Update, training time, and happy holidays!!

So…I’ve clearly been slacking on the blog posts lately…life gets busier = Jen is a bad blogger J  I’m well overdue for an update, and to anyone who reads this-I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I CAN’T believe it’s December 1^st!  This year flew by (even though I pretty much say that every year).

The past couple of months I’ve been enjoying just running, without training for anything specific.  I ran the Gilbert Half Marathon a couple weeks ago and ran a PR of 1:39:21.  I wasn’t shooting for a PR that race, since my calf had still been acting up some…but I felt good most of the race and just went for it.  I have a really really really hard time entering a race to “just run for fun” without getting competitive with myself.  Something I’m working on J

Last weekend I FINALLY registered for the Phoenix Marathon, which is 13 weeks from last Saturday.  Pretty sure it’s time to start training J…so I finalized a training plan over the weekend, and officially began today.  Running just for the sake of running is fun, but I was starting to crave more structure again.  I’m keeping my plan pretty similar to what I did to train for St. George, with a few tweaks.  I also plan on continuing with my cross training in the same way that I did last time, if things go according to plan J

Monday morning is still reserved for speed work, so I kicked off my training with some treadmill mile repeats after a few miles outside to warm up.  I love love love the adrenaline rush of speed work.  No other workout makes me sweat as much, and that feeling at the end of that last interval is just awesome.  Ohh how I missed thee.  Feeling awesome after a good run...

This time through, I AM going to give a lot more attention to yoga.  It’s generally been more of a once-in-awhile-when-I-feel-like-it kind of thing, but I’m going to start incorporating it weekly into my routine. 

I’ve done some of THESE videos before from Runner’s World, and they are great because they are not too long, but they make me feel all stretched and relaxed after.

This time of year, people start to get worried about not gaining weight over the holidays.  One of the best ways to stay on track…train for a marathon over the holidays!! (kidding….J )  Seriously though, in my opinion it doesn’t need to be a big deal.  These are the things I think about when faced with tons and tons of food choices during this season:

1. Eat the foods that you enjoy, that are specific to the season.  No need to deprive yourself of all fun treats-just try and choose ones that aren’t available all year round.  Just because the M&M’s are in a plastic candy cane, or the cookies have green frosting doesn’t mean they are any different than the M&M’s or cookies available year-round.  Those special treats that you just love…eat them and enjoy them.  Eat them slowly and really taste them.  If you eat it quickly and in a distracted way, it’s defeating the purpose of enjoying it in the first place! 

2. Plan your workouts.  As we (myself included) get busier, planning is so much more important.  Schedule times when you know you can work out and commit to them.  Sometimes that sweat session is all you need to re energize.

3. Don’t go to parties or events hungry.  No need  to “save calories” for big events…because then you lose touch with what your body needs and just go into it starving and likely to overeat and feel sick.

4. The holidays are about family and friends and memories, not about obsessing over food choices or trying to do it perfectly.  Life is already too short.  If you want the pie, eat the pie, just maybe not the entire pie J  It all comes down to balance…don’t deprive yourself.

(and other holidays)

Are you training for any upcoming races??

What is your favorite holiday food??

Why I love Sundays

Happy Sunday everyone!  Sunday is the one day of the week that I always take off from working out (unless of course it’s a race day).  I usually just go for a walk, but once in awhile I’ll take a class at the gym. Usually though, it’s a rest day, and I try hard to make it a priority. I used to HATE rest days, like HAAAATE them to the point where it felt like punishment, and I was in a cycle of pushing  my body way too hard.  Once I “gave it a chance,” I realized how much better I feel when my body has a chance to recover.  My Monday workouts started feeling fresh, and I didn't feel burnt out and obligated all the time.  THIS article from ACE gives a good summary of why rest days are so important :) 

Reasons why I love Sundays (in no particular order) :

1. Besides it just being a rest day, it’s the only day I actually eat a “real” breakfast.  I always eat in the mornings, but it’s structured around my workouts, so although I do eat good foods to fuel the start of my day and my activity, it’s spaced out and

not a technical sit-down breakfast. 

