tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55967501624171770442024-02-18T20:46:29.895-08:00Marathons and Mechanisms Biochemistry and Distance Running enthusiast. Here I plan to track all of my training, studying, eating, and adventuring on the road to the marathon olympic trials and beyond. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-15347587570774927702016-02-24T10:47:00.000-08:002016-02-24T10:47:22.048-08:00Looking Ahead. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, by now most of you know that the Trials Marathon was pure carnage. The weather was brutal and the course was maddening, but the racers were tough. I had battled with a bit of knee pain going into my last two weeks of training, but I thought I had put that behind me. At about mile 6 I was having to back off because I was already feeling like I was over heating. By doing that, I think I sat back a bit, changing my gate, and aggravating my knee. By mile 10 I was dizzy and limping already. I knew it was not my day. But, just because it hurt didn't mean I was going to quit. Everyone has their reasons for dropping out of the race, but I couldn't justify it. So I just adjusted, I slowed way down, I took in the crowds and all of my FANTASTIC triathlon friends, family, boyfriend, and tons of surprise face I saw out on the course. I found other women struggling and we worked together to get through it and finish. Actually, I got one woman who was walking to start running with me and one woman who was about to drop out and walk to the med tent to start running again and they ended up beating me, haha. Kind of a funny predicament, but it was amazing what a community I felt with these women. We were all there because we earned it and finishing was the only way, in my mind, we could honor ourselves for this achievement. And you know what, my friends and my family and everyone loves me all the same, no matter how fast or slow I finished the race. It just blows my mind how much love I have in my life; unconditional love. I am so lucky. </div>
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Many people have talked about the race and events from the weekend in terms of how the race was put on, the accommodations we had, the support on the course and off the course, etc. I think its really good for all of us to speak openly about the things we want and could improve upon. I found myself trying to avoid all things associated with the race, partially because I didn't want to stress out and partially because I had already realized that this was going to be the end of something for me. It was going to cap off this journey from surprise marathon winner in 2013 to OTQ 4 months later to Team USA Minnesota to the Trials. </div>
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What I struggled with most this cycle was my mental drive. I have had about a year and a half where racing just hasn't worked out well. I give workouts my all and sometimes even see improvement, but then the races are where I fall flat. It's really a blow to my confidence when I can't seem to hold onto the pack in a race or can't even maintain a pace I have tempo-run at before. Around thanksgiving I found myself bawling, feeling like I didn't want to go out for a run, didn't want to workout, actually desiring for a day off. That wasn't like me. So, was I over trained? was 90-100 miles a week too much? Most likely. This time, my mind copped out before my body did, opposite of the last time I was over trained. I backed off on my miles and workouts began to come around, but still, even after successful workouts, I found myself unhappy and feeling unsure. It is a strange and unwelcome sensation to complete a workout successfully and still find myself bawling. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">It takes a lot to admit that to the world. I know I am not alone, and used this opportunity to reach out to my friends, boyfriend, and family for support. </span></div>
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I was reminded by my loved ones that I have an incredible will, strong work ethic, and determination, too. I was reminded about what an opportunity it is to be able to train full time. I was reminded what some people have sacrificed for me or given to me to allow this race to be possible. I was also reminded that there are 246 women in the whole nation who qualified to race the Trials race. I'm one of the lucky few who get to toe the line with the best of the best in this distance. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, or unsure of my potential, I had a defining moment in choking tears in Houston which forced me to realize that being positive is the best thing I can do and the only thing I can do to be sane. That's what I did, I ran with my heart and didn't give up on completing the journey I started two years ago. I know in my core that I want to run, I love to run. But, looking now at what is ahead of me, I am not sure if running full time is how I am going to find that happiness. </div>
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I have decided recently, after speaking closely with Dennis and Pat, that I am stepping away from Team USA Minnesota. It is an incredible team and association filled with passion and support. I am so grateful for the time, energy, money, and love they have both put into me and my training in the past year an a half. I am thankful for my teammates working with me, pushing me, and speaking from their hearts when trying to help me be my best. I know that I have found friends that will last a lifetime and I know I will continue to run with them and follow their successes. </div>
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I will keep running, I AM A RUNNER. But instead of racing and working out with the intentions of making this a money-making endeavor and a way of make a World team, Olympic team, or even finding fame, I want to do it because it brings me unfaltering joy. How that is achieved, I don't know yet. What I do know is that I want to play around with trail racing, I want to try some new distances, I want to get on my bike again, I want to take days off, I want to gain some healthy weight, I want to do a marathon where I run with my friends and make memories, maybe wear a costume or two. I want to run fast, but I can't decide at the moment if competition and winning are really at the top of my list, at least not right now. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">My post race food shrine </span></div>
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One amazing thing about Minnesota is the depth of the running community. I will not be without running buddies, understanding friends, and fun opportunities to run with a smile on my face (even if its because my lips are frozen like that). I hope to get involved with the team circuit here, which has low levels of pressure, which is what I need. I have just finished interviewing with Aerotek Staffing, a third party staffing agency which will be helping me find contract work in the Food and Beverage industry here in the Twin Cities as a Laboratory Technician. That will take some time though, so in the mean time I am loving working full-time hours at TC Running Company with my family there and studying for the GRE. I am almost ready to pay for the test which I will take in the month of April. </div>
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It has been so nice to return to Minnesota, this is my home now. I spend a great evening catching up with Jillian, had dinner at Lucia's for MPLS Restaurant Week with their whole household, which I have missed so much. I forgot how much I laugh when I am around all of these people, I've missed it more than I thought I would. Ryan took me for a tour of the cities, just to see everything I haven't in the past three months. It all looks the same, besides being sprinkled with patches of snow here and there. I am excited for the future here in Minneapolis and St. Paul, some great things are up ahead. </div>
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I want to thank my sponsors for keeping me on my feet and for supporting me through it all. Bonk Breaker and Genucan and San Franola Granola will still me staples of my fueling. Balega will still keep my toes warm and I jaunt around this icy, but recently mildly weathered, tundra. I want to thank every single person who has supported me along this journey. It isn't over, its just changing trajectory. </div>
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the day after the marathon, Ryan, my Mom, and I were waking to lunch in Santa Monica, near where the LA Marathon was finishing. Two women walked by with matching shirts with the saying <b>"It's just a bad day, not a bad life" </b>written on them. That really hit home for me. My races have been bad days, some workouts have been bad days, but when I step back, I really have a good life. A Great life. So here is to enjoying it and turning over a new leaf. Who knows what is to come, but that's sometimes the best part. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-87929080507457052222016-02-08T18:53:00.002-08:002016-02-08T18:53:21.143-08:00Olympic Trials is THIS WEEKEND!<br />
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Five days. FIVE! Man, less than a week until the Olympic Trials. Two years ago this weekend I qualified for this race at the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, California. I had just turned 21 years old and I had nothing to lose, nothing on the line but a shot at an awesome opportunity. And here it is, six days away. Things have changed quite bit since that day and I am grateful every day to be healthy and running and able to continue to pursue this incredible opportunity.</div>
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This training cycle has thankfully been really solid physically. I have been without injury, save a bit of a knee thing bothering me around the Santa to the Sea Half in December which had me cross training for two days and a brief unrelated knee thing bothering me a little over a week ago. Since July, I have put in base work, run many miles and many workouts, and then the marathon specific 10 weeks of training I have done have resulted in 100% completed workouts. Sometimes, the paces were slower than desired, but sometimes, it all felt effortless. I figure that comes with the territory, which is something I am still learning. I was able to race the Houston Half Marathon on January 17th, which is an incredible event. The race takes really good care of the elites and puts on a flawless weekend of races. The weather was beautiful, but unfortunately I didn't have the race Dennis and I wanted. Also unfortunately, a number of elites got food poisoning after the race, me included, and I am sure that didn't do anything to help my performance either. We put the race and day off with sickness behind me with a 25 miler, followed by a solid marathon workout the following week, acting as a solid confidence booster. </div>
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I occasionally struggled with mental drive, but thankfully I had supportive friends and family (thanks Jillian, Katie, Mark, Kate, Megan, Mom, Dad, Jackie, etc.), an incredibly positive boyfriend, and a wonderful support system from my sponsors and Team USA Minnesota, all of which helped get me through the times I questioned my potential in this upcoming Olympic Trials marathon race. </div>
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As I mentioned before, I have been down in Houston for about five weeks now and I’ve enjoyed it tremendously. The weather has been beautiful, although a bit humid at times, and has been a needed environment for some of the big training days for which MinneSNOWta would be challenging. I’ve had a number of opportunities to do outreach with the Houston Marathon Foundation while down here, as well. While going into detail about all of them would turn this into quite the “long read,” I did want to mention a few of them. Each experience had me pause, allowing me to take some time to be thankful for the health, support, and opportunity I have. The kids that I met and ran with have incredible positivity, strength, and courage. It’s pretty awesome that the Houston Marathon Foundation not only facilitates We Run Houston groups, but also lets us all get involved in making a positive impact on the young generation of runners. Here are a few of the highlights: </div>
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--> Meet the Elites, Houston Half Marathon weekend : an hour of Q and A with the KSR and We Run Houston groups which either had just completed the 5k on Saturday, or were going to run the Armco Houston Half the following day. The Middle School and High School groups all had such great questions and great spirit for this sport! </div>
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--> Ortiz Middle School, We Run Houston after school running program </div>
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We got to spend the afternoon running a workout with the after school running program at this at risk middle school. The kids were so positive and its so cool to hear what an impact this running group has on the kids success in and out of school!</div>
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Josh, Biya, and I joined Becky Wade and Jarrett LeBlanc at the Houston Children's Hospital to meet with kids on two of the floors. The kids had such good spirit and positivity about being strong. This opportunity definitely helped me realize how much I take my basic health for granted. It's so inspiring to see these little ones smile and fight and they will all be on my mind during this weekends race. </div>
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--> Katy Middle School XC team assembly<br />
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Just today, Ally and Erin of the Houston Marathon Foundation took us to do a Q and A with the 6th through 8th grade XC teams at Katy High School. Talking to kids about how I got started and what keeps me driven is always a good way to remind myself of it, too.<br />
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Lisa Thompson has also been an great facilitator of fun for Biya, Katy, Josh, and I. She took us to a number of group runs, a delicious brunch with the HARRA running group, and even got us in for a special NASA visit! Lisa has an amazing soul and I will be so sad to leave. It will take far more than a million thank-yous for me to express really what an amazing experience she has made this training cycle for me. </div>
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Lastly, I want to thank the Houston Marathon Foundation for connecting us with the Ironman Human Performance Center in the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Building. Kevin, a super helpful PT there, worked on Josh and I using dry needling and functional therapy to make our pains go away. He and I worked through some poor tracking in my patella but doing a massive number of step ups and he helped me learn how to activate my glutes on my own, so that I could easily set my posterior chain up for success on all of my runs and workouts. It bows me away how helpful people are, all we had to do was reach out and ask for the help.<br />
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I am now in taper mode, feeling rested and a bit bored, which is good. I have had lots of time to drink coffee (I have a problem) and study for the GRE (1/2 way through my study book!) and read (on book 7 since Thanksgiving + tons of Digg news articles). My body and mind will be ready at 10:22am on Saturday February 13th 2016. I promise no matter what, I will have a smile on my face at that finish line. A PR or not, I have succeeded by making it to this race and giving it all I've got. As the 6th or 7th youngest racing female on the course on Saturday, I want to make sure to show everyone that it’s only the beginning for me — a spectacular beginning! </div>
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I want to thank my sponsors Team USA Minnesota, Bonk Breaker, GENUCAN, San Franola Granola, and Balega International (my newest one! I will talk socks in a future blog) for believing in me and giving me the things I need to be successful. I want to thank Jillian, Mark, Kate, Ryan, my parents, and my teammates (and many, many more people) for being my sounding board and encouraging me exhaustively. I promise not a day goes by that I don't express gratitude for everything you do for me.</div>
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I will touch base after the race, while I am on my two weeks of NO RUNNING (seriously, I need it more than you know) to go over the race and looking into my racing future. The evening and Sunday after the race will be spent with my family and friends all coming out to support me at the race. Then, Ryan and I will be taking a vacation to sunny San Diego before I finally head back to Minnesota after almost 11 weeks away. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-6916705777986433162016-01-11T14:06:00.002-08:002016-01-15T07:33:28.197-08:00Houston, my new home away from home in preparation for the Olympic Trials Marathon 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I arrive in Houston, Texas on Monday, January 4th and I will be here until February 10th, when I fly to LA to prepare for the Trials Marathon happening on Saturday the 13th. So, 5 weeks to go until the big dance and Pat Goodwin, Team USA Minnesota founder, Dennis, and some of our sponsors decided it was cruel to have us prepare in the cold Minnesota winter and instead relocated us to a warm climate. We chose Houston for a few reasons, including the temperature, but also because the amazing, fantastic, helpful, etc Houston Marathon Foundation offered to help us fund room, board, and more while we are here. The Armco Houston Half Marathon takes place here while we are training in town, so we will all be able to race in that without traveling too far to the race hotel. Additionally, Houston happens to be quite humid, and is a great alternative to altitude training.<br />
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Humidity, or relative humidity, is the amount of moisture in the air. When humidity is high, the volume of water in the air is closer to its maximum capacity. When we are running, our body temperature increases and we attempt to sweat to cool down. But, the evaporation rate of the sweat goes down, leaving us sticky with sweat and over heating. It is another method of stressing the body in order to force it to adapt. Then, when we head off to races, we can push harder and run faster (ideally) in humid conditions or just be extra efficient with racing in dryer conditions. So, as strange as it is to be running in my sports bra on January 7th, it is forcing me to work a little harder now in order to not work as hard in races to come. But let me just tell you how THANKFUL I am to have my <b>GenUCan Hydrate electrolyte mix</b> available in the 30 serving tub, because I sure need it after each outing.<br />
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I arrived in the afternoon on Monday and Biya, my teammate, and his cousin met me at my baggage claim and got me to the Modern B&B. This bed and breakfast is pretty great. It's less like your mental picture of a B&B which is quiet, homey, and frilly, and is instead trendy and modern (go figure). There are three buildings, a main building with 4 floors and an additional building with three floors. There is a main kitchen where we are welcomed each morning by Roxanne, the talented chef, and a table full of brightly colored napkins, bowls of fresh fruit, a daily smoothie, and much much more. The buildings also have their own private, fully-equipped kitchens with fridge space, pots and pans, and cooking elements. Each of the room has a queen bed, its own bathroom, and good closet space. We have helpful house cleaners who come each day and tidy up the place and Lisa, the owner, is always around with a great story, helpful tip, organizing a game night, and more. I am so thankful to be so well taken care of here.<br />
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In addition to the great space she has created, Lisa also had a strong connection with the amazing running community here. She knows everyone and everyone knows her. I have talked to a dozens of new runners about how great this place is to run and I have heard about all the best places to go. Wednesday morning I needed to do a track workout, but didn't have any idea of which track to access, where they were, and if I was going to have to trespass to get onto it. I talked to Lisa and her boyfriend and they were ON IT. they got me in contact with the head coach at Rice, I texted Becky Wade myself who the Houston Marathon Foundation connected me with, Subbu (a local runner who knows Lisa that found all of us on Facebook) texted me 3 different tracks and multiple people who could answer my questions about access. It was so warming to know that people so genuinely wanted to help me out. I ended up at the Rice track in the downpour, but happy to be able to run on a track without the fear of being kicked off or yelled at (all of us track athletes know exactly what I mean).<br />
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Then, this Friday morning I got prescribed a 22 miler workout for Saturday including some paced sections. Ryan, my fantastic boyfriend who arrived yesterday for almost a full week visit, is not in the position to be able to complete that workout with me, so we ran through some options. Lisa was at breakfast and before 9 am she had us a bike for Ryan to use to ride with me, a workout location with 50+ other runners prepping for the Houston Marathon, a workout partner for 18 of the miles, and a ride to and from the workout. I am so lucky to be in this place and I am grateful to get to be so involved in the community of runners here. The weekend before a big marathon is a really defining time. Everyone has been doing long runs on the weekends and this weekend they won't be. They have been doing workouts and paced stuff, and this weekend they won't. This is where the taper starts to really hit home and the magic of the marathon starts to soak in. I can't wait to chat with some of these awesome people about the journey and adventure that lies ahead. Also, it takes a village to prepare for a marathon and I am so lucky to have Katy, another teammate, Ryan, and the help of all of these other runners to get me through this monster workout. The workout went well, with the busy traffic of the running path and the soft surface affecting our pace slightly, but in the end I felt really strong.<br />
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Sunday morning, Lisa invited Katy, Biya, and I to attend the BCRR group run which started at 630am from the same Memorial Parkway path. They have a tradition of running the last 6 miles of the marathon course (which included the last 2ish miles of the half marathon course) and back. Running nice and easy, we were able to meet more of the running team and talk a lot about the Houston Half and Full Marathons coming up this weekend. I am excited and nervous to race on Sunday. The weather will be beautiful, hopefully it won't be too windy, and the temperatures will be moderate. I know it is going to be a tough effort, but I hope to tuck into the great elite field and let my legs and fitness carry me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Hoover the resident cat at Modern B&B</span></div>
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In my first two days here, I embraced the down time. I read an 400 page book in three days, easily, and was able to do core, glute exercises, nap, and recovery consistently. I broke up my days with second runs, exploring the neighborhoods, and cooking. Anyone who knows me well knows I like to eat often, on a schedule. I am flexible, and was especially in California during the holidays because of all of the eating out, with family, big meals at weird times, etc. It is nice, though, to be back to my routine. I notice I sleep better and my energy levels are better when I am able to eat every 2-3 hours in the volumes I desire.<br />
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Well, this morning I woke up, had breakfast with Ryan, Lisa, and some others, and then wanted to wait to run. I had only a single run and I wanted to break the day apart with it. But by 10:20am I was bored to tears. I started a new book but I couldn't focus and social media is boring at that time of day. Thankfully now Ryan is here, so we took a trek out to Starbucks together and we meet his aunt and uncle for dinner a few evenings this week to add some excitement to my life. I know that these five weeks are about recovering, resting, and preforming well in my workouts, so this boredom must be embraced. I thankfully have a huge GRE workbook, this blog, more books, and some teammates here to help break it apart. Plus, the surrounding area had a lot of cool little shops and restaurants meant for exploring. I am really looking forward to getting to know the area more. The Bike Barn of Houston graciously donated road bikes to all of us for transportation and exploring and we have every intention of making the most of them!<br />
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Ryan and I took a trip out to Galveston Bay Sunday afternoon and finished up at a tasty Mexican restaurant west of Rice University. We decided to take a walk from the car out around Hermann Park and through the University campus. It was 45-50 degrees with the wind and people were talking a lot about how cold it was. There was a chill in the air from the gusty wind, but man, if they only spend a bit of time in 0 degrees (the high in Minnesota that day), they would appreciate the balmy 50 here. I know I am thankful for the Houston Marathon Foundation and Team USA Minnesota for getting us to Houston and taking such good care of us here.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Biya being interviewed for the Houston Chronicle, The press and the mascots at the Chevron Houston Marathon media event</span></div>
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Today I am celebrating my 23rd birthday! Another year of running and another year of experience. I was so happy to start it with a surprise gift from Lisa, Biya, and Katy, some family cards, and media day with the Houston Marathon Foundation. We chatted with the local newspaper and two local news stations about why we were in town and about the race coming up this weekend. We even were entertained by the local sports teams mascots that are preparing to run relay legs in the marathon in FULL COSTUME for charity. And of course, I am so thankful to get to spend this special day with Ryan and I am looking forward to spending more birthdays with him in the future.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-13600514357988286472015-12-31T21:13:00.002-08:002015-12-31T21:13:13.447-08:00Fall 2015 and The Exciting 2016 to Come<br />
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So, yeah, it's been a while. I finally got back on my blogging game after the Pittsburgh Marathon and my minor injury, then I managed to fall off the map again. Blogging is a love hate thing. I really like this medium because it allows me to parse through my experiences, thoughts, and ideas and put them out for the world to read in an organized and detailed manner. But, I also loath the process of sitting down and putting the words on "paper." Its like college essays all over again, but only worse because there is no hard deadline or due date. I find myself wanting to put another blog up, but then deferring it. "I'll start it tomorrow, after the holidays, after my next race, etc. Then, my laptop got stolen out of the trunk of a car in San Francisco, so there goes my keyboard for typing up large word documents. I've now purchased a new laptop and have finally decided that enough is enough. It's been a tough Fall season for me in terms of racing and I think its time I wrap up this year on here so that I can move on from it once and for all. I've got the 2016 Olympic trials in 7 weeks and there is no time like the present to get my mind straight so that I can go into some of there grueling workouts with nothing but focus, hunger, and determination for an incredible Olympic Trials Marathon performance.<br />
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<b>My Fall Races, in summary</b>:<br />
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<u>TC 10 Mile</u> - The field for this race was STACKED. This year it was the 10 Mile Road Race Championships. With both the marathon and track Olympic Trials coming up this year, people went to the road circuits this year to get in shape, which meant there was a lot of talent and exciting, tactical races going on. Unfortunately for me, my race did not go well. I tried to be honest with myself about where my fitness was, and I went out conservatively. Leading up to the race I was feeling fresh and good, but the minute the gun went off I felt tired and like I was working way too hard. The course is a hilly and difficult one, especially in the first five miles, and I struggled. The biggest issue I faced, though, was mentally. I found myself getting negative, down on myself and my potential, and thinking about how tired I felt and how hard racing felt. All of this was going through my head DURING THE RACE, which obviously is not where I should be focusing my attention. Of course, my finishing time was far slower than my fitness suggested. I spend the day trying to convince myself that it was "just one race" and "I have so much potential," " I am so young" "I can do this." After a year and a half of telling myself this, I was starting to doubt myself.<br />
