Snow!

The snow is taller than Sushi!

In case you somehow missed the news, we had a quite a blizzard here in the Northeast this week. We got about about 23 inches here in the Portland area. That's a lot of snow. But apparently Mother Nature didn't think that was enough, because today we are getting another 6-10 inches and another big storm is in the forecast for Monday.

Now I could be annoyed the havoc all this snow is wreaking on my marathon training and the fact that my 10 mile race on Sunday is most likely going to be cancelled. But instead, I am choosing to look on the bright side. Snowy days mean cozy, quality time with the hubby and that I can finally enjoy my favorite winter sports!

During the blizzard we ventured out a couple times with Sushi (Dixie our older dog chose to stay inside on the couch). Watching the dog absolutely lose her mind with joy in all the snow was my favorite part of the storm. We also cooked up a feast, finally roasting the turkey we've had in our freezer since Christmas.

Wednesday I took Sushi out for a snowshoe adventure. We got off to a rough start- I was still fixing my mittens and poles when Sushi saw a squirrel. She took off after the squirrel, pulling me along with her. Unfortunately, my feet were buried in a couple feet of snow and so I couldn't get my legs moving. Plop, face first into the snow. At least it was a soft landing! After that though, we had a great tromp. Plus it was a great workout! My heart rate really got up and my legs and arms were sore the next day. 

eyeing another squirrel

Yesterday the hubby and I played hooky and went downhill skiing at Mt. Abrahm. Tons of fresh powder, bright sunshine, no crowds, and $25 lift-tickets. We couldn't have asked for a better day. We got in a solid 7-8 hours of skiing and my legs were totally fried by the end of the day,

This morning there was only about an inch of new snow when I woke up, so I decided to run outside while I could! I enjoyed an only slightly slippery run through fat, wet snowflakes. 

Are you buried in snow? Have you been resorting to the treadmill or taking it outside? Are you still singing "Let it Snow," or are you dreaming of spring?

The Results are In

We got our puppy, Sushi, in June from a local rescue organization called Helping Paws and were told that she was a Basset Hound/Terrier mix. It was only a guess though because she had been found, abandoned, on the side of the road in Missouri and they had no information on her parents. As she's grown, we've continued to wonder what exactly she is. She really looks like no dog I've ever seen before.

 4 month old Sushi and the year-old Birthday girl!

So for Christmas my Mother-in-law got us a doggy DNA kit. We were so excited! We would finally have answer when people ask "What kind of dog is that?"

We swabbed her cheeks, sent away the kit, and took bets. I was guessing basset hound or corgi based on her long, low to the ground body shape and love of sniffing, terrier based on her scruffy face, and yellow lab based on her coloring and sweet personality.

Well it turns out we were all wrong!

Our dog is apparently a Shar Pei, Rottweiler, Golden Retriever, Small Munsterlander mix! I guess it is true that you can't judge a book by its cover. Whatever she is we love her!

She is a fetch machine.

And a complete nut in the snow.

In other Sushi (the dog, not the food) related news, she has started running with me! A couple mornings I was crunched for time and it was freezing out, so instead of taking her for a separate walk and then running, I decided to take her with me for a mile or so! I figured she is now a year (the age when it is safe for dogs to start running), so why not give it a try? She LOVES it. She kept looking up at with with her happy face and anytime I started to get in front of her, she would race ahead to stay in the lead. Those little legs can move! 

Would you ever get a DNA test for your pet? Does the breed matter to you or do you just want a good dog? Do you run with your dog?

Marathon Training Nutrition Experiment

I've used all kinds of different nutrition products over the years. When I first started running I used nothing- no water, no fuel. It worked for a half marathon, but as I found myself bonking during training for my first full marathon, I realized that I needed to eat.

I started with the Jelly Belly Sport Beans but soon realized it was way too much work to eat all those individual beans. Plus they tasted way too sweet by the second or third package on a run.

I love the Espresso Flavor!

I stuck with GU gels for my next couple marathons and liked the flavors and the convenience, but started to burn out on the texture. Plus I had to take all of it at once, so I felt like I got a big burst of energy and then crashed quickly. I tried taking half and putting the rest back in my pack, but I always ended up with a sticky mess!



Next up was Hammer Perpetuem which I tried to see if a product with protein would help keep my energy levels higher. That did not last long because I found it too chalky and it hurt my stomach.

For my last marathon I tried GU chomps next because I wanted a product that I could take every 15-20 minutes instead of once an hour. The blocks worked well for that, but they froze in the winter, and like the gels, I got tired of the texture after awhile.

Stuff of miracles folks. Seriously.

Through all of this I stuck with plain old water. Occasionally I'd try a few sips of a sports drink, but they always hurt my stomach.

