Running and Cupcakes

On both of my runs this past weekend, I couldn’t help but think about my pace and how that should translate to race day. I usually find myself sneaking a peak at my watch and being concerned with not going fast enough. When it comes to marathon training, though, I need to have a different outlook on my training runs than I did when I was training for my last half marathon… slow and steady.

Most of the training plans I’ve come across suggest running your long runs about a minute or so slower per mile than your goal marathon pace. So far, this has been a big struggle for me. I finished my first marathon in November in 4:37, which was about a 10:30 pace. Since then, I think I can very easily run a 9:30 pace, bringing me to just over 4 hours. My husband, on the other hand, thinks I can easily run a sub 4-hour marathon considering my easy 1:47 half in April, which of course would be fantastic. Either way, that means I should be running my long runs at about a 9:30 to 10:30 per mile pace, depending on what I ultimately decide my race day goal to be. Well, I ran 10 miles last weekend with an average 8:20 pace, and today’s 8 as slow as I possibly could in 8:50. I realize that once I get to the higher mileage long runs I’ll slow down, but I’m wondering if I need to readjust my goals, or somehow figure out how to run slower. I suppose I’ll have to experiment over the next few weeks.

Even though most of my weekend revolved around running, I did make time for cupcakes and a BBQ. Some friends were celebrating their engagement with a relaxed backyard party, so I knew I had to bring cupcakes. I’ve become known for bringing cupcakes to parties, and when I show up with anything else everyone seems to be disappointed. Thanks to the wonderful world of Pinterest, I found a recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with a Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Frosting from Gimme Some Oven. They were a hit, and I had plenty of leftover frosting that is currently taunting me from the fridge. I’m thinking of turning into truffles (just shaping it into little balls and coating it in chocolate), but that’s if I can keep my spoon away.

Pinterest has really become a source for my meals and workouts in the past few weeks, and I’m really loving what I’ve found so far. It is a little dangerous at times (links to adorable clothes, and a serious time-waster), but I like to think the helpful things I’ve found outweigh the negatives of spending so much time on one website. I mean, I did find those cupcakes. Now if only I could find an answer to my marathon pace dilemma.

What did you do this weekend?
Any suggestions or words of advice for my marathon training pace dilemma?

A Plan

Marathon training. It technically started last week, so I figured I should share my plan.

Since I’ve been so injury prone over the tenure of my running career, choosing the right plan has proved to be difficult. I don’t want to run too much and hurt myself, but I also don’t want to run too little and be ill prepared. My Philly Marathon training was less than stellar and I topped off at an 18 mile long run, and I know I can do better. I’ve been slowly and steadily keeping running as a part of my routine, and while I still have some shin pain here and there, I’m confident for this go-around.

Running both the Chicago Marathon and the NYC Marathon are two dreams of mine – unfortunately I’m running them both in the same year, 4 weeks apart. Because of this close time frame, I’m focusing on Chicago as my “race” and NYC as more of a “fun” run. My plan is to do an additional long run after Chicago, but to really just keep running whatever I can between the two.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about training, it’s that having the plan on paper can only take you so far. There are bound to be situations where you can’t get in your planned run the day it’s scheduled, or you have to skip it completely. With everything that’s been going on with my GI lately and a planned trip to Europe in July, I’ve had to adjust my plans to make it as flexible as possible.

So, I’m looking to do 4 miles 4x a week with a long run for the first five weeks, and then from there one of the runs during the week will bump up to 5, and eventually 6. With the way I’ve scheduled it out, if I don’t miss any long runs, I’ll be able to get in three 20 milers (if I actually do accomplish that, I’ll try for a 21 or 22 in there). I’m going to do my best to cross-train as well, with some yoga, weight lifting, HIIT and tabata workouts, and whatever else I can get my hands on.

Fingers crossed for an injury free training cycle that can hopefully bring me a PR!

A little sparkle

If you’ve ever looked closely at my race photographs, you’ll notice I am almost always wearing a headband. Not just any headband, though… one of those brightly colored plastic ones that comes in a package of about 10, usually meant for little kids. Totally cool, I know.

headbandz — See? Plastic headbands are not cool for running.

