30k Recap

Now that I've had 3 days to recoup and reflect on Sunday's 30k I have to say that I would happily do it all over again!  I don't know what it is about running, but it is truly an addiction.

Generally as races go this was not one of my strongest but it was my longest and therefore my most proud.  I started out the race at a snail slow pace of 10mm with the thought that I would gradually increase my speed and be able to make up time at the end.  After mile 2 I just couldn't stand this pace so I ramped it up.  I ran the next few miles at a pretty good, comfortable pace making the first 12 miles actually really fun.

I'm the short one in the middle

My family met me at mile 12 and then again at 14(and later at the  finish line) and seeing them cheer me on really gave me a boost.  But after I saw them at mile 14 the only thing I kept hoping to see were water stations.  The race was supposed to have stations every other mile but something happened around mile 12 and I had to hold out for an extra mile to refuel.  Not really a problem at that exact moment but it came to really haunt me in the last couple miles.  Negative, self-defeating thoughts starting creeping into my head around this time  and I spent a good deal of time fighting my inner doubt.   Finally a water station came along sometime around mile 15 and the hydration felt great, the next 3/4 of a mile were nice and fun again. But then it things got worse, my fingers swelled and tingled and my legs felt like cement and I was not in a healthy way.  I fought this battle through one last water stop with another gust of power after taking on some gatorade and then tumbling down again a short time later.  There is a picture of me at mile 18 looking as pale as a ghost and just plain awful (I just couldn't post it here because it's hideous). But with the determination to just keep running and by placing one foot in front of the other I finished the race with a smile.
I crossed the line 3 minutes slower overall than I was hoping and at a 9:45mm but I didn't stop(except to take in fluids) and I finished in the top 3rd of the female participants.  I'll take it.
Once I stopped running and rehydrated I found that I really wasn't feeling too bad.  I had 2 swollen feet with several blisters and some crunchy, angry hips but generally I felt like a normal human.  My gut talked to me several times during the hours that followed but I've honestly had much worse GI discomfort.....hooray for healthy food planning. I was fairly tired too, but that could've also had something to do with entertaining 13 small children the day before at the girls' birthday party!  My family gave me a little pity....er....at least enough time to have a  long warm shower and some coffee and the day ended with some fond memories and a quiet date night with my husband.

Monday I woke up stiff and achy and I actually had to help lift my right leg up with my arms because my hip was so sore! But by late afternoon all stiffness had left me and I was really feeling well.  Bodies are amazing!  I could actually feel myself loosening up as the day grew on.

This morning I woke up without any remnants of the long run and with the gusto to do it all over again.( I've also noticed that my knee, which has been hurting for 3 weeks, doesn't even have a twinge of pain....maybe I just needing a good long run to realign everything?)
I took a long yoga class morning and a tough core conditioning class and felt strong during both of them.  Tomorrow I'll be lacing up the running shoes and looking for a nice, calm hour or two on my feet.

Looks like the 30k is not the end to my limit....I wonder what is?  Guess this means I'm looking for my next challenge (full marathon? perhaps).

What's your next challenge?

Rogue 30k--Finished

Rogue 30k at mile 12

Yesterday I finished the Rogue 30k and am so glad that I did!  I was 3 minutes slower overall than I was hoping for but in the end I finished the 18.6 miles in 3:03hours and feel a great sense of accomplishment.  My hips are aching today and I have a few blisters to nurse but they will all heal in time.  After a long weekend of birthday parties and long races I'm going to keep this post brief and take a rest.  More to come.

Yoga Monday: Wide Legged Forward Bend

Wide Legged Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

A great stretch for runners tight legs.

For more info visit here

Happy 2nd Birthday!!

At the hospital & ready to pop 

Avery 6lbs13oz, Quinn 6lbs10ozs

Today our twins are celebrating their 2nd birthday's and I cannot believe it.  It seems like just last week I was a super-oversized and over-pregnant woman wishing fervently that these girls would just "get out already."  Fortunately for us, they were(and are) stubborn and waited to be delivered until they had a very long and healthy 39 weeks of incubation (equal to 41 weeks for singleton pregnancies for those who care). The girls were HUGE (exact words of my O/B) for being twins carried by a 5'0 tall petite woman and so very, very healthy which I honestly blame running for this fortune.
Over the past 2 years the girls have thrived and developed their own individual personalities and have been so fun to watch. From the countless nap times spent in their jogging strollers while I huffed & puffed, to the double hug sandwiches and the endless amount of tiny, sticky finger prints the memories have been precious and priceless.  I've certainly tired hearing people tell my that I "..must have my hands full" and "double trouble" but the truth is, I feel like we are apart of a pretty special group and I'm hopeful that this gene will be passed along to my girls just as it was passed to me. So with a deep breath and a smile we've made some great memories and I can't wait for the lifetime ahead of us.
 I Love You &  Happy Birthday Girls!