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<u>Pittsburgh 10 Mile</u> - I got in two or three REALLY GOOD workouts after TC Marathon, focusing my attention on pushing hard in my workouts and resting correctly. I realized the workouts are where I need to really grind and teach myself to focus when it starts to hurt. Three weeks after the TC 10 Mile, I flew to Pittsburgh to race another 10 mile. in 2014 I finished this race as the last of the elites and I told myself that I couldn't be that person again. I love P3R and all of the people who organize the Pittsburgh 10 Mile, I wanted to show them that their investment in me as a Team USA Minnesota athlete and as an elite athlete at three of their races now was worthwhile. Mostly, I wanted to be mentally tough through the race. I again went out conservatively in the first mile, but I was able to push in the subsequent ones. I ran some of my best miles and felt so much stronger on that course than I did the previous year. Besides a few moments of doubt in myself around mile 9, running into a headwind that I really didn't enjoy, I was very focused on how I felt, what I could control, and pushing hard. I finished with a 2 minute PR on the course and a 9th place finish. Progress is progress, even when its minute.<br />
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<u>Santa to the Sea 1/2 Marathon</u>: I flew home at Thanksgiving to be with my family and Ryan for the holidays and decided to stay home so that I could train in the warmth. The race was two weeks after Thanksgiving and two weeks before Christmas, so it fit perfectly in a five week warm(er) weather stint from Minnesota, which got its first snow fall one hour after Ryan and my departure on Thanksgiving day. I ended up getting a bit of a head cold that I trained through, but that lingered for two weeks and sapped my energy, and then started to have some knee pain. Thankfully, I had my PT on it quickly and he traced the tightness back to my serially-inactive right glute. I drove down to Oxnard, CA on Saturday for a Sunday morning race, and my PT and I have decided that sitting for 5 hours in the car is what did me in for the following day. The race director graciously put me up in a hotel the evening before and then had a driver to come and pick me up and get me to the start. I was feeling a bit tired and my leg/hip a bit tight, but I knew I was fit to race.<br />
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I took out the first two miles on goal pace but by mile three I felt like I was dwindling. Then, as I turned a corner I noticed a medial posterior tendon on my knee was tightening up. Then it started cramping up and almost becoming immobile. I backed off on my pace in hopes it would loosen up but overtime I tried to pick up my pace, it would happen again. I wad passed but the second place female around mile four and was unable to pick it up and run with her. In addition to my knee hurting, I just felt completely unable to hold a pace any faster that 5:50/mile. 6 minute pace felt effortless (good news for my upcoming marathon), but 5:45 feels hard. I did my best to stay focused and positive, but by the end I was wondering "how the heck did I ever run 5:40avg for a half marathon?!" I ended up in second place with a decent finishing time for a tempo run and walked away with some race winnings. It was very disappointing and still is. I know I can do so much better, but it was just not in the cards that day.<br />
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<b>Training, in summary</b>:<br />
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After Santa to the Sea, I took a day off, biked for two days, and had two tearful but successful ART sessions with my PT who got me back to full health. By 6 days post race I was able to put in an easy paced 22 miler. I ran easy for a few days and then began workouts. I have put together a few good workouts to kick of my marathon specific training. One big change I have made is to back off on my mileage. I was running mid-90 mile weeks for eight weeks with just one week down in the mid 70's during a race week. I have decided that I don't want to hit mileage any higher than 85 for this cycle, because it enables me to feel more energetic and recover better for the workouts. I would rather execute the workouts precisely than just get through them while feeling run down. I have noticed in the time following these past two lower-volume weeks and I feel invigorated, able to push paces in my easy runs I wouldn't have even touched three weeks back. I want to find my sweet spot, I want to find what helps me race well, so I am doing my best to be conscious of how mileage and recovery relate with my body and making the required adjustments.<br />
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<b>My mental state, in summary</b>:<br />
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Following Santa to the Sea I was feeling really down. This has been a tough year, racing wise. I have been relatively uninjured and am getting better at taking care of myself in that respect. But I can't seem to put together a good race. I know part of that has to do with my mental state during a race. I really need to work on thinking about positive things and about what I can control, nothing else. I spent the week following the race really feeling DONE running. I had a recovery run after my first workout back and felt like DEATH. I couldn't hold an 8:30 pace and I stopped at 2 miles and almost walked home. But slowly, I've come around to all of the support I've been getting. I remind myself that my body will go through phases with this training and to listen to it. I remind myself I am young, I have an amazing opportunity to be at the Olympic Trials Marathon in 44 days, and that I do, in fact, LOVE TO RUN. I am now feeling a lot happier with this career, as challenging as it can be, and excited for the future.<br />
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<b>2016! Sponsors, Races, Olympic Trial, and more!</b><br />
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I can't believe its almost 2016! I am ready for a new year to start fresh and continue to give this running thing my all. My new years goal: do my glute exercises every day. Achievable and totally important for me. <br />
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Next up, Houston Half in January and the Olympic Trials Marathon in February. Then after a break, Dennis and I will refocus my training to some faster, shorter races and even some cross country!<br />
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I have also resigned with <span style="color: blue;">Bonk Breaker</span> and <span style="color: blue;">GenUCAN</span> as fuel sponsors for the 2016 year! I am excited to continue working with them. I have accepted an ambassadorship with <span style="color: blue;">San Granola Granola</span> too, a San Francisco-based granola company that makes delicious high fiber/protein and low sugar products which help me with all of the fueling that isn't focused specifically on my training sessions. My favorite way to eat it is on Fage 0% greek yogurt before bed, but its also totally good straight out of the bag or with milk. Check out their website to order it, there's even a sale going on right now! (www.sanfranolagranola.com). I have also gotten word about another ambassadorship I applied for, but I haven't gotten the go ahead, quite yet, to announce it to the world. So, stay tuned!<br />
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I am SO thankful for Saucony's support this year, even though it hasn't been my best racing year. They have continued to stand by me and provide me with incredible gear and shoes that help me train at such high volumes. And, look good doing it ;)<br />
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And last, but not even close to least, thank you <span style="color: blue;">Team USA Minnesota</span>, Patricia Goodwin, Dennis, and all of our team sponsors for believing in me and supporting me this year. I want to show you all I am as invested in you as you are in me!<br />
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<b>Aaaaand, the non running updates include: </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f_MRj_yZWZ9fsBDzX8BuQ9ujMThyphenhyphen4n94d4mO9byoB2HcdBdNUjGdyh_iabOTRMyvARZhoRXNAedBbhDqwS6NALQsxELrZkQEmaOjEjDRlAE0pMnaeeSF19RGHZq_1Qsj_8OW0t4kkLg/s1600/IMG_3546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f_MRj_yZWZ9fsBDzX8BuQ9ujMThyphenhyphen4n94d4mO9byoB2HcdBdNUjGdyh_iabOTRMyvARZhoRXNAedBbhDqwS6NALQsxELrZkQEmaOjEjDRlAE0pMnaeeSF19RGHZq_1Qsj_8OW0t4kkLg/s200/IMG_3546.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpkxGRp3qTr-7RaFFx_YYCX3gXc50L9jExYzMx175CI3z3i8UGVZWvumg2hcL6BkFuShLGFuZRCwo21aWIyxmyeBFZDa4wGRgw86rDjFqsqvFari1fbbBs1dEH0oD3gSnWKL9LrcVFf4/s1600/IMG_3692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpkxGRp3qTr-7RaFFx_YYCX3gXc50L9jExYzMx175CI3z3i8UGVZWvumg2hcL6BkFuShLGFuZRCwo21aWIyxmyeBFZDa4wGRgw86rDjFqsqvFari1fbbBs1dEH0oD3gSnWKL9LrcVFf4/s200/IMG_3692.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<u>California for the Holidays:</u> I was lucky enough to be able to come home to Thanksgiving with my family and Ryan and then stay through the New Year before heading to Houston. It was nice to start the trip off with a fun 20 days with Ryan, and it was really hard to say goodbye when he flew back to Minnesota. I was able to attend my Dad's wedding to my new step mom Jackie and enjoy a cool night in San Francisco. I attended the Nutcracker put on my the San Francisco Ballet on Christmas eve, and then spend a day with my Dad, Jackie, and new step sister Hannah, too. I celebrated Christmas with my mom, brother, and his girlfriend today, the 30th, with small gifts and some delicious, vegetarian cookings. It's nice to spread out the holidays a bit. I will tell you, I have been eating well here.<br />
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<u>Houston, TX Up Next:</u> Next week, I will be heading to Houston, TX to join three of my Team USA Minnesota teammates to do a 6 week training stint in warm, humid climate. The amazing Houston Marathon Association, sponsors of Team USA MN, have organized the Modern B&B as a home base for us, which is fully-equipped apartments for each of us and a common kitchen that has made-to-order breakfast every morning. We are close to downtown access, running paths, Rice University, and other great spots that will make this training experience exciting, easy, and enjoyable. We will be racing the Houston Half Marathon on January 17th, too! I am even extra lucky to be spending my 23rd birthday there, on the 11th, and get to have Ryan as my special guest for a week (:<br />
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<u>Studying, again...:</u> I am also taking this time away from my part time job at Twin Cities Running company (I miss it so much!) to begin studying for the GRE. I really want to get a job in the food industry in research and development, but a number of interviews have ended in "you need a master's degree." Also, I miss learning and using my brain, so this is a good time to get myself back into school and in the direction that my fancy UCLA degree was projecting me towards before this whole running thing began.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgFEm5LFKP6uLH3WNWwjMjS4FxmwlLyDjOSXPe2dCQYgz5RfhxMb3RNiEZXN_kaugXAzyi5a231SXxGZbd9BKpjdoTiNyu4k2lsT9E1ZRWTrpsoIUpTp-dU0clUWii_p-nS5PpZJGESM/s1600/12291985_10205522530484323_3852900021973479016_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgFEm5LFKP6uLH3WNWwjMjS4FxmwlLyDjOSXPe2dCQYgz5RfhxMb3RNiEZXN_kaugXAzyi5a231SXxGZbd9BKpjdoTiNyu4k2lsT9E1ZRWTrpsoIUpTp-dU0clUWii_p-nS5PpZJGESM/s200/12291985_10205522530484323_3852900021973479016_o.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHzW9D6L_9k6YX518G3wYaEk9qVxaXfWqMIZdjsdVhj5AVBd7_zPhZwiMn9HUh07ghR6rK_KjSU8yDMaKoJl8mMghD7LMWUa8G7cRU-ntvAiep0l7pqzkWljniFg4DBhT2Uom8Yypmxw/s1600/IMG_3191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHzW9D6L_9k6YX518G3wYaEk9qVxaXfWqMIZdjsdVhj5AVBd7_zPhZwiMn9HUh07ghR6rK_KjSU8yDMaKoJl8mMghD7LMWUa8G7cRU-ntvAiep0l7pqzkWljniFg4DBhT2Uom8Yypmxw/s200/IMG_3191.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5Rx42Bhbqk70bpaPYKelFHjQQybgvW1RWeWZUlqDnOG531oWTxOkMV3YQQsKccga254g8WCGXgpwh0g__1ZaDh5WF4-x0qKnqTutwkv2Ydao66B3iGHhQ1xnMtDPlegQipQutkxfh0Y/s1600/IMG_3317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5Rx42Bhbqk70bpaPYKelFHjQQybgvW1RWeWZUlqDnOG531oWTxOkMV3YQQsKccga254g8WCGXgpwh0g__1ZaDh5WF4-x0qKnqTutwkv2Ydao66B3iGHhQ1xnMtDPlegQipQutkxfh0Y/s200/IMG_3317.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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I am so thankful to be ending this year with such great friends, an amazing boyfriend, new Minnesota family and family back home, health, and ability to follow my dreams. Thank you to everyone who makes my life possible and who encourages me. I hope this year brings everyone happiness, that is the most important thing to living a purposeful and fulfilling life, I think.<br />
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Follow me on Instagram (my preferred method of socializing): @emrunygordrun<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-18598411257066622132015-09-19T16:48:00.001-07:002015-09-19T16:48:27.926-07:00The fall cycle (in a nutshell) and the lessons I've learned <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSRGPFfLgX1LMhFOHGVvv29Jp-rdygB5eL_0rhgVQZj0dO704k0bw-DOAA6MPJWOg0PKlTwA6647MEVIUTq-ZbxmYoX4hzWBmyvlTifBPAEbA_on2k1_yn6LGYGYw1Acb-A1r_OdKdTM/s1600/IMG_3156.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSRGPFfLgX1LMhFOHGVvv29Jp-rdygB5eL_0rhgVQZj0dO704k0bw-DOAA6MPJWOg0PKlTwA6647MEVIUTq-ZbxmYoX4hzWBmyvlTifBPAEbA_on2k1_yn6LGYGYw1Acb-A1r_OdKdTM/s400/IMG_3156.PNG" width="225" /></a></div>
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A lot has happened since my last blog post. If you’ll
believe me, I’ve actually written 3 updates to post over the course of the last
8 weeks and found myself so busy that by the time I went to post it, new
exciting things had happened and it was old news. Now I face the issue of
having far too many things to talk about. Here is a brief summary of my training
and life over the past 8 weeks and then a series of things I’ve learned about
myself. </div>
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After coming back from that post-tib strain/issue I was able
to get in two or so weeks of easy running to get a base mileage in. When Megan
Goethals and Katy Moen (new Team USA Minnesota teammates!) moved to Minneapolis, we discovered
we were on the same timeline for getting back into training. As Dennis started us
on our fall training cycle, it was beyond amazing to have people who I could
run with for the hard mile repeats, the slightly less hard tempo runs, and also
some of the easy days. </div>
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<b>Lesson #1: It makes a huge difference having a training
partner. </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi408pxHUG6dMxW-FmeA3xO-6B9sfd44zvkS6B1KD3vH_eP3TkKzydx7UOOQ-gaIjxO3fccrrODgIm5iiyXeRTmUMbd0i6Z9wHZRVKHgqJJbqMW6SZxSyjzUEwoWYRx4RtNW5EGYIMAE/s1600/image3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi408pxHUG6dMxW-FmeA3xO-6B9sfd44zvkS6B1KD3vH_eP3TkKzydx7UOOQ-gaIjxO3fccrrODgIm5iiyXeRTmUMbd0i6Z9wHZRVKHgqJJbqMW6SZxSyjzUEwoWYRx4RtNW5EGYIMAE/s320/image3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After out first track session of mile repeats (later to be
done on a hilly golf course), I realized that it was the first workout of my
career under Dennis that I DIDN’T DO ALONE. Despite the pain I felt at 1200m with
a lap to go on these repeats, I have never felt more grateful and happy to be
in pain. Megan and I traded off leading laps in the workout, worked together to
push, etc. Plus we were there to high-five and celebrate a successful workout.
On hill repeat days, instead of counting each rep, we play the alphabet game.
We pick a theme and determine which letter we would get to (24 = X) and then
pick a word that fit the theme on each rep. We did themes like food, candy,
positive reaffirmation, and more. Really, having teammates to train with just
make the suffering more fun. </div>
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On days where we weren’t working out – which was fewer than
normal during the fall segment—we have easy running for recovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last fall easy for me was 7:30 pace.
Now, it’s rarely faster than 8 minute pace. As my mileage increases and the
quality of the workouts within that weekly mileage increases, the recovery days
get slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to be ashamed
to look down at my Garmin and see that I was going 7:40/mile pace. Now, on easy
days, if I see that it’s almost the opposite reaction; more like, “woah, woah,
woah… getting a little excited, time to cool it.” And that’s just fine!
Actually, it’s more than fine. Not only am I feeling more rested after my recovery
days, I’m remaining uninjured, I am getting leaner while still having tons of
energy, but I am also RUNNING BETTER AND FASTER THAN I HAVE DONE IN OVER A
YEAR. </div>
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<b>Lesson #2: Seriously, I had to slow down in order to speed
up. </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKDrkclGkH3QjzoM3_4mR-Gy7cKJQvwbKHe50dABzr8JcDKn2yQjDASgq6PjRP8y6cP8HuOKQqwx4qMsqRQ20TvdXMJyTmifPOtCpFRU8nmuG0jthYK38paG5RiW90jF1xWazTGVKMfk/s1600/image4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKDrkclGkH3QjzoM3_4mR-Gy7cKJQvwbKHe50dABzr8JcDKn2yQjDASgq6PjRP8y6cP8HuOKQqwx4qMsqRQ20TvdXMJyTmifPOtCpFRU8nmuG0jthYK38paG5RiW90jF1xWazTGVKMfk/s320/image4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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While training alone out in LA, then home in Santa Clara,
before moving out to Minneapolis, I was running my workouts and easy days too
fast. I was outside of my heart rate range to make the tempo and threshold work
effective and too fast on my recovery days to allow my body to reset and heal.
I was digging myself a nice, deep hole. This is why my marathon cycle was
sporadic (at best) and my race in May was unsatisfying. </div>
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When I started this new cycle in August, I told myself that
it was okay if my paces were slower than before or than my teammates. My goal
was to get fitter and to be ready and healthy for the February Olympic Trials.
So when I was 5 seconds behind on the mile repeats but was running at the
correct heart rate for the workout, I counted it as a success. By doing this, I
was able to have SO MANY successful workouts. This is the first time in a year
that I’ve been able to walk away from 3-4 workouts a week ecstatic about the
quality I was able to accomplish. In addition to finishing workouts and
completing them correctly, my mental talk and confidence increased too. Not
many people can walk away from a workout as the person who consistently ran
each repetition slower than all their teammates and gain some mental toughness
and confidence. Talent on this team surrounds me, but everyone is focused on a
different event. The 10k race is more about speed than then marathon, and for
me it’s the ability to be able to string together good, hard efforts and be
able to continue chugging along. </div>
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<b>Lesson #3: the mental battle and the confidence in and out
of the workout play a massive role. </b></div>
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I am also quieting the peanut gallery that surrounds the
distance running world. People are filled with advice about how to eat, how not
to eat, how to fuel during, after, before, when to sleep, how much to sleep,
and it goes on and on. And I am definitely guilty of dishing out my own advice,
quite often actually. I think it is really cool that there is lots of
literature and conversation about different techniques and methodologies for
this stuff. But, it’s now a catchall. I wont find my answers from reading about
them. The best thing I can do is do what I know my body likes, not do the
things it doesn’t or hasn’t in the past, and avoid making big changes based on
what others are saying or doing. Dennis had a talk with me after the Pittsburgh
Marathon about this exactly, and I realizing I’m finally getting it. I have to
do what works and what’s right for me—in my day, in my fueling, in each
repetition of my training (even if that means backing off or running slower)—no
matter what. THAT is how I will find success. </div>
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The Tuesday before Labor Day, Dennis asked if I wanted to
run in a local Minneapolis 10k. He had plans for Megan and Gina to race the 10
and 5k races, respectively, for a few weeks, but it wasn’t until then that he
brought up the idea to me. Part of it, I think, was to give him information on
my fitness level, but also to keep Megan and I on the same training schedule. I
was up for the challenge, being that it would be my first road 10k, and my
second 10k ever, I knew I would run a PR and was interested to see how it would
go. Also, there was a prize purse, so a top 3 finish meant money, too. Win,
win. </div>
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Without going into great detail, we did not taper for the
race, just moved our weekend long run to the day after the race. Still with 81
miles for that week prior, I was able to go out in an comfortable but effortful
5:33 for the first mile, hold steady and feel GOOD (finally) in the race and
then push my way to the finish for a second place and 35:36 finish (5:44
avg/mile). I had backed off a bit for miles 2 and 3, but ended up negatively
splitting for miles 4 and 5, which was cool. Finishing, I realized that now
that I know what racing that distance really feels like, I know that I can run
a bit faster and push a bit harder. I also can walk away confidently knowing
that I think I could run that pace or faster at the TC 10 mile. I will be
tapered and refined with a few weeks of race specific pace and speed work. I
will be ready. </div>
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The TC 10 mile is in just over 2 weeks and it is the 10-mile
USATF National Road Championships race. Tons of quick professionals are entered
and it is going to be a hell of a race. But, instead of going in with
apprehension and questions like last year, I feel like I can do this. I have
the strength to push and hold onto some athletes that I previously would never
imagine I could run with. </div>
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Outside of running, I have been working 20-25 hours a week
at TC Running Company and loving the community and the staff I work with. I
have continued to coach with LifeTime Fitness Chanhassen for the TC Marathoners
and 10-milers. The weather is finally cooling off, too, making those training
sessions and long runs quite a bit more bearable than the 80% humidity 93
degree days just a few weeks ago. I hear fall in Minneapolis is breathtaking
and I just cannot wait to see it develop. </div>
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Ryan is getting ready to race the TC 10 mile too, followed
by a 50k trail race (that’s 31 miles, guys) up in Duluth, MN on the 17<sup>th</sup>
of October. He has been doing all of my long runs with me, helping me push
through the added tempo work that we have at the end, and also celebrating each
success with a delicious breakfast and compression sock party. I am really
thankful to have him around to help with training but also to help me mentally
get through the daily life as an elite runner (aka he has good listening skills
and he doesn’t get mad when I ask to go to bed at 9pm).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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More to come, of course! I hope everyone is staying inspired
and wakes up every day grateful for the little things in life that keep us
happy and whole. I am grateful to live in such a beautiful place surrounded by
teammates, friends, and coworkers that are like family. I am also grateful for
the support my mom and dad give me, they are my true sounding boards. Lastly I
am so thankful for my sponsors. I use GENUCAN and/or Bonk Breakers every
morning before my runs and workouts, so I am thankful for the energy they give
me to kick butt in my training. I am grateful for Saucony giving me the shoes
and clothes I need each day to perform at my best (and man do I go through
shoes now, running 85-95 <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>miles a week!). I want to thank
Team USA Minnesota for the continued support, from a fantastic coach like
Dennis, pro bono health care from Sam Lezon at SWAC, and from the entire
community. It is really a gift to be able to run for my career and there is no
way I could do it alone. </div>
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<b>UP NEXT:</b> </div>
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<u>TC 10 Mile</u> on October 4th</div>
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<u>Pittsburgh 10 Mile</u> on October 25th -- I am excited to get back to my "second home" for racing with awesome elite recruiter Ryan Hogan and all the P3R Ladies!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-68141201635083861642015-07-17T16:26:00.000-07:002015-07-17T16:26:12.093-07:00After an extended recovery period post PGH marathon, I am back on the road!<div id="yiv3799548387yui_3_16_0_1_1437097690773_2973" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3133">Hey everyone! </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3125">I have been away from my blog for far too long! After my awesome Pittsburgh Marathon blogger gig, I was hoping to step away from it for two weeks while I recovered and then to hop back on board when my training picked up. Unfortunately, a little nagging pain in my foot took me out for longer than I expected. But, after finishing up my third full week of running with two speedier runs, I am officially BACK IN THE GAME and prepping for some fall races! </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3141">Here is a bit of a recap of what’s gone on in my life since the Pittsburgh Marathon; just to bring you all back up to speed: </span></div>
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1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3137">Nagging foot thing! As you may have read in my post race blog, the course was SUPER hilly, and my calves told me so even a full week post race. My lower legs ached and the tightness in my calves caused a series of Achilles flare </span>ups in a few different spots. But, nothing to fret about <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3139">because Sam Lezon was my hero, with his death devices (grastin is literal torture), I was able to overcome a lot of the Achilles tightness. I slowly got back into running, not worrying about </span>taking<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3138"> a day off completely </span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3155">here and there so that I could let my legs sort themselves out. I even biked a bit, too. After sorting the biggest of upper Achilles pains out in my left leg, I started to notice that my left arch was cramping a lot, up towards my toes. I </span>chalked <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3156">it up to standing a lot at work (TC Running Company) and thought little of it. Three days passed and the cramping and pain persisted, moving toward my ankle and wrapping around the back of my anklebone. After seeing Sam about it, he figured it was likely tightness in my posterior tibia tendon that attaches from the navicular bone (mid foot) to a muscle in the calf. I gave it a few days off and then started to run again. No dice. The pain got more severe and continued to move around and then one evening it all started to zone in on one second </span>(?) of my ankle: my tibia. First thought was stress fracture. GREAT. So I visited our awesome sponsors Twin Cities Orthopedic and got a speedy X-ray. I net with Dr. Langer to check in and we cleared the stress fracture notion up and decided it might just be some sort of reaction to the torsion strain on my tibia from wearing the wrong shoes. So, cross training it was. I completed 4 full weeks of cross training, some weeks trying to run every other day, some I completely stopped running for. To spare additional details, I got some SuperFeet inserts to assist my hard-working but rather droopy arches and stuck myself back into my Saucony Guides (moderate stability shoe), leaving my beloved but flimsy Kinvara’s <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3118">(Kinvaras)</span> and Zealots for casual wear. </div>
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So again, I have spent another solid chunk of my time on the injured list, forcing me to constantly assess my ability, future, and potential. Thankfully, I had Jillian, Ryan, my teammates, and my awesome coach Dennis to motivate me to stay positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am young, I am fit, and I have potential. Things will all work out. I am now joyfully jaunting again, thankful for every single pain free run. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Dining and watching a movie at the Alamo was cool! But subtitles make it tough</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Breakfast we made at my brother's hour in Austin, enjoying the bread mountain's at the Central Market </span></div>