So as you can imagine, I’ve been on the hunt for a more athletic styled headband, but haven’t had much luck. I’ve been graced with a rather large head (it’s okay, I’ve come to terms with it), so most of the headbands that are elastic either squeeze my head to death, or slip off. So instead of dealing with a pesky headband during a race, I figured the plastic ones would be the easiest way to go (forgetting of course that they dig into the back of your ears after hours).

After scouring the interwebs for suggestions, I figured I’d give Noodle Huggers by Little Slice of Awesome a try. They’re only $6 for the thin style, and I was okay with the idea of losing $6 if it didn’t work out. Even though I like to match my running outfits (nerd alert) as much as possible, I knew the black sparkle would be the most versatile option. I mean, who doesn’t love a little sparkle in their lives?

You can’t doubt my commitment to sparkle motion!

After getting the headband, I realized I needed to put it through some different tests. First up was an easy weights and yoga workout. I was impressed that the band didn’t budge, even when I was nearly upside down. I sweat during the workout, but not like I do when I’m running, so later in the week I took it out for a spin. Conveniently it was also drizzling, so that added to the moisture test. I’m happy to report that my headband didn’t budge! I’d be lying if I wasn’t a little skeptical at first, but this headband is in heavy rotation (ok, it’s the only one in rotation).

Do you wear a headband when you work out? What’s your favorite brand?

Note: The opinions expressed in this post are all my own. I purchased my own Noodle Hugger at full price, and wanted to share it’s awesomeness with you. I’m constantly looking for product reviews from like-minded people, and wanted to contribute.

Fourth Marathon

It’s official – I’ll be running the 2012 NYC marathon this November… a mere three weeks after the Chicago marathon!

Unfortunately my husband and I both applied for the lottery, but only I got in. This will be the first race I’ll be running without him. Even though we don’t usually run together, it’ll be weird to have him on the sidelines the entire time, instead of just waiting for me at the finish. The first thing my dad said to me after finding out was “Well you can’t run Chicago then!” … of course I can, silly. I’m just going to soak in NYC and really enjoy it – I mean, it’s in my birthplace and I know the majority of my family will be able to come out and see me at some point on the course (they have no excuse – I’ll be running near their neighborhoods)!

Official training starts at the end of May, but I’m going to use between now and then to maintain the mileage I worked on for last week’s half marathon. I can’t believe that I ran my first marathon in November 2011, and by November 2012 I’ll have four under my belt!

Can you tell I’m excited? Who else is running?

A Long Time Coming

I ran my first half marathon two years ago at the RU Unite Half Marathon. Up to that point, I had run three 5k’s and a 4 mile race – that was it. Considering my newbie status, I finished with a respectable (for me) time of 2:02:15. From that point on, I went through a vicious cycle of injuries, keeping me from really “racing,” and touching that PR. I ran the Disney half in 2011 with shin splints in 2:03, had the second RU Unite get cut short to 9.55 miles due to flooding, and my only other half marathon up to this point was this past year’s Disney half which I ran as part of the Goofy Challenge.

So, when I signed up for my third attempt at the RU Unite Half this year, I wanted to PR. With the training cycle I had, I knew it was possible. Most of my runs had been just around the 8 minute/mile pace, and I figured that unless I broke a bone, I was likely able to get in under 2:02 – I mean, that was my FIRST half marathon time!

The race started just as they all do; me whining as I choked down half a peanut butter sandwich and worrying I didn’t spend enough time in the bathroom. Our timing was perfect this year, as we were able to get to the start, check our bag, take a trip to the port-o-potties, and wait only about 5 minutes in the corral before starting. I lined myself up just behind the 8 minute/mile pacers, and waved my husband off who planned to run closer to the 7 minute/mile pacers. The race was rather uneventful – I kept myself between 7:50 and 8:20 paces, varying depending on when I looked at my watch. The temperature was perfect, and the rain was able to hold off despite a menacing forecast.

