Ever since the marathon my muscles have been achy, sore, and just not right-- this is typical though, I exerted my body in a pretty serious manner for the first time and my 27 year old joints & muscles need some TLC. After years and years of scoffing at yoga... trying it once or twice, and absolutely hating it, I decided to give Bikram yoga a try-- through word of mouth, I heard that the owner of Sunrise Hot Yoga is an avid runner and SWEARS that it has improved his balance, form, and speed immensely. I'm not too worried about the speed aspect, but REALLY need a stretching routine and some balance wouldn't hurt either as I have been tripping more often. I thought that this type of yoga would be more beneficial to me because the heat (105 degrees... YIKES!) and fast pace style of the class (90 minutes, 26 different poses each repeated twice) turn THIS type of yoga into a cardio AND stretching workout... just what the doctor ordered. :)
For $20, at Sunrise Hot Yoga (a charming little studio in Old Fair Oaks) you get two weeks of UNLIMITED sessions! You can go 2x a day if you like (that'd be a bit crazy)... or what they recommend, EVERY day. At first I thought this would be a bit excessive, but yoga does not put the same type of strain on your body as running or any other high impact work out. In fact, it is recommended you go as many days in a row as possible for the first few months in order to reach really good flexibility and then you can reduce to 3-4x per week for maintenance.
My first class was yesterday at 5:30 AM (crazy, I know). It was extremely challenging and a lot of the poses hurt... not in a painful way, but a challenging "my muscles are elongating and stretching" way. I got dizzy close to the end of the class because you sweat a LOT (90 minutes of 105 degree heat and moving around, yikes!)-- but quickly revitalized myself with a V-8. I walked out with my skin glowing, feeling softer and I felt calm and relaxed. I went back for an afternoon class today and it got a bit easier. I'm going back tomorrow and then Saturday morning.
I'm not sure if I am completely "SOLD" on the hot yoga idea... a) It's expensive b) It's REALLY time consuming... 90 minutes yoga + running 4-5 days a week + weights 3x a week!? How is this possible when I am at school 4 days a week and studying 23048 hours!? I guess we will see :)
Hope all is well!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Post-race FOOD :)
I am tracking what I am eating two days prior to the marathon, and a day prior to to see how I feel energy wise on race day and can tweak my intake/keep the same for future races depending on how well it works out.
Breakfast
1.5 cups Special K with Blueberries Cereal (no milk)- 160 cals
Iced latte with skim milk - 45 cal
Snack
Caribbean Passion Jamba Juice, regular size - 360 cals
Lunch
Smart Ones Angel Hair Pasta - 240 cals
Snack
1 full egg - 70 cals
3 egg whites 60 cals
can of green beans 80 cals
Snack
Popcorn- 100 Cals
Dinner
Stuffed spinach shells - 400 cals
Broccoli- 60 cals
Daily total: 1575
Perfect for not working out at all today :)
T-2 DAYS!!
In 48 hours I will be 3 hours in to my very first full marathon EVER! EXCITING!
I was so preoccupied with school and tests the past week that I didn't have time to get nervous at all... but now that I have nothing to do except think about Sunday and what I need to do to prepare, I am incredibly nervous.
I'm the type of person who needs a to-do list, or else I go insane. I like schedules!!
To do list for today:
*Wash & clean out the Camry
*Go to Sports Authority for new headphones...I-pod ear buds just don't cut it.
*Load up the ipod with more music
*Organize all running clothes
*Pack
*Make sure that I take in PLENTY of fluids and carbohydrates today
*Gentle stretching and foam rolling
*RELAX
I'm antsy, and just want to work out and run off my nerves but this has been a really low-key work out week and it has been VERY trying for me to not add in weight to my routine. However, I have followed all of the "taper rules," (much to my dismay) so ensure that I am as rested as possible for Sunday morning's run!!
I hope that you guys have a great weekend :)
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Stressbox.
The stress of having four tests next week is getting to me... one is a three-unit Chem exam... and NO ONE in the class understands one of the units. Meh. Another is a lab exam... stressful, but not as stressful as the unit exam. I also have a Cultural Anthropology test on 7 chapters (none of which I have read, of course- Chemistry is too demanding and Anthro has gone on the back burner)... and finally, on Thursday, I have a 200 point cumulative final exam in Chemistry.
Mark my words: I WILL NEVER, EVER, take a science class in summer school again. It is beyond me why I have to have 5 semesters of Chemistry for a B.S. in Dietetics. I understand General Bio, Anatomy, Systemic Physiology.... but basic chem, Chem 1A, 1B, O Chem and Biochem!? A bit redundant. Oh well.
Needless to say, my 3 mile run tonight was not nearly enough to pacify the stress that is consuming my life right now. Why do I like to run!? Is it because I think that it helps me run from my problems? No, I think that I have a passion for running because it is MY time... I am in control of my mind, and can let it wander and think about things that are pleasurable to think about (not Chemistry at this current point in time).
I want to work through the night, but I feel like I am running in circles because I will NEVER finish all of this work to the level that I want to. 8 miles in the AM, and then only 9 miles next week before the marathon. It is going to be a blessing that I am running so few miles next week because of time constraint but also irritating because I need a positive outlet for my frustration!
Goodnight all :)
Mark my words: I WILL NEVER, EVER, take a science class in summer school again. It is beyond me why I have to have 5 semesters of Chemistry for a B.S. in Dietetics. I understand General Bio, Anatomy, Systemic Physiology.... but basic chem, Chem 1A, 1B, O Chem and Biochem!? A bit redundant. Oh well.
Needless to say, my 3 mile run tonight was not nearly enough to pacify the stress that is consuming my life right now. Why do I like to run!? Is it because I think that it helps me run from my problems? No, I think that I have a passion for running because it is MY time... I am in control of my mind, and can let it wander and think about things that are pleasurable to think about (not Chemistry at this current point in time).
I want to work through the night, but I feel like I am running in circles because I will NEVER finish all of this work to the level that I want to. 8 miles in the AM, and then only 9 miles next week before the marathon. It is going to be a blessing that I am running so few miles next week because of time constraint but also irritating because I need a positive outlet for my frustration!
