My Week in Workout Clothes, Part I

One of the biggest obstacles to overcome in getting out the door for a run can be all of the pre-run preparations required! Proper nutrition, hydration, and clothing requirements can be a real challenge especially during the winter season,  when several layers of clothing are required to run outdoors.  I thought it may be fun to document my preparations for the past week of my training.

I normally follow a Monday to Sunday training schedule,  so I usually begin my preparations for the upcoming week on Sunday afternoon after my long run (active recovery).  I usually come home from my long run, shower, have a little nap,  and then begin the preparations for the following training week.  

Food

The weekly preparation begins Sunday afternoon with grocery shopping for the week.  Moe and I often joke that we would make good prisoners because we can eat the same dish several days in a row without getting sick of it. Three cheers for leftovers!! I will often prepare two or three dishes on Sunday afternoon to eat for lunches and dinners for  most of the week.  I find this saves us money,  dishes, and most importantly time!

This past week I opted for two dishes:

Mixed Vegetable and Chickpea Coucous

Homemade Bolangnese Spaghetti Sauce (I have been making this sauce since I was sixteen, only now I make a much healthier version!)



(If you want the recipes, click on the links above, I am trying to catalogue my recipes online)

Hydration

I also wash and prep my fluid bottles so that I can just grab and go throughout the week.

eLoad and Nathan canisters

Filled!

Clothing

 I start by finishing the laundry.. the only time my laundry room is neat is on Sunday evening!



Once I have cooked and cleaned up the kitchen,  and got a handle on the laundry, I start prepping my clothes for Monday.

Monday (Workouts planned: Hot Yoga and Triathlon Swimming)

Clothes (tank, sports bra, capris)

Towel (From last year's Robbie Burns Race)

Fluids (e-discs, coconut water, Sigg Bottle)

 All packed in my trusty lululemon gym bag! + yoga mat (not pictured)

I go straight from work to hot yoga,  so I bring my yoga stuff to work,  and get home, eat dinner, and then head out to swimming:

Swim "stuff" - Flippers, goggles, cap, towel, suit and fluids

Phew! That is just for Monday! Stay tuned for the rest of week in Part II of the post. 

Thanks for reading!

Pfitz with a twist, tri pics

Happy Hump Day!! Here are some pictures from the Huronia triathlon I promised:

Before the race





Transition stuff



Coming out of the water (although it looks like I am celebrating, I am really wrestling with my wetsuit!)


Leaving T1 all suited up. I omitted the less than flattering pics of me wrestling with my wetsuit!



Near the end of the bike


The Run (very hot -full Sun uphill!)




Thanks Hubs for taking these pictures!

I am really looking forward to my next one, and I am eyeing up a few more sprint distances and possibly a half iron man on Sept 13th. So, I need a training plan that will allow for both marathon (St. George Oct 3rd) and half iron training (Sept 13th). I have decided to use the 12week/55 mile per week Pfitz plan again. I liked it in preparation for the Shamrock marathon, and I think if I hadn't gotten sick, I would have ran a PR marathon. But I think this plan will be "Pfitz with a twist", since I need to be flexible. I am going to take the training week-by-week and really listen to my body. I may have to rearrange the run distances, but I will try my best to get everything in. Here is the plan for week 1 (this week July 12th -18th)

Monday
-cycling (off road Fly Gurlz)
-15-20 kms

Tuesday
-2km distance swim
-8 mile run w/ 10 x 100m stride

Wednesday
am-16K cycle (easy)
pm-track core workout (3 mile run- recovery)

Thursday
-am - 1km swim time trial with Nachos
-pm - 16.3K bike/3km BRICK time trial with Nachos

Friday
-off

Saturday
-60K cycle/8 mile run -general aerobic

Sunday
-13 mile run


Totals
Swim - 3K
Bike- 110K
Run -33 miles

I am a little worried about the Sat/Sun back to back days, but the group cycle is Sat am, and I planned a rest day Friday. If this doesn't work, I will switch up my long run next week.

Did I mention I am also trying to lose 15+ pounds?! I need to devise a fueling plan as well!

Hope you are enjoying your week. Thanks for reading!

Winter Running, Training, 8K fun run, and other ramblings

Its been awhile since I've really written a post on the blog. I just haven't been in the mood, and I have had a bit of the case of the winter blahs that have rendered me less than motivated to write witty and interesting posts. This will have to do. In addition to winter blahs, I have been working on another book, so every time I go on the computer I have this little nagging guilt that I should be working on the book (yes, that includes now - but I am telling the book to talk to the hand at the moment).