My favorite Sunday morning breakfast is 3 of my favorite foods…Greek yogurt and a banana with peanut butter...

I usually make “brunch for lunch” which ends up being more of a “linner.”  No picture from today, but I make scrambled eggs full of veggies, with an apple, and a whole wheat English muffin.  I look forward to this every week….maybe because I’m on no time agenda and can kind of just kick back and enjoy at leisure :)

2.  If I don’t make it to church, having the option to watch it from home on my laptop…on the couch, in my pj’s.    

3. A clean house.  I just love that feeling of accomplishment once everything is cleaned, the laundry done, the floors mopped….like a gateway into a new fresh week!

4.  Family.  Weekends in general are full of family time since we all have time off.  Kicking back with the people you love is also an awesome feeling.

5. The Sunday paper.  As the holidays come closer, I just really love flipping through the ads over a cup of coffee.

6. Getting ready for the week.  I feel SOOO much better going into a new week feeling prepared for it.  As the week goes on and gets busier, organization tends to get put to the side, so come Sunday when I can plan out what needs to be planned, prep food for the week, organize myself, etc, etc, I feel so much better!!  If you set yourself up for success, it’s much easier to succeed for sure!

On another note…

Running on the treadmill has never really been my favorite thing, but lately I’ve been craving a good treadmill run.  I did a lot of speed training on the treadmill last training cycle, but since then it’s been only outside running, and I’m starting to feel the itch.  Tomorrow I think I’ll add in a treadmill session J  I found THIS article about different treadmill workout ideas…could be fun ;)

What is your favorite treadmill workout?

Did you do anything fun this weekend?

Fun Running Questions

Okay, I am way overdue for a post.  Time just sort of got away from me!  I love to write and I really should be more on top of that J

As runners, we often get asked questions about running, so for tonight, a quick post about questions I’ve been asked lately, because, for whatever reason, these questions have been asked a lot!! 

What are you training for now?

            A lot of times people think that if I am regularly running, then I’m training for something, which is NOT the case :)    Right now, I’m not training for anything…just trying to maintain my base.  I won’t train again until it’s time to get ready for the Phoenix Marathon.

Did you win your race?

            No…but also yes.  I’m pretty certain that I will never win a marathon, and I am 100% okay with that.  Finishing a race is a win though.  First or last, if you set out to cross that finish line, you win when you cross.

How far was that marathon?

            26.2.  They are all 26.2.  I realize that for someone who is not well versed in the running world, this may not be common knowledge…but they are all 26.2….except in San Diego where I ran closer to 26.8 because clearly I did not do a great job with running the tangents ;)

How many miles a day do you run?

            Depends on the day.  It’s never the same day to day. Some days maybe only 5, some days maybe 20…it’s easier to answer by saying that I run 50-ish a week when not training, give or take a few miles.

Don’t you get bored?

            Usually no.  I try to mix up my workouts often, and listen to good music…that helps a lot.  Sometimes though, it’s just one of those days and the run feels long and boring, but completing it feels much better than staying in bed and dragging all day.

Right now my goals are to pretty much maintain my running base while playing around with some training workouts to keep things fresh, not get hurt, continue cross training (including weight training 3-4 times/week), break 20 minutes in the 5K for a new PR, and make more of an effort to try new recipes.

What are your favorite fall recipes?

What kinds of running questions do you get asked??

Random realizations and my new favorite drink

You can learn a lot about yourself when you stop going through the motions and pay more attention to what you're doing (something I've been working on lately)

I recently discovered that I get bored too easily while running without my Garmin. Does anyone else have this problem? Post-marathon I ran without it for a couple weeks, and really did no race-specific workouts. It was a welcomed break, but then I started to get bored.   I honestly thought that after this last race that I would want (and need) a little break from any sort of training.  Even though I'm not technically training for anything right now, turns out I DO need some race-specific workouts in my life.  I'm actually looking forward to doing more speed work soon (never thought I'd say THAT!) 

