Weekly Training Update: August 6, 2010

As I said in my post Crazy Week of Running, I wasn't sure if I was going to run Friday or not.  I did end up just doing my strength conditioning DVD which felt great!   It stretched out my leg which has been stiffening up on me all week.

Saturday I had planned my 3X run but I just couldn't get motivated.  With my leg being sore, and so many commitments I couldn't make the time.  I did completely enjoy myself listening to my friends Gregg & Natt play the Midwest Music Fest at the Lyon Smith Art Gallery.  Then I got to hang out afterward and enjoy my evening.  I felt a bit guilty taking the day off but I was able to bump my training plans to Sunday.  I really needed to rest my leg another day which turned out to be a really good idea!

For my 3x run I ran my Ragnar legs which are 6.3, 3.2 and 3.7 miles. Sunday I ran the first 6.2 miles in hot humid 2 pm weather.  It must have affected my brain because I should have ran 6.3 instead. My leg was a little more stiff after this run. After the first leg I  drank a Gatorade Recover, then I ate 2 slices of wheat toast, one with tuna, the other with smart balance chunky peanut butter, and a little later I had a slice of oh so yummy Green Mill Pizza. Then I managed to sleep 1-1/2 hrs before I woke up to get ready. 

Challenge: 80 miles in August from Tall Mom on the Run

I'm excited about a new blogger world challenge and I know I can do it!  Tall Mom on the Run has posted an 80 miles in August challenge.  I'm posting about it so I remember to email her on Sept. 2nd to let her know I did it.  I love challenges!  They are definitely a motivation to keep moving!

There is also an 80 miles in August challenge at Dailymile.  I also joined that challenge.  More and more motivations! Keep em coming!

SOWL Challenge #4: What are your motivators?

When I read this challenge I was touched to day the least.  It did bring tears to my eyes some.

I’ll start with my long term motivator.  I have never had a poor family medical history that I knew of until my parents got older.  We weren't necessarily a very fit family.  We were a family of musicians.  My father was an engineer and musician and my mother was a music major turned school teacher.  Music and education was our focus, not fitness.  I was the rebellious one that was more interested in boys and hanging with friends as a teen but mostly my family was about music and education.
 
My mom did enroll me and my brother in every sport but it never lasted for me.  My brother stuck with it more than me.  He was a basketball, cross country and track star in high school as well as valedictorian of his class.  Today he is finishing is PhD in Music Performance and is a professional trumpet player.  He is quite the over achiever.  We played soccer and baseball; figure skated and did gymnastics. I was interested in fitness but I never pushed it very hard.  I ran track and joined swim team in high school but only so far as for the exercise, not the competition.  I was never over weight in high school but I always wished I was just 10-15 lb lighter.
 

Canary Melon and Banana Fruit Smoothie

Finally I am posting a new fruit for SWOL challenge #2.  The recipe I decided to try is Canary Melon and Banana Fruit Smoothie.  This challenge is complete several weeks late but I've finally found the opportunity to try my Canary melon.  I was able to enjoy it after finishing my 3x run this morning.  

Ingredients:

1 - Juan Canary Melon, ripe

3-4 Bananas, ripe

4 tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (modified for ingredients I have on hand)

12 oz. Ice

Preparation:

This recipe makes approximately four 12-oz. glasses of fruit smoothie. If you wish to make a smaller amount, cut the recipe in half. If the melon is small and the volume in the blender container is less that you desire, the volume can be extended by adding additional bananas and/or ice.

Begin by washing the Juan Canary melon. Cut it in half. (If you are using a high speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, scoop the seeds into the blender container. If you do not have a high speed blender, discard the seeds.)

Cut the melon into strips.  Cut off the rind from each strip, and add the melon flesh to the blender container.

Add the flax seed to the melon in the container.

Peel the bananas and add the bananas to the blender container.

Add the ice, cover the container, and run the blender at high speed until the contents are creamy smooth, using the tamper as required.

Serve and enjoy!

My Ragnar Relay Training Diary Frustration

I am a little ticked to say the least.  I updated my Ragnar Relay Training Diary page last night after my run and somehow lost most of last weeks updates.   I think I'll just start posting a weekly training update here instead and of course still create posts for more eventful individual runs that I feel I must share!  

If you were following the diary, I will not be updating my progress on that page any longer! Stay tuned for my Weekly Training Updates. 

Distance Dreamers

I just joined a new group called Distance Dreamers created by Abbi at Higher Miles.   The details can be found here.

I am running my first half marathon in October and this is yet another motivation source for me!  I start training for the half next week, which overlaps with the Ragnar training schedule.  I planned out my training schedule here. 

As a part of Distance Dreamers I'll be blogging about my progress along with other first time marathoners and half-marathoners  listed here to mutually encourage each other on our journey.  Follow me through the ups and downs of my training over the next 12 weeks as each day brings with it new lessons learned.  This is why I blog, to learn, to be motivated and to encourage!

The Beginner's Half-Marathon Training Plan

I've been researching training plans for the half marathon and here is what I think I've decided.  I guess I'm looking at a 12 week training program.  That would start my training on August 8th for the Monster Dash 1/2 Marathon on October 30th.  Since I'm training for the Ragnar Relay Great River until August 20th, I'll have to incorporate a 2 week overlap but it's all running so it should be fine. 

Lots of great articles on training out there. I grabbed the Beginner's Half Marathon Program from coolrunning.com.  I modified to make Sunday and Thursday "REST" days instead of Monday and Friday.  Rest Day is really a cross-training day, not necessarily a non-workout day which I find cool actually because I really miss my bike! (a fun future post subject.)

So for the overlap I'll use the last two weeks of my Ragnar Training Schedule and incorporate a weekly Fartlek (4M). (A new term for me and yet another future post subject!) 

I really like that there are two rest days, unlike the Ragnar plan.  On top of the running, I have my strength conditioning workouts 3-4 times per week and Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday.  I also look forward to learning how to do the Intervals (for speed) and Tempo Runs (for speed and pace).   I really hope I can learn to increase my speed and pace.

 

I'm excited about trying to follow another plan!  I can't even express the joys I find with running from emotional release to weight loss.  There is lots for me to learn in this training plan and I look forward to it! Each plan and each race keeps me going and this blog is my accountability.  All part of my life changing journey of running it off!  First half marathon, here I come!