Calf Cramps Like a Boss and I Wish I Had Padded Biking Shorts

 So, I am an official triathlete. The race yesterday was completely awesome- I now have a serious hankering to do another tri, this time outside. It was 10 minutes in the pool, 30 minutes on the bike trainer, and 20 minutes on the treadmill. The pool portion went really well- the water was a little colder than what I am used to at the Y, but I knocked out 22 laps in the time allotted!
   On the bike trainer my butt was going "Wow, Em, thanks so much for NOT investing in bike shorts and leaving your tailbone bruised like a banana." I didn't really feel the soreness until I got in the car after the race, but I could tell by 15 minutes into the bike trainer session that wooden chairs were not going to be my friends for the next couple of days. I got 9.85 miles in, but apparently some 12 year old kid in an earlier heat got 12 miles! WHAT.THE.HECK.
  The treadmill was my favorite part- we had to set it at a 1% incline, but I felt awesome and was able to keep a 7 minute pace the first ten minutes. I had to turn it down a little to a 7:30 for 3 minutes because my heart was beating really fast (not enough electrolyte intake... it was hard to drink on the bike, and the swim didn't allow any time for chugging the purple sludge ), but then I got it back up to 7 minutes flat, and ended at a 6:30 pace for a total distance of 2.77. I had an awesome playlist to help keep me entertained during the bike and run, which was definitely necessary since the spinning room was literally just a room filled with bikes and nothing else, and the TVs above the treadmill were so high I felt like if I watched them I would faceplant onto the 'mill and give myself an accidental nosejob.
    My calves were screaming when I hopped off the treadmill, and I was limping around the rest of the night, but I felt AWESOME... until this morning.
   When I was little, I used to get the worst growing pains at night, and that is exactly what this morning's pain felt like. Luckily I didn't really have too much time to focus on it since we were in the car 30 minutes after I woke up. I got to the 10-miler with plenty of time to spare, and felt good, if not tight, for the first few miles. Then my stomach started acting up.... UGH. I ran with my buddy Jon, so our conversation distracted me from my growing discomfort, but at mile 5, when I saw a port-a-potty near by, I ran for that thing like it was the finish line. At that point, I was focusing on finishing the race, not getting a good time, so I didn't worry too much about the time I was wasting. 
    I was okay after that, until mile 8, when my legs just went dead. Completely dead. It probably didn't help that the course was hillier than anything I have ever ran in my entire life- there were LITERALLY NO FLAT SECTIONS. Good training for Charlottesville, bad training after a triathlon...
   Mile 9 was better, and at mile 9.5 I was running alongside these two guys and they were cheering for me to sprint to the finish and "go get 'em," so go get 'em I did! I had a finishing kick that came out of nowhere when I saw my Dad and his colleague at the end, though I think I kicked it up because the woman he was with is an amazing runner who finished 3rd in Boston and runs a 6:30 mile WHEN BEARING CHILDREN, so I wanted to impress her, since I basically want to be her someday...

 

  The rest of the day after the race was spent making the delicious feast above, reading blogs, watching House, and then heading over to Target for sports bras and REI for Nuun electrolyte tablets. A stop at TCBY may have also been made...
  Have you noticed that after a hard race, walking around actually seems to help more than an ice bath? It does for me anyways. I skipped the ice today in favor of flushing out the legs with all the trekking around while shopping, and 60 minutes on the elliptical and 45 minutes of leg strength while watching CupCake Wars!! 
  All in all, a great weekend, though now my left glute is so knotted it probably resembles my hair after I get out of the pool, and I think I have a date with my foam roller in the future.


 I leave you with a delicious new dessert idea: 1/2 a sweet potato with rice pudding, Kamut puffs, whipped cream, and cinnamon:

First Green Smoothie and I am Actually INSANE

Did I drink this entire smoothie? OF COURSE.

WHY THE HECK AM I DOING TWO RACES THIS WEEKEND?!?! AM I ACTUALLY INSANE??!

Ok, now that the freak-out moment is over, time for pictures!!!

Completely Boss French Toast after my Tuesday workout. Three slices+PB&J+banana+syrup=perfect fuel for loafing around all day and enjoying the inclement weather.

 

Desert the other night and my new favorite magazine: Runner's World, UK edition!!! It's so cool to see the differences in perspective between our continents, plus, the slang is priceless and makes me giggle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super awesome lunch from the other day... snow day perhaps? Or Monday when I had off? Too few days of school has wacked out my inner calendar. Best egg creation yet!!

My First Green Monster!!!

 Okay, so recipe for the Egg Creation:
-1 whole egg
-2 egg whites
-pepper
-red pepper flakes
1. Heat pan
2. Crack eggs in and let spread to pan's perimeter.
3. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
4. Slap on a plate and enjoy the delicious yokey-ness!!!


Green Monster
-1/2 cup frozen spinach
-1/2 cup frozen each of strawberries, blueberries, and peaches
-1/2 cup water
-1.2 tablespoon cocoa powder
-1 rice pudding

1. Blend and sip her up, or in my case, put it in a bowl, add some Kamut puffs, whipped cream, and SF Chocolate Sauce.



In other news....
   My legs hurt from lactic acid build-up, I am totally freaking out for my indoor triathlon tomorrow, I have way too many AP tests to study for, and I really wish it were Spring Break. Anyone else feeling the stress? Got any good ways to beat it? I'd do yoga, but knowing me, I'd turn it into an intense power yoga session and pretzel my way into incomprehensible pain like I did last time.....

Internal Conflict: WHY DID I SIGN UP FOR TWO RACES THIS WEEKEND?!?!

 So I know I slacked off and didn't post my delish meal pictures or my exciting recap from yesterday's snow day, but that was because the computer is still being used for taxes so me and my camera are mourning the withdrawl from lack of camera uploads, and I didn't feel like posting without any pretty pictures to tell my stories. However, today was just too chock-full of Runner's Rambles not to post.
  SO yesterday's workout:
20 minute warm up with pickups
3x5 40 sec 8.5, 20 sec 6.0, 2:00 EZ in between sets
21 minute cool down
  I got up late to do this, since I didn't have school thanks to the four inches of white stuff that fell that night. Normally, I am all for waking up early to get my run in, but yesterday my body was begging for some extra sleep. (I also may have wanted to wait til 9 o'clock when all the cooking shows come on... Hello Food Wars!) Only problem? When I woke up, I couldn't decided to eat before the workout, or skip it and risk tummy grumbles midway through the miles. Solution?


