Runtastic Sunday

RUNS: When I joined the 13 in 2013 challenge we were given a free upgrade to the phone app called Runtastic. So I downloaded it the other day and checked it out very briefly and noticed that it had something called live tracking where people could follow your run and offer "cheers" to serve as encouragement. I thought that was pretty cool and wanted to try it out.

I turned the thing on and got it started on my phone as I headed out for my run today. I figured I would try it out first and then let everyone know later so they could cheer me on with one of my future runs. The cool thing about the start of the app is that after you press start it gives you a 15 second count down before it actually starts or you can hit the button to start immediately. But the count down worked for me so that I had time to stuff it in my pouch.

It works just like any other app as far as telling you after each mile...what mile it was and what your pace was for that mile. I actually had it turned down pretty far so I couldnt really tell if they said anything else or not.

And evidently if you choose to do the live tracking, as soon as you start it posts to your facebook page so that friends know you are out. They can click on the link to track you and offer "cheers". Evidently anyone can track you but they need to be signed up on Runtastic to offer cheers.

To my surprise I had three "cheers" during my run! Like I said, I had the volume turned down so the only one I heard was "Go. Go. Go." But afterwards on their website you can actually see who offered cheers, what cheer they offered and they are even labeled on your map so you can see when they were given during your run.

Some of the cheers available to give include, applause, go. go. go., i like it, horn, awesome, come on, etc. How fun!

Here are some of the iphone screens taken after the run...

The cool thing with this live tracking too was that today I did a point to point run and I usually call my husband from a certain point so that he know to leave to come get me awhile. Well, when I called him he said that he knew I was about to call him because he had been tracking me and knew where I was.

It was fairly accurate as compared with my Garmin at just about 1/10 mile short and had my pace at about 15 seconds per mile slower. As if I need to be any slower. Thanks runtastic!

I have some more playing around to do with it but my first impressions were that this is a fun little app to use and almost surprisingly accurate. I cant wait to use it again!

I did also want to point out one safety factor when using this live tracking feature. It can be both a good and bad thing. It was cool that my husband could track where I was but you also want to be careful and mindful that anyone could track where you are and where you are headed. I need to check it out more to see what the options are so that maybe you can change who can track you and when. I think it would be good for just my husband to track me some mornings when I do my run when I dont necessarily want the world to know where I am. I think that could be a good thing too.

I will need to do a follow up report when I have some more time to play with it and all of its features but I just wanted to let everyone know about it and that you can check it out for yourself too. And let me know if you use it and we can follow each other!
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Remember my fall yesterday on the trail. My knee was fine during my run today. But my upper body was super stiff and sore. I guess from the impact and me catching myself. That actually bothered me way more then the dang knee! But alas, I did take a picture of the pretty colors that the knee is providing today...

EATS: Good thing that I ran today because we ended up going out for an early birthday dinner for my son (his birthday is this Thursday). And then we came home and I made a double batch of his requested brownies with peanut butter chips.

I now only have 14 days left to lose those 3.8lbs for my Dietbet game....

How do you track your mileage and pace on your runs? Gps watch? Phone apps?

Peace.

For the MUD of the run.

RUNS: So my old plan called for a 20-miler today. But since I have a new non plan plan I decided to head out on the trails with some girlfriends. Miles to be determined but wanted to do atleast 13. We decided to run some flatter trails. The only problem with that is the trails we picked do not drain well and it is always muddy there. Oh, and it rained all day yesterday! It was going to be one heck of a muddy run. And it was!

We did an out and back little trail first that was about 3 miles. I managed to fall within the first 2 miles. And I fell hard. I busted up both my knees and my hand! I got up and walked it off for a bit and then started running again. I knew it would be okay until I was done. So long as I kept moving the knee was okay. Painful but okay!

Here is a picture of our first little water crossing. We all made it across with dry feet!

Sue & Sheri looking for a safe place to cross.

