tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76582084239706466862024-03-05T15:54:28.962-08:00Bitten by the Running Bug!" I can do hard things!"Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.comBlogger149125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-84522068505393226042012-04-10T19:50:00.001-07:002012-04-10T19:50:53.333-07:00Quick update!2 things:<br />
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1) Haven't run since the marathon due to a bad case of tendonitis in my right foot. I thought it was a stress fracture but the foot doc said it was tendonitis most likely caused from the worn out shoes I was wearing. Right now he has me on a rehab plan that will hopefully have me running again in a few weeks.<br />
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2) in the meantime I am thoroughly enjoying a break from running! Loving the extra time with my family and the lifted pressure of not worrying about any type of training schedule. My next race isn't until September so once the foot recovers I'll still have plenty of time to get back in gear. For now though, loving the time off!<br />
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That is all, sorry I've been MIA in the blogging world! Hoping to catch up on blogs soon!Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-36979622581109905022012-03-20T06:52:00.001-07:002012-03-21T07:05:20.318-07:00DC RnR Marathon Race Report: I'm officially a sub 4 marathoner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So I posted this report on my family blog (because I print that blog out in blog books and I like my races to be in there) But I thought I should post it over here too for my running blogger buds! Hope you enjoy!</div>
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For the last 18 weeks I have been running my buns off with one goal in mind: To break 4 hours on the marathon! As you may have guessed from the title of this post, Mission accomplished! : ) But I still thought I'd give you the details on how it all went down.</div>
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On Friday morning we farmed out Monty and the kids to some awesome friends for the weekend, then we hopped on a plane and headed to DC!</div>
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Once we landed we headed out for some quick sight seeing. We saw the national monument and hit a few Smithsonian museums then hopped on the metro to go to the expo.</div>
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We randomly happened to arrive at the exact same time as my sister Naomi and her running machine hubby Kevin, who had driven in from Chicago the night before. There were 24,000 runners filtering through the expo that weekend and somehow the stars aligned that we would bump into each other!</div>
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We took advantage of an Elvis rock and roll photo op.</div>
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And I took a picture with my little sissy! It was seriously so cool running into them! </div>
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At the expo we picked up our packets, signed up for the 3:55 pace group, bought some gu's and a headband, then went on the hunt for some carbs.</div>
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On our way back to our hotel we spotted Bertucci's so we swung in and loaded up on pasta. We'd been carb loading all week but thought we should pack in a few more just to be safe. : )</div>
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When we got back to the hotel, we laid out all our stuff, watched the <a href="http://youtu.be/pJf4USdb8lg">You vs. Them</a> video to pump ourselves up, then we went to bed at 9pm to get a good night's sleep before our 5am wake up call.</div>
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In the morning we popped out of bed at 5am. I geared up with my new bondiband from the expo and my neon green running tank for St. Paddy's day. We watched the You vs. Them video one more time (because it seriously gets your blood pumping!) Then headed to the metro.</div>
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The trains were JAM PACKED with runners! We thought we were smashed in like sardines and then we'd get to another stop and more people would squeeze in. The train was groaning but we made it to the stadium and the wave of runners flooded up the steps towards the armory.</div>
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With about an hour to go before race time we hit the port a potty's, secured our timing chips, gulped down some bananas and oatmeal and chugged some chia seeds.</div>
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We took one last pic with Kevin and his cousin Eric, then packed up our camera's and phones and checked our bags. With 30 minutes to start time we went outside for one more round of port a potties.</div>
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When the race started we were still in the port a pot line so as soon as we finished we got a great warm up trying to catch up with our corral before they crossed the timing mats. We made it just in time! Taber and I were in corral 8 (out of 26) so we could run with the 3:55 pace group. I figured if we stuck with them, even if we fell behind a little, we'd still have a 5 minute buffer to reach my goal. </div>
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Once we were over the mats I tuned everything else out around me and just focused on the pace group leaders. There were 3 of them and I figured as long as I kept them in sight I would be doing pretty good. The first mile was hectic as we tried to get through the sea of runners and establish our pace. There was a lot of elbowing and surging and I had to scramble to stay with the group. Finally after mile 2 we settled into a rhythm. That's when I relaxed a little and was able to take in more of what was going on around me. </div>
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The first half of the course was awesome. We ran by the national monument, the smithsonian, the white house and the capital. There were bands playing every few miles and plenty of great spectators to cheer us on. We were keeping a really solid pace just under 9 min mile and I felt awesome. This was definitely not a flat course but the hills weren't too steep or too long. </div>
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We knew it was going to be a warm day so we made sure to drink up at every water station and pour cups of water over our heads and on our bodies to stay cool. At mile 7 we took our first Gu which gave me a huge burst of energy and I started clapping with the bands, cheering loudly for our pace group and pumping them up with motivational sound bites every few minutes. I'm sure I was driving them crazy but I seriously felt euphoric between miles 7-10.</div>
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At mile 13 the half marathoners (nearly 16,000 of them) pealed off to finish their race and the course became much roomier and a lot quieter too. I took another Gu at mile 13.5 and happily chirped something to the group like, "Oh yeah! We're just warming up guys! The race doesn't start till mile 20!" A guy looked at me like I was out of my mind but at that point I still felt great.</div>
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As the morning wore on, the temperature began to rise into the low 70's. The back half of the marathon severely lacked shade and the sun started to take its toll. I continued to drink up at every water station and tried to repeat things like, You vs. Can't! You vs. Excuses! in my head. But by mile 17 my quads started getting heavy and I was struggling to keep my head in the game. I pulled out my iPod shuffle and plugged into some tunes hoping to get back into it. </div>
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At mile 18 my shoelace came untied and when I jerked to a stop to tie it my legs screamed in protest. I fumbled around with the laces for almost a minute till they were tied. When I finally got going again our pace group was way ahead of us. I tried to catch up but there was a hill at mile 20 and they pulled away. By mile 21 I couldn't see them anymore and my heart sunk. I was so out of it at mile 21 that I forgot to take my last Gu and the next water station wasn't for almost 3 miles.<br />
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Those were the worst miles of the marathon for me. It was hot, my legs were aching, and our pace group was out of sight. We saw a runner pull to the side and break down in tears. We saw another guy drop on the grass and just lay there. Every step was so exhausting, every minute my protesting legs screamed louder. Finally half way through mile 22 I stopped in defeat and with tears clouding my eyes I told Taber to go on without me. He said, "no." I shook my head and said, "I can't. Just go." And he said, "I'm not finishing without you." I looked at him, saw the pleading in eyes for me too keep going, and reached as deep as I could for the strength to move my legs. I decided I might not break 4 hours but I wasn't going to walk. I might have to shuffle and limp jog but I was going to keep pushing to the end.</div>
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At mile 23.5 we finally reached another water station and I was able to take my last Gu. It gave me a much needed boost of energy and I saddled up my will power and said to myself, "LETS" DO THIS!" The last 3 miles had several daunting hills but I stayed focused and plowed up them. There was a down hill at the end of mile 24 and I used it to pick up some speed. Taber dropped back a little so I slowed down to wait for him and he said, "No go! if you feel it you've gotta go! It's gonna be close!" I wasn't running with a watch so I didn't realize I could still break 4 hours. When Taber told me I was close, something just clicked inside me and I started barreling towards the finish line. At mile 25 I saw my brother in law Kevin who had been sidelined with excruciating muscle cramps. When he saw me he jumped back on the course and with Taber just behind us we willed ourselves through that final mile. My sister jumped out at mile 26 to run with Kevin and I let them surge ahead while I fought for the last .2.</div>
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I honestly didn't see anything around me at that point but the finish line. When I crossed the mat I finally became aware of my surroundings and as the moment hit me I started to cry. Tears of exhaustion, tears of gratitude that it was over! Tears of disbelief that I actually finished! I turned around and saw Taber and he pointed to his watch and said, "You did it! You're a sub 4 marathoner!"</div>
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Funny how quickly the pain of those last 5 miles faded away when Taber told me that! I laughed and shouted and cried again. Happy tears! Happy happy tears!</div>
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We did it! With just 63 seconds to spare! Official time: 3:58:56! If Taber had let me walk just a few more seconds I would't have that beautiful number 3 in front of my finish time. I finished 53 out of 263 for my age division and 244 out of 1414 for my gender divsion. Not too shabby!!!</div>
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We met up with Naomi and Kevin and Eric and took some pics of the proud finishers.</div>
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Just don't ask us to bend down or climb stairs. : )</div>
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We did it!!</div>
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It was so great having my sister there to celebrate with me. Her and Kevin are the ones who got us into running so it was the best having them there.</div>
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The rest of the day was pretty low key. We soaked in the post race party for a little then changed our clothes and went searching for some fat juicy burgers. After eating we went back to the hotel, showered, and slept for a few hours. Then we woke up, went in search of more food, ate till our bellies were stuffed, then crashed again. : )</div>
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The next morning I limped around DC for a little sight seeing with the Tabester. My quads, calves, hamstrings, feet and IT bands were HASHED!!</div>
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I loved the Lincoln memorial but the stairs! OH those stairs!</div>
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We also got a peek at the White House </div>
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If you look closely on the roof you can see the snipers up there ready to take out anyone who makes a threat on the prez. I think they had their eye on Taber with his suspicious looking beard ; )</div>
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Taber also really wanted to see the National Air and Space Museum but my legs just couldn't keep up with him. I ended up sending him ahead and then I hailed a pedicab and met him there : ) </div>
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When we got back to NH we collected Monty and the kids and headed home. At the house we were greeted with posters and signs on our doors and garage from our friends who had watched the kids. When we got inside there was another huge congratulations banner left by our friends from Savior of the World who had gotten the whole cast to sign them for us. It was seriously the most heartwarming homecoming and the perfect way to end an awesome weekend!</div>
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My legs may be hurting right now, but that sub 4 is mine forever! All the hard work, the months of training, those dreaded last 5 miles, were all worth it to remind me that I can do hard things!! That knowledge helps me in every aspect of my life. When I'm up to my neck in laundry, when the kids are sick or melting down, when I'm trying to balance a full and demanding schedule, I look back on my marathon and think, if I could do that, I can do anything! : )</div>
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<br /></div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-34996528115370489842012-03-07T13:35:00.000-08:002012-03-07T13:35:16.177-08:00Weeks 15 and 16: LIFE IS BUSY!! 20 Miler, and Taper Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Life has been busy. BEYOND busy. So yeah, I guess blogging has kind of fallen to the back burner.</div>
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With both of us training for the marathon, that eats up a lot of our time.</div>
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We've also been doing play practices for Savior of the World every Friday night and Saturday morning which has been all consuming. Memorizing lines, working on music, rehearsing for 4 hour blocks, it keeps us busy. (This is a pic I snapped of some of the cast during rehearsal)</div>