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2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>I got to visit Austin, Texas with my mom during that whole injury period to visit my brother and his girlfriend. He just finished up his first year of his PhD in neuroscience and he was finally able to have us as guests and show us around the campus and city. I really miss my brother, but he loves Austin and I still get to see him on holidays. </div>
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3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Ryan and I went down to the farm where he grew up and stayed at the family’s new house (a few miles away) in southwest Minnesota. It was nice to finally meet the final and youngest of the four sisters and to meet his parents and see where he grew up. He taught me how to drive a giant tractor, too! We then continued on to Iowa to one of his college friend’s weddings. We arrived a day early, so I got to meet his whole group of friends back in their college town and I even got a tour of the campus. The ceremony was beautiful and the company was super fun. I will admit though, Iowa doesn’t have a whole lot goin’ on… </div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">5:45am workout time means hill repeats during sunrise! My marathon runners are tough</span></div>
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4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>I have recently been hired my LifeTime Fitness to coach the Twin Cities Marathon and 10 mile training group from their Chanhassen location! It's<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3161"> about 30 minutes (without traffic, or construction, thankfully) from my house in South Minneapolis, which is a bit of a ways, but I am really thrilled to be involved in the training build up of 35+ athletes! The runners range from goals to finish their first marathons to people trying to break 3 hours! I got to create training programs and hold practice Wednesday mornings as 5:45am and long runs on Saturday mornings! We did a hill workout this past Wednesday with 4-8 400m-hill climbs with downhill recovery and then 4-8 200m hill climbs. Everyone was working hard as the sun was rising behind us and I could feel the awesome effort everyone was putting in, despite the pain and early morning slog. I had a sub-3 hour marathoner say it was the hardest workout he’s ever done, and I had a newbie tell me he didn’t even think he was capable of finishing that workout; and he did, with flying colors! It is so rewarding to be to be a part </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3159">of this awesome journey. </span></div>
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5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3157">It is hot and humid here in Minnesota! I knew this previous to moving here, but I am still learning how to navigate through it. I have to get up early to run each day, usually in just a sports bra. I also have to chill 3 or 4 water bottles each night in my fridge to ensure that I have some cool water to mix my UCAN hydrate into when I finish each run. I notice I cannot stop or slow down during runs because sunscreen and salty, salty sweat falls into my eyes and renders them useless! I also have begun to appreciate showers for their duty more than for how refreshing it feels to clean myself. But, I haven’t figured out how to get into the shower after a hot run and not continue to sweat a bit once I get out. Cooling my body down is tough. Also, because if </span>(of) the early mornings, I have had to adjust my nutrition. Because I don’t have time to get in a full meal before I run, or often even a solid snack, I have started using GENUCAN each morning for runs longer than 5 miles. I used to reserve it for workout days, but I have noticed a scoop in the morning before a hot run makes me feel unstoppable and really helps my energy levels. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The 5am starting line at Squaw Valley Resort</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Stephanie at her aid station at 63 miles where Zach was able to jump in and pace her</span></div>
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6.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Lastly, I was able to head out to California with Ryan and Jillian for a week of fun. We started with two nights at my Mom’s (mom’s) house (where I was raised) and we got to explore Santa Clara and San Jose. We then packed up and headed to Squaw Valley to meet up with the Tholens' aunt and uncle and their cousin Stephanie Howe’s husband, crew, and friends for a pre Western States 100 mile race dinner. The race began Saturday morning at 5am and ran 100.2 miles to Auburn High School, so we were excited to get prepped to chase Stephanie around on her epic journey. The evening before, we camped out overnight in Ryan’s boss’ (boss’s) <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3115">cabin in Tahoe that was in the midst of being completely gutted and renovated. I obviously was convinced there was a killer on the loose coming to get us in the night, so I probably slept about an hour before the 3:30am alarm clock. We packed up again, saw the breathtaking start up of the race (beginning with a 4 mile climb up the Squaw Valley mountains) and then booked it down to Auburn to catch Stephanie’s parents and head to a few of the aid stations where we got to watch and later help with crewing for her. At the aid stations they pick up food, water, and any other things they need to get through the long, long race. It was so cool to watch everyone with his or her different fueling habits and race plans. And what an exciting race it was! Stephanie worked so hard and kicked so much butt, I hope to some day accomplish just FINISHING a 100 miler. The atmosphere is so incredibly inspiring. I know I was sick of being awake by the time Stephanie dropping into the high school train to finish up her race in 3<sup id="yiv3799548387yui_3_16_0_1_1437097690773_3045">rd</sup> place just at </span>19 hours 32 minutes 58 seconds <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3165">(yeah, hours) mark, so I cannot even imagine hiking and running for that long. We then got to spend the evening (after glorious showers) at Alex Wood’s humble abode (thanks girl, you da best) and finished off the weekend with Stephanie, </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3164">Zach</span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3163"> (husband), and a whole bunch of extended family. Jillian and I noted how hung over we felt just from being awake and active for 23 hours the day before, but Stephanie was walking (slowly, but gracefully) so we had little we could complain about. </span></div>
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We spent the following week in San Mateo, where Ryan’s work is headquartered. Jillian and I explored San Jose one day, San Francisco another, and also spent some quality time shopping, too, while Ryan worked. Then in the evenings we were able to catch up with both of my parents for meals. One night we cooked my mom sweet potato and black bean tacos (yum) and had a great night in, and another we went to an awesome sushi spot in San Mateo with my Dad, his girlfriend, Jackie, and her daughter, Hannah. My friend Adam Krzesinski was able to make it too and it was so great to catch up with him. We finished our<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3110"> trip off with a half-day trip up to San Francisco walking around the mission district, getting delicious Mexican food from Gracias Madre (thanks, Isaac!) and finishing off with some interesting ice cream flavors from Henry Slocombe’s. Although being back in California was comforting, I found myself missing Minneapolis. This is my new home and I am so glad to be back in my life routine here. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3107">So what’s next? At this point, we just want to get me fit and working out consistently. I will be racing (right out of the gates) at the LifeTime Fitness Torchlight 5k in downtown Minneapolis on Wednesday the 22<sup id="yiv3799548387yui_3_16_0_1_1437097690773_3059">nd</sup>! It’s an evening race that finishes up crossing a beautiful walking bridge on the Mississippi. It should be hot but it should also be a fun event. It is the USATF Minnesota 5k championships for 2015, so the sub-elite racing team members should be out and ready to </span>roll<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437167430619_3112">. Then, hopefully more exciting races to come! I will keep you all posted. Thank you everyone for your continuous support in this incredible journey.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-7449663965717630672015-05-06T12:11:00.000-07:002015-05-06T17:17:12.175-07:00Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon 5/3/2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend! </div>
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The weekend seemed to come so quickly! I knew that I had put in some good work in this training cycle, and although it wasn't as smooth or as long as I had hoped it would be, I knew this race would be about taking steps in the right direction. I have now been injury free for 4 months and believe it or not, it's been my longest training uninterrupted stint since the Surf City Marathon that I ran my Trials Qualifier at 14 months ago.<br>
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Hopping onto the light rail on Thursday April 30th, I was thinking about what I would be experiencing on my ride back home Sunday night returning from the airport. Was I going to be happy, upset, mad, disappointed? Was it going to be because I ran the A-standard for the Olympic Trials, a PR, a solid race, or a terribly embarrassing time? Then, I made myself stop. My emotional state following this race should not be decided by how my 26.2 mile race goes. I am in control of how I respond, meaning I can walk away from this athletic feat happy no matter what. I will put all of my cards on the table, give it my heart and my best effort, and then see what happens... THEN I will choose to find the positive parts of the race, find what needs to be worked on, realize I am still a massive rookie in this profession, and be HAPPY. Plus, I was going to get to spend the weekend with some incredible athletes, awesome event staff, and some teammates, too. I was ready to make the most of it.<br>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Thursday :</span></b><br>
I arrived in Pittsburgh at 1PM to light rain but warm temperatures. The forecast was looking up for the weekend and the rain was refreshing for a quick 7x200m pickup workout by the river with Ben and Heather Kampf. It was good to get my legs moving off the plane and they felt really fresh, surprisingly. Ever since my last workout the week before, I had been feeling very sick through out the day. Eating usually helped, but I spent a lot of the day feeling ill, like I was coming down with a bug. On the plane I was feeling really bad, so I was thankful to be off the plane and actually feeling healthy. For the next two days (Friday and Saturday) I would just run easy, finishing each with some strides to keep my legs springy in preparation for the race on Sunday.<br>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> David Monico and I at the Blogger Event</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">14 year old Emily at the Santa Barbara Track Camp in 2007</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The Blogger event at Wigly, a whiskey distillery </span></div>
On Thursday evening, the P3R team had a blogger event to welcome all of the marathon's official bloggers to the weekend. We went to Wigly, a whiskey distillery in town, which was also caters with some tasty burritos. Many of the bloggers were there, as well as the media team from Bring Back the Mile, all of the P3R team, and the headlining elite athletes. I enjoyed hanging out with Clara Santucci, the returning women's champion, Tyler McCandless, the top seeded american male, previous winner and event record holder Jeffery Eggleston, Ben, Heather, and David Monico. Funny story actually, David Monico of Bring Back the Mile was the Santa Barbara Track Camp Director when I was a wee little hurdler in high school. I came to the camp after my Freshman year of high school and loved the school and the camp so much that I came back two more times. I clearly made an impression on David, because he remembered me as the girl who broke the hurdle at camp (during 100m hurdle drills) and was able to pull this picture up on his phone relatively quickly. It is so cool to be able to check in with him 8 years later and see how much has changed for both of us. The event was great, and we finished off the evening with a trip to Whole Foods for some breakfast food before calling it an early night.<br>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Friday : </span></b><br>
The morning started with an easy run with Ben and Heather over the river by Heinz stadium (Heinz ketchup is from there!) and around some beautiful tree covered paths. Then I had some breakfast and got ready to head to the Pittsburgh NPR news station in Central Pittsburgh. Nikki, a really friendly and helpful member of the PR and Media staff at P3R picked me up and we navigated the congested city that was already beginning road closures and preparations for the race weekend, and finally made it to Carson Street (known for its 100+ bars and as the "flattest mile" in the marathon, mile 9). I was lucky enough to be interviewed on an Essential Pittsburgh segment about the marathon weekend. There I got to chat about my story of becoming a marathoner and other fun facts about my life and goals in and out of my running shoes. I was so thankful for the opportunity, it was a blast. If you want to have a listen, check out this link: http://wesa.fm/post/essential-pittsburgh-kids-steel-makes-race-day-2015-accessible-all-ages<br>
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I grabbed some lunch with Josh Dedering, who had just landed in the city, in Market Square really close to the hotel. It was a bustling center filled with restaurants that gets very busy during the work week. Then, the finally completed cast of Team USA Minnesota with Jeffery, Tyler, and Clara too, got to attend the VIP cocktail event at the Westin Hotel across from the convention center that was holding the expo. It was a beautiful event and we all got to dress up really nicely and enjoy all of the contributors and people associated with putting on the weekend's festivities. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Saturday :</b> </span><br>
Josh and I got our shakeout in around 830am, 4 miles and strides for me. The park across the street from the hotel was bustling early on with the proud finishers of the 5k race and soon after with the kids from the kids marathon, too! It was a beautiful, sunny morning for everyone and just perfect for some time outside.<br>
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I spend it inside though, avoiding too much sunlight which can sap away my energy. I instead watched TV in my hotel room and rolled out my hips and IT bands as maintenance for the race to come. Because the elite dinner later in the evening was planned for 5 pm, Josh and I walked into Market Square again at around 12 pm to find something to eat for lunch. We made sure to get enough carbs while also staying with safe foods. 24 hours out is NOT the time to be exploring new food groups or meal items. I grabbed a Subway sandwich and we ate outside surrounded by little running kids everywhere!<br>
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At 4pm we had a technical meeting for the race. This is something that is held at every road race, put on by the race director and other race staff. It covered what the start line and finish line will be like, the general time schedule of where we have to be when, and covers any other rules or regulations that will be enforced on race day. We also got a briefing on the USADA drug testing protocol, which is also a very common thing at events. It was at this meeting at I dropped off my elite fluid station bottles. I had 7 total, some with just water and UCAN Hydrate electrolytes and some with lemonade UCAN SuperStarch for fuel. I taped 4 gels to the bottles for quick energy on the course, too. Jillian and Ryan (friends from home in some of my previous posts) helped me decorate my bottles (so that they would stand out to me on the tables during the race) before I left Minneapolis. They had plenty of Saucony, Bonk Breaker, and Over The Hedge swag. There was even a perfectly drawn Minnesota state to help me power through the race.<br>
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We had a large and delicious elite dinner afterwards that was catered by the hotel and then I spend the evening chatting with my really nice roommate (from the Bay!) Devon Yanko and reading my book before we went to bed around 920pm. I had my bib on my jersey and had everything laid out and ready to rock for a 4am wake up alarm. It was almost game time!<br>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Sunday (RACE DAY!!)</b> : </span><br>
My alarm went off and I was up to have some food. 2.5 to 3 hours out from a race is the closest I like eat before the start. I had a GENUCAN Snack bar and some coffee followed by a Bonk Breaker energy bar before 430am. Around 515am I had a packet of Chocolate GENUCAN Recovery Superstarch, too. I usually fuel with just a scoop from the tub (~2/3 of a packed), but because I was 2 hours out from that race I figured I needed more to last me thought the first portion of the race. Then it was uniform on, bags packed with post race essentials, and a quick walk over the the elite athlete staging area in the Weston Hotel. At 625am we had to give our bags to the volunteers with everything that wasn't essential for the start line (for me, I put on my racing flats and kept on my warm up 1/2 zip and sweat pants) and Ben Kampf and I both headed out on a 2 mile warm up. It was in the mid 50s and really warm, so the goal of the warm up run is just to get the legs moving. We kept the pace light in order to not expend more energy than necessary to prep our bodies for the road ahead.<br>
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I was nervous and unable to use the bathroom at this point. Most runners will tell you that the morning bathroom session before a race can be a crucial factor in how a race unfolds. Usually coffee and some liquids get things moving, but not today. But, I have had plenty of races and workouts where that wasn't an issue, so I put it out of my mind. I did a systems check: body wasn't hurting anywhere, legs felt poppy, not tired, energy level was good. I headed to the start line to watch the hand cycles head off and hopped in for some last minute strides before they herded us all behind the starting mats. at 7:00am, the gun went off and the races began.<br>
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We started with the 1/2 marathon runners too, the course splitting off just after mile ~10.5. It was important at this point to go out EASY. It's easy to get carried away and take off with the speed of the half marathon racers, but with 26 (hilly) miles ahead, we needed to save our energy. Dennis and I had discussed going out conservatively so that I wouldn't crash and burn in the second half (the hillier) part of the race. There was a pacer designated for a 2:43 race time, so Ben and I decided to stick with him for the first 5 or so miles and then to re-evaluate how we were feeling. The pacer's watch didn't load at the start line (surrounded by 40,000 other gps watches looking for signal) so he took it out quite a bit faster than many of the girls had expected he would. Miles 1 and two were almost completely flat and between the start and the 11th mile marks, we crossed 5 bridges, most of which had a bit of a hill to them. I was feeling strong and like I was cruising through 8 miles. The signs were funny and the water stations and cheering sections were bursting with energy. I was taking fluids from my elite bottles because I was already feeling thirsty. I drank more than I had in training, which I think was the start to the issues I faced later on the race.<br>
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Ben and I had put a lead on the 2:43 pace group, but around 9 miles in we all regrouped and worked together. It was myself and another elite female named Emily, which made for double the cheering. People really get excited when they can cheer for us by name, and with two Emilys in close proximity, they just didn't know what to do with themselves. We caught up with another female marathoner just off Carson St near mile 9. as we approached the third water station in mile 10, someone managed to bump my bottle off the end of the table. I started to panic and hand about two seconds worth of "I'm going to cry" fear. This bottle had my first gel on it, which I desperately needed before the big, treacherous hill just over the other side of the bridge. I couldn't stop to get it and even with the efforts of the volunteer to grab it and try and catch up, I knew it wasn't going to happen. So this is what racing is like, there are always curve balls and the experience I'm looking for in races is how to deal with it all. Luckily I had Ben there, quickly asking what kind of gel I had on my bottle and handing me one he was carrying with him. I am so lucky to have such an selfless training partner who will not only run with me for the whole marathon, cheer me through the race, but also give up his fuel for me. I owe him one. I took half his gel and put my head down to get over the bridge.<br>
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We then split from the half marathon and took a sharp right up THE HILL. It was a mile long stretch climb, totaling about 300 feet of climbing at once. I had already taken water and three fluid stations, one containing GENUCAN, and 1/2 of a gel and my stomach was not very happy. I kept my cadence up on the hill, but my lower intestines started to signal to me (to put it politely) right around the top of the hill that it was time to find a restroom. Here came another wrench in my race causing me to make another decision I had never been face with before: Do I stop to relieve myself or do it just do my best to hold it in and ignore it until the finish. With more than half the race to go, I think I may have chosen incorrectly. I stuck with it, thinking "It's not toooooo bad." When that hill was over, I imagined everyone's description of rolling meant little hills that were easy to recover.. not exactly. The next 10 miles were up and down grades of varying length. Some up for over a mile, and some switching between up and down, but I guarantee the amount of totally flat was slim to none. Again, this was a race filled with its own unique challenges. I knew being in my head about how tough the uphills were would not in any way benefit me for the race to come. I went through the half marathon at 1:21 exactly, on target for a 2:42. I didn't let this bother me, because I knew that with the course I had already seen, that it wasn't going to be a PR kind of day. I just wanted to race for place now, and teach myself step by step that my mental attitude can be trained to be what gets be through the race.<br>
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I felt mentally focused and strong through 16 miles and then really focused on staying there through 20. at 21 Ben was telling me how strong my down hills were and that I just had to hang tough through 23, the last 1 mile climb before the big down hill into downtown. My hips were aching, from the climbing mostly, and at this point I knew something was going on in my shorts that was not pretty. The crowds through Homewood and Friendship were so great. I was told that these neighborhoods have been rough in the past, but you wouldn't know it if you were running through there with me. Everyone was working together to make great cheering sections and water stations. You could really feel the heart that these Pittsburgh residents had. I used this to get me through to slowing, tough parts and to keep me positive about what was lying ahead. In the end, my Garmin data says I climbed 1549 feet in 26.6 miles, more than some of my 26.6 mile bike rides I completed in Los Angeles!<br>
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At 23 the downhill came and I started to really feel awesome. I took my last gel at 23.2 (HUMA gels rock, I have forever been converted). I was gaining on the other Emily when the hill began to flatten out and it was around 24 that Ben and I both thought I could do it. Then, back to my lower intestinal problems. Things started to get reallllllly bad. Like, uncontrollable. If I picked up my pace, I was afraid for my integrity, and if I kept my pace the same, I was afraid to be running to the finish at my newly slowed pace. My hips were aching and my calves were screaming but I did the best I could to try and catch her. Unfortunately, she got her last wind, too. I had to finish with the strength and control that I had remaining. We can back in on Liberty and slowly the streets became more and more filled with smiling, cheering faces. I knew mine was not as happy as theirs, but I knew that this race had been what I was working for for the past 6 weeks and the Pittsburgh fans were here to help me through it. I hit 26 miles and took my sharp turn to see the finish line on Avenue of the Allies. I finished, just how I had started, with Ben by my side and a smile on my face, to a 2:47.29.<br>
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I B-lined for the porto-potty and discovered that my worry of going to the bathroom in my shorts was exceptionally worse that I had expected. Heather came to my rescue with my change of clothes and I did surgery to clean myself up. I regrouped with my teammates and soon got a call from Dennis and I was forced to think about how I think it went overall. Here's what I said (generally):<br>
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<span style="color: red;">1.</span> I felt strong before the hills and I stayed positive and focused through most of it. With only 13 marathon specific workouts (including easy long runs), 11 of which I actually completed, and questionable health at the beginning of the cycle, I was happy I could come away with a 2:47. Like I mentioned before, too, this was my first long stint of training injury free and consistency is really important in any distance training cycle, especially a marathon one.<br>
<span style="color: red;">2.</span> I also just joined Team USA Minnesota and started under Dennis Barker's training. My last training cycle for a marathon was as a triathlete, maxing at 58 miles per week, running no faster than marathon pace for most workouts and spending lots of time on my bike. This method of training is so new to me and so many teammates and people alike have been telling me that it will take time to adjust. Moving to Minneapolis is the best thing I've done yet for my training, because having my coach with my at my workouts as really gotten me into the right training zones to get into shape and to get faster.<br>
<span style="color: red;">3.</span> The course was tough, everyone will tell you that, even my badass roommate who does trail ultras. The day was not a PR day for anyone, meaning everyone ran more slowly.<br>
<span style="color: red;">4.</span> The weather was beautiful, but PR weather is cooler. Without any wind to keep us cool, many people were much warmer than they would ideally be, and<br>
<span style="color: red;">5.</span> Having relieved myself in my shorts (unknowing just how much I had) at mile 12 and not being able to run faster at the finish was a huge factor in my time begin slower than I had hoped. I was told by many that it was a right of passage into the road running world. I'm in the poop club now, guys. It could be due to taking in too many liquids in the first part of the race or from fueling with GENUCAN during the race (which I had not practiced all that much). I also mentioned feeling under the weather for over a week on and off, which could have played into the unfortunately crappy (haha) situation, too.<br>
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So, hey, no race will ever go as planned or expected. I was able to walk away with 8th overall and 5th American in a field including some incredible athletes. I got to enjoy the hard work that the P3R organization put in and I got to explore the streets of beautiful Pittsburgh. And at 22 years old, I know that this is not a sign of slowing down, more of a sign that my fiery passion to be the best I can be is only growing bigger. With 3 or 4 more weeks of training and some different fueling practices, maybe I would have run differently. But, can't take it back now and instead I must use this learning experience to springboard me into my next series of races in preparation for the 2016 Olympic trials marathon. This is only the beginning.<br>
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I wanted to give a huge thank you to:<br>
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--> <b>Ben Kampf</b> for running the entire race with me. It was nice to have Ben at my side for the race because he helped me focus. Thanks for being the great training partner that you are, especially on those long, tough hauls. I need your positive attitude and great conversation to get me through the tough times<br>
