Foodie February

Over the week or so, I've gone for a few nice and easy runs to savor some tastes of springtime, and I've done yoga a couple times.  I'm getting better at flowing through the warrior poses and downward dog, and I even did the eagle pose yesterday!

I've been eating really, really well.  I discovered Bob's 10 grain hot cereal and am enjoying it as a new, savory breakfast.  I also made crepes this weekend, and we definitely enjoyed the sweet French treats :P  I'm loving snacking on citrus, including grapefruit and oranges. For dinner, some recent recipes include arugula pesto and a killer stirfry with a variety of organic greens plus rice.

Sweet running

According to the Jewish calendar, it's a new year. I wish you all a very sweet year ahead! And, I'm wishing myself some sweet running.

To keep my training fresh and fun, I'd like to:

1. Run races of different distances (there's a 5 miler in a couple weeks, and it would be cool to run a 5K this year, too)
2. Return to trail running (the Bay Area is loaded with cool trails)
3. Complete more fartlek workouts (they challenge me in a fun way)
4. Cook & bake more with fresh produce (should make blue cheese mac and cheese soon for my hubby & me)
5. Try out some different kinds of ice cream & gelato

ZING is Z-licious

Sometimes, we runners need a bar (shakes and gels, too, but shakes are a pain to carry around and gels taste nasty). I was stoked to discover Zing bars at Whole Foods.

Zing bars are packed with natural ingredients, include over 10 grams of protein to support muscles :> They've been kind to my tummy, and they taste really good :>

The chocolate coconut Zing bar tastes SO much like an almond joy bar, except it has even better tasting chocolate!! There are other flavors, too. Another favorite of mine is the peanut butter chocolate chip bar.

I realize this sounds like an advertisement, but I've been looking for something good to help with fueling and recovery for a while, and these are working well.

Gettin' set

Tomorrow's my goal half marathon....I've re-read my race plan. I've visualized racing. I've been drinking green tea and water and sparkling cherry water. Garmalade is charging. I've laid out my gels & race outfit---blue running skirt & hot pink Nike tank top. I'm taking it easy today and will enjoy some carbs this afternoon with a tasty Zing bar. Of course, I'll be eating pasta tonight.

And tomorrow morning, I get to GO---fast, strong, and always trying my best :)

Tasty Tuesday

Oh, food....How I love thee!

As a runner, I know I need carbs and protein and try to eat plenty of veggies and fruit, too. Here are some of my favorite meals that fuel me:

Breakfast: "Elvis" oatmeal with sliced banana and peanut (or almond) butter

Lunch: Egg sandwich with tabasco and ketchup on whole wheat bread (I scramble an egg + an egg white with a splash of milk in the microwave)

Snack: Cereal and milk; fruit--yesterday I downed a big bowl of fresh cherries

Dinner: Super salad with tomatoes and beets from our CSA box and cheese & PASTA- almost any which way....

Deep thoughts

Ruminations while consuming peanut butter (post-run, of course!)

Do I love peanut butter because I'm a runner?

Or am I runner because I love peanut butter so damn much?

Taper away

Somehow, the marathon taper is long enough so you start questioning if you've stopped being a runner! When tapering, I find myself looking at the clock and calendar, reviewing my running log, doing body checks to conjure up strange pains, and checking the weather A LOT (more on that later). Oh, and sometimes there's some dangerous online shopping, too ;)

Yesterday's taper-pampering involved a sport massage plus tasty treats! My brilliant massage therapist did some excellent, deep kneading of my legs and glutes; let's just say that my quads, the backs of my thighs, and my calves all had some serious issues. Now I'm sitting on an ice pack---good times, good times.

Afterwards, I picked up burritos & feasted with my hubby because marathoners need the potent fuel of guacamole, beans, and carne asada. Oh, and then I baked brownies (Totally not sure if Kara Goucher or Deena Kastor have ever even smelled a brownie. And, by the looks of their arms and legs, my answer is NO!). Of course, I not only smelled the brownies, but ate 'em....delish :P

I think part of the tapering process is getting to know who you are and figuring out your limits. And, I'm most definitely not a professional marathoner. But I have put in the time and sweat, as well as the energy to train hard and try my very, very best. I'm hoping for a delish marathon and will work during the race to make myself proud.

ps- Current weather forecast is cool with some showers on May 2nd.....

Burrito Powered

I tend to write about hardcore workouts, exciting races, and new routes on this blog BUT there are also off days and down runs. Yesterday I woke up feeling completely drained, and my legs felt oddly sore :( Of course, I even worried about being overtrained.

