My toe and a 20 Miler!

My Toe:
I cannot believe I forgot to write a little blurb about my toe on my last post.  Some of you wrote comments asking me how it was (thanks!), so I thought I'd give you a little update.  For those of you who didn't read about it, you can see my lovely toe here.  Well, I'm happy to say that it is feeling much better!  I was actually able to drain it a little bit, but I just could not bring myself to take the nail off.  The swelling is gone, there is no pressure under the nail anymore, and it is almost pain free.  Yay! I know it is going to fall off eventually, so I'll just let Mother Nature decide when it's time for it to come off.  Until then, I'll deal with the black nail! :)

My 20 Miler:
Or otherwise known as the kick ass, confidence booster run I needed! :)
We had a little "cold" front come to Denver yesterday, making the high only in the upper 60s/low 70s.  Since the sun doesn't come up until 7A, I decided to start my run around 7:30.  It was in the 50s and I could see my breath when I got out of my car.  Brrrrr.  But, I knew I would warm up over the next 3 hours or so.  I decided to wear my shorts with my compression socks instead of my running tights b/c I wanted to see how they felt during a long run.  I know this was a gamble, especially since I was running 20 miles, but I was willing to take the chance.

I started running and was amazed at how many other people were already out on the trail.  I run on this trail a lot and I have never seen as many runners on it as I did yesterday.  It was awesome!
The trees were also very beautiful.  I took this picture at the beginning of the run.  Almost all of the trees along the trail were already changing.

I tried to keep my pace around 9:30 again, but my legs just wanted to go!  I don't know if it was because I was more rested, but my legs just felt "fresh."  I settled into a pace somewhere between 9:00-9:15 and just kept running, hoping this pace wouldn't come back and bite me later in my run.

7 miles into my run, I crossed a road I had never crossed before and continued on the path onto unchartered territory.  It was nice to be running along a new section of the trail and I really think this made my run go by faster then usual.  Around mile 9 I passed a park with a water fountain and a port-a-potty and made a mental note of where it was.  I made it to 10 miles, did a quick fist pump in the air, then turned around.  I was feeling really good and I was actually excited about completing the second part of my run.  I reached the water fountain, refilled one of my water bottles, then used the port-a-potty.  This is probably more info. then you care to know, but up until that point, I had been ducking behind trees and bushes to do my business.  So, it was nice to actually have a place to "go."  :)

Around mile 13, I saw two women running in front of me that looked really familiar.  I ran up next to them, and it was Julie from You Just Have to Tri! and Kathleen from Dare to Dream.  I was so excited to see them!  I ran next to them for awhile and learned that they were doing 11 miles!  They are both doing the Denver 1/2 marathon.  We chatted for a little bit, then I headed out to complete the rest of my run.  It was so fun to see them and it really gave me a boost of energy to keep on keepin' on!

From that point on, I just kept ticking off the miles.  I would get to mile 14 and say, "6 miles to go."  Then, before I knew it I was at mile 15.  5 miles to go.  At this point I decided to pick up the pace a little bit and run a couple miles at my marathon pace.  I got to mile 18 and remembered how hard my last 18 miler was at the end.  But today, I felt different.  I felt strong and was just having a great time being outside running.  I kept up my pace and was overcome with joy when I reached my car!  20.15 miles in 3 hrs. for a 8:58min/M avg. pace!!

Happy to be done with my first 20 miler! :)

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED my compression socks! They were really comfortable...not too tight and not too loose.  I didn't get any blisters, my feet never got hot, and I truly believe they helped me get through the run.  I will definitely be wearing them for my marathon.

See all the dust?  Yeah...my socks and shoes got pretty dirty from the trail!



I got home, and this is where I sat for the next 15 minutes.  Brrrr!  And  yes, I have swimsuit bottoms on!

Can you see my goosebumps?  Here, let me help you!

Then, after a nice, warm shower, I slipped on my compression tights and headed out to lunch.  Chipotle veggie burrito bowl anyone?

Overall, I was super happy and excited after my run!  That is the longest I have ever run, and I now know that I WILL be able to make it to the finish line of my marathon!  Yay!

I hope you are all having a great weekend! :)

18 Miles Done and an Ice Bath!

The 18 Miler:
I was supposed to do this run last week, but because I was sick, I decided to rest and get well before tackling it.  I would rather take 5 days off to get better, then run through it and end up getting even more sick.  I did that in January and ended up with nasty bronchitis that would put me in coughing fits lasting over 20 minutes after trying to workout!  It was horrible!  Let's just say I learned my lesson!

I dropped my boys off at school, came back home, got everything loaded into the car, and headed to my favorite place to run long, the Highline Canal.  The weather was in the mid 60s, so it was perfect!  I wore my Nathan Speed 4 belt, which carried ~40oz. of liquid.  When it's warmer out, this is no way enough liquid to get me through 18 miles, but because it was cooler, I didn't know what I would need.  So, my plan was to park in the middle of the trail system and do an out and back to the north, then an out and back to the south.  That way I could stop at my car to refill my bottles if I needed to.