I have also recently discovered that I actually do love RPM and spinning.  Any friends who know me well know that was NOT always the case. I love jumping and moving, and I really do love plyometrics.  When I'm on a bike, I have a hard time motivating myself, so if I try and get a workout by myself on a stationary bike, it's a BIG struggle.  I need to work on that.  However, in a class setting, with awesome instructors, I actually really really really like the bike.  I'm not sure what clicked, but I guess I just decided to embrace it and I really love being able to get a hardcore cardio workout without any impact.  My ankles love that :)

This....

Have you ever mixed hot chocolate and coffee?? Seriously, you need to try this.  My new favorite combo!!!!

This article (not a new realization, I just think it's really important)-10 Reasons Why Runners Should Include Weight Training.  I like the explanations it gives, and I'm all for anything that helps me run faster and prevent injuries :) Although weight training has not always been my favorite activity, I've learned to "love" it over the years, and it's just part of my weekly workouts.  I weight train 3-4 times a week (both Body Pump and weight room weight training) and do core training 3 times/week.  Since our core is the foundation for all our body movements, it just makes sense that having a strong core will help us hold good form as we get tired.  

This thought to leave you with....:)

What is your favorite to do for weight training?

Favorite fall recipes?-I need some new ones!!

New goals

Looking at this next year and planning out my races, I’m trying to decide which ones will be run just for fun, and which ones will be aiming for a PR.  I personally need to have a mix of both, so that I stay on top of my training, but can also run more laid back races with no pressure ;) My goals for this next year:

• 1:35 half marathon (really anything under 1:40 would be fine-it’s been awhile since I’ve pushed the pace in a half). 
• Break 20 minutes in the 5K (It depends on the course I choose)
• 3:30 full marathon

It should be a fun year!!

One of the things I really love about running is that we all have different reasons for running, and different goals that are all equally important.  You can take 10 people who are about to run their first half marathon, and they all have reasons why it is important to them, and what it took for them to get there.  Some have a time goal in mind, some just want to get across that finish line…and I LOVE hearing everyone’s stories….so….feel free to share your story and why you run or workout!!!

On another note…has anyone read this book??….

It was a freebie in the “goodie bags” from St. George, and I plan on starting it tonight! 

How is your week going?

What are your current running goals?

Peanut butter quesadillas and cross training

I just needed to share this fantastic meal with the world.  I’ve been into these lately-if you like peanut butter and you like bananas, then you NEED to try these!!  I made one for dinner last night (one of my favorite “breakfasts for dinner” ) SO quick and easy to make:

All you need is:

Tortillas

Peanut butter

Honey

Cinnamon

Banana

Skillet and cooking spray

Spread peanut butter on half of the tortilla, then drizzle some honey on top of it and spread it all together.  Next, sprinkle some cinnamon on top of the pb (this wasn’t part of the original recipe, I added it because I think it tastes good!).  Slice a banana (not too thick) and make one layer of banana slices on top of the peanut butter.  Fold over the tortilla, and heat on a skillet just until it browns on both sides.  The bananas get softer and the pb starts to melt and it is DIVINE!!

I got in a nice run this morning-a nice, Garmin-less run, and it felt great.  I can’t wait to pick back up with my base mileage.  I’ll keep it easy for another week before I mix it up again.  I was happy that my legs felt good during today’s run.  After my last marathon, my first few runs post-race felt weaker, you know, when your legs feel strong, but when you start running the muscle fibers feel weak.  It’s a feeling I only feel after marathons.  This time though (probably since I gave my legs a couple more days off) that didn't happen.   I wasn't going to run another race until January, but I almost forgot about the Gilbert Half Marathon next month-it’s a brand new race (it used to be the Shun the Sun Race) and I can’t wait to run through the streets of Gilbert!!  I love small local races…it should be fun!!