Yummm. I love these things; they are the only runner fuel that never upsets my stomach, no matter how soon after eating them I run. Yesterday, I ate one, and an hour later was doing my workout, no stomach problems whatsoever!
  I spent the rest of the day doing homework, sleeping, and reading blogs. In my opinion, a snow day well spent. The evening workout totally wore out my legs, and I was definitely feeling the aftereffects this morning:
-45 minutes speed work on bike
-30 minutes of strength on level 10 on elliptical
-45 minutes of leg strength, including lateral lunges, reaching lunges, burpees, single leg squats, etc. Those burpees were KILLER

   After that, this morning my legs were screaming at me a little bit- I yet again depleted my salt and didn't get enough purple sludge. I am going to try salting my food instead of eating so many pretzels and drinking so much gatorade, since frankly, I am extremely tired of both of those parts of my diet.
  Speaking of diet... Has anyone ever read this magazine? It simultaneously makes me want to re-vamp my diet, cook organically, and scold myself for eating processed food (though truthfully, the only processed stuff I eat is granola, pretzels, and rice pudding). I read the January issue while on the elliptical today since I forgot my ear phones, and it inspired me to do some research into finding the ultimate "training diet" to up my salt and energy and decrease the bloating I sometimes experience. I am seeing an afternoon spent at the library's nutrition section very soon...


  And now onto the Internal Conflict! I signed up for an indoor triathlon on Saturday, and a 10-miler on Sunday. I know I will be able to handle both races, but I am a little worried since they are only 15 hours apart.... and I have to leave for the 10-miler at 6:30, which means I have to get up at 5, eat at 6, and somehow be awake by the time the race starts... My coach thinks I can handle it, so I guess I should have the same confidence in myself, but I am just wondering if I will be able to handle going all out in the pool for 10 minutes, the bike for 30, and the treadmill for 20, then go eat,sleep, and run 10 miles at a sub-eight minute pace on hills. I guess I better break out the Runner Super-Woman mental preparation. I've actually thought of getting the symbol tattooed if I ever qualify for Boston or Kona, to remind myself I am, in fact, a SuperWoman.

Of course, if I got a tattoo before 21 my parents would pee themselves, but I can dream, can't I?

And now I leave you to go continue my date with my foam roller (official love-hate relationship with that thing... It hurts so good!) and watch an intense episode of House.

Peace!

Jack Frost, beat it.



Snow, WHY?!?!!?!

   Yes, it is snowing right now. I have mixed feelings about this because
-I want Spring to come!
-I also want off of school...

 I got so excited today because the birdies were singing and I swear it looked a little greener outside, but then I watched the news while on the elliptical and oh hey! 4 to 6 inches!!!!
   It's okay though, because that means I can sleep in and do my workout when the sun is actually up and the basement isn't so dark and cold. Plus, it means another day off of school, making this a THREE DAY WEEK. OOHHH YEAH.
   What did I do with my day off today, you ask? Well, I got up, made myself some totally boss french toast with some stale bread, milk and spices, slathered it in PB&J, put some syrup on top, and dug in. I will post the pics tomorrow; right now the 'rents are doing their taxes on the main PC with my camera software on it.
   I ate the french toast before my run, because I was a hungry monster when I woke up. No stomach problems on my 6-miler, though, which I did @ 8:27 pace with 7 minutes on 2%, 3 minutes on 1%, repeating for 4 cycles and finished off with the last 10 minutes at 2%, aka I am a rockstar hill-master!!!!
  I spent the rest of my day doing homework, laundry, and going to Wegmans to pick up some groceries, and Border's to get my (AHHHH) AP study stuff! I can't believe it is almost AP time, or that I am taking 5 tests?!?!??! At least I get off school each time I take one....
  This evening's workout was spent solely on the elliptical because I wasn't feeling the pool, I am doing a bike workout tomorrow, and I wanted to zone out and just watch the Foodies cook while I switched from levels 10,9, and 8. 97 minutes later... I did abs, went home, and proceeded to eat my weight in salad that was accompanied by an awesome-sauce PB&J and A NEW DESSERT.
   GASP EMILY WENT OUT OF HER SWEET-TOOTH COMFORT ZONE?!?!?! Yes, bloggies. I will leave you in suspense and post it tomorrow.....

Countdown to Spring: 1 month!!!

  Today almost felt like spring. Yes, the birds were singing, yes the sun set a little later, but, alas, there was still that nip of winter chill in the air. I myself have no favorite season, so I basically greet every season the same: extreme excitement couple with fond memories of the year's past season, complete with daydreams of frolicking in leaves, basking in the sun, smells the flowers, or playing in the snow. THIS Spring, however, holds special meaing, since it means I WILL FINALLY KNOW WHERE I AM GOING TO COLLEGE!!! I cannot wait!!!

SPRINGTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   So yesterday's run was absolteuly, ridiculously awesome. 12.25 miles in 108 minutes, all done on the dreadmill because my lungs have decided "hey! You are going to have to move to Florida after college because we never recovered from your double pneumonia and we are getting back at you by giving you a cold-induced cough. SUCK IT." I am basically chained to that thing until early April, when I will start doing my lung runs outside and my track workouts on an actual track. Easy days will still be done inside because I like doing some runs on the treadmill so I can control the speed and make sure it is a 'recovery run' and not a 'hey let's see how fast I can make it up that hill' run, which is what often happens in my overly-hilly neighborhood. BUT BACK TO THE POINT.  The run was amazing- I kept the incline between 2 and 3.5% almost the whole time, and the last 8 and a half minutes were done at 4%, an incline that a month ago made me want to puke!! Not yesterday, though- I channeled my running SuperWoman and conquered that hill like it was my job. I took a Clif Shot gel at around 40 minutes in. SO DELICIOUS. It was my first one ever, and I chose the chocolate flavor, since who doesn't want some chocolate love midway through a long run? I also had a Clif Shot Blok around 80 minutes, because my stomach was growling a little and I knew I still had a couple miles left and wanted to finish strong.
   I got off the 'mill feeling like I was hot stuff:

Yeah, I am sweaty, yeah, my face is red and zitty, but hey, this is what the smile/grimace of hard work looks like. The evening workout was...
-1 hour of bike intervals and 1-legged drills
-10 minutes on elliptical, strenght setting
-30 minutes of leg strength.. WOW was my salt depleted after all this
   I was totally looking forward to making myself some awesome PB&J-stuffed french toast and eggs, but oh hey, our power went out while I was cracking the eggs! On top of that, I had a haircut appointment in an hour, so I booked it to Subway, picked up lunch for the fam, scared down half my sub, drove to the salon, got my haircut, and came back with some TCBY. Stressful, but froyo always makes me happy.
   I got to make the french toast today, though, which made today all the better, especially after last night's happening: I LOST MY PHONE :(. I am so sad; I have had it for almost 3 years, and after recently beading it during a snow day, was becoming quite attached to the turqoise and blue wonder LG Voyager. I had to order a new one, but I am definitnely going to bling it up as soon as I get it. I may not be particularly girly in most ways, but I love me some phone CZ's. 
    Today I sort of ignored my coach's plan and did 5 miles instead of 4, because I felt pretty good, and I liked the Amazing Wedding Cakes show I was watching. I also did 80 minutes of the elliptical later on and 30 minutes of arm weights, plus a 1-minute lifeguard training required drill to finish up my training:
-swim 1 lap with tube
-save a submerged victim
-lug ten-pound brick from bottom of 10 ft. pool
  For me, this was followed by accidentally swallowing 2 mouthfuls of water, a foot cramp,and a severe chill. What a way to spend a Sunday!
  

 In bigger news, I am now signed up for the Charlottesville Half!!!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED. Now, I am going to go browse races for the day after graduation... Talk to you soon.

Back To Winter

So now it is starting to get cold again, the wind is howling, and there is a chance of freezing rain on Monday... When I have off of school, so there isn't even the delightful possibility of a delay/impromptu missing of classes thrown in. LAME.  <------ BOO!!!

  In other news, I find out my collegiate future in T-minus 5 weeks. Am I freaking out? Well, sort of. I am trying not to get my hopes up about any school, but at the same time, I want to be optimistic. I keep on having fantasies that I am at the gym on April 1st and I text my mom to check my college accounts and I find out that I got into UVA and then I start jumping up and down on the elliptical (yes, I know this is impossible on the elliptical. That is why it is a fantasy.).




Rated the most beautiful campus in the world. I have to agree. Plus, I love me some sub-Mason Dixon line hospitality.



Is UVA the top choice? Well, I've loved it since I was 13, it's where the bro goes, so it would mean an endless supply of brotherly advice, whole-grain dishes (the  boy is a genius with quinoa), and an already-acquired knowledge of the town, a.k.a. there is way less of a chance of me getting lost on the way to Kroger. There is also Delaware and William and Mary in the running, but in my heart, I know I am a hoo. I just hope the UVA Admissions Office agrees! Wonder if it helps that I am running the Charlottesville Half-Marathon in 5 weeks.....

   Oh YEAH! Did I mention I am doing another half? I am stoked out of my eyeballs about it; I am not trying to PR there, since the course is extremely hilly and I wanted to use it more as a training run for the Ocean City Half in late April which is flat and fast, but I cannot wait to 1. Skip school for the expo 2. See my favorite brother in the whole wide world 3. Spend some quality family time 4. Continue the tradition of getting Subway and Pretzels on Route 29 and 4. Possibly get to run in my future college town!!!! (I actually went on a run there in November with my Dad to see what the running was like. Because yes, I am choosing my college based on running. Verdict: Hilly but so awesome I cannot even describe it.. What could be better than clean sidewalks and two Bodo's bagels with throwing distance of the dorms?!?!??!). And maybe even drive down there.... Since, even though I have my license and drive all the time, I rarely get highway time since my mom gets freaked out on the highway with new drivers and tends to gasp when they go over 60 miles an hour. Love you Mom ;)
     In other news, yesterday was hats-off one of the best Fridays I have had in a while. School wasn't stressful, my Environmental Science teacher didn't make us do work and discussed Jersey Shore with us for 20 minutes (the woman is an expert, since she is from.the.shore.), and I am almost finished my 2nd oil painting!!! The afternoon included a smoothie with
-purple zero Calorie sludge, aka Powerade
-1 scoop Strawberry Protein Powder
-handful of frozen peaches
-1/4 cup of frozen strawberries
-1/2 cup of water
-4 ice cubes
 TOTALLY DELISH! It was eaten with an apple sliced and spread with PB and granola, and some pretzels and Laughing Cheese. I also took a ridiculously awesome hour long nap, then slept-drove to the gym and did 90 minutes on the elliptical while watching all my favorite Food Network Friends (Paula Deen, will you be my grandma?). When I got home, my stomach was trying to make gurgle-conversations with me, so I made...

BEST CURRY EVERRRRRRRR.

IT was the most delicious curry success in the world. The only problem? I included wayyyy too much edamame... oh well, guess I got my daily dose of fiber in!!
Green Monster Curry
-1/4 cup microwave brown rice
-2 whole eggs
-1 egg white
-1/3 cup chopped red onion
-1/4 of an avocado, chopped
-baby spinach
-either frozen spinach, creamed spinach, or Saag Paneer
-Red Pepper flakes, Cayenne Red Pepper, Curry Powder, Marsala Curry Powder, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Balck Pepper
1. Cook rice in microwave
2. Heat up pan, spray with Pam, and dump in rice, avocado, onions, spinach.
3. Add in all spices.
4. Stir and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add in eggs, and stir.
6. If desired, add more spices (I always add more curry powder and cardamom at the end).
7. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until egg is cooked.
8. EAT UP

***I left out the edamame because it was a pain to have to pick it out and then suck out the pods.

  I also enjoyed this with a sort of failed attempt at a grilled PB sandwich.. I did a PB sandwich with Sugar Free Choc. Sauce and crushed up pretzels on the pan, but it didn't get quick gooey enough. I think next time I'll add more PB. Even though it wasn't that gooey, it wasss delicious.

