How I’m Training for my 50K
In April I’m running a 50K trail race, so right now my life revolves around training. But if you read my Weekly Rundown posts, you may have noticed that I’m not doing the high mileage weeks like you might expect for ultra training. I really believe I can complete this race… if I don’t get injured. Over the past several years injury has been the limiting factor for me, so all my training is done with that in mind. The Running Part Right now I’m doing two weekday runs of 4 miles each, and a day of cross-training on the stair climber. My real training for this race comes from my long runs. My long runs have been slowly increasing in distance, and yesterday I completed an 18 mile run. I’ve been switching back and forth between doing my long runs on Sundays and doing them on Wednesdays. Part of this was to fit in with a crazy schedule over the holidays, but it’s also partly to give my body a periodic rest. I’ll do two or three weeks of Sunday long runs, and then switch it over to Wednesdays, so instead of seven days in between long runs, I’ll have ten days. Then I’ll do that for two or three weeks, and switch it back to Sundays, again to have a longer recovery time in between. Now that my long runs will be in the 20+ mile range, I won’t do a LONG long run every week. I’ll alternate between a long long run one week, and the next week a shorter long run, in the 10-12 mile range. I’ll probably top out around 24 miles for my longest run. Strength Training I’ve been going to the gym twice a week, one day for lower body and one day for upper body. I also try to do one shorter session at home during the week- something that’s hard for me like Bulgarian split squats, that don’t require a gym. Sometimes I question whether I’m doing enough strength training, but it’s hard to fit more in around the long runs. The Mental Part I’ve been listening to podcasts about ultra running ALL THE TIME. I listen during my runs, in the car, at the gym… my two current favorites are Florida Trail Runners (which is how I found out about the race I’m doing) and Trail to 100. On Trail to 100, the hosts interview regular people who have completed 100 mile races. I listen to this so much that now running a 100 mile race seems like a completely normal thing to do. If running 100 miles is normal, then running a 50K shouldn’t be too hard- right? The Other Stuff Nutrition- in this post I talked about increasing my protein intake. That’s been going well and I feel good about what I’m eating. Lots of chickpeas, tofu, peanut butter, beans… all the good stuff. Sleep- SIGH. I’m trying, I really am. I cut out caffeine later in the day and have been getting in bed earlier. I’m sleeping more but I’m still struggling with the temperature in the bedroom. I’m always too warm and my husband is too cold. I got a “cooling blanket” which… kind of works. Sleep is still a work in progress. Massage, foam rolling, stretching- yes, yes, and yes. I can get a free massage once a month at work, but sometimes it’s hard to schedule it. For the last several months I’ve been diligent about doing it. I foam roll regularly and stretch every night- especially my calves. I’m following a specific protocol of self-massage and stretching my calves to (supposedly) get rid of my plantar fasciitis. The PF is still there, but it’s not affecting my running. I would still like to get rid of it, obviously. A wise runner- I can’t remember who- said “enjoy your training, because nothing else is guaranteed.” I certainly hope I’ll make it to the starting line of this race healthy, but there’s no guarantee. In the meantime I’m definitely enjoying the training. I’m joining My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for their “Fit Five Friday” linkup. Are you training for a big race right now? Would you ever run an ultra, or do you think ultra runners are crazy?
