Winter Running with P90X3 Month 1

If you've read any of my other posts, you know I am a HUGE fan of P90X3.  It is the program that I keep going back to time and time again.  I believe it is the perfect program to use to cross train with running and it is perfect for winter when I may not get out to run as often as I'd like.

In my other posts I talked about hybrid schedules and doubling up.  The last time I doubled up it took me more than 90 days to complete the program.  There were some days I just couldn't double up (run and P90X on same day) and I didn't want to skip a workout so I ran and worked out on separate days stretching out the program.  Another time I followed P90X3 and running a I did a hybrid so I didn't do all 7 workouts in a week and I really did about half the workouts.  This time I am going for a true double workout and finishing in 90 days.

P90X3 

Before I go any further, here is a little background on P90X3.

P90X3 is a 90-day extreme fitness program created by Tony Horton.  It is designed to get you really fit in just 30 minutes a day.  It combines a highly structured schedule with a variety of moves that keep every muscle challenged. 

That might sound scary but anyone can do P90X3.  It is designed for beginner to advanced fitness levels.  Every workout includes modifications.  P90X3 is a stand alone program, meaning you did not have to complete P90X or P90X2 in order to do this program.  

Facts about P90X3

           30 minutes long, including a brief warm up and cool down.

Optional 12 minute cold start warm up.  Great if you are working out early in the morning.

 It includes a nutrition plan that gets down to the basics of healthy eating.

 There are 16 workouts including cardio, mixed martial arts, agility and yoga.

 The Pilates workout is great for runners.

  Isometrics is a strength/balance/flexibility workout.  Another great one for runners.

  There are 4 programs to pick from: classic, lean, doubles or bulk (I would not recommend the latter 2 for runners).

 39 out of 40 people in the test group lost 10% of their body fat!

  Minimal equipment is needed.  Hand weights or resistance bands are a must.  A pull up bar is preferred but you can do modified moves. 

My schedule

I am staying committed to running only 3 days a week.  Some days I really want to get out and run but I need to stick to 3 days in order to make this work.  If I really feel the urge, I'll jump on the treadmill for a mile warm up before my workouts but that's it.  I do not want to overtrain. 

My actual schedule may look a little different from week to week since I am listening to my body so I don't push too hard.  But the first 2 weeks looked like:

Week 1

Monday: Total Synergistics and 1 mile on the treadmill

Tuesday: 5 mile run

Wednesday: Agility X and Yoga X

Thursday: 6 mile run

Friday: Rest day

Saturday: The Challenge, CVX and the Warrior

Sunday: 7 mile run and Dynamix

I don't recommend doing 3 workouts in one day but I really didn't want to do one of those on the same day as a long run.

 

Week 2

Monday: Total Synergistics and Agility X

Tuesday: 5 mile run

Wednesday: Yoga X and the Challenge

Thursday: 6.2 mile run (I ran a virtual 10K for my buddy)

Friday: Rest day  -- I needed it!!

Saturday: CVX and the Warrior

Sunday: 8 mile run and Dynamix

Week 3 

Monday: Total synergistics

Tuesday: Agility X and 1 mile on the treadmill.  It was too cold (below 10 degrees F real feel) to run.

Wednesday: Yoga X

Thursday: 6 mile run outside (I ran to vote in the capital project vote for my son's school)

Friday: CVX 

Saturday: The Challenge

Sunday: 8 mile run the Warrior and Dynamix - that was hard. But I taught an INSANITY class yesterday with only a few participants so I did more of the workout than usual and didn't want to do an hour of X3 after it!

Week 4 - Transition week

Monday: Rest - I needed sleep.  I needed to do nothing!

Tuesday: 5.14 mile run

Wednesday: Isometric and Dynamix

Thursday: 5.48 mile run in my local Turkey Trot and Accelerator

Friday: Pilates and CVX

Saturday: 8 mile run

Sunday: Yoga X and Dynamix



I feel tired not so much because of the schedule but because of my nutrition.   I will admit that my nutrition hasn't been what it should and I think that is why I am feeling it.   I like the schedule and I find it challenging but not impossible.  In the first 30 days I definitely gained strength.  I am doing more push ups and pull ups but I haven't lost weight or inches.  Since Thursday was Thanksgiving, I am surprised I haven't gained any weight. December 1st starts a new month of P90X3.  I'm going to follow the meal plan to a T.  At the end of the 30 days I will post my 30 day results. 

