Pre-Ragnar 2012

 

Some time ago I started working on my Bucket List of races and adventures I want to take while I’m in good health and enjoying my new found love of running. One of the races happened to be to run a Ragnar Relay after following my friend Angie out in Las Vegas. Although she and I haven’t connected personally in years, having the chance to follow her athletic endeavors had sparked my interest in the Ragnar Relay Series. So I put my name on the list of “Runners Looking for Teams” in PA and the rest, as they say in novels, is history.

My adventure began in July when I was first in contact with a team captain in charge of THE RUNNING DIVAS. Now as the “queen” of my household I’ve always known I had some “diva” running through my veins. After a few quick emails, a discussion with my DH, I had my invite and was on my way to a Ragnar! WOW!

Little did I know that this was only the beginning of my journey. As I type this we are 9 sleeps from the starting line!

For some of you, Ragnar is not a part of your vocabulary. For me it is currently totally encompassing my life and I love it. My hubby will be the first to tell you that when I put my mind to something it tends to become an obsession. I’d rather think of it as dedication, but yes I do eat, sleep, and run Ragnar currently.

A quick overview would be 12 runners, 2 vans, 24 hours and 200 miles.  We will each run 3 legs of the course beginning on a Friday morning and finishing at some point on Saturday. The logo of Ragnar says EAT, SLEEP, RUN, REPEAT. That pretty much sums it up minus the actual sleep part I don’t think happens too much!

Since July I have met the most amazing women through Facebook, email, phonecalls and texting. My team is made up of athletes from PA, WI, FL, TX and NY. Everyone has different lives, loves and occupations but we all do one thing the same. RUN!

Most of our conversations do revolve around the adventure we will be taking in a few short days, but we also cheer on each other through good times, bad times and hardship that we wish to share with each other. I believe that some fate has brought us together, not only to kick ass on this adventure, but to support each other and even be friends after the finish line is long behind us.

After the event I will blog again about some of our crazy, sleepless, fun adventures. But for now I am letting the anticipation of the upcoming adventure we call Ragnar carry me along.

To all of  my Running Divas out there…I love you and CANNOT wait to continue this journey together!

Hugs, XOXOX

Rachel

~If you run, you are a runner!

Summer Training

Summer training = heat, humidity and a whole lot of sweat!

Now I am not above working up a good sweat, but I truly am not a big fan of running when the temps start to rise above 80 degrees.
Through my research and reading of Jeff Galloway's book, Half Marathon - You Can Do It! He charts that you are significantly slowed down in running when the temps get over 60 degrees. If the temps are 66 - 69 degrees F you should be slowing your pace down by a mile/minute. That is substantial when you are training and says alot for those of you (like me) who may feel nauseated when running in the heat!

With the goal setting that Runnerbud Jen and I have done, training is currently in full swing. We have a 10 miler in just a few weeks, a 200 mile Ragnar Relay in October and our first 1/2 marathon in March. I'm sure we will toss a few 5K's in there for good measure as well.
As we have been increasing our mileage I decided it was time for a fuel belt. If you know me well, you realize I had to research them to death online and in the stores. I feel bad for the guy in Flying Feet who helped me take apart, resize and put back together about 5 types of belts. THEN I decided to check out the water bottles that you carry in your hand. If you have never checked out the variety of bottles and belts out there, I must tell you that the choices are dizzying!
In the end I decided to go with the I-Fitness fuel belt that has 2 bottles on it and a good size pocket for gels, Shot-bloks or even an I-phone. It took me about two runs to get used to wearing it and I will admit I'm sold on wearing it. Any runs over 3 miles, I have to have hydration. Which brings me to remind you to HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE out there!

Did you know that your metabolism slows down when you are dehydrated?

If you want to read more about running in the heat check out these informative links!
Tips for Running in the heat
Myths About Running in the Heat

So for the next month or two, Runnerbud Jen and I will keep on keeping on as we have for months. Kicking it before dawn seems to help us find cooler temps (and less traffic!) which in turn helps us to add those training miles to our runs.
Of course if all else fails...sign up for runs that have cold, frosty beverages at the end!