So how about that weather, Northern folk?

Outside of today, which was great weather-wise, The weather SUCKS, just plain SUCKS. Now I know some of you must be thinking, you know you live in Canada right? Yes, I know, but our winters are really never that bad. Its not rare that we only see no or little snow in Dec and only dusting's in Jan and Feb.

Not this year.


Lets rewind back a few weeks ago. Hubs and I travelled to his hometown of Parry Sound so that he could participate in his step-fathers memorial dart tournament (a real northern Ontario hobby - there's not much else to do in the snow and blizzard-like weather). It was white-out conditions on the drive up, but we made it and had a fun time. We had run at the indoor track on Friday before we drove up, and then planned to run at the track again when we returned on Sunday.

We left just Parry Sound after 1:00, and what is normally about a three hour drive took us nearly FIVE hours! Crappy slippery weather, and we drove by several cars in the ditch (they already had help). We were starving when we finally got home, so Hubs when and got a pizza, and then we went to run. This is what our driveway looked like when we finally arrived home.

Determined to get my 17 miler in, Hubs and I ran to the dome, where I pounded out 13 miles of it in 2 hours (with major pizza indigestion), and then drove home, and ran the remaining 4 miles on the treadmill in the basement. Talk about torture.

Week 4 of marathon training was 43 miles.

The weather continued to storm for the the next week. I ran a 10 K tempo run in 53:10(8:33 mil/min) at the track. I didn't even notice Hubs snapping the picture. I was in the zone. The pain-yes-I-may-puke- zone.

I also ran an awesome 22 miler indoors (3 hours, 23 minutes, 9:14 mile/min pace/5:44 km/mi) on Saturday. Super pleased with the run, I didn't stop once. I can't remember every having this strong of a long run. Maybe fitz will pay off! I hope so! I have two more 22 milers planned for this training cycle, so hopefully they go as well as this one did.

Sunday was a the Robbie Burns 8K fun race. I woke up with sore legs not wanting to go, but you get free tartan plaid pants for running. So Hubs and I rolled out of our cozy, warm, fluffy bed, and drove to Burlington, grabbing coffee and a bagel on the way.

They played bagpipes at the start and served an awesome breakfast afterwards (coffee, oatmeal, bagels, coffee, fruit), a total steal for the $30 entry fee. I ran at tempo pace (it was all I could muster after yesterday long run), to finish in 43:35 (8:43 mil/min or 5:25km/min). Meh, not great, but it was just a fun run, and it was freeezzzing (-12C). Despite the cold, it was good to run outside again. Here is a picture of me warming up by the fire at home in my new tartan flannel pants :))

Week 5 of marathon training was 43 miles.

This week was a little rough. I decided mid-week to employ a mid training taper. I can afford to do this since I am a week ahead a schedule. So I ran a total of 24 miles this week. My body just needed the rest. The next two weeks are 48 miles and 55 miles total, and I want to run every mile of them.

Even though my mileage was less this week I had some quality runs. I ran some track 1K repeats at the dome. 4 sets at 4:41, 4:47, 4:45 and 4:50. It felt good to run some speed repeats again (well not during, but definitely after).

Today was mild (34F/3C), and Hubs and I went for a leisurely 20K run. Here are some pictures we took.

Scraping the driveway pre-run. Great warm up.

January miles: 167.4 - Very pleased with this number!

Eating is going so-so. I will update you on that in a later post. In the meantime, congrats to all those that raced this weekend. Look forward to reading your reports. Thanks for reading

Marathon Training: Week Three Recap

First off, congratulations to all of the Disney Marathon finishers. I can't wait to read all of those race reports!

Today I completed week three of my marathon training, and I have to say I feel pretty good about it. I think I am starting to get used to the increased mileage and longer mid-week runs.

This week I ran 44miles/71K. I ran 2 recovery runs (4 miles and 5 miles), one 8(12.8K) mile tempo, one 12(17.7K) mile run, and my long run today was 17 miles(27.4K). It was -12C/10F today so I decided to complete my 17 mile run at our local indoor track. I didn't freeze and it was nice and flat, but it was kind of warm inside (I got significant chaffing - forgot the body glide), and it was B-O-R-I-N-G. I think I may be slightly dizzy from the experience. There are tennis courts on the inside of the track, so I tried to distract myself with this.