Make sure to pop in to check my progress.  If you are interested in purchasing P90X3 check it out on my site or email or post a comment.  I'd be happy to answer any questions! 

A Little Sweet and a Little Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

The Fall is the time I crave soup the most.  There is a chill in the air and warm soup is so satisfying.  

I have a big bag of sweet potatoes from my CSA/farm share.  So I decided to make some sweet potato soup!

Ingredients
5 cups sweet potatoes, diced
2 small or 1 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1 can or 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas
2 cups veggie stock (up to 3 cups)
1 cup water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp celery seeds
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
pinch salt and a few turns of fresh ground pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice or lime juice
cilantro


Heat up a soup pot on medium heat and add olive oil.  When oil is hot (not smoking!) add onion.  Cook for 3-5 minutes then add spices.  Cook for 1 minute.   This soups will be full of flavor not heat.  The amount of red pepper flakes will determine the heat.  With 1/4 teaspoon there is just a touch.  It warms you up.  If you like it hot, feel free to add more.  Add the sweet potatoes and garlic and and mix well.  Add stock and water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.  Take off the heat. 

I use an immersion blender but you can use a food processor or blender.  Whatever you use, puree until smooth.  It will be a little thick.  I added 1/2 cup more stock.  You can add more or none to your personal preference.  I like to leave it a little thick so I don't need to add cream or milk.  

Stir in the chickpeas.  They will heat up quickly, no need to turn on the heat again.  Add the lemon or lime juice and sprinkle with a little fresh cilantro to taste.   It is nice to serve with a wedge of lemon or lime. 

This would be a great lunch or dinner.  Heat up a half a pita and serve it on the side with some hummus.  

If you are using the 21 day fix the soup would use a yellow container since it is mostly sweet potatoes and chickpeas.  

Another Round of the 21 Day Fix in the Books

I completed another round of the 21 Day Fix. I really needed this to get back on track after my running season.  That might sound a little strange.  Most people think I'm joking when I say I gain weight during my running season.  They ask, "How do you gain weight running 100+ miles a month?"  Well, I am just really, really hungry all the time when I run that much.  I just get to the point I can't control myself.  For the most part I eat healthy but I know I don't eat the right proportion of foods.  A little too many carbs and a touch too much fat.  Ok, chocolate plays a role in this too.  

Results: 

I lost 3 pounds and an inch off my waist.  That might not seem like a lot but that is all I needed to lose and I fit back into my work pants.  That is what is great about this program. It finds your equilibrium.  

Other people I worked with lost 5, 10, 15 pounds and many more inches. 

So here is a little information about the 21 Day Fix.  It is a simple program that focuses on portion control, healthy eating and simple but effective 30 minute workouts.  

There isn't a diet.  It is a way of eating.  And let's be clear.  You can't just follow it for 21 days and go back to sitting on the couch and eating potato chips. If you are looking to get back into shape, lose weight and to start eating healthy again -- or for the first time, you should give the 21 Day Fix a try.    There is a 100%, 30 day money back guarantee if you don't like it.  Just return it, no questions asked.  

The way the 21 Day Fix works is you get color coordinated containers. 

Green: veggies

Purple: fruit

Red: protein

Yellow: Carbs

Blue: Healthy fats

2 Orange: seeds and dressings

And you also get a Shakeology cup!

So what did I eat during the 21 day fix?  Everything.  For Breakfast I drank Shakeology every day.  I love this stuff, especially Chocolate Vegan.  For morning snacks, I ate eggs with onion, peppers and mushrooms with cheddar as well as oatmeal, overnight oats.  Lunches were salads, much of the time because it is easier but I brought in left overs of chicken or beef with rice and veggies.  Dinners were everything from pasta with meatballs to burritos.  I even made healthy cookies with recipes in the nutrition guide.  

The second part of the program is the workout.  You must do both parts in order to see results and to get healthy.  Your body needs both nutritious food and exercise.  

There are 6 workouts in total.  They are all 30 minutes.  They weren’t huge calorie burners for me but I felt them and I know I was building muscle, which in turn melts fat. 

All levels can do this workout.  Just follow the modifier if you are a beginner.  Pick a heavier weight if you are more experienced.  

