Inspiration Wednesday - 3/4/20

Recap Monday - 3/2/20

Happy Monday!!! I can't believe it's March already and my first baby boy will be 21 tomorrow. Wow, where does the time go? I had a really good training week last week, and did not miss any of my runs. I actually started making progress with my speed as well. I'm so excited! Here was my schedule -

Monday - strength training
Tues - 80 min @ 134hr
Wed - 60 min @ 134hr
Thurs - 2 miles warm up, 7 x .25 mile sprints, 2 miles cool down
Fri - strength training
Sat - 30 min @ 134hr, 50 min @ 144hr, 30 min @ 134hr
Sun - rest

Here's my actual results for the week -

Monday - strength training
Tues - 80 min @ 134hr, 5.28 miles, 15:12 min/mile
Wed - 60 min @ 134hr, 3.94 miles, 15:14 min/mile
Thurs - 2 miles warm up, 7 x .25 mile sprints, 2 miles cool down (the sprints were rough this week), 6.15 miles, 14:21 min/mile (Woot Woot... down in the 14 min/mile range)
Fri - strength training
Sat - 60 min spin class (can't miss my spin :D )
Sun - 30 min @ 134hr, 50 min @ 144 hr, 30 min @ 134hr, 7.40 miles, 14:55 min/miles

I'm excited to finally get down in consistent low 15 min/miles and then to run under a 15 min/mile for my long run was AMAZING for me. I'm so excited and can't wait to see more progress :D

Next week I'm running Gate River Run, so my week will be light to rest for it. Here's my schedule -

Mon - 30 min walk
Tues - 60 min @ 134hr
Wed - 60 min @ 134hr
Thurs - rest
Fri - 2 mile shakeout run
Sat - Gate River Run 15k
Sun -  30 min walk

Who else will be at Gate River? Good luck!!!

Recap Monday 2/24/20

Happy Monday!!! I hope everyone's week was amazing. Mine was a whirlwind of emotions. I lost a friend of mine on Wednesday, and that same day we had our 1 year anniversary event for our running club. The week was tough, but through my friends and family I survived it. So here was my scheduled training for the week -

Monday - strength training
Tues - 70 min @ 134 HR
Wed - 60 min @ 134 HR
Thurs - 2 mile warmup, 5 X 1/4 mile repeats, 2 mile cool down
Fri - strength training
Sat - 150 min @134 HR with 10 x 30 sec bursts in the middle
Sun - rest

I did ok following the plan, but Wednesday night I couldn't calm myself down and it was 1 am before I finally fell asleep so that meant no run on Thursday, not sure what my excuse was on Tuesday :/

Monday - strength training
Tues - missed run :/
Wed - 70 min @ 134 HR
Thurs - no run :/
Fri - 2 mile warmup, 5 X 1/4 mile repeats, 2 mile cool down. strength training
Sat - rest
Sun - 30 min spin class, 150 min @134 HR with 10 x 30 sec bursts in the middle

So I missed one run.... I guess in the grand scheme of things, it's not a huge deal but I need to get more focused and determined with my training. So here is my next week's training schedule - 

Mon - strength training
Tues - 80 min @ 134 HR
Wed - 60 min @134 HR
Thurs - 2 miles warm up, 7 X 1/4 mile, 2 mile cool down
Fri - strength training
Sat - 30 min @ 134 HR, 50 min @ 144 HR, 30 min @ 134 HR
Sun - rest

Alright, wish me luck folks. I need to stay on task.

Guest Post - Top 3 Powerful Diet Tips For Runners

Top 3 Powerful Diet Tips For Runners

by Sarah Jacobs

Aside from energy and speed, runners need to build up on strength and endurance to last on the race track. It does not matter if you are a rookie or a veteran runner, you need to maintain a healthy and balanced diet to acquire proper nutrition before, during, and after races. You also need to maintain the right weight to feel lighter, run faster, and cover longer tracks.

If you are wishing to lose weight, running is not exactly the best exercise option you have. Being a runner will not make you lose weight, it will only increase your appetite instead! Most runners feel very hungry at the end of a marathon (or training), and overeating after a long run is a common problem.

A mile of running only burns a hundred calories, and if you eat a lot after a marathon, the body can easily replace all those lost calories. So if you are a runner who is looking to avoid weight gain, it is advisable to run on an empty stomach. Running without food intake will push your body to use up stored fat and will help you maintain your weight or at least lose some. 

To maintain a healthy weight, you still need to eat. And as a runner, you need to eat right. Overeating is not recommended of course, but if you are still unsure about what kind of diet works for you, below are a few powerful tips:

1.      Find Your Ideal Diet During Trainings

Some trial and error is needed if you haven’t found your ideal diet yet. The best time to do that is during training. You can alter your food intake little by little during the duration of your training, and you have to take note of which one worked best for you. If you can get the help of a coach and registered dietitian, that can save you much time in the trial and error phase.

