Category Archives: Marathon Meal and Training Plan

Day 124. Start Out Steady and Finish Strong

Start Out Steady and Finish Strong

I’m not just days into my marathon training runs, not even weeks. I’m now many, many months into this training plan and here is what I’ve learned.

You obviously cannot run 26.2 miles every other day to prepare for 26.2 miles. Even running half-marathons of 13.1 miles per week as you get started could ultimately get you prematurely burned out and possibly injured. So, what happens when you see a scheduled training run of anything less than 8 miles?

These are the times you can improve your stamina and prepare for the longer distances. Start out steady and finish strong. Steady for me right now is around the 9-minute mile pace and each mile I do my best to shave seconds off per mile. Finish strong can mean you shave off nearly 1 minute per mile from your first.

Give your body a chance to get into “the groove” — the point where you don’t even realize you are running. A Forest Gumplike-state. If you come out of the gates too fast, you’ll definitely know you’re in for a battle, especially if you have another 10 miles or worse, 25 more miles to go. I’ve done both. When I first starting training, my machismo was in control and I wanted to run so fast. Now, with a little experience and my machismo in check, I’ve learned that a steady start is key to a strong finish.

Not only does this build the needed stamina for those long runs of 10-plus miles, but it also helps build speed and that all-elusive “kick” we hear so much about as we approach the finish line instead of that painful grimace so many of us wear as we break the tape.

I’ll put this to the test tomorrow for a 10K race.

Morning weight = 172. Post run = 169.5

Today’s Meals:

run262 start out steady and finish strong

MyFitnessPal 10-11-2013

3:10pm (Meal 2.1) — Corn Pops Cereal, Blue Diamond Almond Milk, and 2 scoops of Herbalife Personalized Protein Powder. There’s no reason why you can’t add your favorite protein powders to your favorite cereals to boost the nutritional value and the protein content. It doesn’t even change the flavor, well maybe a little, but the benefit of the added protein far outweighs any change of flavor. Just make you to add all the dry ingredients first, mix with your spoon, and then add your milk, soy milk, or almond milk. If you do it the other way around, you’ll be staring down at a bowl of cereal gu.

run262 corn pop cereal herbalife protein powder

Meal 2.1 — 3:10pm

Today’s Activities:

Today is a 5 mile easy run. RunKeeper basically says take it easy and there’s no need to push the pace. They do recommend running on soft surfaces and terrain similar to the event.
I start out slow and steadily “push the pace” but nothing too much. What I have learned … start out steady and finish strong. This will prepare you for long runs.

RunKeeper 5 mile easy run

Friday, 10-11-2013

Day 123. The New CPK

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Regular visit to the mall. Been noticing CPK, California Pizza Kitchen for those outside of California, has had the brown butcher paper up. Almost like Extreme Makeover Stuff … waiting for Ty to yell, “Move that bus!”

Well, today, my wife and I moved that bus and gave it a try. The new look CPK. First and foremost, you should know that they make a great pita and hummus appetizer. Since we already knew that, we didn’t get it. We came for their namesake. The pizza! It is brick-ovened goodness. The crust has a slight salty first bite and a subtle sweet linger. They cook it just right every single time, unlike some of those chain stores that just put their pizzas on a rack and let a conveyor belt cook your pizza.

What? The new look CPK also involves no brick oven. My first thought. How do you build your brand on your pizza. The word “pizza” is actually in your restaurant name. Decades of people enjoying a particular style of pizza and you change the particular way you make it.

We actually asked, “What happened?” and there are times when the servers should just lie to you. If I ask, was that a roach, the server should just say, “that was probably some cracked pepper that fell on the ground.” If I ask, “why did you change the way you make your pizza” you should never hear back because it was cheaper to make the pizzas in a gas oven like everyone else. Huh? It could also be cheaper for me not to leave a tip like everyone else. That tip thing … it’s just a hypothetical to get my point across. Don’t send the tip police after me. I’m a faithful 20-plus-percenter, good or bad service.