Next week the mileage jumps again in my program, but I'm not as afraid. I was really happy to get the mid-week runs done. So all in all, training is going well.

There is only one teeny problem..

I am still doubting my choice for my next marathon. I haven't signed up for Little Rock yet. What's holding me back? The course elevation. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind a hilly course (both Quebec and Nashville were hilly), but if I am going through this hardcore training plan, why should I try to PR on a really hard course? I have other harder marathons planned for later in the year, so I want to set myself up (as much as possible) for a solid run and maybe that sub 4 hour finish I am working towards.

I still want to run on a weekend surrounding my March break. On the 21st there is the DC marathon, not a 50 stater, but it looks like a good course. And of course on the 22nd there is Shamrock. Only problem I must be back in Canada the next day and it is a 16 hour drive. I think I'll mull this over the next few weeks before I decide. Who knows I may stick with Little Rock still.

That's it for me for now. In case you haven't heard, Amanda from Run to Finish is organizing a virtual race (7 on the 7th), so if you haven't signed up yet, head on over. Thanks Amanda for organizing this! You rock!

Have a good Monday. Thanks for reading!

Marathon Training: Week 2 is COMPLETE!!

Phew! Another week done. I gotta admit, this training plan is kicking my butt big time. Aron warned me, but its just taking a lot to get used to multiple long runs each week. Aron, I am afraid for week 5... Gulp.

Never mind. I can do this. I. CAN. DO. THIS.

Is it concerning to be this wrapped up in mental trickery so early in training?!?

Maybe its just the cold Canadian winters that are getting to me.....

This is just the beginning. Thank goodness its only a 12 week program.

Random week 2 stats/thoughts:
-63K/39 miles
- lactic threshold workouts suck during but feel so good afterwards
- I think pfitz designed this plan for people that can run 12 miles in under a hour, thus making it a great mid week workout.
-I particularly enjoy a 15 mile run, where I am being whipped not only by wind but by ice pellets. Its AWESOME.
-I like the challenge even if it sounds like I am whining.
-I am starting to feel stronger, although not faster yet, but I am in the endurance phase now
-my stick I ordered on-line can't come soon enough. Currently poor Hubs is rolling out my muscles with the following:







Don't worry I don't bake pies, ever. Its probably the most use this pin has ever seen. It kinda works....

On the eating clean front, its going well. I have starting a new blog to report some recipes. Its called Cooking on the Run. I don't intend to be fancy with this blog, I will simply write the recipe with a mini review. This may change as I find myself taking pictures of all of the food I eat. I have a bunch of recipes to post yet, but there are a few to start off.

Happy running everyone and thanks for reading!

Week One - Check!

Today I completed my 13 mile run to finish my 1st week of official training. For those of you who were wondering, I am following a Pete Pfitzinger training plan with some modifications to prepare for the Little Rock Marathon on March 15th. Week one called for 35 miles, and I completed it, and I feel quite good about week 1.

Even though I ended up not running the 10 mile boxing day race, I finally feel somewhat like I am getting back into the groove and that I can run now without coughing up a lung or feeling really tired. My pace is slowly returning, and my legs have that sore yet soothing beat up feeling after the first week. This training program is already kicking my butt and I love it!!

A few points about week 1:
- I decided that in order for my recovery runs to be truly recovery-driven, I am running them without a watch, that way I won't obsess about pace. I did this this week and really enjoyed my 5 mile recovery run.
- I drank 2L of water each day. Yup. No lie.
-I need to charge my Garmin (duh). I didn't discover that my Garmin was KAPUT until I was about to head out the door today for my 13 mile run that my watch was dead. I couldn't procrastinate any more, so I went without a watch, and ran for a little over 2 hours 10 minutes, just to be sure that I covered the distance. Hopefully I ran extra!
-I gained 35 HBB challenge points. My total is now 91. Wow marathon training kicks in nicely to the cause, because before I was sucking in a big way.
-the weeks ahead in the training program both scare and excite me. The idea of running 12 and 11 mile runs mid week is going to eat some major time, so I am thankful I am adjusting for the first two weeks while on holidays. We'll see if I am as chipper in a few weeks...
- Eating has gone well. I am eating leftovers from Christmas dinner, but its all 100% homemade. I love my bread maker, I made the most amazing molasses whole wheat bread. Pair it with turkey breast and you have the yummiest healthiest sandwich.

That's it for now. Hope you all have a Happy New Year! I plan on posting a reflection of 2008 in a few days. Thanks for reading!