Im not sure why we were so concerned with keeping our feet dry then because they would be wet for the entire run once we hit the mud about 50ft past that.

We had several water crossings. We had streams running right down the middle of the trail. We had miles of mud. We had shallow mud. We had up past your ankles hope your shoes stay on your feet mud! It was a blast! Here is a picture of a more difficult water crossing. The problem here wasnt so much about keeping your feet dry but rather the rest of your body because those rocks were slick!

Sue & Michele on the super slick rocks.

And more mud and water. The good thing about the water crossings was they it cleaned off the bottoms of your shoes a little bit.

Me in the teal shirt.

We ended up with 12 miles once we came around the lake and back to the cars. We decided to call it a day figuring that the workout we got from the mud more then made up for additional mileage. And then this is what your feet and legs look like after a 12 mile mud run!

Tonight my knee is swollen and bruised. I am not sure if I will be able to run tomorrow or not. I hope so. I think it will be fine once I start going. We will see. Either way, it was worth it for such a fun run with friends today!!

EATS: This morning I just had some dry cereal and water before the run. I had a GU during the run. And then Swedish fish after it while I got myself cleaned up and lunch made. Ended up making a pizza burger and it hit the spot.

After I was done lunch I quick got dinner in the crock-pot. I had to set it on high since it was already after 1pm. It was easy enough to prepare. Chop up some tempeh and carrots. Put in crock. Dump BBQ sauce and water on top. Done.

5 hours later and this is what we had...

Crock-pot BBQ tempeh & carrots

Here is the link to the recipe that I used. And yes, I did forget the spinach. Darn it!! I am so mad. I now have a bag of spinach to use for salads I guess. This dish was so good but I know it would be even better with the spinach. I missed my greens on there for sure. It seemed like it was missing something...duh.

I did want to also post a picture of the packages of tempeh that I normally like to use since alot of people have never heard of it or used it. You can usually find it in the refrigerated or organic section of the grocery store.

Here is also a link to explain more about what tempeh is incase you have never heard of it before either. It is an excellent meat replacement. 3oz serving is about 130cals and 11gm protein. It also only costs about $2.50 for a package. Cant beat it. Try it if you havent already!!

Have you ever had tempeh? What did you think of it?!

Peace.

Thinking out loud...

RUNS: Who knew that almost 7 weeks into a 20 week training plan I would decide to change my goals. Thats almost half way. And it isnt even because I am injured. Im not. In fact, I have been feeling great and running well!

And by well I mean that I ran the Horse-Shoe Trail FA 50k less then a month ago. Then the Virtual Half Marathon on the Appalachian Trail two weeks after that and then the Phunt 25k just last weekend! That means I have been running a race about every two weeks this training cycle.

Surprisingly, the race that I felt the best was also my longest race, the 50k. BUT it was also my first race in months and since coming back from an injury. So what does this tell me?! It tells me that I came back from my injury by training smart and listening to my body.

I swore that I would listen to my body from now on and that is what I am trying to do. I felt really good for the 50k. I felt pretty crappy and just kinda felt sore everywhere with the half marathon. It was obvious that I was still recovering from the 50k. And then felt pretty good for the first 10-11 miles of the 25k. Meaning that my recovery from the 50k was going well but it got tired and heavy before the race was over...aka, still recovering.

I have been doing alot of thinking on my runs. I always do. But a different kind of thinking...about each run and how I feel and what it is I want out of my runs. And what I want to accomplish with them.

My plans for 2013 was to do a 50 Miler in the spring if my body allowed. Then when my breathing gets worse in the summer months I wanted to decrease my mileage and work on speed. The working on my speed thing is why I signed up for the 13 in 2013 deal. I figured to would force me to run some shorter races for speed. Then I wanted to run Rosaryville 50k again in November to try to PR it when the weather starts to cool again and my breathing gets better.

