Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Newport 10 Miler Race Report

 Well since it has been almost 2 full months, I figured I would go ahead and finally do a race report!  Sadly enough this was the last time I felt good running since I broke my toe not long after! 
If you've read my blog for very long, you will quickly know that Newport 10 Miler is one of my favorite races ever!  Granted I am just slightly biased since this is my hometown, but the course is beautiful and I always have a great time!! 
This year I was excited to not only have many ladies that I run with on Cape joining the race, but my BRF Jill was back this year as well!!  She came down the day before and we were able to head to Fort Adams to pick up our numbers amid the sailing races of the day!  There isn't an expo really but it is a very easy in and out to pick up the numbers.  This year we were able to choose a tech shirt.  I opted for the bright blue men's shirt instead of the yellow women's.  It was a great design this year!!
We hung around my parents' house for the night knowing that the 7:30 start was going to hit us early...plus it is always a must to get there WAY ahead of time since there is really one way into the fort.  Flat Nancy was ready to jump into the night before!!
That morning it was really hard to figure out what to wear.  Fort Adams juts out into the harbor and is just about the most southern point of the island so the winds whip there.  Add to that a little rain and you have a confused runner!  I layered up and actually ended up pitching the jacket as I passed by my car....and boy was I glad I did!!  We had some time before the race started so we chatted and met up with Jen, Lisa, and Jaime as well as Jen's Dad!! 
There were different waves for the start so Jill and I decided to start in the first wave.  She was taking the race easy since she is training for an ultra and I wanted to hit another sub 1:30 since my back has been a cranky jerk lately. 
National anthem was sung and before we knew it we were off!! I said my byes to Jill and off I went! 
I love a great and free race photo!!
I took this race really one mile at a time.  Like I said, I had low expectations considering how my back had been feeling.  After mile 1 beeped in around 8:15, I found myself saying, "Well let's do that one more time" for the next 10 miles!  Of course the rolling hills at the beginning were just a preview for the big mamas in the later miles!  My pace stayed pretty consistently between 8:15-8:30 for about 6-7 miles.
After winding around Ocean Drive and then turning onto the famed Bellevue Ave, we turn back toward the fort and almost immediately face one of the steep hills.  My pace really slowed but I did not stop...just one step in front of the other!  I was feeling awesome until I hit the last mile at 9 where my stomach began to cramp something fierce....yes this has happened to me before....in this same race....at this same spot!!!  Grrrrrrr!!!  Again I pushed one foot in front of the other and was psyched to turn into the fort and across the finish!!!
I hit my goal by finishing in 1:27....8:44 pace in the top 90 of my age group.  I was a struggle to the finish with my crampy cramp but I was excited to pull out the sub 1:30 considering my conditions.  I quickly turned around to find the rest of our crew....even though I missed half of them finishing!!  LOL!

Jill and I made our way back to the car but not before we took some fun pictures on the pier!
I'm already excited for next year!!!  I'm telling you all you need to add this one to your bucket list if you've never run it!!!





Monday, July 25, 2016

Monday Motivation

I faced a humbling reality this weekend when I went out on my longest run since getting injured...running can be a fickle friend.  If you don't do it for a while, coming back is work.  Granted the weather right now is hot and humid which always makes for a hard run even for the most seasoned runners, but my run was anything but pretty.  The difference is....I'm not quitting....I'm not throwing in the towel...I will be back out there doing it all over again next week!  I may struggle to get back to being in the shape where I can "have fun" running a half marathon, but I will not quit until I get there and more!!  Don't quit because of the struggle...use it to motivate yourself to push harder!

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Let's Talk Training

I know I haven't done a training update post in a long time...mostly due to the whole toe thing...
After breaking my toe, I took one full week off of all activity (except chasing my children because well...safety first).  This was for two reasons....I couldn't walk and I couldn't put a shoe on.  After about a week of feeling like a slug, I started back at the gym riding the bike and lifting.  I will say that during this healing my Altras have really come in handy with their wide toe box!
I took 3 full weeks off from any kind of running at all!  Yup....I was ready to cut someone!!  After three weeks was up I started slowly running again.  My toe felt pretty good...I think more than anything my toenail is a little wonky now (figures I have never lost a toenail running but I may just lose one now) and I have to really make sure I am putting my foot down flat.  After weeks of compensating for the toe, my gait is a little off.  Last week I got in 20 miles total with shorter runs throughout the week on the treadmill.  I didn't want to risk anything by going on the uneven surface outside.
Fast forward to this week.  I have started Monday with a Summer Shred with Amanda Tress and so far we have done sprints yesterday and today.  My toe feels pretty good but boy oh boy taking even just 3 weeks off has me sucking wind!  I am hoping to run a fall half but I am taking the next two weeks to see how my toe and body cooperate.  I'm definitely not acclimated to summer running as evidenced by today's sweat fest!
My hope is that after a few weeks of just mentally toughing it out...and dropping those lbs that showed up uninvited when I stopped moving for three weeks....things will start to click again!  I mean I won't always feel like a fat stinkin hog out there right?!

Monday, July 18, 2016

Monday Motivation

I am giving myself a huge helping of reality....I've been eating foods I shouldn't...not running like I usually do because of my toe...not being the healthy version of me...and I'm feeling it.  I'm feeling slow...tired always...and grouchy.  Time to stop this bus and put it on the right track...time to refocus!  Today I'm starting the Summer Shred with Amanda Tress who I have done Intermittent Fasting programs with before and loved.  I'm looking forward to get back to training and feeling like myself again!  The key isn't being always perfect but being able to not let yourself get so off track you can't ever get back!

Monday, July 11, 2016

Monday Motivation

This past week has certainly been one that has weighed heavily on my mind....well I guess has been more than just this past week but the thoughts are certainly mounting.  I look at my children...my students...and wonder what they think about the world we are giving them.  One of my favorite things to do when things start to weigh heavy on my mind is run...however for the past 3 weeks I have been sidelined because of my broken toe...which really has allowed the thoughts to pile up!  My routine is to give whatever it is that is weighing on me 1 mile to think about...pray about...worry about...and then when my Garmin beeps another mile in...I let it go and give it up.  Granted it doesn't always work perfectly and there are days when I am mulling over the same things, but it gives me a finite time to think and then I have to let it go.  What are you mulling over these days?  What is weighing you down?  How do you let it go?

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Summer Grilling #alfresco

It's summer and for me that means time on the beach enjoying what Cape Cod offers outside keeping cool.  It also means firing up the grill whenever we get the chance!  Menu planning always includes your usual burgers, chicken and steak but you may or may not be aware of another awesome option offered by al fresco in their Sweet and Smokey BBQ chicken sausage!  I was excited for the opportunity to try it out as part of a campaign with Fitfluential.

Summertime brings lots of great foods and cookouts but I know that unless I want my short shorts to keep getting tighter, I need to make sure my grill is filled with healthier options.  The al fresco chicken sausages came to the rescue!  Not only are these sausages packed with flavor, but they are also gluten free and have 70% less fat than regular pork sausage!  Sounds good to me!  While my husband was grilling up the burgers, I had him throw our Sweet and Smoky BBQ sausage on and in just minutes they were ready to enjoy!
I loved the smoky taste and even more the fact that I didn't feel gross and bloated after like I do with regular sausage!  Next time I am excited to try out some of the delicious looking recipes that are part of the al fresco Summer Grilling Sweepstakes.  Be sure to check them out yourself and even vote!  Your vote enters you to win $500 AND your own high quality grill!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of al fresco. The opinions and text are all mine.