 Also, Twilight:Eclipse was a bore and I turned it off to read blogs instead... and now I am off to run 12 miles and watch Foodography! Best 3 day weekend of late-winter ever!!!!!

Seventy Degree Thursday!

Yes, you read that title correctly. It got up to SEVENTY DEGREES TODAY!!! It was so beautiful- the sun was shining, the birds were singing, all the snow melted, and I was able to actually turn off the heat in my car and drive with the windows down. It was perfect running weather, but sadly, I had already done my workout, and wasn't sure if I should sneak in another run... I mean, I have only had 1 running two-a-day so far, and with 2 races next weekend, I really want to adhere to Coach Superwoman's schedule. So, I enjoyed the lovely afternoon by, you guessed it, napping!!! I made a snack, read a magazine, then laid down to read a book and promptly conked out until 4:30. That, my bloggies, is my definiton of a rockin' afternoon.
  This morning's workout was awesome!!!! It went a lil' something like this:
2 mile warmup
3x1 mile @ 8:00 pace with 2 minutes EZ in between each mile
2 mile cool down


  I went about 10 seconds faster than last week's repeats, felt strong the whole time, and even had a second wind at the end! I hadn't been getting them during most of my daily runs, except for the long runs, but three times this week I have felt like I could have just kept going and going! If only I didn't have to hop off and go shower and go to school... I would much rather stay on the treadmill, jamming out to Drake and watching ice hockey recaps.
    
This afternoon's workout was also pretty awesome, though my knee was a little sore. I accidentally banged it into my parent's nighttable two weeks ago, and then had to repeatedly slam it on the pool tile during lifeguard training while trying to hoist myself onto the pool deck, so it is a wee bit bruised. I was able to stretch it out, though, and then did:
-60 minutes elliptical, with 30 minutes of strength intervals and 30 minutes of hill intervals (those strength intervals totally kick my butt! 75 level resistance is ridiculous!!!)
-30 minutes of strength training, where some meathead who I always see in the weightroom was, if my lipreading skills are accurate, super cheesed off that I was outside the weight room taking up space and using the bouncy ball (hello, there are two more) and medicine ball. I get so annoyed with these kind of guys, and there always seem to be a couple of them around the gym. They make me feel like I have to legitimize my being in there, when in reality, I pay the same gym fee they do, and just because I am a girl doesn't mean I shouldn't be allowed to use the weights and med.balls. I may look like a tiny little pipsqueak, but I know for a fact I could kick allll their butts at a race. SO THERE.
-15 minutes in the pool, which was about 24 laps. I wanted to go for 20, but they restricted the pool to only one lap lane to due a water aerobics class, and no way was I sharing a lane with 2 people again. The other night I shared it with, count 'em, THREE swimmers, one of whom I collided with. The collision sent my calves cramping so badly I teared up and proceeded to cut my swim that I had been looking forward to all day 10 minutes short. My calves have been cramping so badly lately that I think my salt levels must be totally depleted- I am calling my doctor to inquire about salt tabs and supplements I can take. Any suggestions????
  In other news, I was totally famished this evening, so the smell of home cooking wafting into my driveway when I got out of the car sent my stomach into fits of Monsters Inc.-worthy growling. 2 bowls of white bean and turkey chili with rice later, I was a happy woman. I got even happier when I had this....

I know I am boring and have the same berry-rice pudding-whipped cream-cereal-chocolate sauce dessert every night, but honestly, it is my 2nd favorite part of the day. It signals that it is almost time for bed, and that I can go enjoy some whipped deliciousness while relaxing and reading the ol' blog. I guess eventually I will have to find other desserts, but don't worry, Kozy Shack brand, I will never stray too far. Note: I do sometimes change it up and have chocolate mint sugar-free pudding instead..Woo! Risk Taker!!!

Now I am off to chug some of this stuff and kick it to bed. Happy almost Friday!!! I cannot wait to jump into my PJs after the gym and watch some Twilight and make some egg-and-rice-curry.

Wow My Life Is Busy Wednesday

Woke up, felt like I literally got no sleep, ran 6.25 miles, somehow managed to make my lunch, dress, dry my hair, put on a cute outfit (major accomplishment since I was considering going in my sweatshirt and yoga pants...), fall asleep in Econ., and then come home and fall asleep again for 45 minutes (luckily, I had my Mom wake me up so I could then do homework before getting my bum to the gym). Essentially, A VERY BUSY DAY.
  So busy that I cannot wait for Friday, when I will make: ,
Watch:
and wear my jammies and go to bed at 10 o'clock. I know, I am a total party animal. Don't hate.


This evening's workout was awesome, since I got to watch my 2nd favorite Food Network pair, Pat and Gina Neely, as they made chili that made me salivate while I sweated out my stress and hammered my thighs on a hill workout with speed intervals for 45 minutes. This was followed by a 30 minute elliptical session that was sadly accompanied not by a TV show, but instead by me watching the minutes tick away as I jammed out to a brand-new playlist- darn you fuzzy gym TVs!!! Then, quick session of arm weights because my stomach was craving that stir fry I knew my Dad was cookin' up. Verdict: delicious.
  If you ever need a quick stirfry meal, just take some brown rice, or basmati if you have massive quantities of Indian leftovers, thrown in some peppers, onions, celery, chicken, and season it up with red pepper and garlic and voila!! Soooo good and filling.

    And now, I am off to bed since I have to get up at 4:30 to do mile repeats. I wish it were Friday..