So the verdict … we didn’t eat the pita and hummus. We ate a gas fired oven that I could get at Papa Murphys and make myself. CPK is CP-KO’d. Down for the knock-out CPK and until you wake up and take your heads out of the gas oven, you’ll be down for the count.

Morning weight = 170.5

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-10-2013

2:15pm (Meal 2.1) — Katy Perry Kettle Corn Pop Chips. Not my first time trying these, but maybe my last time. I made the mistake of buying the huge Costco bag and if you are anything like me, seeing food in large quantities like that is the quickest way to get sick of something.

Meal 2.1 — 2:15pm

6pm (Meal 3) — California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). See above. No really, see above. And, you’ll notice I didn’t take time to talk about the Chinese Chicken Salad (sans chicken). Let’s just say I can’t be too negative in the same post.

Meal 3 — 6pm

Today’s Activities:

No scheduled run. We did watch a press release of A Fifth Estate, the WikiLeaks story. Let’s just say if you want to have a memorable first date, take your date to the new CPK and watch Wikileaks to end the night. It will make you that much more interesting because both of those options set the bar very low. Oops, there I go being sneakily negative. Sorry Mom!

Thursday, 10-10-2013

Day 122. Running in the Wind

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Running in the Wind

What’s a runners best friend? One could argue it’s their earbuds. Possibly even a water bottle for longer runs. Even a running partner.

Well, I say it’s the wind at your back. I’m not sure if the non-running world understands the significance of a tailwind. Professional running events even put an asterix and label a run “wind aided.” I’m sure you’ve seen those hilarious videos of weather anchors fighting hurricane winds. The bottom line … tailwind good, headwind bad.

3 Strategies for Running in the Wind:

Go With It. The tailwind. Just like a golfer, check the wind direction. If you aren’t particularly feeling strong that day, plan your running route accordingly. Make it a point that the majority of your miles are down with the wind at your back. You’ll actually shed a noticeable amount of time off your per mile average.
Don’t Battle It. The headwind. See the above reasoning and plan your route. If you happen to live in an area that is mostly flat, increase the intensity of your training by running into the wind.
Pay Attention. Knowing your training route is important. For long runs, if you do not have the option to change your course, tell yourself not to fight it and accept the fact your per minute mile won’t be record shattering. When you have the wind at your back, you will make up lost seconds.

Today was one of those days. With a scheduled 7-mile run, I wasn’t feeling too strong, but also wanted to get a fast per mile pace. I changed my route to get that asterix “wind aided” tag and after 7-miles and a 8:28 average pace, the plan worked.

Morning weight = 172

Today’s Meals:

Wednesday, 10-09-2013

Day 121. Break In New Running Shoes

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Break In New Shoes

I bought a new pair of running shoes Saturday afternoon. After my scheduled 15-mile run, it just felt right to buy a new pair of running shoes. My New Balance have an estimated 400 miles. I’ve clocked in about 400 on my Brooks Pure Cadence. For a runner, a trip to the local shoe shop is like Christmas, especially with all the shoe color combinations. I remember in the 80s, we had white on white, black on white, and grey on dark grey. Made it easy to decide.

When you decide to break in new running shoes, it is important to keep your distances reasonable. Say you have a half-marathon on Sunday. You bought your new shoes on Friday. Take it from me, this isn’t the time to take your new shoes for a spin. Before you put 400 miles on your new shoes, you have to start by putting the first 5. This isn’t a huge secret — whether running shoes or a pair of dress shoes, you know better than trying to over push.

Fleet Feet versus Sports Authority

Where you buy your shoes is just as important as to what shoes you buy. Based on what I’ve experienced, go to the people with the experience. You’ll see the difference when you go to a running store like Fleet Feet in California or a sporting goods shop like Sports Authority or Big 5. A general rule of thumb … if there are shotguns on the adjacent shelves, go to a specialist. Every single person working at a running store is a runner also. This makes a significant difference in the level of care they take to fit you rather than sell you a new shoe.