Sisterly love

PS for anyone following, the potty training has been a 50/50 success.  One of the girls has really picked it up while the other is less than interested.  Along the way I learned that it was much easier to focus on one rather than both during this messy time and decided that I wouldn't force the training on the one who wasn't as interested.  She'll catch on I'm sure, and if she doesn't that will make it much easier to keep the boys away when she's a teenager!

Yoga Monday : Plow Pose

Plow Pose (Halasana)

This is another awesome pose for thyroid disorders and is generally good for mental calmness.  It's not for the faint of heart, and ladies it should not be practiced during menses.  But if you can find your way into the pose it's a very nice stretch and calming.  Give it a try.

For more information on the pose visit here

1 week to 30k!

Ready or not 18.6 miles here I come.  Next Sunday I will be racing in the Rogue 30k. With any luck I'll cross the  finish line in one piece. I'm not feeling entirely confident in my abilities at this point and I really hope that the past 3 months of training will be enough.  The patella on my left leg has been screaming at me lately and my legs this week have felt crunchy(ok, not a technical term I know.)  The best I think I can do now is let my knee rest a little bit, pay close attention to my diet this week and cross my fingers for favorable weather conditions.  I'm anxious yet excited for the race.  This will be my longest distance ever.
I wanted to try this race because the distance is a little unusual.  It's longer than the half-marathon but still not a full on commitment as a marathon.  I really enjoy the half-marathon length and I think it's a good distance for me, but it's also a distance that so many people have conquered.  I mean no discredit to anyone in their running accomplishments.  But for me, I feel like everyone has or knows someone who has finished a half-marathon.  The slightly pudgy chick at the gym who gripes her way through a core workout, the 50 year old lady whose pace would actually increase if she'd walk, the young man who thought a half-marathon was 12 miles long until he was on the race course and realized he wasn't done yet!  Kuddos to all these well intended people but I want to accomplish something that gives me a little more credit for my efforts.  It's snobbish I know, but I work really hard at my fitness and I want to stand out a little!  Ok, off the soap box.

Here is what my race week program will look like:

Sunday : 6-7miles (slow/med pace)
Monday : Cardio/Core training (90mins)
Tuesday: Core/Pilates + 3-4 miles of running
Wednesday: Yoga
Thursday:  REST
Friday: 3-4 miles easy
Saturday : REST, maybe some yoga

Nutrition Schedule:
I will be amping up my fluid intake and nixing alcohol this week.  Starting Thurs or Fri I'll be sure to keep gassy foods out of my diet.  I find that beans and broccoli can make for some uncomfortable GI issues around mile 10!  My morning breakfasts this week of plain yogurt and homemade granola (recipe here) with chia seeds won't change any but I will pay close attention to my sugar and protein intakes throughout the week.   My night before meal will be chicken and rice casserole with peas(bland but nutritious).  The day of the race I will eat a little yogurt with chia and a banana and have a cup of coffee.  I'll drink 8oz of grapefruit juice just before race time and a few glasses of water.  During the race I'll fuel up on water, and GU chomps.
My race "fueling" schedule looks like this: Water and GU Chomp at 40 mins and again every other mile (I find this gives me something to look forward to and keeps my energy level pretty steady).  I'll take on some Gatorade 2-3 times during the race.

Recipe Swap - Protein Balls

I just ran across this great recipe this morning at this fun blog classyclutter.net (be sure to check them out) and wanted to share it. I think this is a great snack for active kids and parents and you could mix up a huge batch and freeze to have on hand whenever you need it. I know I'm always scrounging for quick, healthy and yummy snacks for my girls and this would be a great replacement to the constant stream of goldfish crackers they seem to ingest! 

Do you have any recipes that you love for your kids or for your pre/post work-out fuel?

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

4 cups of peanut butter(any kind will do)

1 cup of vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup ground flax meal

1 1/2 cups quick oats(uncooked)

Once you've mixed your base add what you have on hand. 

Suggestions: shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, raisins, crushed up cereal, almonds, walnuts.

You can also make the balls with just the base by adding another cup of oats. 

Mix everything on low to medium until the sides of the mixing bowl come clean. 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Form the dough into balls and freeze at least one hour.  Remove balls and store in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Makes 24 to 36 balls depending on size.

