Training Update

Posted on July 29, 2012 by runningthewindycity

Yesterday I was a complete bum after the race. I watched the Olympics, put something together for lunch, watched more of the Olympics, and then napped. At least lunch was delicious though!

Brown rice bread with veganaise and smoked salmon, ~~roasted~~ microwaved carrot fries on the side. I almost died over the smoked salmon. I only ate half of the packet but I was tempted to eat it all. I kept asking myself why I had promised to split it with Ian.

This morning I woke up early to fit a brick workout in. I biked 17.5 miles and then ran 3 in 22:30. My legs usually take off at under a 7:10 min/mile after biking but I really held back today. I wanted to get in a few recovery miles after yesterday’s race. I felt strong on both the bike and the run. This is good news because it will most likely be my last brick of the summer!

Breakfast loosely based off of pbfingers’ Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding. Last night I mixed 1/4 cup chia seeds, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1 T cocoa powder, 1 tsp maple syrup and a handful of blueberries in a nearly empty pistachio butter jar.

This morning I took it out o the fridge, stirred in about 1 T almond milk, 1/3 sliced banana, 1 T roasted & salted pecans, and 1 tsp maple syrup. I also added a little peanut butter on top. I couldn’t resist –> pb + chocolate + banana = amazing!

This was a great alternative to oats in a jar. It was thick and had a nice chew to it. Hopefully the chia seeds will keep me full for a while too!

Anyway, as many of you might have noticed, I took last week off of running. After a summer of hard training I could tell my body needed a little break so I also lessened the intensity of my workouts. My week ended up looking like this:

Monday- Swim 1,650 meters
Tuesday- Cycling class, abs
Wednesday- Swim 3,000 meters, abs
Thursday- Cycling class
Friday- off, abs
Saturday- BTN Big 10k*, abs
Sunday- 17.5 mile bike, 3 mile run, abs

*official time posted at 46:15

I think the break was just what my body needed. I have a triathlon next weekend and then my marathon training kicks off with a 5k the following week. I’m currently feeling rested and anxious to bust out some miles!

Do you take time off before starting a training plan?
What’s your favorite Olympic moment so far? I loved the end of the men’s road race (bike), such smart cycling! I also liked seeing Lochte earn the gold in the 400 IM. Really shows how hard work pays off!

P.S. The blog will be down tomorrow so there will be no post and I won’t be responding to comments. Feel free to e-mail me if anything comes up!

Monday Things {07-23-2012}

Posted on July 23, 2012 by runningthewindycity

1. Friday was my last day and I got to leave work before noon. It was a beautiful day, not too hot or humid, and I knew that I should spend time outside. Instead, I parked my butt on the couch and played Temple Run on my iPhone while watching a Laguna Beach marathon. Very productive right?

(image source)

2. Oh, but I did manage to stand up long enough to bake these delicious oatmeal raisin cookies!

3. Ian and I went out to dinner on Friday to celebrate my job change and went a little crazy on oysters. They were so delicious though, too bad they’re pretty pricey.

4. Saturday morning I completed my usual brick workout. It was nice and cool and riding my bike in the breeze felt so nice. Unfortunately, my legs were pretty tired and the ride was slow but it did really clear my mind.

5. Ian and I spent all day Saturday on Lake Michigan in Harbert, Michigan with Ian’s family. We laid out in the sun, tossed a frisbee around for Ian’s brother’s dog, and swam. It was pretty cloudy out so the sun wasn’t too strong and it wasn’t overwhelmingly hot. Unfortunately, I took zero pictures while we were there. Oops.

6. For dinner Saturday night we all collaborated and put together a great meal. We had grilled zucchini, a huge cucumber, tomato, and mint salad, hangar steak with chimichurri sauce, lentils, roasted corn on the cob, bread, burrata, and fancy apricots (black velvet?). I piled a plate with zucchini, salad, lentils, and apricots. It was delicious!