Goodnight all :)
Friday, July 22, 2011
I have been slacking... :(
Yikes, I hadn't realized that it has been nearly 3 months since I have posted... which is quite pathetic, because the purpose of starting this blog was to chronicle my 18 week journey of marathon training. I won't lie, life caught up to me, and one of the last things I feel like doing after a 5-6 hour day at school and another 5-6 hour day studying at home + training is writing in a blog.
It's been a ridiculously tough 8 weeks. I got bitten by the "motivation bug" so to speak, and piled way too much on my plate this summer. Training for a full marathon is a lot more mentally and physically challenging (and rewarding!) than I had originally anticipated- and juggling that with the demands of chemistry and my busy work class (Cultural Anthropology) has been a true test of my sanity and patience. I have had very little time to socialize with my friends, no time to pleasure read, and VERY limited time to watch my TV shows (Curb Your Enthusiasm and Dexter). I'll try to catch up on each aspect of my summer by subject... I'll dedicate the remainder of this post to my training- and catch up on school when it is finally over on Thursday.
TRAINING
I tallied up the time I have spent training per week, and when it was heavy training (~44 miles per week, plus strength training and cross training @ the gym) I was dedicating about 10-12 hours of running and exercise per week. On one hand, I loved it because I pushed my mind and body to greater limits than I thought either could reach. It is absolutely AMAZING to figure out what the human body and mind is capable of.
I did have some fall backs during training, but not much. I am proud to say that I stuck to my schedule almost 100% except for the fact that I had to skip one weekend long run due to the loss of a family friend (life happens, you can't let training control your life), and I made up the mileage throughout the following week.
I suffered from a bout of shin splints so I cross-trained through a couple of my mid-week runs a few weeks ago.
After my 20 mile long run almost two weeks ago, I thought that I damaged my sciatic nerve which is more annoying than anything-- it turns out that I just have a cluster of knots in my lower back (probably due to running AND stress) that I have been able to mostly work out with my foam roller, Advil, and a heating pad :)
A few weeks ago, during the most intense training, I felt that I was INSANE for doing this and told myself that I'd probably stick to half marathons. However, now that I am in the final stretch before the race (9 days!), and tapering, I have already decided to run another half marathon, 10k, AND full marathon in March of 2012. Surprise, surprise!
The emotions that training provides are indescribable, but it is no wonder that people get a "Runner's High" and addicted to the sport. It's not for everyone, but I am so thankful to have found it. :)
I have so much more to share, and promise to post more frequently as thoughts come to my mind. Thank you all for reading and have a wonderful weekend :)
It's been a ridiculously tough 8 weeks. I got bitten by the "motivation bug" so to speak, and piled way too much on my plate this summer. Training for a full marathon is a lot more mentally and physically challenging (and rewarding!) than I had originally anticipated- and juggling that with the demands of chemistry and my busy work class (Cultural Anthropology) has been a true test of my sanity and patience. I have had very little time to socialize with my friends, no time to pleasure read, and VERY limited time to watch my TV shows (Curb Your Enthusiasm and Dexter). I'll try to catch up on each aspect of my summer by subject... I'll dedicate the remainder of this post to my training- and catch up on school when it is finally over on Thursday.
TRAINING
I tallied up the time I have spent training per week, and when it was heavy training (~44 miles per week, plus strength training and cross training @ the gym) I was dedicating about 10-12 hours of running and exercise per week. On one hand, I loved it because I pushed my mind and body to greater limits than I thought either could reach. It is absolutely AMAZING to figure out what the human body and mind is capable of.
I did have some fall backs during training, but not much. I am proud to say that I stuck to my schedule almost 100% except for the fact that I had to skip one weekend long run due to the loss of a family friend (life happens, you can't let training control your life), and I made up the mileage throughout the following week.
I suffered from a bout of shin splints so I cross-trained through a couple of my mid-week runs a few weeks ago.
After my 20 mile long run almost two weeks ago, I thought that I damaged my sciatic nerve which is more annoying than anything-- it turns out that I just have a cluster of knots in my lower back (probably due to running AND stress) that I have been able to mostly work out with my foam roller, Advil, and a heating pad :)
A few weeks ago, during the most intense training, I felt that I was INSANE for doing this and told myself that I'd probably stick to half marathons. However, now that I am in the final stretch before the race (9 days!), and tapering, I have already decided to run another half marathon, 10k, AND full marathon in March of 2012. Surprise, surprise!
The emotions that training provides are indescribable, but it is no wonder that people get a "Runner's High" and addicted to the sport. It's not for everyone, but I am so thankful to have found it. :)
I have so much more to share, and promise to post more frequently as thoughts come to my mind. Thank you all for reading and have a wonderful weekend :)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Week 5 begins...
Spring break was amazing!! I was awful and did NOT complete my 6 mile "long-but-taper" run on the 17th, so I had to push it to the 18th. That made week 4's total mileage: 35. I didn't think that it would be manageable, but it was. I kicked its ass, actually. Which is surprising, because I was not as health conscious as I could have been... but it's "break," right!? Everything in moderation... that's what my mantra is. I did GREAT Monday through Thursday afternoon. Ran 6 on Monday + weights, 3 on Tues + weights & 30 min ellip, 6 on Wednesday, 3 on Thursday + weights... Thursday night I had quite a few cocktails, but did not go too far over my caloric budget. However, Friday is a different story. It was our off day and we went to Lake County to celebrate a friend's birthday... I definitely OVER-imbibed that evening, but we had an EXCELLENT time. The only thing that I was worried about was completing my 6 mile run on Saturday with confidence, and 11 mile run Sunday morning.
I KICKED BOTH RUNS' butts. The 6 miler on Saturday evening was a LITTLE bit tough... but I drank a lot of water, made sure I ate well earlier in the day and slowed down my pace to 8:45/mile. As long as I am mentally prepared for the run, I tend to do very well.