Rosaryville was my first 50k in November 2011 and it was also my fastest 50k (6:37) to date. Which tells me that I trained well and ran well. I also know that I ran a crap ton of races and long races last year at that. To many for my body to handle. Did I have fun? Oh heck yeah. But at a cost. I lost speed, gained weight and ended up injured twice.

So I have now decided that I need to switch things around. Sure, I could keep on training and run that 50 miler in the spring. I am fairly certain that I could do it injury free. But you know what? MY HEART ISNT IN IT. I know that I can run 50 miles. I ran 45 in September and had I had enough time I would have ran 50 that day. I know what it takes. But I dont want to just do the distance. I am tired of just doing the distance. It is wearing down my body and it just isnt recovering like it could. Like it should.

I AM switching things around. This week I decided to just run and not think about distance. Just run. I decided to look at my calendar from January 2012 and where ever I ran that day is where I was going to run January 2013! This weeks running has been just short of amazing. Yeah, I weigh more this year. Yeah, my breathing is just as bad as ever. But you know what?! I had some freaking awesome runs. My pace was just about spot on from this time last year. I am sure that I worked harder on those runs this year compared to last. But they were some of the best runs that I have had in awhile (time wise).

I will never be fast but I want MY speed back. I now know after this weeks runs that I still have it in there. So my new plan is to gain back my speed that I lost last year and to lose the weight I found in return, lol.

Dont get me wrong...I am an ultra runner at heart. I LOVE THE LONG RUN! I just need to learn how to run them a little bit faster so that I am not trying to just beat the cut offs. I still want to do a 50 miler this year but not right now. I am still planning to find a spring 50k so that I can gauge my progress and get my ultra fix. And I also still want to PR Rosaryville in November. But for the rest of the winter, spring and summer are going to be about speed baby!!!

I wore my body down last year more then I could have ever imagined. When you are running and having fun it is sometimes hard to see it. You just keep going and going until you cant go anymore and are forced to stop and face it head on.

I am now even more excited then I can explain for my running this year. I have made this decision by listening to my body and what it wants and needs so that we can both be happy! Here we go!!!

EATS: Oh yeah. I joined an online game called Dietbets. It just told me today that I only have 18 days left to lose 3.8lbs or I lose my money that I bet that I could. I guess I better get on that!

Peace.

New shoes and Vegan foods.

RUNS: I have really been having some good runs this week. It seems like I am recovering from PHUNT fairly quickly which is a good thing.

On Wednesday I ran the local park that has a 1.3 mile loop. Two sections are paved and the rest is a crushed stone. Also, from where I park, the first half is all uphill and the second half is downhill. I havent run here since summer and I rarely do because of the monotony of the loops but it is close to home and something different.

I was pleasantly surprised with how well I did. I was anywhere from 15 seconds per mile faster with the first mile to over a minute faster on the last compared to the last two times that I ran here! Here is a picture of the the start of the loop.

Unpaved section.

And check out my new shoes I wore today! That must be what made me so fast! Part of my New Years resolution was to not be such a road running snob. My Hokas are great for recovery and run commuting but I wanted something more for casual road runs that I could work on speed more then just jogging along. So for my birthday in November Rik got me these Saucony Ride 5. They are the same shoe that I have always worn on the roads but it has been forever since I had a pair. I think I either had the Ride 2 or 3s. Love these colors! Yes, I got them in November and just now wore them for the first time today. I am surely embracing this road running thing...on the crushed stone trails today. Close enough ;)

Saucony Ride 5

YOGA: I have decided that starting next week I am going to try to make my running rest days on Tuesday and Thursday because that is when my yoga classes are at the gym. I am finding that it is just to much to do running and yoga on the same nights. Its doable but I would just rather not. Saturday yoga is still a go when ever I can make it. I am actually finding that I like the studio classes better then the gym ones because of the different things we can do. Same instructors and style but just limited with what we can do at the gym...no inversions.

EATS: Breakfasts seem to go in cycles. Lately it is Cocos with PB and mini chocolate chips. Fruit/Pear. I can feel an oatmeal cycle coming on...