So, I took a rest day. I drank lots of water and tea. And I ate a giant burrito in SF---with enough chicken, beans, and guacamole inside for a herd of horses. It was delish and very satisfying. This morning, I ran 14 miles and felt energetic the entire way. I think my legs were thanking me for the extra fuel! I think I made a good decision to postpone that medium long run and feel ready to cruise through the rest of the week of training!

Apres run

Today's 20 miler went great, and I wanted to share my post-workout routine:

After long runs, I walk a bit and guzzle some water. Then I stretch and work on my quads, hamstrings, etc. Next, I try to eat something right away---sometimes a banana or granola bar or almonds (today, I scarfed down most of a Powerbar protein bar plus a big latte). I try to keep drinking water all day. Today I also partook in a cold water bath to freeze my leggies, and it worked :O Some vitamin I (aka Advil) tends to help me hobble around the house! And usually more eating is in order, as well.

Now I need to do some reading and/or snacking....

Food, schmood

During today's run, I started thinking about my dinner o' champions: a calzone with italian sausage and veggies. Yes, it was tasty last night, but in the morning I was feeling a bit guilty and/or worried about my nutrition as runner :(

On the one hand, here are some foods that I know are healthful AND that I love:

• oatmeal (SO comforting)
• bananas
• peanut butter (my fuel of choice)
• turkey (deli meat for sandwiches)
• tuna (lots of protein)

On the other hand, here are some foods that I also love:

• burgers (protein, eh?!)
• fries ('nuff said)
• pizza/calzone (e.g., last night)
• ice cream
• beer/red wine (aiming for moderation while training)

I'm aware that I shouldn't label foods as good or bad, and I also know that there are times when fries and a big ole beer are needed ASAP. I'm not giving up my also-loves, and I should be happy that I dig many types of healthy fruits and veggies and protein-packed foods. But it's still a challenge, so I'm going to be open about it.

DYWM

My new slogan is: Drink Yo Water, Missy! It might not be as institutionalized as TGIF, but, during marathon training season, Fridays are ALL about hydration, carbs, and prepping for long run Saturday.

Today's steady state run went great and felt good with 25 minutes of running at the low end of my steady-zone :)

Beginning the marathon journey

I'm extremely happy to report that good health has returned to the W's of Otown (yes, that would be my hubby & me). L'chaim!

And, as January 4th was the planned start date for Avenue of the Giants training, today's 5 mile run around Lake Merritt (which was packed with post New Year's resolutioners) counts as the beginning of my training journey.

Like all serious things, the journey is longer and tougher than the destination; I consider race day to be the destination. The journey is guaranteed to include rainy runs and super hilly runs plus runs where you get lost or lose something or are tired or hungry or thirsty or just need to find a bathroom. The journey always throws in some unexpected twists, turns, falls, bumps, bruises, and ice packs to boot. The journey necessitates trips to the grocery store for pasta, peanut butter, and bananas. During the journey, your feet beg for multiple pairs of running shoes (and pedicures & burritos & Arizmendi muffins & Fenton's ice cream sundaes - ohhlala).

And the destination? One morning, lots of people, a few trips to port-a-potties, the starting gun, run, run, mile markers, drinking out of paper cups, several gus, run more and more, sore feet, sweat, more sweat, getting tired, pushing, kicking, and the finish. A medal. Time to celebrate the destination & the journey!

It feels great to start the journey toward the May marathon, and I know the destination will rock, too.

Thankful for

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

This beautiful morning, running gave me the opportunity to give thanks for my health and strength, being able to run in shorts and a shirt in late November, and oh-so-fun fartleks...I'm in the midst of cooking up a storm and am grateful for this day and my friends and family near & far.

Expo

I took the train into Manhattan and managed to get myself through the hustle and bustle to the Marathon Expo at the Javits Convention Center. There, I got my race bib (#22907 in the Blue starting village) and timing chip-tag, as well as the official blue long sleeved race shirt. I snagged some samples of powerbars and gus. I also spent awhile browsing through the Asics race clothing and accessories (and ended up purchasing a cool gray long sleeved shirt-jacket with the world's softest fleeciest lining!).

Afterwards, I treated myself to a pretzel from a NY street vendor, and it was a delicious way to kick off my carbo loading :P When I wake up tomorrow morning, I'll be two days away from race day, so it's time to get excited....very excited!!

Almost there

Just checking in on Friday of monster week to report that so far, so good! Today's tempo run felt great, and I was in the speedy portion of my tempo-zone; that should give me a bit more confidence that 3:55 is within reach.

Tomorrow's 22 miler is a big long run, for sure. But I'm making a pancake dinner tonight to load lots of easy-to-digest carbs into my system :P And I'm giving myself permission to ease myself into the long run and trust the totality of my training. With just over three weeks till New York, it's time to reassure myself that the race WILL go wonderfully & be a BLAST!!

Tummer

It's time for me to write about my tummy.

