Rainy days means comfort foods are on the rise!

Today was one of those days I just wanted to sit back and eat!! Granted it is mostly healthy foods I am eating but still, It was a lot of consumption for me.

Now being 145#, I need to curb that appetite again...

Starting a new Whole 30 challenge. Mainly because I have gotten a little greedy with the Enjoy Life Chocolate every night. Having a few bites here and there has lead me to a affair with it every single night.

Not to mention the Honey and Maple syrup I have been putting in and on everything. Granted it is natural sugars, but I need to rid my body of these again.

So lets start the challenge again tomorrow...April 24th. I can do this!!

This is definitely how I felt today!!



http://cdn.triathlon.competitor.com/files/2012/08/Picture-5-623x421.jpg



On the bright side.. I got 2 NEW products coming!! Im so excited to try them!
One being Fluid Recovery drink, which I think will help me stay fuller longer as it has some protein in it AND the other product is Kharu Fluid and Flow sneakers! Can't wait to try them.

Reviews to come!

Happy Training!

Springtime 10K, New PR, and a little wind in my face

Since I haven't done an all out 10k in quite sometime and there was a new one hitting the seen in Central New York, I decided to give it a try. Not to mention all the good promoting of the race, Supporting Hope For Heather (Ovarian Cancer) and getting a first hand view of the Syracuse 70.3 run course. The Springtime 10K had me hooked.

All I can say is wholly Batman! Now I have done the Syracuse 70.3 and have trained on these hills since the Inaugural race back in 2010, the Running course has been changed a few times. The last few years it has been an out and back course in Jamesville, I did not expect it to be this much of a challenge!

I cannot see doing 2 loops of this course after completing 1.2 mile swim and a 56 mile bike!

Maybe I am internally glad that it sold out...

Maybe not..

Anyways, Pre race was the same. Banana, almond butter, cup of applesauce. Hydration with FLUID Performance drink until 1 hour before the race.

After the race, a few friends and I were to head out on our bikes for 30 miles. I was cringing at the weather. High of 40-50 with overcast and wind gusts up to 15mph. UGH!

The plan for today was to do a 1 mile warm up, really easy. Go out controlled for the first 2 miles, get a bit faster the next 2, then hammer it as much as I can home. I think I did a pretty good job of this despite the hills that we involved.

I am fortunate to know alot of people on the Central New York race scene so that every mile someone was shouting my name!! Thanks for all the LOVE!! It felt so good to have people cheering me on! I tried to do the same, so don't think I didn't notice. Between gasps I did root too!

The race resulted in a 10K PR!!!!!!!!!

50:40 (8:11/mile pace), 9th in AG 30-39, 20th Female Overall!!

I thank my coach KS and KC for all their help and all my Y Runner friends I have grown to love and admire over the last few months!! I am grateful that they hold me accountable when we make plans for a run and all the friendly competition we have with each other is the best.

Onto the Bike. It took FOREVER to get dressed. Mainly because I needed Layers galore and I was shivering from my run.

I fueled up and was ready to go. Started off cold, but certainly quickly warmed up once the 10miles of hills came at us, then 10 more..then rolling hills for 15more! A wrong turn had lead us to some more hill work. I was harassed for hills, but come on, its Tully and Jamesville. There are hills on that end of town!

My legs started cramping up around mile 25. I thought I did enough with 2 bottles of Fluid and 2 Honey stinger gels, But realized I had no protein! I think I needed a little at this point. Or maybe it was pure conditioning, I haven't figured it out totally.

I feel a little sore in the glutes right now and my toe is a little bruised, but otherwise am feeling pretty good about the whole day!!

Happy Training!

Mountain Goat training #1

Today started Mountain Goat Training. Not that I am not prepared to tackle the 10 miles of hills on the pavement of Syracuse's finest streets, eh hem. But, it actually symbolizes the change in weather here in Central New York. Time for some of the people to jump of their couches and beat the dust off themselves and head outside for one of the hilliest races in this area!

I planned on sticking with a few Y running friends and do the whole 10 miles today, just to see where I was at and where I needed to improve prior to race day.

It was a cold start. Temps again in the high 30's, wind approx 14-15 mph with some wind gusts thrown in there, but I had hope that it would be a great run. Of course that meant 3 light layers on top, Pants, Hat and Gloves again!