Nutrition facts per 1 inch ball: 102 calories, 5g carbohydrate, 4g protein, 7g fat

Lance C'mon!

I don't know that anyone is honestly surprised about Lance Armstrong's admission of doping (check out the Oprah interview here) but it's still very discouraging.  Years ago Lance was on top of the world and seemed to be the hero of health and philanthropy.  In fact, when I arrived in Austin 6 years ago I couldn't go anywhere without mention of the hero.  I admit, I even found myself fond of him for a period.  I mean, he was the spokesman for cancer and health how could you not want to support him.    But then the icon started to wear.  Remember the Lance Armstrong/Ashley Olsen relationship....ewww.  And then all the nasty stories from his ex-wife and former teammates.  I mean it was obvious he had some skeletons in his closet.  But why?  Honestly why didn't he come clean earlier?  Would it have helped his image or his foundation if he would've confessed years ago?  Or were all the years of lies actually more beneficial to the Livestrong campaign and efforts?  But like Tiger Woods, I just want to hate this guy for being such a fraud.
I wonder if there is anyone out there still sporting an obnoxious yellow bracelet?




What are your thoughts about Lance Armstrong?

Resolution 5k

On Saturday I kicked off my 2013 racing schedule with a bang!  I'm delighted to say that I defended my 1st place finish for my age group from last years race and I was 3rd overall for the women (I was beat by a 12 year old and a 60 year old, come on!). The race went well and I felt fast but there was an issue with the course so my overall time of 18:59 (6:07mm) sounds great but isn't accurate! Oh well, a win is a win and it was for charity's sake anyway.

 But the coolest news of the event was my eldest daughter's completion of her first 5k! She's only 4 you know and  I am so darn proud of her.  I goofed when I entered her in this race.  I assumed there would be a kids 1k like all the other races I've been to so when I realized that she actually had to complete the entire course I was concerned.  My husband stepped up though and said he'd go along with her while pushing the twins in their stroller so I could still have a competitive race. I figured they'd make it part of the way and turn around, but no way the went from start to finish.  Now to be fair, my daughter walked the 2nd half of the race after running the first half, but I couldn't be more proud.  She is AWESOME and I think we're just seeing the start of a great career!!! 

ps...she claims that her wicked cool tattoo is what made her so fast! (I totally forgot I had grabbed this rub on tattoo for her a couple weeks ago when I was at the Lululemon store and she secretly stashed the little gem away in her dresser just for this race. Cute!)

Yoga Monday : Sphinx Pose

Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

This pose is really nice for warming up the lower back, especially on a monday morning!

For mor information on this pose visit here.

Yoga Monday : Up Dog

Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) 

 UP DOG

I love this pose because it's great for opening your heart and chest and strengthening the legs.

For more information on this pose please visit here

Follow Me in 2013.....A New Year's Resolution

It's resolution time. Like most people,  I have been thinking about my goals for 2013 over the past few weeks and think I have a legitimate resolution this year.  I'm choosing only one resolution this year and it's a "fitness" resolution although I think it will impact all facets of my life throughout the year.  So here it is:

My 2013 New Year's Resolution Is To Race 100 Miles (or more).

I realize that for some people this is nothing more than a single race and for others this might amount to a race nearly every weekend.  For me I think it will be somewhere in between.  I will compete in races ranging from 5k up to full-marathon(ok, this is actually another resolution since it will be my first marathon).   I don't have the entire year or mileage mapped out just yet since I only know what our schedule will look like through February but I know there will be plenty of races to choose from as the year un-folds.  I will keep track of my races and training on this blog; a little accountability!

I anticipate that the year will be full of sweat, smiles, aches, remorse, satisfaction, deprivation, stress, joy and most of all running happiness.  But I am confident in my challenge.  If I can stave of any serious injuries and wrangle up a few extra dollars (mainly to cover the cost of the entry fees and the new running shoes that need replacing every 3 months) I think this will be a fun experience. 

 My first race will be a 5k (3.2miles) on Jan 12th (I'll be joining my daughter in her 1k but I won't count that towards my actual race mileage). My biggest challenge to date will be on Jan 27th, a 30k(18.6 miles).  Following this race and assuming I'm still standing, I will do a 13 mile road race on Feb 2nd.  These first three races will get me to  31.8miles before valentines day.  I don't imagine I'll keep this pace up (especially in the blazing summer heat) but it will be a good start.

Follow me through my gritty journey and help cheer me on.    

Cheers and Happy New Year.  Bring on 2013!!!!