No, not because I'm planning on developing Kara Goucher-esque fabulous abs :) It would take a moderate-miracle for me to develop a 6-pack rather than drinking 6-packs (I heart Anchor Steam, Hefeweizen, and, well, Budweiser)!

Instead, I'll talk about the far more appealing nature of my digestive tract....

I tend to have a very strong stomach and eat just about anything (except papaya). But I've had some not-so-fun tummy issues during the past few weeks of running. It could be the noxious combination of heat, not eating well enough, hormones, and stress :( Whatever it was, it didn't help my training. I took a step last night by eating a super simple (and easy to digest) dinner- buttered pasta noodles with some grated cheese (plus M & Ms for dessert). I abandoned my traditional tomato sauce and salad, and my stomach felt terrific on this morning's 15 miler. No heartburn or bathroom issues. In fact, I'm recording it as my easiest 15 miler; a nice run around Alameda on a nice early fall morning.

Monday medium

I woke up a bit early to get ready for the medium long run and was treated to some misty fog at the beginning of the run. The miles went by relatively quickly. On the way back home, I had to dodge passels of Berkeley students walking to campus! At a few points, my legs felt a bit tired and then they'd get back in the groove, at a nice and easy pace. I can tell that my shoes are getting a bit worn down, and I should switch to my sparkling new pair of Brooks soon. After the run, I made a protein shake as soon as I got home because I know I need to take care of myself this week, and I will also drink plenty of water today.

On tap for this week (which may help me set a mileage PR!):

-Track workouts--400s & 800s

-Long pace run--20 miles with about 7 miles at GMP

Track family

My return to the track was one part family reunion and one part pain (and gain!). J and I saw some familiar faces---Olympian coach, fleece dude, friendly walkers, etc.

J and I got down to business, cranking out 800s. I ran six 800s at 3:44-46 pace, with the last interval at 3:40! I think the fifth interval was the toughest, and I felt a bit woozy at the end of the workout. Fortunately, we treated ourselves to Arizmendi, and there's nothing a blueberry muffin can't fix ;) Currently, I'm scheduled to do a hill workout next week but am tempted to return to the track...

Racing up, down, and around SF

Here's an epic report of the 2009 San Francisco marathon, but if you want the hilariously short version, view this video!

Night before:
After a very slothful Saturday, I enjoyed a pasta dinner at home with Trader Joe's marinara sauce and red velvet cake from the Grand Lake farmers market for dessert! I got in bed before 10pm and actually managed to fall asleep without too much tossing and turning.

Rise and Shine:
I woke up with my 3:45 am alarm. I chugged some water, made coffee and toast with peanut butter and watched a few minutes of Valley Girl on tv (who knew that great 80s movies would be on at 3 am?!?). I took a quick, hot shower to help warm up. I got dressed and sunscreened up and felt surprisingly awake and alert. Thanks to adrenaline, it really didn't feel like 4 am. By the time we got in the car, I had the butterflies. Fortunately, the drive to the start was easy, and I only had to walk a couple blocks to the starting area and, oh so important, porta potties! After taking care of business, I walked and hopped around to get a little blood flowing and burn off nervous energy, and waited for Jenica in the dark with a zillion other runners doing their thang.


We lined up together in the 4-4:15 corral with full and half marathoners mixed together. I need to mention that races that combine fulls and halfs are kind of demoralizing for fullers. It's really not fair to see the halfers at mile 12- they have 1 mile to complete, but you have 14 to crank through. And at mile 20- they've done 7 miles, while your leggies have already done 20.

Start it Up: Miles 1-4
I stuck to my race plan for the first few miles. I kept reminding myself that it should feel too easy. If the pace felt at all hard, I forced myself to relax and jog a few steps. My breathing was easy and there wasn't a niggle or ache in the leggies. It was quite grey and cool- absolutely perfect running weather. I tried my best to run in straight lines and not do too much sprinting around people or weaving around because that only wastes energy and adds mileage.

Over and back the Golden Gate Bridge: Miles 5-10
Crossing the bridge was hectic, to say the least. I couldn't get in a relaxed groove because we were so packed on the bridge. Not everybody was so-well versed in race etiquette; there were walkers on the left and people stopping to take photos. So I had to dodge some mayhem. I felt really strong around mile 8 and ran with a really nice woman from BC, Canada, which was a great distraction.

Happy Miles: Miles 11-12
I worked hard getting up the Presidio Hill but had a blast cruising downhill toward Baker Beach, which was the most scenic part of the race course. The Pacific Ocean looked rad. I turned on my iPod, enjoyed the playlist, and found a good groove. These miles were pure flow because they felt more like a dance than a run.