Another thing I’m excited about….

Cross training!  I cut this ^^^ out, along with most of my other cross training during my taper (I kept weight training up until the Monday before the race).  I am a STRONG believer in cross training.…group fitness/weight training/HIIT….and the effect they have on overall fitness and running.  I’ll write a whole other post on that because I have lots of reasons!!!  Haven’t done GRIT ( a Les Mills HIIT program) in a couple weeks now and I’m busting at the seams!!  I’m certified to teach it, so I have lots of releases that I do at home a couple times a week.  There are 3 different formats for GRIT- a cardio version, a strength version, and a plyometric version…all are 30 minute long, boot camp style high interval training. Check it out!!!... http://www.lesmills.com/workouts/high-intensity-interval-training/

Have a safe Friday night!! 

Post-marathon and race planning

A few days post-race and my legs are feeling pretty good overall!  I was sore for a couple days, actually more tight than sore. Some Epsom salt baths and stretching seemed to do the trick.  That’s one thing I REALLY need to work on.  If anyone has any ways they make themselves remember to stretch, I want to hear them! How long do you stretch for??  I need to make it an actual part of my workout.   

My toes did actually hurt A LOT more than my legs.  I had some pretty gnarly blood blisters from this one, and once I drained them (actually not painful at all-it felt fantastic) they felt soooo much better.  I will spare you pictures, and just say that they do not feel nor look pretty. 

I like the idea of a reverse taper after a marathon to build back up mileage to my base.  As much as I just want to run, marathons are HARD on the body, and these muscles that worked hard need time to repair.  Easy effort runs and cross training for a couple weeks it shall be!

I’m planning out my races for this next year and I’m thinking of running the Phoenix Marathon at the end of February.  That’s just over 20 weeks away.  Have you seen that course layout???  Fast and smooth-another great Boston Qualifier.  There was exactly 4 months between the San Diego Rock N’ Roll Marathon, and St. George.  The Phoenix Marathon is almost 5 months from now....so maybe that one, then St. George again (since it’s awesome and since I won a free entry for next year!)….then Boston ;)  

What are your favorite half marathons?  I like the Rock N’ Roll Phoenix half-easy PR course, so maybe that one in January.  Lots of things to think about!!

I’ve been sporting this sweatshirt all week.  I’m surprised I haven’t spilled on it yet.

Random-I made these hot chocolate snowmen from a pinterest link last Christmas.  I made a ton of them, and had a bunch of leftovers.  They’ve become kitchen fixtures at this point.  You know how when something is in one place for long enough, you kind of forget about it….you see it, but you really don’t pay attention to it….yeah, that.  I’m willing to put money on these marshmallows being suuuuper stale.   

Found these at Whole Foods tonight-umm yum??!!!!  Nut butters of all kinds are amazing.  I bought the macadamia one, the walnut one, and the cashew one.  I’ve never tried macadamia butter…

That's all for tonight...;)  What upcoming races are you running?  What's your favorite distance to run?

St. George Marathon Race Recap

The St. George Marathon is now officially my favorite race ever so far!!!  The entire experience, from the expo, to the organization getting to the start line, to the course support, to the views that make you appreciate life…the most enjoyable race I’ve ever run, and I will definitely be back. 

I trained myself for this race, and put together my own training plan.  My goal for this race was to qualify for Boston, and that moment crossing the finish line knowing I had reached my goal is a moment I NEVER want to forget.  I set out to run a negative split (for those that don’t know, that is when you run the second half of the race faster than the first).  I ran a negative split by 3 minutes, and actually felt good after finishing (I surprised myself with that one).    During training I practiced the negative splits, so I know that helped a lot.

