28 miles and I'll be "Ready to Rumble"

I hope everyone understands my last post.  My intention was not to exclude anyone.  I enjoy reading running blogs of all kinds and all paces.  I feed off the joys/trials of newer runners.  I also love reading the posts from faster crowd.  I love to "dream" through their posts - ha.   I also, enjoy reading blogs of similar paces and I noticed I follow fewer blogs that fall into "my category."  For those of you who made recommendations - I thank you.

Last weekend I went to a 5k in Luling, LA.  The Rock N Run 5k.   I had researched the 5k market for Sat. Nov. 19th, in search of a "flat and fast" 5k.  (I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses.  I'm not great, or even good at racing on hills.  (this is something I really want to work on, but currently my focus is on running as many PRs as possible, while I still can.  I can race on hills down the line when my PR opportunities have passed me by)

This is a great small race.  I loved the tag line....."If you wanna Rock, you gotta Run"  As you can see, this was the 2nd Annual R N R, and I must say, they have their act together.   I'm always a little nervous about going to new smaller races.......you just NEVER know what you will get.  I REALLY HATE going to a race, with a PR opportunity, and finish the race to find the course wasn't accurate (2.9 miles, etc)    This race was very organized, great giveaways, and accurate (3.11 = happy me)

I won a Rock!   The rock says 2nd place overall "YOU ROCK" on it.  Cute!  (small race indeed - maybe 80-90 runners)

So I left the race with a new friends, a rock, I won a paper shredder and a PR. 

I'll spare you the details, but I'm happy to report I had a PR race.  I always like to run a 5k close to my marathon.  It tells me a lot about my current fitness.    I went into this race with very little speed work, but after the recent 10k PR, I hoped, and felt like it would be a good day.  I wasn't disappointed!  I'm excited that I ran 22:59 (this was my 2012 goal - to run sub 23).  I'm VERY excited and looking forward to my training in Jan. -March.  I intend to focus on the 5k which I have never been able to do in the winter because I always opt for marathon training instead.  Early 2012 will be different.  Good things ahead for 2012.  


Recap:
Week of:
Nov. 14th - 57 miles running with a 5k, 2.5 miles walking, 3 days of Supreme 90 day, and 1 yoga class
Nov. 21st - 44 miles running with 3 X 1 mile @ 7:28 avg. on Thurs. and 13 @ 9:31 avg. today (sat), 5 days of Supreme 90 day, 1 yoga class.  Sunday will be a walk day/recovery 5-7 miles of walking this week- (depending on how far I walk on Sunday)


So, I have decided that I will run 25-28 miles before the marathon on Saturday.  I  followed this program for 12 weeks, as called for, with 2 exceptions....

**the Bar Harbor 26.2 mile training run (not on the plan)
**and as Jill so astutely noticed, my 20 mile run 2 weeks ago at 8:52 avg (with 10 miles at 8:32) was NOT on the schedule.  (Yes, I went off the reservation, but I did miss my 12 mile marathon pace run because that was the wk of the marathon, and I wanted to run it slow because of the added distance (26.2 miles @ 9:44 avg) blah, blah, blah, blah blah.    


any hoo - I'm sticking with the plan this week......

25-28 miles and I'll be "Ready to Rumble", Sat. (3rd)

in Baton Rouge, LA

**If you want to pick a mile - (18-25 - because that's when it get's TOUGH), and share a mantra or thought, I would LOVE IT!

Help Me Find My Peers

I find it interesting as I read blogs that I come across many bloggers who are much faster than I am, and I come across bloggers who are slower, but I rarely come across the blogs of my peers.  For instance, I follow MANY FAST runners who run 3:00 to 3:30 marathons, and I come across many in the 4:15-5:00+ marathon group, but I haven't located many 3:30 - 4:00 marathoner bloggers.  I know they are out there, I just haven't come across them yet.  So if you happen to follow any 3:30-4:00 marathoners, 22:00-23:00 5kers, or 46-48:00 in the 10K group,  please send me a link.  I would love to add them to my reading list.

Finishing up the week with 70 miles.  The consistent higher mileage (high for me) is paying off.  I'm handling the mileage better than I EVER dreamed possible.  I feel strong!   I had a 20 miler on Sat.
I ran the first 10 @  9:12 avg
The next 10 miles @ 8:32 avg with the last 2 miles being at 8:13 and 8:14
Average pace for the 20 miler - 8:52
It was cloudy, and a little humid (good practice - race day may be similar).
The temps started in the mid 50s, but quickly hit the mid 60s.
As I finished the 20, yes, I was ready to be done, BUT.... most of the time,  as I finish my long run, (3 wks out from my goal race), I typically finish the run WONDERING, how will I run at a FASTER pace, and add on 4-6 more miles.  This time, I finished ready to be done, but I could have gone more.  This time, I finished with hope and excitement about the race to come.  3 weeks, and I will be READY to RACE.....

This program doesn't taper a lot, which I prefer. (not as much as my former programs anyway).  Lately, I've been tapering "less",  and feel that works better for me.  I feel I'm on top of my game, and if I taper too much, I feel lazy,  and tend to lose my mental edge.  So my taper weeks will go from 70 miles this week, to:
**57-59 miles this coming wk, with a 5k race
**44 miles the following wk
**Race week - the program calls for 28 miles prior to my race on Sat.  I'm still thinking about this.????
I'm not sure I want to run that many miles before my 26.2 goal race on Sat.
(typically I run more like 15 miles leading up to my 26.2 mile race)
Opinions please!  how many miles do you run the week of your marathon???

