A Quick Check In!

Hey guys!!

Finally an 83 mile week! Taper is here! I either going to be really FAST in a week or freaking fat, haha.

It's so weird going from 5 doubles a week to nearly none this week. I look forward to singles in the morning but then when evening comes around I think my body revolts. Not only do I miss my evening shake out run, but that also means HOUSEWORK.  Um, ya. At 5pm in my house it's either homework, dishes or dinner. HATED IT!

But forget the crusty cookie sheets, dog crap in the living room and piles of laundry. Let's celebrate that I haven't busted my ass in the most epic build up of my marathoning career! 100-126 miles a week since January 1st. (14 weeks) For the last month I've felt run down. Now I feel like this. Awe YEAHHHHH!

Today,  I ran my last double digit run. 14 miles. I was podding along running easy pace. Then I saw my most favorite nameless greenway runner. I see him enough in passing to recognize him but I'm not sure who he is. I know he reads my blog. So I shouted out: 1 MORE WEEK! Then, he goes TOP 100 with a high 5 so hard that I almost ricocheted into the woods!!! Like, a kid in a candy store. I got all excited! I'm like ya, you're right! Sometimes I lose sight of the big picture and whine about blisters and small stuff. But he's right!

As you can tell I saw the Greenway Runner right when I went from easy to moderate pace. Mile 10ish. The power of the high 5!

I'm training to run the fastest marathon of my life. My 3rd consecutive Sub 3 Boston Marathon. I want to break into the top 100 females and top 10 age group. I'm a few peeps away from that goal.

I'm just putting it out there. I'm not afraid of failure. Hell, I push my limits every single day. We all know I could injure, burn out, or something on the highly probable list. But I haven't! I've been smart. I have excellent coaching that has been superbly designed for me and my strengths. (That's next blog) Nothing has been left to chance. The game is ON!

Now, I'm picking out shoes, outfits and nail color. Wooohoooo! Here are some potentials!

So, I'll check back in soon! I love you guys and all your support! Have a great night!

Laura

How I recover off a 400+ mile month

Hey Guys!

I meant to get a recovery post up sooner. But geez this week was crazy. 7 doubles. 120 miles. All workouts nailed. I'm thrilled! Now, I'm starting a cutback week. I'm not complaining either!

I definitely don't know everything or claim to be an expert in anything.  Possibly a tangent expert within a 5 mile radius of my house, possibly. But I have lots of weird rituals that could be better than placebo. Or not, who knows. But this is what I do:

*I take amino acids 3x a day. Before and after the run, and before bed. This is new this cycle.
*I take Sport Legs before I run and sometimes before bed.
*I drink Udo's Oil before bed.
*I eat 3 Quest bars a day. 1 within 20 mins after each run and 1 at night. 20 grams of protein. No sugar.
*I take Endurox after I run.
*I take Epsom salt baths about twice a week.
* I put various lotions and potions on my legs with arnica, glucosamine etc.

I have links to all of these products down below.

That's it for supplements. I eat chicken, nuts, cheese and other high protein food ALL day. My diet doesn't have any refined sugar other than trace amounts. Sugar is inflammation. That's a big no, no! I force food down until I have at least 3,500 calories in me a day.

Physically, I use roll recovery often and I stretch pretty much all day. I'm always leaning on something and getting a stretch. I also get weekly deep tissue massages.

And the thing I HATE the most is that I force myself to put my feet up for 30 minutes after my morning run. I always have stuff to do and laying there is not my personality! But I think of it as a gift to my legs. Also, I probably collapse 2 times a week after mileage bumps and need a nap. Again, I don't like feeling "lazy" but hey. Sometimes I'll sleep in my car while my kids are at a Taekwondo class. I can power nap and answer homework questions in my sleep. I just figure a way to make it all happen.

Because we are 9 weeks from Boston I put a little more thought into my daily activities. You won't see me swimming laps or riding my bike. I wouldn't jump on a trampoline with my kids. Obvious stuff. My goal is to stay healthy. If you said let's go to the mall and walk around a few hours the night before a long run, I'd say hell no! My ass is in the tub soaking at that time!

This may sound obsessive, but to me it's not. I'm not a college kid. I'm not even young! I'm a 40 year old 98 pound marathon runner with 3 kids.  I need to take precautions!

Here are some random pics as well as my supplements. Thanks for reading! You guys rock! Your support makes me giddy : )

Car console food is a must

This is half my life!

Yup, it happens!

1 degree long run!

I'm going to link out these supplements. Also, that's liquid calcium. 

I'll show you crazy!

Udo Oil
Endurox Excel
Amino Acids
Quest Bars
Liquid Calcium
Sport Legs


Some people ask me why I put it all out there. I'm up late after running 20 miles today so you can learn from all the good, bad and ugly I have come across. In the end, it makes me happy to see you do well. More so than myself. Now, I didn't say I'd let you beat me at the finish line, but you know! haha.

Well, continued happy running guys!!

Laura

My highest mileage week EVA!!

Happy Sunday Guys!

I am super proud to have hit a new milestone. This was my first 80 mile week in my life, ever! I did it with only one double too. I thought I would feel a little different than I do. In fact, I'm kinda annoyed. I expected something like this by Sunday:

But instead I feel like I haven't done a damn thing. I feel tapered. Ripped off. I didn't even take a nap this week. And I have been sick all week too. It makes no sense to me. I guess by doing all the "right things" I'm still feeling good. In addition to the running or to enhance the running I have been:

*strength training with obsessive stretching 5 days a week post run.
*Eating tons of protein. Keeping my diet very healthy and staying hydrated.
*Taking a ginger bath 1-2 times a week
*8pm bedtime
*still no refined sugar in my diet

PS who knows if those are the right things but for me they work....

It sounds restrictive or obsessive but it's really not. I love it all. I haven't slept-in in years. It doesn't appeal to me. Why the hell would I want to lay on my ass? That's for AFTER the run.

I'd have to say the single most problematic issue with running higher mileage is EATING, enough. I am so sick of being starving and needing food RIGHT NOW. My jaw hurts from chewing trail mix and protein bars. Its never enough. I just eat all day. I am 5'4" and 100 pounds. It's a freaking awesome problem though. I'm not gonna lie!

So this week went like this:

Monday: 8 miles @ 7:34 pace
Tuesday: 12 @ 7:22 pace
Wednesday: 8 @ 7:22 pace and pm run 5 miles @ 7:25 pace
Thursday: 12 @ 7:09 pace with middle miles: 6:15, 6:23, 6:19, 6:17, 6:24. 4 min recoveries.
Friday: 10 @ 7:36 pace recovery
Saturday: 9 miles @7:20
Sunday: 16 miles @ 7:37. Hills.
Total: 80!

Most of these run were in 25 degrees.

So that's about it. I'm itching for a double today but with the 16 earlier I should probably chill. Arg!!

Happy Running Everyone!
Laura