Sunday morning was also amazing. I went into the run only having about 4.5 hour of sleep, but kept my pace around 8:40 and we ran ALL over. Here is the loop we did, and it was an amazing way to start Easter Sunday... running is definitely my "place of worship." It's where I clear my head, zone out and sort things out. A lot of people don't understand it, but it is so very therapeutic to me.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/32488500
Hopefully that works. Anywho, this week is 30 miles... and started off with an hour of the elliptical + weights yesterday, and did a 3 miler + 30 min ellip + weights today. Feeling strong, and can't wait to tackle the next 13 weeks!
I KICKED BOTH RUNS' butts. The 6 miler on Saturday evening was a LITTLE bit tough... but I drank a lot of water, made sure I ate well earlier in the day and slowed down my pace to 8:45/mile. As long as I am mentally prepared for the run, I tend to do very well.
Sunday morning was also amazing. I went into the run only having about 4.5 hour of sleep, but kept my pace around 8:40 and we ran ALL over. Here is the loop we did, and it was an amazing way to start Easter Sunday... running is definitely my "place of worship." It's where I clear my head, zone out and sort things out. A lot of people don't understand it, but it is so very therapeutic to me.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/32488500
Hopefully that works. Anywho, this week is 30 miles... and started off with an hour of the elliptical + weights yesterday, and did a 3 miler + 30 min ellip + weights today. Feeling strong, and can't wait to tackle the next 13 weeks!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
SPRING BREAK!!! :)
Never at the age of 27 did I think that I would be "celebrating" Spring Break... but damnit, I am. A break is very very needed... and when I go back to school next Monday just four short weeks until the semester is over, another 2 week break, and then 8 weeks of summer school and the meat & potatoes of marathon training....
This week has been a taper week, which has been more annoying than relaxing. It's only week 3 the mileage was cut back to 22... I was really irritable and antsy yesterday because I wasn't getting a run in but we tackled an INTENSE 5 mile run today that made up for it. It can be seen here:
http://runkeeper.com/user/Nicolie83/activity/32005626
I'll figure out how to embed it so it can be seen in the blog... excuse me for being a n00b. Next week will be nice because there is no class and it is a relatively tougher week when it comes to mileage. Tuesday: 3 miles, Wednesday: 6 miles, Thursday: 3 miles, Saturday: 6 miles, Sunday: 11 miles for a grand total of 29. I'm looking forward to the 40+ mile weeks. I have decided that I'm definitely going to alternate an intense hill workout such as todays with speed workouts every week. I'm going to try to do them on Wednesdays, so my legs don't get worn out for my long runs on Sunday.
I don't have much to post, but will write more later :)
This week has been a taper week, which has been more annoying than relaxing. It's only week 3 the mileage was cut back to 22... I was really irritable and antsy yesterday because I wasn't getting a run in but we tackled an INTENSE 5 mile run today that made up for it. It can be seen here:
http://runkeeper.com/user/Nicolie83/activity/32005626
I'll figure out how to embed it so it can be seen in the blog... excuse me for being a n00b. Next week will be nice because there is no class and it is a relatively tougher week when it comes to mileage. Tuesday: 3 miles, Wednesday: 6 miles, Thursday: 3 miles, Saturday: 6 miles, Sunday: 11 miles for a grand total of 29. I'm looking forward to the 40+ mile weeks. I have decided that I'm definitely going to alternate an intense hill workout such as todays with speed workouts every week. I'm going to try to do them on Wednesdays, so my legs don't get worn out for my long runs on Sunday.
I don't have much to post, but will write more later :)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Relaxing Weekend :)
My Friday, Saturday and Sunday proved to be delightfully relaxing. This semester has been a BIT easier for me workload wise: probably because it's the calm before the storm. On Friday night I visited some friends at On The Rocks and had two Bloody Mary's-- they only had a shot of vodka each, and I sipped them over the course of two hours. They were absolutely delicious and it was good catching up with friends.
At 9 AM on Saturday morning, we set out for a 5 mile run around the neighborhood. I was well rested and it was a really nice run. I averaged 8:34 per mile and my heart rate averaged at 157-- not bad at all. It was pretty consistent throughout the whole run, which makes me happy. The rest of the day on Saturday was pretty uneventful. I did some homework, watched some Dexter and lazed around. I consumed a total of 1800 calories this day and still had 27 left to spare. I feel that when I work out early in the morning I am WAY hungrier throughout the day. Oh well, just feeding the metabolism. :)
Today we woke up at 6 AM and hit the river trail at 7 for an awesome 9 mile run. It was quick, easy, and refreshing. There were SO many runners on the trail and their etiquette was awesome. I must have smiled and said hi to 40 people. We finished our run in 1:17, which was an 8:29 average. My Garmin tracked my average heart rate as 160-- but I noticed that my heart rate was REALLY high for the first mile and then evened out to 145-155 for the remaining 8. I'm thinking that my asthma medication (albuterol) has something to do with this spike in the beginning. Oh well, it didn't affect my performance. :)
Immediately after running, I had some Kashi Waffles-- they are AMAZING and my new found breakfast food. It's only 150 calories for 2. I don't use butter... I like to eat them plain. This is what they look like:
At 9 AM on Saturday morning, we set out for a 5 mile run around the neighborhood. I was well rested and it was a really nice run. I averaged 8:34 per mile and my heart rate averaged at 157-- not bad at all. It was pretty consistent throughout the whole run, which makes me happy. The rest of the day on Saturday was pretty uneventful. I did some homework, watched some Dexter and lazed around. I consumed a total of 1800 calories this day and still had 27 left to spare. I feel that when I work out early in the morning I am WAY hungrier throughout the day. Oh well, just feeding the metabolism. :)
Today we woke up at 6 AM and hit the river trail at 7 for an awesome 9 mile run. It was quick, easy, and refreshing. There were SO many runners on the trail and their etiquette was awesome. I must have smiled and said hi to 40 people. We finished our run in 1:17, which was an 8:29 average. My Garmin tracked my average heart rate as 160-- but I noticed that my heart rate was REALLY high for the first mile and then evened out to 145-155 for the remaining 8. I'm thinking that my asthma medication (albuterol) has something to do with this spike in the beginning. Oh well, it didn't affect my performance. :)
Immediately after running, I had some Kashi Waffles-- they are AMAZING and my new found breakfast food. It's only 150 calories for 2. I don't use butter... I like to eat them plain. This is what they look like:
I bought them at Sprouts, but I'm sure that they are at every grocery store. Will definitely be searching for them again on Tuesday.