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--> <b>Ryan Hogan</b> the elite athlete coordinator for being such a cool guy while also being the most thoughtful, organized, and hilarious coordinator I've worked with.<br>
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--> <b>Patrice Matamoros</b>, the CEO of P3R and amazingly positive and sparking event organizer that she is. Thank you Patrice for all of your belief in the American Development Program, Team USA Minnesota, and in me. Thank you P3R and all of the volunteers for this incredible race weekend.<br>
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--> <b>Dennis and Pat</b> for believing in me and coaching me. Team USA Minnesota has quickly become my family and I know I can thrive with a bit more patience and many more successful workouts.<br>
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--> <b>My parents, Heather, Jillian, Josh, Ryan, and all of my friends</b> for being my therapist and helping me through the mental road blocks I experienced in this cycle and through race weekend.<br>
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--> All of my sponsors! Without them I wouldn't be able to train the way I do. <b>Saucony</b> gives me the best shoes and gear I could ever ask for, <b>Bonk Breaker </b>with the delicious bars to fuel my training and life, <b>GENUCAN</b> for the amazing Superstarch products and UCAN hydrate. the <b>RRCA</b> for supporting me through the Road Scholars Grant. And <b>Team USA Minnesota</b> for the training team, coaching, and services to maximize my training and performance. Shout out to <b>Sam Lezon</b>, master chiropractor and physical therapist who, hands down, is the reason I was able to stay healthy and running strong injury-free the past two months.<br>
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I was surrounded by so much love this past weekend, in Pittsburgh by the incredible 40,000 racers and the fans and from Minneapolis and California by all of the people close to my heart. You all are the reason I was smiling during the race.<br>
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<b>And thank you so much, RUNNERS OF STEEL, for following my blog through the Pittsburgh Marathon build up. I hope you all ran with your hearts and enjoyed every second of this amazing, life-changing weekend. </b><br>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A board at the marathon expo where runners write their reasons they were racing</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">#GameOnPGH</span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-62334581592102193422015-04-22T16:45:00.001-07:002015-04-22T16:45:38.210-07:00PGH Marathon Cycle, in review #GameOnPGH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The time has come.. all of your hard work has been put in. Early mornings, tiresome doubles, tempo runs, track workouts, repeat after repeat after repeat. Everything had a purpose; an end. Now, nothing you do can help you any more except some solid rest, relaxation, and total body regeneration. The Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh weekend is upon us and I am getting so excited. </div>
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So, I've talked about hydration, fueling, recovery, and everything that goes with those topics, but I haven't posted about the one thing that this awesome blogging gig is about... RUNNING! </div>
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I figured, now that the big workouts are over (for the most part), I could take a look back on some of the big, the bad, and the confidence-building workouts that really highlighted this cycle. With a bit of background on the workout and its ideal efforts, I will tell you about how it felt, how much I liked the workout, and why.</div>
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<b>3 (or 2) x 5.5mi on River Road</b> - <i>Saturday 3/21</i> : I alluded to this one in my previous blog post about recovery. It was 25F with 15 mph winds along the Mississippi River Parkway and I was fresh off the plane from Jacksonville/Savannah. Heather and Ben Kampf ran the workout, too. The goal was to simulate marathon effort and run tired through three sets. I ran one right around the 6 minute goal pace, but in my mind I knew it was not going to last. What I am learning a lot about myself via this workout and the ones to follow is that my mental attitude is really what makes or breaks the workout. Rep two was far slower than goal marathon pace, so we called it quits. I left this workout defeated, asking Ben if this running this is really what I am meant to do. But, I still got in 15 miles total.<span style="color: magenta;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Like it or Love it Score</b></span>: Not even a little bit of love for this workout, I felt bad during and after. I think I would appreciate the River Road loop more if I wasn't so dang tired. </div>
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<b><b>15 progression run</b> - <i>Saturday 3/28</i> : On the Tuesday prior I had another failed marathon paced workout on the treadmill (also mentioned in my Recovery blog post). Dennis and I started tracking my resting heart rate, I started taking iron supplements, and I got back on track with Rasa's nutrition plan. After 3 days rest I went out on the Lakes in West Minneapolis and did a "progress-by-how-you-feel" long run. I started with a 7:40 warm up and progressed quickly into the high 6's (6:45, 6:38, etc) eventually working my way into the 6-flat range for a few miles. It was chilly, but the lake paths are beautiful and I started to feel more like my old self. I was far from where I wanted to be at this stage out from a marathon, but hey, If I can feel good at 6 minute pace, the that's a start. <b style="color: magenta;">Like it or Love it Score: </b>It was a solid "like" on this one. I felt better running faster than previous weeks, but my mental attitude was still in the upper-end of the gutters. </b></div>
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<b>Ron Daws 25k race</b> - <i>Saturday 4/4</i> : I had a promising workout of 10x1200m just faster than marathon pace (in shorts and a t-shirt!) on the U of M track on the Tuesday prior to this race. I felt like I was still putting in too much effort for the goal pace, but things were coming along and I was mostly happy to have completed a workout as planned! Saturday, Jillian, Ryan, and I raced a hilly 25k race (15.5 miles). We set off at low 6-minute pace and I felt so fresh! We talked through the first two smaller loops (on the right of the map) before starting into the second loop that had the infamous "Pukes Peak" hill. Each loop wrapped around the Dominick Road, which was twisty and hilly. I felt like I could push the hill and still recover on the flatter, more downhill portions. I am admittedly not the greatest hill runner to begin with, but I felt like this was doable (yay!)! We gained around 850ft in the race and I won with a 1:37.37, the Minnesota state record for a 22-year-old. </div>
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<b style="color: magenta;">Like it or Love it Score: </b>I have plenty of love for this course. Its daunting and impossible to get into a groove, but I finally felt fit! I also loved having people to race with. Jillian pulled Ryan and I along through 9 miles and Ryan was there to push the finish with me. </div>
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<b>17 miles, 10x1 mile on the track at marathon pace</b> - <i>Tuesday 4/7</i> : Dennis and I made sure my heart rate indicated that I was recovered, and this day it looked like I was good to go! Dennis called in the morning and said that the weather on the UM track in the afternoon would decide my fate. Gina, Ryan, and I warmed up in the spitting rain and windy conditions, but my legs felt fresh and poppy; ready to go. Usually at afternoon workouts my legs take a while to wake up, but I was moving right out of the gates for this one! We arrived at the track and Dennis prescribed 10 x 1 mile at 5:50/mile. I looked in horror at Ryan, normally Heather's 800m training partner, partially because I didn't think I could complete this workout and partially because I didn't want to sentence him to the torture. He was all in, so I was too. We did the first two and mentioned to each other how we didn't feel like we were working hard. The wind was rough during the first curve, but the wind was strong enough to give us a push on the other turn. We stayed in 5:47-5:54 range with 1 lap jog recovery. Repetitions 4, 5, and 6 felt like more effort, but as I began to acclimate to the pace, it felt so easy to run each lap at the same interval times. One after another, even when the wind turned down the straightaway, we were able to come through consistently and it felt amazing. Another workout successfully completed, this one really feeling like "OKAY, I can actually do this marathon thing!" </div>
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<b style="color: magenta;">Like it or Love it Score: </b>Love. It was tough, but it was a huge confidence builder! </div>
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<b>Fred Kurtz 10mi race and 24 miler (7:13/mi) weekend double</b> - <i>Saturday and Sunday 4/11 and 12</i>:</div>
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The weekend following that track workout, Dennis and I had planned for me to run a local 10 miler. The course was an out and back, mostly on a loose gravel trail that was generally flat. The start was seeded, meaning the slowest runners left first and the fastest last (in hopes we would all finish around the same time). I was the third to last athlete to leave, 9 minutes after the penultimate female athlete started. The day was sunny and not too cold, I got to race in shorts! We started on a sidewalk near a school and ran about half a mile and then took a hard left onto the trail. The gravel was tough (tougher than expected) to run on, because the faster you moved, the more slippery it felt. I paced with some men around 6 minute pace and felt smooth through 5. We then started passing the runners who started before us, which added an extra challenge to the course. By the time we took the right back onto the sidewalk, masses of people were crowding the path and made it very challenging to push it home. In the end, I had to coast it in to a 61:15, 6:08 pace. I completed 15 miles for the day.</div>
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The next morning (Sunday), Ben, Jeff (Owner of Mill City Running Company), and I met up bright and early to go on a 24 miler! Heather, Matt, Ryan, and Jillian joined in for a few miles, too! This run was about being on my feet for a long time, another race effect I was trying to get used to. The pace didn't matter which meant that whatever felt relaxed was fine. We ran up the Mississippi River Parkway to the U of M hospital, across the Stone Arch Bridge (with the beautiful cityscape), and then around under Target Field to the lakes and back home on the Minnehaha Parkway paths. For being the day after the race, my legs were a bit heavy and my heart rate indicated that I wasn't recovered, but I was happy to be running with my friends, seeing the city, and feeling good at the low 7-minute paces. I got to know Ben and Jeff more, experience the crowded lakes (walkers, joggers, runners, bikers everywhere because of the nice weather) and I was able to practice hydrating and fueling along the way with the bottles of UCAN Hydrate that Ben and I hid around town the evening before. 7:13 per mile average and I had a big breakfast and compression socks waiting at the ready. </div>
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<b style="color: magenta;">Like it or Love it Score: </b>I ran 39 miles in 2 days! So much running = so much love. Running fast for a 10 mile win and then 24 miles easy with friends was just what I needed to have a good aerobic effect. </div>
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<b>4x2.4 mile loop of DEATH </b>- <i>Wednesday 4/15</i> : The loop name, coined by Dennis himself, is related to the daunting hills that make up with 2.4 mile loop. It stats with a gradual down hill past a golf course and the a right turn into a gradual uphill which becomes much less gradual into the end of the first mile, then some more solid downhill work winds down to three quick left-hand turns which a steep climbs. The only flat portion comes just after the second mile for about 0.15mi, then it's a hike back up the hill to the finish. The goals were: 1) to go at marathon <i>effort, </i>but we both knew that the watch would be slower, and 2) to practice the downhill. Downhills are seen as periods to rest and recover, but when done right (on the balls of your feet and engaging the core to open the stride) downhills can also be used to gain some time without killing your quads. I came though the first rep (pictured) under 5:55/mi pace, SO EXCITED! Even more so, I came through the second one just 1 second slower! I felt fresh, like I could recover, and that I could strategically use different parts of the course to achieve different efforts. Dennis and I were both thrilled about my times for 4 reps. I walked away from that workout with more confidence on my hill running abilities and knowing I had another rep in me. It goes to show that my aerobic fitness was coming around! </div>
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<b style="color: magenta;">Like it or Love it Score: </b>Loved that I could accomplish something on a challenging course. </div>
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<b>18 mile easy</b> (7:09/mi) - <i>Sunday 4/19</i> : As my final long run, I did 18 miles at a relaxed pace out to and around Lake Harriet. I placed water at 6 miles and at 11 miles I put out GENUCAN (my first try mid run). I was cruising along feeling fresh and happy at low 7 minute pace and didn't want to take any fuel in. But, with the marathon coming up, I figured I should give GENUCAN a chance, because it would be the best thing to take in about half way through my race. In 9 oz of water I dissolved 1/2 scoop of PomBlu with half a packet of the UCAN Hydrate. Although it was thick and a bit rough to take in, I felt incredible finishing the run, flying in under 7 minute pace in my last few miles. 18 miles flew by and felt like a solid, but not exhausting, easy run. I guess after 24, 18 is a bit more manageable. My body recovered really quickly from this run, too! I am so happy to be able to end my long effort with something that felt so manageable. </div>
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<b style="color: magenta;">Like it or Love it Score: </b>YEAH, LOVE. easy long is my fave. </div>
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So those are the big runs of my cycle. There were others, but there are the ones that really stick out in my mind; as failures, achievements, or memorable in other ways. I can't wait to put the Pittsburgh 26.2 on this list and really complete the build up with a great race in a great city with absolutely great people. I climb on the plane in just over a week! </div>
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I'll finish off my cycle with a 7 mile marathon pace workout with 2x 1 mile surges and a 10 mile "Long Run" with a Team USA Minnesota Recruit on Saturday. I can't wait to get to Pittsburgh, I know I am ready to rock. </div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">#GameOnPGH</span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-84470924722928223962015-04-11T16:27:00.003-07:002015-04-11T16:27:16.058-07:00The training I needed most from PGH is in how to RECOVER right #GameOnPGH <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Everyone is buzzing about the Dicks Sporting Good's Pittsburgh Marathon! Three weeks and two days to go (less than that, ahh!). Most people are analyzing if they ran long enough, hard enough, often enough, fast enough.... thats all well and good and when we talk about prepping for a running race, we often discuss out running training in preparation. We all put in the workouts and the long (long, long, long) runs. But lets take a moment and talk a bit about who RECOVERED enough! Its much more rare to discuss who napped the longest, who was about to get in stretching daily, or who was able to get through an entire book in a matter of a few days because the Netflix streaming was exhausted?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Stone arch bridge and the beautiful sunset on the Mississippi river, viewed form the Guthrie theatre </span></div>
As I settled into Minneapolis after a long move and then a week long trip to Jacksonville and Savannah, Dennis (Coach) and I were ready to go full force into the long, paced workouts that a marathon cycle permits. The first up was a prescribed 3 x 5.5 mile look along the Mississippi Parkway. The morning was cold (21F) and windy (15-20mph winds) but in the warm up I was feeling fresh. The moment the timer started on the first repetition, I felt like I was hit my a bus and immediately felt winded. Heather (@HeatherRaeKampf) and Ben Kampf (@BenKampf1) were running with me, chatting the whole way. 6:02/avg for that rep and DYING. Rep two was only worse, coming through at 6:15/avg. WHAT WAS GOING ON!? Those paces should be easy, and workouts weeks prior indicated this. We cut the last rep and decided to call it a day.<br />
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Two rest days passed and then we decided to try again. 20 miles with 3 warm up, then 5x2 miles at 6min pace. Because it was cold and because we wanted to maintain a pace, Dennis and I hit up Life Time Fitness and the good ol' treadmill. the warm up again was easy, the first set was challenging but doable, but then the second rep came around and my heart rate was through the roof! I got through half of the third rep before we called it quits and finished the long run at a steady 7:30 pace.<br />
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I was frustrated. My mental strength was teetering and I was questioning my potential for PGH Marathon and my distance career at all. My legs would burn at 6 minute pace for two miles, which I have been able to crank out for 12+ miles before. So Dennis and I did a little body check-in. I got blood work done to check my iron levels, vitamin D levels, Liver function, vitamin and electrolyte panel, and the works. I also revisited Rasa, my nutritionist. Lastly, Dennis had me start taking my heart rate every morning right when I wake up. I take it for a whole minute and then text it to him. My tests were all in the normal range, with the only concern being that my iron was lower than it was just over a year ago. I am taking liquid iron supplements daily to help counteract that.<br />
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Another big flag was the morning after that failed treadmill run. My resting heart rate was 72. 72!! Thats not good. for an elite female athlete, my resting heart rate should be somewhere between 46 and 52. The next day it was in the mid 50s, and the next in the low 50s. We waited just one more day and then I did another workout, a 15 mile progression run. I felt so much better, starting in the 645s and working my way down into some windy 6:00-6:05 paced miles. Then, more work with making sure I was fueling enough and watching my heart rate following workouts, we were able to optimize my quality workouts by doing them when my resting heart rate indicated my body was ready.<br />
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The moral of this story is that running on tired legs is an important part of training and running, but <i>not resting enough can completely sabotage performance</i>! And even if your mind says "I'm ready to run hard" and evening if you feel decent in a warm up, it does not mean your body has fully recovered from previous work.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jillian, Ryan, and I after the Ron Daws 25k!</span></div>
Thankfully, I have also had some other killer workouts since that series of failed workouts. Last Saturday (4/4) I raced a local Minnesota Distance Running Association run, the Ron Daws 25k, with my new, awesome friends Jillian (@gingerjillian) and Ryan (@Kingtholo). It was two sets of two hilly loops around Hopkins, MN. I went out conservatively, not wanting to crash and burn like I have done in workouts and races for over a month now. We gained roughly 850 feet and if it wasn't up, it was down, which made settling into a pace really tough. I got the 22-year-old female state record in the distance for the state of Minnesota and won with a time of 1:37.37, 6:17/mile average. Then, three days later I successfully kicked butt at a track session of 10x1 mile at marathon pace (between 5:47 and 5:54/mile) with a 2 minute jog in between. The wind on the first turn was brutal, but I had some awesome help with pacing from Ryan. My effort level wasn't at threshold pace (what a 10 mile race should be at, effort wise) and I was clicking off consistent 400m intervals in each set. It was work, thats for sure, but it finally felt like PGH Marathon is going to be a successful race! I am thrilled to be toeing that line, no matter what. But with this fitness and renowned confidence in my training -- running and recovery, alike -- I know I can race my best and go for my goals without a doubt in my mind.<br />
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On top of making sure to eat enough and to follow my heart rate, I have been on myself about doing all of the little things. I have listed below a few of my go-to recovery wins that may be interesting for you PGH Marathoners who are looking to maximize your rest and rehab in the next three weeks. I can't believe its already upon us and I can't wait to<b> </b><span style="color: purple;">run with STEEL</span>! <b>#GameOnPGH #RestUpPGH</b><br />
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1. <span style="color: blue;">Compression Socks </span>- my brand of choice is Zensah (cool colors and lasting compression)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Max, my roommate, calls this the "B-Boy Stance"</span></div>
2. <span style="color: red;">Yeti</span> - Onesies maximize comfort and are definitely NOT only for kids (@oiselle)<br />
3. <span style="color: blue;">One Cup of Coffee a day, before 3 pm</span> - I love coffee, but I can not sleep if I use it as an afternoon pick-me-up<br />
4. <span style="color: red;">Melatonin, when I need it</span> - a natural hormone produced in the pineal gland (yes, we make it!) in supplement form. This hormone is released to promote sleep and to regulate sleep cycles. Its naturally degraded by the body and doesn't leave you comatose or drowsy in the morning.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My recovery station aka bed</span></div>
5. <span style="color: blue;">Naps, one a day if I can do it</span> - because sleeping isn't only for the night time. 20-45 miles does the trick.<br />
6. <span style="color: red;">Taking walks in the morning before an afternoon session</span> - being rested is important, but keeping blood moving is also essential to getting the metabolic waste out of your muscles and tissues so they can be happy and ready for the next workout<br />
7.<span style="color: blue;"> Being Verticle for 90 minutes per day</span> - I prefer to read, but I have also finished over 4 different TV series' that I had started at some point over the past year.<br />
8. <span style="color: red;">Liquids</span> - see my previous blog about my hydration habits. I <3 water<br />
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9. <span style="color: blue;">FOOD</span> - see my previous blog about a day in the life (eat-style) for a marathoner<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mattie helps me roll out and helps herself to a free pet</span></div>
10. <span style="color: red;">Stretching and rolling out, 5 minutes a day + 4 20-45 minute sessions</span> - I have touchy hip flexors and upper flute muscles. I do a quick stretch set before and after a run, then a series of 10-15 stretches on my yoga mat in the evenings, too. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-77291873496936641832015-03-28T14:54:00.002-07:002015-03-28T14:54:32.336-07:00A day in the life of a runner, food edition #GameOnPGH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First comes <b>running</b>, Second comes <b>fueling</b>! Fueling during a marathon can make or break an awesome performance, but fueling at all other times of the day and throughout the training cycle is just as important. In my very first big blog, I wrote about food and my challenges with regaining an adequate energy balance. Energy balance means taking in enough calories to keep building up my body and keep my metabolism happy and healthy, not breaking down my existing muscles, energy stores, and the like. I have worked with my awesome nutritionist, Rasa, and with my coach to make sure that I am on the right track. I have also recently met with a doctor (getting a blood panel done) and found out all of my tests that were abnormal before -- liver function, kidney function, folate/B12 function -- were all now in the normal range!<br />
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Making sure to get enough food in training is my struggle, while some runners battle with making sure not to take in too much food. There is a sweet spot for everyone, an amount of food that helps you benefit from workouts and improve in training. In preparation for the Pittsburgh marathon, or any marathon, its important to have a look at what your milage is, what your workouts will be like, and what your diet is like. With increased miles, an increase in food intake should follow. Whether your hunger cues get you there or if prescriptive eating is required, when the engine burns more fuel, more fuel is needed in the tank.<br />
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Recently I posted on my Instagram (@emrunygordrun) a picture of a really fantastic sandwich I had after a 20 mile treadmill workout on Tuesday. Someone commented on it <b>asking what a days worth of food looks like for me</b>. I decided the response would best be done on a blog, because I can post pictures and explain a little bit of how each meal benefits me. Also, because I'm in PGH Marathon preparation, why not show the other awesome runners what its like to<b> eat like an elite athlete</b>*<b> </b>(that rhymes).<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*now, this is not how every day looks. I don't limit myself to certain types of foods, I eat out occasionally, and I don't require myself to hit a certain macronutrient limit for each day. Its not necessarily a science, but more of an art. I just do my best each day to get enough volume, vitamins, and nutrients to recover, sleep well, and build up! I have realized, after over 6 months working with my nutritionist, that my hunger cues are just not an adequate measure of the amount I need to stay healthy. It important to know whats best for you and equally important to not compare yourself to the people and runners around you. everyone will eat differently and needs different things. </span><br />
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Before I get into a calendar, I wanted to explain with a little more detail the categories my nutritionist and I plan to hit daily. Because the contents and calorie density of my diet has been a problem for me in the past, it still takes work every day to ensure that I eat enough. I'm not one to always measure things out by serving size or cup/oz/tbsp, but Rasa does have me guestimating in order to have an idea of exactly how much food is going in.<b> Here are the categories</b>:<br />
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1. <u>Grains/Carbs</u> - healthy, whole grains are essential for glycogen restoration, required for rebuilding muscle, and is composed of THE essential metabolic energy source (Glucose) that is turned into ATP (our cells energy currency). Its an important category, especially for marathon runners, that I was missing for quite a few years. <i>we measure grains by the "fistful", one serving is roughly the size of my fist.</i><br />
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2.<u> Protein</u> - protein sources, be them from plants or animals, are macromolecules that are made of amino acid building blocks. These amino acids have many functions. They are mainly broken down in your body and then each building block is used to make new proteins in your own cells, including the essential protein chains that make up the majority of your muscle cells. exercise brings upon micro tears in these fibers, so protein in the diet is essential for rebuilding these and other proteins needed for general cell function. Amino acids can also be converted into glucose or other intermediate molecules in the glycolysis cycle to be converted into energy. <i>we measure with my palm for chicken and steak/beef, check book (those still exist) for fish. Also, we often guess by grams</i><br />
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3. <u>Fats </u>- Healthy fats are essential for absorption of a litter of vitamins (A, D, K, E), they're major building blocks of the cell wall and in cellular structures, and is also an important energy source. Everyones cells contain enzymes which can break down fatty acid chains into glucose precursors to be used in the absence of a carbohydrate source. <i>nut butters are roughly a tablespoon for a serving, hummus and avocado are two tablespoons</i><br />