Calf Cramps and Valentine's Day

So yesterday, I decided that in addition to sharing the love with the fam., I thought I would show myself some love by going to bed super-early, hence the lack of blog post. I felt totally rejuvenated this morning when I woke up at, GASP, 4:30. I wanted to get my workout in before school, since I have come to realize that I am not an evening runner- all that produce and fiber during the day reeks havoc on my stomach if I run in the afternoon.

  Here's the update from Tuesday: I got home from school yesterday, I had a surprise waiting for me!!!:

My Mom is so sweet and surprised me with awesome-smelling soaps, one of which was heart-shaped!, some magazines, and a lovely card. My Dad also gave me the sweetest card in the morning-not gonna lie, when I read it I teared up a bit.

For Yesterday's workout, I did arm weights in the morning and core work. It was tough, since I made sure to go straight from one exercise to another to keep warm, and added in some vinyasa sun salutations and some jump roping. The run at night was brutal- my quads were SO SORE and my stomach was rebelling my Kale chip-love (apparently Brad's Dehydrated Nacho Cheese Kale Chips+my stomach=disaster!).

Today's workout, however, was all amounts of awesome:

-2 mile warmup

-4:00 7.2, 1:00 6.7

-3:00 7.5, 2:00 6.7

-2:00 7.8, 3:00 6.7

-1:00 8.1, 4:00 6.7

(intervals done twice)

-2 mile cooldown

I did it before school, and I almost wish I had done it this evening just so I could have kept running! At 70 minutes, I felt like I could have gone on forever!!!!

My Legs Hurt

   My legs hurt. And my elbow, knee, and shin, (which are part of my legs...). I woke up this morning and felt like someone had repeartedly thrown me on the ground, which, considering how many times I had to launch myself onto that pool deck, sort of happened. I ate my pre-run breakfast, but for the first time in a while, seriously considered undressing, putting my PJs back on, and climbing back into bed. Some mornings I don't exactly want to do my run, but then I remember how good it will feel. Today, the prospect of a runner's high didn't even excite me. The workout went by quickly, though, and I was off the treadmill within an hour and 10 minutes and back in the comfort of my PJs. In the shower, I discovered 4 bruises from yesterday on my shins and elbows, hence the pain. I was also coughing like a seal in the shower; no idea why, I hope I am not getting sick! I ended up not having breakfast with my cousins because I was so tired, so I stayed home and made this:



Pumpkin-sweet potato-french toast

I made some awesome french toast, with half a mashed sweet potato, apple sauce, and 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin as the "filling," except I couldn't really make a french-toast-sandwich out of it because the filling was so thick! I also put a slather of peanut butter on both pieces of bread and a slice of apple, and dipped the outside of the slices in an egg white with milk and cinnamon. It was a hearty, filling breakfast, and after finishing it I fell asleep at the kitchen table...
   Needless to say, most of the rest of the day was spent napping, though I did go to Wegman's with my Mom and buy some awesome nacho kale chips, among other items. I'll get the brand's name on the next post, because you seriously must try them. They are crunchy and spicy and sooo good!! I also watched quite a good amount of the Cooking Channel, since all of their Foodography shows were dessert-based and therefore mouth-watering to watch, plus some Cupcake Wars while at the gym. I love catching up on my food shows when I work out, since I rarely get to actually sit down and just watch TV during the week. Plus, I feel like the obese-slug-making-TV watching is canceled out by the working out...


 Workout today:
-8.25 miles in morning: 2.25 warm up with pickups, 3x1 mile @ 7.4 pace, 2:00 EZ in between each repeat, 2.25 mile cool down (my legs were so worn out afterwards!!
-3.25 miles in the afternoon on 2% at 7.1 pace. The first 5 minutes, I thought I was going to have to get off I was so tired, but I managed to stick it out. I think Ace of Cakes helped...
-35 minutes on elliptical (with one ridiculous quad cramp that made me stop and stretch and want to lie down on the floor and take a nap for a bit...)
-leg strength. I could only do about 30 minutes today; that pool training wore me out like no long run or workout ever has

  And now I have to go to bed because my legs are screaming and I am falling asleep at the PC. Happy Valentine's Day!

Hypothermia and A New Breakfast

I was reading Lolzthatswim's blog today, and she had some pretty good advice on how to keep up a good readership. More pictures, less text, and discussions of things outside of running. Well, I guess I should start introducing you to the writer behind this blog, and I'll try to put in more pictures, but honestly, running is the center of my life. It is my passion, my love, and what I hope will someday be my career. Plus, pretty much all of my friends from school dumped me as soon as I got healthy, so on the weekends now I mostly just get homework done, catch up on sleep, and hang out with the family. And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way.

  Now that the sappy stuff is over, on to my extremely hectic day filled with:
-2 hour morning workout: 1 hour speed intervals on bike, 1 hour hill intervals on elliptical

Me staring at the horrors of my hand. Yes, there is a sweatshirt covering my mouth. Why? Because I have a zit the size of Canada on my chin.

-6 hour lifeguarding class where I developed the beginning signs of hypothermia (oh, you think I am joking. I am not. I got confused, lost focus, my hands turned purple, and I started convulsing I was so cold. I was in there so long that my once hydrated hands, thanks to Aquaphor, now resemble prunes)
-speeding homework session in the morning in which I managed to do all my Stat homework and part of my Spanish in under 30 minutes. Ultimate win!!!

 Luckily, I also got to eat this: 

Greatest omelette ever. 1 egg, 3 egg whites, veggie pepperoni, red onion, green pepper, Kalamata olives, parmesan cheese. SOO YUMMY!

And now I am off to bed to finish my art project so I can get up early and do my workout before going out to breakfast with my parents, aunt, aunt's boyfriend, cousins, and uncle. The place we are going for breakfast is famous in our city, but most of the stuff is either stuffed french toast or loaded sandwiches. I am thinking of a huge omelette or an egg and avocado sandwich... We'll have to see what the stomach says post-workout. Could be craving a PB&J! Speaking of which...