The workouts are:

• Total Body Cardio Fix. Rises your heart rate, boost your metabolism into overdrive for long-lasting weight loss benefits.

• Upper Fix. Specifically works the back, shoulders, arms, chest and abs for a great swimsuit body.

• Lower Fix. Works the thighs, calves and butt for the rest of your beach-ready body.

• Pilates Fix. Uses core strength moves to tone and elongate the torso and tighten up your thighs, butt and hips.

• Cardio Fix. Insanity cardio workout that kicks the first workout into overdrive.

• Yoga Fix. Boosts flexibility and relaxes your muscles to keep them in perfect tone.

The workouts are well crafted, varied, simple but effective. 

This program has the tools that work to get you back in shape and eating healthy.  It is a program I go back to from time to time like after vacation or anytime I need a restart or to mix it up.  

If you want more information or to order the Challenge Pack click here 21 Day Fix.

Pumpkin Spice Shakeology Cookies

Tis the season for pumpkin spice everything!  So I decided to experiment with a recipe for Shakeology cookies to incorporate pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices!

And I think they were successful.  These are really very tasty.  They are a perfect morning or afternoon snack and could even be a quick breakfast on the go!  Simple to make and so healthy, there is really no excuse not to try them.  Don't have Shakeology?  I can help you with that, just email me and I can tell you how to get some.  I have samples of Shakeology too if you'd like try it.

Ingredients

1 Cup of Vanilla Shakeology
1 Cup of Oats
1/2 Cup of Almond Butter
1/2 Cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 Cup Honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
2 Tbs water or almond milk

Mix all of the ingredients.  It is best to use a mixer but if you stir by hand make sure it is well mixed.

I simply used a scoop to form little balls onto a cookie tray lined with parchment paper but you could use two spoons or even press into a dish and cut into squares (after they've chilled).

I popped them into the freezer to firm up before putting them into a container.

They might not look fancy but they will certainly satisfy my sweet tooth!

21 Day Fix Day 3 -- Leg Day!

So today was day 3.  Can I just say I am already feeling a difference.  Last week I bought 2 pair of pants and both were a little snug.  I bought them anyway, keeping the receipts but knowing I was going to follow the 21 Day Fix.  I figured I wouldn't need to return them and I had a few weeks to be able to fit into them.  Ha!  Just 2 days into the Fix and I wore a pair to work today! 

Anyway, I was really hoping to run this morning but it was raining and my running buddy doesn’t want to go out when it rains so I headed down to the basement.  I started off with a mile run on the treadmill and popped Lower Fix into the DVD player.

Workout

The Lower Fix workout has 4 rounds with 2 moves per round and a short break in between each move.  I thought it had a good variety of moves targeting all areas of the lower body.  I can't say I find anything wrong with this workout.  It is tough when you push yourself but it can be easily modified when needed.  

Meals

Breakfast

My favorite weekday breakfast  - Chocolate Vegan Shakeology, coffee with coconut oil and milk.  I had about 8 ounces of water during my workout.

1 red, 1 tsp

Snack

Half serving of grapes, a serving of strawberries and filled my water bottle (21 ounces).

1 ½ purples

Lunch

Moroccan beef over rice with Swiss Chard.  This was very satisfying and held me over until dinner.   Good thing since I had meetings all afternoon and couldn’t grab my snack in the fridge in the afternoon.  I want to point out that this was also made up of left-overs so it was easy to pack, nothing really to prepare in the morning, it was quick to heat up and cheaper than buying lunch.  Perfect.

1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green

Snack

I had meetings all afternoon and wasn't able to make it to the kitchen to get my snack.  Surprisingly I was not ravishing when I got home.  I looked for something I needed for the day -- an orange container so I grabbled some kalamata olives.  Healthy fats are an important component of the meal plan -- don't skip them.  

1 orange

Dinner

Tonight my youngest had gymnastics and my husband had to do our work share at our CSA pick up site so I had both boys.  Quick dinner of eggs, mozzarella cheese, broccoli and tomatoes. 

1 red, 1 blue, 1 1/2 green

Snack

Yogurt!  Tonight I added a little muesli.  I needed another yellow.  I also needed a half a green but I couldn't figure out how to get it in so I was short today.  

Overall another good day with my workout and nutrition.  As much as I wanted a glass of wine when I got home since it was just one of those day, I reached for my water.  I drank 68 ounces of water...2 ounces short of my goal but really a good day!