For dinner, I made a Quinoa salad that I got from Kelly and is also on the back of the Red Quinoa box from Trader Joe's. It is sooo colorful AND tasty/healthy. I analyzed the recipe and the way I make it is only 350 calories per serving and it is quite filling. I'm pretty certain it could replace a protein as part of a meal.
We have a ton left over, so I will be snacking on it for the next few days. I'm sure that it won't last long though, as it is SUPER tasty.
Because we had such a successful long run, I treated myself to some Frozen Yogurt. I feel that occasional moderate rewards are EXTREMELY important and give you something to work toward. I think that I will treat myself with a Starbucks or Fro Yo after each long run this summer as incentive to keep on keepin on.
I consumed 1800 calories today, with about 400 to spare (because of all of the calories I burned on my run).
That's all for now, more updates later this week <3
Weight: 129.4
Weeks til SF Marathon: 16Miles Run this week: 25
Friday, April 8, 2011
I've been bad!!!
ACK!! Two days with no post?!?! Sorry :( I have been INSANELY busy... I knew that posts would slow down, which is okay. Wednesday was a hellishly long day (per usual) and I really didn't have the energy to post after 9 hours at school, a 45 minute run and then 2 more hours of cooking and typing up recipes for Nutrition class. I consumed 1675 calories on Wednesday and *wait for it*... roughly 2700 calories yesterday. I was over my allotment, but I am not stressed out about it because I allow myself to have a "cheat" meal once a week. I definitely "cheated" last night with Kel (BY THE WAY READ HER BLOG...it's way more interesting than mine-- shameless plug: http://stayhealthyonthefly.blogspot.com/ ). I decided to imbibe in some Menage a Trois red wine (one of my favorites) and Kel brought over some SKINNY GIRL Margaritas... ohhhh my goodness they are delicious and guilt free, and I have officially found my beverage of choice for the summer. It is about the same calorie wise as a bottle of wine. Not too shabby, eh?
Now, I know I sound like a hypocrite because I said that I was going to abstain from alcohol while training. I made the executive decision that abstaining completely was just bat shit crazy. Yes, I said it: bat shit crazy. I should be able to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner if I'd like to once in a while, or an ice cold beer after a long run. That being said, I am going to make EXTREMELY cautious decisions to not drink 20348 double vodka sodas at the bar. Also, I am going to make sure that if I DO drink that I will drink on a Thursday night so it does not affect my training the following day since Friday's are my off days and will continue to be my off days through July.
Also, I said that I'd include some recipes to make this puppy a little more interesting. We had some delicious lettuce cups in Nutrition yesterday and I thought that I'd share the recipe because I REALLY liked it and plan on making this myself.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
5 chicken breasts w/o skin, thinly sliced
1 package Montreal grill seasoning by McCormick
2 tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrots
3 pieces scallions, chopped at an angle
1/2 cup plum sauce
2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cut into half again
1/2 cucumber slices
Thinly slice the chicken into strips and sprinkle with grill seasoning
Heat a large skillet until it is very hot, add olive oil, then the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes
Add the ginger, garlic, peppers, cabbage, carrots and scallions and stir for about 2 minutes.
Add plum and fish sauce to glaze the mixture, toss 1 minute. Add basil and lettuce to the pan to wilt the leaves.
Transfer cooked chicken and veggies to a bowl
Place spoonfuls of the chicken and veggies into a piece of lettuce with cucumber and eat like a taco.
SOOOOOO good. Also, checked out a store that is new to Sacramento. It's called Sprouts Farmers Market. The produce is cheap and it is like Trader Joe's. I am very excited because not only do I have a Trader Joe's across the street from me, a Sprouts is opening less than a mile away at Greenback and Sunrise.
HOORAY!!
Now it's time to go brew some tangerine beer... hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
Now, I know I sound like a hypocrite because I said that I was going to abstain from alcohol while training. I made the executive decision that abstaining completely was just bat shit crazy. Yes, I said it: bat shit crazy. I should be able to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner if I'd like to once in a while, or an ice cold beer after a long run. That being said, I am going to make EXTREMELY cautious decisions to not drink 20348 double vodka sodas at the bar. Also, I am going to make sure that if I DO drink that I will drink on a Thursday night so it does not affect my training the following day since Friday's are my off days and will continue to be my off days through July.
Also, I said that I'd include some recipes to make this puppy a little more interesting. We had some delicious lettuce cups in Nutrition yesterday and I thought that I'd share the recipe because I REALLY liked it and plan on making this myself.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
5 chicken breasts w/o skin, thinly sliced
1 package Montreal grill seasoning by McCormick
2 tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrots
3 pieces scallions, chopped at an angle
1/2 cup plum sauce
2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cut into half again
1/2 cucumber slices
Thinly slice the chicken into strips and sprinkle with grill seasoning
Heat a large skillet until it is very hot, add olive oil, then the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes
Add the ginger, garlic, peppers, cabbage, carrots and scallions and stir for about 2 minutes.
Add plum and fish sauce to glaze the mixture, toss 1 minute. Add basil and lettuce to the pan to wilt the leaves.
Transfer cooked chicken and veggies to a bowl
Place spoonfuls of the chicken and veggies into a piece of lettuce with cucumber and eat like a taco.
SOOOOOO good. Also, checked out a store that is new to Sacramento. It's called Sprouts Farmers Market. The produce is cheap and it is like Trader Joe's. I am very excited because not only do I have a Trader Joe's across the street from me, a Sprouts is opening less than a mile away at Greenback and Sunrise.
HOORAY!!
Now it's time to go brew some tangerine beer... hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
A case of the blahhhhs.
Nothing exciting to report today... we made a really bland 4 cheese Mac & Cheese in Nutrition, so I won't be posting that recipe. I also found out that one of my group members has cancer, which is absolutely awful. He served in Vietnam, so I am assuming that he is at least 60 years old. He's my favorite, always very helpful and such a sweetheart. :( I will be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers, and I am hoping that it is something that can be cured-- but it doesn't sound like it.