If you run, you are a runner!
~Rachel

The Color Run Philly Experience

The Color Run experience was just that…an experience. No PR, timing chips or racing was going on. This was one of those runs that I had on my bucket list and was able to enlist 3 of my girls to join me on the journey. This is definitely one that the kids could join in and enjoy as well. (Maybe next time!)

The Philly Color Run was the largest ever this past weekend and they touted 23,000 runners. Considering the large number, it was well run and the volunteers had as much fun as the runners!

We arrived the day before to do some touristy things and stopped at the check in Saturday afternoon. The line in Color Village looked long, but didn’t take more than 20 minutes to get us through. The dance music being piped through the speakers helped and we jammed out in line while waiting…yes dancing did take place!

Due to the large numbers & extreme heat we wanted to get there before the start time of 7:00am so we headed out about 6:30. We stayed in the city so luckily we didn’t have to deal with parking issues. The sea of white was enormous as we headed for the starting line. (All participants start the race by wearing white)

Here we are in our white garb, you can see the folks behind us in white as well!

1,000 runners were started in waves every 5 minutes and it seemed to go quite smoothly. Although we arrived well before the start, we were pretty far back in the wave line. By the grace of some higher power a Color Run volunteer opened the gate and allowed a large group of us through and we actually ended up running in wave #4.

The idea behind the Color Run is to get sprayed with color each kilometer. The color is cornstarch with food coloring in it and the volunteers spray you with it using large bottles that looked like condiment bottles. If you run in the middle of the path- that is the low color zone, if you run on the sides you are in a high color zone. I’m glad I wore sunglasses because the powder was everywhere in the color zones. It didn't burn your eyes, but you had no clean body parts to wipe your eyes if it got in. Probably not a good race for asthmatics as I was breathing color through the zone. (Nose blowing has been interesting the past 2 days to say the least...)

I have to say the first 2 zones were a little skimpy on the pink and blue, but the orange zone was going crazy. By the end we were an array of rainbow colors and some people were even rolling around in the powder on the ground to get extra colorful.

Jen and I after color zone pink and blue. You can see the powder flying behind us from the color zone.

You can see I am overly orange in this photo! That zone was color happy!

 Each runner is given a packet of extra color to throw at the after race festival so needless to say we were pelted with more colors post-race by random color throwing racers. It was pretty cool too to walk through the city seeing other color runners who had finished the race as well. We definitely spiced up the city of Philly on Sunday.

You absolutely want to do this run with some friends and go into it with a happy attitude. The music is fun and the colors are great; a good picture taking, memory making kind of day. I used a disposable camera as I was a little leary about my IPhone with the color dust. I did have it with me in a baggie and that seemed to work okay. The pics are little blurry thru the baggie, but you get the idea.

Here we are post-race in our rainbow attire. You may notice there are only 3 of us here...we lost Diane after the run in the mob of 23.000 people. Note to all runners - ALWAYS decide on a meeting place post race. We learned the hard way. (No worries she is safe and sound now!)

So, there is another run off my list of to-do’s…highly recommended if you are looking for a fun time. Just don’t think you will get anywhere quickly!

If you run, you are a runner!

~Rachel

Motivation - how to find it and keep it

This is tough and getting started really is the biggest hurdle. Someone asked in a post recently on facebook how to help her sister get motivated. This got me to thinking about myself. I spent almost 2 years as a beginning runner going out and hitting the pavement for about 2 miles….on a good day! It was a start, but I began to realize that there is more to running than just cranking out 2 miles a few days a week. Besides reaping the health benefits, I wanted to really run!

There are a plethora of fun running events to join in and I wanted to try them and do relatively well at them. I’ve never truly considered myself an athlete. I tried out for teams, did okay and moved onto the next sport throughout my teen years. I danced, played softball, swam, attempted basketball (I’m way too short for that one!) and even was on the volleyball team. Running wasn’t even on my radar at that time and yes I was one of those folks who thought, “Running? Only if I’m being chased by a bear!”

1)   Set a Goal: As a runner I find that what motivates me the most is goal setting. Having something to work for keeps me going, helps me find time in the day to fit in a workout and most importantly gets me out of bed on those days that I really just want to snuggle up in the covers and stay warm and cozy.

I’ve got a bucket list full of races that I hope to do one day, but my current goal of running the Ragnar Relay focuses me on knowing that this run isn’t just for me; I’ve got 11 other ladies counting on me to complete my legs of the run well. Preparation is key for this one!

2)   Run with a Buddy or Group:  Now this isn’t for everyone, but I find that running with someone else keeps me motivated – especially on those days that you aren’t having the most spectacular run. Having a person to chat with on a long run chases away the boredom when even your I-pod playlist is getting old! A running buddy waiting outside on the sidewalk also has its perks!

3)   Wear Comfy Clothes: This is a biggie for me! I love workout clothing (as my husband can attest to this) and I like to be comfortable AND look cute at the same time. Now I am the first to admit that when I finish a run I do look like I’m about to have a stroke, but feeling good about the outfit when you walk out the door is a plus. Seriously though, you need to be sure your outfit fits well and doesn’t chafe once you get going. There is nothing worse than an ill fitting sports bra or socks that won’t stay up! And don’t skimp on the running shoes! Be sure they are fitted properly!

4)   Track your progress: I love, love, love my Garmin 110 watch! (Thanks to my boys for this awesome Christmas present!) Being able to see your miles, time and calories burned each run will keep you going. This particular watch plugs into my computer and I can track everything including my route. Written training logs or apps for your phone can do the same thing. Many mornings I’ve run just a little further to reach the next mile…

5)   Encourage someone else: I’ve appreciated the encouragement I’ve received from fellow runners even if I don’t know them! A simple thumbs up while running on the beach to a “Keep you’re a$$ moving sister” from a by-stander at a race (yes, this did happen!) can give you that little umph you need to keep on going. I try to pass this on to others whenever I can. A few words can mean so much.

Love this encouraging sign from a marathon! That would keep me going!

 

As always, let me know your thoughts on motivation! Keep kickin’ it my friends!

If you run, you are a runner!

~Rachel

Warrior Dash

I look back at this past weekend and am amazed and proud of myself for completing the challenge of the Warrior Dash. Runnerbud Jen wasn't fond of the idea of mud in her sneakers so she declined the invitation to register months ago. My wonderful hubby took the challenge and decided to give it a go. Now he is athletic, looks like a runner when he runs, but isn't a fan of running. Cycling is more his thing. I think it was the idea of the obstacles (and hanging with me!) that convinced him to go.

I highly suggest going with a group, it makes for some serious fun. We camped out, well my version of camping, took the RV and had full-hookup! The two other couples that decided to run with us camped next door to us and we had a whole lot of fun hanging out the night before. Us girls decided that we would go with the Super-heroine focus and dressed as Wonder Woman, Bat Woman and Super Woman. The flaming socks topped off the outfit! Once we got to the venue (Pocono Raceway) my dear hubby realized that we were SO not the crazy dressed chicks of the Dash. There was a whole variety of characters who ran - including the Pope! (I saw the Ghost Busters too complete with Ghost Busting packs on their backs!)

Kim created these awesome tanks for us - and check out our spectacular socks!

The whole atmosphere was fun, from the flames shooting into the air at the starting gun to the "helmets up" pose you had to do for pictures and after obstacles. The whole race was 3.3 miles for us and there were 13 obstacles throughout. The terrain was not great, lots of rocks and ruts. (Unfortunately Dash Buddy Matt found that out the hard way and got a one way ticket to the ER for a bum ankle! Of course that was AFTER he finished the race!) I heard through the grapevine that last year's PA venue was better in Skirmish, PA but I have nothing to compare it to.  My personal faves were the fire jumping and the mud pit. Not a fan of heights & the walls we had to scale were a little daunting, but I am pleased to say I conquered all 4 of them without crying - or breaking any bones! But there just isn't anything to compare to the after race mud that is coated in places you forgot about!

Muscle kissing was optional in this pic!

As you can see, not much avoided the mud! Check out Eric's forehead!

In the end the motto MUD, SWEAT and BEER pretty much lived up to it's calling and we also had some fun with the local bands playing some of our faves. Go figure they even did a ZUMBA grouping which Dash Buddy Kim was a little bit psyched about! The Warrior Horns, medals and Steins were an added bonus and we all slept pretty well that night! Despite a few bruised knees, quad muscles and one ankle we all survived to tell about it. And what's a race without an adventure? Will we do it again next year...I am gonna go with a "Hell Yea!" and I suggest to anyone looking for a good time- with a little mud, this is the race for you.

If you run, you are a runner! Run on friends!
~Rachel

Running in the Rain...

You either love it or hate it…or tolerate it I would suppose.

Up until today I could easily say I hate running in rain. It ruins sneakers, it gets in my eyes, it clouds the sunshine that I so need on a daily basis.

Now this runner was smart- wore "old" kicks!

This morning RunnerBud Jen and I got doused in the rain, sprinkled by rain and spit on by rain. It was 4:45am, we were dressed and ready to run. Our friendly weather guy said it was raining. We were outside – it was not raining. We did a quick walk to warm up and felt a little spitting rain. Let’s try it and see what happens we decided.

We ran about a block from our houses when the misty rain began and within a few more steps started coming down heavily with wind to boot. Nice...

This is gonna be a short run…

We finish about ¾ of a mile and come to the point of no return. We either head down the road to home or keep going. That's when the rain stopped. So like the good runners we are, we kept going. All was well ‘til mile 2 and it started to come down pretty hard, but if you stop running, you never get home! We trudged on…

At yet the next point of heading home or continuing you will most likely guess that YES! the rain stopped again. So we kept going…right into the kind of rain that runs in a stream off of your ball cap and into your sneakers…yep that was us this morning.

Figuring we were already out there we might as well get in a 5K so that’s exactly what we did. We kicked out about 3.5 miles and then decided it was time to call it quits. So much for starting off the week with a long run.

So I guess I am no longer a fair-weather runner. 

Because we DID run in the rain and it wasn’t too bad. At one point I was even Yahoo-ing just because I could. (Can you just imagine ME in the darkness before dawn, rain streaming down all parts of my body Yahooing? OK, well I guess it isn't really that big of a stretch to visualize that...)

The neighbors were probably awakened and thinking WTF? But the temperature was warm enough and I was sweaty enough that I thought a Yahoo was in order.

Will we run again in the rain? If we get caught in it, I’ll go with yes. If it’s a downpour before we start, I’m figuring we will hit the gym...unless we dig out an old pair of running shoes that is.

Are you a fan of running in the rain?

Do you have any good running in the rain stories?

Kick on my friends – in the sun or in the rain, log them miles!

If you run, you are a runner!

~Rachel

FOOD Glorious FOOD!

Food, Glorious food…I can hear the music now…

My thoughts for today have come from hearing people talk about skipping meals or not having time to eat. No time to eat? Really? If there is time to check email and get on Facebook – you got time to eat.

I do, I really do!

 

I’m a self-proclaimed foodie. I love to eat. I can’t remember the last meal I actually skipped. I’ll often say at lunchtime, to my Teacherbud, Jeanine, I’m so hungry I could eat a small child!

My family knows that dinner time takes place every night at the dining room table and chances are you will have a balanced meal on the plate complete with a vegetable (of which you WILL be required to take at least 3 bites).

Not saying I don’t enjoy a good pizza, just not eating Fast Food every night at this house!

 

Those who believe that skipping meals is healthy or helps to jumpstart a good eating plan you are wrong…very wrong.

Research shows that folks that skip breakfast are more likely to binge later in the day. By eating breakfast you are kickstarting your metabolism for the day. If you don’t fuel you can go into starvation mode. Check out this link about that first meal of the day!

I'm a huge fan of cereal and fruit...YUMMY!

Why Breakfast is important 

But let’s do lunch…

This is the meal so many people can’t find time for. As athletes we all need to fuel our bodies. Especially if you take a late afternoon run or workout later in the day, it is crucial to eat a good lunch. (For early morning runners or gym rats who hit the gym early, we need to fuel up because our metabolism is cranking and burning up the calories! Definitely a plus for my pre-dawn runs!)

If you are one of those “I’m too busy for lunch…” folks think about my top 4 favorite lunch rules.

Lunch Rule #1

Eat Your Fiber

Active ladies you need 25 grams of fiber a day!