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Here's a little peak at one of Taber's scenes as Eli the shepherd. I'll post more pics when we start doing dress rehearsals so you can see us in costume. Anyway, the play is going to be AMAZING and I don't regret doing it for one second, but it just takes up a lot of time.</div>
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I was also busy the last 2 weeks planning a birthday party for this peanut. She turned 6 and wanted makeovers, rainbows, and unicorns.</div>
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All the girls got their hair and make up done and then posed for some fashion shots.</div>
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They decorated unicorn horns</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrRXszYzEf4uWZ5ZPHsfSXwptyNOGdOglY0wdX9evGLV7suUmq4bqrTk6XiG1DLNScrryhb1YJfnYBjuKx7q3Y8ifIyozVGZYYdixoYHg58mWTKUfPQHB76LhGy7MgZehkTch3a_kXLM/s1600/IMG_2375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrRXszYzEf4uWZ5ZPHsfSXwptyNOGdOglY0wdX9evGLV7suUmq4bqrTk6XiG1DLNScrryhb1YJfnYBjuKx7q3Y8ifIyozVGZYYdixoYHg58mWTKUfPQHB76LhGy7MgZehkTch3a_kXLM/s400/IMG_2375.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And had rainbow unicorn cake</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbknerhLeeTMII_9B3QD1zG4kFSFcvWZXsGc1FDtZ6F27ndPn_xOutOwBQBFvMpRLSyjKcQye_6CrJqP14VpcvocBxOS7arimz-q0sQNSDBYdTfO3UfVT8x2YLwNGcLb2vOC4M2NspH8c/s1600/IMG_2509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbknerhLeeTMII_9B3QD1zG4kFSFcvWZXsGc1FDtZ6F27ndPn_xOutOwBQBFvMpRLSyjKcQye_6CrJqP14VpcvocBxOS7arimz-q0sQNSDBYdTfO3UfVT8x2YLwNGcLb2vOC4M2NspH8c/s400/IMG_2509.jpg" width="343" /></a></div>
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I knew with my time crunched schedule I couldn't pull off the rainbow cake Teya wanted so my awesome friend ended up making it for me and it came out perfect and so so yummy!</div>
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So yeah, that's why I haven't blogged in awhile. But here's a quick recap of the last 2 weeks in training:</div>
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<u><b>Week 15:</b></u></div>
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<b>Monday:</b></div>
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5 miles on treadmill: avg pace 8:34</div>
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<b>Tuesday:</b></div>
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30 day Shred level 2</div>
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Pilates</div>
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<b>Wednesday:</b></div>
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5 miles on treadmill w/compression socks for my shins. Avg pace: 8:41</div>
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<b>Thursday:</b></div>
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30 Day Shred level 2</div>
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<b>Friday:</b></div>
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5 miles on treadmill: went all hard to see how my shins would do. Avg pace 7:56 and the legs felt great.</div>
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<b>Saturday:</b></div>
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20 MILER OUTSIDE!!! WOOOOOOT! Avg pace: 9:32</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVN72LvSAr8zyFkfrmpA85UA8z-e3xRc5WlsVuFnR1qyE0DWut50YIoPEIakNBrHdYVYzveWooAV4QWgZOrle0_Qnigd1eXox5GGca7ZkDdJ0mbxgtpOYTx5f9u-3E0I-XzxDDZ7TOp0/s1600/IMG_4205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVN72LvSAr8zyFkfrmpA85UA8z-e3xRc5WlsVuFnR1qyE0DWut50YIoPEIakNBrHdYVYzveWooAV4QWgZOrle0_Qnigd1eXox5GGca7ZkDdJ0mbxgtpOYTx5f9u-3E0I-XzxDDZ7TOp0/s400/IMG_4205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I could do a whole long post about the 20 miler but I'll try to sum it up as quickly as I can for you.<br />
On Saturday we got a babysitter after play practice so we could run together. We started at 3:30 pm and it was WINDY! like 20-25 mph winds with 30-40mph gusts. We ran the first 9 miles on our normal hilly route, keeping around a 9:15 pace. We stopped back at the house at mile 9 and I ran in to use the bathroom but kept my watch going because in the marathon you can't pause the clock when you go potty. So yeah, tried to go as fast as I could and then we started back out again.<br />
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Second half the sun started going down and I was a lot colder. We did an out and back for the last 11 miles that is relatively flat (for New England ; ) and that was nice on the legs. The sun went down around mile 14 and we ran the last 6 miles in the dark. Taber had a reflective vest and headlamp on but we still had to slow down a bit to avoid tripping or falling. The last 2 miles were really challenging for me mentally but Taber kept pushing me on with positive encouragement. His positive words helped and for the last 1/2 mile I started chanting out loud, "I CAN DO THIS! I AM STRONG! I CAN DO THIS! I AM STRONG!" We finished mile 20 at a 9:05 pace, which is my goal pace for the marathon. As dead as I felt after that run, it was encouraging to run a negative split at the end.<br />
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My legs were hashed afterwards. My left knee hurt and my right IT band was painfully tight and inflammed. I stretched and foam rolled and rubbed ice on my IT bands but I still took 2 solid days off before I tried to run again.<br />
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<b><u>Which brings me to WEEK 16:</u></b><br />
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<b>Tuesday:</b><br />
eased back into it with a slow 3 1/2 miler at a 10:10 pace. Was supposed to do 5 but the legs felt testy so I jumped off after 3.5.<br />
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<b>Wednesday:</b><br />
After 3 days of intense stretching, rolling and icing I tried another 3 miler and it felt a lot better. Avg. pace was 9:15<br />
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<b>Saturday:</b><br />
Took two more days off then I tried my long run and managed to pull off a 12 miler at an 8:45 pace. That run was a testament to me of the value of taking time off and really following the Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation rules.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNTlkXLthC9mBSB7y0WL8GKCYEP3rCDxUgncOQM5EE0SSzhXrhtwolwlec3TDcRsFfo_r8sAcfLXOaRrebU3fgMqrF5f5RJCFTz_YwjBomYhvubwKNNCPWPxx1v4W38jKMRrrtwltIlA/s1600/IMG_4249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNTlkXLthC9mBSB7y0WL8GKCYEP3rCDxUgncOQM5EE0SSzhXrhtwolwlec3TDcRsFfo_r8sAcfLXOaRrebU3fgMqrF5f5RJCFTz_YwjBomYhvubwKNNCPWPxx1v4W38jKMRrrtwltIlA/s400/IMG_4249.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I ran alone in the snow while my friend watched the kids. My legs felt a little heavy but my knees, IT bands and shins all held up so I think it's safe to say I will actually make it to the starting line INJURY FREE!!!! 10 Days till the marathon people, I'm getting excited!</div>
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<br /></div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-44052893827873374922012-02-22T13:28:00.000-08:002012-02-22T13:28:07.659-08:00Week 14: Shins and Girl Issues<div style="text-align: center;">
Week 14 wasn't my best week. Basically after my 19 miler I ran a speedy 5 miler, and ever since my shins have been giving me some trouble. Nothing horrible but enough that I've backed off the speed workouts, cut down on my mileage and started wearing Taber's compression socks during and after all my runs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1mMqW2TCttRGVHmEnlY1bxfL8RSpbsIiccqdtHAu6NjKNzyV3a7Rgt25vfk2FOaAeO3Y33GHwTfreks7Nys2WZoJk_6-DF2wBsYytEwTE__KxKzOKobY3DFXNss4bQUkdInUDHFNo7c/s1600/IMG_1795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1mMqW2TCttRGVHmEnlY1bxfL8RSpbsIiccqdtHAu6NjKNzyV3a7Rgt25vfk2FOaAeO3Y33GHwTfreks7Nys2WZoJk_6-DF2wBsYytEwTE__KxKzOKobY3DFXNss4bQUkdInUDHFNo7c/s400/IMG_1795.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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(I guess fitting in my hubby's compression socks is one of the benefits of having huge calves ; ) I also think I need to get some new shoes since I just looked on Runkeeper and I've run 547 miles since I bought my last ones. So yeah, hopefully switching up the shoes will help the situation. </div>
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Warning: If talking about female monthly issues makes you uncomfortable, skip the next paragraph: )</div>
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Besides my shin trouble I was also dealing with my monthly visitor which majorly threw off my running mojo. PMS hormones make me weepy and turn me into a sugar monster. I seriously ate so much junk last week it is disgusting. I also get horrible cramps which makes running tough too. Guys are so lucky they don't have to deal with that. It is horrible!! Anyway, I'm a little concerned that my monthly visitor's next projected visit falls right during marathon week! Blah! I do not want to run 26.2 miles wearing a tampon or a bulky pad. I'm praying it's late, or early, or doesn't come at all. That would be awesome.</div>
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Despite those little setbacks I did have a huge highlight this week when I knocked out 12 miles in 1:40:15. I ran outside on a hilly course but pushed myself hard and was pumped to see my average pace was 8:20! Taber of course saw that I did that and had to go out and run it even faster with an average pace of 8:15. I swear he will never let me hold a PR in this house! ; ) It's all good though, a little friendly competition keeps us on our toes : ) </div>
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This week we've got our big 20 miler and then it's finally taper time, THANK GOODNESS! I'm so ready for short easy runs.</div>
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Here's my workout summary:</div>
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<b>Monday: </b></div>
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a fast 5 miles at a 1 incline: avg pace 7:57 (this is the run that sparked the shin pain)</div>
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<b>Tuesday: </b></div>
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8 miles on the treadmill, shins were bugging so I dropped the incline to 0. avg pace: 8:31</div>
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<b>Thursday:</b></div>
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5 miles on the treadmill, 0 incline because of my shins. Avg pace: 8:41</div>
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<b>Friday: </b></div>
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12 miles outside: avg pace 8:20- my shins and knees definitely felt it after this run so I took the next 2 days off and have been going easy ever since.</div>
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<br /></div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-47063866357390244032012-02-15T08:23:00.001-08:002012-02-15T08:23:34.671-08:00Week 13: Bruises, Doubts, and Confidence<div style="text-align: center;">
Last week I took a ridiculous fall that bruised the heck out of my knee. I was parked on a steep hill and as I was climbing down from my car I slipped and fell and my knee slammed hard into a metal rod. It hurt really bad and started to bruise and swell right away. I was SO mad because I've been so careful in my training to avoid injury and then in one split second I bust my stupid knee.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs5tSkGk4-vVXJcwCFwI6bWs6IcR_a2lF_gHzxFzhCyqW4eH0XCsrpewHlKI2Hl964P8UiaJnnMWK9r57Bzagd7PwEdsGBZ26x2tONtYuxZlR5zlBQFLf48Y8JLc-cNKIHBVPrPSaaZc/s1600/IMG_1801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs5tSkGk4-vVXJcwCFwI6bWs6IcR_a2lF_gHzxFzhCyqW4eH0XCsrpewHlKI2Hl964P8UiaJnnMWK9r57Bzagd7PwEdsGBZ26x2tONtYuxZlR5zlBQFLf48Y8JLc-cNKIHBVPrPSaaZc/s400/IMG_1801.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's a picture of the worst side of the bruising, there was a smaller bruise on the other side too. It hurt like the devil and filled me with doubts. </div>
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The biggest doubt being whether I can really run a sub 4 marathon. Lately I've just been feeling like that was a pretty lofty goal for myself and wondering if my training has been inadequate considering my goal. I've been following Hal Higdon's Novice 2 marathon program, and while I've been spot on and haven't missed a run, it's not that demanding of a schedule. I'm only running 35-38 miles a week and my biggest week will be 40 miles. When Taber trained for Hartford he was doing 40-45 miles a week and sometimes hitting 50. </div>
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Also I've had to do the majority of my runs on the treadmill which is a lot easier than running outside and I worry that will affect my marathon pace as well. I do try to keep it at a 1 incline to add a little resistance but it's still not the same. </div>
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So yeah, the bruised knee + creeping doubts left me feeling a little insecure about my whole sub 4 marathon goal. The knee thing happened the day before I was supposed to run my 19 miler and I wasn't sure if I should run but I didn't really have a lot of options. Friday was the only day I could do my long run because the rest of our weekend was jam packed, so I iced my knee all day and the next morning I set out for my run. I decided to do a 9 mile loop to start with and if the knee felt okay I would do a 5 mile out and back to get the other 10 miles.</div>
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The 9 mile loop was pretty hilly and my knee started throbbing as I climbed up and down those big hills. When I finished the loop I was debating whether or not to keep going but I decided to go on and if it got bad I could just turn around sooner. The out and back course I picked was much much flatter than the 9 mile loop and once I got going my knee actually felt great. The throbbing faded away and I settled into a good pace. I pushed through the last 5 miles and my legs were pretty tired at the end but I finished 19 miles, the longest I've ever run by myself, and it gave me a huge boost of confidence that I desperately needed! Here are my splits: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6oLiMPZr64qusupnK5bN-I-3Hiz-8L7wpH58-427N2WaxOwHejgGUvhqwtCUyYu3w3R2Qd2ru-QRPCJp9v8tAR7K8FsomHtj5_-6nlVchROTCvEWuBZyLlO7gAcA0HIXnuaC3qXVZxI/s1600/photo-1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6oLiMPZr64qusupnK5bN-I-3Hiz-8L7wpH58-427N2WaxOwHejgGUvhqwtCUyYu3w3R2Qd2ru-QRPCJp9v8tAR7K8FsomHtj5_-6nlVchROTCvEWuBZyLlO7gAcA0HIXnuaC3qXVZxI/s640/photo-1.PNG" width="372" /></a></div>