When we hit the mile 10 marker, I realized that all I needed to do was keep a 10 minute/mile pace, and I’d finish at about 1:50, a solid 12 minute PR. Obviously I didn’t have any intention on slowing down, but a nice side cramp, similar to the one I experienced during the St. Paddys’ 10 miler decided to come out and play, forcing me to walk for a bit. This time, I listened to my body, walked for about 10-15 seconds to make sure I was comfortable, and then started running again. Thankfully the cramp didn’t return, and I was able to slowly pick up my pace over the course of the last 5k.

I crossed the finish with an official time of 1:47:43 – nearly 15 minutes faster than my previous standing PR, from the very first half marathon I ever ran. To say I was overjoyed would be an understatement. I finally feel like I’m at a good place with running, and am no longer in the constant push and pull struggle that I’ve experienced over the last year and a half.

Per tradition, the hubs and I met up with my parents at Red Robin for lunch, and gorged ourselves on a (veggie) burger and fries – a perfect Sunday if you ask me!

I know my blogging has been a little lackluster this month, but it’s my last week of student teaching, so I’ll be back to regular scheduled programing this week!

Automatic PR

Whenever I run, I’m in competition with myself. Whether I’m out for a jog, doing a tempo workout, or running a race, I’m constantly comparing myself to… myself. I’m the kind of person that internalizes all of my competition, and in moments where I perceive potential failure, I break down. A great example of this would be last Sunday’s St. Paddy’s 10 miler that was hosted by the Freehold Running Club.

One of my dad’s coworkers is a board member of the club, so knowing that both myself and my husband run, she suggested we come run the race free of charge. I couldn’t help but jump at the offer, with all the expensive races we seem to always be signing up for. Plus, both myself and my husband had a 10 mile run on the schedule as our long run, so it worked out perfectly. Since my husband’s knee has been bothering him, he decided to run with me which always makes me happy. Once again, it’s a good thing he did, because I nearly gave up around mile 8.5.

The race conditions were far from perfect – it was chilly and raining on and off. Despite that, we were able to keep around a 7:50-8 pace for the first 8 miles or so. Then it happened. I got one of those side cramps that’s deep within your organs, where the only way it doesn’t hurt is to apply massive amounts of pressure to the area. While I was doing that, it was difficult to run, and apparently I was pressing really hard – I totally have a bruised stomach now. While in pain, I started to doubt myself. I watched people I had strategically picked off earlier in the race run past me, as I was forced to a crawl. Whining about how I couldn’t do it, the husband told me to stop trying to run, walk for a few seconds, and to try again. After trying that 3-4 times for about a mile, I was able to ignore the pain enough to run the last half mile.

Screen Shot 2012-03-26 at 3.08.44 PM — Me & the hubs!

Since I slowed down so much the last mile and a half, our sub 8 minute pace crept up to an average of about 8:18, having us finish in 1:23:09. Crossing the finish line I was extremely frustrated, knowing that I could have full well finished under 1:20 if I hadn’t gotten that cramp. By then, the cramp had gone and I felt far from tired – I wanted to go back and re-do that last portion of the race. Since neither myself or my husband ever place high enough in races, we didn’t stick around for the awards ceremony – I grabbed some water, the husband grabbed some chicken noodle soup, and we headed to a nearby dinner for brunch with my parents.

When we were leaving, I remember saying “I wonder how I placed. I think I came in the top 10 probably in my age group,” to which my husband replied “Eh, I don’t know about that.” I didn’t think much about it, but after getting home I decided to check out the results. Even though I wound up finishing at around 100, I came in 3rd in my age group! After seeing the first and second finisher’s times (1:20), I realized if I hadn’t cramped I would have easily came in first, but that’s neither here nor there – I can’t believe I actually placed! Since we left before the award ceremony, my dad’s coworker was kind enough to take the award for me and bring it to work.

Aside from the cramp, I think this race is a good indication that I can easily go under 2 hours at next month’s half marathon. Fingers crossed!

Super Easy Lunch

Cross training is something that I actually enjoy. I think it keeps me from going insane when it comes to running, and I like seeing other body parts getting stronger. It’s also helpful for days when I really just dont’ want to go outside because it’s either too hot, too cold, or I’m just being lazy. This week has been HOT by March standards in New Jersey, so I’ve been able to do some cross-training outside. The heat has meant extra sweating, which is always sexy. Case and point:

After my sweat-filled workout on Tuesday, I had a great idea for a perfect protein packed sandwich.