7. On Sunday, I woke up early to do a non-RnR half-marathon. I was planning on running my usual 13 mile route but after looking at the Rock ‘n Roll course map I realized that wasn’t going to happen. I made a new route with lots of small loops and out-and-backs on the same route and headed out. It was just not my run. I forgot water again and by mile 9 when the temps started creeping near the 80′s I needed some. I wove back and forth across a major street looking for a water fountain and eventually begged a Dunkin’ Donuts employee to give me a cup. It. was. so. pathetic. I also tripped at one point and almost bit it, I could feel blisters forming along the bottom of one of my feet, my right foot started to hurt (I think I might have a minor case of pf), and my hamstring gave a twinge afterwards. I finished it but it wasn’t pretty even though for the most part me legs felt strong the entire run. Frustrating….

8. Due to the above, I’m taking this week easy/not running this week. Marathon training starts in a little over a month and I want to be pain-free by then.

9. I hadn’t prepped anything cold for breakfast and considering the sweaty mess I was when I got home, hot food was not going to cut it. I decided to make a huuuuge bowl of cereal that included puffed millet, puffed rice, walnuts, sunflower seeds, half of a banana, blackberries, blueberries, a mix of rice and almond milk, a glob of almond butter, and a drizzle of honey. You could call it fancy cereal

10. Ian’s friend threw a BBQ on Sunday and Ian had promised that we would make chocolate covered bacon (we’ve done this for his buddies bbqs before). It’s simple in theory but takes awhile to execute.

What’s really interesting is that some people love the taste and others cannot stand it. I think one guy ate the majority of the container yesterday!

11. The BBQ was a blast. Ian’s friend hired a man to come and make fresh tacos for everyone and there were plenty of snacks, games, and a pool to play in. I ended up cooking brown rice and black beans ahead of time and then adding some guac and salsa to them at the party. For once my food allergies worked in my favor because there were no veggie taco options anyway.

12. We were absolutely exhausted when we got home last night. Sitting on the couch, playing with Sonic, and watching Teen Mom was about all we could muster the energy to do.

13. Speaking of Sonic, he seems to be doing a little bit better. We lowered all of the blinds in the apartment thinking he may be getting hot from the sun and he seems to be out and about more. I’m home Monday-Thursday of this week though and I’m not sure that I’m going to like living in the dark so we’ll see how it goes.

14. Because I didn’t have to get up for work this morning, I slept in until 7:30 (a record?) and then made a warm oatmeal breakfast.

I cooked 1/2 cup oats and 1 tsp chia seeds in 1 1/2 cups of water. When it began to bubble, I added 1/2 of a smashed banana and whipped it into the oats. After a few more minutes, I added chopped cherries and maple sugar. Delicious!

15. It’s supposed to be almost 100 degrees today so I’m going to relax in the apartment, go for a recovery swim at some point, and then clean, organize, and take care of some online things. Yay me!

What did you do this weekend?

Foggy Brick Workout

Posted on July 14, 2012 by runningthewindycity

Saturday mornings are reserved for my brick workouts. Bricks are so different from my weekly route that I really look forward to them. I also love how much farther you can go on a bike than by foot in the same amount of time.

I slept in a little bit this morning and then headed out on my bike. I did my favorite 17 mile loop where I head straight to the lake path, cycle south until I reach Hyde Park, cycle back north going a little past my apartment, and then loop through the city. Fellow Chicagoans please do not be afraid to head south on Lake Shore. You are truly missing out. The path is not nearly as crowded as it is up north and the views coming back into the city are spectacular. There are also quite a few hills, a rarity in Chicagoland but valuable for training. Sounds good right? Try it .

I always turn around at the point near Hyde Park and the views from the tip of the point are amazing. I brought my iPhone with me today so I could snap a picture but unfortunately it was too foggy to see the city.

Bummer. Maybe next Saturday.

I did get to see the end of the sun rise from the point though. I love being close to the water!