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4. <u>Calcium</u> - Especially for females, but for all runners, calcium is essential for Vitamin D absorption as well as important in bone growth and maintenance. Its also an essential electrolyte in nerve function.<br />
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5. <u>Vegetables/Fruit</u> - I am a lover of all things vegetables. They contain essential metals, fiber, vitamins, and slow release carbohydrates. Fruits contain more sugars, but contain a different array of vitamins, so they are also important. <i>we do servings by the cup for veggies and fresh fruit, two tablespoons for dried fruit</i><br />
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6. <u>Timing</u> - As an athlete, when your body isn't working hard to do physical activity, its working hard to recover from it. With that I'm mind, it follows that a consistent supply of fuel is required to keep all systems running smoothly. I eat 6 times a day, 3 meals and 3 snacks, all around 2.5 to 3 hours apart. each feeding has its purpose, so they often vary in content. Each snack has 2 - 3 food groups, and each meal has all of the above food groups.<br />
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7. <u>Water </u>- liquids and electrolytes are really really really important for recovery and life itself. check out my last #GameOnPGH blog about how I stay hydrated!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyklos0vsWv08J2yaxn-NlvngqaRwpaQjcq2GzNNmVUSEKZPr_ZPFTGZjsa9oSIPwCvVnHQN83j5K7w2XxJ2YxdtNMsXAodTOhZSr3dk3CeDNu7dHGQ0nbflaPGhNYum9l4mBwwnrHZuM/s1600/IMG_2226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyklos0vsWv08J2yaxn-NlvngqaRwpaQjcq2GzNNmVUSEKZPr_ZPFTGZjsa9oSIPwCvVnHQN83j5K7w2XxJ2YxdtNMsXAodTOhZSr3dk3CeDNu7dHGQ0nbflaPGhNYum9l4mBwwnrHZuM/s1600/IMG_2226.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, don't be overwhelmed, please. I know it can be daunting. If it makes you feel any better, I still don't know the exact number of servings of each I am required to have a day or even what my idea caloric intake should be. My nutritionist keeps that under wraps and she monitors my daily intake to make sure I am in the ball park. If a nutritionist isn't someone you can continuously see, even just a few appointment to help establish your estimated daily intake can be helpful for you to take the reigns. Then you can do as I did, and monitor weekly with a morning weigh in. don't stress too much about the number, just make adjustments if you seem to be losing or gaining rapidly. If there are questions that come up, ASK.<br />
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If increasing your intake is what you need, like me, take it one meal at a time. When I first started this, I did one meal a week. I felt extremely full and uncomfortable for a few days, but my body got used to the added volume. Your metabolism will take a kick start, you'll have some night sweats, and then things will get considerably better. Your energy will go up, you'll sleep better, and if you slowly and steadily gain needed weight, your body will adapt to carrying the weight and your running won't be drastically effected.<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Okay, loads of build up, but here it is... a day in the life:</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Vns53kGOYfqf_HHie3ewmXi1kipd8ctR18Akp4B3GnTLJCHJ6D_RclXUwSSg7R-GaPZ07WdFW0no6h5BeXGqn3kgXLzxx9h_U-vEYtNkHHgmpdD5_f8njZ8yMl8OA5J3AZbW182bF1A/s1600/IMG_2236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Vns53kGOYfqf_HHie3ewmXi1kipd8ctR18Akp4B3GnTLJCHJ6D_RclXUwSSg7R-GaPZ07WdFW0no6h5BeXGqn3kgXLzxx9h_U-vEYtNkHHgmpdD5_f8njZ8yMl8OA5J3AZbW182bF1A/s1600/IMG_2236.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Breakfast</b>: 2 grains, 20 - 30 grams of protein, calcium source, 1 vegetable/fruit, and 1 fat.<br />
EXAMPLE: 1 cup oats (or bagel), blueberries, and tablespoon almond butter. 2 eggs, 1 piece of uncured turkey bacon, and spinach. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBEFoQU9uvlAOlOCQGsIhflR5aOqRkutxK9SHFTjttWykYLfEuhzBkMXPJCJp7iN5wJcUvW6TpRMLIi9wiaVWi2Tk3wp188iFs9yC0v6jYXqS1VcHvRbropNEAf9a02jAOo2zhD-rQa0/s1600/IMG_2228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBEFoQU9uvlAOlOCQGsIhflR5aOqRkutxK9SHFTjttWykYLfEuhzBkMXPJCJp7iN5wJcUvW6TpRMLIi9wiaVWi2Tk3wp188iFs9yC0v6jYXqS1VcHvRbropNEAf9a02jAOo2zhD-rQa0/s1600/IMG_2228.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Morning Snack</b>: 1 fruit, 1 fat, 1 grain + protein.<br />
EXAMPLE: energy or protein bar and handful of trail mix with raisins, nuts, and m&m's.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8W87Et7sF_PfYkZwSgzD6hQx7l7OJjj8zLjr-h_0rUdjQ-Pu2Iz3IDmxUIEi2TmLc3mPgMnzbtrTbiW7oGvsI0xthbz7vW-9gwtXs5n0U9DuKiu64JacVVWpQ9VnIsMREOWCiqf5UPE/s1600/IMG_2234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8W87Et7sF_PfYkZwSgzD6hQx7l7OJjj8zLjr-h_0rUdjQ-Pu2Iz3IDmxUIEi2TmLc3mPgMnzbtrTbiW7oGvsI0xthbz7vW-9gwtXs5n0U9DuKiu64JacVVWpQ9VnIsMREOWCiqf5UPE/s1600/IMG_2234.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
-->On morning workout days, morning snack and breakfast are switched. If so, the snack is scoop of GENUCAN and a Bonk Breaker energy bar. I will follow the workout with a normal, large breakfast. its shown above with my liquid iron supplement and vitamin C cocktail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c8V_V9eCFAI3y-e5wAEh_Xd_6akyqC6kNLZAa9O4feUVYpHbtzSeGizJYmj_8jsQbYQYVZehH_weLJN7q4Ad_dkGBIhzN1QnNabaBlFa7-J_teh9f2nKbMqqzxyfvgS4xcwJG5B-XMM/s1600/IMG_1208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c8V_V9eCFAI3y-e5wAEh_Xd_6akyqC6kNLZAa9O4feUVYpHbtzSeGizJYmj_8jsQbYQYVZehH_weLJN7q4Ad_dkGBIhzN1QnNabaBlFa7-J_teh9f2nKbMqqzxyfvgS4xcwJG5B-XMM/s1600/IMG_1208.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Lunch</b>: 3 grains, 20 - 30g protein, 1 fat, calcium, 1 veggie.<br />
EXAMPLE: Whole wheat turkey sandwich with avocado, tomato, spinach, peperoncini, onion, and mustard. crackers and carrot sticks (as shown on my Instagram feed) or salmon, medium potato with butter, side salad. The picture above lacks about a serving size of grains, so I would usually add a handful of crackers or pretzels.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFqYV1fgcL4RO6r5JIzlSo9txjv50Dg7tVK-9NdjyFZzur2oiBSLEko_xvjTWi7L5It9Zp1_YLlU9C7X70MWZW4E4ox2Q8URgFWHmzlrGaGnAKa25IpY4o_povO98TFlD8toRxZ5uL8M/s1600/IMG_1565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFqYV1fgcL4RO6r5JIzlSo9txjv50Dg7tVK-9NdjyFZzur2oiBSLEko_xvjTWi7L5It9Zp1_YLlU9C7X70MWZW4E4ox2Q8URgFWHmzlrGaGnAKa25IpY4o_povO98TFlD8toRxZ5uL8M/s1600/IMG_1565.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Afternoon Snack</b>: 1 protein, 1 grain, + fat/fruit.<br />
EXAMPLE: 1/2 cup serving of Seven Sundays (@sevensundaysmn) muesli and a scoop of whey protein<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0vUWOgZQsnem9Q3RksojJ5bC9cbJ7A8cZoqbey3rPMa0MJjPpy15JXv4z_4An_8RqV5VfwsQwPfo18zdyZ3WXWzwCMyo-dEpwam4F7T3U_Z-CibgWPwvVJbV5o_WWCRgmAvCRMybcIY/s1600/IMG_1506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0vUWOgZQsnem9Q3RksojJ5bC9cbJ7A8cZoqbey3rPMa0MJjPpy15JXv4z_4An_8RqV5VfwsQwPfo18zdyZ3WXWzwCMyo-dEpwam4F7T3U_Z-CibgWPwvVJbV5o_WWCRgmAvCRMybcIY/s1600/IMG_1506.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Dinner</b>: 3 grains, 20 - 30g protein, 1 fat, calcium, 1 veggie.<br />
EXAMPLE: roughly 1.5 cups quinoa, grilled chicken, avocado (or hummus), zucchini, and shredded cheese.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39FQTSz0ugGKswGBQn_SE3sTjqBNyfCbxlV5pw3Ki8cFR7l-mnS2KCtcIK0Kx5y60MMGKQ6nV5Y1z7APtRsTpvHyI-0E83cnMoVD2G333uePwHNGUfkEJAY0ekRQNLV7kXxx1lnQ8Vvg/s1600/IMG_2224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39FQTSz0ugGKswGBQn_SE3sTjqBNyfCbxlV5pw3Ki8cFR7l-mnS2KCtcIK0Kx5y60MMGKQ6nV5Y1z7APtRsTpvHyI-0E83cnMoVD2G333uePwHNGUfkEJAY0ekRQNLV7kXxx1lnQ8Vvg/s1600/IMG_2224.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Night Snack</b>: 1-2 protein, 1 grain + fat, fruit.<br />
EXAMPLE: 1-2 cups of greek yogurt (usually more than pictured), 2 whole foods fig bars and blueberries (or granola or cereal with nuts, instead).<br />
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I try and stick to defined meals so that I am not snacking on less-than-ideal sources throughout the day. If I find myself hungry, I eat more, if I'm not hungry, I make sure to hit these guidelines anyways. Of course, I can't include all of the foods above that I eat, and I tend to try and bring a lot of variety into my diet. But, some of my staple <b>favorites</b> are broccoli, greek yogurt, pretzels, cashews, sweet potatoes topped with some kind of nut butter, and baked tofu blocks from trader joes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4deuh-g-AMPU62RcR5c2HiuArNE5um4YKNHMDnnxXVO9wqZreq1z40bGbnlbeyq7RLS7GjSkPJ-Wo-LM8yFtCLkwS_chnq5k6zsJtx73epfALfYssCSHf7tc49aZbnDQcES1IuJ0wKM/s1600/IMG_1495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4deuh-g-AMPU62RcR5c2HiuArNE5um4YKNHMDnnxXVO9wqZreq1z40bGbnlbeyq7RLS7GjSkPJ-Wo-LM8yFtCLkwS_chnq5k6zsJtx73epfALfYssCSHf7tc49aZbnDQcES1IuJ0wKM/s1600/IMG_1495.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I hope you PGH Marathoners find some of this information helpful, if only to be interesting to see just how much I need to eat to keep myself moving. Keep up the good training and fueling, race day is right around the corner!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-75493298030621404312015-03-22T07:24:00.000-07:002015-03-22T07:24:23.229-07:00I get pretty sweaty... #GameOnPGH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtHlb9UbqYr7LxFKVFjL7BV5geN1NsWPqqvwZOky95KUGztfBaeTK1CbLiH68Ml6eO9WbFjC9_3oPNBsLILJ7gu-7ZYfUwucqxuuvt6IA3rCVA5mcn3a2jbVFTQRl_VTNvPr3qUAVLmE/s1600/2015_GOP_Blogger_Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtHlb9UbqYr7LxFKVFjL7BV5geN1NsWPqqvwZOky95KUGztfBaeTK1CbLiH68Ml6eO9WbFjC9_3oPNBsLILJ7gu-7ZYfUwucqxuuvt6IA3rCVA5mcn3a2jbVFTQRl_VTNvPr3qUAVLmE/s1600/2015_GOP_Blogger_Banner.jpg" height="142" width="400" /></a></div>
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Pittsburgh is coming, pittsburgh is coming! Seriously, time is flying by. The Big Marathon goes off in 6 weeks! </div>
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I've had a clean bill of health and excitedly raced the Gate River Run 15k (National Championships) in the humid and hot Jacksonville, Florida last weekend. I watched as runner after runner walked straight into the medical tent due to massive over-heating and dehydration. A good friend and fellow RRCA RunPro camper Olivia Mickle hardly remembers crossing the finish line before passing out into the arms of the helpful finish line staff. I then took a trip to Savannah, Georgia, which included a 22 miler, where is was also incredibly warm, starting out in the mid 60's at 9am for my run and easily hitting 80F by my near 12pm finish. Even and easy run in the heat can leave me light-headed and sweating buckets. Because both of these events were key workouts in my PGH Marathon build up, I figured its only fitting to talk hydration and electrolytes! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76LecGGDJAHArucFQLQrQvxeSBvK-4ON4WcC9dLEqvzsZOTfX5oirB1bXuq-ItaeL9MJf6xi6hFljffQSJyc4DOfacrK6t6a1uX5vSUG3ZJLyUhqdJtbtD-21P34KKOqQqbnOQlsKG-0/s1600/IMG_2137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76LecGGDJAHArucFQLQrQvxeSBvK-4ON4WcC9dLEqvzsZOTfX5oirB1bXuq-ItaeL9MJf6xi6hFljffQSJyc4DOfacrK6t6a1uX5vSUG3ZJLyUhqdJtbtD-21P34KKOqQqbnOQlsKG-0/s1600/IMG_2137.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This isn't even the worst of the salty sweat!</span></div>
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<b>SWEAT IT UP: </b></div>
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I know I am not the only runner you know who gets sweaty! Even in the cold my body's cooling defense is in action. And not only do I sweat out lots of water, I am also a salty sweater. As you can see in the picture above, from my long run in Georgia earlier this week, I basically have table salt on my skin after cooling down from a run. its chalky, uncomfortable, and leaves me in a major imbalance! without adequate rehydration I get dizzy and light-headed with labored breathing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGNtn5jNf9l_BJKlwQxv8oyxAmXfnLOErB0BL2rz5H7in3Mwu2VbucCIwD_3xMSsqmCFgJAU38qi-nlGdzwTEec9EwMkKs-o6bke6UbLRjV2HZU0OfuaWUsh6pNV25wnBPWQh27vVP5o/s1600/IMG_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGNtn5jNf9l_BJKlwQxv8oyxAmXfnLOErB0BL2rz5H7in3Mwu2VbucCIwD_3xMSsqmCFgJAU38qi-nlGdzwTEec9EwMkKs-o6bke6UbLRjV2HZU0OfuaWUsh6pNV25wnBPWQh27vVP5o/s1600/IMG_0006.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Drenched Shirt after a 1 hour spin session this past winter while I was injured</span></div>
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<b>A Briefing on Electrolytes:</b> </div>
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These puppies are small minerals that are dissolved in your blood and other body fluids. The essential ones in the human body that are lost most readily in sweat --Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Chloride -- are important for nerve and muscle function, blood pH levels, and general body water re uptake levels. Most importantly, the <i>gradient</i> of the electrolytes in the body fluids is what drives proper function in the cell. So, when you lose water, the concentration of electrolytes in cells goes up, and when your body lacks proper levels of electrolytes, the cells fluids are more dilute. Either way, improper balance is detrimental to function and can effect running performance. When you run, you lose both electrolytes and water, which is double trouble! </div>
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What happens when levels get low and out of balance? Drowsiness, confusion, labored breathing (the contraction of the giant diaphragm muscle is controlled by a nerve which functions by ion signaling), loss of appetite, cramping, thirst, dizziness, and fainting just to name a few. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and marathons DO NOT MIX! Any of you returning marathoners know that fluids really can make or break that PR finish and can turn an enjoyable experience into a painful one. </div>
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<b>So How do I combat dehydration and Electrolyte imbalances?</b></div>
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I bet you can guess my first answer to this, and that would be WATER. I drink loads of water. Cold water, room temperature water, sparking water, the occasional Zevia soda, flavored water, tea, coffee and so on. I always have a water bottle on me and I recommend you follow suit. My sponsors have provided me with great 20oz bottles which are small enough to pack but large enough to last for an hour or two of errands. You'll notice the difference. Once or twice I've forgot my water bottle in my car during an 8-hour work shift and found myself dull, drowsy, and in a bad mood. The moment I had a chance to chug some water I felt so much better. You don't have to be massively dehydrated to feel the effects. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EPPiextK-lLtC5Lbgovp9WHWLS3xIaXqX97OXnNN30uZzFaWihFQknjMaK0iIywCD0xpB94kAcG4dBX9kCQtQFEeSJVjpkg1zaKDXL_oZwZ2MeGz5QdsYVfp25i2KPGxss2xLu9mgso/s1600/IMG_2174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EPPiextK-lLtC5Lbgovp9WHWLS3xIaXqX97OXnNN30uZzFaWihFQknjMaK0iIywCD0xpB94kAcG4dBX9kCQtQFEeSJVjpkg1zaKDXL_oZwZ2MeGz5QdsYVfp25i2KPGxss2xLu9mgso/s1600/IMG_2174.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A delicious Salted Carmel Mocha from Angry Catfish Bike Shop and Coffee House in MPLS</span></div>
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And yes, COFFEE WILL HYDRATE YOU. I do not recommend using this as your own hydration source, but it is 99.5% water. Warm water has been shown to no be quite as effective at replenishing the body, so tea is another one that should not be used solely. A good balance of water sources is best.</div>
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As for electrolytes, I tend to get plenty of Sodium and Chloride in the table salt I put on every meal I eat (seriously, every meal. I have a salt problem). But when it comes to choosing an electrolyte supplement during extra sweaty exercise such as runs on warm days, indoors, or especially strenuous workouts, selecting what is right for you can be challenging. Many products combine simple carbohydrates and electrolytes in order to make up a during-the-run fuel source. I use these mostly on long runs and hard workouts. My fuel of choice? <b>Bonk Breaker Chews</b>. I've talked about them before in a previous blog, but briefly they have 120mg electrolytes in 4 chews with 24g of carbs, 15g of which are sugar. On my 22 miler I took two chews at 11.2 miles and 2 more at 15 miles. I will use these during the Pittsburgh Marathon at 4 or 5 different places. The perfect package of quick, delicious energy and essential ions. </div>
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For all liquid supplementation on workouts and long run and for electrolytes at all other times, I use the tasty and amazing <b>GenUCan UCAN Hydrate</b> product. It's individually-wrapped drink powder mix that is ONLY electrolytes. 0 calories and 0 sugars. there are 300mg of sodium, 100mg of potassium, also with 10% daily-value of Magnesium, 2% Calcium, and 4% Chloride. The electrolyte profile is awesome, especially when you don't want the extra added sugar. Its lightly sweetened with natural stevia, too! I drank about 4 oz at mile 11.2 and 4 oz at 15 miles on my Georgia 22 miler. I will fill my water bottles on the PGH Marathon course with this stuff at every possible water stop, taking 4-6 oz every 30 minutes. </div>
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And how much do I drink? Over hydration is a thing, but is rather difficult to do. Because I sweat a lot, I have one serving of the UCAN hydrate after every run (in 20oz water), and then try to have 4 more 20oz bottles of plain water in the day. I usually also have one or two <b>Zevia</b> sodas a day (https://zevia.com), one cup of coffee, and one cup of tea. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Water bottle, Coffee, and a book; Standard. </span></div>
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I also pee a lot, but that comes with the territory. </div>
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<u>So runners of STEEL, I recommend a few things to you: </u></div>
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1. figure out <b>how much</b> water you drink and where you can make adjustments in your daily life and in your training. If you find yourself drowsy, dizzy, or dull during the day, try chugging 8 oz of water. </div>
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2. do you get enough <b>electrolytes</b>? try out some different products to see if they make you feel better in recovery and during workouts. every product is different, so choose wisely. Do you need sugars or not? </div>
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3. lastly, <b>specialize </b>your hydration. the day before a long or warm weather run calls for a bit more water and electrolytes. During the run make sure to get some as well. And always finish up a workout or run with some water and some sort of electrolyte replacement. </div>
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Happy hydration and happy PGH Marathon preparation!</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">#GameOnPGH</span></b></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-35747140631550970412015-03-19T16:21:00.002-07:002015-03-19T16:21:41.793-07:00Gate River Run 15k 2015 in review + vacation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh238IPycFCMsz_-ItjfMZ8am4s3jHxe-jjQ8Cpewa7JcZ9njBnzZvLeN6BPyDfEQj0WdoGLR_7kt-jtpFgBooRbNnZxKC7wKU9orCyEd1BuSa5x5C0VFgcq6I8J_NcMIHjWGAu662Y5kY/s1600/IMG_2097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh238IPycFCMsz_-ItjfMZ8am4s3jHxe-jjQ8Cpewa7JcZ9njBnzZvLeN6BPyDfEQj0WdoGLR_7kt-jtpFgBooRbNnZxKC7wKU9orCyEd1BuSa5x5C0VFgcq6I8J_NcMIHjWGAu662Y5kY/s1600/IMG_2097.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
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So just under 7 weeks until race day at the Pittsburgh Marathon, and man is the cycle flying by<br />
already! With a solid base of running and workouts behind me, I am so ecstatic to report I am pain free and ready to rock the next 7 weeks of grooming workouts.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Gate River Run 15k: </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcXVlT6IviVFF78SGwHDbXnbYRm5vSNd__xDY02FxROY3sS-LaGUYqhJsodTYkyE6O0vJYshm7_sdXtNjmGG48dZ5SGmHm7gFe_UgUi7pmY4JUQiDk1kxJwHGlUXBY8Tx0BqeYCQVO-w/s1600/IMG_2099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcXVlT6IviVFF78SGwHDbXnbYRm5vSNd__xDY02FxROY3sS-LaGUYqhJsodTYkyE6O0vJYshm7_sdXtNjmGG48dZ5SGmHm7gFe_UgUi7pmY4JUQiDk1kxJwHGlUXBY8Tx0BqeYCQVO-w/s1600/IMG_2099.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYNioJy75TIRoXYRlA5HOZ9hhKAc5RRzlkcBP_U1aqOjHvHhzRHIzQXi57V8cth3EWsTyheg2SI05UcoTBgFSP2c-2FHkz0wwWOri2MNbdRvEWxd7DI7qPmmT6P1qGV6h37nbnyHdqyE/s1600/IMG_2100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYNioJy75TIRoXYRlA5HOZ9hhKAc5RRzlkcBP_U1aqOjHvHhzRHIzQXi57V8cth3EWsTyheg2SI05UcoTBgFSP2c-2FHkz0wwWOri2MNbdRvEWxd7DI7qPmmT6P1qGV6h37nbnyHdqyE/s1600/IMG_2100.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">This past weekend I really kicked off the marathon training with the Gate River Run 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida. Pat (team founder) and I arrived into the humid, warm city on Thursday evening, joining the other 120 elite runners toeing the line at the 15k championships. I got an hour run in Friday morning after baked oatmeal and yogurt made with love by the Mathers couple in the hospitality suite. It was already in the 70s with uncomfortable humidity. I was accompanied by my boyfriend and the two other Zap Fitness runners and a formed athlete, Aly Morgan. It was great to get to know the other runners and talk about all of or variations in training locations and types. In the afternoon on Friday, a bunch of the athletes went onto an after school program at The Sanctuary to hang out with the kids and talk about hard work, teamwork, and the love of running. It was a short and sweet event that really was beneficial to all of us. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Saturday morning was a 530am wake up call, 630am bus to the staging area, and 824am start time. It was 74 degrees and humid at the start line, and as the sun began to rise, it only got worse. I knew the race was going to be a quick one, and because It was my first race back in three months and at the beginning of my marathon cycle (where you tend to be running longer and slower, rather than faster and shorter), I knew I was going to be running against myself rather than the field. Every single woman in that starting corral was immensely talented and I am inspired by them all. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I felt smooth through 5k, moving at 5:37, 5:41, and 5:39 pace for the first three miles. Based on my previous workouts, this was the goal pace I hoped to be consistent at. Unfortunately, humidity is like altitude, Dennis explained, which means if you're not used to it, it can hit you hard. At 5k my legs began the burn. I stayed mentally in it throughout the race, which I am happy about, but I had slowed about ten seconds per mile through 10k. Then "The Bridge" happened. Man, it's was like 1 mile totally uphill followed by 1 mile downhill to the finish. They even have a race for who can run that last mile the quickest! I struggled up that bridge hoping to not walk (or so it felt) and then pushed to the finish in 56 minutes and change. Not a thrilling time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My first reaction is to be upset. Why has the past few months of racing been so tough? Why can't I seem to maintain a fast pace through these 15k/10 mile races? The answer really is that my training hasn't been consistent and that I am still so new at these races. Dennis also mentioned that in order to maintain a pace above lactate threshold in the anaerobic zone (see previous blog from threshold determinations), you've got to train like a 10k runner, not a marathoner. He knew I wouldn't be able to have a break out day running faster than ever because I haven't trained my body to deal with the stress of that. This was a bit relieving. Plus, I came into this distance thing as a marathoner, I know I can chug along at a slightly slower pace and hold it. So, my head is still high and set on the A standard at the Pittsburgh marathon. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also, I was pain free the whole run, which is the first time since my stress fracture a year ago. baby steps are steps in the right direction. Richard Fannin did a fantastic job with the elite group, the meals, the hospitality, organization, and the after party. The race was so smooth and such a blast, all of it I am so incredibly thankful for. I also got to catch up with 6 of my fellow 2014 RunPro campers as well as meet tons of other new runners. I hope to come back with consistent fitness and a craving for that top ten in my future.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Savannah, GA:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvJlp7ciyOuYhk55AfwttGHz6ibcsixzUsdVXJBZksnRiQdJ8oox0QakSXNbqhDjGyBW9K-ShBe0yj-0B9JF7MxaSMjgeSZE92eduAjY3anphL-pYd0Q1JDDA-Wwsd-4vnYgx64SkvbU/s1600/IMG_2122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvJlp7ciyOuYhk55AfwttGHz6ibcsixzUsdVXJBZksnRiQdJ8oox0QakSXNbqhDjGyBW9K-ShBe0yj-0B9JF7MxaSMjgeSZE92eduAjY3anphL-pYd0Q1JDDA-Wwsd-4vnYgx64SkvbU/s1600/IMG_2122.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IjrraSlj4WktkYZ8EpOfsI550tPHvP8nPnMbfiWb9RE4q5YaKpvd2bYeZexlGuJGBLnD0xv_kSIkf0mmM__N-5xB8gzjmVQ08rt6nHlIeCS_Twhq2HAXyEfLuJMbc6Ie2NwBgANGb1s/s1600/IMG_2128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IjrraSlj4WktkYZ8EpOfsI550tPHvP8nPnMbfiWb9RE4q5YaKpvd2bYeZexlGuJGBLnD0xv_kSIkf0mmM__N-5xB8gzjmVQ08rt6nHlIeCS_Twhq2HAXyEfLuJMbc6Ie2NwBgANGb1s/s1600/IMG_2128.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(L) The Airbnb home we stayed in close to downtown (R) Fancy and delicious dinner date in Savannah</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5h5l3VosZZ__LPSKPLlmGvOzcEmFbYnBkIscaG96EoI54dFhFX-UpRuaNYNxQr98w5N5n_rXKrCaL8Izzx1wYyt-3F6b0ZSLPix1i0m9fuXE0ZMN-9i-bb0Yw7yEmfwU8vxMFJw8aUY/s1600/IMG_2157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5h5l3VosZZ__LPSKPLlmGvOzcEmFbYnBkIscaG96EoI54dFhFX-UpRuaNYNxQr98w5N5n_rXKrCaL8Izzx1wYyt-3F6b0ZSLPix1i0m9fuXE0ZMN-9i-bb0Yw7yEmfwU8vxMFJw8aUY/s1600/IMG_2157.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAgdLx-OGsZFigiyX7-1j7hZwVMFi_FSt6yHPPDE8UZLl7C4Mqm5vmT4n8Z6vvYWzZPl09yeltxj8I_wyZfaryKNtmif2_hpM4iP9W7O78dAkNHtqBNNIbLIlVQm7JAyEy_t5N0SarEo/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAgdLx-OGsZFigiyX7-1j7hZwVMFi_FSt6yHPPDE8UZLl7C4Mqm5vmT4n8Z6vvYWzZPl09yeltxj8I_wyZfaryKNtmif2_hpM4iP9W7O78dAkNHtqBNNIbLIlVQm7JAyEy_t5N0SarEo/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(L) St. Patty's Day in Savannah is HUGE! with a parade and a giant festival by the river (R) Green fountains!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAED89UGZZIuilbhRbtUlj6SA_9rj_sUh4N1Ax879gCBMANcEztGTz9nG8bjgUvi-imPRHBryUn29dYkZhSqGigRI3etfPTD6a8hRBc0mdK0MmJoJksxFpa9M9IfiexYmFwg3IvQAtAck/s1600/IMG_2146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAED89UGZZIuilbhRbtUlj6SA_9rj_sUh4N1Ax879gCBMANcEztGTz9nG8bjgUvi-imPRHBryUn29dYkZhSqGigRI3etfPTD6a8hRBc0mdK0MmJoJksxFpa9M9IfiexYmFwg3IvQAtAck/s1600/IMG_2146.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmElNNy3O5BvGAE9cPYA91YZgWUOUhcUQrRiP4OzzMBB422l4fDVk-r144c0y9KhoRcyzbqwnQfQspRqyKkBe70hTZPAVkn26Q-nYPqbBtESRRM4I241bKPCGHa9p4Va3jvOtfcGP8I8k/s1600/IMG_2167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmElNNy3O5BvGAE9cPYA91YZgWUOUhcUQrRiP4OzzMBB422l4fDVk-r144c0y9KhoRcyzbqwnQfQspRqyKkBe70hTZPAVkn26Q-nYPqbBtESRRM4I241bKPCGHa9p4Va3jvOtfcGP8I8k/s1600/IMG_2167.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(L) The Airbnb owners let us use their bikes to ride around town! (R) Tyler and I in Forsyth Park</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I even used the trip to the warmer regions of the U.S. To take a trip with my boyfriend to Savannah, Georgia for a few days. The historic downtown is breathtaking and was prepared with St. Patrick's day celebration that we were lucky to catch on Tuesday. We started our first day there with an amazingly delicious southern meal at Elizabeth on 37th followed by a Ghost Tour at 10pm. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Savannah is littered with burial grounds and homes with creepy ghost tales. We had a great guide (Topher) from Blue Orb Tours</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> who was filled with history and stories about the city and its past. Tyler and I don't get to see each other that often, so we took advantage of the time together to get in lots of running (sweaty 22 miler on Monday (7:11avg/mile) that traced the top of McQueen Island by Fort Pulaski), dining, and walks along the atlantic at Tybee island. The St. Patricks day celebrations were really the topper to a great few days in the city, with loads of green, a parade, the River St. drinking fest, and plenty of cheer in the beautiful Georgia weather. We really had a great time together and made sure to make our time together count. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJPp_hytA8i37AKV4t6MuZoGmdaoAaKdO7JSdD4Pd0YJGWGq8v0SxBfqzf1ru3jNARQpRNnunxO_mn_UtJjGx8QHT0ZQWChvFkmt0XJw73HnwbBVz50qOeIaMkoKGjErmUhLlAaAGlaA/s1600/G0342994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJPp_hytA8i37AKV4t6MuZoGmdaoAaKdO7JSdD4Pd0YJGWGq8v0SxBfqzf1ru3jNARQpRNnunxO_mn_UtJjGx8QHT0ZQWChvFkmt0XJw73HnwbBVz50qOeIaMkoKGjErmUhLlAaAGlaA/s1600/G0342994.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tyler and I at the pier on Tybee Island in Georgia (still working on my go pro skills)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Up next:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoLLVhI96_XVlV3XDiYDWfw1HlS_nFg3GTkPBiIxhI6QUpoDihWCYaDP0z5M9tfTlwxw7hoW5J7WAr9X3eb2lEhN7-xwmD6dp3bVRz4p29hP5ynnt64hwDHj1G5CHHCbEXnmT0Y8oWcY/s1600/2015_GOP_Blogger_Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoLLVhI96_XVlV3XDiYDWfw1HlS_nFg3GTkPBiIxhI6QUpoDihWCYaDP0z5M9tfTlwxw7hoW5J7WAr9X3eb2lEhN7-xwmD6dp3bVRz4p29hP5ynnt64hwDHj1G5CHHCbEXnmT0Y8oWcY/s1600/2015_GOP_Blogger_Button.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dennis and I decided a solid period of time in Minneapolis is the best thing for me. I've done so much training with him so far which was remote (texting, phone, and Internet) that we want to be in close proximity so he can watch and adjust my workouts in order to maximize my Pittsburgh Marathon performance. I'll be racing 4 local Minneapolis-area road racing in order to get used to morning race preparation, running with and after people, and continuing to learn how to strategize in races. Plus it's a great way to make my workouts go by quickly! But more on those later as I continue to document my progress to Pittsburgh. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Tune in this weekend for a Pittsburgh prep-specific blog, talking about my personal approach to nutrition and training in the marathon cycle! </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-19573290023263608072015-03-07T07:17:00.000-08:002015-03-07T10:46:20.260-08:00Dicks Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWopuKEOvpPegaGcPeLDiHAP9_U-AeE70p-rUUiK1Py72qh7UnYeihzvMyZ5cmSrTC4O7EVpTq1yiDen9xDX6HKn8LodkMbsX3csulErVvwspC85QPZ9zP0OEpJJ1lXZHV0_Tn-ipl468/s1600/IMG_2057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWopuKEOvpPegaGcPeLDiHAP9_U-AeE70p-rUUiK1Py72qh7UnYeihzvMyZ5cmSrTC4O7EVpTq1yiDen9xDX6HKn8LodkMbsX3csulErVvwspC85QPZ9zP0OEpJJ1lXZHV0_Tn-ipl468/s1600/IMG_2057.JPG" height="640" width="640"></a></div>