Race weekend started with the expo on Friday morning.  Before that, I ran one last shakeout run first thing in the morning in St. George.  My Garmin drained somewhere during our travels, so I made it about ¼ a mile before it totally died on me.  At that point I decided to just run for a set time vs distance, and maybe it was good that I couldn’t see my pace so I wouldn’t push harder than I should.  This was a quick, easy run, and it felt great.  St. George is gorgeous, and I wish I had more time to spend there!

We spent pretty much all day at the convention center for the expo.  Picked up my bib and shirt, bought some souvenirs, tried some samples, had them re-tape my Achilles with KT tape,  and just explored.  They had a few different clinics throughout the day, and I went to all of them, so that I wasn’t on my feet all day, and also because they were great and gave lots of good info. 

Race day started off early, at 3 am.  I planned on being in the hotel lobby at 4 am to take the first shuttle over to the buses that bused us to the start.  I was wide awake by 2:45, before my alarm even went off.  I always feel like I “half sleep” the night before a race, like sleeping with one eye open.  This race is a point to point race, and the starting line was up in Pine Valley, a good 26.2 miles away J  It was freezing and windy at the start, like really really cold to this Arizona girl.  I had my throwaway clothes on, so pants and a jacket, and even with that and the Mylar blankets they were giving out, it was really cold!!  There were tons of fires to keep people warm, but I didn’t want to deal with crowds yet, so I found my own spot.  There were random cars parked off to one side, so I found a spot behind one of them, along with lots of other people.  The cars blocked the wind and it actually wasn’t too bad!  My bus got up there around 4:55 and the race didn’t start until 6:45, so it was a necessity to figure out how to stay warm.  The race started around 7 am (15 minutes late) so it wasn’t dark for long at all once it began.

The first few miles of the race flew by.  Some rolling hills, but really pretty smooth, and it warmed up quickly so I tossed my jacket at the very start. I held back A LOT at the beginning of the race.  When you are tapered and your legs feel fresh, it’s hard to hold back and I was REALLY itching to speed up.  It felt too easy.  The first part of a race you are supposed to run with your head, and my head knew that to succeed in this one, I had to be smart and save my legs for what was ahead.

 Around mile 7 is where it started to get fun.  The Veyo hill- a LONG climb, with the steepest being the first mile of it. It was cool to see the volcano though.  I think that was the first time I actually ever saw a volcano!!  I ran these miles by effort rather than pace.  I tried to keep a steady effort, similar to the previous miles, to save my legs.  I’m glad I did, because it played in my favor later on.

Around mile 11 or so, my left hamstring started really hurting.  I wasn’t sure if it was just tight, or if something was wrong, so I maneuvered my stride a little to stretch it out and it ended up being just fine. 

The 15 mile marker came and I was amazed that 15 miles had already gone by!  From the start, aid stations every 2 miles with Gatorade and water and fruit. There were 4 (I think there were 4?) stations that offered Clif shots.  I only brought one with me since I knew I could get them on the course.  I stuck with what I had intended to do for my fueling, and my stomach cooperated the whole time.  Yaay!

The last few miles are all through St. George, and there are people pretty much lining the sides the entire way through the city.  It really makes such a difference to hear all the cheering those last few miles.  I was actually feeling pretty okay (hurting a lot, but besides my quads/hamstrings, I was feeling strong), and high fived lots of little kids over those last miles.  I finished in 3:33:01 and I can’t say enough how much I loved loved loved this race!!

Thoughts on this race:

-Holding back at the beginning…SO important, even though my legs wanted to take off.  Don’t do it.  Your legs will thank you later.

-I never hit the wall, probably partly because I didn’t burn myself out at the beginning.  Also, I tweaked my pre-race nutrition and race fueling this time and it worked out.  I ran a big negative split and this race felt strong-stronger than I expected.

-I have to say, I NAILED the water situation at aid stations this time.  I got plenty of water in my mouth, and dumped the rest down my back.  They gave out big cups of water, so there was plenty to drink and dump on you in each cup!  Plus, the water was cold!!!  One station even had ice in the water.

