Limbo

I'm in between training plans right now.  I don't have any major events scheduled until April, and my last half marathon was on October 15th.  So, I'm in that funny limbo place right now - maintenance mode.  In the beginning, the maintenance phase is refreshing.  After training for an event, it's nice to have the freedom to relax a little and not have to worry about getting in a specific number of runs on specific days each week.  But, it gets a little boring after a while.  I'm definitely someone who does well with a training calendar on my fridge.  I like having a goal to move towards...something to prepare for.

So, now that I'm in the midst of a maintenance phase, I'm going to use the time to build up my overall endurance.  I have two goals for myself.  First, I want to be able to run my half marathon in April much faster than I did last year.  I have been holding steady as a 10-minute miler.  I want to increase my overall speed so that I'm closer to a 9-minute miler.  That means interval training.  Since the winter is nasty in Upstate NY, I'm going to be running on the indoor track at work quite often.  I'm going to use this to my advantage and do some speed work.  Second, I want to build up my overall weekly distance.  Right now, my weekly mileage only increases when I'm at the end of a training cycle.  I want to build up my weekly mileage so that I'm basically always prepared to run a half marathon.  That means running at least 4 times each week, with three, 3 - 5 mile runs and one long run of 9 - 11 miles.  I know I can do this, I just have to make it part of my routine.

I also have my sights set on a triathlon in the summer, which I have never done before.  So, I'm going to add swimming and spinning to my winter workouts so that I build up a core foundation in those areas before I begin seriously training for the triathlon.  I'm nervous and excited about the whole thing, but that's another post for another day.

I think these goals will help keep me focused through the winter.  Once the end of January hits, I'll be back in full training mode.  I can't wait!

My New Pal

OK, so a few weeks ago I wrote about my plans to start tracking my calorie consumption on sparkpeople and my realization that I was healthy and active and didn't need to worry about calorie counting.  So...that lasted until last week.  I put on a few pounds over the summer, and it isn't muscle.  I have been feeling puffy and bloated, and I'm sick of it.  Even though I have been running and using the elliptical, it has been pretty sporadic, and I'm not feeling as fit as I was before.  Plus, I never followed through on my exercise goals that I set in September.  So, even though I touted myself as healthy and active, I wasn't really being honest with myself.  I had been very healthy and active, but over the past few months, something changed.  I started snacking on junk a lot more, justifying each time as a "special occasion."  Well, let me tell you, special occasions don't happen every afternoon and evening.  I let work and other stress get in the way of going to the gym and going running as regularly.  This was apparent during my last half marathon.  Overall, I just feel frumpy and lethargic.  So, I finally decided that I have to do something to get myself back on track.  After all, I'm a healthy living blogger.  How can I let myself slack off when I try to encourage the rest of the world to adopt healthy lifestyle choices.

Enter my new pal...My Fitness Pal.  I downloaded it as an iPhone app, and I LOVE it.  Seriously, it makes keeping track of my food and exercise so easy (and fun too).  Since I want to lose about 7 pounds, it limits my calories.  I have a daily calorie allotment of 1200 calories, but each time I exercise, it adds calories to my daily allotment.  So, if I run three miles, it gives me 300 more calories to eat that day. 

If that's not motivation to get to the gym or lace up my running shoes, I don't know what is.  But, the app isn't just about counting calories to lose weight.  It lets me see how much my mindless snacking actually adds to my daily caloric intake.  Trust me, the numbers can be pretty shocking sometimes.  A handful here and there really adds up.  Plus, it gives me a breakdown of the nutrients I consume each day, so I can make sure I'm getting everything I need.

I know that calorie counting can be a dangerous habit for some people as it can cause eating disorders and other issues. I am very sensitive to eating issues, having struggled with them for many years myself.  In fact, I am very aware that counting calories can become a slippery slope for me, but I try to find the balance with it.  I don't freak out if my calorie count goes over the daily allotment.  I still let myself have fun and indulge, but I'm not doing it every day anymore.  For me, it keeps me accountable and aware of what I'm putting into my body.  However, if I ever feel like it's getting out of hand, or that I'm becoming too focused on the number of calories, I'll remove the app from my phone.  I know that I can easily succumb to eating issues, so I'm being extra vigilant about it.  But, for now, My Fitness Pal is my new best friend.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!

Last week, while driving five hours to a conference, I started listening to the audiobook version of Born to Run.  I know, I know...that's so last year.  All the bloggers have already read it.  What can I say, I tend to be behind when it comes to trends.  I'm only about halfway through the book right now, so I can't really give it a full review, but I'm definitely enjoying it so far.  I plan to do a post about it once I'm completely done.

In the book, the author, Christopher McDougall, talks about the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and their ability to run extremely long distances at fast speeds without tiring.  He attributes it to a number of factors, one of which is a special energy drink they consume before a race.  I was intrigued as I listened to the section of the book that describes the drink in detail, and was completely surprised to discover that the drink was made by combining chia seeds, honey, lime juice and water.  Here I was waiting to learn some secret elixir that would transform my running, and the Tarahumara were drinking a beverage made from ingredients I have in my freezer and cupboards.  I couldn't believe it!

I returned from my conference on Tuesday night, and decided to go running on my lunch hour the next day.  In preparation, I made my own version of the chia drink discussed in the book. 



It looks funky, but it tastes fine.