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Hey everyone! I am excited to announce that I will be back in the Steel City for the Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon on May 3rd! I am thrilled to be working with the awesome race organizers that also put on the Pittsburgh 10 Miler, which I did this past November. Ryan Hogan, Patrice Matamoros, and everyone in charge of this amazing event are even more amazing themselves.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-C7CIbA3aXPoWnrMGjCQaolvINVxh5HgjvBW-_TAkpxX3eVAUsxqdPhTtrZQBotSMFIw5BtUtPKxxHKIM0RhT9B2N9weOsrbVMsbw9kvYFOXGMcQ0fn07ygHNDRvr69c-A-7wbnr3ho/s1600/2015_GOP_Blogger_Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-C7CIbA3aXPoWnrMGjCQaolvINVxh5HgjvBW-_TAkpxX3eVAUsxqdPhTtrZQBotSMFIw5BtUtPKxxHKIM0RhT9B2N9weOsrbVMsbw9kvYFOXGMcQ0fn07ygHNDRvr69c-A-7wbnr3ho/s1600/2015_GOP_Blogger_Banner.jpg" height="228" width="640"></a>And not only do I get to race as an elite in pursuit of my A-standard Olympic Trials Qualifier mark, but I was also selected to be an official blogger for the race! Stay tuned for weekly updates of different aspects of my training cycle. I plan to cover training, recovering, nutrition, and other fun things along the way. Follow the hashtag #GameOnPGH on instagram, twitter, and Facebook, too! I will be posting updates all over the place, as will all of the other official (and talented) bloggers.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vcVBCQYWZL4XxlL1HolaQFpSL5qLRGRAuEGQ3T0FKzLL1jTnahESfcfQUQHfWuzmCgteUXefsJjAcXzd2NELUwGs9SX0L0n3jtYQMay-isWqgasOhW0Z2Rhn46GeExnAzPgFu1xnulk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-03-07+at+8.46.59+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vcVBCQYWZL4XxlL1HolaQFpSL5qLRGRAuEGQ3T0FKzLL1jTnahESfcfQUQHfWuzmCgteUXefsJjAcXzd2NELUwGs9SX0L0n3jtYQMay-isWqgasOhW0Z2Rhn46GeExnAzPgFu1xnulk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-03-07+at+8.46.59+AM.png" height="64" width="640"></a></div>
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The race (http://www.pittsburghmarathon.com/Files/Admin/Maps/Marathon%5Ffull%5F2015%5F02%5F12%2Epdf) is a brutal one, crossing 3 rivers on 5 bridges, and touring 13 neighborhoods as it tours around the hilly Pittsburgh area. The first 10 miles of the race are the reverse of the PGH 10 Miler and are relatively flat. At mile 12 though, there is this thing called "THE HILL" which appears to be a 200-250 foot climb follow by rolling hills all the way to the finish. I don't know what I am in for. This course will definitely keep me honest, as will the training runs I see in my near future. Thankfully Minneapolis has some Lock and Dam hills that will function as great race simulations.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhludnlOqkeYhDuqfW19aYKnFnm-LAYTnocVLTieWHBzns5EJsobWvtb3X786eLpV1AHT4GT9FvO9_0sW-w4D5F6bdRiYCFMspKYljMNBXwO3ZPw62CKidEGKAXE6Azj_p1HT2bT32zchk/s1600/IMG_1495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhludnlOqkeYhDuqfW19aYKnFnm-LAYTnocVLTieWHBzns5EJsobWvtb3X786eLpV1AHT4GT9FvO9_0sW-w4D5F6bdRiYCFMspKYljMNBXwO3ZPw62CKidEGKAXE6Azj_p1HT2bT32zchk/s1600/IMG_1495.jpg" height="480" width="640"></a>After an up and down year in terms of races and injuries, I am very thankful to be healthy and strong going into this cycle, ready to push for my 3rd marathon to be my A-qualifier time (2:37.00 or faster). More than anything, I want to go into the race confidently. May 3rd I will be on that starting line ready for what beautiful Pittsburgh throws my way. #GameOnPGH<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9Nn_AO5u1mTmHhRO4oZwb5Mh9hfAw2g24VihGvkh4FfWb2UjnmhUPYv7WrS5ORSy2nF5PwnK_G3_6OaUQWMf2sTlkpFRVYe5VWfVW1iT3vbLd5VAlAUZI64b5bS1zo0hQsn-ZQJttgY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-03-07+at+8.22.27+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9Nn_AO5u1mTmHhRO4oZwb5Mh9hfAw2g24VihGvkh4FfWb2UjnmhUPYv7WrS5ORSy2nF5PwnK_G3_6OaUQWMf2sTlkpFRVYe5VWfVW1iT3vbLd5VAlAUZI64b5bS1zo0hQsn-ZQJttgY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-03-07+at+8.22.27+AM.png" height="300" width="640"></a></div>
<br>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-32370610694596817042015-03-05T13:10:00.001-08:002015-03-05T13:10:20.743-08:00The Big Move! California to Minnesota<div class="MsoNormal">
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I know that ever since I began my blog I have been eluding to my big
move to join my Team USA Minnesota coach, teammates, and support crew… And it
finally happened! My mom and I loaded up my little Ford Focus 3-Door with my
belongings and headed out on Saturday, February 28<sup>th</sup>. On March 3<span style="font-size: x-small;">rd </span>we pulled into Minneapolis cramped and exhausted, but safe and sound, crossing 7
states in 3.5 days (30 hours of driving). Here a quick recap of some of the
highlights. </div>
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Saturday: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMoJZRpH5qB7zsR4677SJFNJn_sflaRZoSjg7-oGmuB7u_TsWBBsJ8J9rXWiJCgrasX1M3xJCBnW4LxHd5pmr7wipqSB8RF3cNHXwkE6pt6Cq3t1q7_jSFoACvcMfgXFuO0vzf4hKedw/s1600/G0082907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMoJZRpH5qB7zsR4677SJFNJn_sflaRZoSjg7-oGmuB7u_TsWBBsJ8J9rXWiJCgrasX1M3xJCBnW4LxHd5pmr7wipqSB8RF3cNHXwkE6pt6Cq3t1q7_jSFoACvcMfgXFuO0vzf4hKedw/s1600/G0082907.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdtfWA9lfnuKAcfH8A4NtuhCPhZgGffS0kHff6BLn7mqdYUNPZYcUgLkeT_fUA04ro6TIHPLmXNo723Hy4iSFSLgaYh5ShDscGvQI7N5MY79ZiD0VJQzGzMVatOs2bSWPJEuHREvp6Y4/s1600/G0202943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdtfWA9lfnuKAcfH8A4NtuhCPhZgGffS0kHff6BLn7mqdYUNPZYcUgLkeT_fUA04ro6TIHPLmXNo723Hy4iSFSLgaYh5ShDscGvQI7N5MY79ZiD0VJQzGzMVatOs2bSWPJEuHREvp6Y4/s1600/G0202943.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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After a 5am wake up call for an easy eight mile run, my mom and
I packed up the last of our things and headed north on 680 and caught 80 just
outside of Davis. Into Tahoe we started seeing snow and soon were stopped on
the highway because of four major accidents and tire chain requirements. The roads were
completely closed to traffic for close to two hours, so we got in some reading
and some Internet browsing time with a lunch of trail mix and Annie’s bunny
crackers. Once the roads were open, we chugged along for a few miles before
deciding the chains must go. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LUrpiG2Z4dMPCQPVfXvgI2dTDtbhSIWEJCjQ7fG93uRh7OCc4FSZHuAg4I8Ug62LV4aXVZgjqZgT37X3mJhBR4UdiMdL42-vALWE5FdjpwOp483z9pFkCMKpmxDmmjajCVDdhakImjM/s1600/G0302973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LUrpiG2Z4dMPCQPVfXvgI2dTDtbhSIWEJCjQ7fG93uRh7OCc4FSZHuAg4I8Ug62LV4aXVZgjqZgT37X3mJhBR4UdiMdL42-vALWE5FdjpwOp483z9pFkCMKpmxDmmjajCVDdhakImjM/s1600/G0302973.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPame5ArxMwMhBBBt-zBdhyNf7AS5scg9PfZi02G_9CMB87mexhZdRg2qRY3zWlKjGjozOoSiEWeqGNMCAzRea2KR2bR1O0i563nzjbhTsRE0DgWtsxOAjrPqVq1Pgw1g991Umr3OOfM/s1600/IMG_2008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPame5ArxMwMhBBBt-zBdhyNf7AS5scg9PfZi02G_9CMB87mexhZdRg2qRY3zWlKjGjozOoSiEWeqGNMCAzRea2KR2bR1O0i563nzjbhTsRE0DgWtsxOAjrPqVq1Pgw1g991Umr3OOfM/s1600/IMG_2008.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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With the stoppage and weather conditions, we got in fewer
miles than we had hoped to, but ended up in Elko, NV for the night. We stopped
for dinner at the Nevada Star Hotel and the only thing I can say is NEVER GO
THERE. The food was hardly edible. Live and learn. </div>
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Sunday: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZlhtOGV1WpE5xKmiFNk_kQxKmanSCzw_jdf3oEISS3SxMYVS-7RM822B8rfgEQBsM4EMRJP75MHcZP-c5iMkwIFlhOecm8XEp4aq2WKLGdzniok0QQWyxBnc6HqlyIOUxtKTmsxukRY/s1600/11028507_10153205722477975_667113328_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZlhtOGV1WpE5xKmiFNk_kQxKmanSCzw_jdf3oEISS3SxMYVS-7RM822B8rfgEQBsM4EMRJP75MHcZP-c5iMkwIFlhOecm8XEp4aq2WKLGdzniok0QQWyxBnc6HqlyIOUxtKTmsxukRY/s1600/11028507_10153205722477975_667113328_o.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgIilsGZO-xOGcnf0_5Leul6yrIosvmSzpwzIDgEWCTwsB_UtmVz5OiM_SXThFiWI7mF3DeBm4o5vlgg1-u8ASS7K6t4BHw3AM05MpwqoVCmRBuBVP8SGWulrAt5bnu3QZ_if5JalQxg/s1600/IMG_2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgIilsGZO-xOGcnf0_5Leul6yrIosvmSzpwzIDgEWCTwsB_UtmVz5OiM_SXThFiWI7mF3DeBm4o5vlgg1-u8ASS7K6t4BHw3AM05MpwqoVCmRBuBVP8SGWulrAt5bnu3QZ_if5JalQxg/s1600/IMG_2018.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Up again, I ran 7.5 miles (30F temps) to finish a 78.6 mile
week. I stepped into the hotel lobby to get some coffee and the man behind the
front desk said he saw me out running on his way to work. Thats the thing
about these small highway towns.. no one is out running, especially at 6am, so I was
definitely a sight to be seen. It was a beautiful sunrise and we were coffee-d
up and on the road by 8:30am.</div>
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My mom drove the whole day on Saturday so I took the wheel
on Sunday and ended up driving the whole way, too. I wasn’t able to get any
GoPro pictures but we did get some good ones crossing the Utah boarder and throughout Wyoming. We listened to podcasts to kill the time and stopped in Evenston, WY
for some lunch at a local spot. The weather all day was beautiful and clear,
seriously the best weather we could have asked for. We ended the night in
Cheyenne around 8pm, got a hotel, and hopped over some snowy highway exits to
the closest food source before falling face first into bed. </div>
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Monday: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCMElDF8qcLg19u2xx6p4xRI_KUBMu-4or7vkd5aU0j5ZBlAKjUUdqFnN99v7ntizPSL0Yn4UBz-PfbxTCCFSQnKxjFfC_tkbjqd4pWGiOFU4ePq_GdpRgTRhYbLeHb4amAPQJ59P42Y/s1600/IMG_2028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCMElDF8qcLg19u2xx6p4xRI_KUBMu-4or7vkd5aU0j5ZBlAKjUUdqFnN99v7ntizPSL0Yn4UBz-PfbxTCCFSQnKxjFfC_tkbjqd4pWGiOFU4ePq_GdpRgTRhYbLeHb4amAPQJ59P42Y/s1600/IMG_2028.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHOOJUawejlelvRYiZXPpW-vaIH2gcUrmH-F91mPQkbvlw_ke1A-gokOQ509H8em1-RkoqHy-Zw5k3Rd0iLbyGBC0ZYZhqpEJRIMmZlkOKWz-Utx9CX-8nmdEExYJD2jDhr34z_HPMw8/s1600/IMG_2032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHOOJUawejlelvRYiZXPpW-vaIH2gcUrmH-F91mPQkbvlw_ke1A-gokOQ509H8em1-RkoqHy-Zw5k3Rd0iLbyGBC0ZYZhqpEJRIMmZlkOKWz-Utx9CX-8nmdEExYJD2jDhr34z_HPMw8/s1600/IMG_2032.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Yay, 19F in Cheyenne made 10 miles a bit more challenging. I
knew it was only the beginning of the temperature challenges, but no treadmill
meant I was going to have to tough it out. I followed the only sidewalk out and
back and suffered my first panic of having my balaclava suck into my mouth
while I was breathing. I since have purchased a neoprene mask to solve this
problem. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEX_rSL3Q4eTc1Iul41zTc89cKAwDSypCUqtUfrSaoRfQ92rEsdxSATNp6JkN9u1U17Fm-IdQoY4h42ZwFYE6dG9WjB1qav0W2Ufu6KUJ3dc3w1AZ1Z4BAKBtUzpdsle4i6tHIW9FCzoE/s1600/IMG_2033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEX_rSL3Q4eTc1Iul41zTc89cKAwDSypCUqtUfrSaoRfQ92rEsdxSATNp6JkN9u1U17Fm-IdQoY4h42ZwFYE6dG9WjB1qav0W2Ufu6KUJ3dc3w1AZ1Z4BAKBtUzpdsle4i6tHIW9FCzoE/s1600/IMG_2033.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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We had breakfast at the hotel, hopped in the car on another
clear day and headed for Nebraska. It was really windy and took some extra attention
in order to drive, but was lightyears better than snow, rain, or ice would have
been. More podcasts, a stop in North Platte for some half-decent Mexican food
and onto Iowa we went. When I was the passenger, I was the master of Google
Maps (and master of using all of my phone battery in a matter of a few hours)
and was always looking for places to stop and eat. I found Louie’s Wine Dive in
Des Moines and my mom and I were (finally) pleasantly surprised by some trendy,
delicious food. Happy and full we got to the hotel and relaxed a bit before
passing out for after another 8.5 hour driving day. </div>
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Tuesday: </div>
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I had gotten a call from Dennis (my coach) on Sunday
inquiring if I would be able to make a 4pm workout at the University of
Minnesota indoor track on Tuesday. Because we had banked so much time on the
first few days, I was able to say yes! We were on the road at 730am on Tuesday,
with ice and sleet already coming down. My car is not made for any sort of
elements, so it was an adrenaline-pumping, fishtailing kind of day. The ice on
the highway was rough and it didn’t help that my windshield wipers were sub-par
and the windshield-washing mechanism froze. At noon, we made it safely to Minneapolis
that had just had a few inches of snow. We ate lunch at the Mall of
America and settled into a new hotel before my workout. </div>
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I was so excited to be able to warm up and train with
everyone. My teammate Meghan is running the LA marathon next weekend, so she
timed my mile repeats. It was so helpful to have someone to give me feedback on
every lap and to have Dennis there to see what kind of adjustments need to be
made. I could definitely get used to this (: </div>
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Next up were all-weather tires, a mattress, and furniture then groceries and last minute necessities. I love my new place and living situation.
Even if it is below 0F for most of today, nothing can bring me down. </div>
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With Gate River Run 15k just 9 days a way, I am excited to say I am
getting into shape and really ready to rock this exciting event. <b><span style="color: magenta;">NEXT UP…? Hope
you’ll read my blog post on SATURDAY and check my social media to see
which Marathon I am beginning my training cycle for! </span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-78035516779530140982015-02-17T17:02:00.001-08:002015-02-17T17:02:36.204-08:00Brief February Update and Workout-Related Biochemistry <b><span style="color: purple;">Running:</span></b><br />
Back into training! I'm onto my third week of consistent training and seventh week of consistent running since my injury hiatus. In order to prepare myself for the Gate River run, Dennis has me run mile repeats one day a week and then the same number of repeats in straight miles for the next workout. For example, This week is 5x 1 mile at 175bpm and then 5miles at the same heart rate, without stopping, for the second workout of the week. We usually try and add in some hill sprint repeats to keep my fast twitch fibers working, and then finish the week with a fast finish long run. I've completed two so far, and was lucky enough to have company on both.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
For the first I did 18 miles with the last 4 at 165bpm. I ran the first 10 with Tyler (visiting from Tallahassee for a long weekend) and then he hopped onto my bike to finish the last 8 with me. It was pouring rain, but not cold, and we did two loops around Santa Clara and Cupertino. It was so nice to have having his company.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSdfXtN1rZJkGSqPE-RyUy_XlXzRS91xwNZq9VyJxkxorout1bJxhOk3_L5xWuvCduluifq_gQroNC8VZOgAxJ2UsRadC2In2v9bj73oLsog1KhmyG-QXRZgLuu5n91X2VDy5SI64M-A/s1600/G0380484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSdfXtN1rZJkGSqPE-RyUy_XlXzRS91xwNZq9VyJxkxorout1bJxhOk3_L5xWuvCduluifq_gQroNC8VZOgAxJ2UsRadC2In2v9bj73oLsog1KhmyG-QXRZgLuu5n91X2VDy5SI64M-A/s1600/G0380484.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lake Merced as the sun is rising</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RkVehq7HqIylVCzTa0Av87j4PQ4ix9ukJk2dGQboY8LevE8ev0JA_Duu8Tq0tFTCb6S4DAR_FU51Wj7pKKQ6l2JNZu9kDW93mQCDEVGj6g_HsgQx4IeilZDV7b4-SBOb-LQFVS_5DgU/s1600/G0440576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RkVehq7HqIylVCzTa0Av87j4PQ4ix9ukJk2dGQboY8LevE8ev0JA_Duu8Tq0tFTCb6S4DAR_FU51Wj7pKKQ6l2JNZu9kDW93mQCDEVGj6g_HsgQx4IeilZDV7b4-SBOb-LQFVS_5DgU/s1600/G0440576.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Great Highway along Ocean Beach </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
This past weekend I did 19, with 15-18 miles (5 total) at 165bpm along the Great Highway in San Francisco. This is where I finished the second half of my very first marathon (Nike Women's San Francisco 2013) and it was just a perfect day. I started out the run on Lake Merced near SFSU, then up the highway to tour the hilly Golden Gate Park. I am still so thankful every day that I get to run, and even more thankful now that I am back doing workouts. I am trying to soak ups this California weather as much as I can. 12 days and could until I head out to the cold Minnesota tundras.<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Fueling: </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lFkJQV2SLlsuXCzzAoI74Q2av3V1rV2-HA3Bpf-3_cBVQzRcsMxHZIR-S5glA7-L-ibV_7fsl61_1o_EbmpC0S2mW88cJbuKxnqPmZTNcAuINDnoHrurH9r8kPcO1TFUSEjphzM21wI/s1600/G0410530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lFkJQV2SLlsuXCzzAoI74Q2av3V1rV2-HA3Bpf-3_cBVQzRcsMxHZIR-S5glA7-L-ibV_7fsl61_1o_EbmpC0S2mW88cJbuKxnqPmZTNcAuINDnoHrurH9r8kPcO1TFUSEjphzM21wI/s1600/G0410530.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">An attempt to get a picture of me eating my Bonk Breaker Chews in Golden Gate Park. It was too sunny.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
On the past two long runs I have also used the new Bonk Breaker product, Chews! I was lucky to receive the new Orange Tangerine ones in the mail and figured my long run efforts were the perfect time to try them out. I don't often take fluids or fuel on regular long runs and unfortunately its bitten me in the butt a couple times. I've found myself light-headed and weak at the end of runs and I know its to do with my hydration levels and especially my electrolytes! Electrolyte deficiencies in blood plasma for extended periods of time can lead to hyperkalemia, which has the symptoms I felt and also additional issues causing irregular heart beat, too. To avoid this, electrolyte intake during and after workouts are essential.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhooaTZ49qABqZq1Mz0uJERcfR-N1rCcV1cfiy6FLT41BZnM6dFJ4v2lInMtsjMIPd3mR7FBKc-efssSpROjJ0jJbb_UtAo2zXPVf_c549YigK2AAVQSRugKUAjzr1rICbcoLW-eTLGQbE/s1600/1020x750_orange_chews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhooaTZ49qABqZq1Mz0uJERcfR-N1rCcV1cfiy6FLT41BZnM6dFJ4v2lInMtsjMIPd3mR7FBKc-efssSpROjJ0jJbb_UtAo2zXPVf_c549YigK2AAVQSRugKUAjzr1rICbcoLW-eTLGQbE/s1600/1020x750_orange_chews.jpg" height="145" width="200" /></a> In the packet there are 8 chews, which is two servings. A serving has 90 calories, 70mg sodium, 90mg potassium, and 24g carbs (15g of which are sugars). Like all of the Bonk Breaker products, the fuel is made from real food sources and are often organic. A serving of chews would suffice, for me, for a 2 hour run. I finish off a run with UCAN Hydrate, an electrolyte drink mix, which helps me replenish. I start my runs with GENUCAN Superstarch which helps with steady glucose release for extended energy, but often by the 14th mile, I could use a little push with some quick energy. The sugar profile in the Chews were perfect to keep me chugging along and feeling energetic through the last, last miles. So first plus: essential electrolytes, second: a bit of sugar, and last, but never least: the delicious taste. Remember those candies you get at the movie theatre or on halloween called Dots? They taste just like those! SO YUMMY. they're easy to chew and manage in your mouth, even while in motion, which is another big issue I have. I've been a Gel user for the past few races, figuring the chews would interrupt my breathing. I was pleasantly surprised that these were so easy. The 2 serving pack is great for cyclists of anyone doing hard core trail running for fueling through out the run. I took 2 chews around mile 10 of both of my long runs and I'll probably move up to 4 once my runs get longer and quicker and definitely during my next marathon, coming this spring! Give them a try, you won't be disappointed.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: purple;">SAUCONY!:</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WXqhw8vHeRbQoUzidJT-3ZSL-EhV8JAxmtPuAHXzciM1tqZUvI31nRxZPIqgFQm5MSyWIKRtD_1u9RioDi8lY_7T2QbAtegmCprxlad5CCz420XjSJYepD-bIUrEPJrakEV-uxitg88/s1600/GOPR1299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WXqhw8vHeRbQoUzidJT-3ZSL-EhV8JAxmtPuAHXzciM1tqZUvI31nRxZPIqgFQm5MSyWIKRtD_1u9RioDi8lY_7T2QbAtegmCprxlad5CCz420XjSJYepD-bIUrEPJrakEV-uxitg88/s1600/GOPR1299.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My teammates John, Meghan, Eric, and our coach Dennis after the Twin Cities Torchlight 5K, my first official race in my Hurricane uniform.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
In other news, I was selected to be a Saucony Hurricane Athlete again for the 2015 season. I am so grateful for the support that this program offers. I will have the support of about 50 other athletes nation wide, my local reps -- Curtis until I move and then Benn Zubke (@Benn_Tuesday) in Minneapolis -- and from the head honchos which includes Brain Mahoney. I spent half of last year injured, so I am so thankful for the continued belief in my potential and know that this year will be a better year. I love Saucony shoes and gear to death and look forward to racing in my jersey for another fun-filled year.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: purple;">A Bit of Biochemistry: </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYamfxL5e68KOSZxGGvj-CodjiXU_eiPbjl-fEG8aqCk9o-F4sq8MY8PvgzGHutY37_D_PHWTGcJCi-jzrHfjfgTK1mTpOOb7ZSY8PWjU2XSA0ocPGV3CowNxv9ext2e5rVgQq7RpprOI/s1600/ferment.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYamfxL5e68KOSZxGGvj-CodjiXU_eiPbjl-fEG8aqCk9o-F4sq8MY8PvgzGHutY37_D_PHWTGcJCi-jzrHfjfgTK1mTpOOb7ZSY8PWjU2XSA0ocPGV3CowNxv9ext2e5rVgQq7RpprOI/s1600/ferment.gif" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The anaerobic cycle in the one that cells use when oxygen isn't readily available (on the left). marathoners use more of the aerobic cycle because they are moving slower and cells are more able to use the circulating oxygen. Sprinters use more anaerobic because their muscles need quick energy for fast movement when there isn't sufficient circulating oxygen. lactate is a byproduct of this pathway (http://science.halleyhosting.com/sci/soph/energy/resp/notes/anaerobic.htm).</span></div>
<br />
I know that I have mentioned in previous posts and also above about bpm (beats per minute) values (180, 175, 165, etc.) that I use for workouts. Those not training for anything specific or not training with a heart rate monitor might not know what these values are and what they mean. Briefly, it can be tested and arithmetically estimated what a person's maximum heart rate is, based on age, heigh, weight, and so on. Then from these values training zones can be determined, each zone has your heart rate at a different level and produces a different effect on your body. There are also blood lactate level, which can be determined by finger prick that later can be matched with a specific heart rate value. Lactate is a product of the anaerobic (without oxygen) energy production pathway. the levels of lactate in the cell can indicate, roughly, what range of aerobic vs anaerobic energy production someone is in. Lactate threshold is the point when your blood lactate levels are at 2mmol/liter. Sources say this is about 20-40bpm less than the anerobic threshold, and is at about 65% max heart rate.<br />
<br />
With these values and this information, Dennis and I were able to calculate, and later confirm with metabolic testing, that my lactate threshold was somewhere around 175-180bpm. We used to use 180, but noticed I was getting injured frequently and was leaving my races in my workouts. Recently we have dialed back to 175 bpm. We also do a lot of work in that we call the "Sub-LT" range, which is the "below lactate threshold." we put that at about 165bpm. One little disclaimer that comes with heart rate training is that it relies on mmil/liter, meaning the volume of the blood. This can be effected easily by hydration levels, electrolyte levels, and how much/when/what I ate, and also by where I run (hills make your heart rate spike, downhill running does the opposite). So, the numbers are not a perfect science, meaning I have to also be aware of my tiredness levels and how much work I feel like I am putting in. One great thing about working with heart rate is that you work based on effort, so I don't feel the need to strain for a pace when my body feels more tired or over worked. I can just use the numbers to gauge how hard to run.<br />
<br />
Right now I am doing my lactate threshold work at around 5:25-5:40 pace and my sub-lt work around 6:15 to 6:25 pace.<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Minnesota: </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPUHJfIqoxotF07pFsnOQYxfOyiveZkvLeFkEoxon6_zkucUgj27JSaEF3mv0zk9dMxgJaZGr74S_9YU62DtlVF87-BXvbs95kUWrKXaEvFXrpwvSilyXWToLZjhp__rCVo0dR54H3ZU/s1600/Lobdn2m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPUHJfIqoxotF07pFsnOQYxfOyiveZkvLeFkEoxon6_zkucUgj27JSaEF3mv0zk9dMxgJaZGr74S_9YU62DtlVF87-BXvbs95kUWrKXaEvFXrpwvSilyXWToLZjhp__rCVo0dR54H3ZU/s1600/Lobdn2m.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Frozen Minnehaha waterfall from behind (http://i.imgur.com/Lobdn2m.jpg)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtcxDosBKwFIRBQqxV4L7ECbAmDHxKnmi0pJ2IGaWmEchhtmfTpyhOhXHVaxl54dbAxt1J2IQe9kYOm6Uim7bpYfUFC24BpTdzSwl5-6HucoraQZ5OSjSdzgmNAk4aL1Q6P9mmNkI2kE/s1600/7XG6M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtcxDosBKwFIRBQqxV4L7ECbAmDHxKnmi0pJ2IGaWmEchhtmfTpyhOhXHVaxl54dbAxt1J2IQe9kYOm6Uim7bpYfUFC24BpTdzSwl5-6HucoraQZ5OSjSdzgmNAk4aL1Q6P9mmNkI2kE/s1600/7XG6M.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">An image of the frozen falls from the front (http://i.imgur.com/7XG6M.jpg)</span></div>
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I am packing as we speak, starting with my shoes and my summer clothes, my books and my appliances. I can't wait to move! We've been sorting out some car maintenance troubles and discussing how everything is going to get where it needs to be, but thats what makes this all so much fun. Max, my new roommate, texts me every once and a while to tell me about things going on in Minneapolis or about things I will have to see and do when I arrive. He's big into cooking and sounds like his friends are too, so I can't wait for some cool dinner parties! The only thing I am avoiding to address (seriously) is the temperature there. My favorite game to play with Tyler is "Guess the weather in Minneapolis." It never ceases to blow my mind how much colder it is there than here. I can do this, I can do this. Max sent me a link to the picture above of the Minnehaha falls (2 blocks from our place) that are completely frozen. These giant waterfalls freeze over completely, like nothing I've ever seen before. Meanwhile, its 70F in Santa Clara, CA...