Breakfast

Lunches are the usual dips and veggies, hummus and chips. With a side of fruit! And some kind of snack. Another picture of  a meal with a pear. Speaking of which...I think the pears are not agreeing with me. Maybe it was coincidence this week but Im not so sure. I have been feeling bloated after eating them.

Work lunches.

Dinners...

Veggie sandwich and Sweet Potato Fries.

Trader Joes frozen pizza. Meh, probably not a repeater.

The Vegan Vegetables Au Gratin was a last minute change from Vegan Zucchini Fritters over Spaghetti Squash and I think it was a good switch. It was the first time we made this and it was really good but seemed like it needed a little more flavor. Next time I will add some peas. I think that would do the trick! Here is a link to the recipe for the Vegan Vegetables Au Gratin.

Any ideas on breakfasts that include veggies that is NOT a smoothie type drink?? 
I tend to want sweet breakfasts but would love to be able to add some veggies in that meal if I could.

Peace.

PHUNT 25k 2013

Let me recap last year first by saying that I didnt meet the cutoff for the 50k because of a crazy amount of mud on the last 5 miles of the course. So this year I decided to just do the 25k and try to beat my time from last year. Sounds easy enough since there wasnt as much mud on the course. The temps started at about 26 degrees and I dont think they got much above freezing.

I was super excited when I realize the it didnt start until 9am and I could sleep in until a reasonable time. I have been battling a cold all week so any extra sleep would be a bonus. When we got there the field was already full of cars. Its amazing that it was colder by about 20degrees this year and yet there were many more people there.

It took longer then expected for everyone to sign in and we didnt get started until maybe 10 minutes late. No big deal. Here is everyone at the start...

Check out all the aid station goodies laying there.

Hunt gave us one or two directions which included a warning that we should take one of the emergency phone cards with numbers on incase we get lost (for some reason people are known to get lost on this course even though it is marked better every year). And just like that we were off and running...in the opposite direction of last year.

And soon enough, like less then two miles later I stopped to take off my jacket. I was freaking hot already. I looked up to see Rik coming walking towards me. Oh no. This cant be good. Then I see him hobbling. He tells me that he is done. He rolled his ankle...twice already. What?! See, less then two months ago he rolled his ankle REALLY bad and it has been healing. He knew it wasnt 100% yet but he has been running well. And thats all it takes. His ankle was swollen and he was hobbling back to the start and I would carry on.

I was actually enjoying this opposite direction much better. We got to do the hilly single track first and that was the part that was so muddy last year. It looked like a completely different course and I wondered how it could have been so muddy last year. It was an awesome trail this year! We did come to one section going down hill when we saw people with their maps out and looking where to go. Evidently the course was to turn to the right part way down the hill and they went right past it and were headed back up the hill. Whew. Glad I was with a group and missed getting lost that time!

I came into the first aid station smiling because I was feeling great, running with other people and I saw Rik there waiting for me! I was in and out quick for the next 5 mile loop. This section was pretty nice too. A couple of creek crossings that I was able to keep my feet dry, a few field crossings, but mostly nice trails.

Here is our friend Zach at the aid station....

Zach rocked the 50k!

I came out of the loop to see Rik one more time before the last 4ish miles. I was happy to still be with other people and not by myself. After about 11 miles I started to get tired. My legs started to feel heavy. I kept telling myself that I only had a few more miles to go. The hills started feeling bigger and I was having to walk some. But I had to keep moving so that I could beat my time from last year.

Eventually I hit 15 miles on my Garmin and knew I was almost done. Except I wasnt as almost done as I thought. I kept thinking I was almost at the finish. I kept looking at my watch. Where was the finish?! Then there was the stupid fields. The last mile was fields and a stone road. These are my worst metal running surfaces. Here I was past the 25k mark and having to travel the field and stone road. I started to walk. And I walked. And I got all grumpy because the course was longer this year and I was not going to make my goal.