I walked into Fleet Feet with my Brooks. Here’s what I need. Something for both trail and road. Before I take 5 steps into the store, at least 3 professionals ask if they can help. Will to the rescue. I originally wanted an upgrade to my New Balance, however they didn’t have those in stock any longer. My second request is something colorful. Will points to the third row, middle. A pair of neon blue, splash orange Adidas that just came in. Will said Adidas spent years developing this new technology that can help with the areas I’m stressing.

I have pain in my outter right knee and my left arch. These Adidas have a new technology to secure the arches and during stride, the sole actually forces the foot to roll in the appropriate direction to prevent injury. I don’t just try them on — at Fleet Feet they encourage you to go for a run outside the store. Within 1 1/2 blocks, I can feel the difference.

These shoes fit nicely and on each stride, I feel like I’m landing much softer. Keep in mind when I tried these on and took them for a test drive I already ran 15-miles so being light on my feet wasn’t an option. That’s ultimately why I decided to go with these Adidas. And oh yeah, they were so colorful.

Morning weight = 170.5

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-08-2013

When Did I Eat:

8:15am (Meal 1) — Herbalife Protein Smoothie.
11:40am (Meal 2) — More leftovers. That Daisy Fuentes needs to revise her portions. I don’t know how much longer I can eat picadillo. The good news — tons of protein and low in calorie and sugar.

Meal 2 — 11:40am

2pm (Meal 1.1) — Katy Perry Kettle Corn Pop Chips. They aren’t fried, so I can eat as much as I want, right? Not quite, but these are quite good.

Meal 2.1 — 2pm

6:10pm (Meal 3) — Chinese food galore. Started the meal with an egg drop soup and Herbalife supplements. I continue to take items targeting my specific needs, especially calcium and joint support to name a few.

Meal 3 — 6:10pm

Today’s Activities:

Rest day. Tomorrow RunKeeper training 7 mile slow and fast run.

Tuesday, 10-08-2013

Day 120. Advice for Monday

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Advice for Monday

The Bangles call it Manic. New Order calls it Blue. The Boomtown Rats simply said they don’t like them. So if pop culture has been dooming and glooming the first day of the week forever, it can be a difficult challenge to stay positive. Instead of having Manic Mondays, let’s get our mind’s set to have Mantastic Mondays.

Two Full-Proof Ways to Start Your Week

Change Your Attitude. We are surrounded by people affected by the Monday Morning Blues. You’ll be able to identify them. They have the grande Starbucks in one hand and their iPhone in the other to take the picture of the frap. Twitter App opened with this tweet “SMH Monday’s Suck. Need coffee!” You don’t need to be a psychologist to see how this mindset can dictate the outcome of your day. Change your attitude and change your outlook.
Plan Your Days. Taking time to plan ahead accomplishes two things. It will keep you focused on the future and it will give you a sense of control. Prioritizing your day with the most difficult tasks first will remove that cloud of dread you feel throughout the day. And based on experience the most difficult tasks are only as difficult as our mind makes them up to be. Who knows. For two hours of intense work, the remaining day is all downhill from there.

Morning weight = 172. Post run = 170.5.

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-07-2013

When Did I Eat:

6:40am (Meal 0 – Pre Run) — Herbalife24 products and a banana.

Meal 0 — 6:40am

8:30am (Meal 1) — Jamba Juice Pouch. Added Herbalife Protein Powder to give it my personal boost, just like the store. I have to admit. It tastes pretty darn good. But how do you mess up mango.

Meal 1 — 8:30am

10:40am (Meal 1.1) — El Monterey frozen burrito and Papalote habernero salsa. Spicy goodness to elevate any frozen food.

Meal 1.1 — 10:40am

1:20pm (Meal 2) — Leftover Daisy Fuentes Deluxe. Her recipe, veggie-style, for picadillo.

Meal 2 — 1:20pm

5:15pm (Meal 3) — Our favorite quick eats joint. Teriyaki sesame tofu, extra crispy tofu (of course). Side of fresh, steamed broccoli.