It keeps you full longer…helps with regularity (won’t go any further with that as we wouldn’t want to share TMI)…

Lunch Rule #2

40-30-30 eating…(I don’t like to say diet…)

40% Protein 30% Carbs and 30%Fat

Originally this came from the Zone Plan I believe, but following this plan you stabilize your insulin & blood sugar levels and increase satiety. SO YOU ARENT CONSTANTLY HUNGRY! Milk actually is very close to being a 40-30-30 ratio on its own, but generally I try to go with a combo of foods to get this ratio.

A cottage cheese fruit salad is a good combo…for example:

3/4 c cottage cheese, 2% lowfat
1/3 c strawberries, sliced

1 apple, medium, sliced

1/3 c grapes, green or red
2 1/4 tbsp nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts)

Lunch Rule #3

Portion Control

Learned this first hand…don’t eat out of the bag, box or carton (ice cream!) You will eat way more than a serving.

Bag your food choices so you are controlling what you eat. Mindless eating can sabotage even the best intentions! I try to actually count out crackers, pretzels or chips when I pack my lunch according to the package.

Lunch Rule #4

Take a break!

Work is stressful and tiring. Hello teachers, I don't need to say this twice to you! We need to rejuvenate our bodies and minds so that we can do our jobs well! Eating away from your desk with co-workers or friends helps us relax and de-stress. Just a few minutes of chilling out can help us find our focus and energy for the rest of the day!

(Speaking from an educator’s point of view, I find this very important each day. The students need a break from me and I need a break from them!)

As always, I’m not a nutritionist or expert, I just like to share my thoughts. We have one body and it’s our job to care for it the best we can.  Sometimes I think it’s a shame that I didn’t learn this until my late 30’s…I eat breakfast and lunch because I’m hungry and I know I need the fuel. Don’t deprive yourself of anything, just eat smart!

If you run, you are a runner!

~Rachel

Do you have any good breakfast, lunch or snack options? Please share!

Treadmill ~ Love/Hate relationship

Whether you are a runner or just a gym rat, you have most likely been on a treadmill at some point. I'll admit that before my running days I did like the treadmill...to walk on in winter. I've now come to call it the dreadmill because some days I truly dread getting on that thing. Take this morning at the gym. I had cranked out about 5 1/2 miles and was getting pretty bored with my people watching. That's when it decided to develop a mind of its own and start decreasing my speed. I was jabbing at those stupid buttons every 30 seconds as I tried to finish my run. It seemed to think I'd had enough and it was time for a cooldown. Well Hello Mr. Treadmill, I had not gotten the miles in on my plan and I was not stopping until I reached my goal. In case you are wondering, I won the battle this time!

I also have this fear of turning into one of the contestants on Biggest Loser who falls and gets zipped off the back of the treadmill in front of everyone. Nothing like being all pumped up for a cardio workout and end up on the floor with the treadmill still running. It's kind of like this video...

Runnerbud Jen is on vacation...sniff, sniff...I miss my running buddy. (It is well deserved relax time for her, but how am I supposed to run in the mornings alone?) Obviously I am not hitting the pavement this week predawn by myself. Not that I'm afraid I'll get lost (yea yea I know I can't find my way through the mall), but there are way to many crazies out there stalking runners and the like. (OK I'll admit I have a VERY vivid imagination)

So it looks like this runner-girl is going to have to get her game on in the evening - post work, after picking up kids, making dinner, delivering to sports practices...ugh it makes me tired just typing about it! (Which also makes the point as to why I wake up so early to run before all of this happens!)

This is my morning mantra...

The other option is obviously continuing my early rising and hit the treadmill to crank out some miles. On the plus side of things I'll be able to catch up on the news while running this week and I'll be able to do some speedwork and hill repeats without going anywhere! (Can you hear my enthusiasm?)

But a run on the treadmill is a run and I'll be going faster and further than sitting around doing nothing...so Mr. Treadmill, here I come!

If you run, you are a runner!
~Rachel

Do you like the treadmill or running outdoors?
How do you combat boredom on the treadmill?

To run or not to run...

I don’t know about you, but I hate being sick. I’ve got too much to do and don’t have time to lie around and nurse myself back to health. It also messes with my running schedule, which in turn messes with Runnerbud Jen’s running. (Since we run predawn having a buddy is a MUST!)