I did not have a PB&J this morning!! Because I had one for lunch.. Instead, I had the usual banana, and cottage cheese with fruit, alongside a pita with Laughing Cow Cheese and Smucker's Low Sugar Strawberry Jam. It tasted BETTER than a bagel with creem cheese and jelly. The pita was warm, the cheese was melty, and I ate it just as the sun was coming up. A good start to a ridiculously hectic day.

One question to leave you with: How to motivate myself to get back into the pool and train for my indoor triathlon later this month after today's misery in the pool....?

Not Enough Hours in a Day!!!

This will be either a ridiculously short post or a really badly typed one, as I badly need to jump into bed so I can get up at 5:30 so I can make breakfast so I can be at the gym by 8 and home by 10:30 so I can get to my lifeguarding class in the city by 1 and pass and be home by 7 to work on my art project and then get up at 4 the next morning to get a workout in before going to a family breakfast then going to American Eagle to return a shirt I got that I love, but that sadly doesn't fit, and see if I can get some boots on sale from them, and buy Reebok shape-ups for my report card reward (Oh yeah 3.8 cummulative GPA!), and then go nap and eat some more and go to the gym and finish my book and then collapse in bed and get ready for a hectic week where I have to stay after Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday!!!!!

 AHHHHHHH.
Today: For dinner. Greatest footlong: turkey breast with swiss, every veggie known to man kind, and mustard, on whole wheat. AWESOME.
 After the movies, I got No-Sugar Added Mountain Blackberry. I was really hungry even after the subway and a huge, HUGE smoothie I made after the gym. Must be all that working out from yesterday...


Today's workout:
5 miles in the morning, 2 of them @ 8:00 pace with 1 minute of 8:27 in between. Felt sooo good!
1 hour of elliptical on cardio setting, interval setting, and hill interval setting.
40 minutes of arm weights (my arms were SO SORE. I think from the arm workout from a couple of days ago? Literally, after only 4 sets of dumbell exercises and a couple of med. ball throws, my muscles were screaming for mercy!).

The King's Speech was super duper awesome. It was charming and subtely hilarious, and if you like British people and a little history lesson in your film, I definitely recommend it!

Also, best part of the run yesterday besides the cooking shows?The return of my beloved shot bloks! I hadn't been using them since my runs haven't been very long, but I ate two during my run yesterday. They are so good- almost like gummy bears, but in better, less artificial-tasting flavors. I always get the Black Cherry or Strawberry. They sit really well in my stomach, and the best part is you can keep them in your mouth for a while if you want to slowly release all the nutrients. I always follow them with a little water because I tend to choke on that kind of stuff since I just sort of shove it in there and gulp it down. The bloks go quite well with Grape Zero-Calorie Powerade!!!
        Speaking of the purple goop, put it in your smoothies on your long run days- no extra calories, ad you get back some potassium that you may have lost. Especially if you are me and you literally looked like you had taken a dip in the ocean on your run..

Now I have to go check up on other blogs then hop into bed so I can get up early and eat a nice, big breakfast. I have to load up on food early in the day since I only get to eat once during the whole lifeguarding class (kind of a bummer for my tummy- it gets upset when I can't do the mini-meals!).

I leave you with this bodacious smoothie recipe that I conjured up today:
-1/2 cup Powerade
-1/2 cup frozen strawberries
-1/2 cup frozen peaches
-1/4 cup frozen pineapple
-2 tbsp. strawberry protein powder
-1/2 tbsp. almond butter
-1 cup water
-6 ice cubes
-1 cup of plain Greek yogurt

1. Blend, noting that you may need to add a bit more water as you go, since the smoothie is quite think, but totally delish!!!

Eleven Miles of Gregory House and Gina and Pat Neely.. Do Thursdays Get Any Better?!

My day was ridiculously awesome, and started with the breakfast of running champions who get the hungry-mungries no matter how much they are running later that morning. Mojo bar, nanner, and a half bagel with PB&J and sliced banana was exactly what I needed to fill me up for the run ahead. Sorry for the bite in the bagel... I was ravenous and couldn't resist a bite while I searched for the camera.
   Do you eat big breakfasts before your long runs and races? I have to- I eat twice in the morning before lunch, so going a long time without a lot of food throws my body out of balance and REALLY upsets my stomach, which is not a good thing before a long run or race!! Gotta keep that tank topped off.
   I did 11.25 miles in 99 minutes and 35 seconds.. I think. I meant to take a picture to show you all my lovely little treadmill spread that I had, with my towel, gels, and Powerade, but alas, I only thought to do so mid-way into the run, and afterwards, I needed a shower way more. It was an awesome run- I was totally in the zone, and the hill repeats kept it from turning into a "dreadmill" session. I have a hilly 10-mile race coming up later this month, so I did 3 minutes at 2% incline, 3 minutes at 2.5%, 3 minutes at 3.0%, 1 minute at 3.5%, and 2 minutes at 1%, and repeated that 8 times. I like having sets like that to do- counting them off as I go helps the time pass, and I know that once I hit the halfway point, I can tough it out to the end no matter how hard the hills are (today's felt pretty good- I guess all the hilly early-morning 6-milers have helped!!!).
 After the run, I had promised myself an omelette the size of my face and some French toast:
    

SO.GOOD.

The recipe for the French Toast that was actually a PB&J-Stuffed French Toast, since you know I can't go for a long run without it being followed by a PB&J:

PB&J Stuffed French Toast:

1 PB&J sandwich (slice fruit on the inside makes it extra yummy)

1 whole egg

Dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg

About ¼ cup of milk

1. Make sandwich!
2. Mix egg, milk, and spices in a bowl large enough to dip the sandwich in.
3. Turn on your burner, and heat the pan at a medium setting (don’t forget to spray it!)
4. Dip each side of the sandwich in the egg mix.
5. When the pan is hot, carefully place the sandwich in the pan.
6. Turn heat down to 3, and give sandwich about 2-3 minutes to crisp-up.
7. CAREFULLY flip over, and allow other side to crisp up, same amount of time.
8. When done, put onto plate, put some syrup and fruit ontop, and enjoy!!

