Saturday's 20 doesn't quite go as planned....

Are morning started as usual, breakfast, get dressed, get gear, get going.....

Typically, when running in the Galloway program, we meet for our long runs at a local sports store. Admittedly I do not always pay attention to the name of the store we meet at. This Saturday, we were suppose to meet a Omega Sports. During our runs this week, we had discussed how hilly the runs were from Omega Sports and were dreading having the 20 mile run there. I only recall one pretty hilly long run and that was in Cary...


So we formulated a new plan. I don't usually carry all the bottles that fit in my water belt because we have plenty of water stops along the trails during a Galloway run. One pit stop to pick up some extra agua, a few Gatorades, and we are off to Umstead.

We make our way around Umstead's many trails, some we have never been on. North and Sound Turkey Trail prove to be very hilly and at 12 miles we take a little walk break.



There are two water stations and one rest area we came across during our run. Thankfully so, because we needed to refill the water bottles and make use of the facilities. During the last few miles of the run we come across Puke Hill....appropriately named due to it's long ascent.



We finally finish up our run and head back to the car. Even though the day didn't start out as planned, the scenery, shade, and company made it worth the work.

Just "bit" it.......

Running this week was almost on schedule...

• Monday - 4 miles (45:01)
• Tuesday - 3 miles (33:31)
• Wednesday - 5 miles (??)
• Thursday - no run....
• Friday - rain!
  

Wednesday, we (the running gals) just couldn't get our schedules together. The initial plan was to run 5 at Umstead. But Dina and Calvin were running late at work, the park is 40 miles from Michelle's, and the other girls are sticking to the Tuesday/Thursday routine. So me and Anna hit Lake Benson for a 5 miler in the sun opting out of the drive in traffic for something closer to home.

Started out good. We ran 1.4 miles, met up with Jenn (the last remaining member of Couch to 5k) for 2 miles with her, then finished up the last 1.6.

We make our way around the paved loop and head into the woods for some shade relief. Maybe 400 yards into the trail I catch my right toe on a rock and start to tumble. (Once I heard a trail runner say, "don't worry, you will fall". I had managed to avoid this thus far.) Anyway.....my feet are desperately trying to catch up with the momentum of my head when I hear a little voice saying "roll through it". BAM!!! Down I go, dropping my left elbow and rolling over onto my back and rump. Wow....I actually rolled it haha! I managed to save my knees and elbows somehow.

Bouncing back up, Anna says "that was a graceful fall". Check for bleeding...nope...and off we go to finish out the last 1/2 mile and head home. Here are my pictures all covered in dirt. I had one bruise below my left knee....not to bad considering :)

Mondays "Super Soaker" Run...hahaha!!

So I'm back at NCSU for a second bachelors degree, this time in Mechanical Engineering. Class meets 3 nights a week and put a little kink in my running schedule. With that said, Dina, Anna, and I have decided to meet on Monday and Wednesdays.

This Monday we headed to Fleet Feet (FF) to traverse "Hilly Tuesday"....why, you might ask, b.c Anna is a freak and a glutton for punishment! Actually, I think she has a new addiction for hills hahaha!! I walk into FF to exchange my very small women's Nog Run Club technical T and, to my surprise, they are hosting a Super Soaker Social Run! Woo hoo!!! .....wait a minute....d@mn.....I can't go to class sweaty and soaked to the bone. What to do, what to do?

Anna texted that she wasn't going to make it and Dina showed up about 20 minutes early. New plan! "Hilly Tuesday" will wait for another, ah hmmm, Monday. ;) So Dina and I grab a 4 mile map from FF and head out earlier then the social runners with the water guns! We make our way through the beautiful mix of old vintage homes and new McMansions with out so much as one spatter of H20. Around mile 3 (and coming from the opposite direction) a FF'er with a soaker comes trotting toward us! Ugh oh....she points her weapon in a menacing fashion but alas lets us pass with no retaliation for beating her to her hiding spot.

Rounding up the hill from Dixie Trail to Leonard, we come across one last "hider" and gratefully accept a few splashes of cool aqua to finish out our 4 mile run. We return to FF where some very soaked elite runners have gathered and enjoy cool icy pops. Suddenly it begins to rain.....it's still sunny with the exception of one tiny little gray cloud over FF that let's out a dense down pour. The ultimate "Super Soaker"....mother nature!

Good run for Dina and me. Finished 4 miles in 45:01 minutes with no rest intervals. Calvin and I got up early Tuesday morning for a quick 3 miler (33:31). Strong runs thus far. Looking forward to Umstead today!

Running and school......

This week was lite...ran a total of 19.1 miles with a 10.5 mile long run on Saturday. The Galloway program provided a huge breakfast after our run including eggs, pancakes, sausage, a plethora of fruit, and much more. I could not fathom eating a hot pancake after such a sauna like run. The heat and humidity were high from the moment we stepped foot on the trails near Raleigh Running Outfitters. Wish I had weighed before and after the run to see how much water was lost. Ron said that 16 oz of water is lost for every pound of weight dropped during a run. WOW!!

A multitude of excuses kept my running totals down this week; it was hot, it's the first week of school, and I have been just plain fatigued. This week in review:

• Tuesday 4.1 miles
• Wednesday 4.5 miles
• Saturday 10.5

My running schedule has changed and that will take a little getting use to. I plan to run Monday/Wednesday evenings with the Gals, Tuesday/Thursday mornings with the hubby, Friday will be a light run with Jenn, and a long run on Saturday. Sunday is a rest day. If this schedule works out here are what my totals should be this week: (35-37 miles)

• Monday - "Hilly Tuesday" 3-4 miles
• Tuesday - 3 easy miles
• Wednesday - Umstead run - 4-5 miles
• Thursday - 3 miles, Fartlek training
• Friday - 2 easy miles
• Saturday - 20 mile long run

Here's hoping!!