-The only really flat part of the course was through St. George over the last couple of mile.  Definitely a big net decline for this race, but it was not a downhill course!!

Thank you St. George Marathon for a fantastic experience.  I most definitely will be back!!!

Race day goals and candy..

This week I’ve been doing a lot of thinking (I’ve had more down time in the mornings, with tapering and all…;) )  I’ve also been doing a lot of sleeping in a little later than normal…again, since I don’t have to be up as early to run as far!

9 days to go until St. George!!  Taper is in full effect, and as race day gets closer, I think it’s important to have a bunch of different goals for the day of the race.  I read an article awhile back about why we should set a variety of goals.  I can’t find the article ( I HATE when that happens!!!) but it talked about setting goals ranging from an ultimate goal/result you would like from the race, along with other goals that you are directly in control of.

I’ve run enough races to know that they do NOT always go according to plan ;)  Sometimes the weather is bad (too hot, too windy, etc) and it alters your pace, sometimes you get hurt, sometimes you get sick, sometimes you don’t fuel in the way that your body needs, sometimes you have tummy troubles, sometimes you have a fantastic race and PR without even aiming for it, sometimes the race feels like a breeze…ANYTHING can happen on race day, good or bad…anything!!  That’s one of the exciting things about distance races, and that’s why it’s important to have a variety of goals.

My ultimate goals:  To run a sub 3:30, but mainly even to BQ (sub 3:35)

Other race day goals:  Finish, stick to my nutrition plan that morning and not try anything new, start off with the pacer and not go out too fast, fuel when I plan to, even if I don’t “feel like” I need it (stick with what’s worked in training), and don’t forget to relax and have fun!

Today I had more downtime than normal, and so did my sister, so we had a fun morning of shopping and lunch, followed up by a trip to the candy store because I wanted jelly beans.  These things are fantastic, and the best part is being able to choose what flavors you want.  This is a mix of vanilla, strawberry daiquiri, and the sour ones!!

I also came across these today (clearly I need more candy in my life…)  Has anyone tried these?  Are they worth it?? 

 Are you training for any upcoming races?  What are your goals??

Training your brain, weekend fun, and a yummy recipe

 It’s Sunday, which means rest day and time to catch up!!

I decided to watch Biggest Loser (at least the first few episodes) this season because I was curious how the show was changing, now that there are 2 new trainers.  Last night I watched the episode I recorded on Thursday and Dolvette said something that made me think.  He said “tell your mind to get out of your body’s way,” and it made me think of how important it REALLY REALLY is to train your mind. 

How awesome does it feel when you achieve something you didn’t think you had it in you to achieve?  A new farthest distance run, a new PR, finishing a run you struggled through….anything!  In my experience, the feeling after of pushing through is always worth it, and I’m always glad I did.

Long runs are run to help build aerobic endurance, time on your feet, to practice fueling, etc, but also I think to train your brain.  Just like our bodies, we have to actively train our minds.  There are almost always parts of a race where you doubt yourself, where you have to convince yourself to keep going.  It’s a battle back and forth, but the more times you can “practice” pushing through those TEMPORARY moments of struggle, the more you believe you CAN.  Our bodies can do so much more than our minds think we can, and to do our best, we need to shut down that inner critic.  On many of my long runs, there is at least one point where that voice tries to convince me that I either need to slow way down or stop, that I’m too thirsty and can’t finish, that I can cut it short and make up the distance later, that my goal is too far out of reach, that I’m bored….my mind can fight me pretty hard sometimes, but every time it does, I get stronger when I push through it. It’s not a question of IF I will, it’s a matter of refocusing.  Some things that help me continually train my brain….

Before a run/race:

-Know the course, know when/where I will fuel, know where the hills are, prepare for the weather

-Just get out the door: on training days when I’m struggling to get out the door, thinking about the feeling when I finish vs how I’ll feel if I don’t do it….and once I’m out the door I feel better.