I really wanted to focus on staying at the right pace for this run, around 9:30, especially since it was the longest I have ever run and I was sick last week.  I definitely did not want to push the pace.  In the past I always found it difficult to run "slow" for my long runs.  For some reason, I would always try and run just below the pace I was supposed to.  I think in my mind, I was trying to "beat" myself, which is absurd!  After taking the RRCA class, I really understood the importance of the long, slow run and why we run it at a particular pace.  Having that mindset really helped and I found myself running pretty close to where I needed to be!

The Highline canal was absolutely beautiful.  The majority of the trees were already changing colors and because there was a breeze, leaves were falling from the trees as I ran.  And, it even smelled like fall.  The kind of musty, damp smell associated with leaves and rain.  It was awesome!

My piriformis on my left side was bothering me a little bit over the last month which was leading to some knee pain.  I decided to finally get another sports massage to see if it would help and the lady was AWESOME!  She knew exactly where to push and massage to get it feeling better.  I was really worried about it hurting during my run, but surprisingly, it didn't hurt at all!  I was so happy!

Around mile 13, I started getting kind of bored and it was getting mentally difficult to keep running.  I tried not to focus on how many more miles I had to run, but just to enjoy being outside on such a beautiful day.  That worked for about a mile...ha ha!  The way my route was planned, I passed by my car at the 15.5M mark.  That was tough to run past knowing I still had 2.5 miles to go.  I was so tired and my legs were feeling pretty fatigued.  I could definitely feel the effects of being sick for a week!  I just kept telling myself, "You can do it, you can do it."  I ran until the 17mile mark, then turned around to head back to my car.  That last mile felt sooo slow.  I would look at my Garmin and I would be at 17.3, then I would look again, hoping to be almost done, only for it to show 17.4...ugh!  Finally, I hit the 18M mark!!  I actually put my hands in the air and shouted, "Yay, you did it!"  I'm glad no one else was around, because I'm sure I looked pretty silly!  I finished my 18miles in 2:48 for a 9:20 avg. pace, which is pretty close to the 9:30 I was shooting for!  

  

The Ice Bath:
I came home, and decided it was time to take my first ice bath!  Now, I don't tolerate cold very well, but I was actually excited about it.  I made a cup of hot chocolate milk, put on my tri shorts, a long sleeved sweatshirt, and headed to the bath.

Can I just say, "Brrrrrrrr!"  It was soooo cold!  I was shivering and my teeth were chattering.  Yes, I am still wearing my Smartwool socks, but I thought that if I didn't my toes would freeze off!  If you look closely, you can see the goosebumps on my legs!  In all honesty, the ice bath felt awesome and almost rejuvenating!  I think it will definitely be something I try to do after all of my long runs from this point on.

 My warm, fuzzy sweatshirt and hot chocolate milk were wonderful!  Thank god for the little morsels of warmth they provided! :)

After my bath, I took a quick shower and slipped into these:

I LOVE my Zoot compression tights!!














Then, I feasted on a big bowl of yogurt, fruit, and homemade granola!  YUM!

Overall, I am really happy with how my long run went.  I felt like I kept a pretty steady pace and my nutrition worked perfectly.  I had 3 gels (at 5, 10, & 15M), and drank water and NUUN.  I didn't have any stomach issues at all, which was awesome!  I'm going to have to figure out when to run my last long run, a 20 miler, before starting my taper.  With only 3 weeks before the race, the timing is pretty tricky.  Any suggestions??

The Sunday Sampler - Fitness

Welcome to a new installment of The Sunday Sampler.  This is the day where I share my insights, thoughts, and opinions with you about different things in three categories: fitness, parenthood, and health rotating each category each week.  I hope that makes sense! :)  

My hope is that I will be able to help you along your adventure just like so many others have helped me. So, let me know what you think!  I'd love to read your perspectives on these things as well!  :) 

Fitness:  Recovery

One thing I learned last year from training for my first Half Iroman was the importance of proper recovery after a long workout.  I read lots of books and online articles about what to do and what to eat.  I would take notes and put them in my workout binder (yes, I have a binder that holds this info), and revisit them when needed.  At first I thought it was all hype.  That is, until I started really putting in the swim/bike/run miles and noticing the difference on the days I actually paid attention to recovery and those I didn't.  The truth is that your muscles need to be properly recovered so they are ready for their next big workout, which comes pretty quickly when you're in the midst of training.  So, here are some things that I have found to help me and one thing that seems to help others that I have yet to try.  