Spandex + 2000 calorie a day diet = Great 18 mile run!

Lately I've harped on how frustrated I've been regarding the new diet (2k calories a day) but Saturday's long run has made me a believer in my nutritionist.

It started like any other long run; breakfast was a piece of whole wheat bread with peanut butter and a small cup of coffee. During the run, every 20 minutes of so, I hydrated with water or Gatorade depending on how much I had been sweating. Upon each hour, I refuel with sports beans or shot blocks. There were snacks at the Shelley Lake water stop about 12 or so miles in....yummy orange slices..I partook of a few, sticky fingers aside. Overall nutrition....CHECK!

As the miles piled up, I felt really good. I left my Garmin on interval so as not to track mileage or analyze pace...I wanted to concentrate on how I felt without distraction. Now and again Anne would ask what mile we were at, this being my only indication of how far we had been. Once we reached mile 10 and the group split off (those running 10 miles headed back and the others plodded on) , I was stunned by how great I felt; no aches, no pains, and no heavy legs.

The original plan was to run 16, although my prescribed regimen was 18. Our pack eventually reduced from 45 to roughly 10 runners at the last peal off point (4 miles remained)....it's decision making time. Do I turn back now or push on to 18 and really test my limits? The soles of my feet started to ache between 13-14 miles, this is a normal pain during long runs so no red flags there. Shins, calves, knees, quads, hams...all good.....ok...... lets see what I'm made of.

The group decided to make the loop around Shelley lake and then head back to Crabtree mall via the greenway trails. Sweat soaked, quite with the exception of diabetic guy at the back of the pack....he makes for intriguing entertainment.....and focused, the group traverses the terrain. At 16 miles my attention shifts. This is getting hard and I start to second guess my choice. A group mentality forms when everyone is struggling to finish....you can't stop (you don't want to be the one to wuss out), and you don't complain because everyone (with the exception of diabetic guy) is hammering away as hard as you are. Heavy respiration's can be heard as the Garmin marks the next walk break. Finally we arrive at the bridge under Glenwood and the mall is in sight.

Once back at my car, I change my drenched shirt and grab a snack from my lunch box. I truly can not believe I finished 18 miles and I wasn't dead on my feet. Oh..the spandex part...I adorned a pair of knee cropped spandex Fila pants for this run. BEST PURCHASE I HAVE MADE (in clothing that is)...no thigh chafing, hallelujah!! This may not be my best look but I could care less! Should have listened to Dina much sooner!

So needless to say, I'm a firm believer in the new diet and, well, spandex pants!

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Forgot to mention but after the run we went to a pool party and out dancing. Granted I was not as chipper as usual but I wasn't a total zombie either. Says tons about a good diet plan I think.

I'm not fat, I just have fat parts.....

Over the past month or so my weight, or rather the lack of weight loss, has been at the forefront of my thoughts. The two weeks previous to my vacation I gained weight, unbelievable as it may seem considering my current exercise regimen. During vacation and the week afterward (b.c I wasn't quite back to my regular exercise schedule) I lost 1.6 pounds. Baffled, I went to see a sports nutritionist.

Tracy, the nutritionist, explained that my body is storing more glycogen then the normal non-active person. The untrained store roughly 13g of glycogen in their muscles while the trained can store as much as 36g. With each gram of glycogen comes 3 grams of water. Well that's the answer to all my prayers.....I'm blotted! hahaha Nah, not really. My body needs the water to utilize the glycogen during endurance activities. Here is a handy dandy little article and chart regarding glycogen and carb loading (which we will discuss at my next visit).

She put me on a 2000 calorie a day diet...I was eating about 1500 before.
Here's the break down:

• Calories = 2000
• Carbs = 250 grams
• Protein = 125 grams
• Fat = 56 grams

She also figured I'm burning about 118.4 calories per mile. On an average week that's about 3,552 calories burned. She said that on the average day I need between 2100-2600 calories to maintain my current level of fitness. WOW!! So I've not been eating enough and I guess my body is holding on to what ever it can. I started the new diet Monday the 10th. I feel good and find it hard to eat that much food during the day....we will see how it goes.

Saturdays' long run strikes again.....

So lazy.....ran only 19 miles last week. My sister and I ran 5 miles Monday. We ran 1:1's. This is what happened to her afterward---->

Thursday, Calvin and I ran 5.5 miles; running 1 mile:1 minute rest. We shaved over 10 minutes off the run on Monday.

Saturday loomed on the horizon. I had been dreading Saturday...it haunted my sleep.
Stalking me like a wounded lamb, I tried every avenue of escape; "I'm sick", "I think I have sciatica". Nothing could shake the determined beast...aww Saturday!

I was unprepared...out of my routine...off schedule...away from my "peeps". But there was no denying it, my alarms contemptible siren rouses me at 5:45 am. Fighting the light, I begrudgingly dress and accept my fate....I am Saturdays' pawn.

The elevators decent...18, 17, 16, 15.....ticks down the remaining moments of my pain free existence. Along the bike path, by the ocean, through the ritzy beach house communities, past the high rise condos, and so on, and so on.....it becomes abundantly clear that this run is going to suck, suck worse then any other run has sucked before. My energy is zapped and my left brain screams obscenities. I just want to stop and at mile 9 we did.

Every run can not be great. I heard a quote once, "if you start feeling good during a run, don't worry you'll get over it." This quote has never been more true then Saturday.