This week's discoveries:

**Raspberries - I DID NOT KNOW how yummy fresh raspberries are - pricey, but one of my new favorite fruits.

**Oatmeal Pancakes

On my last blog, I mentioned the Cut The Fat podcast, which I enjoy while running.  On a recent podcast (recent to me) Blythe mentioned a recipe for Oatmeal Pancakes.   I'm a huge lover of pancakes, and Blythe promised these were delicious, so why not give them a try.  I tried them, I love them.  

(I cooked them again this morning.  I cooked some for Chad who said "they taste like cardboard."  ha ha  everyone likes something different)

I think he didn't like the texture of the oats.  He is accustomed to fluffy, smooth(no fiber) pancakes.  

It's funny,  the texture is one of the things that I love about them.  For me, the texture equals fiber and filling.  I didn't use the blender.   Had I used the blender, they may have been more appealing to Chad. (I mixed the batter with a mixer)

Give them a try:

Oatmeal Pancake Recipe (from the website)

This recipe has now been a family favorite for many years. I share it with everyone and anyone who is open to the possibility of eating oatmeal pancakes… in my opinion, everyone should eat them!

In a blender add:

• 1 whole egg
• ½ c. NO SALT ADDED cottage cheese
• ½ c. dry oatmeal (Quaker-style old fashioned rolled oats work best)
• Dash of water

*this recipe yields 1 serving (2 pancakes)

Blend all ingredients into smooth batter. If your batter seems thick, add a dash of water. If your batter gets too thin, you may refrigerate for 15-30 minutes and it will thicken. Pour onto pan or griddle just like pancakes.

I usually make this recipe x 4. This way everyone in the family can enjoy pancakes for breakfast. Top with natural peanut butter or our new fave Better ‘n Peanut Butter (a low fat peanut butter that is all nautral) and sugar free syrup or natural jam and ENJOY!

For my version, I added cinnamon (I add cinnamon to everything possible) and nutmeg.  

The 2nd time I added cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla

Also my cottage cheese was lowfat, and low sodium (our grocery doesn't stock no sodium cottage cheese)

I topped mine with homemade jelly. 

Nova Scotia and a PR race

Mom, Me, Linde - sister

Linde - love that smile....

coming out of the bushes....potty break (sisters can be evil - yes)

 Crazy tides in Nova Scotia

 Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

 Nova Scotia

 Nova Scotia

 Nova Scotia

 Mom supporting me at MDI 26.2

 Finishing marathon # 21

Getting "blown away" on Cadillac Mountain, waiting for sunrise, and FREEZING...

Mom - she's awesome!

Acadia National Park Fall 2011

So What's Up?

week of Oct 31st

Run - 62 miles

Walk - 2.5 miles

Yoga - 1 class

Supreme90day - 2 times (slacker)

Sat. - Senior Bowl 10k - Mobile, AL - 55 degrees 

**47:20 official time (7:37 avg)  (1:18 PR) 

**Garmin time 47:28

**Overall 111 out of 827

**Age Group - 40-44 - 2nd place (not sure how many in age group)

(previous 10K pr was in 2008 Senior Bowl 10k - 48:38)

What a super day in Mobile.  Linde (sister) went to the race this year.  She walked the 5k.   I had a SUPER day, and you guys KNOW, I'm savoring ANY and EVERY PR that I run.  I appreciate and savor the victory.  It's not a natural thing for me.  I WORK, EXTRA HARD,  and some days it pays off.  The week leading up to the race, I just felt like I would run a PR.  Mid-week, the weather was predicted to be on my side, so it was "game on"....nothing left to do on race day but execute the plan (the plan - RMAO)  

After the race I saw a couple of friends and then we headed to Louisiana for Chad's big day - the IFA Redfish Tour Championship tournament.   He and his partner, Jay ended up 7th in the tournament and won 1st place in the "Ultra 6 Tournament" - a good day for him too, and he walks away with VACATION MONeY - Sweet!

Chad & Jay 2011

Week of Nov 7th

**This week I'm working on 70 miles for the week, with a 20 miler on Sat.

**need to get the S90D workouts back up to 3-5 per wk

**Mon -S90D Tabata,  recovery from 18 miles on Sunday - 6 miles am and 4 miles pm

**Tues. - 11 miles on the Longleaf (asphalt) 8:55 avg. - 2 mile w/u, 6 X 1000 @ 7:24 avg pace, & then just finishing out to get 11

**Wed - 15 miles - first 10 at 10:10 avg. - last 5 miles I picked up the pace, and ended with 9:48 avg pace for the run.

**Wed weigh-in - up 1.5 lbs. -  first week to be up - MUST "nip this in the bud", regroup, and cut back a tiny bit. Upping the maintenance motivation through podcasts.  

Some of my favorites to keep me on track:

(all of these can be found on I-tunes)

Cut The Fat

Fat to Fit

Jillian Michaels

Each of these help me to focus on healthy eating, a healthy lifestyle, and moderation.  Running for PRs doesn't come easy for me, and neither does weight maintenance.  I have to work hard and stay focused.  

**Please send me maintenance tips and motivation - podcasts, tips, tricks

**We're at peak leaf season in MS.  Today, I had 15 miles on my schedule.  I met Kelly and Jen on the Longleaf.  Kelly ran 3, Jen ran 10, and then I finished the last 5 solo.   The leaves were amazing.  So awesome to go out and enjoy the beauty on a run.  

**Sat the 12th - will be 3 weeks out from Baton Rouge marathon - goal race.

**Sat the 19th - need to find a 5k to go for a PR.  If I find the right course (flat and fast), and get a good weather day, I KNOW I can PR, and feel like I can go sub 23.   (current PR is 23:06)