Last weekend I started that sore throat thing that eventually turns into a cold. Well as luck would have it (not) I also got the draining and cough with it by Monday. Luckily Tuesday is rest day for us, but by Wednesday there was not a chance in the world that I could drag my body out for a run. Just breathing in hurt and caused me to choke up a lung. Of course after taking some meds, drinking tea with honey and a hot steamy shower; I did begin to feel like a human again. That’s when the guilt set in. Maybe I could’ve run…

SO what do the experts say on this?

Using the “neck” rule, doctors say if your symptoms are below the neck (chest cold, bronchial infection, body aches) it is time to take a break. If your symptoms are above the neck (stuffy nose, sneezing, runny nose) it is okay to keep going.

That made me feel a little better for backing out this morning since I was really coughing up a storm.

There is also research out there that says good ol’ chicken soup has anti-inflammatory effects can ease the symptoms of upper respiratory infections. Not only does the chicken broth ease sore throats, the carrots have beta-carotene (immunity),  & garlic and onions  (anti bacterial properties).

Thinking I need some of this for lunch tomorrow!

I believe I am on the mend at the time of this posting so I will hopefully be back out there pounding the pavement in the morning with Jen.

How about you?

Do you rest when you are sick or do you muddle through?

Have you ever run while sick and made it worse?

To read more on this topic:

To Run or Not to Run 

Running While Sick 

If you run, you are a runner!

~Rachel

The 10K experience

Well, it was race roadtrip #2 for me this spring and I took along Runnerbud Jen and Runnerbud Amy. Now as you know, Runnerbud Jen and I have been cranking out the predawn runs to train for this. Our main goal is to get time on our feet (distance) and not worry too much about time. We didn't even set a goal for ourselves with time for this race. We weren't really feeling the excitement we had before our trip to VA beach...maybe the lack of beer at the finishline? Who knows?

Ready to roadtrip, like my RUN magnet?

Anyway, we headed to Olney, MD to stay with a friend of mine, Diane. Diane isn't a runner but boy does she show sportsmanship! She let us bunk with her, drove the route with us the night before, took us to the start/picked us up at the finish AND acted as our photographer! WE LOVE DIANE!!!!

On the ride prior to the race we realized just how long 6.2 miles really is...started to psych ourselves out seeing the inclines we would be taking on the next morning. Have you ever really clocked over 6 miles in the car? It's pretty far!

After a yummy carb loading dinner- including 4 desserts (that we shared, really we did!), we did our pre-race ritual of applying our Power Polish before hitting the sack. Sleep proved to be a fruitless attempt as I tossed and turned all night. Of course Jen had to ask me 10 times what time the alarm was set for (she didn't sleep either) since I went with 5:54am...not 5:45 or 6:00. What can I say? It's another of my pre-race quirks!
Then the morning of, I ate my only digestible food - 1 piece of bread with honey and had some water, and we took our series of "queer" photos that are a must before all races.

PowerPolish Grape Going!

We call this our "queer" prerace photo!

Another new prerace ritual ~ The Thumbs UP!

When we got to the race the sun actually started to peek out of the fog and the temp started to get above 42 degrees which was a blessing. Waiting at the start line is always exciting, but no fun when you are cold! We did the bib pinning, porta potty stop and got ready to head to the start.

Pinning the bibs!

Pre-race - Ready to Rock it!

  Turns out there were over 2300 racers registered and they managed to run out of our size fleece, so we all ended up with XL. Guess Eric and Steve will be sporting our 10K fleece sweatshirts this spring! (No worries, we did a little disgusted emailing to the race directors...guess we will see what comes of that!)
That's about the time I realized I forgot to use my inhaler (which was now in Diane's car heading to the finish line), not a good omen since I woke up the day before with a sore throat and head-cold. Too late for worrying though, I had to muddle through it.
After we did some warm-up exercises with the drill sergeant (crazy as it sounds, it's true) we stood and stood and stood at the start. Always a few glitches on race day.
Finally, our corral headed out of the start and we were off. It was a relatively uneventful run. Runnerbud Jen and I stayed together for about 5 miles and met some very friendly runners. Mostly commenting on our matching 5K Diva shirts that say 3.1 is Just for Fun on the back. Truly, there aren't too many "mean" runners that I've ever run into. (It's the haters in the cars who swerve at you that are mean! None seen on this trip tho!)  Most runners will give you a thumbs up or a comment to keep you going. In the last .5 mile I met an older gentleman named Bart (who was being cheered on by bystanders which is how I learned his name) who paced me the last 1/2 mile. When we finally saw the finish line about .2 miles ahead of us we kicked it into high gear. Between the balloons and the crowds, you just can't help yourself! At one point I was kicking a 7:49 mile which is WAY fast for me, but it didn't last too far as the finish-line was just ahead!