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Hey everyone, I guess it’s time to update here! It’s been
way too long and up until now I’ve been much busier than I had anticipated. </div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A jaunt through Santa Clara Central Park in mid </span></o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">January </span></div>
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After the Pittsburgh 10 Miler I tried getting my body happy
again by taking a few down weeks of easy running and then had a huge load of
final exams. I fit a (super fun) half marathon in the Saturday before my exams
and couldn’t get back onto my blog to update because of studying. Then one
thing after another, I was back home working almost full-time and letting all
the dust settle from the move back and from the holiday madness… and it was mid
JANUARY. Here is what has happened and what’s on the horizon! </div>
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Time to get all caught up </div>
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<u>What has happened since my last post? : <o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilugIbor7j-aTAlFEOXEzwGI1AjUG57-Fx4qxZ3V_9A8PjqZEf5zJNhEr5aF1ioZyWAXYHklDacSMBCTsCjmlzIblWKL6QxrebCo3Bl-KHIE5qCLA426yZZdB-TgagOD_Kz3MTVe7Rm5M/s1600/race_627_photo_14233195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilugIbor7j-aTAlFEOXEzwGI1AjUG57-Fx4qxZ3V_9A8PjqZEf5zJNhEr5aF1ioZyWAXYHklDacSMBCTsCjmlzIblWKL6QxrebCo3Bl-KHIE5qCLA426yZZdB-TgagOD_Kz3MTVe7Rm5M/s1600/race_627_photo_14233195.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Santa to
the Sea Half Marathon</b> – On December 14<sup>th</sup> I raced the Santa
to the Sea Half Marathon in Oxnard, CA, which is about 45 minutes north (without
traffic) of my apartment in Los Angeles. It was a flat point-to-point race that started at a giant Santa Claus
statue and finished near the marina by the ocean. The weather was a perfect 60F
and the holiday spirit was on full blast! The costumes were great. I met Liz
Camy (amazing mother and crazy quick runner) and we ran the first half of the
race together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no
defined elite field, but a handful of quick people were out there, sure to make
the race competitive and exciting. Dennis and I agreed not to taper for the
race and to use it as a judge of my goal marathon pace. I took out the first
two miles around 5:40 per mile feeling GREAT, but knew that this race had its purpose
and I needed to try and stick to a 5:55per mile avg pace so that I could get used to what it
felt like. I came to an exciting finish at 1:17.09 (5:54/mile avg) and got to
celebrate with some old SCERC teammates (Valerie and Juan), the city planner
and his family, and with Tim Bomba, the announcer and my connection to the
race! What a great experience. I was only sad to have to leave right after
awards in order to get back for my early morning final exam. </div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Graduated!</b>
– After a full week of final exams and normal training (24 miler the afternoon
after my molecular cell biology exam!), on December 19<sup>th</sup> I completed
my last final at UCLA and walked away 97% sure I had passed my classes. A few
days later it was confirmed, I am an official UCLA Alum. With a 3.524 GPA I am
now ready to go into the real work and put my biochemistry/biomedical research
skills to work. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGCldkN9-kTKn6JiGGTAntfMxnxnR3ahhgU-Nc-8mRfpCG4hZrz9EsVbqVhyphenhyphenhdxtL4V8ZNHMhsLih0FbffIjUg9IgxARu0hax3gRLHRHQtmui96GsQrxaLDguILOo4dU4GHTzagCveDY/s1600/IMG_1548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGCldkN9-kTKn6JiGGTAntfMxnxnR3ahhgU-Nc-8mRfpCG4hZrz9EsVbqVhyphenhyphenhdxtL4V8ZNHMhsLih0FbffIjUg9IgxARu0hax3gRLHRHQtmui96GsQrxaLDguILOo4dU4GHTzagCveDY/s1600/IMG_1548.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">An example of a lunch I had when Rasa and I were tracking my meals by taking pictures of them</span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Food and
health update</b> – I also haven’t done much of an update about how my
nutrition and health restoration has been coming. I am now at 131 lbs, no longer
cold or hungry and I have been sleeping through the night regularly. I am about
5 lbs above my OTQ marathon weight and 9 lbs above my lowest weight. And what a
difference 9 lbs makes! Its still a work in progress, every day is still
structured around making sure I am fueling correctly, but its really becoming a
good habit. I’ve still been working with Rasa Troup and we still meet every so
often to talk about what I need to work on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things I struggle with still: eating enough grains and
dessert. Who doesn’t love dessert? I am supposed to have it every single day,
and for some reason I just cant seem to make it a habit. Keeping my head up
though and being thankful for my health and still having my speed, even with a
little bit more weight on my frame.</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Injury</b>
– After my last final exam on a Friday afternoon, I hopped into the car and
made the 6-hour trek back home with a packed car. I got in around 930pm and
dove into bed. Early the next morning I got onto the track to do 10x1km repeats
with a friend who is training for a marathon too. Finally, a training partner!
The repeats went so well, on goal or faster and my body felt amazing. I got
home, showered, shoveled some food into my mouth, and got to work for an 8-hour
shift in the busy holiday madness of Sports Basement footwear. The following
morning (Sunday), I woke up and got straight out on my run with less stretching
than was probably required. About 3 miles in I felt tightness in my gluteus
medius (right along my pelvic crest). With a few days off, nothing was giving
and no doctors were available over the holidays. I ended up spending nearly 3
weeks cross training and trying to run every few days. What was most
frustrating was that things were going so well for quite a while. But, all is well;
I’m back on my feet again, doing loads of strength, core, and stretching
correctly. I realized two things: 1. I am getting injured like a distance
runner would when transitioning from high school to college, and this makes
sense because I have only been training as a distance runner for just over a
year. I have to be cautious and reserved with my effort and my mileage. 2. My
injury-bumps in my training (stress fracture, hip issues, etc) are getting
smaller and more manageable. Each one is teaching me another thing I need to be
doing to keep myself strong and healthy, and I’m getting back to normal
training more quickly. </div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Work </b>–
I got back home and started working at Sports Basement again mainly working in
the footwear department. I love my work, my coworkers, this store, and this
business. I am sad to leave such a great working environment. My last day is
February 21<sup>st</sup>. </div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New
sponsors!</b> – At the end of the year I signed two sponsorship agreements for
the 2015 season! It’s so great to have two brands I really believe in
supporting me through this training journey. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #f79646;">Bonk Breaker</span></b> is my energy and
protein bar sponsor. Their bars help me fuel healthfully and deliciously during
my busy days at work, before and after workouts, and every other time too. I
love the people behind these bars and I am thrilled to be apart of Team Bonk
Breaker. I also signed with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Generation UCAN</span></b>, a SuperStarch drink mix
product that is useful for extended glucose release during hard and long workouts.
It keeps my insulin levels low, my energy levels consistent, and helps my body
recruit my fat stores as energy. I would be more than happy to tell everyone
more about it, if youre interested. I’ve done two (soon to be three) Genucan
run group product talks and I just love being able to represent this
game-changing fuel!</div>
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<u>What’s next?:<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is Mattie the dog</span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Minnesota!</b>
– After a meeting with Dennis about this year’s racing schedule, and about how
mild the Minnesota winter has been, we’ve made some new decisions. I will be
moving to Minneapolis the first week of March instead of in April. The negative
temperatures are basically over with, so I am in the clear. Well, sort of.
Apparently March is the snowiest month of them all, but snow I can do. I have
started purchasing snow gear and clothing so that I can still run outside as
much as the weather will permit. I also purchased my first pair of snow boots
and a down coat. I am excited about the new adventure. I signed a lease for a
room in a duplex near Minnehaha Park! I am living just off the Twin Cities
marathon coarse and near bike/running paths that are over 34 miles of endless,
beautiful running. My housemates name is Max and he has been nothing but
helpful with the lease agreement and my big move coming up here really soon.
He’s letting me paint my room (he’s also the landlord), he is big into cooking,
and he’s got a cool dog that likes to go on runs! Looks like I’ve got someone
to go on afternoon runs with (: My mom and I will leave Santa Clara on February
28<sup>th</sup> and plan to arrive in Minneapolis on the 4<sup>th</sup> or 5<sup>th</sup>.
I will definitely be documenting the road trip, expect some great pictures.</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Races </b>–
what’s up next for me!? Well, because of my glute med issues, we decided that
Houston Half Marathon was not going to be a smart race to get back in on. We
also decided to push back my 2015 Marathon race so that I can make sure to not
only get in a healthy training cycle but also so that I can race to my
potential and not walk away disappointed. With some reorganization, Dennis,
Pat, and I decided I will be racing the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #9bbb59;">Gate River Run 15K</span></b><span style="color: #9bbb59;">
in </span>Jacksonville, Florida on March 14<sup>th </sup>(http://www.gate-riverrun.com). Richard Fannin is the
elite recruiter. I have never in my life met anyone more excited about road
racing and the elites that will be at his event. I can’t wait to be apart of
such a competitive field and running event. Then I plan to get in a solid
marathon cycle to race in the early spring… That one I will announce a little
later on ;)</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
From now on I plan to be more regular about posting my
blogs. Originally that was the intention and I plan to make it more of a
priority this year. I hope everyone is out there running and loving every
minute of that. There isn’t enough time in our lives to spend it doing things
that make us unhappy. Running is my happiness and I love being able to share it
with you. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPZ4DtV33XbRLsdCoWPVpnB0bKze9Do_k8gfTQUgyEIYYCJEFR8rm20N9ljd_75e_KARNyDRskx0tnijDE-2HN3P7b_QFmcqWGaPUhRlq9CwFLq8YvtvPGrvBhAo-NYyn_kiFZ1P1mPU/s1600/IMG_1505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPZ4DtV33XbRLsdCoWPVpnB0bKze9Do_k8gfTQUgyEIYYCJEFR8rm20N9ljd_75e_KARNyDRskx0tnijDE-2HN3P7b_QFmcqWGaPUhRlq9CwFLq8YvtvPGrvBhAo-NYyn_kiFZ1P1mPU/s320/IMG_1505.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtpxajpRuDMTZ3XzWqcVD_RuG721dxZI92k5yD6YX1C4JoPMT5LaoFBidpgTVAh2wcCr3P4HVuAbureFaSk_s0ONqbssHX-UtzyIFOp0vrdB5xu_pluob5CmEnO1i2YduJVjUwMYAHSM/s1600/IMG_1498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtpxajpRuDMTZ3XzWqcVD_RuG721dxZI92k5yD6YX1C4JoPMT5LaoFBidpgTVAh2wcCr3P4HVuAbureFaSk_s0ONqbssHX-UtzyIFOp0vrdB5xu_pluob5CmEnO1i2YduJVjUwMYAHSM/s320/IMG_1498.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">This past weekend I was lucky enough to journey over to
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to compete in the EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler! For me,
race prep began the weekend before when I started to transition myself from PST
to EST. That meant moving all of my meals up 20-30 minutes each day and waking
up earlier and earlier, too. By Friday it was up at 4:45am after going to bed
at 8:45pm the night before. Although slightly frustrating to my roommate (sorry,
Jacquelyn), I did notice that it was easier to wake up on Saturday and Sunday
mornings while I was on in Pittsburgh. Transitioning my meal times also helped
tremendously too, no more digestive issues! So that was worth celebrating.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Three weeks before this race I had had two killer weeks of
training. I felt great, I was training great, and it was all coming together. I
bet you know what’s coming next in this story. Two miles into my 19 miler I
felt a pull in my medial tendon behind my knee. It stuck around for the rest of
the run, finally loosening up when I started my paced miles. But after the cool
down, walking was hard. Two days off, and some swimming got me slowly back on
grass but by that time my body was screaming at me, tightening up everywhere.
My glutes and hips would not open up and by the next weekend I still had no
relief. The pain was gone in my knee area but my nagging hamstring, hip, pelvis
area was still not having it. I went to a chiropractor hoping for some help and
he diagnosed me with Lower Cross Syndrome. The short version of this syndrome
is that after my stress fracture, by glutes stopped firing correctly and my
quads, hamstrings, and lower back were compensating the load. With that comes
disaster. My hips are both shifted to the right and tipped forward so much that
my hamstrings are constantly pulled to their maximum. So any time I stretch
them (static, dynamic, or even during faster running workouts), I pull them
more. This was great to find out, and I got a bit of instant relief but it’s more
or less a strengthening and stretching process that is going to just take time.
I was back moving fast last week and did 2x2 miles on the grass averaging 5:25
per mile for the first one and 5:28 for the second one. Thursday was a quick
200m speed tune up and on Friday the adventure began! I was hoping the week off
wouldn’t affect my race too much but at that point I was just happy to be
pain-free (ish) and heading to this awesome racing experience. The elite
recruiter, Ryan Hogan, did a phenomenal job bringing in a competitive
international field of athletes. I was going to toe the line with Sara Hall
(that’s the only time I was anywhere near her, haha) and a number of other
talented runners. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Friday I flew to Denver and then to Pittsburgh, arriving at 10:30pm
EST. Some really helpful people from the Steel City Road Runners club picked two
HTC Elite runners and me up and shuttled us to the host hotel. Saturday morning
I got to do a quick 6 mile jaunt with Jon, Jon, and Gina and then joined Dennis
for breakfast at the hotel. At packet pickup, I got to meet the announcer Tim
Bomba, who turned out to be a Culver City resident (just south of UCLA) and an
avid triathlete and ocean swimmer. We had many acquaintances in common and had
loads to talk about. We got to grab lunch with Patrice and Dee, two directors
of the race and two wonderful women excited about making runners and road
racers into celebrities just like Lebron James. It was so exciting to meet them
and discuss what we think it would take to make running a fan friendly sport!
We finished off the night with a technical meeting about the course and then to
a VIP dinner and Buca di Beppo with all of the athletes, coaches, and race
officials. Before bed I got to take the Duquesne Incline up to the top of a
hill overlooking the Pittsburgh downtown with one of the athletes I met at
dinner, Sam Mueller. It was a spectacular view and the best way to end the day
before the big race on Sunday morning. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDqgUHPd4c5u13DMnQ26Yex7K2OF4E8p9q9w9ZT7RRv9Yy3twz_Iirn27EyvY_ZwWI2nq31dOdkYH5taVl1jZdSGJGOWqIArISkr8DVILyoQqfs_bzDSQczyEIOUd5duSe-3evwFne3Y/s1600/IMG_1503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDqgUHPd4c5u13DMnQ26Yex7K2OF4E8p9q9w9ZT7RRv9Yy3twz_Iirn27EyvY_ZwWI2nq31dOdkYH5taVl1jZdSGJGOWqIArISkr8DVILyoQqfs_bzDSQczyEIOUd5duSe-3evwFne3Y/s400/IMG_1503.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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At 5am Gina and I woke up and shuffled down to the Elite
Athletes Hospitality Suite to grab coffee. We stretched, ate, and watched the
Pittsburgh News until 6:40am (turns out there was a shooting and bridge closure
on one of the bridges we were planning to race on, but everything was cleared
before 5:30am). We did 3 miles warming up and back to the hotel for racing
clothes and drills. The starting line was only 400m from the front door of the
hotel, so we jogged over around 7:40 in time to get some strides in and hear
the national anthem. It was about 38 degrees and calm at the start, which ended
up feeling great. At 8am the gun went up and we were off. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
field was loaded, and I was not surprised to see the lead pack of girls surge
up with first incline leaving me behind. By the first mile (my split was 5:36)
many of the first 6 or 7 women were out of sight around the many turns this
course had. Miles 1 through 4 were basically all uphill and felt like much more
of a challenge than I had expected. I was side by side with Gina through mile 4
and then as the hills continued I started to feel the stretching in my
hamstrings transition from discomfort to pain. I eased back a bit. I was
feeling tired and pained, but still tried to push across the two bridges around
the fifth mile. The course then flattened out and was a straight shot from mile
8 to mile ten into the downtown area. Around mile 7 my pain was increasing and
my mental strength was plummeting. I was now moving 6:15 pace which was
extremely frustrating because I just know I have the ability to move that pace
in tempo runs for 12+ miles. I just tried to maintain as I entered downtown and
crossed the line at 61:32. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So
my thoughts on my race and my time? I’m not happy, really. I know I need to
stop trying to push through this pain and really get myself back to 100
percent. The racecourse was beautiful and so well put together; I just wish I
could have performed better. I am also frustrated that my first mile felt more
tiring than I had expected and that I felt like I couldn’t maintain a pace that
I am able to do mile repeats at. Why can I do 8 x mile repeats around 5:35/mile
average but can’t maintain a sub-6 mile pace for more than five? I know that
there is something I am either doing wrong in terms of race strategy or I’m not
giving my body enough credit. I have had a couple of drastic changes to my life
style, training, and diet that my body is coping with. I know it will take time
for me to be able to put all of this work into motion, so I have to keep
reminding myself to be patient. The big goal right now is my next big marathon
and then the Olympic trials marathon. That’s where 100% health is going to be most
critical. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another
big realization I had this past week was during my viewing of the NYC Marathon.
I gawked at the talented front pack day dreaming of being a part of that someday,
when it hit me: those amazing women are mostly in their 30’s. I am 21 with<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> a year of distance running under my belt. I need to look at
the big picture and know I need to take steps to get to that level, and that it’s
not going to happen overnight. And so in terms of this past weekend’s race, everyone
had sub-optimal races. And generally everyone is able to have come back races.
I have had a sub-optimal race but I know that this isn’t the end, it literally
is only the beginning. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you so much to Team USA Minnesota, RRCA, Saucony, and of course the Pittsburgh 10 Miler for helping me get to and through this race. I hope to be back soon and racing even faster!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-85142343489473075572014-10-10T13:31:00.000-07:002014-10-10T13:31:18.339-07:00Medtronic Twin Cities 10 Miler and other big updates! <div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Hey Guys! It's been a while! I have been quite busy the past week.
I moved back down to Los Angeles, I received an awesome grant, and I traveled
to Minneapolis to race in the Medtronic Twin Cities 10 Miler! To top all of
that off, my nutrition is coming along great! I want to tell you all about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">UCLA, I am back again</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="aqj"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">On Wednesday</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">I made the five hour and 20
minute drive (with 4 stops!) down to Los Angeles. I am back in my great
apartment with my previous roommate, Ella, and a new addition, Jacquelyn. After
spending three full months living at home and spending a lot of my time alone, it’s
so nice to be surrounded by friends again. I started up classes on the 2nd,
took a final vacation to Minneapolis, and then dived back into it this week.
Cell Biology is interesting, but dense, and my Biophysical Chem class is
jamming through information. Nothing I can't handle, only nine more weeks...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Minneapolis, leading up to the 10 Miler</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">On <b>Thursday</b> I took a very scary (life-threatening)
bus ride through LA traffic to LAX (my shuttle driver was very aggressive), hopped on a plane and landed in MSP around<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">11pm</span>. Eric, one
of my teammates, picked me up and helped me get settled into the Airbnb studio
apartment that my mom and I reserved in downtown Minneapolis. My mom's plane got in
at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">1am</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and then we both fell asleep before our
heads hit the pillow around<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">2am</span>. <span class="aqj"><b>Friday</b></span> was busy,
with a meeting at General Mills for a potential job opportunity when I move, a
Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Reception with Twin Cities in Motion, which the
organization that sponsors Team USA Minnesota and completely puts on the Twin
Cities Marathon weekend events. Between these two events, my mom and I explored the skyway of Minneapolis and
I got to run the first 2.5 miles of the race course. To top it all off, it was
about 50 degrees all day long! Eventually, I got used to it, but man. It’s a
cool day in LA these days when we have a high of 73! It doesn't even get below
60 at night. So, Minneapolis took some getting used to. <span class="aqj"><b>Saturday</b></span> was an early
morning of volunteering at the finish line of the 5K, 10K, and kids fun run
races. My mom, Gabe, Jon, Jon, Eric, Gina (all new teammates), and I got to
give out finishers medals. It never ceases to amaze me what an amazing
experience road racing is to so many people. The overwhelming sense of
accomplishment when crossing that finish line shows on so many smiling (and
only ONE puking) faces. I was then checked into the Crowne Plaza in St. Paul
with the other elite athletes. My mom and I explored St. Paul a bit and I was
able to run across and along the Mississippi river to do my final pre-race
shake out. We got dinner at Cossetta with Eric in St. Paul and I got everything
out and ready for the early race morning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Sunday October 5th, Medtronic Twin Cities 10 Miler</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="aqj"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">4:34am</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">I rolled over to check the time.
Then, I checked the weather: 36F, feels like 28F. My first reaction: Oh boy, I
wonder what it is in LA. 64F, even with the 2-hour time difference. Okay, that
wasn't going to make anything better. I got up, grabbed my 2 hard-boiled eggs
and cup of granola with almond milk and started chewing. The goal was to get
the food in my belly ASAP. I then put on a base layer, my Saucony jersey, a t-shirt, a long sleeve, a sweatshirt, a down jacket, and a wind breaker. On the
bottom I had on my 1/2 tights, full tights, and then sweatpants. After a quick
ride to the race start with my coach and teammates, we got our warm up going. I
quickly regretted all of those layers. I started to sweat, drenching all of my
upper layers. By the time we were heading to the start line, I was on just my
jersey, arm warmers and (soggy) half tights. I was cold, but surprisingly not
freezing. 5 strides later, the anthem was played and the gun went off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The women's elite field was not giant, but 5 of us created a pack
out front quickly into the first 200m of the race. The first mile, which
actually was 0.86 (due errors with the road closures) was a combination of
downhill, uphill, hard right turn, hard left turn. I was feeling fresh and we
were moving at (prescribed)<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">5:45</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>pace. Mile
two was tough. We were all fresh enough to jam up the biggest hill just after
crossing the river, but it wasn't without some pain. At mile two we dropped to
a lead pack of four. Through mile 3.5 it was up and down, up and down, then it
finally flattened out a bit. Allison Mendez opened up and the pack of 4 turned
into a line of 4, I was holding up the rear. I wasn't feeling like I was
running at my heart rate threshold (where I should be when running all out) but
I couldn't really pick up my legs and go much faster. I have been experiencing
some tightening in my tfls (hips) and IT bands recently, and I know the cold
was not being good to me during this race. The goal was to just maintain. I
will admit, watching the three girls ahead of me take off and disappear around
a curve, I felt like settling. Can’t have that can we? I started to focus on my
core and picking up my knees. Around mile 6 I finally felt like I was getting
into my groove. Some master’s men pulled up beside me and I did my best to work
with them, and came up beside Gina just before mile 8. Mile 4 through 9 were a
slight grade uphill, not enough to visually notice at times, but man did my
splits show it. I just tried to maintain until we reached the crest just after
mile 9 and dropped down to the St. Paul capital building and across the finish
line. I came in 3rd, with a time of 59:04. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The course was very challenging and absolutely beautiful. Twin
Cities in Motion and all of their volunteers did such a fantastic job holding
this race. I got to run my first race as a Team USA Minnesota Athlete in the
amazing place I will soon get to call home. I couldn't have asked for a better
course and experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">So what’s my take on my finish? I am not too thrilled about how my
pace turned out. Considering some of the workouts I did leading up to this
race, I know I am capable of a faster average mile pace. I also realized during
that first mile that this was the first time I had ever RACED a road race.
Prior to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">Sunday</span>,
I had only RUN a road race. I spent my past two marathons and my half marathon
running completely alone. It was a completely new experience to be running with
competition and to have to work strategically with and against one another.