So good! And the omelette had 1 whole egg, 3 egg whites, tomatoes, green peppers, red onion, onion and garlic powders, and parmesan cheese. It was delicious and totally hit the spot, as did the French toast, which I put a little sugar-free chocolate syrup and sugar-free maple syrup on. I also had some cottage cheese with cereal and fruit, since I tend to get hungry an hour after my post-run lunch, and I knew I'd be asleep in an hour and wouldn't want to get up and make anything.

  I slept for a whole hour today- something I rarely get to do now that my life seems to be getting so busy! Today also included some grocery shopping, homework, reading (almost done UltraMarathon Man!!), and then a trip to the gym for

-45 minutes speed program on bike with intervals of 1-legged drills (my quads were tingly from working so hard!!)

-25 minutes of strength program on elliptical

-30 minutes weights/strength exercises.

 

  I also found another half marathon to do in early April. I have one already in late April, but the one I found is in my brother's college town, which is also the town and college I want to go to (cross your fingers I get in so my brother can cook amazing food for me and I don't have to go the dining hall. I love it when he is home because the house always smells like the spices he uses when he makes us elaborate lunches and dinners. Plus, if I go there, we can go grocery shopping together, and I LOVE GROCERY SHOPPING, especially with him. He's like me and likes to wander into every aisle). I'd get to visit him on his day off from classes, chill at his apartment the night before, and then get a great tour of the city on my run! I just have to ask Coach Superwoman to make sure we can fit it in the schedule.. it's getting pretty full! 3 races just in the next 4 weeks!!

I'm off to bed- have to get up early tomorrow for an easy 5-miler, then after school to the gym so I can have the rest of the evening to go see The King's Speech and sneak a sandwich into the theatre from Panera (because sneaking food into movie theaters is as rebellious as I get).

Quote from today: "Your milk comes in bags. BAGS!" -Jack from 30 Rock on why Canada is weird. I, however, love anywhere where ice hockey is more popular than football. I mean, it's the only sport where you can deck someone and get away with it...

Wow My Calves Hurt Wednesday

Intense Yum!!

 So today it felt like I either
1. didn't have enough salt and was therefore cramping
2. Accidentally moved my calf muscles up my leg and glued them there
3. Got punched repeatedly while sleeping by tiny little trolls who aimed at my calves

Which one is right? Honestly, it's anyone's guess. They felt a lot better after some foam-rolling, but I am a little weary of how they will hold up on my long run tomorrow... I always include hills, so this could be a painful one!!

  Actually, today I was thinking about what makes me push through the painful runs. I honestly chalk it up to my marathon; being able to complete that at the age of 17, after only 6 months of intense running, was an awesome personal accomplishment, so now, whenever I am trudging through a run or am in a world of pain (rare, but it happens), I call back on mile 18 of my marathon, where my legs cramped and I couldn't go on and I started tearing up. I stopped, walked, then, after meeting up with another runner who was also hurting, decided, 'Hey, I trained for this, I paid for this, I am FINISHING THIS.' He helped me through those last few miles until the finish, where I mustered everything I had to go up the mile-long hill and actually sprint, sprint! to the finis (note: leg pain returned immediately after finish). I didn't give up, so I remind myself during those tough runs that if I can handle 26.2 miles, everything else is a breeze in comparison.
   You're probably thinking, marathon?! 17?! Shouldn't you have been watching Jersey Shore and eating Five Guys like the rest of your grade? (Well, actually, if you are reading this blog, hopefully you sort of understand the ambitions of a runner, albeit a young one...) Yeah, I broke the cardinal rule and ran a marathon before the age of 18, but I wanted to do it and I made sure I did the best I could to train well and train smart. Plus, I sort of already had a pretty good fitness base from the half I did in October, so a November marathon seemed doable. My naive self figured I'd do that one, then another, and another, and that would be my distance. WELL!! Not so much. I loved every moment of it, but afterward, decided I wanted a full year before the next one. Have I picked one, you ask? You bet!!! I have my heart set on the Goofy Challenge in Disney next year: a half one day, a full another. I have never been to Disney, so it'll be a chance to see the park AND do some cool races! (Yes, I know I am insane).
    

  So, what gets you through those tough times? Is it a special moment, quote, or song? You already know of my Superwoman fantasies that I use to help, along with the stuff I've mentioned, but I'd love to hear what gets everyone else through those rough miles!!

 Tonight, I leave you with an adapted quote from Lance Armstrong (I think...): [Run] like you stole something, Floyd.

Totally Tubular Tuesday

Dear Spring Flowers, Please come soon. I don't like being whipped in the face by wind when I am walking out, all sweaty and tired, from the gym. It really makes walking the 120 feet to my car miserable.

  First off, Three Tangent Tuesday, inspired by Hungry Runner Girl:

1. I really want to go to Alaska someday. Cruises there are sooo expensive, but I would love to go there post-grad and see the Northern Lights and experience the environment there. I think it would be so refreshing to be somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of both suburbia and the city, where you can just chill with nature, angry mooses included.
  2. I would totally forget about my insulin resistance for a day if it meant I could eat a cream puff and a lobster tale made by Buddy Valastro. I just read the book he wrote... AWESOME. The show is amazing, as well. So much more entertaining than Ace of Cakes... sorry Duff!

3.I mouth the words to all the song I know. With dance moves and emotional hand movements. And sometimes I forget where I am and do it at the gym... like yesterday, when I found myself jamming out on the elliptical and was totally in my own world until I realized the woman next to me was staring at me.. What, you've never rapped to Drake while doing hard cardio?!?!

 In other news, I chugged a massive smoothie an hour before my workout today and totally paid for it the whole time. The workout went great, but my stomach was touch and go for a while. I think it was all the blueberries... too much fiber will do that to ya!!!
 Workout:
Morning: Arms and Abs strength session with intermittent jumping jacks and jumping rope.
Evening: 6.3 miles: 17 minutes warm up with pickups at 7.5
3x 4x 40 sec @ 8.5, 20 sec @6.0, 2:00 EZ between sets
19 minutes cool down
-Elliptical intervals for 25 minutes.