All of these product (except the Perpetuem) worked for me, but I never felt like my fueling was ideal. So in training this winter, I've been doing an experiment.



First, I tried using Nuun instead of plain water. This stuff is AMAZING! It doesn't bother my stomach at all, has a mild, but tasty, flavor and I feel so much better hydrated. My fingers don't swell up nearly as much, my sweat isn't as salty, and I don't feel that insatiable thirst I used to feel at the end my run. In addition to adding Nuun, I've just upped my fluid intake in general. I used to only take 6 oz for runs 13 miles and under and 12 oz for anything over that. Now I carry a 16 oz bottle and have my husband come meet me midway with a second bottle for runs over 16 miles.

I want ALL the fuel!

Secondly, I've started using multiple fuel sources during a single run. This solves the issue of taste or texture fatigue and I feel like it overall keeps my energy levels higher because each gives me something a little different. Overall that was my dissatisfaction with all the fueling options I've tried. I liked them at first, but as I consumed 3-4 of them in a single long run, I got tired of them and I felt like they weren't providing well-rounded energy. Mixing them up seems to work a lot better!

I also include some kind of "real food" (i.e. not gels or chomps). I save this for the last half of the run when I am starting to feel hungry and want something more solid. I've used Fig Newtons, these wheat figgy bars from Nature Box, and Cliff Bars. I spread it out so I'm having a bit every 15 minutes or so.

What other fuels have you tried and loved that I should add to my mix? Do you tend to stick with a single type of fuel or do you also mix it up? What is your favorite flavor GU?

You Are Amazing

I am actually making good on my promises to myself to recover better in an attempt to stay injury free. So I took a day off from running and the gym and instead went to a gentle yoga class.

As is often the case at yoga, I got as much out of it mentally as I did physically. As we were relaxing into shavasana our teacher told us to remember to honor ourselves. "You are so much more amazing than you give yourself credit for," she said.

When it comes to running I tend to feel like I never do enough, like I am not enough. I compare myself to the people who run 100 miles a week or run a 3 hour marathon.

But when I think about it, actually I am pretty amazing. I mean I ran 18 miles Thursday. 18 miles! When I was fist running I was constantly astounded when I ran new distances. OMG I ran for a whole hour. Then I ran a half marathon. I wore my race shirt around college like I had won a gold medal. When I finished my first marathon I couldn't stop smiling for a week.

Somewhere along the way as I trained for my third, and then fourth, and now my seventh marathon  I stopped giving myself credit for my accomplishments. I shouldn't though!

Running is hard man. Training for and running a marathon really doesn't get any easier. I go out there for hours at a time, by myself, in the cold and the snow. I push through a lot of discomfort. I am amazing. And you are too!

Injury Scare

Sunday morning I went to a metabolic circuit class. On my second round through the stations, I went to do a Bosu ball burpee and as I kicked my feet back into the plank, I heard a crunch and felt a sharp pain in my back. Oh no! I had a lower back stress fracture back in my gymnastics days, but since then my back has never given me any problems.

Sunday and Monday it only hurt when I moved in certain ways. Tuesday I decided to go out for my scheduled 8 miles. It was mostly fine, but one or twice every mile I would take a step and get this stabbing pain and then my legs would almost buckle. Over the course of the day it got more and more sore, until it was just aching constantly. It hurt a lot.

Wednesday morning I went to the chiropractor. She is a miracle worker. As soon as I got off the table I could feel an immediate difference. I could move with out pain! No more aching! She told me she didn't think it would jeopardize my marathon, but that I need to come in at least twice a week for the next few weeks, and to stop running if I feel sharp pain.

Luckily the ice was on the water, not the roads today!

Unfortunately as the day went on I could feel the muscles in my back pulling and undoing all her work. By dinner it was aching steadily again. Which left me with a major dilemma: should I still do my 18 miler?

I woke up feeling much better and decided to go for it. I promised myself, and my husband, that if it hurt I would stop. But, I didn't need to stop! I felt some muscle tightness and slight soreness occasionally, but never enough to contemplate stopping. I think I'm going to be OK!

But, this reminds me that I need to take better care of myself! Here is my action plan to keep myself running strong until the marathon.

Warm-up, cool-down, and stretch. I always try to pack in as much running as possible in the time allowed so I definitely skimp on all of these. Especially when I am rolling right out of bed, my body needs to warm up before I jump into running. And it is better to end 5 minutes sooner and cool down and stretch.

Focus on my form and use appropriate weight. At the gym I am totally guilty of talking with a friend instead of concentrating on my form. Or, I see someone else pick up a heavier weight and feel like I need to go heavier too.

Build my core strength. I am very inconsistent with core work. I usually go to 3 classes a week at the gym that include some core work and I have been calling that good enough. It isn't. I need to do it on my own and make sure I am building well-rounded core strength.