Meal 3 — 5:15pm

11:20pm (Meal 3.1) — Homemade apple pie. My wife’s co-worker bakes the absolute best pies. Uses all natural ingredients and she blesses us at least once a month with a slice. Today, an entire pie. It was almost midnight, but I didn’t want to be rude. Instead of pie a la mode, I had pie a la Niteworks.

Meal 3.1 — 11:20pm

Today’s Activities:

RunKeeper Beginner Marathon Training. 42 of 64.
5 miles + strides. This breaks down to 5 miles slow, 20 seconds fast, 2 minutes slow. Repeat the slow and fast for 4 sets. At the end, I ended up with 6.52 miles at a 8:12 per minute pace.

RunKeeper 10-07-2013

Monday, 10-07-2013

Day 119. How to Enjoy Sunday

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How To Enjoy Sunday

Monday starts a new work week and new challenges. Tuesday you could still be reeling from Monday, scratching your head wondering, “what just happened!” Wednesday is hump day. You start feeling “I’m almost there.” Thursday you get a late project due Friday afternoon. Friday, after you came in early to finish your project, you start humming Katy Perry’s T.G.I.F. Saturday you still can’t sleep in because the kids have a soccer tournament, a baseball game, a judo match, or a bowling league. Well, bowling was what we did in the early 80s.

So, Sunday, what do you do? I suggest the following to help you enjoy Sunday.

Sleep in. After 6 days of having to be somewhere, be okay with being nowhere. And by nowhere, I mean under the covers, in your pjs, and turn off the alarm clock. Give your snooze reflex a break this morning. And sleep doesn’t necessarily mean having your eyes closed. Simply staying in bed can be just what you need as your body and mind prepare for another 6 days. Disclaimer for my number 5 suggestion.
Sunday brunch. Want to feel like royalty? Make time for Sunday brunch. Want to feel like a royal family? Invite your parents to Sunday brunch. Amongst all the eggs benedict and bloody mary’s, this is an opportunity to talk, relax, and refresh. And leave a big tip! Making your server happy will make you happy. It’s the law of reaping and sowing and it works all the time.
Light activity. Are you one of the million of dog owners? Strap that leash on and go for a nature walk. Don’t own a dog? Strap on your cross-trainers and go for a walk. If you can, walk to your local market and buy an organic piece of fruit. My personal preference is a peach. Nothing beats an organic, farm fresh peach. Warning — you will need napkins if you take me up on this. Juicy is an understatement.
TV marathon. Do I need to break down Monday-Saturday again? We all get busy Monday thru Saturday and Sunday is the perfect time to spend with TiVo, especially if you’re set says 5% remaining. Sunday is a great time to sit with your family and catch up on Breaking Bad (no little ones of course) or finish the Twilight Sega (no big ones please).
Service. I purposely put this last for a reason. We automatically think Sunday and church. It’s like peanut butter and jelly, bagels and cream cheese, Batman and Robin. This is a wonderful thing so why is it that so many people don’t go? I won’t go into the details, but you have what you have because you do what you do. Confused yet? I’ll just say this about spending time with God. It’s not just a Sunday thing, but worshipping with others is powerful and much needed. Getting together is a biblical principle and if you need more evidence, read the book of Matthew. Don’t be a spiritual Lone Ranger.

Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven ~ Matthew 18:19

Morning weight = 170.

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-06-2013

When Did I Eat?

8:15am (Meal 1) — Herbalife Shake and Herbalife Core Complex. I’ve been taking Core Complex for about a month now and I do feel more energetic and lively.
1pm (Meal 2) — Mexican breakfast burrito with hashbrowns. Tortilla chips and salsa.

Meal 2 — 1pm

7pm (Meal 3) — Vegetarian picadillo with a side salad. My wife has been making this for at least 6 years. She was watching FoodTV and Daisy Fuentes highlighted this Cuban classic. We just use veggie ground round for ours.

Meal 3 — 7pm

9:30pm — Herbalife24 Restore. Haven’t missed a day. Can’t be certain it works. It doesn’t give you an immediate result like many other products. But, I can say that when I wake up in the morning, I don’t feel sore and my body feels refreshed.