As I was walking I realized that my pace was still faster this year. So actually I WAS doing okay. That and the fact that I FINALLY saw the finish got me running along again. Here I come into the FINISH.....

Actually this is me coming into the aid station ;)

Yay! And I finished with my pace being 1 minute per mile faster then last year. I will take it.

Here is my friend Leon coming in to his finish...

Here are some other pictures of the finish line thanks to Rik the photographer instead of Rik the runner.

Food.

Fire at the finish to warm us. It was dang cold after you stopped running!

Being a FatAss, you get what you pay for. I paid nothing and got an awesome race put on by one of the nicest running groups around. Traildawgs rock! The food was great and the course was marked even better then last year. Perfect weather made for a great day on the trails! Cant wait to do it again next. One of these times I will finish the whole thing...I hope!

Peace.

SNOW photo dump. And Banana Bread Recipe!

RUNS: After having barely any snow last year we have now had it three times! It has all been manageable with only a few inches at a time and it mostly melts in between but then that has also made for some muddy trails. Im not complaining about it yet though. The novelty is still there but not sure how much longer that will last. Luckily there is no more in the immediate forecast. Just cold.

So here I present to you a photo dump of some of the snow pics that I've taken over the past two weeks...

Snow Angel made by Gary. Check out the hat and handhelds!

Getting ready for the first run in the snow of the year.

Beautiful.

Here I come down the hill.

A tragedy of the snow and winds was this tree. Came down right on the bench.
Good thing Sue wasnt sitting there when it happened! 

And then of course what is better on a snowy day the hot yoga!!

EATS: Lets just get to the good stuff. I made this Banana Nut Bread for Rik and the boys. They love it and eat it all within a day or two. This time I was nice and added some chocolate chips. I barely had it out of the oven when Rik already had the two ends off and eaten. We'll see how long it takes them to get though it now!

Banana Nut Bread w/chocolate chips

Banana Bread

Recipe (adapted from Betty Crocker)

Makes 1 loaf

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 over ripe mashed bananas

1/3 cup applesauce

2 TBS milk

2 flax eggs

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Mix 1 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Add mashed bananas, applesauce, and milk.

Mix well.

Then add flax eggs and remaining flour until well blended.

Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Pour batter into well greased loaf pan.

Bake in a 350degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Banana Nut Bread w/chocolate chips

I still have two overripe bananas left. Any suggestions as what to do with them?

Peace.

First Virtual Half Marathon of the 13 in 2013

RUNS: January 1st got kicked off with a half marathon on the Appalachian Trail with some other crazy running friends. Not a true HM mind you but a virtual one! I had never heard of these until I recently signed up to do the 13 in 2013. I really like them. Especially if they are free! The plan is to do 13 half marathons either real and/or virtual this year. There are already 6 planned on the event site so I just need to figure out the rest as I go along.

Bam! First one done.

*this is actually a pic of Riks watch because I forgot to start mine.

Brand new shoes. Broke in!

On the AT.

And just some random pics along the way...

SNOW!

Me in the yellow.

More snow...

Running thru fields with horses right next to us.

Everyone regrouping.

I didnt feel great out there today but I am so glad I got out and got it done!

EATS: After the run we headed for home for food! Colton is so upset this year because we usually go to my parents for a big New Years day dinner complete with pork & sauerkraut for them and veggie lasagna for the veggie type people in the family. Except this year they are in FL. We did however still have the veggie lasagna...and both boys ate it.

 And what goes better with veggie lasagna? Well a chopped veggie salad of course! If you dont know by now I frequently do veggies with veggies.

I did offer up some breadsticks for the boys since they werent thrilled about eating a salad with their dinners. Colton fears he may not have good luck this year without the pork & sauerkraut but I say he will be just fine ;).

And so it goes...on to 2013!!!

So tell me...have you made any commitments for 2013 yet?

Peace.