Nutrition:
Glycogen is the source of energy most often used in exercise and is an important fuel for skeletal muscles during prolonged exercise.  After an intense workout, your glycogen stores are depleted and increased cortisol levels begin to break down muscle tissue.  Therefore, proper recovery is crucial to insure that injury, fatigue, soreness, and illness don't occur.   The key to good recovery is to eat and drink the proper nutrients your body needs after a workout in order to promote muscle repair and replenish glycogen stores. You want to eat quickly digestible carbohydrates and stay away from a lot of fat because it will slow down your body's absorption of the nutrients you need.  Ideally, you should try to consume your recovery nutrition within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.  So, here are some ideas of what you can eat.  Yes, you can buy pre-made recovery products, but I want to focus on things you might already have sitting in your fridge/pantry.  Plus, they're cheaper and can save you lots of moola if you train a lot!        

What to eat/drink:

·        Glass of chocolate milk

·        Protein shake made with protein powder(2Tbl), water, and ½ banana

·        Shake made with ½ banana, orange juice, and vanilla yogurt

·        Fat free cottage cheese w/ banana and cinnamon

·        Peanut butter(1Tbl) and ½ banana on rice cakes(2) or whole wheat english muffin

·        Hummus(1/4C) and whole wheat pita

·        Low-fat yogurt(8oz) with 1/2C berries

·        Turkey(4oz) and cheese (1soft wedge) roll-ups w/ apple slices

·        Cheese and crackers

·        Dried fruit and almonds

While I am usually able to get in my recovery nutrition at home, I always have a back-up snack stored in my car and gym bag in case something comes up. Little snack ziploc bags are the perfect size to hold little things to munch on.  

Compression Gear:

O-kay, so I know there is a lot of hype about the use of compression gear for recovery.  If you google it you will find article after article about it.  But, no matter what is said about it I've found that some people love it, some people don't believe in it, and some people swear by it.  I am part of the third set of people.  I swear by it.  

Once again, I became interested in compression gear while I was training for my HIM.  Most of my post workout soreness would be in my thighs and hamstrings, so I wanted a full tight instead of the calf sleeves or socks.  After researching several different brands and styles, I ended up getting a pair of the Zoot CompressRx active tights. (Note:  This post is my own opinion.  I was not paid by Zoot to promote their product).  

The people at Zoot say the compression tights stabilize and prevent post-exercise soreness, improve blood flow back to the heart, and reduce lactic acid levels.  I was really skeptical about whether or not they would actually work, but I have to say that I honestly think that they do help with my recovery.  I no longer get that second-day crazy soreness that I would get in the past.  I feel like my body is able to recover more quickly and is ready to tackle my next big workout without a lot of fatigue and soreness.  Although they look like they would fit a 5yr. old, they are not too tight and are actually pretty comfortable to wear.    

Usually after my long workouts I make a glass of chocolate milk and stretch.  Then, I take a shower and put on my tights.  I have actually come to look forward to putting on my tights after a hard bike ride or long run.  Depending on what I do for the rest of the day I might wear them for a couple of hours, for the rest of the day, or while I sleep if my workout was done in the evening. 

So, do any of you use compression gear?  I would love to hear your thoughts on it!   

Ice Bath:

I have to admit that I have never done an ice bath.  I am a total cold wuss and I don't think I would survive one.  That being said, I have heard wonderful things about the benefits of an ice bath after a long workout.  So, I will probably jump in the ice wagon (ha ha..get it) and take the plunge some time in the future.  Here's some info. I found from runnersworld.com about why ice baths help with recovery:

Cryotherapy ("cold therapy") constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown. Once the skin is no longer in contact with the cold source, the underlying tissues warm up, causing a return of faster blood flow, which helps return the byproducts of cellular breakdown to the lymph system for efficient recycling by the body. "Ice baths don't only suppress inflammation, but help to flush harmful metabolic debris out of your muscles," says David Terry, M.D., an ultrarunner who has finished both the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run and the Wasatch Front 100-Mile Endurance Run 10 consecutive times.

I have also read several posts from bloggers reporting on their ice bath efforts.  So, if you (or I) ever decide to do one, here's how I've read you (I) should do it.  

1.  Put on your swimsuit bottoms or tri shorts.  Wear something warm on your upper body. Possibly put on some gloves and a hat.  Have something warm to drink while you're in the tub.  

2.  Fill your tub with cold water

3.  Hop into the tub and let your body adjust to the cold water for a few minutes

4.  Add some ice (I've heard 2 ice cube trays is plenty)

5.  Sit in the tub for 10-15 minutes 

6.  Jump out, dry off, and take a warm shower about 30minutes after getting out

Brrr...I am getting cold just thinking about it.  I guess my hesitation in doing an ice bath is not knowing when I should take one.  I mean, what distance or time warrants sitting in FREEZING cold water?  1 hr?  2hr?  10miles?  15miles?   

Do any of you do ice baths?  If so, when do you do them?  

I hope this post helped to shed some light on the importance of proper recovery.  But, with nutrition, compression, and ice baths, there is also a need for rest.  Don't forget to reward yourself and let your body rest in order to refuel, recharge, heal, and repair.  After all, nothing beats a good nights sleep.