During a run/race:

-Come up with a mantra: “yes I can,” and “you’re okay” are two of mine. Talk to yourself and give yourself pep talks.  Really, they help.

-Break up the run or race into smaller segments of distances that seem more manageable

-Remind yourself that your body is capable and strong enough

-Sing a song in your head, focus on what’s on your iPod, think about what you want do do (or eat) after the run/race is over, actually LOOK at (and take in) your surroundings, focus on your breathing

Some of my weekend….

Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with my sweet little niece….

This treadmill….I need it!! 40% incline and -6% decline.  For real.  I saw a NordicTrack infomercial for it, and I think it’s the coolest thing ever!!  Plus, you can run anywhere in the world, via the screen simulator thing.

I tried a new yoga video from Runner’s World this weekend and loved it.  I love yoga, and I love doing it in the comfort of my own home.  Runner’s World has some great, free yoga videos….http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-world-yoga-center

Finally…this recipe.  I got this recipe from a friend, and I make it a lot!  These are “turkey muffins”  and they are healthy and fantastic. 

All the ingredients...

1 package lean ground turkey

¾ c chopped bell peppers

½ c zucchini

¼ c diced tomatoes

2 egg whites

3 Tbsp flax seeds

1 ½ cloves of garlic

½ c old fashioned oats

Mix everything together in a bowl except for the oatmeal.  Once it’s mixed, you add the oatmeal to it.  Divide it into 6 muffin tins (that are sprayed with cooking spray).  Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, and voila!  I eat them with some brown rice and some veggies, and they fill ya right up!!!

If anyone tries them, let me know what you think!!!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I have lots and lots of favorites, especially when it comes to running and food, so to help you get to know me a bit better, here are some of my current favorites of the favorites…

Running shoes-currently I’m loving the GT-2000 series and the Kayano’s, and rotate between the two.  They make my feet happy, and the thing I love about Asics is how much the “gel cushioning system” helps keep my ankles strong, even after 6 surgeries :)

Gear-the iFitness belt is the BEST belt I have found to run with, and I’ve tried tons.  I forget I’m even wearing it, and it doesn’t bounce halfway up my torso like some other ones do.

Clif Bars-I think I single handedly keep this company in business J I try not to eat a ton of granola bars, but these bars I LOVE, especially the trail mix ones and the white chocolate ones.  The “sustained energy” they claim to provide is no joke!!  I’m excited that Clif Bar is one of the sponsors of the St. George Marathon, since that means free samples at the Expo :)

Nuun-my favorite way to re-hydrate.  These tablets effervesce in 16 oz of water in 2 minutes, and provide all the electrolytes my tired body needs.  I use it after long runs, or after overly sweaty humid runs when I need more than just water.  The fruit punch one is my favorite.

My latest obsession-McDonalds ice cream.  It’s the only thing I ever order there…like ever, but I’m kind of hooked on this sweet treat that I love so much.  

80 % of my diet is nutritionally healthy, where the other 20% is reserved for ice cream or chocolate. I have no shame. 

My pre-long run dinner-whole wheat pasta, salmon, and veggies.  Booring, but yummy!!  Every week...every single week.  Does it help me run faster or stronger?? Who knows, but I like to pretend it does ;) Oh there are lots more routines around running and running nutrition that I will share later….I can make a whole post out of that one!!

Happy almost Friday!!!

   

Hurricane And Cross Train

Running in the rain is one of my favorite things to do…and this morning was perfect!!  Drizzly, pure, refreshing rain, and I was really bummed about tapering because I would have LOVED to just keep running.

Arizona is preparing for Tropical Storm Odile (weird, right?) Arizona and hurricane aren't supposed to be in the same sentence.  We are already in a state of emergency and the rain really hasn’t started yet.  Among many other precautions, the fire departments are handing out sandbags in case of flooding.  Hopefully it won't be too bad!