Focus more on recovery.  I really, really struggle with taking rest days. I know though when I am tired that my form falls apart and this is what leads to injury. So I will force myself to take some rest days and use the massage gift certificates my wonderful husband gave me for Christmas.

Do you have back issues? What do you do to minimize them? How do you keep yourself injury free?

Split Long Runs

As I mentioned at the start of my marathon training, I am following a (self) modified Doug Kurtis intermediate plan that includes several split long runs. So instead of going out and running 14 miles at once, you'd do 2 runs on 7 miles in the same day.

I've been wanting to write a post on my opinions of the split long runs for awhile, but I haven't been able to come to a conclusion on whether or not I like them. I gave up on trying to make a judgement and instead will just share my thoughts.

• Each run is mentally easier, but the day as a whole is harder. It is less daunting heading out for 8 miles than for 16, but at the same time you don't get that "I'm done!!" feeling when you finish your first run. One of the things I love about being a morning runner is that feeling of accomplishment so early in the day. On double days I feel like I have the second run hanging over me all day.
• It takes a lot more time out of your day to run twice for an hour than once for 2 hours. By the time you factor in getting dressed, finding your watch/i-pod/hat/mittens/waterbottle, warming-up, post run stretching, showering, etc and then multiply it by 2, you've wasted a lot of time!
• Physically I think I get the same benefit as a single long run, but I don't get the same mental boost. Seeing that 18 miles on my Garmin at the end of a run gives me so much confidence that I might actually be able to finish the marathon. Seeing 9 miles twice doesn't do the same thing. But, I feel the same level of fatigue. 
• I need to get a second pair of running shoes! Normally, I alternate running and cross-training days so I am also mixing up my shoes. But, when I run twice in a day I have to put on the same wet, tired shoes a second time. 
• So much more laundry!
• 
  

Breaking Point

This morning I came home from my run, flopped down at my husband's feet and immediately burst into tears.

I am officially at that point of marathon training where I am SO tired and so over it, but I still have a lot of training in front of me.

This whole week was just not fun running. It was freezing cold, windy, icy and snowy. I am tired of being freezing. I literally froze my a$$ on Tuesday. Yep froze the skin and then had a very itchy butt the rest of the day once it defrosted. #awkward
I am tired of having terrible footing and fighting traffic for only clear spots on the run. This morning a car of teenagers thought it would be funny to drive directly at me until I had to jump in a snowbank to avoid being hit. I am tired of dragging myself out of bed when it is still dark out and all I want to do is roll over and go back to sleep. I am tired of having such heavy legs that I can barely make it up the stairs. I am so tired of constantly having a sore throat and stuffy nose.

Basically I am tired.



And now my rant is over. Enjoy your weekend.

Help! How do you get your running mojo back? How do you handle the less pleasant aspects of winter? Did you tend to hit the wall in your training?

New Zealand Training Update Weeks 9-11

Time has gotten away from me and I am a week behind. But better late than never right?

Changes/Thoughts/Observations

• Originally I had planned to do 3 weeks build and 1 cut-back week. But, I could feel myself burning out physically and mentally so I changed it to 2 weeks build and 1 week cut-back week.
• What a difference a week makes. I did my 14 miler on the trail 2 weeks ago. There was no snow and it felt great! This week the roads were so snowy and icy. I was battling traffic and terrible footing. It felt like 30 miles.
• After a mild December, winter has arrived with a vengeance. In addition to the snow/ice, this week I also battled extreme cold. I wimped out and went to the treadmill one day and the indoor track another, but hate them both so headed outside on the third day. I think I officially set a record for most layers worn on a run ever.
• I also hit the point of wondering why on earth I continue to put myself through this. I had a long stressful week, wasn't feeling good, and the weather was so crappy. I was so wishing I could just stay in bed in my pj's all day Saturday instead of doing a long run. I must admit I totally let myself entertain the fantasies of all the ways my life would be better if I just ran the half.

The Numbers

Week

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Total Run

7

Run 3.2, Kickbox 45m, Strength

Run 7

XT 1 hr

Run 7 + 7

Swim 1 mile

Metabolic 45m Run 3.3

Metabolic 45, Run 3.3

31.3

8

Run 6

Spin 1hr, Strength

Metabolic 1 hr

Run 6

Run 6 Track

Run 6, strength

Metabolic 45, XT 30

24.8

9

Run7

Run 6

Metabolic 1 hr

Run14

Swim 1 mile

Metabolic 45m Run 4

Metabolic 45, XT 30

30.72

10

Run 6

Run 6

XT 1 hr

Run 5.5

Metabolic 45, XT 30

Run 15.5

Metabolic 45, Run 3

32.7