21 Day Fix Day 2 and Review of Upper Fix

I won't blog about the 21 Day Fix every day but I will for the first few days.  In my opinion, the first few days are always the hardest when you have to get used to something new and make adjustments.

Workout

Despite being that person who gets up early to work out on a daily basis, I could not get up this morning.  Both my youngest son and dog climbed into bed and were snuggling with me to stay warm.  That might sound cute but it doesn’t make for a good night’s sleep.

But I got up with enough time for a 30 minute workout.  I had to skip the 1 mile run on the treadmill in the morning but I fit it in before dinner (I’m trying for a mile a day) and I was able to get Upper Fix done in the morning.  Another good workout.  It is a nice mix of upper body strength exercises (weights and push-ups) and ab work.  It was challenging enough and similar to the Total Body Cardio Fix, it was broken down into two rounds with a few exercises each and short breaks in between.  I did have to do more of my own stretching at the end because my hamstrings are sore and my lower back still tight from my Half Marathon.  

 

Meals

Breakfast

I had my Chocolate Vegan Shakeology, my favorite!  Of course I had water after my workout – about 15 ounces.  Then it wouldn’t be morning without coffee (half decaf) with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and a little milk.  I usually use a 1/3 cup  of milk but I used a few tablespoons.  The coconut oil helps with that.

1 red, 1 tsp

Snack

A small banana and some almonds and of course I filled my water bottle up (21 ounces)!

1 purple, 1/2 blue

Lunch

Salad of lettuce and arugula, tomatoes, radishes, and all natural turkey breast, half an orange container of oil and vinegar and half an orange of pumpkin seeds. I also had a tasty honey crisp apple.

1 1/2 green, 1 red, 1 purple, 1 orange

Snack

Shakeology cookie.  Snacks are allow but they must be counted as a yellow.  You have to think carefully to determine if they are worth it.  I enjoy having something sweet in the afternoon so it is worth it to me.  Also keep in mind you can’t substitute a snack for a yellow every day.  Twice a week is fine.

1 yellow

Dinner

Pizza turkey burger with sautéed swiss chard on the side.  I ate the turkey burger sans the bun and added a spoon full of sauce and a small, thin slice of fresh mozzarella.  I filled my water bottle up again for another 21 ounces and I had about 8 ounces after I ran on the treadmill.

1 red, 1 1/2 green, 1/2 blue

Snack

I love having my yogurt in the evening!

1 red.

Day 2 is done and I'm feeling pretty good but I'm still feeling those surrenders from yesterday.  Wow, my hamstrings are a little sore. I just a bit over the 64 ounces of water I need minimum...my goal was 70 ounces.  Tomorrow is another day!

For more information or to order the 21 Day Fix click here

21 Day Fix Post Racing Season: Day 1

For some people running helps with weight loss.  Not this girl.  Well, let me clarify that.  Moderate running helps me maintain my weight but training for longer distances revs up my appetite and I find it hard to keep my eating under control.  Especially toward the end of training when I am getting tired and cranky and I just really want chocolate. 

As you may know I've done a little running this Spring to early Fall.  By little I mean I ran in a 200 mile relay race in May, a Half Marathon in early September, another 200 mile relay race in mid-September, ANOTHER 200 mile relay race in late September and finally a Half Marathon last weekend.  I was training really hard since I wanted to PR (personal record) my Half in October.  And I did, big time.  

I'm collecting a little bling!

So now it is time to get those few pesky pounds off and get my eating back on track.  Not that my eating was terrible but I did eat more junk food than I care to really admit.  The other day I was munching on some of that junk food when a coworker came into my office.  I felt like I was caught! I tend to be a closet eater.  She just laughed when I explained to her the look on my face she mistook for me being mad.  She's actually a participant in my 21 Day Fix Challenge Group that starts today so I actually felt extra guilty.

For me, the weight is mostly in my waist.  Those love handles or muffin top or whatever you want to call it just pop out of no where! Ugh.

So I started another round of the 21 Day Fix.  From time to time I followed the meal plan but it was hard to follow while burning up to 1,300 calories on a long run!

So far so good!

Workout
I woke up and jumped on the treadmill for a 1 mile warm up.  Then I popped in the Total Body Cardio Fix DVD.  It is a total body weighted cardio workout.  Those surrenders are tough.  Thank goodness they are early in the workout.

