142. my plan was to weigh myself after, to see how much i'd lost. so i took off about 5:30 or so for my 8 miler with gatorade (that is what they're having at the marathon) in my handheld.  the bottle is super comfortable...problem is that its cold.  now if you know me...you know i have issues with always being cold, plus i have Raynaud's Syndrome.  my fingers like to go numb when they come in contact with anything cold. so when i set out...i wasn't sure  if this was going to work, but by half mile, when i took my first sip...my fingers/hand was fine. no worries. by the first mile...i was in love. this handheld bottle is OSOM!!  seriously, love it.  and by the end of the run, i didn't even notice it anymore.  i made sure to sip every half mile and gel'd at 45 mins. the whole run really felt great. i wasn't as tired as i usually feel, especially the last few miles, and i'm sure that's from being more hydrated.  i weighed in at 140 when i got home, so i guess i still need to drink more.  8 easy miles in 1:19:15. avg pace 9:53, avg HR 152.  all in all, a good run, and i think i'm on my way to becoming a HYDRATION MASTER...thanks tony!

new shoes & a race.

last week i retired my white/purple nike pegasus' with 430 miles on them.

i loved them, so comfortable.

the perfect fit.

i needed to get another pair of shoes,

so i could have two pairs to rotate.

i've been eyeing up the new pegasus 27's

and tried them on at sports authority

and they felt great.

so i ordered them online.

roadrunnersports.com was having a killer sale

and i got free shipping!
well, my new shoes showed up on my doorstep last night.

i tore open the box and just smelled them.

i couldn't wait to take them for a spin.

so i got up this morning and laced up for my 8 miler.

they felt OSOM. so cushiony! (is that a word)

i leave the house about 5:25

and its pitch dark...

no problem...there's some light from the streetlights

until this one spot...and of course they're doing road construction

so i'm cruising on the sidewalk for a while,

and then i see they have the sidewalk torn apart

so i need to hop back on the street

and of course, i step right into a giant mud puddle.

my new shoes were not very happy with me.

i had only run about .3 of a mile and this happens.

ohh well. they're broken in now.

but the important thing is...they felt great the whole run.

8.03mi in 1:18:30 w/5x100m strides

avg HR 153

avg pace 9:46

and i mailed in my registration form

for the smokey bear 10k run

in september.

really excited about this race.

its small and hopefully i will be able to run a PR.

plus some awesome friends are running it too :)

this week is a cutback week

so here is what's on my schedule:

wed: 5 recovery miles

thurs: 8 mi easy

fri: rest/cross-train

sat: 4 recovery miles

sun: 12 mi

next week is my first 50 mile week! eeek!

strength training

this is my favorite all-time exercise dvd.

i started using this dvd when i first was losing weight

over a 18 months ago.

it is awesome.

it has 3 different levels,

you start with level 1, and after 2 weeks,

add on level 2, then after 2 more weeks

add on level 3.

i worked through the progression a long time ago,

so now i just do the whole video about once a week.

it is a serious workout for your butt, legs, core & arms.

i love it.

bob shows you the exercises but also ways to make them harder.

and he's really motivating.

it never fails that i am sore for a couple days after doing this dvd.

sore... in a good way.

strength training is really important.

especially when i was trying to lose weight.

it builds lean muscle, which burns more fat.

plus...when you're done working out

your metabolism is still burning calories.

but strength training is vital now to keep my legs and core strong

so i'm able to run the high mileage i've been.

the dvd runs about an hour...

and at the end i am dripping sweat.

i love it.

serious inspiration

in need of inspiration?

take a look here
tony is a friend of my sister, lisa.
i have not had the pleasure of meeting him
but would love to.
he just finished the Western States 100 mile Endurance Run.
so amazing!!

the perfect run

i don't think a run could get any better.

the weather was perfect this morning

and the company even better.

katie offered to ride her bike with me this morning

and be my pitcrew.

of course, i was super excited.

i was a wee bit nervous for my 16 miler

this is the longest i have ever run

and i was supposed to run 10 miles at marathon pace

which i hoped would be 9:30 pace per mile.

to say i was nervous...

