Thursday, July 19, 2012

Color Me Rad 5K


Last weekend I ran the Color Me Rad 5K in Boston with Team FitFluential.

Matt, Caitlin, Janine, me, Heather



















The race was held at South Shore Plaza, which is a huge mall just south of downtown. Participants had to be there by 7:15 to avoid the road closures (even though the course was set up on the mall parking lots). We made plans to meet up before our wave at 8:00.

























There were so many people there and everyone was wearing WHITE! Finally I spotted the others in their team shirts!

























After parting with Janine, who was still waiting in line for her race swag, we headed to the starting line. On the way we decided to have our own pre-race attempt at a color party!

























After a short wait, we were off! Here is how it works: along the course there are flagged sections. When you run through the flags, volunteers toss or spray (yep, some of the color is in water form) color on you.

























Even though this wasn't actually a race, or a 5K for that matter, it was TONS of fun! I had the best time hanging out with CaitlinHeather, and Matt during the run and at the finish line color party.







































In addition to being tons of fun, this race has great swag. The shirt is ladies fit and the glasses are perfect for wearing during the run and after. And bonus, you can preserve your color-dyed shirt too!












This is definitely an event you want to do with a group of people - friends, family, co-workers. Just be prepared to be covered in color.




















Oh, and here is a little video of the finish line color party.






*Special shout out to my husband for getting up so early, driving me down to Boston, and being our official #TeamFitFluential Photographer (once again!)





















Who has done Color Me Rad?

What was your favorite part?



Wednesday, July 18, 2012

#TrainingTruths: Workouts & Salads


According to Daily Mile, my training last week was:


It's been awhile since I've seen that! This week I completed three training runs and ran the Color Me Rad 5K (which wasn't actually 3.1 miles...hmmm). My weekly mileage total was 19.98. I'm doing a pretty good job following the recommended 10% weekly mileage increase to avoid overuse and (re)injury.


WORKOUTS:

#TrainingTruth: I have missed the long run.

As I was dealing with the knots in my calf, my PT asked me not to do long runs. Instead I had to break them up. Saturday I was able to do my first long run in nearly a month. It felt so good to put in 8 trail miles and feel good before, during, and AFTER! 

#TrainingTruth: If I want to finish my runs in the heat, I have to slow down.

A couple of weeks ago, I had to cut short a 5 mile run because of the heat. I ran too fast for the conditions, and started to feel sick and weak. I have set a goal to not have to shorten another run and feel that disappointment. Gradually, I am figuring out how to slow my pace on the hot and humid days. 

FOOD:

In the book Born to Run, Christopher McDougall writes about his journey to discover the secrets to running injury-free.


One interesting piece of information is what he learned from Dr. Ruth Heidrich about the runner's diet:
"Under her Tarahumara-style eating plan, lunch and dinner were built around fruit, beans, yams, whole grains, and vegetables, and breakfast was often salad. 'You get leafy greens in your body first thing in the morning and you’ll lose a lot of weight,' she urged me. Because a monster salad is loaded with nutrient-rich carbs and low in fat, I could stuff myself and not feel hungry - or queasy - when it came time to work out. Plus, greens are packed with water, so they're great for rehydrating after a night's sleep."
#TrainingTruth: Salad for breakfast is weird, but not that bad.

Although I am not planning to follow any type of vegetarian diet (I enjoy chicken and fish too much), I have been eating a salad for breakfast along with my usual Activia yogurt.
I have noticed that I feel better the rest of the day and I don't feel bulky or bloated. On days that I ran, I had plenty of energy and no stomach issues.


My salads are pretty basic: leafy greens, chopped broccoli and cauliflower, a little sharp cheese, and a dash of dressing.

Here's a Strawberry and Arugula Salad that looks delicious from eating well.com:

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 4 cups baby arugula or torn arugula leaves
  • 2 cups sliced strawberries (about 10 ounces)
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved and crumbled into small pieces (1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  • 1. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and aromatic, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a salad bowl; let cool for 5 minutes.
  • 2. Add arugula, strawberries, Parmesan, pepper and salt. Sprinkle vinegar and oil over the salad; toss gently and serve at once.

Don't forget to check out other great recipes here!


#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to asses ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.

To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:
  1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
  2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
  3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments of the weekly post
I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!





Monday, July 16, 2012

Run By Women


Are you thinking about running in a women-only event?

My top ten reasons you should are on ZOOMA Blog today.


source

Check it out and tell me what you think!



And don't forget I have a discount code for you to use when you register:

Enter CCAMB8 for $10 off the half marathon and $5 of the 10K




Friday, July 13, 2012

Fitness Friday: Full of Color


July has become my month of fun runs. On Sunday I will be participating in the Color Me Rad 5K in Boston.


What it is. It is all about having a good time, running with a group of friends, and trying to turn yourself into a rainbow. You start out with a nice clean white shirt and end up covered in a "tsunami of color."

What it isn't. It's not about crossing the finish line first or setting a new PR. It's not about winning prizes or even acting like a grown up.

Here's a little preview:



I am running as part of Team FitFluential and we are going to be sporting team shirts. My shirt is a work in progress at the moment.


Janine (the crafty member of the team) has already made some that look awesome.

Janine's FB photo ;)

Sometimes we just need to take a break and do something a little non-traditional.



Thanks to Jill for hosting the Fitness Friday link up!



Have you ever run as part of a team?

What are your plans for the weekend?



Wednesday, July 11, 2012

TrainingTruths: Workouts & Eggs


Last week was almost a normal week of training (if you ignore the fact that I'm still not doing my long runs). My weekly mileage total was 16+ miles and I participated in two 5Ks. You can read about the one I PR'd here and go here for the one where I got muddy.


WORKOUTS:

#TrainingTruth: I have a love/hate relationship with hills.

My next big race coming up is the Rock n Roll Providence half marathon. This course is not flat, so I have been trying to work some hilly routes into my training runs. I really don't like hills, especially while I'm running up them, but after finishing a hilly route I always feel awesome.  



#TrainingTruth: I'm addicted to my running stats.

I love logging in to Nike or Daily Mile and seeing my runs posted. It's thrilling to watch the distances get longer and the totals climb higher. Seeing the stats on my watch, or my phone, or the computer gives me immediate feedback and instant gratification for the workout.


FOOD:

#TrainingTruth: My favorite post run protein is cheesy scrambled eggs.

My husband makes the best cheesy eggs. After an early morning long run, I love to settle down into a cup of coffee and some delicious eggs. Sometimes I have them in a tortilla wrap, but usually straight up with a cinnamon raisin bagel on the side. 


New Cheesy Eggs:
  • 1 egg + 2 whites
  • big tbsp light cream cheese
  • sprinkle of parmesan cheese
  • small handful of 2% cheddar cheese
Don't forget to check out other great recipes at WIAW link up at Peas and Crayons.


#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to asses ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.


To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:
  1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
  2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
  3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments

I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!


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