Meals

Breakfast

Since I started on a Sunday, my first meal was Sunday Breakfast.  I normally cook a breakfast for the family and we all sit down together.  I made some scrambled eggs and diced up some tomatoes and red onion for the side.  I had coffee with a little milk and a teaspoon of coconut oil.

1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Tsp

Lunch

I wanted to head to the market to stock up on good foods so I took my youngest son and headed to Whole Foods Market.  There was traffic on the bridge and it took about an hour when it should normally take about 25-30 minutes.  Ugh.  This is when I would normally comfort myself with a cookie with lunch.  I stayed strong and got baked chicken, steamed veggies 1/2 portion of rice and 1/2 portion of chickpeas.  I felt full even while I watched my son eat his cookie. 

1 Red 1 Green 1 Yellow

Snack

In the afternoon after unpacking and hanging out with my boys I started to get hungry.  I poured myself some more water and I had a few walnuts and a banana (note 1/2 a banana = 1 purple). 

1 Blue, 2 Purple 

Dinner

My son really wanted pasta and meatballs for dinner.  He was such a good boy at Whole Foods -- mommy's little helper -- how could I say no.

For the meatballs I used:
1 1/12 pounds of grass-fed ground beef
1/4 onion, finely diced or grated
1 egg
1 slice whole wheat bread, pulsed in a food processor or finely minced
pinch of salt
generous pinch of italian seasonings

Mix everything and make small meatballs.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until it reaches temperature. 

Whole wheat pasta
Marinara sauce (you can use jar or make your own)

You will use the red container for the meatballs, yellow container for the pasta and the green for the sauce.  I found the green to be too much sauce so I only used half and added some extra salad to my bowl.  For my salad, I simply used oil and vinegar for dressing since I didn't have any prepared and it was a long day. 3 meatballs fit in my red container, this of course will depend on the size you make the meatballs.

1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 Orange 


I always have to eat a little something after dinner even though most meal plans don't recommend it.  I workout first thing in the morning before eating and I cannot go to bed hungry or I won't have energy for my workout. 

Snack

Yogurt with a teaspoon of real maple syrup. 

1 Red and one extra from the Coffee Bar.

It was a good day.  I am tired now and need to get a good night's sleep so that I am ready for day 2.  

Goodnight! 

A Summer of Running and a Little Cross Training

I have been running a lot this summer and early fall.  It’s been a while since I wrote because I’ve been so busy running!!  I last wrote about getting ready for my Reach the Beach Relay race a few weeks ago.  But unexpectedly I ran in another relay race in the end of September.  A friend’s team for Ragnar Adirondacks was down a runner because of an injury and I filled in.  Oh, let me tell you, I had fun!!

First, let me talk about Reach the Beach relay in New Hampshire on September 12 - 13, 2014.  We drove out to our hotel on Thursday night.  There were some surprises that night like only getting a Tahoe for a vehicle and not a Suburban, which has a lot more room for cargo.  There also weren’t enough beds in the room for 4 people - but I rented a cot so we were fine. Hey, it’s all part of the adventure.

I was part of Van 2 (see last blog to understand how the relay works) but we had to be at the start line with the rest of the team for our safety talk.  Great (read sarcasm), we didn’t get to sleep in.  Again, it’s all part of the adventure.  We started at  Cannon Mountain ski area.  The White Mountains of New Hampshire are absolutely beautiful.  I knew this was going to be a beautiful racing weekend.  

 

I was runner number 8 and my first leg was 6.7 miles and started at Echo Lake.  It was relatively flat with just little rolling hills.  My partner was fast so I had to run hard.  I made sure to drink my E&E so I was pumped and ready to go. 

About 2 miles before the transition we noticed heavy traffic, which we were running along side.  Then when we had just about 1 mile left we ran past our van.  This wasn’t good.  We were going to beat our vans, and next runners to the transition.  Well, good thing the next runners were experienced.  They jumped out and ran the rest of the way with us.  Crisis diverted!  I had some personal records (PR) on this leg: My average was 8.26 min/mile for a total of 56:17 minutes and my fastest 5K (part of the 6.7 miles) of 25:50 minutes.