There just really aren't words to express the feelings you get as you cross the finish, stop your Garmin and look for a water station! Just knowing I completed my first "official" 10K made me feel awesome and seeing my RunnerBuds smiling too iced the cake. Funny how almost immediately you begin thinking of the next race. (Crazy since 1 mile ago you are thinking, what in the world was I thinking when I signed up to do this?)

Runnerbud Jen and I must have done a decent job training. I didn't have to chase away a "mental pity party" that sometimes creeps into my head during this race, I just ran. It truly does make a difference having your partner right there with you.

So friends, we are setting our new goal. Looks like a 10 miler is on tap for us.
Runnerbud Jen, let the training begin!

Anyone else training for anything? Post or comment and let me know what plan you are using or race you are heading for.

If you run, you are a runner!
~Rachel

Pre-race rituals

Well, it was our last run before the big day...10K baby here we come! Predawn (best time to run) Runnerbud Jen and I hit the roads for a short 5K; that of course went a little longer, but what the heck?

Now some say I research and read too much, which isn't always a good thing. You know what they say about too much knowledge... But I like to be prepared ~ for the good and the bad. So training plans have been looked at ten times, remodeled to fit our schedules and looked at again. The "experts" from Runner's World suggested 2 days rest before a 10k...obviously that didn't happen. But if you are a runner or obsessed with some other form of working out you know that rest days aren't all they are cracked up to be.

So let's talk about rituals. Now I'm not to the extreme of knock three times before entering a locked door, but I do believe it "signs" if you will. There are certain things I take as a sign from above or a good luck signal of good things to happen. Whether or not you believe in angels I always feel that I have a certain few who are looking down upon me as my guardians.
I also think that if something works one time, keep it up the next and the next and the next...

Power Polish
This is my newest ritual. A new polish color (toes and fingers) must be worn for all races. This weekend I will be sporting Grape Going! I'm pronouncing it with the -oy sound, not like go-ing, but that too has a ring to it for a runner. Anyway, if you see me today I am trying it out on my toes. My ritual is that it needs to be applied the night before.
SO, Saturday night I'll be polishing up the nails - and most likely urging Runnerbud Jen to do the same. (She wore Power Polish Green with me at the Shamrock race!)
Will it make me faster? Keep me from hitting the dreaded wall? Win (Ha ...yea there's a pipe dream...)
PROBABLY NOT! And I'm okay with that.
Does it make me feel better to look down at mile 5 and see my flashy purple nails? Yup it does.

Like I said before, it's a mental thing...and if my power polish helps me get across that finish line ~ then so be it!

Good luck to all racers this weekend!

If you run, you are a runner!
~Rachel

P.S. Do you have any rituals? Crazy or not? Post and let me know!

Pretty snazzy, isn't it?

Mid-Week Pep Talk

Well, it's Wednesday and Jen and I took our last "long" run before the Pikes Peak 10k on Sunday. Eric says it's just another run with Jen. I truly wish I could look at it that way. When you get to the starting line and the other runners are looking all "trained" and "fit"...it's a bit daunting.

Yea, this is the girl I hope I'm NOT running next too!

Between the adrenaline, lack of sleep (I never sleep well the night before a race) and the unknown - it's all a bit nauseating. Plus factor in I can't eat before a run...you get the picture! Of course at the gun, you do the shuffle to jockey for a place and try not to trip or knock anyone down. The first mile, as all runners will agree, sucks! Til you find your pace, your breathing and settle down...it takes the wind out of you. But when you find your groove...we remember why we love to run!

If you are lucky enough to have a running buddy to train and race with (like my Runnerbud Jen) you hang together most of the race. I'm over the top lucky this time around because I've got 2 Racerbuds this weekend...Jen & Amy!