2.            Know The Runners’ Food Pyramid Well

It’s not enough to create and alter your diet without even knowing which type of food you should be eating. Dietitians recommend that carbohydrates should make up 60 to 65% of a runner’s diet. This is because carbohydrates are our main source of energy. It is basically the fuel that will help you move forward. 

You can get carbohydrates from rice, pasta, bread and vegetables. However, if you need a quick carb before a run, sugar is your best bet! That includes fruits, sports drinks, and even instant oatmeal and cereals! You need these easily digestible carbs on your body for a quick sugar rush right before a race.

You still need fat too. Fat converts to stored fuel on your body, and it is useful when you are running a long marathon. You can get good fat from Avocado, Chicken (with skin), Butter, and Olive/Coconut Oil. Consuming fatty foods is not recommended right before a race though, it is best to stock up on fat before a race so your body will have enough back-up fuel.

Protein from fish, eggs and meat is recommended after a good workout or training. It is not essentially a fuel source for your body, but it does help you build muscle and you need strong muscles for speed and endurance.

3.            Stock Up on Real Food

To ensure that you can easily keep up with your diet, you have to stock up on real food. You don’t have to choose all-natural and organic stuff, just go for the least processed foods that are available in your local store. This includes meat, rice, quinoa, oats, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, and nuts. 

You don’t have to strictly follow your diet during training, but you have to eat healthy to avoid gaining weight while you are off training. You can also enjoy a cheat day once in a while. Remember, moderation is always the key!

Author Bio:

Sarah Jacobs is an experienced writer who loves creating articles that can benefit others. She has worked as a freelance writer in the past making informative articles and fascinating stories. She has extensive knowledge in a variety of fields such as technology, business, finance, marketing, personal development, and more.

Check out her company here: https://digitoolreview.com/

Recap Monday - 2/17/20

Happy Monday....Hope you all had a wonderful week last week. Mine was kind of rough, there were prescribed burns in the area. Smoke and I do not do well together, so it killed a few runs of mine. My schedule was kind of flexible since it was a recovery week, so it worked out ok in the end.  Here was my scheduled week -

Mon - strength training
Tues - 50 mins @ 134 HR
Wed - 60 mins @ 134
Thurs - 60 mins @ 134
Fri - strength training
Sat - 60-90 mins @ 134
Sun - rest

Well you all know that I always add a spin class on Sat or Sun and then do my run on the opposite day ;) I have withdrawals now when I can't spin once a week HA HA. Ok, here's what actually went down.

Monday - strength training
Tues - 50 mins @ 134 HR (I actually got up and ran in the morning, too :D)
Wed - no run :(
Thurs - no run :(
Fri - strength training
Sat - 1 hr spin class!
Sun - 60 min trail run @ 134

I really hate that life issues derail my training. I frustrates me. How do you all handle that?

Ok, today starts a new week! We all got this!!!! Here's my schedule for this week -

Monday - strength training
Tues - 70 min @ 134 HR
Wed - 60 min @ 134 HR
Thurs - 2 mile warmup, 5 X 1/4 mile repeats, 2 mile cool down
Fri - strength training
Sat - 150 min @134 HR with 10 x 30 sec bursts in the middle
Sun - rest

Alright, let's do this peeps!! Let's make this week our bitch!!!

Inspiration Wednesday 2/12/20

Recap Monday - 2/10/20

Happy Monday!!! I had a busy weekend, but still managed to pull off my long run. Hope your weekend was amazing. I am so proud of myself because I was able to do all my scheduled workouts last week.... the only thing I missed was spin class. 

So here was my schedule for last week - 

Monday - strength
Tuesday - 70 min @ 134hr
Wed - 20 m @ 134HR, 20m @ 134HR-144HR, 20m @ 144HR-154HR, 20m 134HR
Thurs - 70 min @ 134hr
Friday - Strength
Sat - 140 min @134h
Sun - Webber Univ for soccer tryouts for my son

So I switched a couple days up, but I did not miss a workout :D Here's my actual week - 

Monday - strength
Tuesday - 70 min @ 134hr
Wed - Wolf Branch Run Club, 5k
Thurs - 20 m @ 134HR, 20m @ 134HR-144HR, 20m @ 144HR-154HR, 20m 134HR
Friday - strength
Sat - rest
Sun -  Webber soccer tryouts, 140 min run @ 134 hr, wedding reception for the awesome people that own the brewery

I turned in my recap to my awesome running coach late so I don't know my schedule yet other than today will be strength. 

How was your week? Did you achieve your goals?