Every time I say it, my husband shudders in disbelief. I’m not a big breakfast foods fan. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy an omelette, some pancakes, waffles, or other typical breakfast foods here and there, but I rarely crave them. My husband, on the other hand, could eat breakfast for every meal, and is excited to find breakfast foods on “non-breakfast” menus.

So, after picking up some coconut curry simmer sauce from Target a few weeks ago for dinner, I had half the jar sitting in the fridge just staring at me, begging to be used. With the sauce sitting mere inches from a carton of eggs, I had an idea. Coconut curry egg salad! Yes, it sounds weird but I promise it doesn’t taste weird. I actually loathe egg salad, mostly because I can’t handle mayo. So, I figured this would be a flavorful alternative to mix together the smashed eggs. Thankfully, the taste experiment didn’t backfire.

This sandwich comes together in a matter of 20 minutes (if you include the time it takes to hard-boil the eggs), and is absolutely delicious. I had mine on some toast with spinach, but the possibilities for a sandwich are endless. It’s super creamy and isn’t overly eggy, but the egg is there. I could even see this working really well with tofu if you aren’t an egg fan.

Quick Coconut Curry Egg Salad
– Serves 1 –

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Target’s Coconut Curry Simmer Sauce
2 Hard-boiled eggs (see directions below)

Directions:
1. To hard-boil an egg: Fill a large pot with cold water, enough to cover the eggs by about 2 inches. Cover the pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Once it’s boiling, take it off the heat and allow to sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Drain the water and let it sit at room temperature, or pop it in the fridge for a few minutes before peeling.
2. Mash the hardboiled eggs with a fork.
3. Add the simmer sauce and mash/mix to combine.
*I had mine on two pieces of toast as a sandwich with some spinach, but you can enjoy it any way you’d like!

All About the Legs

I’ve always been someone that thinks a strong body is beautiful. As a swimmer in high school and college, I made sure to get myself to the gym in addition to spending time in the pool in order to work on my upper body strength. For whatever reason, I always neglected my legs. They were pretty strong on their own, but I always felt the burn while chugging along during kick sets at the back of the lane. Since I’ve started running, though, I’ve realized more and more just how weak my legs are.

[Source]

Knowing full well that in order to be a well rounded athlete and to excel at any form of exercise you need to incorporate more than just your typical routine into the mix, I decided to do just that. So, since I’m primarily a runner these days, this means body weight exercises, yoga, and anything else I can think of. I know that doing this can help me in addition to logging countless miles, and it can help keep me from boredom. And maybe most importantly, I’ll be working different muscles and making sure I stay injury free!

So, I’ve been doing the same leg workout for a week or so and I can definitely feel my legs getting stronger. This is a perfect workout not only for runners, but also to get ready for shorts season!

I’ve been trying to figure out the “perfect” upper body workout for me, and am working through a few different variations. Once I have that down pat, I’ll share it as well! And don’t worry, I’m still devouring deliciousness and will be sharing it with you, but I wanted to start branching out to my second love – fitness. So, you’ll likely be seeing a few more running/fitness related posts from me here and there in addition to all the foodie related goodies.

Slow and Steady

Getting a slow-cooker has proved to be a successful meal maker on most Sundays. I love the idea of throwing a whole bunch of stuff into a big pot and letting it just cook for hours, without needing any attention from me. After trying slow-cooker lasagna for the first time a few months ago, I knew I wanted more of it, but I wanted to switch things up. So, I tried a buffalo chicken lasagna a few weeks ago that was amazing (I need to find that recipe so I can share it with you!), and then I made a Southwestern lasagna.

Even though this is the first year I haven’t filled out a March Madness bracket in awhile, I’m still interested in the games. So, throwing this in the slow-cooker and plopping myself on the couch was just what the doctor (aka myself) ordered on Sunday. It also made enough that the hubs and I will be able to enjoy it mid-week as well. I’m a big fan of making something that has leftovers, especially when the meal is a winner. When I was trying to figure out what I wanted in the lasagna, I realized there are so many different variations you could make. Ours was on the spicier side, but you can of course dial down the spices to your liking, or swap them out for something else!