Lastly, it was my first race back since my February marathon and my calcaneus
stress fracture. My coach told me that it was expected to feel weird and
different to be back on the roads like that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">So the goal now? Recover, take care of the tightness, and get
ready for the even bigger and more competitive field at the EQT Pittsburgh 10
miler on<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">November
9th</span>! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">RRCA Road Scholar Grant</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="aqj"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">On Tuesday</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">a press release was sent out
naming the eight athletes who received the Road Scholar Grant from the RRCA
organization. It’s a huge honor to not only represent the RRCA while I race the
roads for the next year, but also pretty cool to be included in the list of
incredible athletes who were also named grantees, this year and years prior. It’s
a great feeling to be receiving the same award the 2014 US Marathon Champion
Esther Erb received. I met her at the great Twin Cities elite after party<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">on Sunday</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and got to hear all about how her race
went, the play by play was great. I find her very inspiring, and to be
considered by the RRCA to have potential, just like she has potential, feels so
great. This organization is helping athletes like me race to roads and continue
to represent the amazing American distance running movement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">FOOD FOOD FOOD (food)</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Lastly, a quick nutrition update: Traveling really affected my eating habits and my GI tract. There's no easy way to say that I had to poo
the ENTIRE 10 miler. My regular daily routine was thrown off by the time change
and the early race start and it really did a number (tehe) on my race. I
100% believe that I could have run faster if I wasn't thinking about my bowels
the whole time. I was also tapered for this race so I spent a lot of days
eating and not training hard, which made me feel bloated. Rasa assured me that
it would get easier and would feel better leading up to the race. As for during
the race, she was both empathetic and willing to help me practice with
different breakfast and pre-race meal in order to ward off the urgent need to
find a port-a-potty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">On the regular, I am now back up to 128.0 lbs (my marathon race
weight) and still feeling like I am stuffing myself continuously. It is quite
amazing, though, how much my metabolism has picked up since I started fueling
with more food and more often. I generally sleep well, my mood has drastically
improved, and most importantly, a number of people, including my roommate, grad
mentor, and other good friends,<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> separately told me that I
look good. I no longer look emaciated or tired or too thin. I look like a happy
and rested athlete. It is so reassuring to hear that, because the idea of
gaining weight (like I blogged about before) is not usually a positive thing. I
am finally meeting my energy needs and still training well. It is not without
bumps in the road though, every day has its own challenges with this stuff. My
old ways of eating battle me at every meal, but like Rasa has told me, if I
want to be the best athlete I can be, I need to make sure I am getting the fuel
I need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-33483963067894885282014-09-05T13:05:00.000-07:002014-09-05T13:05:54.626-07:00Foodfoodfood! <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So my decision has
been made, I'm almost 100% back from my injury, and am now 3.5 weeks into
training with my new coach. Now that the dust has settled, I am waiting out the
end of the summer before heading back to a final quarter of school and am
finally back in shape, preparing for my fall racing season, I thought I would
share with you one of the big changes I've started making to my life now that
I've joined Team USA Minnesota:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are a zillion
reasons why Team USA Minnesota was right for me, but one important one was the
support of a nutritionist who specializes in endurance sports. I transitioned from
400m sprinting to endurance triathlon training rapidly, and along with that came
a huge drop in weight over a short amount of time. In total it was 40 lbs from
January 2011 to March 2013, but the rapid weight loss was about 25 lbs in a
matter of 2 months, November 2012 to January 2013. As an athlete with already
low body fat (6.3% at 143lbs), that’s quite a bit of weight to lose, regardless
of the time period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here I am in my peak
weight 165, freshman year of college:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHJA19qzh5un8hebwtGFoo-OG-QsRO1IRMgaBxD5JrBMzGGM6vGCUPr_fGmkd4eNBcKT46PYM1K2jd_UHApCYiTXSvc96ndqe16vaXvLcNtDAbSCwKM_yMAct9lXkYap1xOONFI_yt1U/s1600/198874_10150159270777502_6570524_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHJA19qzh5un8hebwtGFoo-OG-QsRO1IRMgaBxD5JrBMzGGM6vGCUPr_fGmkd4eNBcKT46PYM1K2jd_UHApCYiTXSvc96ndqe16vaXvLcNtDAbSCwKM_yMAct9lXkYap1xOONFI_yt1U/s1600/198874_10150159270777502_6570524_n.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and here I am about a
month ago, at my lowest, of 122.5:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB560PNnQvTmK6jaY01c8Y0-2QhETspSpGMr3BneKEYbXnWAWm8Uq-PhrI68w1mf3a3FFUhHSIfYRh0GuIcHz6SuPDfOKrY2dqcMsUrT2Eo6BnOYx7mpvA0HTq3syhF-WKcHGtn6SOJVA/s1600/1614248_10152649515567502_5001830731675650183_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB560PNnQvTmK6jaY01c8Y0-2QhETspSpGMr3BneKEYbXnWAWm8Uq-PhrI68w1mf3a3FFUhHSIfYRh0GuIcHz6SuPDfOKrY2dqcMsUrT2Eo6BnOYx7mpvA0HTq3syhF-WKcHGtn6SOJVA/s1600/1614248_10152649515567502_5001830731675650183_o.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A number of factors
came into play which caused me to lose the weight, but largely it was starting
to run longer distances and cycling often while still consuming the same amount
of food as I was when I was a sprinter. It doesn't take a genius to know that
those two sports DEFINITELY require different fuel. My hunger never really
caught up to me too because it was so rapid. To top it all off, I, as a
biochemistry major, know the ins and outs of the Central Metabolic Pathway, all
of the different mechanisms for energy production and sources, fat storage,
vitamin requirements, etc. I am a nutrition and food science geek. Seriously, I
read nutritional biochemistry journals for fun. It’s hard to maintain proper
food intake when my favorite foods are steamed broccoli, 0% fat greek yogurt,
and turkey deli meat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So what happens when I’m
in a constant state of <u>improper energy balance</u>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">High kidney and liver
enzyme function</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: both organs are working extra hard to detox my blood from all of
the tissue break down. When I don't feed myself enough, my body breaks down its
other tissues (muscle first). Extended high levels can sometimes lead to
permanent liver damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Low Estrogen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: that’s right, low body fat means I
can't store my fat<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Emily%20%20Gordon" datetime="2014-09-05T12:59">-</ins></span>soluble steroids. My levels are
PREPUBESCENT. So I'm functioning at levels lover than a 10 or 11 year old girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Low Vitamin D</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: another steroid-derivative that is
linked to bone health. It also leaves me at high risk for early onset
osteoporosis. So I'm not only an 11 year old girl but also a 75 year old woman
too. Sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sleep issues</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: without enough fuel through the
night, when the liver is functioning at its highest, my body is alerting me to
get up and get some fuel because it doesn't want to break down my organ
tissues. I would often wake up 4 to 5 times a night and have weak sleep periods
between those times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Body Temp Regulation
Issues</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: with low body fat,
I get cold very easily. I have had to wear my wet suit in the heated outdoor
pool in Los Angeles, I get goose bumps after I eat because all of my blood flow
goes to my stomach, and I suffered pretty severe hypothermia at a triathlon in
March 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THANKFULLY, with a
trip to the doctor, I found all of this out and that I needed to reverse it
immediately. That was about 9 months ago. I gained 2 lbs for my marathon in
February but then dropped back down 5 - 6 lbs when I was cross training from my
stress fracture injury.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I needed a
nutritionist, but not any old one would do. Enter Rasa Troup. In addition to
supporting Team USA Minnesota athletes, she also works with athletes at the
University of Minnesota. She has a fantastic steeplechase career under her belt
and now is doing a phenomenal job as a nutritionist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After going over my
health issues, my training load, and my eating habits, she set out to change my
ways. We Skype once a week, and in each session she teaches me a bit about the
balance that I need. Step by step, we've been adding meals, foods, and volume
into my diet. She says we have to "train my GI tract" to be able to
hold more food and teach my body the new state in which I will be functioning
and training. She is helping me avoid calorie counting, and instead gave me a
general guideline so I can guestimate and substitute different foods in my
meals. The first goal: 3 snacks roughly 400-500 calories, 3 meals roughly 700
calories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We started with
snacks, making sure I eat 6 times a day. Then we started increasing my meals. Instead
of a 1/2 cup of oats and 1 tablespoon of nut butter (cashew butter rocks, you
should really try it) with two scrambled eggs, I am now eating 1 full cup of
oats with the nut butter, added dried fruits, and the eggs have soy cheese
added too! Just a ton of food to then have to eat again two hours later. But,
like she was telling me, it’s about training my body to know the volume of food
to start getting used to. Next up is lunch! I’m making sure my meals are
balanced and I’m getting enough carbohydrate sources. I sternly believe in
keeping veggies as a staple in my diet, but for now, to gain body fat and
weight to make my organs happy and healthy again, I need to increase the grains
in my diet. She has me keep a food journal, where I take pictures and write
down what is in every meals. I send them to her and they help us figure out
what I am lacking, needs improvement, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have been working
with Rasa now for about three weeks, so what have I noticed:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am rarely ever
"stomach-grouping" hungry</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Before beginning with Rasa, I (and my mother who dealed
with my grumpy, hungry mood swings) found myself feeling absolutely famished
when I approached my next meal. I would often try and hold out for a meal
rather than snacking which left me feeling crummy. Now I hardly ever find
myself hungry and instead have to keep track of the time to make sure im
spacing out all of my feedings so that I have a constant flow of nutrients. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am sleeping well</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: only waking up once a night!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am recovering
better</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: able to do multiple
workout days in a row and feeling much peppier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My workouts are going
awesomely</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I ran some great
mile repeats earlier this week, faster than I have ever run them before. I am
able to see my fitness improving and feeling like I don't have to put in quite
as much effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eating a lot is hard</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: everyone I talk to finds it silly
that I have the issue of not being able to eat enough. At my lunch breaks at
work, I have fifteen minutes to SHOVEL food into my mouth, and I'm still not
getting enough. The societal issue of eating too much and wanting to eat less
is the complete opposite for my situation. I am in a constant state of chewing
and explaining to people that yes I do need to eat that giant plate of food,
and no I will not end up looking like the chubby security guard. Instead I will
be a better runner and healthier human being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The difference Rasa's
approach has made</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I worked with a dietitian last year who was focused on calories
and specific calculations to figure out my needs. This dietitian made me
calculate out 8 nuts, 4 oz of meat, 1/2 cut rice, etc. Rasa on the other hand
does that work on her own and then used the approach of helping me build meals
and snacks that meet the deficits that I have. I got a general outline of what
each meal and snack should have (food groups, amounts) and then she gives me a
bunch of ideas of how to satisfy those.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since that doctor
visit 9 months ago, I have been telling myself that I need to gain this weight
for my health. If I want to live a happy, healthy, long life, I need to do what
is necessary. But why did it take so long to finally click? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have you looked
around at the fitness magazines, the fashion magazines, the news, food boxes,
heck have you looked EVERYWHERE? What is our culture focused on? WEIGHT LOSS.
What do girls say their ideal bodies are? Thin, lean, and defined. Without
initially trying, I achieved a thin, lean, and defined figure, but at the cost
of my internal health. The world around me is focused on losing 5, 10, 20
pounds and find beauty in being skinny and fat-free. When I am told that my
goals are to gain those pounds, the surrounding environment sure doesn't know
how to respond. There is plenty of judgment passed on what girls and people in
general should be putting into their bodies. Popular articles all talk about
eating less, eating foods to stay full, and so on. And I know as an elite
athlete, my needs are very different from the average. But how come we don't
see articles catered to serious athletes? They could talk about nutrients and
habits that focused on eating enough, getting adequate energy sources and
ratios, etc. Up until now, I have let the cultural stigma of WEIGHT GAIN get to
me. I would try for a bit and then fall back into my veggie and protein diet,
partially because of the environment around me and partially because I have
trained myself to crave that stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I got to sit down
with Stephanie Rothstein Bruce</span>—<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a sub 2:30 marathoner and an advocate for good body
image</span>—<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and talk heart to
heart about the absolute importance of eating enough for your health as being
the number one priority. She helped me figure this out: you only have one body
and it is 100% more important that a running career. You have to do what is
good and right for it and you have to be stronger than the judgment of the
weight-loss crazed society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This time around, I
have finally grasped the urgency of the regeneration of my health and the
importance it has on my training. I can't run fast if I’m lacking the essential
fuel to run, recover, and improve. Being fit and healthy is a universal goal,
and for right now, healthy means eating bucketloads of food and gaining some
much needed meat on my bones. So I plan to keep putting good food into my body,
the right amount of it in, and bask in the good feeling and increased training
performance I am having. I am so thankful for<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> Team USA
Minnesota, rasa Troup, and my family for the support system that is allowing me
to make the change in my life. I have no doubt that this will help with my
racing and livelihood in the weeks, months, and years to come!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>So next time you see
me, ask me why I don't have food in my mouth :p</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-63911256938796390912014-08-12T07:38:00.003-07:002014-08-12T07:38:56.477-07:00I've decided where I will be living and running come 2015!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD7vDGBYbM6iEiVcy5NvMRNL9pKjZ_rB0lCZKiYWfuJsJ1RcYLD6OWHR6fW8lcmdngAiOKd12kM2kuNVDofkLAzRxJfcpX33f4nPR5K07fJ-eWFugAdyD1VkjE6NhfA4iIzJgQjMujEQ/s1600/IMG_0847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD7vDGBYbM6iEiVcy5NvMRNL9pKjZ_rB0lCZKiYWfuJsJ1RcYLD6OWHR6fW8lcmdngAiOKd12kM2kuNVDofkLAzRxJfcpX33f4nPR5K07fJ-eWFugAdyD1VkjE6NhfA4iIzJgQjMujEQ/s1600/IMG_0847.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EFOWJEMqQR_kNynFONL0EgFXSgZDGo-1E08tojgC161bQhLcs4ZIufFSNhsfRRdnXZrIlJt9Yy1Y3uoUyvnx8R72dI-jtyUCzTgmfvlqBtIoLnxrOdyJIRjGJ7zvIxqmijlmVRmvQ2Y/s1600/IMG_0910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EFOWJEMqQR_kNynFONL0EgFXSgZDGo-1E08tojgC161bQhLcs4ZIufFSNhsfRRdnXZrIlJt9Yy1Y3uoUyvnx8R72dI-jtyUCzTgmfvlqBtIoLnxrOdyJIRjGJ7zvIxqmijlmVRmvQ2Y/s1600/IMG_0910.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
So this has basically been my view for the past 28 days. From July 8th until August 5th I have been galavanting around the US, landing in 7 states on 11 flights (4 delayed, and 2 early), visiting 3 elite running teams and 1 RunPro Elite Running Camp. Man! What a month it has been, all in the name of running. You see, I have been looking for an elite Olympic development team to join after I finish up these nagging 12 remaining units at UCLA this Fall.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, I have made my decision. All of the coaches, team members and communities associated with these teams were very welcoming and helpful. I was able to explore three new cities and meet some exceptional runners along the way. I knew this decision was not going to be an easy one, and I had to remind myself, in the words of a good friend Jeff Caron, "There is no bad decision you can make." It's so true, no matter what, I'll be on a team surrounded by support in my efforts for training of the Olympic trials and beyond. All there was to do now was find somewhere I can be HAPPY living and training...<br />
<br />
This is my new home:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF73DUsV95b0Qcafo-8nRWHgc1i02vYg4pHPEnYqCfzZxybBWNoZFL-5E8-xpqWmYr59q5rRjGAvrmi6QskFo9bFZu-jEDvs4vTfr6SWXNCKqEf2MPL0qjI6pIgMS__6_ZuS3vHDAVgE/s1600/IMG_0859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF73DUsV95b0Qcafo-8nRWHgc1i02vYg4pHPEnYqCfzZxybBWNoZFL-5E8-xpqWmYr59q5rRjGAvrmi6QskFo9bFZu-jEDvs4vTfr6SWXNCKqEf2MPL0qjI6pIgMS__6_ZuS3vHDAVgE/s1600/IMG_0859.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Team USA Minnesota </span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><b> in </b></span><b style="color: purple;">Minneapolis, Minnesota!</b><br />
I quickly fell in love with all of the beautiful lakes and running paths. A 32 mile continuous biking and running path encircles the Minneapolis area! I was drawn to the definite downtown that is edgy and diverse, but not too big and crowded. I will get the best of both worlds, some quiet, open, and suburban areas directly adjacent to the lively, urban downtown.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jUgEkZ3HNF25P66ASFpW6pLYAjqeXFdBQT4fqEsaqZJKYFQLprFRTOD4ohMXQwNWa0KWd061xvgPRZOpnPTSs8QZW1G6ZFhnY4EbkZftbYdNJeJ1KOR9OLXKxotyoz8Wvh2Io8kbJCM/s1600/IMG_0860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jUgEkZ3HNF25P66ASFpW6pLYAjqeXFdBQT4fqEsaqZJKYFQLprFRTOD4ohMXQwNWa0KWd061xvgPRZOpnPTSs8QZW1G6ZFhnY4EbkZftbYdNJeJ1KOR9OLXKxotyoz8Wvh2Io8kbJCM/s1600/IMG_0860.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I will begin working with a new coach named Dennis Barker. He has done a fantastic job as the head coach of Team USA Minnesota for a number of years and has had successful runners in races from the 800m all the way to the marathon distances. He bases much of his work on heart rate and effort and does considerable science-based research to back up his training technique. Another huge factor in my decision to come here is his passion for endlessly learning about new physiological and nutritional concepts that can give his athletes that extra edge.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVMObAmyTjCyXZewWhBvVpfOK8wL_F6UiBLN-VAhGqNnPgyy3Xrtc7sXZT03WUth9OEn1ITkO-3OGtKFxl7F-4KxrN0dx7a_uH39r12JSM7zwKU0adnV6A1OokWc5TuQahKW8bNYKaRM/s1600/IMG_0864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVMObAmyTjCyXZewWhBvVpfOK8wL_F6UiBLN-VAhGqNnPgyy3Xrtc7sXZT03WUth9OEn1ITkO-3OGtKFxl7F-4KxrN0dx7a_uH39r12JSM7zwKU0adnV6A1OokWc5TuQahKW8bNYKaRM/s1600/IMG_0864.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I also met some AMAZING people while I was there, who were so welcoming to me. All of the team members (about 10 or 11 total) were friendly and excited about my interest in the team. Not only the direct members, but also the community. The husbands of runners, the chiropractor, the sponsoring organizations of the team, the team board members and even some of the Minneapolis locals exuded excitement for me and for the running!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcRTU_9WXYv359xJOF4_vPE3hoEcdmIoPCEFSdQlNV7WubwZ2zAIXy4hGs_tP0r_HCZhdSHZvf1amjGeTRjkp_ADSByblxinmp7Xr2aCmDrtWmCUuGRAGvkdBLOiDjpjMIEvUbr68cwI/s1600/GOPR1299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcRTU_9WXYv359xJOF4_vPE3hoEcdmIoPCEFSdQlNV7WubwZ2zAIXy4hGs_tP0r_HCZhdSHZvf1amjGeTRjkp_ADSByblxinmp7Xr2aCmDrtWmCUuGRAGvkdBLOiDjpjMIEvUbr68cwI/s1600/GOPR1299.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pictured: My new coach Dennis Barker and some of my new teammates Jon Peterson, Meghan Peyton, and Eric Finan at the Minneapolis Torchlight 5K on July 24th during my recruit visit!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
In the end, I found that a team which will provide me a stipend to cover some living expenses while allowing me to continue working in the sciences. It is the balance I was looking for. I will have a supportive coach and team atmosphere while I will still be able to have an independent work/school life. For me, this is the best fit.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So What's next?</span><br />
1. Continue to <b>increase my milage</b> and stay healthy so that I get get back into racing!<br />
2. <b>Twin Cities 10 Miles on October 5th</b> in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the <b>Pittsburgh 10 Miler on</b><br />
<b> November 9th</b><br />
3. Finish up Physical Biochemistry and two upper division biology classes<br />
4. Move back to Santa Clara, California and wait out the FREEZING COLD winters in Minnesota<br />
5. <b>Move to Minnesota in March</b>.<br />
<br />
<br />
I have a few other races planned through early spring 2015, but it is way more fun to reveal them as I go. I am excited for what the future holds... except <i>maybe</i> the negative temperature winter days in Minnesota... Its going to take some getting used to.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-22971333428272804112014-07-30T18:30:00.001-07:002014-07-30T18:30:35.871-07:00Why My Story is Worth Telling <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">For my first real blog post, I figured
it best to address the reason as to why this blog was created. You see, this
wasn’t exactly my idea. I have seen many people take up blogging as a way of
sharing their lives with the world; from elite runners, to cooking
connoisseurs, to movie critics, everyone seems to have something they
considered important to share. My question: was my story worth something? I
mean, I am your average 21 year old college student: I like to be fit, I spend
too much time browsing the internet, I call my mom at least once a quarter
stressed out of my mind about passing my classes, and I eat cereal by the
fistful. So is the only significant thing my uncanny ability to run for long
periods of time without feeling the desire to slow down or stop? I know lots of
people who do that. Is it that I’ve been able to turn something I did strictly
because I enjoyed it into a possible career? I know quite a few awesome people
who have done this too. So again I ask myself, what makes my story worth
sharing? And this is what I’ve come up with:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Each of the achievements I’ve made –
attending college as a 400m hurdler on the collegiate team, quitting the team
to pursue school, joining and competing for the club triathlon team, trying my
first marathon, and now road racing at an elite level – have been achieved by a
number of people. Each of these things on its own is a huge accomplishment and
is worth celebrating. My story is special because of the unexpected giant leap
I made from short sprints into long distance running and in such a short amount
of time. Even more, the fact that I could completely redefine what I was “good”
at my age is notable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I know what you’re thinking… “You’re
21!! You’ve got so much time to reinvent yourself and find out what you’re good
at.” But think again. Even in high school, we are categorized by what we decide
to focus on. I was the hurdler girl. There were the partiers, the band kids,
and the scholars. Everyone had a category into which they generally continued
to fit. And into college we went, mostly remaining within those lines. When I
happened to decide to deviate from the hurdler identity, it was literally and
physically stressful; an identity crisis. But within a year, I had found a new
identity as an elite marathoner. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!? Well, its not an easy
answer but one thing I do know for sure is that the road was not smooth and
that contrary to how most humans see the world, things don’t fall into the
categories we make. I am a prime example of leaving something at which I was
good and finding something completely new at which I was even better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Seems to me that if it's possible for me
to fall into a new passion for which I have an innate knack that many people
out there probably have numerous talents too. So enough of putting people into
categories by their skills and capabilities, enough of making a finite judgment
about someone’s potential. Even more: enough of putting YOURSELF into a finite
category. Who knows what skills and passions you possess which you haven’t even
discovered!? Go out and do something risky and completely new. You WILL
surprise yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">So this is why my story is so special
and totally worth sharing with the world. It is a call to action for everyone
who thinks they are at a place in their life where they have to settle with
their skills and potential. You can do more that you ever imagined you could.
All it takes is a bit of action! For me, that action is now to pursue this
silly thing we call elite running. As I look for an elite team, each of the
coaches is ecstatic about how much of a clean slate I am. I am still such a
rookie in this sport and getting used to calling myself a distance runner. I
have so much to learn and all I have to do is continue to put one foot in front
of the other and see where they take me. I hope my journey can inspire you to do
the same!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">P.S. I decided to enter the RUNNER’S
WORLD COVER CONTEST so that I can continue to spread my awesome (new) love for
this distance running thing. This is the link to my entry à <a href="http://covercontest.runnersworld.com/entry/1812/"><span style="color: #1652ca;">http://covercontest.runnersworld.com/entry/1812/</span></a> , and
you can vote every day for me! I would love your help (:</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596750162417177044.post-14777173495373964762014-07-27T15:41:00.000-07:002014-07-28T08:10:29.785-07:00Hello world, here's a little blip about who I am and why my blog might be interesting to follow. I have a unique story that is only beginning to unfold in the world of elite distance running. There are only good things to come. Here goes nothing:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I'm Emily Gordon, a Senior at UCLA Studying Biochemistry with a minor in Biomedical research. I will be finishing up a final quarter at UCLA this Fall 2014 before I venture off to an olympic development distance running program! After two years as a 400m hurdler on my collegiate teams, I decided I was done with the stress and struggles I was experiencing on the track. So I dove head first into my science major and fell in love with research. I have completed over a year and a half in a plant development microbiology lab and love (almost) every minute of the creative and exciting process of research. I would like to continue into biochemical food/nutrition science with a Masters or PhD program in the future. I guess I can revise my interests to include food because not only do I love the science of the macronutrients, but I also love preparing and eating them too! Anyways, I picked up triathlon as a hobby for a year as a study break before signing up for a marathon on a whim with my club teammates. I surprised myself with a 2:51.44 time at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco and decided to give road racing a go. 4 months later, I got my Olympic Trials Qualifier for the 2016 Olympics Marathon with a time of 2:39.58. I then shortly after signed onto the Saucony Hurricane Racing team! Unfortunately an injury sidelined my running, but not my drive to begin the steps in advancing my running career. I am currently searching and deciding on an olympic development program team to begin with in January 2015 in preparation for the Olympic Trials and beyond. I am excited to share my seemingly Cinderella-like story with the world and to inspire everyone to try something completely new. Who knows, you may find a new talent that you didn't know you had, or even better, a new passion. My new passion is to run run run and also do some biochemistry on the side. I am excited what the future has in store and hopefully entertain you with the bumps and bruises along the way.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13877553395258247703noreply@blogger.com0