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My average pace was a 9:00 min mile exactly. If I can just hold onto that for 7 more miles a sub 4 could actually be in my future! I was pretty dead at the end but maybe on marathon day I'll have some extra adrenaline to fuel me on. That's what I'm hoping for anyway : )</div>
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Here's what the rest of my week looked like:</div>
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<b>Monday:</b></div>
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5 miles of interval sprints. Ran the sprints at a 7:03 pace and the recovery laps at a 8:34 pace. Overall avg. pace: 7:47</div>
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20 min Pilates</div>
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<b>Tuesday:</b></div>
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5 mile tempo run: avg pace 8:08</div>
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<b>Wednesday:</b></div>
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5 mile run at a 1 incline for the first 4 miles then upped it to a 3 for .5 and a 5 to finish with a climb. Avg pace: 8:34</div>
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<b>Thursday:</b></div>
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30 day Shred Level 3</div>
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<b>Friday</b>:</div>
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19 miles outside: Avg pace: 9:00</div>
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This week I only have to do a 12 miler for my long run to taper back a little before my 20 miler next week. I'm looking forward to a little less mileage : )</div>
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And I'll leave you with a little Valentines cuteness from the Rigg Kids. Sure love those munchkins ; )</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLtwatY291w20IJjbeALplfbvU5G6-MmZiG6-AwslWa3qT3g-WlDgmhv97DIspuo73pYlDL4f73BJiKFzo-1gh1tAkwfGm9AptzmKRw6d6eihKgxLncB_f1JblDYQ4ngksVBJdwjFgZY/s1600/IMG_1910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLtwatY291w20IJjbeALplfbvU5G6-MmZiG6-AwslWa3qT3g-WlDgmhv97DIspuo73pYlDL4f73BJiKFzo-1gh1tAkwfGm9AptzmKRw6d6eihKgxLncB_f1JblDYQ4ngksVBJdwjFgZY/s640/IMG_1910.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-85321765828686107912012-02-06T19:37:00.000-08:002012-02-06T19:37:11.019-08:00Week 12: Food and marathon training<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So if you know me, you know that I love food. Like, really really love it. And I would definitely have to say that one of my favorite parts of marathon training is getting to eat so many extra calories every day. After a long run I'm looking at about 1200 bonus calories that get to go in my belly. If I was more disciplined I'd probably use those calories to eat stuff like organic vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, but mostly I just want to use them for desserts : )</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipauVFEihTjMsug0Tmf9YPU328ARQ-GbQUg7V5B4fALGnY3nriGSwUUwTEPg4vhgh-H3hWlWApIWvvwsz-Z15GH8QcKPdc2Yu24GUq0FDRGFfYYwhtLHP9i-SV89OfKPfCrUkc4qnkHPc/s1600/IMG_1634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipauVFEihTjMsug0Tmf9YPU328ARQ-GbQUg7V5B4fALGnY3nriGSwUUwTEPg4vhgh-H3hWlWApIWvvwsz-Z15GH8QcKPdc2Yu24GUq0FDRGFfYYwhtLHP9i-SV89OfKPfCrUkc4qnkHPc/s400/IMG_1634.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I made these bad boys the other day and Mmm...mmm... they were good.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0BcS2CDwhmINtJBwZXJvsdQxUc989LO8iKJ2CHLAoo-LZjovS_HqD_avzf6L1yZKBm7RlHslmkBg8cmD4IZgTOpbfZyqBunJEMo8BPC7xjiietP3djgOgZHSg5pn1nYUjRwpIintKcY/s1600/IMG_1706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0BcS2CDwhmINtJBwZXJvsdQxUc989LO8iKJ2CHLAoo-LZjovS_HqD_avzf6L1yZKBm7RlHslmkBg8cmD4IZgTOpbfZyqBunJEMo8BPC7xjiietP3djgOgZHSg5pn1nYUjRwpIintKcY/s400/IMG_1706.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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and I ate a fat slice of this heavenly creation</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiT7MLgg-_akqyWpvsjXYfIeoFGD9HxkJGNHhD4Fi4iLVWrEuwW7GJwFoDuvc4-ipL_tEQN2VujS2FvKLcDgWfmUAD1_HwJCN145dHhYN3LVsXS6zEqXI9pMsbSV_WbXmXJ3rz693xvEE/s1600/IMG_1738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiT7MLgg-_akqyWpvsjXYfIeoFGD9HxkJGNHhD4Fi4iLVWrEuwW7GJwFoDuvc4-ipL_tEQN2VujS2FvKLcDgWfmUAD1_HwJCN145dHhYN3LVsXS6zEqXI9pMsbSV_WbXmXJ3rz693xvEE/s400/IMG_1738.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And I've been treating myself to a bowl of ice cream every night for the past straight 30 days or so because it just feels like the right thing to do. </div>
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So yeah, my cute mom called me the other day and was all worried and concerned that I wasn't eating enough with all the running I'm doing, so Mom, I just wanted to assure you that I'm getting plenty of calories, good healthy ones and some naughty little indulgent ones too : )</div>
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One thing that has helped me make sure I'm eating enough is the MyfitnessPal app I talked about a little while ago. Originally I used the app to lose the 5 lbs I put on during the holidays, but once I got to my goal weight I started using it to make sure I eat all the calories I burn in my workouts. It's pretty awesome and I just started making my daily food diaries public so Mom, if you want to know exactly what I'm eating you can check it out on there. : ) And if anyone else is using MyFitnessPal please add me! My screen name is beccarigg. I love having other people on there to motivate me, it's awesome!</div>
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Anyway, here's a quick summary of week 12. (Just 6 weeks to go!)</div>
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<b>Monday:</b></div>
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5 miles on the treadmill with a 1 incline. avg pace 8:25</div>
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30 Day Shred level 2</div>
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<b>Tuesday:</b></div>
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8 miles on the treadmill, struggled with this run but finished with an avg pace of 8:36</div>
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<b>Wednesday:</b></div>
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30 day Shred level 3 (level 3 is so much harder than level 2! I was sore for the rest of the week!)</div>
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20 minute Pilates</div>
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<b>Thursday:</b></div>
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5 miles of interval sprints on the treadmill. Ran 10, 2 minute sprints at a 7:03 pace with 2 minutes in between each sprint for recovery at a 8:34 pace. Avg pace was 7:48. Awesome workout!</div>
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<b>Friday:</b></div>
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Ran 13 miles on a new route with my friend Kelly. She took us on some good hills that really kicked my booty. The weather was gorgeous though (loving this mild winter) and our avg. pace was 9:11.</div>
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Looking forward to a big 19 miler this week. I have to run it alone so I'm trying to decide if I want to do 9.5 miles out and back, or if I want to do a 2.5 mile loop <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">near my house 8 times. The out and back sounds less monotonous but I get nervous running that far away by myself. Still not sure what I'll do, if anyone has an opinion either way let me know!</span></div>
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<br /></div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-32791992188045197482012-01-30T19:25:00.000-08:002012-01-30T19:25:23.551-08:00Week 11: Cross training and my longest treadmill run ever...<div style="text-align: center;">
Well I finally started cross training last week and it made me realize how pathetically wimpy all my non-running muscles are! Here I am thinking I'm so tough because I'm training for a marathon and then I try to do a 20 minute pilates DVD and the next day my abs and buns are SO sore I can barely move. That is sad, but a good wake up call for me to make cross training a priority. I mostly stuck with pilates to help with my back but I also threw a 30 day Shred workout in there too. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMIFsGrhyRGow_YmzMwXJD29vDnaTJYgiG5b5NgdhgJz35oxgBQ75wHgxiwKs_8xVZ1MnxmTJFBUYk4_N0XgPQJFa_BJde-Q5NOvpnG_D0kkF_RFF3pbALQfMei81M0O3WfZUKWcjX7A/s1600/IMG_4057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMIFsGrhyRGow_YmzMwXJD29vDnaTJYgiG5b5NgdhgJz35oxgBQ75wHgxiwKs_8xVZ1MnxmTJFBUYk4_N0XgPQJFa_BJde-Q5NOvpnG_D0kkF_RFF3pbALQfMei81M0O3WfZUKWcjX7A/s400/IMG_4057.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Teya took this picture while I was doing pilates one morning. It was after my run so Cam was awake and crawling all over me like I was a human obstacle course. After this I made it a point to only do pilates when Cam was sleeping : )</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzP1WD0v-w-n6RUl5xeOHai0-hZoYuop7hbpOqIK1s80ztD06QJM-VQBw2b7DgFhyphenhyphenbYcKf-pl1n9IpVhVeoWaz1FPfMHRv0b5rfDNgz70IX4AK3TNt2kyXehFN8DXQPq-cIAgejzHxNXA/s1600/IMG_1660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzP1WD0v-w-n6RUl5xeOHai0-hZoYuop7hbpOqIK1s80ztD06QJM-VQBw2b7DgFhyphenhyphenbYcKf-pl1n9IpVhVeoWaz1FPfMHRv0b5rfDNgz70IX4AK3TNt2kyXehFN8DXQPq-cIAgejzHxNXA/s400/IMG_1660.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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One of the bright spots of last week was when my friend, who is a massage therapist, came over to work on my back. It was great because she brought her massage table right to my house and we just put on a movie for the kids while she worked the soreness away. It helped a ton and now I just wish she could do it every week : ) </div>
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So yeah, back is doing better, cross training is happening, and overall I think week 11 went really well. Here's how it looked:</div>
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<b>Monday:</b></div>
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5 miles on the treadmill, avg pace: 8:34</div>
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20 minute pilates DVD</div>
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<b>Tuesday:</b></div>
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Got up at 5:40am to crank out 8 miles on the treadmill. avg pace: 8:33. Felt good to get it done early!</div>
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20 minute pilates DVD (a lot harder the 2nd day because my abs were so sore!)</div>
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<b>Wednesday:</b></div>
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Did 30 day shred level 1. It kicked my butt.</div>
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<b>Thursday:</b></div>
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Got up early again to do 5 miles on the treadmill. avg. pave was 8:17 and I felt like I was flying! </div>
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followed my run with a 20 minute pilates DVD</div>
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<b>Friday:</b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">18 miles on the dreadmill.</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPFRTD8KcP_6zwUfpIJDfD6RKkVmTuuUnROz7CKv4JMadYaixQbu89o2eHqH7YeAy1VcYQxvKVsx6QtW5RbFnoNmiepMAVt5ah421Q22J1hl5kae_jk9Vs2slD2N23RZI0jpiTFnKnLs/s1600/IMG_4092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPFRTD8KcP_6zwUfpIJDfD6RKkVmTuuUnROz7CKv4JMadYaixQbu89o2eHqH7YeAy1VcYQxvKVsx6QtW5RbFnoNmiepMAVt5ah421Q22J1hl5kae_jk9Vs2slD2N23RZI0jpiTFnKnLs/s400/IMG_4092.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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I know that sounds completely insane but it was 30 degrees outside and literally pouring rain all morning without a break. That was the only time I could get a babysitter so it was either run in the rain and risk getting sick from exposure, or suck it up and pound it out on the treadmill.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7BpQCvLi-9VJ8uM_baPLjIa8GJoJuhYSkhv1LHzuy-RFwok9L1p1CKjb9dlz4KVYXtEohHAY6aD03CkEn29BKSF2iynEIfCQe0vXXpuZymj3Aqm-2uLu9WBTWBc5r068lbv5iK71FNU/s1600/IMG_4094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7BpQCvLi-9VJ8uM_baPLjIa8GJoJuhYSkhv1LHzuy-RFwok9L1p1CKjb9dlz4KVYXtEohHAY6aD03CkEn29BKSF2iynEIfCQe0vXXpuZymj3Aqm-2uLu9WBTWBc5r068lbv5iK71FNU/s400/IMG_4094.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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I kept myself entertained by watching old episodes of the Biggest Loser. I ran at an 8:57 pace the whole time except at mile 9 and mile 15 when I slowed it down to a walk so I could take a Gu and drink some water. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwUHyZpBMZv8eZqFpeP2W7HKeW9QmnxNWX9lce-VgfvwjTbpaY2BJXk9mKaHgKEod4ehw6S-fgUIjZjPG2bOW8yppg5Og8MkBk93_E9fDaLZEW5ztB54GOvumaqH9KjGDiD7LPavWhIo/s1600/IMG_4097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwUHyZpBMZv8eZqFpeP2W7HKeW9QmnxNWX9lce-VgfvwjTbpaY2BJXk9mKaHgKEod4ehw6S-fgUIjZjPG2bOW8yppg5Og8MkBk93_E9fDaLZEW5ztB54GOvumaqH9KjGDiD7LPavWhIo/s400/IMG_4097.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I know I look super cute here but I wanted to take a picture when I was done to document my longest treadmill run ever. 18 miles, avg pace 9:05. Proud of myself for making it happen but I pray I never have to run that long on a treadmill again!</div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-58960564376354660782012-01-23T13:29:00.000-08:002012-01-23T13:29:45.228-08:00Week 10: I think I messed up my back : (<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After logging 33 miles last week my back is KILLING ME! It seriously feels like someone took a broom stick and jabbed it into my upper back over and over again as hard as they could. It hurts so bad! I think there are a couple of reasons for it: </div>
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1) Bad posture at the end of my long runs.</div>
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2) Running on an incline on the treadmill and not adjusting my posture.</div>
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3) Not doing any cross training to strengthen my core.</div>
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It's my own lazy fault for not doing any cross training and now I'm suffering the consequences for it. Luckily there are still 8 weeks until the marathon so I think I have time to fix the problem. Starting now I'm going to do pilates at least 5 times a week to strengthen my core and my back. I'm also going to be less focused on speed and more focused on my form, especially engaging my core and keeping my dang back straight! </div>