Reading and Eating
Today I’m talking about two of my three favorite things (the third being running, of course.) I’ve read some good books lately and made a delicious dinner on Sunday! Let’s start with the books… Okay. I know David Goggins is controversial. I used to have mixed feelings about him, but I LOVED this book. My previous negative feelings came from my impression that Goggins did crazy stunts and bullied others into doing the same. Just look at him on the cover of his book- am I supposed to believe I can do everything he can? However! In this book he focuses on the fact that he doesn’t consider himself a natural, gifted runner, and that he was actually born with a heart defect, sickle cell trait, and additionally has hypothyroidism and Raynaud’s Syndrome. He also had an absolutely horrible childhood, rife with abuse and neglect. His answer to overcoming all of that is discipline. “This is where you make up the difference in potential. By learning to maximize what you do have, you will not only level the playing field but also surpass those born with more natural ability and advantage than you…With discipline as your medium, your life becomes a work of art.” Later in the book he talks about a potentially devastating knee injury, and a botched surgery that made it even worse. Facing the prospect of never running again, Goggins got right on his bike and started pedaling. He talks about the difficulty of accepting new limitations, but says “No matter your age, abilities, disabilities, or responsibilities, we must all stay committed to finding our new benchmarks. Because not only does that keep your mind engaged and the demons at bay, you might actually achieve things the old you never could have conceived.” This really resonated with me, since I’m going through a bit of a “mid-life running crisis.” I found the book very inspirational, but just a heads up- there is a LOT of swearing. If that’s not your thing you probably won’t like it. Next up, some lighter reading… I love old-school ‘whodunit” mysteries the same way some people love romance novels. They’re not great literature, they’re wildly unrealistic and the characters are usually not well-developed. But… I grew up loving Agatha Christie, so I’m still a sucker for an “impossible” mystery, where there’s no way the murder could have been committed, and yet there is a dead body and someone killed them. In the end, the brilliant detective gathers all the suspects together and reveals the stunning solution. Sophie Hannah does a good job with this and has written four books specifically in the style of Agatha Christie, with Hercule Poirot as the detective. No one can hold a candle to Agatha, but Hannah’s books are really enjoyable to read- if you like that style of mystery. The Couple at the Table isn’t one of her “Agatha Christie” books, but it’s a mystery in a similar vein. Next up- I made a delicious dinner on Sunday! This picture definitely doesn’t do it justice. It’s homemade naan and Thai Yellow Coconut Curry with Mango.. Okay. I KNOW. Naan is not Thai, it’s Indian. Let me explain… I was thinking of making Indian food for dinner, and since I usually do something a little “fancy” on Sundays, I figured I would make naan to go with it. I googled “vegan naan recipes” and one came up from Minimalist Baker. When I went to the website, the mango curry came right up as the “pick of the week.” It looked so delicious I decided to make it, but since I already had my heart set on naan I went ahead and made that too. I made a few modifications to the curry recipe. I added tofu and broccoli, and only used one mango instead of two. The recipe also calls for three tablespoons of sugar, and instead I used one tablespoon of agave. I think if you used all three tablespoons of sugar and two mangos, the recipe would be sickeningly sweet. Or, maybe it would be even more delicious! I made the naan exactly according to the recipe. Both the naan and the curry were amazing. Now I’m trying to decide what to make for the Super Bowl. My sister is rooting for the Eagles and smugly told me that she’s making vegan Philly Cheesesteaks. Oh yeah? Well, I’m making…. um…. a quick google search told me that Kansas City is famous for a lot of weird things, but mostly barbecue. Hmmm. It’s not that I can’t make something barbecued and vegan. It’s that barbecue sauce has a LOT of sugar, and if you try to reduce or replace it, it really doesn’t taste right. So I’m in a quandary. If anyone knows of any other great Kansas City foods, let me know! If not, I may have to go with generic Super Bowl foods like cauliflower wings and guacamole. Muffin was apparently sad that I didn’t include her in my list of favorites, and is being extra cute right now. Are you making anything special for the Super Bowl? Read anything great lately?
Weekly Rundown- All About the Long Run
Well, it’s Sunday again and time for the Weekly Rundown, thanks to our gracious hosts Kim and .Deborah. This week had a little of everything- gym, short runs, and a GREAT long run! Read on for the details. Sunday Leg day at the gym! Remember how, until November, it had been over 1000 days since I went to the gym? Well, my husband also hadn’t been in at least that long but he went with me on Sunday. I’ve been gently nagging him to do some strength training (because he hasn’t been doing ANY) so I was very happy he came with me! I’ve read that when you first start lifting heavy weights, your brain learns to recruit more muscle fibers during a lift so it seems like you get stronger really quickly- but it’s really just an improvement in the neuromuscular process. I can definitely attest to this- I first started squatting with just the bar, and now I can add 30 pounds! Whatever it’s due to, it’s fun to see so much improvement. Monday 4 mile run! I literally can’t remember anything about this run, other than I did it and I have the picture to prove it. Tuesday Push/pull day at the gym, which I’ve decided I can simply call “upper body.” Wednesday LONG RUN! I went to Yamato Scrub, which is a 217 acre protected natural area about thirty minutes from my house. Scrub communities formed on old dunes, so a lot of this trail