You can never be too prepared…

All of my runs are followed by some sort of cross training or stretching, so after my rainy run this morning I did some core work, complete with this fun stuff….

I love CXWORX, and it works!  It’s a Les Mills class that is a half hour of core training, and it’s tough.  I am certified to teach it, but very rarely do, so I do it at home a few times a week as part of my cross training.

I got an email today from the St. George Marathon…..ahhhhh 17 days!!!!!  It's close enough now for a countdown :)  To say that I CAN’T WAIT is an understatement!!!!

This week I'll write a post about a bunch of my "favorites" when it comes to running and fitness and food.  I get asked often, so if you're curious, stay tuned...;)

Oh Monday

Since I just turned 30, I figured that was a good place to start for my first post J  Lots of fun adventures ahead in this new decade, and I kind of can’t wait!

This whole past weekend I celebrated my birthday.  Saturday night my family took me to dinner at Chili’s, where the staff kindly sang “Happy 21^st Birthday” to me, and gave me a free ice cream sundae in a margarita glass.  It was delicious.

 On Sunday I went to lunch with my sister, and when I got home, the house was covered in these…..

In the fridge, in the bathroom, you name it!  My family is the best and they are no strangers to making people feel special!  My weekend went like this: family, friends, food, more food, cake, too much cake, and lots of laughs.  I love birthdays.

Now onto part 2….

My biggest race yet is coming up in about 3 weeks!!  I am aiming to qualify for the Boston Marathon during this race, which means finishing in under 3:35.  3 weeks away means now I’m in taper mode….sometimes that’s harder than the training!  This week I don’t reduce my mileage by too much, and am still doing interval training, so I haven’t lost my mind quite yet ;) Longest runs are behind me, and now I just have to not get hurt and not get sick! 

On Mondays I usually run intervals or hills.  Today was an interval day, but 1 mile less than normal.  Today’s target was 6:45 mile repeats, and they felt strong!  After resetting my Garmin, it was nice to have this data!

 I hope you are having a good Monday too!!  

Anyone else training for a race??!!

About Me

Welcome to my blog! My name is Jen, and I’m a 30 year old health coach, group fitness instructor, runner, peanut butter lover, and auntie to two very sweet children, and this is a bit about me and my life! 

I really really love to run, and lots of you have been following me on Facebook in my quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon and set a 3:30 PR.

I’ve been toying around with the idea of starting a blog for awhile now, and I figured turning 30 was a good starting point J  Since I love family, all things fitness, and all things food, that’s what you will hear a lot about, and I hope you enjoy it!!

 I wasn’t always a runner.  Actually, I used to HATE running.  I was a dancer-I performed and competed in the dance industry from the time I could walk, up until age 17 when I got hurt.  My dance career ended in a split second, but I was unwilling to stop there.  That’s when I started running.  People always said “what a good calorie burner running is,” so I started running, and hated every second of it.  I made myself run “to stay in shape,” and over did it many times.  Then…I got hurt again.  Not being able to run made me realize how much I craved a run, how much I missed something I thought I hated.  Turns out, once I stopped taking my body for granted, I really enjoyed a good run.  The busier my life got, the more I needed a good run to clear my mind, and the more my passion for running grew.  My best life decisions are made out on the roads-somehow a good run can make decisions that much more clear! 

My first race was a 5K Race for the Cure in 2007, and I was hooked!  I ran in support for my grandma, and even though it was a smaller race, the energy and adrenaline of the experience made me NEED more of that in my life!!  I’ve run tons of races from 5Ks to marathons between then and now, and my favorite distance is the half marathon. 

I teach group fitness as well, because working out with a room full of friends is just plain fun!!  For those of you familiar with Les Mills classes, I teach BodyAttack, BodyPump, GRIT, and CXWORX.  If you haven’t heard of them, you can check it out here: www.lesmills.com