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I did pilates after my run today and it felt good on my sore back muscles. Hopefully doing it more consistently will help. In the mean time I'm doing lots of back stretches and I scheduled a sports massage for Thursday.</div>
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Besides my back pain here's what the week looked like:</div>
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<b>Monday:</b></div>
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8 miles on the treadmill with a 1 incline: avg. pace: 8:24. </div>
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This run was awesome and I felt so strong the whole time!</div>
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<b>Wednesday:</b></div>
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4 mile speed workout on the treadmill. alternated running .5 mile at a 7:30 pace with a .25 mile recovery at a 8:34 pace. Overall avg. pace: 7:53</div>
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<b>Friday:</b></div>
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Had to split my long run to make it work with the babysitter so I started by doing 5 miles on the treadmill (avg pace 8:42), and finished by running 12 miles outside: (avg pace 9:05) for a total of 17 miles.</div>
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It was the coldest long run I've done and I didn't wear enough layers. By the end my arms and fingers were so frozen I couldn't even zip up my jacket! I ran with my friend Kelly and it was a solid run but my legs were super tired at the end and my body was just so cold! I'm going to look into getting some warmer gear before my 18 miler this weekend.</div>
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<b>Saturday:</b></div>
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4 mile recovery run on the treadmill: avg pace 9:13</div>
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Oh man my legs were tired for this run! Running 21 miles in less than 24 hours takes it's toll. It felt like my last leg of the Ragnar but I just pushed through it and figured it was good to practice running on tired legs.</div>
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One thing that has helped with the energy is drinking Chia seeds before my runs. I was only doing it before long runs but I started doing it before all my runs and I feel a big difference!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSxtSpu-cS41WAaqq8Izm24Q0EfUx80L1OhaafrmCV4VFPkDlRTLFIPolc6_3kRY1LPQcrGAf7OAd7hQQByrvlyBbwmK_-P5OoCMXAUfg3gDOnW5us3Jj9wk2kcE_sNmaVUUEC5SU9XQ/s1600/IMG_1058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSxtSpu-cS41WAaqq8Izm24Q0EfUx80L1OhaafrmCV4VFPkDlRTLFIPolc6_3kRY1LPQcrGAf7OAd7hQQByrvlyBbwmK_-P5OoCMXAUfg3gDOnW5us3Jj9wk2kcE_sNmaVUUEC5SU9XQ/s400/IMG_1058.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's my little secret to getting the seeds down, Mio liquid water enhancer. It's basically like Crystal light powder but in liquid form so it dissolves easier. Anyway, I use the strawberry watermelon flavor and it's good stuff!</div>
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So that's week 10. Week 11 will be all about the core work, which is fine since I guess next month is national Ab month anyway ; )</div>
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Oh and p.s. Guess who turned ONE last week?! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuVQOywppcbvoQgqzDiwfY4UZ2UUp8SICtPUWNTbTcZSQg-178M676Io9mTuhSrS3L9WQfOuclbeDIWXa38IaynuzITmhndvUjyoOvvyHQDj2GcwFcdesPTez9_ID61CaMpxXIU0HShY/s1600/IMG_1406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuVQOywppcbvoQgqzDiwfY4UZ2UUp8SICtPUWNTbTcZSQg-178M676Io9mTuhSrS3L9WQfOuclbeDIWXa38IaynuzITmhndvUjyoOvvyHQDj2GcwFcdesPTez9_ID61CaMpxXIU0HShY/s400/IMG_1406.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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He had a lot of fun with his birthday cake : )</div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-15574581726734841692012-01-18T05:11:00.000-08:002012-01-18T05:11:56.913-08:00Week 9: Winter Warriors and a Bomb Diggity New Recipe!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I made it to the halfway mark! Just 9 weeks to go and the miles are ramping up! I've got 17, 18, 19, and 20 milers coming up in the next few weeks and I'm so <strike>SCARED</strike> excited to see how they go : )</div>
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Last week I only ran 3 times but I still managed to log 32 miles so I was happy with it. </div>
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Monday I decided to do 10 miles since I missed my long run from being sick the week before. My friend watched the kids so I was able to run outside and it was awesome! 25 degrees outside but no snow so I was able to cruise along. I did my usual hilly route that has a 711 ft. elevation climb but I pushed it on the hills and finished with an average pace of 8:41. </div>
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Wednesday was a 7 miler on the treadmill, didn't push it too hard and finished with an average pace of 8:31.</div>
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Then on Friday my friend Kelly and I braved the elements and ran 15 miles on the applefest course (super hilly) in freezing icy snow. Their was a wind advisory too so the wind was whipping around us and causing icy snow drops to pelt our faces. It felt like like getting stung in the face over and over again, we had to look down at the ground to avoid getting too much in our eyes.</div>
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(Do you like how the snow flake fell in front of my face right as I was taking this pic? kind of cool : )</div>
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I seriously felt like I was just "surviving" that run, trying to get through the snow and wind and hills without dying. We stopped to walk briefly to fuel at mile 8 and then to find our way at mile 14, but even with the walking I was shocked when we finished to see that our average pace was 9:01!! We definitely earned winter warrior status for that run!</div>
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Me and Kelly, my awesome marathoning mentor who recently qualified for Boston with a 3:32 marathon. I feel like I learn so much every time I run with her!</div>
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So that was week 9. I wish I could've squeezed one more run in but life is busy with 3 kids, and now our Friday nights and Saturday mornings are filled with rehearsals for a play Taber and I are in that's being put on by our church. It's a scripture based musical about the life of Jesus Christ called the Savior of the World. I'm playing the part of Mary (who has a lot of lines and a couple solos) So it's a pretty big commitment right now. So yeah, always tricky to fit in our runs but every Sunday Taber and I sit down and meticulously plan out when each of us is going to run. It takes a lot of effort and planning but we're doing it and I think it will be so worth it to run our first marathon together!</div>
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Oh, and the healthy eating thing has had it's ups and downs but I recently found a new website called <a href="http://www.skinnykitchen.com/">Skinnykitchen.com</a> and it has the BEST recipes! I tried these lettuce wraps last night and they were so amazingly DELICIOUS! Taber seriously went on and on about how good they were and how he felt like he eating at PF Changs. So yeah, here's the link to the recipe, enjoy! <a href="http://www.skinnykitchen.com/recipes/chicken-lettuce-wrap-appetizers-just-like-in-your-favorite-asian-restaurant/">Lettuce Wrap Recipe</a></div>
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I got a DSLR camera for Christmas so I'm kind of having fun pretending I can take cool pictures of food : ) </div>
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Yummy Yummy!!</div>
<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-14675708470271831112012-01-10T08:24:00.000-08:002012-01-10T10:13:44.743-08:00Week 8: Losing 8 lbs in 2 days is not cool...Week 8 of marathon training got seriously derailed by a horrible bout of the stomach flu. It took out our whole family, except for Cam. Brinley got it, Teya got it, Taber got it, and after cleaning up everyone's puke and taking care of them when they were sick, I knew it was only a matter of time before I got it too.<br />
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I went to bed on Thursday night feeling a little queasy, and a few hours later I woke up and starting hurling. I rarely get sick and when I do I never puke. I seriously think the last time I threw up was when I was 10 years old. So yeah, It must've been a pretty bad bug to get me to throw up like that. I thought I had emptied out my stomach but around 4 am I was up for another round of it. For 24 hours I couldn't even look at food and could barely even drink water. I sucked on ice chips and used heating pads to help with the achy muscles. Taber stayed home for a few hours on Friday morning and then my friends took the kids in the afternoon so I could rest. I slept, A LOT. And by Saturday I was up and moving again, although when I stepped on the scale I had lost 8 lbs since the puking/loss of appetite began.<br />
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Unless you're on the Biggest Loser or just gave birth to an 8 lb baby, losing 8 lbs that fast is not cool. I knew some of it was water weight but I also knew that my clothes were noticeably looser. Taber, (who usually doesn't notice these kinds of things) even made the comment that I looked super skinny. I felt horrible and had no energy. My appetite still wasn't back but I was concerned by my weight loss so I just forced myself to eat whatever my stomach would tolerate. yogurt, plain cheerios, toast, banana and a little bit of soup. Once I had some food in my belly I started perking up more. I knew a long run wasn't going to happen but I wanted to do something since I hadn't run since Wednesday. I hopped on the treadmill and just took it nice and easy thinking maybe I would do 6 miles, but 4 was all I could handle. I wasn't going fast but I still felt queasy afterwards.<br />
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By Monday I was up and running like normal again but man, what a bummer week for marathon training. I was supposed to run 30 miles and instead I did 15 : ( I hope it doesn't set me back too bad. <br />
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Here's what week 8 in training looked like:<br />
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<b>Monday</b>: 4 mile recovery run on the treadmill (legs were still tired from Saturday's 15 miler) avg pace: 8:35<br />
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<b>Wednesday</b>: The bright spot in a dark week of training: Ran 7 miles on the treadmill at an 8:04 pace. The best thing about this run was that I felt amazing and strong the whole time. Sometimes I'm killing myself for an 8 min pace but on this day I was just flying.<br />
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<b>Saturday</b>: 4 miles on the treadmill after a weekend of the stomach flu. Avg. pace: 8:49<br />
<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-28239312521486253652012-01-04T06:59:00.000-08:002012-01-04T11:45:30.206-08:00Week 7: Goodbye Holiday Eating, Hello Healthy Eating!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Week 7 was the last week of the holiday season and my last week of eating like a little piggy.</div>
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It was fun while it lasted, but as my jeans got tighter and the number on the scale got higher I knew it was time to get it under control. </div>
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So for my New Years resolution I have committed to dropping the 4 pounds I gained over the holidays, (because believe me, when you're 5 ft 2, four lbs makes a difference in the way your clothes fit.) And then dropping 5 more pounds to get down to marathon weight. My friend who recently qualified for Boston said that losing weight was key in helping her get faster. I'm not looking for a BQ but dropping some extra poundage might help me get my sub 4. </div>
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To drop the weight I started using the MyFitnessPal calorie counting app on my phone and it's pretty awesome. I'm aiming for about 1500 calories a day and the app just helps me keep track of everything. It seriously has every food you can imagine in it's data base and is really easy to use. I also like how it adjusts your calorie total when you work out. Like today I got 600 extra calories for running 7 miles. Pretty Cool. </div>
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Anyway, here's what yesterday's meals looked like: </div>
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( I didn't work out yesterday so I had to take it easy on the snacks, usually I snack more than this)</div>
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Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal with 1 tsp brown sugar, 2 Tbs raisins, 1 Tbs chopped almonds and 1/2 cup of almond milk.</div>
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Snack: banana</div>
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Lunch: 1 egg + 2 egg whites scrambled with 4 slices deli turkey, 1/2 cup spinach, 1/4 cup reduced fat cheese and 1/4 cup of salsa.</div>
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Snack: Chobani Strawberry Banana Greek yogurt</div>
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Dinner: 7oz Salmon filet on a bed of Spinach with 1/2 cup of broccoli on the side.</div>
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Snack: Strawberry/raspberry smoothie made with 5 frozen strawberries, coconut extract, vanilla extract, 1/2 an orange, a packet of raspberry crystal light and 8 0z of water. SO YUMMY!!!</div>
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So yeah, I've been eating like that for the last 3 days and I'm feeling tons better and expect to see some good results on the scale next week. </div>
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Training was good last week. We had a 15 miler for our long run and it definitely gave us a workout!</div>
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We stayed up late the night before so we could go to the Celtics opening game. Totally worth it!</div>
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The next morning we had a babysitter come at 9am and headed out with temps in the low 30's and a forecast for "freezing rain." I was nervous about the weather but once we got going it wasn't that bad. In the end we finished 15 miles with a 9:04 average pace. The course had a 997 ft elevation climb so we really worked for that 9 minute pace!</div>