I worked on revamping a chili recipe today at home, and I will be presenting it to the class on Thursday. I will post THAT recipe tomorrow night if all goes well and it tastes good. :)
Today was a 3 mile training run. I thought that I would be sore from the past weekend but I was recovered and the run was painless. Kevin is having some trouble with pain in his hip which is worrying me... we are thinking that he may need either some arch support insoles or new shoes. I am trying to urge him to go back to the New Balances he had before this pair to see if that corrects his pain.
Tomorrow is my last LONG day of the week, so I am looking forward to tomorrow night. Good night! :)
Weight: 129.2
Exercise: 45 mins weights, 3 mile run, 30 min elliptical ~ 600 kcals cardio, 90 cals weights
Kcal Consumed: 1620 cals
I worked on revamping a chili recipe today at home, and I will be presenting it to the class on Thursday. I will post THAT recipe tomorrow night if all goes well and it tastes good. :)
Today was a 3 mile training run. I thought that I would be sore from the past weekend but I was recovered and the run was painless. Kevin is having some trouble with pain in his hip which is worrying me... we are thinking that he may need either some arch support insoles or new shoes. I am trying to urge him to go back to the New Balances he had before this pair to see if that corrects his pain.
Tomorrow is my last LONG day of the week, so I am looking forward to tomorrow night. Good night! :)
Weight: 129.2
Exercise: 45 mins weights, 3 mile run, 30 min elliptical ~ 600 kcals cardio, 90 cals weights
Kcal Consumed: 1620 cals
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
OH Happy Monday!!! :o)
Normally I have a case of the Mondays... but today I did not. I woke up feeling quite refreshed, trotted off to school and picked up my graded Chemistry test: 91%. That's a good way to start any day, let alone a Monday! The rest of the day flew by. Lecture was interesting, lab was easy, and Spanish was a breeze. I was feeling really antsy and couldn't wait to get to the gym and have some gruuuub.
Gym was lovely! Tanned for about 15 minutes (I know, I know... but the girl's gotta have a base. Sue me). Lifted weights for 45 minutes...3 sets and 15 reps of each exercise. I concentrated on lower body today so I won't be fatigued for my 5 mile run on Wednesday where I am going to incorporate some hill training. Tomorrow I only have to run 3, so I don't care if my legs are a bit tired. My weight routine today included: bicep curls, overhead tricep extension, tricep dips, adducters (inward and out), calf raises, back extension, leg extension, seated leg press, hanging leg raises, and assisted pull ups. Following weights I busted out 52 minutes on the elliptical and burned 700 calories (about 7 miles). I push pretty hard on the ellipitical in order to keep my heart rate up.
When I was finished, I decided to test my body fat percentage. The machine at the gym probably isn't ENTIRELY accurate but it has always given me a great ball-park figure. A and a half ago or so I was at 25% (yikes, which is considered average... not good considering I was working out A LOT then, but not yet running). Today when I took it, I was 18.3% which is in the "athlete" range for women and makes me EXTREMELY happy.
Had a lovely dinner of brown rice, tofu and stir fried peppers, carrots, onion & celery and now I am ready for bed. <3
Weight: No weight today
Exercise: 52 min elliptical ~ 700 kcal, 45 min weights ~ 90 kcal
Kcal Consumed: 1720
Monday, April 4, 2011
WEEK ONE ACCOMPLISHED!
1 down... 17 to go!! Gonna be a short one tonight... I have been rambling for the past week and I've realized it's pretty pointless. However, I did state that this would just be a peak into what's going on inside my head. In the following weeks I will try to make this blog more colorful: recipes, pictures, quotations and inspiration. It's a work in progress and it's making me BORED already.
Today's run was absolutely wonderful. I think that I'm going to have a really hard time slowing down on my long and slow runs. As I was telling a friend earlier today, it's not the 8 mile runs that are going to hurt me- I think that it will start catching up to me around 15 or 16 miles. I am going to make every conscious effort to slow my runs down to a little over 9 min/mile. Today I hit 8:50 avg and felt great. I REALLY enjoy conquering hills. A lot of runners hate them, but they make me feel powerful-- especially when I run them at the same speed or faster than my flats. Also... I did notice that my legs are more fatigued than normal. This is because I am not taking the day off before my long run. I ran a pretty moderate paced 5 miler yesterday with hills so my legs are feeling it. But that's good... San Francisco is not going to be easy, and I don't want to be unpleasantly surprised around Mile 19 on July 31st. :)
The rest of my day consisted of homework, homework, homework. Tomorrow is Monday, which means back to the grind. I'm not looking forward to weight and an hour of the elliptical for cross training tomorrow-- but whatever.
12 hour day tomorrow, which means it is time to get 8 hours of sleep to prepare.
<3
Weight: 129.4
Exercise: 8 mile river run ~ 800 kcals
Kcals Consumed: 1678
Today's run was absolutely wonderful. I think that I'm going to have a really hard time slowing down on my long and slow runs. As I was telling a friend earlier today, it's not the 8 mile runs that are going to hurt me- I think that it will start catching up to me around 15 or 16 miles. I am going to make every conscious effort to slow my runs down to a little over 9 min/mile. Today I hit 8:50 avg and felt great. I REALLY enjoy conquering hills. A lot of runners hate them, but they make me feel powerful-- especially when I run them at the same speed or faster than my flats. Also... I did notice that my legs are more fatigued than normal. This is because I am not taking the day off before my long run. I ran a pretty moderate paced 5 miler yesterday with hills so my legs are feeling it. But that's good... San Francisco is not going to be easy, and I don't want to be unpleasantly surprised around Mile 19 on July 31st. :)
The rest of my day consisted of homework, homework, homework. Tomorrow is Monday, which means back to the grind. I'm not looking forward to weight and an hour of the elliptical for cross training tomorrow-- but whatever.
12 hour day tomorrow, which means it is time to get 8 hours of sleep to prepare.