As I was biking back into the city I finally started to come across groups of runners. CARA must have started later this morning? Dealing with runners definitely slows me down but I kind of enjoy weaving around people on my bike. It’s helping me improve my steering and general contorl. Plus it keeps me on my toes .

After finishing my ride, I secured my bike in our storage unit and headed out for a 3 mile run. My usual goal with brick workouts is to do my run portion pretty fast. However, as I raced a 5k earlier in the week, I figured it would be best to let my body fall into its own natural rhythm. Interestingly enough, that rhythm was about a 7:14 min/mile. Hmm… could have used some of that speed over the last few days.

At home, I showered, changed, and dug into breakfast: a chocolate avocado cold oatmeal parfait.

Last night while I cooked the oatmeal, I made chocolate avocado pudding by mashing together 1/2 an avocado, 1 T maple syrup, and just under 1 T cocoa powder (unsweetened). I layered the cooled oatmeal and avocado pudding in a glass and then refrigerated it overnight.

This morning, I topped it with the usual, a small glob of almond butter, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds.

I know that avocado in the morning sounds weird (or just sweetened avocado in general) but it is actually really tasty. It is also a nutrient dense food that will usually hold hunger over for a loong time. Can’t beat that!

Lots of errands on the agenda today! Have a great one

Edited to add: for those of you who are as obsessed with the Olympics as I am, check out this article on the female athletes to watch!

Weekend Update

Posted on June 18, 2012 by runningthewindycity

Hey guys! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend . I decided to unplug myself for a few days and while I had a nice break from the computer, I missed blogging and interacting with all of you guys. So, here’s how I spent my time this weekend!

On Saturday morning I woke up way too early to squeeze in an abbreviated brick workout. I took my mom’s bike out for an 8 mile ride and then ran a mile in 7:07. Thankfully the weather cooperated and it wasn’t uncomfortably hot at 7 a.m. when I was running. I love cloud cover .

When I got back to my mom’s I was greeted by this little face. She’s so precious when she’s not biting (currently teething) or having accidents in the house.

I was pretty hungry so I made a bowl of oatmeal using 1/2 cup oats, 1.25 cups water, 1 tsp chia seeds, and some cinnamon. I topped it with almond butter.

It did the trick.

After breakfast my mom and I did some me-specific grocery shopping (I brought a few things from home but obviously couldn’t bring a lot of refrigerated goods). We picked up a lot of fruit. I love summer berries and stone fruit!

Once Ian woke up, we ran some errands and ended up stopping at the food court at the local mall for some lunch.

I had a huuuuge salad with broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and chickpeas. I only could eat about half of this and even with Ian helping out we couldn’t finish it. When I got home I also had a banana and almond butter with a little cereal. The salad filled my belly but definitely didn’t have any calories or staying power to last me very long.

We relaxed for a little while and I took a much needed nap. You can thank Ian for this picture.

Saturday night was spent with my dad for an early Father’s Day dinner. We went to Beverly Hills Grill and I had a grilled vegetable salad with salmon. It was awesome and I’m sorry I forgot to snap a picture!

When I got home I had a pineapple smoothie for dessert (pineapple + rice milk + ice).

I also drove Ian to Sonic so he could have a lime creamslush. What can I say, I’m a good girlfriend .

On Sunday morning I woke up really early again to go for a run. I completed 6 miles at an average pace of 7:41 min/mile. My legs felt great but my body was tired. I really need to sleep! It was also super humid out and the air was really thick which made running difficult.

When I got home I made another pot of oatmeal this time whipping in banana and adding strawberries. Delicious!

After breakfast I read on the couch for a bit and ended up falling back asleep. Obviously I had a nice, lazy weekend.

A few hours later, we were in for a treat. Ian and I brought Sonic along to see how he would do with my mom’s new puppy. Well, there wasn’t any fighting or hissing but Sonic was most definitely a little scared of Dharma; however, he was also incredibly curious.

Dharma could have cared less and was obviously just looking for a playmate while Sonic could not figure out what kind of creature was now living at my mom’s house.