Today’s Activities:

Day of stretching. Perfectly timed after a 15-mile run yesterday. We actually cleared our DVR and caught up on the last 2 weeks of Kardashians and are up-to-date with Walter White and the Gang at Breaking Bad.
T25 Stretch. Not at all intense, but definitely a welcomed activity.

Sunday, 10-06-2013

Day 118. 4 Tips For Long Runs

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4 Tips for Long Runs

Let’s face it. Running more than 1 mile for 99% of the world’s population seems like a waste of time. The majority forgo Nike, Adidas, Brooks, and New Balance for Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and Chevy. Don’t believe me. Next time you are in a conversation at a party, bring up the fact that you just ran 15 miles (that’s what I did today) and see the reaction. You’ll get a variety, but with the same underlying message.

Response and Message 1: “I don’t even like driving 15 miles if I don’t have to” which ultimately means “why would anybody do that?”

Response and Message 2: “You’re crazy” which loosely translates to “why would anybody do that?”

So as runners, we have to be able to block out the voices of the non-believers. Just like uplifting messages can help you press on, people calling you crazy can be detrimental to the casual runner, especially as marathon training distances increase as you approach the actual day of the event.

Here are 4 tips for long runs:

Listen to Your Heart. Nobody wakes up and decides to run a marathon. This mental and physical process occurs over a period of time until the person comes to the realization that “Yes, I want to run a marathon.” In a world full of personal scooters and canes, it’s hard for the majority to understand you actually decided and want to run 26.2 miles. A lot of people will tell you it’s not good for you. You’ll hurt yourself. I even had a doctor tell me that marathon runners often have heart attacks. Literally and mentally run away from this negative-speak and continue to listen to your heart and the reasons you started on this journey. I was once told, when the why is strong enough, the how is easy.
It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint. This one might be the most obvious, but don’t try to run all 26.2 miles immediately. I don’t care how good of shape you are. You may be an Olympic Athlete and I’d give you the same advice. I’ve known people that are in relatively good shape think that they can just wake up and get it done, but by mile 2 they are singing a different song. Be reasonable about the amount of time you want to run a marathon and plan ahead. If the Boston Marathon is next week, start training for next years.
Have a Plan. When you start to have long runs of 10-plus miles, you need a plan. I speak from experience. Before I signed up for RunKeeper’s App and had a marathon training plan, I was just aimlessly running. Monday I would run 4 miles as fast as i could. Thursday I would run 2 miles as fast as possible. Saturday I would run 6 miles as fast as I could. The bottom line is that fast as I could wasn’t a good plan for long runs. Sure, it doesn’t hurt, but after I signed up for a marathon training plan, it breaks down the days you run and how to run — not just “fast as you can.” If you prefer to be with people, sign up for running and training classes in your area. Fleet Feet is everywhere in California and they ask for about $150 for their marathon training classes.
Break Up Long Runs. You do this on long drives. At least I do. If I have to drive more than 100 miles, I think about a location 50 miles away that I’ve been before and say, “this is like driving to visit Melanie and coming back home. I’ve done it hundreds of times and it’s no problem.” This same mentality is so helpful on a long run and you decide what “long” is. If you are a beginner, a long run might be 2 miles. So you can say, “this is like running to the local corner market and back.” If you’re running 20 miles, mentally revisit your regular 5-mile routes and say this is like doing those routes 4 times. And here’s the final key for success. After each 5-mile segment, recalculate and say to yourself, “just 3 more times.” Breaking up long runs into shorter runs you’ve previously done will uplift your spirits and give you a renewed spirit and fresh legs. Play the mental game! It works!

Morning weight = 171. Didn’t get a post-run weight. No other excuse — just tired and forgot.

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-05-2013

When Did I Eat?

7:50am (Meal 1) – Post run meal. Herbalife24 Prolong, Herbalife24 Prepare, Herbalife Niteworks, and a fresh banana. Good to go for my 15-mile run today. This will be the longest distance I’ve ever gone and I’ll definitely be mentally dividing this long run into smaller distances.