would have been an understatement.

so i was stoked that katie offered to come.

got up about 5am...wanted to make sure

i ate something (1/2 banana, bagelthin w/pb2 & coffee)

and went to the bathroom before i left.

been having stomach issues as of late...

but i think its cuz i don't get up early enough to eat

and go to the bathroom before i leave.

so i wanted to iron out my nutrition & prerace fuel

and fueling during the run.

used my new gas cap

w/3 gu's

the cap is awesome.

the gu's stay put and you don't even feel them

definitely worth the 20 bucks.

got to katie's at about 6 and we took off.

the first five miles were on the trail

and then we got to woodward park and i Gu'd there

the eaton trail was busy this morning

and the miles were flying by

we were chatting away and having lots of fun

gu'd @ mile 10 as we were leaving woodward park

and got back on the bike trail

just drinking water every so often

then about 13.5 i got the chills

figured i should gu again. so i did.

i LOVE chocolate GU.

and drank a bunch of water.

feeling good...we're cruising along until we arrive back at katie's.

right after...chugged a bottle of water

and a slimfast

and drove home.

jumped in an ice bath

and i'm feeling awesome.

was wicked excited when i saw the stats of my run.

for those 10 miles i averaged 9:27.

GOAL MET!!

10:42

10:12

10:20

10:11

10:17

9:53

9:17 HR159

9:23 HR160

9:24 HR159

9:22 HR159

9:40 HR158

9:40 HR158

9:41 HR157

9:36HR156

9:32 HR158

9:19 HR160

2:00(9:24)HR 160

so excited.

16.21 miles in 2:38:29 average HR 155

and

i'm craving pizza :)

so yesterday was my tempo run day

and i was not really looking forward to it

why?

cuz my right quad has been bugging me...

not really pain...

just a stiffness/soreness

like you get after lifting weights or something.

i think it's time for new shoes...

my beloved nike pegasus' have a little more than 400 miles on them

and they need to be retired.

so i wasn't sure how my quad was going to react

when i asked it to go fast.

i figured i would just take the first couple warm-up miles slow

and see how it went...

rich had massaged it the night before and

i really stretched it well before i ran

so the plan was 9 miles w/4@ 8:45pace
the first 2 miles were fine..took them nice and slow..10:36, 9:45

the leg felt great...just like new

lots of pep

so at mile 3 i took off

love to go fast

checked garmin to see my pace & heart rate

wanted to keep my HR between 156-171

which is my optimal HR for a tempo run

(according to Pfitzinger is 77-88% of heart rate reserve)

8:33 (HR160), 8:38 (HR165), 8:28 (HR169), 8:37(HR169)

so excited...made my goal

the last mile was HARD

finished the run with 3 cool-down miles

10:02, 9:54, 9:38

and when i got home i had a BIG glass of chocolate milk

i deserved it :)

i've pretty much settled on a redemption race...

the smokey bear run/10k

saturday september 25th

its a pretty small race

about an hour from here

in other news. the kids have started running

i can't tell you how happy this makes me.

shan wants to do cross county for school

and ryne is just running

both kids and even drew have been taking turns on the treadmill :)

i told them it would be fun to do a family 5k

so i think the plan is to do the komen breast cancer 5k in oct as a family.

ryne has already been saying...

"i have to run tmr mom...so i better drink more water"

he has been running 2-3 miles a day

so proud of him :)

july recap.

so the month of july just flew by

monthly miles: 160.89

rest days: 8 days

miles to date for the year: 600.52

longest run: 14.08 in 2:24:36

current favorite drink: water...can't get enough water

current song: ok...my ipod was ruined while on vacation, but before that my power song was naturally by selena gomez...shan got me hooked on that one...

current triumph: 6 mi tempo run in 52:18

current bane of my existence: my right quad has been giving me fits...just noticed it being a little sore...not sure when it happened..but rich has been massaging it and it feels SO much better.

current goal: i have a long run this weekend...16 miles...longest to date w/ 10 miles at marathon pace...shooting for 9:30 pace for those 10 miles

current blessing: that i am healthy and am able to run. god has given me this gift and i'm so grateful.