My second leg was tough.  It was my “night” run.  It turned out to be closer to 4am but it was dark.  It was supposed to be closer to 2:30 but Van 1 was running behind.  We weren’t quite sure when we’d need to make the transition and I wanted to get up to help my friend prepare for her leg which was right before me.  So woke up at 1am after 2 hours of sleep and then waited.  And waited.  And waited.  

I finally got to run close to 4am.  Not only was this a hilly leg, it was a “wild card” transition, which meant that there was a 2 mile stretch where we could transition rather than one designated spot.  My partner and I took about 3/4 of a mile from runners’ 7 miles.  Their leg was long and literally climbing straight up.  So starting off on a hill that steep wasn’t fun but I dug deep.  I remembered all the training that I had done and the tough workouts like P90X and INSANITY.  I knew I could do it….somehow.  The downhills were hard on my knee, which at one point locked.  It was rough and wasn’t my finest run but I did it.  I was never so happy to see a transition.  I also really had to pee and was never so happy to see a porta-potty!

I tried to do some PiYo moves in between my transitions to help keep loose.  I also drank Results and Recovery to help fuel my muscles.  Sleep was sparse and eating was difficult to time right.  But I pushed on.  That is what a relay race is about after all.  

My last leg was a great one with some small rolling hills.  I was really lucky with my legs.  Some people had moutons to climb up and/or down.  Literally.  Anyway, we ran pretty fast and made up some time.  But I admit, I was tired. We saw some more beautiful mountains and even saw a yard with turkey sitting on the fence and goats butting heads.  It was pretty cool.  I didn’t have as much kick at the end as I usually do but I felt like I finished strong. 

It was a great experience with great people.  I got along well with the other people in my van and our partner van.  I laughed more than I wanted to cry (on that night run).  Actually I can’t remember when I laughed as hard as I did that weekend.  I won’t forget Reach the Beach but I am probably not likely to do it again.  It was very hilly and the end of the relay was cold and wet.  Yes, it started to rain on us. So picture me waiting on the beach for our last runners to come in so we can cross the finish line together while the rain is coming down and the waves are  crashing.  I couldn’t wait to do my next relay but someplace else….hopefully flatter. 

Well, a week and a half later when I just caught up on sleep I get a message from a friend. Do I want to run Ragnar ADK - -they have an injured runner.  My first reaction was “NO!”  Are you kidding me?  Run from Saratoga Springs, up, and I mean up to Lake Placid?  Reach the Beach was hilly — well mountainous but at least it was making its way to a beach.  Ragnar Adirondacks was making its way UP through the Adirondack Mountains!  Then my friend said it was runner 5.  So I checked out the legs for runner 5 and the distances and elevation changes were awesome!

 

If I was ever going to run Ragnar ADK, this was my opportunity to run relatively flat legs!!  Bottom line is I had a blast.  My first leg was in downtown Saratoga Springs.  3.5 miles.  It was hot in full sun but short so I ran hard.  My legs were ready.  Tony Horton, Shaun T and Chalene Johnson prepared me well for this Ragnar and I ran hard coming in at 30:32 minutes for 3.63 miles.  That is fast for me. 

My second leg was around midnight.  For the two other Ragnar Relays that ran, I had a partner team so the night run wasn’t so scary. This was my first on my own.  Strangely enough when the time came, I wasn’t scared.  I just ran hard.  I “killed” three people — I passed them so I did see some people on the road with me.  I admit, I was scared at one point when I heard a loud, heavy crack of a branch.  Maybe it was a deer.  I’m telling myself it was a deer. I ran 5.68 miles in 48:06 minutes for a 8’28” pace. Once again, Beachbody didn’t let me down. 

My last leg was another story.  It was my longest distance in the relay.  7.96 miles in full sun.  I was so hot.  The last half of the leg was really hilly.  Well, hilly is the wrong word.  It was a climb.  There were no down hills.  It was also on a sandy and rocky dirt road, not pavement.  That hurt.  I hate rocks.  But I managed to do it in a decent time.  Actually I can in under the projected time (pace adjusted for a hill factor and considering runners run slower on the third leg).  I managed to run it in 1:14:22 for a pace of 9’20”.  Very respectable. 

My teammates were there with cold water.  I love them for that.  I had 20 oz of water and nuun water (with nuun electrolyte tab) but I finished that with about 1/4 of a mile left.  I rested and stretched a little bit but then we had to go provide support for the last runner in our van and her leg was even harder.  It was a mountain that she had to climb. 