Meal 1 — 7:50am

11:40am (Meal 1.1) — Post run nutrition. Another banana will be just fine. I’ve seen this potassium-filled fruit offered at every race so I just did a half-marathon plus 2 more miles. Where’s my medal?

Meal 1.1 — 11:20am

1pm (Meal 2) — Saturday late breakfast at our favorite local pancake joint. Buttermilk pancakes are so 2000-late. It’s all about buckwheat pancakes these days. But, pour syrup on anything and who can argue with you. Added a scrambled egg for added protein.

Meal 2 — 1pm

5pm (Meal 2.1) — Salty and hot snack time! We visited a friend in San Francisco a year ago and he busted this Papolote salsa out. It’s a local SF joint. Now they are selling it at Whole Foods. This is dangerous! Ate with some multigrain tortilla chips.

Meal 2.1 — 5pm

5:30pm (Meal 3) — Leftover pasta and Quorn jalapeno chicken. They just started selling this at our Target and if we see new vegetarian options we get them. If we see new vegetarian options on sale, we get more of them.

Meal 3 — 5:30pm

Today’s Activities:

RunKeeper Beginner Marathon Training 41 of 64.
Mile 3 discovered I forgot to bring my Clif Shot Chocolate Gel Packs so I had to return home. This added an additional 4 minutes to my overall time. By mile 14 and 15, I lost steam and was extremely thirsty. I’ll need a strategy for dry mouth. Happy that my last mile was at least faster than the previous mile.
15 mile run today. My route took me on bike trails and dirt fields. I try my best to stay off the road and the harder-surfaced sidewalks. I’m glad I took yesterday off.

RunKeeper Splits

Saturday, 10-05-2013

Day 117. Do You Run When Sick?

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Do You Run When Sick?

Woke up this morning with the onslaught of a sore throat. Not mentioning any names, but my wife has been seeking medical treatment for the exact same thing, but again, I’m not pointing fingers. She knows I love her … sickness and in health, right?

Well, today was sickness. The most common rule of thumb is if it’s below the neck, don’t strap on the running kicks. It can actually lead to much more serious health risks and you’ll be skipping more than just one workout. If above the neck, go with caution.

So, I’m not a doctor, but I guess it’s safe to say the throat is above the neck. So off I go. Wrong! I’m proceeding with caution. They mostly talk about having cold symptons or a running nose, go and go with everyone’s blessings. Studies have actually showed there is no decrease in performance and the benefits of exercise give you a mental and physical boost.

I’m going by the eyeballs and ears test. My wife has been coughing for 1 week. Not getting any sleep as a result of the sore throat. My eyeballs and ears are screaming “Don’t Do It!”

So, should you run when you’re sick?

I say do what you feel. You know you’re body better and how it reacts to stress and exercise. I’m even straying from the general rule for above and below neck because I choose to fight another day and win the overall training battle. It’s too close to the event to risk losing more than 1 workout. With that said, I would strongly suggest sticking with the below the neck rule. It’s just not safe. As a matter of fact, if you’re reading this, you’re probably reading it for a reason. Turn off your computer and run … to the doctor!

2 easy to remember points to decide if you run when sick:

Know your body. Knowing your body’s limits will be the key to your decision of whether to run when you’re under the weather. If you’re the type of person that has slight cold symptons and three days later, you’re quarantined with pneumonia, you’ve got no business going for a run. Walking might even be out of the question for you. But if you can squash sick symptons before they become a real issue, proceed with caution. I like to say before the issue needs a tissue! Instead of an 8 minute mile, do a 9:30 minute mile. No need to be a superhero.
Win the battle. Most of us start our training runs in advance of an event. Even if your issues are above neck, think about winning the battle. Skipping one workout out of 60 isn’t going to make or break you. Even Usain Bolt would agree! He takes time off for those Xfinity commercials and apparently he’s faster than ever.

Today’s bottom line … I skipped my 5 mile easy run. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I want to win the battle. And tomorrow’s battle is 15 miles and today’s decision will affect tomorrow’s performance.

