Running can be the Pits!

Sunday I ran in my 2nd 10K.  This event was held to raise scholarship money in the name of a fallen NY State trooper. The official website for the race is http://www.pitrun.org/ it tells how the trooper was killed off duty stopping an armed robbery.  Very Touching.

When we left our house at 730am it was pooring cats and dogs, cold and plain right nasty but we had hope that accuweather would be correct.

We arrived about 5 minutes before the kids race, the sun was shinning and the bbq were smoking! did I mention the free BBQ afterwards – by the best in the state.  Seriously, brooks BBQ has been on the food network more than once.

I ran over to registration while david signed the kids up for the kids race.  Emma was happy chilling in her stroller with her snack but tyler ran!

Tyler is in the white long sleeve shirt!  It was really cute, each kid had a bib #1! they were given these nice draw string bags with coloring books, magnets, pencils and more. 

The 10K and 5K started off together.  We had to walk to the main road outside the park that the event was held in for the start. 

We had a quick family photo before I started

Every one was lined up and ready to go.

So I saw 2 people run the race without any shoes. That just freaks me out thinking about it. I mean I walk around my house in the summer or at camp without shoes all the time but to run a 10K? that is crazy.

Back to the race.  At the 5K/10K split I really wanted to just go to 5K course! my leg was cramping and this was before the hill from hell.   But I didnt .  The hill was so deceiving. You would go up a hill and it would look like around the corner it would level off, then you got to the top of that corner and realized there was more and more and more and more. it was about 1.5 miles of steep hills.  I had to walk twice.  My leg was so crapped and it was only one leg. 

Finally down hill for about .75 miles, it was a steep down hill run glad we didn’t go up that side! 
Before I talk about the rest, Mile 1, 3, 4 they had people calling out your mile splits.  At mile 3, I thought they said 41minutes. I was like WTF – that is way off my normal pace and this was just at the start of the hill.     Mile 4 was just as we started descending from the hill and they said 42 minutes so I felt much better that I was on track. Well I was hope full that I had misheard the mile 3 person and not the mile 4.

At mile 5 I wanted to walk but I could smell the FREE AMAZING BBQ!! so I kept going around a turn where there was another small hill.  Then we went back down to main street. I thought that I just had to cross the bridge and run towards the center of the park where the finish line was.  I need to read better.  I sprinted down main street and 1/2 thru the park before I realized we had to pass the finish line to the other side of the park and come back.  RUN FOREST RUN!

OMG were my legs burning. I had no idea what time it was. I could hear the names of the people crossing the finish line but not the times. I wanted to push but I had already sprinted.  Finally I made that far turn and headed back towards the finish line.  I thought I could read it as 60minutes so I started  digging deep for anything I could find.  I sprinted as hard as I could.

I wasn’t sure of my official time but knew I hit it out of the park!! my old time was 68minutes.  My new time was :

This photo is so funny, I look like I was in pain but everyone just stopped in the road just over the finish line.  so here I am like a steamroller sprinting to the finish ready to take out the hundreds of people standing there.  it was like a scene from running of the bulls.  I really wasn’t in pain I was just trying to back it down a bit!

Sorry I don’t have a photo of the BBQ. Tyler ate my roll, Emma at half my chicken, baked potato, and cookie and David ate my cole slaw. 

I am very happy I finished with a better time! So I guess on the next one I hope/plan to break the one hour mark!  I am so tired today I went to bootcamp to work of the bbq and cider donut I had! we went to a cute and fun apple mill on the way home!

Challenging yourself

I have a new motivational blog at http://kristenshealthjourney.blogspot.com/ check it out. I am cheating a reposting todays post from there to here!  Enjoy!

Its so much easier to say “I can’t do it” then to put in the effort to try.  My accounting degree tells me:

doing nothing (effort)  + thinking about doing something (intentions) = Start tomorrow (lack of results)

0+0=0

The problem with “can’t” is it feels like shit.  The great thing about “doing” is how satisfying it feels.  When you do something you didn’t know you could do, its very rewarding.  You are proud of yourself and it increases your confidence to do more. 

Challenging by definition: requiring full use of your abilities or resources; "performed the most challenging task”

Challenging myself along the way has been a key to my success.  Moving up on KB weight, or trying a heavier one are great ways to challenge yourself.  Worse case you are unable to do it, so did you fail? NOPE!  Failing is defined as “unsuccessful in achieving one's goal.”  Because you couldn't press the red KB over your head today doesn’t mean you will not be able to do it tomorrow or next week or a month from today.