When the last runner of our van was done we hung around the Ausable.  I stuck my feet in and it felt wonderful.  After we rested we drove to Lake Placid to meet up with van 2 when they were done.  We had some beer and food at the Lake Placid Brewery.  That beer tasted so good.  Ok, it might have been empty calories but I burned about 1,700 calories over the course of my 3 runs and I know I didn’t consume enough to refuel properly!  

So now what?

Now I am a little sad.  I won’t have another relay for a while.  We might to Ragnar DC next September.  There are 2 shorter relays that we are considering.  Maybe I’ll do a trail relay in June.  But my running season is coming to an end.  I will run my Half Marathon on October 12.  I am hoping to come in just under 2 hours.  That will be a PR for me.  Then I will start focusing on cross training again.  I’ll run 2 or 3 times a week but the longest run will only be 6-8 miles. I miss Tony so P90X3 will be my next program.  I will almost certainly go back to using the 21 Day Fix meal guide to take a few pounds off that I let myself gain during this running season.  Its not much but I want it off.  I loved cross training with Focus T25 and PiYo these past few months but its back to X time!  When I am done with the 90 days of that the 21 Day Fix Extreme will be out — Autumn Calabreses’ training program for her bikini competition.  X3 will get me ready to take my training to the next level!  Then before I know it, I will be running again.  And I just might consider a marathon.  You gotta dream.   

                 

Do You Want to Run a Relay?

Last year a friend of mine asked me, "Do you want to do Ragnar?"  I asked if she was speaking English because I had NO idea what she was talking about.  "A what?" I asked.  "Ragnar Relay," she said casually and then informed me that I was doing it whether I want to or not.

So what is a  Ragnar relay race?  Well, of course there is some running involved.  There is about 200 miles of running.  Teams can be split different ways.  We had 12 members on our team.  There are some who run it as an "ultra" team and there is only 6 runners.  Each team has 2 vans and you tag team/relay race the 200 miles over the course of a day, a night and part of another day.  Each runner on a regular team has three runs called "legs" and the legs rang from 3-8 miles usually, sometimes as high as 13.  There is a lot of fun in the van with 5 other friends.  You decorate your van and tag other vans with your team magnets.  You try to "kill" other runners by passing them and keep count of your "kills."  Ok, that sounds a little savage but it is so much fun.  There is not much sleeping and lots of camaraderie, laughs and a great sense of community with other runners from all over while running in some beautiful landscapes.

In in May 2014 I ran Ragnar Cape Cod and I was hooked!  (See my post P90x3 April and May and Running and Cape Cod )Almost immediately I signed up for Reach the Beach Relay in New Hampshire.  Once again my team is comprised of mostly runners from my neighborhood.  I don't know everyone but I will when we are through. Tomorrow I head out to New Hampshire and the race starts Friday morning.

My legs are reasonable: 6.6 miles, 5.5 miles and 6.7 miles.  There is a wild card transition for my second leg.  We can transition anywhere from mile 6 during runner 7's leg (I'm runner 8) to mile 9.  I'll let you know if I end up picking up an extra mile.  My legs are finally feeling better.  For some reason I thought it was a good idea to run a Half Marathon on Saturday.  I went for two short easy runs this week and I think my legs will be fresh on Friday.  Maybe I'll do a little yoga tomorrow afternoon before the ride out to New Hampshire.

Maple Leaf Half Marathon, VT September 6, 2014

I'm packing all of my gear now, fearful that I will forget something.   I need reflective vests, blinking lights, head lamps, 2 pairs of shoes, several changes of running clothes,  hydration belt, sun screen, toiletries, hats, sun glasses, just to name of few of the items I am packing.  I am making some delicious energy bites as healthy treats for my van mates.  As a special treat I am making homemade rolls so that we can have our chicken salad sandwiches after our run.  You need protein and carbs after a run so this will be perfect.  No matter what happens it will be an adventure and that is what it is all about. Fun times!

Packing my gear.  Murphy wishes he could join me

Fresh baked rolls for refueling after our legs.  

I'll miss my family while I am away and I'm sad that they can't join the fun but it is only a few days.  I'll keep them posted on Facebook and they can cheer for me virtually.

Stay tuned for my recap of the relay later on the weekend!