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Also, my last 2 miles were 8:20 and 8:50 so I finished in negative splits. Woot! </div>
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There was ice in my hair and as soon as I stopped moving I was freezing my buns off. I went inside and told the babysitter I needed her for 20 more minutes so I could change and warm my body back up.</div>
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It took 2 pairs of pants, a long sleeve shirt, a fleece jacket, and my winter coat to make me stop shivering.</div>
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Taber had even more layers than me though. He put on 2 shirts, a sweatshirt, his robe, his winter coat, and a blanket! I was laughing so hard when I saw him that I had to take a picture.</div>
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Once we were warm again we realized we were STARVING!! </div>
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I started pulling stuff out of the fridge and making whatever food I could think off. I put some noodles on to boil for spaghetti but then pancakes sounded good too so I decided to do both. While I was waiting for them to cook I guzzled a coconut water, then drank a chocolate milk while I stuffed almonds and craisins in my face. Taber noshed on a giant sweet potato drenched in salsa and then we sat down to eat our carb-tacular feast.</div>
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The aftermath of our carb binge.</div>
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After we stuffed our faces we showered and then we were so wasted we made all the kids take a nap so we could crash too. We slept for 2 hours and then at last, we felt recovered. </div>
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It was the longest run I've done since having Cam and it definitely took a lot out of me, but I felt great while I was running so I think the bigger issue was not sleeping a lot the night before and probably not fueling well enough during the run.</div>
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Anyway, here's the summary of week 7:</div>
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Monday: 4 miles of interval sprints on the treadmill: avg pace 8:03</div>
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Wednesday: 7 rough miles on the treadmill (ate too much junk that day): avg pace 8:21</div>
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Friday: Another torturous 4 miles on the treadmill due to crappy eating: avg pace 8:08</div>
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Saturday: 15 miles outside: avg pace 9:04</div>
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Hoping my treadmill runs will be a little more pleasant now that I'm eating better! </div>
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Happy Wednesday everyone! </div>
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<br /></div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-33084372769090274172011-12-28T19:40:00.000-08:002011-12-29T04:50:08.784-08:00Week 6 in Training and a Christmas Eve run with the guy who started it all!<div style="text-align: center;">
Week 6 was a lot of fun because my sister and her husband Kevin were in town and they are the people who got me into running. Kevin is a big time runner and him and Naomi encouraged me to sign up for my first race ever, a 2 mile turkey trot. </div>
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That turkey trot made me catch the running bug and 7 months later Kevin ran by my side to help me finish my first marathon. He normally runs marathons about an hour and a half faster than I finished mine so he really took one for the team to stay with me. </div>
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Yeah, my brother in law rules. </div>
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On the 2nd day they were here, Kevin, Taber and I went out for a nice 6 miler. It was so fun running together and we were cruising along at a nice 8:30 pace even with some solid hills.</div>
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Then on Saturday (Christmas Eve morning) we put on some Santa hats and drove over to the Applefest course to show Kevin (who lives in flat Chicago) some real hills.</div>
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It was FREEZING that morning. Had to do some jump shots to stay warm : )</div>
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Me and Santa Taber with the sun rising behind us</div>
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and Kevin taking one of his famous self portraits. He always makes the most flattering faces. ; )</div>
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I was only planning to do 12 miles and I was kind of dreading the applefest hills, but once we got going I felt awesome and I just powered along. I ended up doing the whole half marathon course with them and we finished in 1:58:06.</div>
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Here's what our splits looked like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRz8PuLLwRHxUht9xWZRcUJuxSvyYlCnKGWgqxiywwt4jWO3xF68nycZ3Og5Zp6jIp5OmTQWUdxE2SQ2ZQJVzl33MFv47aNjxpJAdtKTsh8GMKeR3-DZ46dbCMhx0KWJNsQWpml4vUH90/s1600/run12-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRz8PuLLwRHxUht9xWZRcUJuxSvyYlCnKGWgqxiywwt4jWO3xF68nycZ3Og5Zp6jIp5OmTQWUdxE2SQ2ZQJVzl33MFv47aNjxpJAdtKTsh8GMKeR3-DZ46dbCMhx0KWJNsQWpml4vUH90/s400/run12-24.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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We took the first mile easy to warm up but by mile 3 we were moving along. We ran slower through the hills but we picked it up again at the end and finished strong. (Taber went on to do an even 14 miles and Kevin tagged on 2 extra miles for 15 just because they're cool like that.)</div>
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It was an awesome way to start off the morning and we got lots of friendly honks and waves in our Santa hats!</div>
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Also major props to my sister Naomi who watched all the kiddos while we ran. She is the stud of the universe!</div>
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Here's the full summary of what week 6 looked like:</div>
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<b>Monday: </b>3 mile tempo run on treadmill: avg pace 7:53 ( Felt like pushing it that day)</div>
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<b>Tuesday</b>: 3 miles interval sprints on treadmill: avg. pace 8:01</div>
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<b>Thursday</b>: 6 miles outside with Kevin and Taber: avg pace 8:33</div>
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<b>Saturday</b>: 13.1 miles outside with Kevin and Taber: avg pace 9:01</div>
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And I'm throwing in a picture of the kids with Santa because cuteness like this must be shared : )</div>
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Hope Everyone had a Merry Christmas!</div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-56790903562243621542011-12-18T13:54:00.000-08:002011-12-18T19:52:27.815-08:00Weeks 4 and 5 in Training and keeping the holiday pounds at bay (sort of...)Well, the first 5 weeks of my marathon training is done. I gotta admit it's been a little tricky trying to squeeze in training during the holidays. It seems like I have so much going on, especially because I've been working on some major projects for Christmas gifts and they've been super time consuming. I barely got in 3 runs during week 4 and on week 5 I had to cut my long run short to get to a Christmas breakfast at my church that I was cooking for and singing in. This time of year is just busy. Despite the condensed training I do feel like the runs I've done have all been solid and I think I'm still far enough out that a few missed miles will be okay.<br />
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So yeah, the tough thing about training during the holidays is the crunch for time. The awesome thing about training during the holidays is that I've semi managed to keep off the "winter storage" that I usually pack on between Halloween and Christmas. I'm a major foodie, and even though for the most part I try to keep my food obsession in moderation, this time of year is my weakness. I always gain 8 to 10 lbs every holiday season, but I'm happy to say that this year I have only gained 2! Not because I've been eating better, still gotta have my sugar, but my winter belly is a little smaller this year because I actually have to put in some miles to keep up my training. ; ) Someday I might conquer my sugar addiction but at least for now I've got running to keep it in check.<br />
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Anyways, here's what my runs looked like for weeks 4 and 5. Still no snow on the ground so we've been able to do all our long runs outside. And when I say "we" I mean Taber and I, he's thinking about running DC too so we've been doing our long runs together. We've been able to get babysitters for the last 2 weeks and it is so worth the money to be able to 1) be done with our runs by 9am and not have to drag it out until the afternoon by taking turns and 2) run with the hottest guy ever : )<br />
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This Saturday my brother in law who is also training for DC will be in town so I'm excited for all of us to get in a nice Christmas eve 12 miler : ) Hope everyone has a great week and a very Merry Christmas!<br />
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<b>Training Summary:</b><br />
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<b>Week 4:</b><br />
Monday: 3.63 miles doing intervals on treadmill. avg pace 8:16<br />
Wednesday: 6 mile tempo run on treadmill: avg pace 8:07<br />
Saturday: 11.8 miles outside: avg pace 8:55<br />
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<b>Week 5:</b><br />
Tuesday: 4 miles doing intervals on treadmill. avg pace 8:04<br />
Wednesday: 6 mile tempo run on treadmill. avg pace: 7:58<br />
Thursday: 1.5 quick run on treadmill: avg. pace 8:02<br />
Friday: 3 mile tempo run on treadmill. avg pace 8:11<br />
Saturday: 7 miles outside. avg pace 8:59Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-74361786504804642952011-12-07T11:48:00.001-08:002011-12-08T12:01:10.504-08:00Week 3 in training: New running friends and a house full of sickies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Week 3 of training was a tough one. Taber was out of town in Minnesota for the first half of the week so I was flying solo on mom duty. It was exhausting being on the clock 24/7 with no backup, but I did manage to get 2 runs in during the week and they were both outside which was awesome.</div>
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On Saturday I got to do my long run with a friend I met through church who is an awesome marathoner. She just ran her 5th marathon and qualified for Boston, finishing in 3:32! I really wanted to pick her brain about how to train smarter and get faster. She has 4 kids so she understands the mommy dilemma of making time for training while balancing her family life. Her husband came along too and it was fun talking to another couple who thinks running dates are awesome. ; ) We did 10 miles and it flew by having people to chat with. We had so much fun that we decided to meet up again this Saturday, and this time one of her daughters is watching our kids so Taber can run with us too. I'm so excited to have some new running friends! </div>
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When I got back from my run I walked in the door and before I could untie my shoes, Brinley puked the entire contents of her stomach onto the kitchen floor. </div>
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The rest of the weekend was spent taking care of barfing babies. Brinley couldn't keep anything down, not even juice or water. She was devastated because she really wanted to go with Taber and Teya to cut down a Christmas tree but I wasn't going to let her because she was so sick. She cried and cried and told me she felt better. Finally I caved and let her go. She made it through the cutting of the tree but as soon as Taber put her back in the car, she puked everywhere and then passed out.</div>
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Poor sick little lady : (</div>
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The next morning we started our day with Cam barfing up his entire bottle onto the bathroom floor. </div>
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Launch round 2 of the pukes.</div>
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It was a long weekend. We went through a lot of towels, sheets, blankets, and laundry. I'm glad I had a bought a box of disposable plastic gloves, they made the clean up slightly more bearable. ; )</div>
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Thankfully the sickies weren't sick for too long.</div>
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Brinley was back in action after 24 hours</div>
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And Cam starting perking up again after 2 days. </div>
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We got our tree set up, and even though it wasn't perfect, </div>
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I logged week 3 in the marathon training books. </div>
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Here's what my training looked like:</div>
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<b>Monday:</b> 3.5 miles outside: interval sprints: Avg pace 8:19<br />
<b>Wednesday</b>: 5 miles outside (my friend watched the kids) hauled booty and clocked my fastest 5 miler ever! finished in 40:09, avg pace 8:02.<br />
<b>Saturday:</b> 10 miles outside with our running buddies: avg pace: 8:53<br />
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No cross training! Yikes! Wish I could say I was doing better with that this week but so far haven't been able to squeeze it in! Gotta make a goal to get it in next week, we'll see how it goes.Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-53839377287511779282011-11-30T06:58:00.000-08:002011-11-30T08:42:34.277-08:00Turkey Trot, Week 2 in Training, and the Alphabet block that almost killed me!<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Thanksgiving morning, Taber and I decided VERY last minute to get up early and run the local Turkey Trot 5K. I figured that somehow those 3 little miles would make all the gluttony of the rest of the day feel justified. : )</div>
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It was a great little 5K through the trails at Mine Falls. I'm not used to trail running so it was trickier than I thought navigating some of the thinner paths with rocks and trees. I got off to a slow start but once I got in my groove I started passing people and ended up finishing in 25:55 min (8:12 avg. pace) Taber was about 2 minutes ahead of me finishing around 24 minutes. Not our fastest 5K but good enough for me to say, "bring on the candied sweet potatoes!"</div>