It was pretty amusing and even though Sonic was not 100% comfortable with Dharma, he did a lot better than I expected. It will probably just take some time.

Lunch was a piece of brown rice bread with hummus and lettuce and some sugar snap peas.

I also had a peach and a small piece of bread with almond butter.

Sorry for the blurry pictures. I think the setting on my camera must have changed without me realizing it.

The afternoon was spent making a trip out to the park where my tri is on Wednesday (wanted to make sure we knew where to go) and then shopping around for a special purpose (more on that later).

Ian had to leave around 4:30 with our furball, so I packed up Sonic and said goodbye to my boys. I’ll miss them but I think that they’re due for a little bonding time.

After snacking on a ton cherries and snap peas, my mom and I finally decided that an early dinner was in order.

We had steamed artichokes and I had a millet salad that I made by mixing cooked millet, sauteed vegetables (summer squash, snap peas, mushrooms), and a red wine vinegar + oil dressing (again sorry for the pic). It was very good.

Dessert was my protein shake and a banana microwaved with some almond butter. I was craving something “creamy” and it worked.

I spent the night parked on the couch watching t.v. and relaxing while this little devil ran around the house.

This morning I woke up and debated heading out for a run. I don’t want to overdo it and Monday’s are usually my rest days but I also know that I have to take it easy tomorrow. I decided to head out for a run later on in the day when its hot (I only want to do a few miles) to see how my body does. It’s supposed to be 94 on Wednesday and the race is in the evening so immitating race conditions might not be a bad idea.

Instead of working out, I dug into some overnight oats.

1/2 cup oats, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup rice milk, 1 tsp chia seeds, cherries (halved and pitted), and some salted nuts on top.

I have a few things I want to get done today, including potentially making a big purchase. Any ideas what I might buy?

Have a great day!

Intuitive Tapering

Posted on June 15, 2012 by runningthewindycity

As many of you know my triathlon is next week. It’s also on a Wednesday AND it’s a night. Pretty bizarre right? Well, the scheduling also made tapering strange. I prefer Monday’s to be my rest days and I like to do my long runs on Sundays. I decided that rather than trying to structure a specific taper to fit my schedule, I would just taper intuitively by listening to my body.

So far it’s looked like this:
Monday- OFF + bike to work and doctors office (7 miles)
Tuesday- 4 mile run + 1,650 meter swim (intervals) + bike to work (5 miles)
Wednesday- 6 mile run + bike to work
Thursday- 6 mile ellipitcal + bike to work
Friday- 4 mile elliptical + 1,650 meter swim + bike to work

As you can see the last two days I’ve “chosen” to elliptical instead of run. There are two reasons for this (a) The back part of my right foot has felt tender the last week or so. I think it has to do with my bike and how my foot falls on the pedal so I’ve started wearing my running shoes while I bike and then I change into work shoes at the office (b) I wanted to be proactive and prevent a potential injury. I also don’t have access to ellipticals in Michigan and will be there until Thursday so I figured I should take the break sooner rather than later. I’m honestly not too worred about the foot. It doesn’t feel anything like my heel fracture and I don’t think its running related but I still want to be careful.

For someone who is a planner, I can’t believe that I’m okay with doing any form of intuitive training. For all of my long race I’ve always set out a training plan and stuck with it regardless of anything else but for some reason being more relaxed this time just feels right.

I’m hoping to get in an abbreviated brick workout on Saturday, a good 5-6 mile run on Sunday, and then another swim on Sunday or Monday. I may also jog a few miles on Tuesday just to keep my legs loose but we’ll see how all the body parts are feeling.

Have you ever trained or tapered intuitively? What did you think?

Eats have been pretty typical. I’m going to be out of town until next Thursday and Ian will be gone this weekend so I’ve been trying to use up the produce in the fridge.

Yesterday I had a bowl of puffed millet/brown rice cereal with fruit for breakfast. I’ve been using a blend of almond milk and rice milk in cereal and it’s delicious. Definitely worth trying.