About 30 minutes before my lunchtime run, I consumed the chia mixtrue.  My run was fabulous.  I really felt like I was running faster and stronger than usual, and I felt like I could run forever.  I didn't give the chia seeds full credit, because I had just come off a 1.5 week rest period following my half marathon injury, so I was already itching to run.  But, I did wonder if the chia seeds might have had anything to do with it.  So, I started experimenting.  I have been consuming the chia mixture each time I plan to run, and I have to say that I definitely notice a difference in my running endurance.  I'm running faster and stronger, and I'm able to hold my faster pace for the entire run.  So, either I suddenly moved to the next level of running (which is possible), or the Tarahumara are really on to something. 

Ultimately, even if the chia seeds don't actually make me run faster or longer, they are really good for me.  Chia seeds are packed with vitamins and minerals and are highly recommended as a nutritional supplement.

Chia Seed Nutritional Information

I will definitely keep consuming chia seeds as I think they are a great way to get some extra nutrients into my system.  Some people are grossed out by the chia seed gel that forms when they're soaked in water, but I really like it.  It's an interesting texture.  But, you don't have to soak the seeds in water.  They can be added to smoothies, sprinkled on salads or oats, or ground up and baked into muffins or breads.  Regardless of the preparation/eating method, they still pack a nutritional punch.  So, rather than spread your seeds on some red clay sheep, eat them and give yourself a nutritional boost!

Race Recap: Peru Octoberfest Half Marathon

Yes, I know I ran this race over a week ago.  However, I was waiting for my co-worker to email pictures to me so that I could include them in this post.  She took a while, but since she dragged herself out in nasty weather to take pictures of me at the end of the race, I can't really complain.

Well...it wasn't my best run, but I finished it. Considering the injury I sustained during the run, the wind tunnel that lasted the final three miles of the run, and the poor training, it's really the best I could hope for.  My official time was 2:22:06, which is less than ten minutes off from my first half marathon time of 2:13:08.  This course was very difficult as it was full of hills, so I expected to be slower.  However, it still doesn't feel great to run slower than the last time.

The weather prediction for the day called for heavy rain and winds of up to 40 - 50 miles per hour, so I was already dreading the conditions.  However, at the last minute (literally), the rain stopped and the clouds parted.  We actually had a sunny run.  Unfortunately, the wind didn't cooperate.  The severe winds held off until after the half, but it was still incredibly windy.   There was a point at the end of mile 9 where we turned the corner and were swallowed up by a crazy wind tunnel.  I felt like I was in some sort of vortex, and these conditions lasted until we crossed the finish line.

The entire half was in a  rural area, so we were running by cow pastures and apple orchards.  It was incredibly beautiful, but the long country roads made it seem longer and harder than the half I did through neighborhood streets. I definitely felt more tired with this half than my last one, which doesn't surprise me because I didn't train as well.  Oh well, I guess I learned my lesson.

This was Paul's first half marathon, and it was really exciting to cross the finish line with him.  He just started running in January after watching me become obsessed with it, and he has come so far.  So, rather than worry about my time or the fact that I wasn't well-prepared for this race, I am going to focus on the fact that Paul and I were able to do it together and that I was by his side as he crossed his first finish line.

So, my plan is to spend the winter building up my speed and endurance.  My next half will be in April, and I am determined to beat my time from last April.  So, it will be a winter of speed work and long runs.  I'm excited and ready to move to the next stage of my training.  Now that I have two half marathons under my belt, I'm ready to move from a goal of "just finishing" to a goal of beating my time and PRing.  And then, I'll conquer the marathon! 

I'm Ready!

It's the end of my "taper" week.  My legs are rested and stretched.  My clothes for Saturday are washed and ready.  I have been eating well and drinking a lot of water.  My garmin is fully charged.  I'm definitely ready to do this.  I feel so relaxed and prepared, without being too fixated on the event.  Honestly, I find myself forgetting that I even have the half marathon this Saturday.  I begin making plans for the weekend and then stop myself because I'm already booked for Saturday morning.  It's a funny feeling.

Now, if I could just do something about this weather forecast...

Do What You Love

Whether you were a fan of Steve Jobs or not, his message is pretty compelling. 

This is a reminder to make your own choices and pursue your passion.  At the end of the day, the only person you have to answer to is yourself.

It's not the same...

Wow...I just realized that it's October 5th, which means my half marathon is 10 days away!  I'm not sure how to feel about it.  When I ran my first half marathon in April, I was so diligent about sticking to my training plan.  I was able to complete all of my runs each week, and felt fully prepared in the days leading up to the race. 

Since it was my first, I was so focused on the upcoming date that I thought about it all the time.  This time, I have been much more relaxed about the whole process, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing.  I have been training, but I have missed a lot more runs that I would like.  I can still pound out the miles on my long runs, but I have been missing a lot of my mid-week short runs.  When I looked at the calendar today and realized it's already October 5th, I paused for a minute.  How did I get so close to race day without realizing it.  The half isn't consuming all of my waking thoughts and I'm not counting down the days until the event.  It's interesting how much it has become just another long run to me.  The excitement and anticipation that I felt with my first half has been replaced with a calm energy and sense of ability that I didn't have the last time.  I know what it feels like to cross that finish line and I'm not nervous about my ability to do so.  I can only hope my lack of mid-week running won't affect my ability to actually do it.  I guess we'll see what happens on the 15th!