I have also challenged myself with food, to eat less, to eat better, to get over my Peanut butter addiction.  There are days (like today) where by noon I was at 80% of my daily calorie intake but did I fail today?  No, while my calories suck for the day, I didn’t eat peanut butter (score!).  I making a great dinner and I will do good for the rest of today.  Tomorrow I start fresh and will stay in my calories!

One little saving grace I have today is that I ran a 10K at the casino.  It was my challenge to myself on June 1.  June 1st was my 1 year anniversary of the start of MVBW at Next level and being fully committed.  On that day I signed up for the 10K to push myself, to prove how far I had come.  I was running about 4.5 miles at that point and figured 2.5 months would allow me the time to get up to 6.2 miles for the race. 

Prior to today, the longest I had run was 5.9 miles.  I didn’t know how today would go.  I just didn’t have the time to get more runs in – I would rather go to bootcamp then run!  In the middle of the week I had major stress going on and considered not running.  But I remembered my challenge to myself, and off I went to the starting line at 8am.

The first mile took me 10:10; 3 miles took me 31:13; 5 Miles took 52minutes.  It wasn’t easy, running up hill from mile marker 2 – 4 on route 31.  By the down hill portion of Stoney Brook my legs were so sore – like they feel after 4 rounds of 20:10 squat jumps and burpee finisher – you know what I am talking about!  Around the 5th mile you could see the casino and it motivated me to keep moving, don’t give up.  I had to walk a few times over the 6.2 miles but I kept the breaks short. .. “you get out what you put in”

Finally the finish line!  One hour and eight minutes later (and two blisters!).  I did it! Not only did I finish, I blasted my time expectation.  Right in front of me was a 18 year old kid that sprinted past me at the 6 mile mark.  As he crossed the finish line – he puked! I was in better condition than he was!  I walked past him to receive my water, my power-aid and MY METAL!

The first metal I have ever received!  I am so excited and proud!  So what are you going to do this week to challenge yourself.  Think about it, write it down and post it some where as a visual reminder thru the week.  Good luck!!

Meal planner week: June 25th–July 7

I am just a bit late again with this.

• Sat: Roasted Chicken with Pasta veggies**See Below
• Sun: Chicken Panzanella
• Mon: Chicken Quesadilla**See Below
• Tues: Chicken Lettuce cups**See Below
• Wed: Pork Steaks
• Thurs: Gilled haddock
• Friday: Hamburgers/Hot dogs
• Sat: Make your own Pizza
• Sun: Chicken Pockets
• Mon: Steak
• Tues:Talapia Tacos
• Wed: Burgers
• Thursday: Shrimp Kabobs

**My plan for this week was to follow this as a guide.  It was 5 days worth of cooking that was suppose to cost just $28 worth of groceries.  Problem 1) a few we didn’t think we would like 2) I can not follow a recipes I always deviate.

None the less I did my best.   Saturday I roasted a 7 pound chicken.  we were suppose to have Roast Chicken with Creamy Polenta And Mushroom Ragout but I have never had or cooked polenta.  I didn’t even know where in the grocery store it was.  So we ended up having (just this package not the recipe the link below shows)

Lightly Sauced Penne & Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce (12 oz) >

After dinner we cut up the chicken and had a quart size bag full for the next few nights!

Sunday I made the Chicken Panzanella salad and 21 calorie garlic bread.  The leftovers were my lunch on Monday! 

Monday we did try to make Chicken Goat-Cheese Quesadillas.  But I again deviated.  In a grill pan on one tortilla I added thinly sliced red peppers, scallions and chopped chicken.  I sprinkled Monterey Jack cheese before topping with another tortilla.  For mine I used the Arnold's flat sandwich bread only 100 cal.  For the kids and mine I did it in the sandwich maker they came out cute:

Then it was Tuesday the final day to use our 7 pound chicken.  we made Chicken Lettuce Cups..well kind of.  I knew David wouldn’t be into eating a lettuce wrap!

I thinly sliced a sweet onion and added it to a heated pan with 2 tablespoons of EVOO.  sauté for 3 minutes ( I added a little thyme and pepper to the onions). Reduce heat to low.  Then I added 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce,  my remaining chicken chopped up, a dash of celery salt and garlic powder.  I stirred everything and then mixed in 1 cup of cooked brown rice.  Once everything was heated I topped with sliced scallions. 