<3
Weight: 129.4
Exercise: 8 mile river run ~ 800 kcals
Kcals Consumed: 1678
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Day 6 :o)
Happy Saturday all!!! :o) Today was QUITE an eventful and fulfilling day. Started it with a 5 mile run... and it was lovely. Just did the normal neighborhood route... nothing special, but I felt great. Ended up averaging 8:40/mile which is a nice comfortable REALISTIC race pace for me. I can easily hold this pace for a 13.1 (my last half marathon was run in 8:19 min/mile average) so I think that I MAY be able to run 8:40 minute miles for 26.2... but that's a very big maybe.
Tomorrow (errr... later this morning, actually) is our long, slow run. We're only at the end of week 1 so it's a measly 8 miles which is a cake walk. I'm going to make an honest effort to try to slow myself down to 9:15 min/miles so I don't get ahead of the game and end up getting absolutely exhausted once I eventually hit 20 mile long runs... however, I will report my progress tomorrow. I am known to run faster than I pace myself. My legs don't feel fatigued at all, which is good- we will be wrapping the week up with 24 miles.
The rest of the day was nice too... relaxed a bit, did some homework, and had dinner. Dinner was parmesan cous cous, lemon dill salmon (frozen from Costco, but surprisingly delicious) and asparagus. YUM!! After dinner, we went to Punch Line to see a friend of a friend perform and then played DD with Kevin in Old Roseville! I have never been there before, and I'm 27 years old! It was great to hang out with Bri and Justin. I don't feel like I was missing out on anything not drinking... which is good. I am so used to having a couple cocktails when I go out into a bar environment that it was odd, but not bad, to just have diet soda. :)
I will post about the recipe I am preparing for Nutrition and my long run tomorrow evening <3 :)
Weight: No weigh in today
Exercise: 5 mile run ~ 500 calories
Kcal Consumed: 1785
Tomorrow (errr... later this morning, actually) is our long, slow run. We're only at the end of week 1 so it's a measly 8 miles which is a cake walk. I'm going to make an honest effort to try to slow myself down to 9:15 min/miles so I don't get ahead of the game and end up getting absolutely exhausted once I eventually hit 20 mile long runs... however, I will report my progress tomorrow. I am known to run faster than I pace myself. My legs don't feel fatigued at all, which is good- we will be wrapping the week up with 24 miles.
The rest of the day was nice too... relaxed a bit, did some homework, and had dinner. Dinner was parmesan cous cous, lemon dill salmon (frozen from Costco, but surprisingly delicious) and asparagus. YUM!! After dinner, we went to Punch Line to see a friend of a friend perform and then played DD with Kevin in Old Roseville! I have never been there before, and I'm 27 years old! It was great to hang out with Bri and Justin. I don't feel like I was missing out on anything not drinking... which is good. I am so used to having a couple cocktails when I go out into a bar environment that it was odd, but not bad, to just have diet soda. :)
I will post about the recipe I am preparing for Nutrition and my long run tomorrow evening <3 :)
Weight: No weigh in today
Exercise: 5 mile run ~ 500 calories
Kcal Consumed: 1785
Saturday, April 2, 2011
*Day 5*
Today was my one day a week off from exercise... and I feel antsy, irritable and drained. But I needed it. My abs were sore from planks and side bends... my legs were sore from running 3 days in a row and weights (extensions, curls, calf raises, etc)... and I just know that it is physically safe to take a day off from strenuous exercise.
I also let myself sleep in and relax. I just felt completely lazy today. I didn't crawl out of bed until 2. I felt like I really didn't have much to do, and I HATE that feeling. I do have random odd-end homework to do which kept me busy, but I would rather be CONSUMED with stuff to do than have nothing at all to do. That's when my mind starts wandering, which I don't necessarily like.
Running IS my therapy. It gives me time to unwind, contemplate my life decisions, and just exist. It has turned into an addiction. I prefer being addicted to running than drugs, booze, or food- but some people would argue that it is the same battle. What if I get injured? Well, I can always find another form of exercise. I guess I'll start swimming.
Anyway... not much to report other than what's going on in my brain. I had a great breakfast this morning... Kevin came up with an egg white scramble which is as follows:
1 cup spinach
4 egg whites
2 medium tomatoes
1/4 cup red onion diced
1 clove garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
He sautees the spinach, onion, garlic and bell pepper together with some pepper and garlic salt and then we add the egg and cook it. I top it with salsa and tapatio and it makes for a DELICIOUS and nutritious breakfast paired with my 90 calorie latte. We invested in a cheap espresso machine from Target a year ago that has proved to be a wonderful asset to our kitchen.
Tomorrow will be a much more productive day... 5 mile run in the morning, hopefully some time with Jenny, a bit of homework, and then out to the comedy club with friends!! Very excited for an 8 mile river run on Sunday!
Current Weight: 128.4
Exercise: Day off :(
Kcal: 1304
I also let myself sleep in and relax. I just felt completely lazy today. I didn't crawl out of bed until 2. I felt like I really didn't have much to do, and I HATE that feeling. I do have random odd-end homework to do which kept me busy, but I would rather be CONSUMED with stuff to do than have nothing at all to do. That's when my mind starts wandering, which I don't necessarily like.
Running IS my therapy. It gives me time to unwind, contemplate my life decisions, and just exist. It has turned into an addiction. I prefer being addicted to running than drugs, booze, or food- but some people would argue that it is the same battle. What if I get injured? Well, I can always find another form of exercise. I guess I'll start swimming.
Anyway... not much to report other than what's going on in my brain. I had a great breakfast this morning... Kevin came up with an egg white scramble which is as follows:
1 cup spinach
4 egg whites
2 medium tomatoes
1/4 cup red onion diced
1 clove garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
He sautees the spinach, onion, garlic and bell pepper together with some pepper and garlic salt and then we add the egg and cook it. I top it with salsa and tapatio and it makes for a DELICIOUS and nutritious breakfast paired with my 90 calorie latte. We invested in a cheap espresso machine from Target a year ago that has proved to be a wonderful asset to our kitchen.
Tomorrow will be a much more productive day... 5 mile run in the morning, hopefully some time with Jenny, a bit of homework, and then out to the comedy club with friends!! Very excited for an 8 mile river run on Sunday!
Current Weight: 128.4
Exercise: Day off :(
Kcal: 1304
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday Thursday...oh wait..
Thursdays are normally my "night off" from school work, where we go to our favorite dive bar and throw back a few cocktails. Well, now that I have made the conscious decision to abstain from alcohol during training... NONE OF THAT! However, on future nights my abstinence will not prevent me form going to said dive bar and enjoying the atmosphere and my friends-- just no vodka sodas (with lemon & lime, thank-you-very-much). If you want to read about my boring day, go ahead and read on... however, if you want to read my theories and how I am feeling pertaining to exercise, skip down to the bold section.
Today was quite productive. I woke up, went to Nutrition, where we had "cheese tasting" today. We nibbled on about 12 different types of cheese. I only took small bites of 4 or 5 of them because I was NOT feeling up to having a belly full of cheese right before a strenuous workout. Blechhh. After class, I hit the gym and knocked out some weights, ran 3 miles according to marathon training schedule and then busted 15 mins on the elliptical. I have been working hard and decided to limit my cardio to 45 minutes today. Tomorrow is my sweet one day off per week.
I felt quite refreshed after the gym and rewarded myself with a Peppermint Coffee Frappuccino Light (one of my favorite treats, ringing in at 220 calories). I visited with a dear old friend, Drewsy, and then went home. Kevin and I had a lovely dinner with his mom at The Cheesecake Factory in Roseville and I once again opted for the Weight Management Spicy Chicken Salad. It is SO delicious. I always order it-- only 420 calories and very filling. It has just the right amount of spice and is extremely satisfying.
After trip to Costco, we decided to venture home and tackle some homework (which also included some TV watching for me).
NOW FOR THE RELEVANT PART of this post... I have always been a NIGHT exerciser-- I have most of my energy at night, and when I can I schedule my runs, weights and cardio in the evening. That being said, I do love 5 AM long runs... or 8 AM runs on the river trail. Those don't bother me one bit. However, by the end of the night I am RAVENOUS. I took in 1825 calories today (which isn't a bad thing for how active I am), but I never feel that hungry if I exercise late at night. My normal routine consists of eating about 1100 calories throughout the day, a late night workout, and then a 400-500 calorie dinner. I'm not sure if anyone else has this same problem!?! We'll see how it progresses as my training continues, because there are going to be some days that I just will HAVE to exercise in the morning.
That's enough rambling for today. Good night :)
Current Weight: Didn't step on the scale this morning :)
Exercise: 45 minutes weights, 30 minutes treadmill (3 miles plus some walking for warm up-cool down), 15 minutes elliptical ~ 600 calories (including weights)
Total kcal: 1825
Today was quite productive. I woke up, went to Nutrition, where we had "cheese tasting" today. We nibbled on about 12 different types of cheese. I only took small bites of 4 or 5 of them because I was NOT feeling up to having a belly full of cheese right before a strenuous workout. Blechhh. After class, I hit the gym and knocked out some weights, ran 3 miles according to marathon training schedule and then busted 15 mins on the elliptical. I have been working hard and decided to limit my cardio to 45 minutes today. Tomorrow is my sweet one day off per week.
I felt quite refreshed after the gym and rewarded myself with a Peppermint Coffee Frappuccino Light (one of my favorite treats, ringing in at 220 calories). I visited with a dear old friend, Drewsy, and then went home. Kevin and I had a lovely dinner with his mom at The Cheesecake Factory in Roseville and I once again opted for the Weight Management Spicy Chicken Salad. It is SO delicious. I always order it-- only 420 calories and very filling. It has just the right amount of spice and is extremely satisfying.
After trip to Costco, we decided to venture home and tackle some homework (which also included some TV watching for me).
NOW FOR THE RELEVANT PART of this post... I have always been a NIGHT exerciser-- I have most of my energy at night, and when I can I schedule my runs, weights and cardio in the evening. That being said, I do love 5 AM long runs... or 8 AM runs on the river trail. Those don't bother me one bit. However, by the end of the night I am RAVENOUS. I took in 1825 calories today (which isn't a bad thing for how active I am), but I never feel that hungry if I exercise late at night. My normal routine consists of eating about 1100 calories throughout the day, a late night workout, and then a 400-500 calorie dinner. I'm not sure if anyone else has this same problem!?! We'll see how it progresses as my training continues, because there are going to be some days that I just will HAVE to exercise in the morning.
That's enough rambling for today. Good night :)
Current Weight: Didn't step on the scale this morning :)
Exercise: 45 minutes weights, 30 minutes treadmill (3 miles plus some walking for warm up-cool down), 15 minutes elliptical ~ 600 calories (including weights)
Total kcal: 1825
Happy Wednesday! :)
It was absolutely GORGEOUS today. It was a long day at school and I had a Chem test at 12:30 but I was in such a chipper mood due to the near-80 degree weather. I got to throw on a pair of shorts... and this is the first time that I have actually felt comfortable enough with my legs to wear a pair of shorts in a VERY long time. I wore skirts last summer, but always felt that my legs were unshapely and square looking. I would like to thank running, weights, and my continued success with eating healthy for the boost in confidence :o)
I got out of lab early so I was able to run home to eat a delicious grilled chicken burger. They're from Costco and OOOOOOMMMMGGGGGGG they are delicious. The brand is Amylu and they're called Sweet Onion Carmelized Chicken Burgers. I eat them on a whole wheat sandwich thin with some spicy brown mustard and a Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese square. Today I was feeling extra feisty and threw some spinach and a pickle on it as well. It's a great, protein packed meal (22 grams!) for about 300 calories. I was also able to enjoy a nap during this time, which totally recharged me for my 6:30 PM Spanish class.