We started off slow as we have been slapped on the hand by the Syracuse police that we are naughty runners and don't follow any of the rules of running and people have reported our nonsense to everyone they could. You know those few runners that ruin it for everyone.

We quickly picked up the pace picking off runners one by one after the first hill. It was actually nice that we were running by people TALKING up a hill!!! Thanks to Kevin Collins and his fantastic run club to get me to where I am today! Woot!

The hills came and went. The 2 people I was running with were amazing and so supportive of keeping the running going, pushing and encouraging. Isn't that what running is about?! I never felt better on a run!

I fueled at the same spots I knew were close to the same spots on the course. I have been using all natural Fluid hydration and loving it! No GI issues, not cramping.

Mountain Goat Training run by mullallyk at Garmin Connect - Details

Last year I was just coming back to racing. I was only 5 months Post partum and did the race. This year, I am competing with myself to get below 90 min. With the right pacing, I may just accomplish that mission!

Happy Training

Syracuse Half Marathon Recap

Yes, It has been more than a week and I am finally writing my race recap.

The morning of the race started as any race would. I got up 2 hours before race time, ate my pre race meal of Almond butter mixed with applesauce and Banana. So yummy.

I got into pre race mood, envisioned a good race. I couldn't find my heart rate monitor strap but I wasn't going to let it bring me down as race nerves started to kick in. I figured I could handle not knowing what my heart rate is and maybe go on feel alone. I put my Garmin 910XT on my wrist and headed out the door.

As I was driving to the race, listening to the up beat music, I realized I was missing something. My hydration! Yet again, I was not going to let this dampen my spirits. I trained for this race and came to the line ready to give it my all.

The weather was less than stellar. With the wind, chill and cold temps, I packed on the layers. I wore 2 light layers and jacket, Pants, Gloves and hat. I have been training in this all winter long so I have been becoming good at what to wear in these temps. And it helps that Runners world has a great app to help you decide what to wear. I always use it as a guideline and put on or take off depending on how I feel or what I am doing. I have never been too bad yet.

I saw a few of my Y running friends and hung out with them for the last few minutes prior to going out and becoming one with the wintry weather yet again.

I started towards the front and just got into a rhythm and tried to hold on as best I could. I didn't know the course so I just went with the flow of the race. My first mile was a little fast, but I figured James street would more than make up for my speediness on the first mile.

James street felt like it went on forever!! I was getting a little upset with everyone that was passing me, but I passed just as many that passed me. I turned off the negative thoughts and said to myself there is alot of miles ahead of me, don't burn out now.

I was told James street was the worst, the rest is pretty flat and down hill. Boy was I in for a surprise. Sedgewick area was not flat, neither was Eastwood area. But, I didn't feel like it was unmanageable given all the training and effort I have been giving to my running. Sedgewick did take my breath away but I continued to truck on.

3 mile mark hit. 27 min. I was doing well. Good pacing. Then, boom, rolled my ankle in a snow covered pot hole. I thought oh no, am I going to be able to finish without injury? I was able to work it out and keep running. The streets were filled with pot holes for the next 2 miles along with some slick up and down areas.
My footing was definitely a little lighter and not as aggressive given the conditions of the road.

I decided at mile 5 I would start getting in carbs. Took a Honey Stinger gel, grabbed water and cont to trek on.

I loved this race mainly because you were turning a lot and I didn't know where I was going which to me is better because I don't go into a race strategy, more giving it what I can at certain times.

The next few miles were flat and downhill.

Then some slippery spots over the bridge by Destiny Mall, Down through the icy creek walk, down to the Most.

At this point I grabbed what I thought was Gatorade at the mile 10 water stop. It didn't taste right and I knew I was going to regret taking that.

The next few miles seemed to drag on. Then, right before the turn I see one of my coaches sitting there cheering me on to finish. I know I probably looked dead. I felt weak. I felt drained. The wind on this course at times felt like it was holding me back and not letting me run to my full potential.

I say my goal time pass. I was disappointed at this time, but tried to keep moving one foot forward at a time. I was almost done.

I came through the finish relieved I was finished.

1:55:41 (net pace 8:50/mi)


Next up is Springtime 10K in 2 weeks and I am hoping it truly is SPRINGTIME!! :)