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We were home just after 9 am and Taber got to work grilling up the turkey. Taber's parents flew out and our friends from Boston drove up and and we ate and ate and ate and ate, all week long! I wonder if the Tarahumara indians have Thanksgiving? I'm going to pretend they do so I can still claim I'm eating like a Tarahumara, haha!</div>
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Seriously though, it was a glorious week of eating and now I'm trying to wean myself off rich buttery carbs and sugary desserts every day. I'm still in the grouchy withdrawal stage ; )</div>
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Despite the decadent eating, Week 2 of Marathon Training went well. Here's what it looked like:</div>
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Monday : 3 miles of intervals on the treadmill: 8:18 avg. pace</div>
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Wednesday: 4 mile tempo run on treadmill: 8:11 avg. pace</div>
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Thursday: 3.1 mile trail run outside: 8:12 avg. pace</div>
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Saturday: 9 mile hilly course outside: 8:34 avg pace.</div>
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The intervals are definitely making me faster, although I probably pushed it a little too hard on my long run. My legs were feeling it the next day. I think I'm going to shoot for closer to a 9 minute pace on my long runs since I heard you were supposed to run your short runs faster and your long runs slower (or something like that)</div>
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My feet are doing well without my inserts but I did have a major setback yesterday when the kids begged me to play tickle monster and chase them around the house. We were all running around, screaming and laughing and having a great time. I was really getting into it, taking big strides and then all of a sudden my foot came down hard on one of their blasted little alphabet blocks. I let out a big yelp and then had a Nancy Kerrigan moment, cradling my foot and crying, "WHY ME?" It seriously hurt SO bad! Luckily after some icing it felt a lot better but it's still tender this morning and there's a nice violet bruise in my arch where the block hit.</div>
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I think I might take today off or try a really easy run and see how it affects me. Hopefully it won't be a bid deal but I might have developed a new phobia of alphabet blocks after that one almost killed me!</div>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-88829967246002208302011-11-21T11:54:00.001-08:002011-11-21T18:55:56.563-08:00Training recap: Week 1Well week one of marathon training is in the books and I gotta confess, I might've been a little idealistic when I said I was going to train and eat like a Tarahumara runner. : ) I mean, I DID work on my form and think I'm making a lot of progress with my gait. I also ditched my inserts so hopefully my arches can get a little stronger. But the eating thing, whoa! That ended up being harder than I thought! After I read Born to Run I was all gung ho about eating whole foods and going meatless but then I got back to reality and was like, "yeah right!"<br />
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Like today when the kids wanted happy meals. I thought I could be strong and just order food for them and eat a nice leafy green salad when I got home. Nope. Those happy meals came in the car, filling the air with the intoxicating aroma of hot greasy fries and I was a goner.<br />
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There were many other moments of weakness like that but the point is, I had a rough time sticking with healthy foods last week. Naturally it made me feel gross and lethargic so hopefully I can do better this week and benefit from the extra energy that comes from eating well.<br />
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Despite my less than stellar food choices I did get in some good runs. Here's what last week looked like:<br />
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<b>Monday</b>: 4 miles of interval splits on the treadmill. Alternated running 2 minutes at a 9:13 pace (6.5 mph) and 2 minutes at a 7:30 pace (8mph) until I hit 4 miles. Tough workout with an overall average pace of 8:17.<br />
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<b>Tuesday</b>: Jillian Michaels 30 day shred level 2<br />
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<b>Wednesday</b>: 4 mile tempo run on treadmill. 8:31 pace.<br />
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<b>Friday</b>: 3 mile run on treadmill without my inserts. Felt some pain for the 1st mile but then it went away. 8:39 pace.<br />
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<b>Saturday:</b> 8 mile run outside: 8:43 pace.<br />
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Total mileage: 19. Not bad for my first week. I figure I'll just ease into it nice and slow and hopefully I won't burn out.<br />
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Goals for this week:<br />
1) Eat better (although I will be doing some major splurging on Thanksgiving. ; )<br />
2) Try to get my runs in before the kids wake up so I can get more things done during the day.<br />
3) Go to bed earlier!!<br />
<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-32791404392507136022011-11-18T10:40:00.001-08:002011-11-18T12:25:32.087-08:009 Months on, 9 months off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I know Heidi Klum and many other genetically blessed mamas are back in their skinny jeans just weeks after giving birth, but my body doesn't like to give up weight that easily.</div>
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For me the rule seems to be, 9 months to pack it on, 9 months to work it off. </div>
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With Cam I put on a solid 43 pounds. </div>
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Now that it's finally off, I thought it would be good to post some before pics to remind me to go easy on the Twinkies next time I'm pregnant.</div>
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Big Mama carrying Cam in my belly</div>
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9 months later carrying him in my arms.</div>
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Chubby chipmunk cheeks at a restaurant 7 months prego with Cam</div>
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9 months later the "cheek swelling" has gone down : )</div>
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Somebody probably should've told me to put down the cake (8 months prego)</div>
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And here I am 2 months after he was born, </div>
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still holding on to 25 extra pounds</div>
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8 months of Weightwatchers, a 5K, 10K and half marathon later and I'm finally ready to get back in my bathing suit : )</div>
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Of course it was all worth it for this guy.</div>
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Who wouldn't pack on 43 lbs to get this? : )</div>
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<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-27644635642534445352011-11-16T03:56:00.001-08:002011-11-16T08:01:13.056-08:00BORN TO RUN!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm BACK!!</div>
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And I'm ready to take on a marathon baby!</div>
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It's been 2 1/2 years since I ran 26.2 and I finally think I'm ready to revisit that monster again.</div>
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There are 18 weeks until the <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/usa/usa-splash">DC Marathon</a> and if everything goes my way I'll be there toeing the starting line : )</div>
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It's been awhile since I posted but good things have been happening over here that have made me feel up for this challenge.</div>
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1) I finally made it back to my pre-baby weight and reached my lifetime weight watchers goal! It's amazing how much easier it is to run without all the extra poundage.</div>
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2) I spent a week in Turks and Caicos for our 10 year anniversary and came back pumped and excited again about running!</div>
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You wouldn't think a week of sleeping in and relaxing would make me a better runner, but when Taber bought me a book to read on the beach called, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307266303">Born to Run</a>," everything changed. He's been trying to get me to read it for 2 years and it took a week without the kids to get me to settle down and do it.<br />
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Half way through I thought, "WHY HAVEN'T I READ THIS SOONER?!!!" It was AWESOME!!! It made me look at running through new eyes. It talks about the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico who run like super humans and yet they aren't slaves to some training schedule, they don't worry about time or pace, they don't even wear running shoes, just sandals! The biggest thing that impressed me though was that they run for the joy of running. Towards the end of a 100 mile race (that they won) they were still smiling as they burned up the trail.<br />
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That whole concept of running for the joy of it really hit me. We were born to run. (If you don't believe me, read the book.) And when we take away all the artificial things that we've added to our diets and training regimens, amazing things can happen. I'm telling you, after reading that book I'm seriously ready to ditch my running shoes, strap on some sandals, chug down some chia seeds and run as far as legs will take me! I know that's extreme and I'll have to ease myself into this new style of running but here are some things that I've already started to change:<br />
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1) The way I eat. The less ingredients the better. Simple, pure, whole foods. If it came from the ground or a tree, put it in my fuel tank. I've majorly scaled back on sugar and processed foods and am cutting back significantly on meat. (Not ready to go full on vegetarian like the runners in the book but definitely eating meat sparingly)<br />
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2) The way I train. My game plan for this marathon is to "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Less-Faster-Revolutionary/dp/159486649X">Run Less, Run Faster</a>." That's another book and another blog post but basically I'll only be running 3-4 times a week but with a purpose to every run. (Speed work, hill training, or long run)<br />
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3) The way I think about running. Instead of being a chore, I'm trying to look at every run as a way for my body to express itself joyfully. (I know that sounds kind of cheesy but seriously, this is what my body was made to do so why not enjoy it!)<br />
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4) My running form. Tarahumara runners land on the balls of their feet, they keep their hips dead under their shoulders and engage their core while they relax their legs and let them spin from pivot points in the hips. They stay smooth and level, not a lot of bouncing, and whip their heels up towards their butt. I haven't even come close to mastering this but I've tried in my last few runs and when I do I go faster a lot easier.<br />
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I'd also like to start easing myself into some simpler running shoes like Nike Frees or maybe even Vibrams. Right now my shoes are super structured and I run with arch supporting inserts so I'm definitely going to have to ease into this transition gradually, but I'm onboard with the barefoot running revolution after reading this book!<br />
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So that's the update! Marathon training started on Monday and I'm a born again runner! ; )<br />
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<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-55194794492190209742011-10-07T11:54:00.000-07:002011-10-07T11:54:57.306-07:00Applefest Half Marathon Race Report: Finally!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I totally posted my race report on my family blog and forgot to put it up here! I know it seems like the running blog would be the more obvious place to post it but I like my race reports on my family blog because I turn that blog into a <a href="http://taberandbecca.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-book.html">book</a> every year through blurb.com and I love having my races in our family "scrapbook."</div>
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If you follow both blogs sorry for the redundancy. I did add a few little bonuses at the end of this one though to talk about our race wounds and causalities.</div>
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Anyway, here's the report!</div>
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For the last 6 months I've been slowly but surely working my way back into shape after taking a 9 month break from exercise and responsible eating while I was pregnant . : ) I signed up for the Applefest half marathon back in April to give myself some extra motivation to get out there and run. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRZ30U4b4cfVR1ikokVvfoiedfUZezptJfUSlO0M2r1y1t1TQH9jtnVvaGfMIKG4C6NEkVeiwDIguQhvJVOKq-8WA4Ic4DUMVMEoxPj6rX3g0OyDkTjhNZyvdeME96kuc-jKtNNMS_ag/s1600/Blog+Pics+September+20112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRZ30U4b4cfVR1ikokVvfoiedfUZezptJfUSlO0M2r1y1t1TQH9jtnVvaGfMIKG4C6NEkVeiwDIguQhvJVOKq-8WA4Ic4DUMVMEoxPj6rX3g0OyDkTjhNZyvdeME96kuc-jKtNNMS_ag/s640/Blog+Pics+September+20112.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last year I came with "big baby" (AKA my prego belly) to cheer on Taber, my sister and a bunch of friends that were running it. This year it was pretty awesome to be pinning on a number too.</div>