After Spanish (zzz) it was still in the low 70s with a slight breeze and time to get in a 5 mile run in the neighborhood. Our neighborhood has plenty of hills and I think that running it consistently was really beneficial to my strength during my last half marathon. I will continue to train on these hills for the next 17 and a half weeks and also incorporate some river trail running in. Unfortunately, some days it is just more convenient to run on the treadmill but I WILL stay away from the track as there is no elevation change. At least I can change the elevation on my treadmill. Anyhow... the run went very well. Finished it at a comfortable pace of 8:44/mile according to my Garmin. When I load my runs into Runkeeper there is a slight differential so that logged me in at 8:47/mile. Kevin was feeling a bit uncomfortable due to being slightly injured after our half marathon, so when we do our long run on Sunday we will probably slow down to a 9 or 9:15 min per mile pace just to be safe. It is early in the game and neither of us want to injure ourselves.
Here are my stats for the day... I will most likely have another 100 calories or so as a bedtime snack so I am closer to 1600 calories, but I have been very consistent for the past few days in my calories and my energy feels high. Tomorrow night I am going to dinner with Kevin's mom, so I will make sure that I make balanced healthy choices @ the restaurant.
Weight: 128.8
Exercise: 44 minutes running - 5 miles outdoors.
Caloric Intake: 1496
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Day #2...
It's only Day #2 of my journey and I almost forgot to post today... excellent Nicole, EXCELLENT. Hopefully this is not a foreshadowing of how (un)successful I will be as this time goes on. Today was pretty long. I neglected studying for my chemistry test this weekend so I put in a good 4.5 hours today after my 2.5 hour long Nutrition class. Needless to say, it was a long one.
I also spent nearly 2 hours at the gym. Today was our first training run and it was very painless: only 3 miles. I wanted to run faster and longer but I know that there will be PLENTY of time for that within the next 18 weeks and I don't want to get ahead of myself or injured.
I forgot to include a few helpful links in my first post... this includes a link to the marathon training plan that we'll be following. It's Hal Higdon's Intermediate I plan. I feel as if his Novice 2 plan is a little TOO simple for the San Francisco Marathon.
Intermediate Marathon Plan -- If this proves to be too difficult, we will back down to his Novice 2 plan, which can be found by clicking here. I like the fact that his Intermediate I plan has two 20 mile runs which will hopefully give me the confidence I need to complete the full 26.2 miles.
In addition to my race plan... you can follow my runs at runkeeper.com. My personal website is http://runkeeper.com/user/Nicolie83 . I have been tracking my runs using my Garmin Forerunner and runkeeper.com for the past two months. I absolutely love it, because it keeps everything so organized and is MUCH more helpful and accurate than Nike+.
I will post more after my run tomorrow night. As time goes on, I will probably limit these posts to a few times a week-- but I figure I should start off strong.
Weight: 128.8 lbs.
Strength Training: 40 minutes
Treadmill: 29 minutes (321 Calories)
Elliptical: 25 minutes (300 calories)
Caloric Intake: 1575
I also spent nearly 2 hours at the gym. Today was our first training run and it was very painless: only 3 miles. I wanted to run faster and longer but I know that there will be PLENTY of time for that within the next 18 weeks and I don't want to get ahead of myself or injured.
I forgot to include a few helpful links in my first post... this includes a link to the marathon training plan that we'll be following. It's Hal Higdon's Intermediate I plan. I feel as if his Novice 2 plan is a little TOO simple for the San Francisco Marathon.
Intermediate Marathon Plan -- If this proves to be too difficult, we will back down to his Novice 2 plan, which can be found by clicking here. I like the fact that his Intermediate I plan has two 20 mile runs which will hopefully give me the confidence I need to complete the full 26.2 miles.
In addition to my race plan... you can follow my runs at runkeeper.com. My personal website is http://runkeeper.com/user/Nicolie83 . I have been tracking my runs using my Garmin Forerunner and runkeeper.com for the past two months. I absolutely love it, because it keeps everything so organized and is MUCH more helpful and accurate than Nike+.
I will post more after my run tomorrow night. As time goes on, I will probably limit these posts to a few times a week-- but I figure I should start off strong.
Weight: 128.8 lbs.
Strength Training: 40 minutes
Treadmill: 29 minutes (321 Calories)
Elliptical: 25 minutes (300 calories)
Caloric Intake: 1575
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Day 1... Here we go.
Well, here goes nothing. This is my first post... and I promised myself that I would be consistent with updating. Not only is this blog going to help ME on my journey by being an outlet, it allows my friends and peers into my brain. The San Francisco Marathon is on July 31st, 2011-- which gives us 126 days to properly train and fuel our bodies. Kevin and I have already paid for our entrance fees, so there's no turning back now. We are both extremely excited and scared. One of my old friends, Kelly, is also running the marathon which makes things even more exciting. To date, I have run two half marathons and a 10k. My first half marathon was the American River Parkway and I finished in 2:19- not horrible, but definitely not a great time. After a 5 week hiatus from running (stupid shin injury) I completed Run To Feed The Hungry 10k in 51:49. I was extremely proud of this time, and astonished that I finished it so fast. This fueled us to sign up for The Shamrock'n Half Marathon which we ran on March 13, 2011. I finished in 1:48:54 which was A LOT faster than the 2 hours that I had hoped to achieve. I was stoked.
I have decided to abstain from alcohol completely during my training, and Kevin has too. The reason we are doing this is because we feel that it will help our performance. During our half marathon trainings there were days that we would go out on Friday or Saturday nights and feel really dehydrated and sluggish during our Sunday long runs. We don't want anything hindering our performance or judgement when we are trying to accomplish arguably the largest goal of our lives.
In addition, I am keeping this blog to hold myself accountable for my promises. I have made a conscious decision to be healthy, stick to my work outs and training schedule, and to be the healthiest that I can be. This means that I need to watch my caloric intake to make sure that I do not slip below 125 lbs... OR take in too many calories and creep above 135 lbs. Since we are abstaining for alcohol, the latter should not be a problem at all. :)
I am tracking my exercise and caloric intake using MyFitnessPal (just switched over from LoseIt... more convenient) and will also update as often as possible on my blog. I need to get to sleep, because I have class tomorrow... but I will be posting again soon!!
Current Weight: 129 lbs
Exercise: 45 min weight training, 700 calories on elliptical
Caloric Intake: 1695
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