Then we just put it on a roll with crisp lettuce.  its was really yummy!  I will certainly make it again

5K DONE

I am so excited! I finished my first 5K on Saturday!  Ok so technically they were calling it a 3 mile.  Some paperwork was stating 5K other 3mile. I will need to google map it but either way:

I FINISHED IN 33:19!!!

I was suppose to run with my GF Lisa, but her uncle had a heart attack and she was at the hospital with her family.  How ironic since it was America’s greatest heart run and walk??  The event raised 1.1M from our small little middle income area.  I raised $195.00!!

I was worried at first about running alone not having anyone to push me.   But I have gotten myself this far I could do this:

I wrote on my hand with eyeliner “you’ve got this”.  My trainer Steve tells us that all the time.  You’ve got this you can finish, turn your mind off. 

That was my before photo, just incase I didn’t finish.  Another good thing about our event, I was never more than 3 miles from the hospital!!!  Safety feature!! lol

The 3 mile run course is not the same as the 3 mile walk.  The Run course is all up hill.  there are a few down hill moments but you are constantly going up some sort of incline.

The worst was heart break hill.  I wish I could find a photo of it for you but at the moment I can not find anything on the internet. or than this article:
http://www.uticaod.com/news/x2096602326/New-York-Mills-hill-hardly-heartbreaking

I used my MP3 player to set my pace. I wouldn’t let myself walk until I had listened to the 1st three songs – figuring that would put me past the 1st mile. I walked quickly and had a drink of water before running to the base of heartbreak hill.  I pushed myself up the first part of the hill.  then it levels out for a moment during some S turns before you climb part 2.  My legs were burning.  This part I did a combo of running and walking.

The final part is burrstone road and then into the college.  Burrstone road has 2 more hills besides its stead grade up.  I ran to the top of the first hill then walked for a moment.  My legs were on fire.  Then I ran to the top of the second hill, I had a quick walk and water before finishing the final leg without stopping.

I caught my husband unexpectedly and this was the photo he was able to get:

I was so glad to finish! And so hungry!  They had for us water, granola bars, bananas, oranges, apples.  Then if you went to the gym they had subway, Greek yogurt and more.

Like I said I was hungry and not stopping eating while taking photos!  After my banana I did take a photo with tyler who was there to cheer me on!

My husband left the camera on video while he ran to the finish line.  Its kind of like my post race interview its really funny but long…I hope I can upload it!!

I am so glad I ran this event!  Afterwards I chilled in my PJs.  Its funny that you can be so hot from running and so cold from 40 air at the same time!!

Training underway..

After deciding to run a 5K last week I have been doing research on training.  I have found a lot of great information.  I have tell you the conversation between my trainer and I:

Me:I am going to run a 5K

Him: Awsome!

Me: Am I ready what training tips do you have for me?

Him: RUN!!! ha ha

What a smart ass, and I pay him!!  He did tell me some thing and we are going to talk about it later this week. 

Saturday, hubby and I went to dinner for an early vday celebration.  I had already gone out to lunch with my GF, her daughter and my son (I won tickets to Sesame street live).  At lunch I ordered a turkey burger –plain with a salad.  At dinner I ordered grilled chicken, and steamed veggies.  We did get an appetizer, it was artichokes, spinach and chicken flatbread “pizza” it was on made on a tortilla. it was yummy.  I desperately wanted the cheesecake on the table next to me.  Instead we went for coffee and shared a Hershey bar!

He dropped me off at home and he went to pick up the kids from my mothers.  This gave me time to workout for about 30 minutes..(I was trying to maximize my time, why sit in the passenger seat for 30 minutes when I could be moving?)

All the training guides talk about walking so many minutes then run so many minutes and each training your running time increase.  Got it..but I need to know what I could run a mile in on the Tmill with a small incline.

My 1st Mile was 13 minutes 30 seconds (without stopping) then I walked for 3.5 minutes and ran a 13 min 16 second mile.  Tonight I did the same thing the first mile was 13 min 05 seconds for both miles – I had to stop for a moment but I was running at different speeds.  Both workouts I burned over 400 calories – love it!! 

On New years day I ran a 2.4 miles in 30 minutes – or 12.5 minute mile.  now on the tmill I am running a 13 minute mile. I am hoping the weather gets nice this week and I can find a way to go outside and run.  I really want to get down to a 12 minute mile…I need to run 5 mph tonight I ran between 4.5 and 4.7.  I can do this.

This is the link to my website for the race. it’s a heart run and walk non for profit event for the American heart association.

http://heartwalk.kintera.org/uticany/kszarek?faf=1&e=4257078786