Of course it wouldn’t be complete without some guacamole, so thanks to the wonderful Hormel, I picked up some Spicy Wholly Guacamole. It was the perfect addition to the meal, and they aren’t messing around with the spice! I would definitely try their pico de gallo and guacamole dip they have, too.

Southwestern Lasagna
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, ground turkey, or soy crumbles (I used Jennie-O ground turkey)
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz. can Rotel tomatoes & green chiles
1 10oz. can enchilada sauce
3 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Adobo
1/4 tsp paprika
8oz. shredded cheese blend
6 burrito sized flour tortillas (I use Chi-Chi’s brand)
guacamole, sour cream, and salsa for garnish

Directions:
1. Brown meat until cooked through, and drain any excess fat (if there is any). Mix in spices (chili powder, cumin, Adobo, and paprika) until combined.
2. Combine ground beef, diced onions, diced green pepper, black beans, and tomato and chilies mixture in a medium sized bowl.
3. Layer 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of your slow-cooker. Follow with a tortilla, 1 1/2 cups of the meat/veggie mixture, and a 1/4 cup of cheese.
4. Continue layering, ending with a tortilla at the top. Finish it off with another 1/4 cup of cheese, and pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top.
5. Cook on low heat for at least 2 hours. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Hormel Foods sent me a $50 gift card as a member of their Extended Family Food Blogger program in order to create a meal using products from the Hormel family, and to blog about it. The opinions in this post are my own.

Love the run

Since I’ve been in a lull in terms of my racing schedule, I’ve had the opportunity to really enjoy running for what it is. While it can be a struggle some days, once I finally drag myself outside I always end the run happy. I haven’t been running tons of miles each week (topping at about 30), but I’ve definitely been speeding up, and enjoying myself more. I tend to go through phases where I am absolutely in love with running one minute, and then the next I question my ability to continue training for races. Right now I’m embracing the love moment!

I picked up a pair of Brooks Green Silence early this week, and took them out for a test run. They’re more on the minimalist side, but aren’t as minimal as the Vibram Five Fingers I have. I actually took those out for a 1.25 mile jaunt last weekend, and am excited to slowly incorporate them back into my running as it’s been 2 years since the last time I ran in them. I’m really happy with the Green Silence, and plan to rotate them in with my Ghosts for shorter runs until my legs get stronger, since I definitely felt my calves screaming by the end of my 3.5 miles on Wednesday. Brooks’ “Run Happy” mantra certainly applies to me.

In terms of my near-future running plans, I’m looking forward to a 10 mile race on March 25th (an automatic PR since I’ve never raced that distance!), and then a half marathon April 22nd. From there, I’m not really sure what my plans are (maybe another half or two?), aside from the annual summer 5k’s, and then the Chicago Marathon in October!

My running has been fueled by some good eats, of course. On Wednesday I decided to give Healthy Happy Life’s Easy Sweet Potato Burgers a try, and they were awesome. The only change I made to the recipe was subbing tahini for almond butter (just because I didn’t have any tahini), and I also threw in a teaspoon of chili powder. The recipe made six decent sized burgers, so I’ve been enjoying the leftovers!

Even though there was a mashed sweet potato in the burger, I couldn’t help but have some fries. Conveniently, the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program sent me a coupon to sample an Alexia Foods product. I’ve had a few of the different french fries they offer, and was immediately drawn to their waffle fries (my favorite). I find that oftentimes the heating instructions on frozen potato products aren’t sufficient – I wind up having to babysit the fries because when the timer goes off, they are still mush, but after that they can go from mush to burnt in a matter of seconds. These fries were easy, though. I popped them in for the suggested 25-30 minutes, and they were good enough at 25 for my liking, and perfect at 30 minutes for my husband (he likes them on the crunchier side). Paired with the veggie burger, we had ourselves a simple but delicious meal. I absolutely plan on trying some of their other flavors, because I wanted to grab multiple bags while I was in the frozen aisle!

I’ve got some big plans for the weekend in terms of running and food – I mean, what else is there?! I’m looking forward to some running, eating, and of course, lesson planning. It’s hard to believe I’m already half way through my student teaching.