Morning weight = 170.5

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-04-2013

When Did I Eat:

8:15am (Meal 1) — Herbalife Fruit and Veggie Shake with Formula 1 and Protein Powder.
10:50am (Meal 1.1) — El Monterey bean and cheese burrito with gluten free chips. These chips will be reviewed shortly. We’ve only been able to find them in one place so stay tuned to find out where. Oh, and by the way, they are delicious. Dangerously delicious.

Meal 1.1 — 10:50am

1pm (Meal 2) — Ajinomoto Yakisoba and added protein from Odwalla. Not feeling well and this tincture echinacea is the best we’ve found for preventing cold symptons from exploding. I’ll talk more about where to buy it in a separate review.

Meal 2 — 1pm

Ecinacea Tincture

7:30pm (Meal 3) — Trader Joe’s gluten free pasta and Quorn jalapeno goodness. And, homemade garlic cheese bread on just-out-of-the-oven bread can make gluten free taste like heaven. All kidding aside, gluten free doesn’t taste any different at all. For some, it’s even a life and death choice.

Today’s Activities:

My boss (ie – me) gave me the day off from running. Those 5 miles will be made up somewhere down the road. RunKeeper will just have to wait one more day.

Friday, 10-04-2013

Day 116. What to do on an Off Day

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What to do on an off day?

What to do on your off day?

So you’re training for a marathon. Maybe a half-marathon. Even a 5K, 10K, or a mud run. In our town, they host Color Runs. I best describe these as running a 5K while having a food fight.

Not sure about the shorter distances, but for marathon and half-marathon training, the good news is that you’re not running everyday. You’d quite frankly get burned out and feel like “mud.” People say you get what you pay for, but keeping in mind the RunKeeper App is free, you get a lot. There is a paid version of it, but from what I see, the free version handles all your basic needs. Today being an off-day, it even offers words of encouragement or a helpful tip. Today’s tip:

Empty carbs are the enemy! Delicious as they might be …

I signed up for the marathon training plan about 150 days away from the actual event and it has me running Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday up until the day of the race. I’m sure if you signed up 100 days away, there would be a different plan and I don’t envy the person that signs up for the marathon training plan 50 days away from the event. It will probably just say, “Are you kidding?” and tell you to think about next year as their helpful tip.

So what to do on your off days? Here are 5 tips.

Celebrate your accomplishment. This will help maintain your passion, enthusiasm, and energy as you press on towards your goal.
Change your routine. Doing anything repetitively can and most likely will cause damage. Running isn’t exempt from this. All that road-pounding has to do something to our knees, backs, and feet. Do some pushups which help strengthen your running posture. Even a short walk and some light stretching will be a helpful change to loosen you up for the next day’s activities.
Reflect on your past activities. Reflecting offers a way of measuring progress. You don’t how far you’ve come if you don’t know where you’ve been. My Day 1 was at a 10:49 pace and I had to stop 3 times for a 4.91 mile run. My Day 115 was at a 9:08 pace with no stops for a 6 mile run. Reflecting allows you to celebrate your progress and address the areas that need improvement.
Stay positive. Making a decision to get up and move was the hard part. Now that you have made the decision, do your best and forget the rest.
Get some rest. Sleep is the best way to recover from the previous days activities and prepare for the upcoming activities. It can help prevent injury and you’ll just feel less fatigued. Now if I can only listen to my own advice.

Morning weight = 170

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-03-2013

When Did I Eat

8:15am (Meal 1) — Herbalife Protein, Fruit, and Veggie Smoothie. Jamba Juice got nothing on me!
10:15am (Meal 1.1) — Snack time. High in protein, low in calorie. My kind of snack.

run262 el monterey bean & cheese burrito

Meal 1.1 — 10:15am

1pm (Meal 2) — Homemade Grilled Cheese. Actually, homemade gourmet grilled cheese. Nothing says gourmet like American Kraft Cheese Singles. For more protein, 4 slices of Morning Star Veggie Bacon and my favorite salty snack, Original Lays.