system is loose sand. That’s fine, because the trail race I’m doing in April apparently has sand dunes involved (eep!) I knew it was going to be hot (it was 85 degrees by the time I finished the run) but it’s not going to be any cooler in April. I decided to approach this run a little differently, and broke it up into three segments. After each segment I returned to my car- the “aid station”- to get some ice and switch water bottles. The first segment of the run was just under 6 miles, and it felt AWFUL. I was running on exposed, sandy trails. And when I say “sand” I mean loose sand, not hard-packed. I was in full sun and I questioned whether I could continue- but I reminded myself that I would feel better after my pit stop. I stopped at my car, switched out my water bottle, and put several ice cubes in my sports bra. My new water bottle had icy cold water mixed with LMNT, which tasted amazing; the ice in my bra cooled me down, and I started on a different section of trail, which was less sand and more dirt. I felt like a whole new person! The next five miles felt so easy compared to the first six. I stopped at my car again, switched water bottles, got more ice, and set off for the last leg. I did get tired during this leg, but I completed 16 miles. That’s the same distance as my last long run but took longer because of the more difficult terrain. I’ve decided to measure my long runs by time now, although of course I couldn’t help looking at the mileage as well. This run was a huge victory, because instead of just complaining about the heat, I did something about it. The LMNT worked great, I didn’t get nauseous, and nothing hurt! I really loved this run, and I want to do more long runs in this area. Thursday Ugh. Went to the gym and did the stair climber. Did I feel like it? NO. But, I’ve decided to do one day a week of cross training on the stair climber, and this was the only day that worked. I also did some abs while I was there because… why not. Friday 4 mile run. Extremely annoying fact: someone has started parking their car in one of the spots where I take a picture at the end of my run. Don’t they know I have a blog??? Anyway, I took this “amazing” shot instead in a different location. Funny thing about this picture- it looks like I’m blurry and the background is clear, but in reality it was the opposite. It was very, very foggy this morning, which wasn’t captured in the photo at all. Saturday Off! I didn’t get to sleep in as I usually do on a Saturday, because my daughter had solo and ensemble contest. Since I had to work my husband drove her, but I had to be up to provide breakfast and moral support. She ended up getting a superior on her solo, as I knew she would! She was well-prepared, and the judges are very lenient in middle school. But it was her first time going to contest and I’m glad she had a good experience. Sunday On tap for today- leg day once again! My husband discovered that our gym has a hex bar- who knew?- and I’m going to try doing hex bar deadlifts. I know- I really know how to make a Sunday morning fun! And, I’m not too happy about football season winding down. I’m looking forward to the Super Bowl next weekend, but today is going to feel empty with no games. I’ve never been interested in basketball, but I’m going to try. I need something! How’s your weather been? – Ha! While the rest of the country has been immersed in winter, we got up to 87 degrees this week. We’re having a cooler and rainy weekend, which is just fine with me. Eagles or Chiefs? – Chiefs!
February Coffee Date- Trials, Tribulations, and Tea
Since it’s the first Friday of the month, I’m joining Coco and Deborah for our monthly coffee date! I don’t drink coffee, but I’m currently drinking some very delicious tea. But we’ll get to that in a minute. If we were having coffee (tea) together, I would tell you that I’ve been having quite a week. On Monday, my laptop started behaving strangely. Everything was going along just fine, and then it suddenly froze up. I tried shutting it down and restarting (my usual “miracle cure” for anything that goes wrong with an appliance) but that didn’t help. The only thing that fixed it- temporarily- was to leave it alone for a couple hours and then it was magically back to normal. But a couple days later it happened again, and has been occurring randomly throughout the week. This has been causing me a lot of stress. I REALLY need my laptop! I would say the top two things I need in my life are my car and my laptop. MacBooks are expensive, right? I don’t want to have to get a new one! Arg. On the same day my computer woes began, I did a load of laundry and then discovered that our DRYER isn’t working. WHAT????? Okay, the top three things I need in my life are my car, my laptop, and my dryer. Somehow, our family generates a tremendous amount of laundry, and I do a load almost every day. The earliest a repairman can come out when someone will actually be home is next Wednesday. In the meantime I’ve been washing the clothes and letting them air dry. Remember how I shared last week that my house is a mess? Well, the only thing that could possibly have made it worse would be damp clothes draped across every surface. Oh well- at least it’s only for five more days. Let’s move on to a happier subject. Last week I talked about my love for Earl Grey tea, and how I’ve been enjoying Stash Double Bergamot, which was suggested by Suzanne. She also recommended a tea called Uncle Grey which is from a Canadian company called Tea Squared. Uncle Grey is described as “the smoother cousin of the pretentious Earl Grey.” Well, my tea has arrived, and as promised it is smooth and delicious! And, in addition to the Uncle Grey, they sent me several samples. I’m not a fan of fruity teas, but my husband will happily drink them. I’m really excited to try the Ginseng Oolong though! I used to drink Oolong tea, and this one sounds interesting. Overall I’m very happy with this purchase- thank you Suzanne! Do you like tea? What’s your favorite kind? Will I need to buy a new laptop AND a dryer at the same time? And what will be the next thing to break- my phone? The refrigerator? Stay tuned to find out!