Runnerbuds Jen & Amy...this was actually taken at our 8K race in VA Beach last month! We got stuck in the rain...and that's a whole other story!

I guess where I am going with this is running is a mental sport. Some say our sport is all other sport's punishment. My favorite saying is, Running is 90% mental and the other 10% is all in your head.
We've run a 10k distance numerous times over the past few weeks, there is absolutely no reason why I can't do it on Sunday. Just need to get it into my head. My body can do it. There is just something about a starting line, a finish line and the time on my Garmin. (And boy am I hoping to rock a 10k time!)
So friends, tune in Sunday evening to find out how this story ends. I'm hoping it wraps up like a fairy tale. But in any case, I'll be running like I'm being chased!

Have a great rest of the week!
If you run, you are a runner!
~Rachel

Great Grains! It's Quinoa!

One of my sole sisters, Amy, got me on the quinoa bandwagon not too long ago. She was looking for  gluten free grains and this fit the bill.

Quinoa is a versatile grain – it’s great for runners and athletes and can fuel a workout. (Yes, like Zumba!) Also because it is a whole grain, it takes the place of those refined carbs we tend to eat. Therefore, weight loss can be side benefit. Quinoa is actually a seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked.

A quick health lesson about quinoa...Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, folate, and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches & diabetes. (info. from whfoods.com)

I started serving it for dinner and my kids thought it was Couscous until they tasted it. (Ryder says he is not a Quinoa kind of kid….Eric and Garrett eat it because I serve it and in our house it's basically eat what I make or starve!) It really is quick and easy to make as a side dish although you can eat it as your main source of protein as well. Check out some of the recipe links at the bottom if you are interested.

Now by no means am I replacing my pasta or potatoes with quinoa, but it is a good alternative.  My running buds, Jen & Amy, know I love to carb load with french fries before a race! (And after if you count dinner after the Shamrock race in VA Beach!) But I digress, it is an alternative to spice up the dinner table. 

Check it out, when cooked it looks like couscous!

Check out these recipes if you want to try quinoa...although for the "kitchen challenged" there are prepackaged flavored bags of quinoa at local grocery stores that cook in about 14 minutes - only water is needed!

Interesting info about quinoa

Breakfast Quinoa

Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry

Quinoa Turkey Meatloaf

Let me know what you think positives or negatives about quinoa!

If you run, you are a runner...

~Rachel

When Life Hands you a Lemon...

I started reading about the benefits of drinking lemon water - more specifically hot water and lemon. It's pretty amazing the positives this can have on your body. Besides the fact that lemons have vitamin C, B1, B2, B6 and Riboflavin they have calcium too. (Great for folks like me who aren't crazy about milk!)

Drink hot lemon water twice a day for great health benefits! 6 oz. of water to a 1/2 lemon if you weigh under 150 lbs. or a whole lemon if you are 150 lbs. or above.

Benefits can include aiding in digestion (which is a positive for me and my reflux), weight loss, overcoming nausea and morning sickness, more energy and clear skin.

Within some of the reading I've seen that you should drink this first thing in the morning, before you eat or drink anything else. I tried it two days in a row and will keep at it to see if I find any personal benefits. What do I have to lose? If nothing else I'll increase my vitamin intake and stay hydrated.

Check out the links I've included to read more!
Lemon juice and hot water at Livestrong
The Benefits of Lemon Water

Let me know if you try this and any benefits you may find!

Remember, if you run, you are a runner!
~Rachel

Welcome to my blog! I am on a journey toward a fit lifestyle, while running and having fun! I've run for a few years, but have just become interested in increasing my miles and finding some fun races along the way. You'll read about my adventures and running buddy, Jen. (Guess I better let her know about this, huh?)
 I'm hoping to write and entertain as well (I've got a cheezy sense of humor as you will find out...) as I share bits of info that I learn along the way. By no means am I an expert on running, fitness or nutrition ~ but I am always looking for new information to try and share. You'll see that I love to run, but believe you need to find what makes YOU happy and motivates YOU!

I'm new to blogging, so I'll be experimenting with this as I go. Feel free to share with your friends or give me suggestions and feedback!

If you run, you are a runner...
~Rachel