In Da Park: Miles 13-19
I admit that the downhill through the park was fun, and I felt strong and terrific at mile 12ish. I looked around and was proud to be surrounded by other tenacious runners and was feeling confident in my ability to hang on! In fact, it was feeling too easy, but I told myself to concentrate on these middle miles of the race. Then there was an interminable, gradual climb through the park with the 2nd half marathoners. We had to read a bunch of signs to stay on course, and, at one point, I thought I'd gone in the wrong directions and almost broke down. But then I realized that I *was* on track with the full marathoners. Oh lordy, so many miles in that park. To add insult to injury, I've trained so much in that park so the views didn't provide any distraction.

Haight Street: Miles 20-21
I had some pep at the beginning of Haight Street because I was stoked to have exited the never-ending Golden Gate park. My legs still felt decent , and I think my music and the mile 17 roctane was helping me. I was smiling and encouraging other runners, which also motivated me.

Mission Runpossible: Miles 21-22
Running down 16th street is when things got a bit weird...A bit past Mission St., I noticed that my visor was sliding down over my eyes, so I had to keep pushing it up. This had never happened before on any long runs, so I was a little annoyed and took my visor off. This might not sound like *that* much of a big deal, but you can ask anyone, I wear a hat or visor for 98% of my runs. Therefore, in hindsight, I'm deeming the visor removal around mile 21.5 as the beginning of the wall. I just don't think my brain worked quite right after this point!!

Potrero H-E-L-L & Dog Patch: Miles 22-24
To be fair, the Potrero neighborhood is totally rad (ie- delish Goat Hill pizza!). Plus, a friend from grad school was oh so nice to come out on Connecticut St. (at mile 23) to cheer me on (thanks, Lisa!). But, honestly, I was in my own personal runners hell during the segment through the Potrero Hill and Dogpatch neighborhoods of SF. There were some odd hills and plenty of turns. Yes, my legs were moving. In fact, I felt like I was working really, really hard to eek out a slooow pace. Oh well. I was progressing along the course and not stopping. Just telling myself to go another mile. I was staring at the ground.


At that point, there wasn't that much reflection or body-checks happening, and I'd forgotten about the various strategies for dealing with handling long runs. In future races, I'd love to remember to use my strategies to dig deep, breathe deeply, and say positive mantras during the final miles (I honestly think that's the #1 thing I need to work on!).

Ball Park: Mile 25
Yeah, I could see AT & T Park for awhile before getting there (due to the sloooowed down pace). I think I recall 'Highway to Hell' playing on my iPod- yikes! At this point, my breathing felt strange- somewhere between a hair ball (well, what I imagine a hair ball feels like for my cat, Amiga) and an asthma attack (which I've never really had). I actually forced myself to slow down to remind myself to breathe in and exhale; it was almost like I lacked the coordination of my nose, mouth, lungs, etc.

I was definitely looking forward to seeing that baseball stadium because I knew that meant that I had just another mile to survive. You'd think I was a crazed Giants fan or something, but I'm not! I ran for a little while with a really nice woman with long braids. We encouraged each other, and she was so sweet. It was helpful to get the positivity at this point in the race. After passing the stadium, I tried to figure out how to pull myself together so Jeff (who was going to be spectating around mile 26) wouldn't think I'd totally lost it. At one point, I was going to beg him to walk with me. Then I told myself that I needed to pick it up and force the speed when I saw him. But I also *had* to share with him that I was in pain. Don't know why, but it was really helpful to tell the hubby that I was suffering. I suppose I needed him to carry a bit of the exhausted pain for me :(

Finito: Mile 26
With the finish line in sight, I knew I needed to book it to get in under 4:20. I kicked and couldn't really feel my legs but focused on the big finish line banner and finished in 4:19:30. I'm proud to report that I finished in the top 30% of female finishers.

A fun statistic is that, according to Garmalade, I actually ran 26.6 miles (dang those extra .4 miles!) at an average pace of 9:46 min/mile, so if I'd run exactly 26.2 miles at that pace, my finish time would have been a smokin' 4:15!


The post-race celebration included fried chicken at Luka's plus grapefruit cocktails to die (or run 26.6 miles) for! And about 36 hours post-race, I have extraordinarily sore hamstrings and quads but I can say that I still love running and crazily want to complete more marathons ;)

Track wake up

This morning's track workout was designed to wake up my legs and remind them that they can go fast. There was a nice chill in the air which made the breathing and running quite refreshing. I admit that the three 'cruising-pace' 400s did loosen my muscles. As the final track workout of this marathon training cycle, it was intentionally easy, fun, and confidence-boosting! I did some stretching afterward and will do more stretching--along with hydrating--tonight. Now I'm enjoying delicious banana bread baked by Jenica (thanks, missy!) and am quite delighted to be a marathon runner who's earned a sweet and lazy breakfast.