Training Tuesdays: 08.23.11.

OOH-RAH! 20 MILES!

This run felt great. I was even able to sprint out the last quarter mile with one of the coaches. Not my regular pace coach - he would surely have yelled at me for that. Even though my quads were screaming, it was fantastic to have the energy at the end of the run to finish strong. The coach I ran the last 10 miles with mentioned running these longest of the long runs at GAD pace - Go All Day pace. Being out on the trail for so long will improve endurance and prepare you for the marathon. Sometimes I feel like I am training at such a slow pace, and I wonder if I will be able to run the race at the faster pace I envisioned. I think I might be able to, but right now I am trying to balance my enjoyment of the day with my ideal time goal.

When I was training for my last marathon, I had a disastrous 20-miler. To make matters worse, it was our only 20-miler of the training schedule and it was three weeks before the marathon. When I started this marathon training program, I was concerned about the high weekly mileage and number of long long runs, including three 20-milers. Now, I realize that doing so many very long runs will make me feel comfortable and confident in my ability to complete the marathon. Even if one of my other 20s go terribly wrong, I can look back on this run and know that I am capable of doing the distance.

Since running 20 miles at a time and over 40 miles in one week allows someone the right to eat anything they damn well please, this is also a great time to talk about post-run nutrition. This is my go-to post-run meal (although I switched it up slightly this week):

I usually drink a big glass of ice-cold chocolate milk, which studies have found to be an excellent recovery drink because it contains a good balance of protein, carbs and fat. I drink it because it's chocolate milk and chocolate milk is awesome. I usually grab a cup of Greek yogurt with honey (more protein and carbs) and a bowl of cereal. This week, we broke in our new blender with some smoothies. I threw in some frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, a banana, vanilla soy milk, flaxseed and OJ. Yum. I'm hooked.

Enough talk of food (this may be the one and only time I ever say that), this is  my running schedule for this week:

Training Tuesdays: 08.02.11.

Funny story -

I get home from another hot, but not as hot as last week, 17-mile run on Sunday, hobble inside and take off my running shoes and socks. I make my post-run chocolate milk, grab a snack and sit down on the ground to stretch. When I look over at my socks, I see something red on them and think, "Am I bleeding?" My toes have no blisters on them. I'm not in any outrageous pain (just 17-miles-is-a-helluva-long-way pain). And then I realize...my toenail polish melted.

Let me say that again. My toenail polish melted during my run.

Yeah.

So, now that we've established that a 17-mile run is so long it will melt your toenail polish, let's talk about something important: nutrition. I'm going to spend the next few weeks talking about what I eat before, during and after my runs. Let's be honest, I really shouldn't be giving anyone tips on general nutrition. I start salivating as soon as I see a McDonald's. And hubs and I have made it a new tradition to stop at the DQ in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, every time we drive home from visiting my family in New Jersey. Michelle Obama would be ashamed.

But over the course of the nine years I have been distance running, I have figured out what foods and drinks work for me when I'm running, but only because of a lot of trial and error. Different strokes for different folks, y'all. I encourage you to find out what your body will and will not tolerate. This is my pre-run meal every weekend:

First, coffee. There is a 0% chance of me waking up at 5:00am to do anything, let alone run, if there is not coffee involved. I usually drink one mug of coffee. It wakes me up and helps get things moving, if you know what I mean. I also eat a banana before every run longer than 4 miles. (Less than 4 miles, I usually grab half a cup of coffee and go.) A banana fills me up and is loaded with potassium to help prevent muscle cramps. Lastly, a PowerBar. These are the two flavors I can stomach. Right now I'm jonesing on the Berry Fruit Smoothie flavor, and I'm hoping I'll be able to get through the entire training schedule and marathon before I decide I never want to see another Berry Fruit Smoothie PowerBar for as long as I live. Then I'll buy a box of Cookies and Cream.

So that's it. Depending on the length of the run, I may only eat a few bites of the PowerBar and banana, or the all of both. Next week I'll talk more about what I eat and drink during my long runs. There are hundreds of brands and types of gels and beans and chews and bars and pills and drinks out there. I have found what works for me only by trying a lot, and I mean a lot of different things. Stay tuned.

This is my running schedule for the rest of the week:

As you can see, it is a cut-back week. Can I get an amen?

Amen.

Weekend Recap: Driving, Eating, Scanning.

For me, this is the true sign of a road trip:

I was a little wary of eating McDonald's the night before a 14 mile run along a trail with absolutely no bathrooms, but it didn't prevent me from getting my usual - 6-piece chicken nuggets, hamburger with extra pickles and fries. I know, gross, right? Well, it all worked out for the best. The run went splendidly - more on that tomorrow - and I got my quintessential road trip food.

The main reason I went home was to work on a project I'm putting together for my grandmother's 90th birthday. I spent all afternoon Saturday and most of the day Sunday looking through old family photographs, like this one: 

I only took breaks from my sorting and scanning to eat. My mom made a fantastic early dinner of spare ribs, potato salad and fresh Jersey tomatoes. Later, my aunt stopped by and we all drove up to my favorite Jersey restaurant Hot Dog Johnny's. It's an establishment. 

We took the long way home. Crossing the Delaware River on a small (toll-less) bridge into Pennsylvania, we drove along the river to the Portland, PA, pedestrian bridge, where we were blessed with this view of the Delaware Water Gap:

Looking south from the bridge gave us an almost equally beautiful view. The juxtaposition of the smoke stacks and the natural landscape is interesting. Sadly, this GenOn Energy coal-burning power plant is the main source of sulfur dioxide in North Jersey, negatively impacting air quality and, likely, the respiratory health of New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents.

And considering this is the New Jersey I grew up in, with trees, rivers, vast farmlands with the best tomatoes and corn you will ever eat, this is particularly upsetting. I know most people think New Jersey is Camden, the Turnpike, or the oil refineries they see when flying into Newark Airport, but this is is my New Jersey:

Ok, I'm climbing down off my Jersey soapbox now. I'll just say that it was a wonderful weekend, filled with my favorite things - long drives in the country, farmer's markets, food and family.

Happy Weekend.

You know it is going to be a happy weekend when your Friday afternoon looked like this:

And this: