Saturday, October 31, 2009

Slacker!

So yes I've been slacking off on my blog, no I have not been slacking off on the running! There's one more super long training run (which I will do on Monday) before my next 50k (a F/A). Hopefully the 50k will be a rainy muddy mess. Mud = fun! I'm not looking to be speed demon on this one, there's no real time goal. I'm still not doing good on the eating but am planning new recipes and menus for when Boston training starts. If anyone knows any good healthy recipes please help me out!


I'll be attempting to take one week off after the FA, but I said the same thing after the YUTC and only took two days. I think I'm going to have my husband hide my running shoes so this can happen. (He'll have no problem doing that!) I want to start training for Boston with fresh legs. Boston will be my main running goal until April 19! (Speed is the goal for Boston, mostly). I'm excited to get into training.

Last week my son and I ran the Painesville 5k Run for the Parks. Only a 5k - but we always run it. There's a pretty tough hill that pretty much makes you want to die when you run up it. I met Steve DiFranco during the race - very cool guy with an amazing inspirational story. There were only a few of the regulars at the race - one of them being Jean Toth - an amazing lady who I swear is at absolutely every race. She is in her 70's I believe. I really hope to be where she is at when I am all growed up! Anyway, the race was a fun one - I took second place overall for females. The woman who took first place I have never seen before. She blew by me away - going so fast, all I thought was "See ya!" There was no catching up to her. She was like a rocket! My dad noticed her as he was driving past us runners - screamed out the window "Pick it up, Colon!" Yeah right! My son did amazing at the race - being involved in XC this year helped his speed so much! Thanks Coach Tinney! His 5k time improved by 5 minutes! He had an amazing photo finish as he picked up his speed in an attempt to catch another kid running the race. It was something to hear, people screaming both the kids on at the finish line - cheering, smiling, jumping up and down. An AWESOME finish for them both! They both came out of the chute smiling. Tomorrow he will run his first 5 miler, the Autumn Leaves 5 miler at the Lake Metroparks. We are both signed up, and holding true to my promise I will be running with him. I have promised him long ago that every new mileage race he does I will run the first one with him. (1st 5k, 1st 5 mile, 1st half, etc, etc) It should be a nice, good, muddy race as it is currently raining outside. The race is XC style and has you running through cow pastures, horse stables, etc, etc. Hard race, but fun muddy times! If anyone is planning on running - word of advice for you - wear shoes that you don't want anymore. They will be no good after tomorrow's race. And remember - it's the first of the month so the Farmpark is free to Lake County residents who want to hang out after the race with their family & check out the farm animals.

25 mile long run on Monday, then another taper begins. If anyone wants to join me, let me know. It will be more towards the 11/12- as I have off because my son's Science Fair at school is Monday. It's from 9:30 - 11:30 and I plan on going right at 9:30.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Bad food = bad performance

***First thing's first, good luck to all those running the Oil Creek Ultra this weekend, and good luck to all those running the Towpath 1/2 marathon and marathon! I look forward to reading your race reports!***


My Double stuffed oreos (with chocolate icing) last night were so so good. So was the Jamocha shake I drank earlier in the day. Since the YUTC I have put healthy eating aside, as I seem to do after ever large event I particpate in. I never learn my lesson, and frankly it just sucks. Sure the food tastes great, but it makes you feel so so bad. I've still been running, but not well. I almost gave up on my Saturday long run last week. Seriously almost cut my 24 miler to 12 miles. I blame it all on the food. I'm sure I could throw in a few rest days - that wouldn't hurt, but what it all really comes down to is what I am eating. I've done it enough times to know what is wrong. Hopefully after Wednesday (my bday) I will be able to get serious. I will pretty much have to at that point, with a 5k coming just 10 days after that. As I said before, I'm not really sure why I do this, because when I eat right my body feels so great! It would be nice to say that my post marathon eating free for alls are over. I am figuring that I run so much now I need to just eat right all the time, No "I just ran 31 miles so I can be a complete pig" days anymore. I was thinking of doing the Towpath Marathon that is this weekend, but am not due to unhealthy eating I've been doing. This is the first time ever that my bad eating has interfered with a race and I DON'T LIKE IT. I have learned my lesson. Have I said that before? Probably. But I see now to be a serious runner, you have to act serious. You can't win a race on Hot Cheetos and Magma fries. Proper fuel for energy, strength, and an all around good feeling is absolutely necessary, and I realize now that it's better to feel good ALL the time - rather than just the few minutes you spend eating that ice cream. The satisfaction you get while eating that chocolate fudge brownie batter ice cream is only temporary. So I will hobble through another 24 miler tomorrow, and hopefully next week's long run will be better. :)

Friday, October 2, 2009

Ok so I bought it.

I bought it. The stupidest contraption known to the running world, in my opinion. I bought the parachute I was talking about, the "Power Chute". (Not for skydiving, but again - for running)

I was so excited. The first thing I did when we got home from my son's cross country practice was watch the "how to" dvd. Ok whatever. A dvd full of stretches basically. Five minutes on how to use your chute. Which, Ok - it was easy enough. As my son rolled his eyes, I dragged him outside to help me out. Wind was not an issue, they were topping 30mph that day. I got all geared up and I was ready to go! My son stood there, hat pulled down, head held in shame. I can only imagine his thoughts.

Back to the parachute: So I try it, and nothing. No resistance. Try again. Nothing. Try again. NOTHING. I would be better served using a tire like Ray Zahab does at the beginning of Running the Sahara. And it would be cheaper. So today, the useless chute went back to Dick's Sporting Goods. When asked why I was returning it, I almost blurted out "Because it just sucks!" My money will go towards buying that water/fuel belt that I need. Truth is, I should have bought that first anyway. Lessons learned.