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After watching everyone run it last year I knew the course was insanely hilly with the worst of the hills coming in the back half. Those hills really freaked me out and I was hesitant to set a time goal for myself. But then my running buddy Kendall told me that every time her sister races, no matter what, she always goes after a PR. I was inspired by that and it made me think of that quote, "It's better to aim high and miss than aim low and hit your target." So I decided to aim high and set my sights on finishing under 2 hours, which means I would need to sustain at least a 9:10 pace for 13.1 miles.<br />
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To prepare for race day I ran the Applefest course twice in training so I could get a feel for those hills. Both times I pushed pretty hard but couldn't get it under 2 hours. I was nervous, but hoped that with good weather and race adrenaline I could get there.</div>
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Then the day before the race Taber did something unbelievably awesome. He told me he was going to forget about his own time goal and run as my pacer to make sure I got <i>my</i> goal. I seriously could not believe it. I was literally jumping up and down and squealing with excitment. It was like being handed a secret weapon with superpowers. Once he told me that I was like, "Bring it on you big scary hills! I'm running with The Taber! You got nothin'!" </div>
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Seriously though, knowing that Taber would be running with me was the best confidence booster I could've asked for. He also volunteered to run with the fuel belt so I could stay hydrated (water stops are only every 2 miles at the Applefest.) I was so pumped to have my own personal one man entourage. Pacer, water boy, motivational coach and even camera man. With Taber by my side it was going to be a good race.</div>
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We woke up that morning to cool weather with drizzling rain. Perfect running weather. I ate some toast with peanut butter and banana then we loaded up the girls and drove over to the high school. Taber dropped me off with the girls and their friend and went to park the car. We had only 30 minutes before it started and I still had to drop off my bag, find my friend who was watching the girls to do a kid pass off, meet up with a running blogger friend for some pre-race pics, stretch, and most importantly, do my port-a-potty routine. Navigating the crowd with 3 little girls who walk slower than worms crawl was going to be a problem. Luckily I bumped into Taber's training buddy Rob and he offered to watch the girls so I could drop off my bag. </div>
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I ran up to the gym and checked my bag, and finally got to meet my blogger buddy <a href="http://failedmuffins.blogspot.com/">Lauren</a> for a quick picture and good luck wishes on the race. I found Lauren's blog through a giveaway and have loved reading about her fitness adventures through her spunky upbeat personality. She is an absolute gem in real life too. I told her I'd look for her after the race, then I squeezed in a trip to the port-a-potty with not a minute to spare. Taber got the girls situated with the babysitter, we took a quick picture and then we lined up with our friends Rob, Ricky and Joseph near the front.</div>
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The race director said "GO" and we took off with the crowd. Rob, Ricky and Joseph pulled away from us pretty quickly. I could see Rob and Ricky in the distance but Joseph was long gone. I worried that we might be going too slow but Taber told me to hold back and stay with him. We finished our first mile in 8:11, well under our goal pace. Mile 2 brought us to Merrill hill which we plowed up no problem and clocked an 8:30 pace for the 2nd mile. We saw the girls at that point and they were screaming and cheering and reaching out for high fives. We slapped them some skin and the lady next to me said, "Aw! How motivating!"</div>
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We finished mile 3 in 8:32 and took advantage of a nice long downhill to pick up a fast 8:08 pace on mile 4. I felt strong, energetic and awesome during those first miles. Taber had his phone and was taking little videos while we ran. He would tell me when to speed up or slow down and do form checks every once in awhile. He also told me I looked awesome and made it look so easy. I was like, "Man I should run all my races with this guy! I'm lovin' this!"</div>
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Here we are at mile 4 all smiles and thumbs up.</div>
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We hit a good hill at mile 5 but luckily there was a guy there playing the bagpipes for some motivation. We finished that mile in 8:38 and stretched out our legs to pick up some speed on the downhill at mile 6. Since the worse hills are in the second half our strategy was to run the first half under pace and pick up as much time as we could on the downhills so we'd have a buffer when we got to the big hills from miles 8-11.</div>
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We saw our friend Kemper cheering at mile 6 and then we saw Rob's wife Darby a half a mile later with personalized signs for us! We clocked an 8:22 pace for that mile and felt good as we got close to the halfway point. Mile 7 was mostly flat and we were well under pace so didn't push hard and kept it steady at 8:47. After mile 7 we downed our chocolate GU's and geared up for the long stretch of hills I call the gauntlet.</div>
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The gauntlet is brutal but I had run it in my training and knew what I was up against. We jogged, we shuffled, but we never stopped to walk. It started raining pretty hard right as we were heading into the first hill but I didn't mind because it kept us cool. At mile 8 we caught up with Rob and Joseph and ran with them for awhile. Joseph hadn't been able to train since he started MBA school at the end of August and even though he flew through the first 8 miles, the hills started to take their toll and he fell behind. Rob fell back too but I knew we had to keep going because if I stopped I wouldn't be able to start again.</div>
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The rain made my feet wet and soggy and my legs felt heavy going up the hills. Taber told me to dig deep and started talking about all the people and things that motivate us to run. I blocked out everything but his voice and forced my legs to keep moving. Our splits through the hills were 8:59 for mile 8, 8:40 for mile 9, and 9:35 for mile 10.</div>
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When we got to the top of the last hill in the gauntlet Taber was celebrating but I was spent. He was ready to pick up the pace and coast in for the last 2 miles but I was starting to break down. Mile 11 was 9:15. My legs were so tired and even though Taber said run, all I wanted to do was walk.</div>
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"Come on babe, you got this! Just stay with me and you're going to PR!" </div>
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"This is all I got." I told him. "It's all I can do not to walk right now." </div>
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"15 more minutes of hard running and you're done. Think of why we run. Think about Cam. Don't stop."</div>
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That must've done it when he told me to think about Cam because I picked up my legs again and finished mile 12 in 9:02. Then we were back to Merrill hill. The cruelest part of this course is a 75 foot climb on the last mile. I wanted to cry. Taber started to pull away from me and I finally gave into my screaming legs and stopped to walk. Taber was having none of that though. "Stay with me and you're going to like what you see at the finish line, we're almost there, just stay with me!" I grabbed his arm and told him to pull me but he said, "no, you're going to do this yourself." I knew he was right, so I summoned every last ounce of will power and commanded my legs to run. I got to the top and it was all downhill from there. I ran as hard as I could. I heard Taber shouting, "Yeah! you're doing it! YEAH!"</div>
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We rounded the corner back to the high school and saw all our friends and our girls shouting and cheering for us. Someone was holding Cam and ran him out to give me high five as I was passing. Darby took this picture right then. I could see the finish line and knew I was going to PR, I saw my girls and my sweet baby boy, my friends were there cheering for me and I had Taber by my side. It was an amazing moment.</div>
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My official time was 1:56:15. Smashed my 2 hour goal and set a new personal record. My average pace was 8:53 min/mile and I placed 19 out 70 in my age division. Not bad for my post-baby comeback!<br />
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Afterwards I tried to grab pictures with all my friends who had run.<br />
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I got to chat with Lauren some more in the gym and Cam seemed to like her (and her medal) a lot. : )<br />
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One last shout out to Taber for being the best pacer, water boy, coach, motivational speaker and friend I could ask for. He is my real secret weapon. So grateful to him and the kids for all their support (even though Cam and Brinley don't look super supportive in this picture ; ) I couldn't have done it without them!</div>
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The rain was great for keeping us cool but it did cause some wounds and casualties.<br />
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Running in a soaking wet sports bra= seriously painful back chaff-ige</div>
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My whole back was red but the worst was right here, completed chaffed my skin off and burned like crazy when I got in the shower. Owie!<br />
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And the biggest casualty of the race was Taber's iPhone. He had it with him to take video while we ran but the rain got it wet and now the mic that pics up your voice when you talk doesn't work. I think it works when he puts the phone on speaker but yeah, he was a little bummed.<br />
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The good news is he was able to capture some cool clips while we ran and I put it into a little video. Hope you enjoy 2 hours of running in 2 minutes. : )<br />
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<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-35542179686515925112011-10-04T11:06:00.000-07:002011-10-04T11:06:24.981-07:00Lululemon GiveawaySo I totally need to post about Applefest but I had to take a minute to enter this awesome giveaway for a $50 gift card to Lululemon. They have awesome workout clothes and since I literally live in my workout gear it would be nice to have some decent stuff : ) Go check it out for a chance to win!<br />
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<a href="http://www.hilaryfleming.com/2011/10/welcome-50-lululemon-giveaway.html">Lululemon Giveaway</a>Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-44539421545677672642011-09-30T13:04:00.000-07:002011-09-30T13:04:54.291-07:00Tomorrow...Applefest is TOMORROW and I'm kind of freaking out!! I get pre-race jitters like you wouldn't believe, especially when I've set an ambitious goal for myself and let people know about it. I get all worked up and feel like if I don't hit my goal everyone will be so dissapointed. I know that's not true so I just gotta reign myself in and stop freaking out! No matter what happens tomorrow, I'm proud of myself for sticking with my training and working hard to get to the point where I can actually run 13.1 miles, sub 2 hours or not!<br />
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So here are some things that have been making me nervous:<br />
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1)The course is super duper hilly. I've run it twice now and the hills are KILLER!<br />
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2) The weather calls for 60% chance of rain. Hoping soggy feet don't give me blisters ; (<br />
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3) Not to be TMI but during the last few runs I've had some bowel issues that have slowed me down.<br />
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4) I can't run with music (applefest has a very strict no music policy) I've tried to wean myself but I still run a lot faster with my tunes.<br />
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On the positive side, here are some things that boost my confidence:<br />
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1) I've run the course twice so I'm familiar with it and know what I'm up against.<br />
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2) I've trained on hills for the last 6 weeks since my treadmill broke and now my legs are getting better at taking them.<br />
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And the best most awesome confidence booster of all...Taber told me this morning that he is going to run with me the whole time!! I was seriously jumping up and down with excitement! With Taber there to pace me I KNOW I can hit my goal if I just stay focused and trust my training.<br />
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Also I will have the cutest cheerleaders on the planet waiting for me at the finish line. </div>
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Do you love his, "My mommy runs wicked fast" onsie? </div>
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My friend Kendall made it for him. </div>
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We both had babies a week apart in January and Applefest is our come back race : )</div>
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And can't forget the girls, they wanted in on the pictures too. </div>
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They were still in their jammies and rockin' the bed head but you can't deny the cuteness. </div>
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Pretty awesome motivation ; )</div>
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Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-17431015929258183262011-09-13T19:33:00.000-07:002011-09-13T19:34:25.715-07:00Dear neglected running blog...Dear running blog,<br />
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I wish I had time for you but the whole 3 kids thing is still kind of kicking my butt. I love those precious little nuggets more than anything in this world but let me tell you, 3 feels like a lot more than 2!</div>
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Cam turned 8 months old today and keeping that kid fed, diapered, and safe from small choking hazards takes a pretty monumental chunk of time out of my day. I know those don't sound like hard things but you should see the circus act I have to put on just to get a few bites food in this guy's mouth. It's intense.</div>