 Also, if you are in need of a good running book, I highly recommend Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes. He is an amazing athlete, philanthropist, and hilarious author to boot! There is also a movie by the same name which is also totally awesome.

Sorry for the blurry picture....

Tonight, I leave you with the funniest quote I have heard all day, by Joan Rivers, whose voice is in the background right now as my mom watches her new shows. " I don't exercise. If God wanted me to bend over, he would put diamonds on the floor." DI-VUH.

Exciting Monday Cont.

So I had quite the eventful afternoon. I made a delish smoothie of:
-1/2 tbsp. almond butter
-1/2 cup blueberries
-1/2 tbsp. strawberry protein powder
-1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
-a handful of Kashi rice puff  AND
-a generous portion of zero calerie powerage.
  So much smoothie it sent me into a coma! Literally. I fell asleep at 3:55 and woke up at 4:30, just in time to rush to the gym but OH WAIT I forgot my shoes. And had to drive all the way home and get them... super bummer considering I had wanted an extended cardio session..
  It's okay, though, because I still got to watch Down Home with the Neelys and Paula Deen and read Oprah and Bon Apetit magazine on the elliptical. I got the Christmas editions because I miss the holidays and wanted to pretend it was still cold and snowy outside instead of 50 degrees (way to go weather.com. I don't see any of that predicted white stuff coming down...).
   A big Happy B-day Week to Janae on hungryrunnergirl.com! The girl is legit amazing at running and is definitely going to get a sub-3 at Boston. If you are intersted in some free chocolates and body lotion, she is having a giveaway! Link:http://www.hungryrunnergirl.com/2011/02/giveaway.html?showComment=1297132319235#c1914659009701576128
  In continuation with the winter-is-not-over-I-want-snow mood, I am sipping Pumpkin Spice tea and neglecting the dishes.. should probably go do them, though, since I have my daily 5am wakeup call looming in the morning. I'm thinking Power Yoga for the morning workout, though, considering how sore it left me last time, maybe I'll just lift arm weights... Those Yogis always whip my tush!

Dee.Lish.OUS.

RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME SUPERBOWL SUNDAY

OH YES. THIRD PLACE IN MY AGE GROUP. (oh hey like my senior photo? And the photo of me as a baby with cheeks bigger than a chipmunks?)

Yes indeed, I got 3rd!!! I was so happy, mostly because that meant I was in the same group with Navy pleab girls who can probably run 7:30 paces in their sleep. I know I said I wouldn't race the race, and I didn't, but I felt so darn good that I only held back by about 15 seconds per mile!! The race was so cool; my friend Jon ran with me, and so did my Dad. It was a total blast to be there, and seeing all the Navy boys (SO.ATTRACTIVE.) was pretty nice, too. My only qualm was that they did the awards in decending-age-order, so by the time my name was called, my stomach was growling choruses about omelets and PB&Js, which I promptly made when I came home. It was a great day, though, and the shirt we got was sweet. It's so comfy that I wore it to school today....

Workout for Today: 6.12 miles in 50:40. I had to jack up the speed a little at the end so I could make it upstairs by 6:07. If not, I wouldn't have had time to glance/cram my Spanish vocab words while simultaneously drying my hair until it looked like something out of Flashdance.

I'm off to go nap before the gym. I'll probably post more later tonight after dinner and proofreading my English essay. Happy trails.

OH YEAH. IT'S SUPPOSED TO SNOW TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eats of the Week

Got the camera working, so here's some chow from earlier this week:



Prerun breakfast from Sunday! Mojo bar, Nanner, and Yogurt with peaches and Kashi rice puffs. I like Mojo Bars better than regular Clif Bars- they aren't as bulky, but still just as delicious.

Post-run lunch from today!!!: PB&J&A&A (apple butter, apple) with an orange, and then brown rice with 1 egg (all we had left! And I was so looking foward to an omelet!!) with mushrooms, spinach, red pepper, onion, garlic powder, italian seasoning, and pepper.

About Me Saturday, a.k.a I am so Happy I Finished My English Essay I am Rewarding Myself With Blog Reading/Writing

Sorry for yesterday's uber-short post! Lifeguarding class was okay, though the girl next to me kept coughing and went outside to vomit (twice)... I hope I don't catch whatever she had! When I came home from class at 10:23, I realized I look like a total greaseball and I cannot believe people were not horrified by my lack of shower. At least I had some earrings and mascara on. Otherwise, I think I might have been the reason that girl puked.
   So, after waking up, eating breakfast, doing art homework, napping, running 8.25 miles, eating lunch, doing Stat homework, doing Environmental Science homework, eating again, finish my English essay, and going to the gym and doing the elliptical for 75 minutes (because my shoulder muscles would not have been able to handle the swim I wanted to do), I finally have time to update the blog!
  I thought I would take today and share some stuff about me, since I haven't really told you all much beyond 1. I sweat a lot 2. I work out a lot 3. I eat a lot of peanut butter.

So, here goes!

This is me at our County Championship game. I was on JV and we didn't make it, so this is me crazily cheering for our Varsity.

1. I played field hockey for 5 years. I stopped my senior year after being benched for all of my junior season. I got tired of warming the bench.

2. I read A LOT. Over the summer I read 30 books. That sounds like a ridiculous amount, but keep in mind that when my pool isn't busy, I can just sit at a table and read during my breaks, which come once an hour.

              3. As you probably already guessed from the previous post, I am a summer lifeguard! I switched pools this year, and am now Head Guard at a country club that apparently only has patrons on the weekends, so even more time for reading!!!

4. My brother is my best friend in the whole world. We have the same taste in music and food (we are both obsessed with Indian food), and he is the smartest person I know. After I got Spring Admission to that college the other day, he cheered me up so easily, and made me feel way less crappy. Plus, we share books too :).
5. I drink more tea than any person on a dieuretic should. Favorite? Chai or Pumpkin Spice. Don't make me choose!!


So, now that you have some fun facts about me, tell me about you!! What's your favorite food, movie, race distance, and season?