Meal 2 — 1pm

2pm (Meal 2.1) — Herbalife Herbal Concentrate Tea. I use this as my secret fat burning weapon. If I didn’t make such a good choice, Herbalife Tea to the rescue. It’s my food superhero.

Meal 2.1 — 2pm

5:45pm (Meal 3) — Johnny Rockets boca burger (extra crispy) and some fries. A little known secret. They have bottomless fries! But like my friend Angela “Bon Qui Qui” Johnson says, “Don’t get crazy!” Now, the Apple Pie Shake is an entirely different story!

Meal 3 — 5:45pm

Today’s Activities:

Rest day.

Thursday, 10-03-2013

Day 115. Best Time to Run

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Best Time to Run

After my usual Herbalife Formula 1 French Vanilla Protein Smoothie with organic spinach and kale and fresh (frozen) fruits from Costco, it was a bit late for me to go for my early morning run. The crack of dawn run or the Rocky Balboa run was out of the question this morning. But not to fret because there’s always the mid-morning run to keep me on schedule.

I do prefer the 8am start, but today just wasn’t cooperating. The majority of the organized events start at 8am and I’ve found that my body wants to run at this time. Not too hot, but cold enough to keep me at a perfect temperature after the first couple of miles. Sometimes I find that I’m not even breaking a sweat when I technically should be after burning 800-1000 calories. Don’t get me wrong. You don’t burn 800-1000 calories by not working. I’m pushing, but the temperature pushes back.

Best Time to Run

I have no scientific proof other than the eyeball test. I feel stronger and lighter in the morning. In the evening, I feel heavier and sluggish. The 8am start appears to be good enough for the majority of the races so I’ll blindly follow.

If you’ve ever missed the morning or mid-morning run and attempted an afternoon to late afternoon start, you’ll know the difference. If you’ve ever had an evening or a late evening start, you’ll notice even more of a difference. For last year’s Tough Mudder, I did the majority of my run training in the late evening. I was trying to get use to the cold being that our event was in Lake Tahoe. Besides it being more dangerous. Man versus car … car wins. Plus, I don’t recommend watching Criminal Minds before a late night run because you’ll hear every creak and pop while you’re running. Who knows? That little extra adrenaline might be the difference of an 8 minute mile versus a 7 minute mile though.

Overall. The answer to the best time to run is whenever you can. But personally, the optimal time to run is early morning. You’ll won’t feel weighed down by the afternoon In-and-Out burger and shake. Plus, you’ll have the added bonus of knowing you’ve got your run out of the way and the rest of the day is yours to enjoy without the cloud of pavement time looming over you throughout the day.

Morning weight = 171.5 Post run weight = 170

Today’s Meals:

MyFitnessPal 10-02-2013

When Did I Eat?

8:15am (Meal 1) — Herbalife Smoothie
9:40am (Meal 1.1) — Pre run nutrition. Herbalife24 Prolong, Herbalife24 Prepare, Herbalife Niteworks

Meal 1.1 — 9:40am

11:20am (Meal 1.2) — Post run nutrition. Herbalife24 Rebuild Endurance, Herbalife24 Formula 1 Sport, Herbalife Instant Chocolate. I add the instant chocolate because I don’t particularly like the taste of the Rebuild Endurance, but I know the nutrition it provides is necessary to prepare me for my first marathon.

Meal 1.2 — 11:20am

12:30pm (Meal 2) — Chinese leftovers and more protein courtesy of Odwalla Super Protein Chocolate.

Meal 2 — 12:30pm

5:30pm (Meal 3) — Vietnamese Veggie Bahn Mi and a slice of homemade pear pie.

Meal 3 — 5:30pm

Today’s Activities:

RunKeeper 40 of 64 Marathon Training Plan. 6 mile slow/fast. This training involves 1 mile slow, 4 miles steady, and 1 mile slow. RunKeeper suggests a fast pace of 9:55/mile to 10:05/mile.

RunKeeper 10-02-2013 — 6 mile slow/fast

Wednesday, 10-02-2013