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Also Teya just started kindergarten and don't even get me started on the horrendous schedule of getting all 3 kids loaded into the car to drop her off, then getting the two little ones unloaded, then re-loading and unloading 2 and 1/2 hours later to go pick her up. What is the point of 2 1/2 hour kindergarten? Plus keeping track of all her papers and back to school night and PTO meetings and fundraisers and all that stuff is pretty much maxing out my brain capacity.</div>
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So now you know, it's not you, it's me. I want to keep you updated with workout summaries and race reports and ww recipes and all the ups and downs on my road back fitness but unless I give up sleep entirely it just isn't going to happen. Someday maybe I'll figure out how to fit it all in but until then you'll just have to make do with my sporadic posts that happen every 2 weeks (if I'm lucky ; ) Here's the latest:</div>
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Applefest is less than 3 weeks away! </div>
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Running has been going really well despite two major bumps in the road. </div>
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<b>Bump 1</b>: Our treadmill broke 2 weeks ago and no one could come fix it until this coming Thursday. I didn't realize how much I rely on that thing until I couldn't use it anymore. It's been really tricky trying to squeeze my runs in before Taber goes to work or after he gets home because he's trying to run too! His marathon is in 5 weeks so he's at the peak of his training. Anyway, with some major juggling and also some good friends who have watched the kids I've managed to get at least 3 runs in a week. It's not optimal but better than nothing!<br />
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<b>Bump 2: </b>The day after our treadmill broke Cam got really sick and ended up having to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. (If you want to know more details you can read about it <a href="http://taberandbecca.blogspot.com/2011/09/scary-night.html">here</a>.) He was in the hospital for 2 1/2 days and it was a very stressful and scary time. I usually deal with stress through eating and I'm not gonna lie, a friend brought some cookies to the hospital and I might've eaten a straight dozen without even realizing it till they were gone. That being said, after two days of stress eating I finally pulled it back together and instead of spiraling downhill I forced myself out for an 11 mile run. It was very therapeutic and got me back in gear.<br />
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So despite those bumps I feel like I've done a pretty good job staying on track for the Applefest. In fact, Taber and I ran a warm up half marathon down in Plymouth, MA last Saturday and it was a huge success. It was the Run to the Rock half marathon and we wanted to do it because it's really hilly like the Applefast and we thought it would be good practice.<br />
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It was kind of nice doing a race with no pressure and I actually think the fact that I didn't care made me go faster! From the way my long runs have been going I figured I would come in around 2 hrs 10 min or 2:05 if I was really feeling good. When I got out there the temp was nice and cool, my legs felt fresh and my lungs were strong. I started pushing through the hills and made up my mind I would run every one of them without walking. I never thought about the full 13.1 miles, I just focused on one mile at a time, one hill at a time and focused on completing each mini segment. Before I knew it I was heading down the home stretch towards the finish line. I was shocked behind shocked when I crossed the finish line in 2:00:53. I was less than a minute away from breaking 2 hours which is my goal for Applefest! My legs were feeling it big time afterwards but man what a high! If the weather will cooperate 2 1/2 weeks from now I think I may just log me a sub two hour half marathon ; )<br />
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Me and Speedy boy Taber who finished in 1:46:30 (an 8:08 pace!) He rocks!</div>
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So that's the update. Hopefully you'll get another one before Applefest but if you don't, at least now you know why ; )</div>
Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-57014238278612345942011-08-26T11:32:00.000-07:002011-08-26T11:33:40.923-07:00Yesterday Rocked!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I really should be cleaning my house right now but the baby is asleep and the girls are playing so nicely that I'm taking a quick minute to document yesterday's awesomeness.</div>
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Two things:</div>
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1) Went to my Weightwatchers meeting (finally!) and was down 2 lbs!! It was so motivating to see how close I am to lifetime status. 3 lbs to go!</div>
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2) Taber told me about a local 5K just 10 minutes from our house that was going on last night and said I should run it. I was hesitant because I haven't been doing any speed training and it was 89% humidity last night with temps in the mid seventies. Ideal 5K weather for me is more like in the 50's. Anyway, I didn't want to run unless I could beat my last 5K time of 27:11 and I honestly didn't know if I could do that in the muggy conditions. </div>
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Taber was Mr. encouragement though and kept telling me I could do it. He believed it enough that I started believing it too and said, what the heck, I'll do it!</div>
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The race was small, only 327 runners. But it was well organized and the course was relatively flat for New England. There was no chip time so I knew that whoever I didn't pass was going to beat me, and that was pretty motivating. I ran the first mile in 8:23 and the second mile was also 8:23. At that point my lungs were burning and the humidity was oppressive, like running into a hot steamy towel. I saw a couple of older gentlemen in front of me though and I knew I could beat them. I pushed through the jacuzzi air past the old guys and caught up with a tall middle aged guy with about a quarter of a mile to the finish. He didn't know I was behind him but I decided in my mind I was going to beat him and started closing the gap pretty quickly. As I came down the home stretch Brinley got excited and came running out onto the course. I briefly left my quest to beat the tall guy and slapped her some skin then I was right back on him as we battled it out for the finish. According to the official results he beat me by 1 second, but it wasn't chip timed remember? so Taber caught it on video and even though it's hard to see, I think it might've been a tie. <a href="http://www.tout.com/m/52gnvu">Here's the clip</a>.</div>
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Overall I was thrilled with the race. My official time was 25:37 (8:16 pace) which is a huge improvement from my last 5K and put me 6th place out of 43 for my age division. (On Facebook I said 5th because that's what it said at the race, but today the results online said 6th. Either way I 'll take it!)</div>
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I'm so grateful to Taber for pushing me to get out there yesterday. It made a good day even better and boosted my running confidence. And I know I'm all red faced and sweaty in this pic but when I saw Cam holding that little cowbell I decided it was too cute not to post! I really have the best cheerleaders ever!</div>
Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-44905019126405650882011-08-22T18:30:00.000-07:002011-08-22T18:58:50.935-07:00Wal-mart ego boost and a double digit runLast week the fridge and pantry got pretty bare because I could not bring myself to do a major grocery shop with all 3 kids. When things got desperate I finally decided to hit up Wal-mart at 10pm and just get 'er done.<br />
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It was pretty glorious shopping by myself and totally worth the late night outing for the low stress experience. As I was checking out, the cashier noticed the diapers, baby food and other kid items and asked me how many kids I had. I said, "Three," and her eyes just about popped out of her head.<br />
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"Wow you do NOT look old enough to have 3 kids! How old are you?"<br />
I told her I was 30 and her eyes popped out all over again. "Well you don't look close to 30 at all! More like 18!"<br />
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Thank you cashier lady. You are my new best friend.<br />
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And her nice words kept coming. "Well it must be all this healthy food you eat. You didn't buy any junk at all! Are you a nutritionist or in the medical field or something? I can tell you read the labels because this is all such good stuff."<br />
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Disclaimer: I am nowhere near the clean eating awesomeness of many of you healthy eaters but I try to at least avoid tons of processed pre-made foods (except for the eggos, which my kids are crazy about so I buy them in whole wheat.) Anyway, it made me feel good enough about my "healthy" loot that I brought it home and took a picture. (and yes, there's chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in there, great source of calcium and um, vitamin D?)<br />
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So that was my little Wal-mart ego boost that made me feel young and healthy, even if I do get a little crazy with S'mores every now and again ; )<br />
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Training went well last week. Not quite up to the 6 days a week I was shooting for but I got some great runs in. Here's what my week looked like:<br />
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Monday: 9 miles, outside, 9:11 pace<br />
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Wednesday: 3 miles, treadmill, 8:55 pace<br />
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Friday: 4 miles, treadmill, 8:38 pace<br />
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Saturday: 10 miles, outside, 9:33 pace<br />
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The 10 miler was kind of a big deal to me because it was my first double digit run since having Cam. I ran it with Taber and our friend Joseph who's running the Applefest too. It was awesome running with those guys and it made it go by quickly. We tackled some pretty serious hills and I'll admit, at one point I started having a mental panic attack and freaking out about signing up for such a hilly race. I have a bad habit of feeling doubt or anxiety during tough parts of a run but Taber always tells me, "PMA!! positive mental attitude! you can do this!" And it's true, the one thing running has taught me is that I <i>can</i> do hard things. So I switched over to PMA mode and willed my fanny up those hills. Even though my lungs and legs were screaming, I pushed through to the end and felt a great sense of accomplishment afterwards.<br />
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When we were done I stretched really well but I could feel the the old plantar fasciitis flaring up again. I iced and rolled it and wore my inserts all the next day. It's feeling a lot better but I think I'm going to need some new shoes before I attempt another long run.<br />
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This week I'm shooting for 4 runs and 2 cross training sessions for 6 days of workouts. Hopefully I fit it all in because I can tell my legs and core could really use some strengthening!Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658208423970646686.post-13601453414037816292011-08-16T13:49:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:49:17.265-07:00Time to Buckle Down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So I guess it's been a month since I've blogged. Oops! My blogging frequency seems to be directly related to how well I'm doing with my Weightwatchers and exercise goals. The better I am doing, the more I blog, (and vice versa). So my month long absence on here should give you a pretty good idea of how much I've slacked off...Um yeah, summers are tough.</div>
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I hate to say it but my awesome dedication to 30 day Shred has completely stopped. Haven't done that workout in 3 weeks. : ( Luckily my running is still going well since I kind of have to keep that up with a half marathon in 6 weeks, but my weightwatchers tracking has been non-existent and I haven't gone to a meeting in 3 weeks. yikes!</div>
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Last weekend we took the family camping (don't the girls look cute?) and I think I may have consumed my entire week's worth of WW points in one night of S'More roasting. </div>
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As I shoved the 19th or 20th S'more in my mouth (I lost count after the first dozen), I felt the sugar buzzing around in my brain and the discomfort of being stuffed beyond stuffed and I thought to myself, "Becca, it's time to buckle down." (Naturally I meant AFTER the campout and pit stop on the drive home that included a mushroom burger, onion rings and coconut soft serve ice cream. Can't buckle down without one last hoorah. : )</div>
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So now with a month of gluttony behind me I am back on track! As in, tracking all my points and bringing back the 6 day a week exercise plan. I have 5 lbs to go before I hit lifetime Weightwatchers status and get to go to meetings for free! 5 LBS!! I can totally do this! Just got to buckle down.</div>
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Yesterday I ran 9 miles to make up for the long run I missed while we were camping. Even running on marshmallow fuel I was happy with my overall time of 1:22:58 for a 9:11 pace on a course with some serious hills. The run gave me a lot of confidence and made me think for the first time since I had Cam that maybe, just maybe, I could break 2 hours at the <a href="http://www.applefesthalfmarathon.com/">Applefest</a>. That would mean I'd have to crank out a sub 9:10 pace on a hilly course which is ambitious for me, but good to have something to shoot for. So that's my goal, that and to be a lifetime WW member by the time I line up at the starting line : )</div>
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<br />Beccarigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08152742521372953808noreply@blogger.com4