threeculbersons

Posts Tagged ‘running’

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Carlsbad Marathon – Recap

In Uncategorized on January 31, 2013 at 12:53 am

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Carlsbad Marathon Recap

Hills. Hills. Hills. More hills.

That’s about it. 🙂 Ok, but really…my quads still hurt from all the hills I ran on Sunday.

My first two miles, I ran conservative before kicking it to about an 8:45 pace. I felt like I could sustain this pace fairly comfortably. I knew this course had some hills, but I was NOT prepared for just how many. I was able to hang on to that pace up until mile 17 when I had a little bit of tummy trouble and stopped for a potty break. The marathoners mile 17 was the half-marathoners mile 6 and their turnaround. This absolutely killed my mojo I had going and my PR. Realizing I still had to run a mile out and back before I was on my “home stretch” was crushing. We were back by the coast at this point and that helped a little, but I really struggled mentally from mile 17 to about 22. I had to walk a few times and hated that.

But I finished! And despite not PRing, I’m still proud of holding what would’ve been a PR pace for 17 miles. This gives me something to push for. 

I fueled with gatorade (lemon-lime), Honey Stinger products and Craisins. 

Ran in Nike Free 5.0 (which I found out are completely waterproof, which was awesome because the first few miles it was raining). Also wore my Lululemon Speed shorts, LOVE them! 

I don’t think I’ll be racing Carlsbad (at least not the full) again. 

Up next: GCI Relay

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Gettin’ Inked.

In 2012, Life, Running on November 19, 2012 at 2:58 pm

My first tattoo…

This year has held a lot of FIRSTS for me. The most memorable ones revolve around running.

This has been a hard year, running has given me an outlet for channeling personal pain. I know for a fact I’d be completely crazy if not for running.

I’ve wanted a tattoo for a while, but not just anything and not just on a whim. It needed to have meaning and importance.

I decided to tattoo 26.2 in roman numerals on my wrist. I ran my first marathon this year while being 26. But more than just running 26.2 miles, I’ve endured a lot of personal struggles while being 26. This year has been one of survival and endurance.

I just celebrated my 27th birthday and I’m turning a new leaf over. I’m growing up and I’m ready to live my life. So this tattoo not only represents what running has taught me but represents the person I’ve become through running.

Finished product.

I’m movin’ on
At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
And I know there’s no guarantees, but I’m not alone
There comes a time in everyone’s life
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

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Ragnar Relay Recap

In Running, Tennessee on November 13, 2012 at 3:47 pm

I’ve tried 3 or 4 times now to write (or blog) about my Ragnar experience. I still can’t find all the right words to describe this past weekend, but EPIC is a good one to start with.

Team “I Thought This Was a 5k”

I can’t really tell you who had the original idea, I don’t remember. I just remember getting a phone call from Chris (fellow team runner) that he had booked a flight to Tennessee for Ragnar and thus begin this adventure. Along with telling me I had to organize it. I didn’t mind, I was happy to do it.

I knew it would be hard trying to find 12 people in Tennessee to run with us, we had 6 total that at least knew someone. The other 6 were complete strangers. Once I registered our team, it didn’t take long at all to fill the runner slots.

Our very random, but awesome relay team at the start line in Chattanooga.

I started off Leg 1 with an 8 miler out of Coollidge Park in Chattanooga. The scenery was gorgeous and I felt like I ran strong but conservative. I had no idea how I would feel as the relay progressed and couldn’t risk wearing my legs out first thing. I stayed with my target pace though, so I was satisfied.

Getting ready to start…

Van 1.

Van 2.

This trip wouldn’t have been possible without our two amazing drivers. Lindsay Fullen (van 1) and David Daniels (van 2). They navigated us 200 miles with little to no sleep, endured us yelling at them (when they ran red lights or didn’t have their headlights on), and never once complained about how bad we all smelled.

Back to the relay – I passed off to Jenny who started her 1600ft climb out of Chattanooga and rocked it. We stopped to cheer her on several times, each time she had a smile on her face and just kept knocking out each mile. Then it was on to Kelly who flew down the other side of said mountain and passed off to Marc. Marc to Michael, then Michael to Jayney (who by the way was running her second ever race).

Kelly, Jenny, & Jayney

Meanwhile, van 2 was killing time waiting on us to finish. Jayney passed off to runner 7, Chris, who started the second leg of the relay. He had an extremely tough climb as well.

I was passed the baton again around 7pm (??) to start my second leg. By this time, it was completely dark and I just wanted this run over with. For some reason, it was my least favorite leg, even though it was the shortest (or what I thought would be the shortest). After passing off to Jenny, I literally ate 3 donuts, 1 bagel, some trail mix/cranberries and downed a bottle of water. Little did I know, I’d be running again very shortly.

Jayney started feeling bad, feverish and sore throat. It wasn’t long before I knew, she wouldn’t be able to run her second leg. I don’t remember much, except telling her I would take this one for her and for her to get some sleep. Those donuts were a bad idea.

I have to say, I learned more about perseverance from Jayney then any marathon training run could ever teach. She stuck it out with us for the next 15-16 hours so we could finish the race. She was extremely sick, stuck in the back of a van that smelled (I’m sure) terrible, and never ONCE did she complain about it. We would find out later after she was admitted to the hospital, she had strep. She was our MVP for sure. So Jayney, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to finish.

I would end up running her last two legs, it was the least I could do.

Last exchange for van 1. Running my (Jayney’s) final leg. 4.5 miles of rolling hills in HOT Franklin, TN.

Hearing my teammates cheering was amazing. I love each one of them!!

If Chris didn’t have to start his final leg, I would’ve hugged him. I was so happy to be done running and headed for the finish line in Nashville.

Also another shout out to our awesome teammate Kelly, who allowed sweaty runners in to her home to shower and clean up. That was the most glorious shower. You’re the best!

Van 1 at the finish line. Minus one sick Jayney…

Chris Daniels brought it home for us in Nashville, finishing our 200 mile relay. We set out to accomplish one goal and we came together and did it. We may not have been the fastest, but we each ran our personal best. The camaraderie between endurance runners is one like no other.

Finish line shot.

So, while epic sums up how this experience was for me. Fellow teammate, Sho, said it perfectly… “Thursday, I met up with over a dozen strangers. Saturday, I went back home saying goodbye to over a dozen friends. That was one heck of a trip/race.”

All I have to say to that is…’Sho nuff’.

Thank you Lindsay, David, Joel, Sarah, Jenny, Kelly, Marc, Michael, Jayney, Chris & Chris, Sho, & Spencer (and their families for sharing them) for an incredible weekend of unforgettable memories. This has been the highlight of my year and quite possibly my life. No other race will ever compare, and I wouldn’t want to share the memories with anybody else.

Joel, me, & Sarah – thanks for being crazy enough to say yes!

Me and Holman – I’m glad we can share another “sport” together. Softball being the first… 😉

Ragnarian.

Chris and I. Thanks for suggesting we do this!

Until next year…

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Stairs of Death

In exercise, Fitness, Running, San Diego on November 3, 2012 at 2:20 am

It’s been a great training week…40+ miles of cardio and tons of strength conditioning.

I climbed stairs today. After a 10 mile (hard) bike ride. Rode with a friend at Lake Miramar, which is a 5 mile loop, one way. But it’s quite hilly and curvy. So got to work on some bike handling skills. Afterwards,  we decided to run the “Stairs of Death”…that’s literally what they are called when you google them. No joke. Tierrasanta Stairs of death. Awesome. Let’s run them!

That’s how us endurance athletes roll.

Tierrasanta Stairs

View from the top!

Our legs were pretty shaky, so we kept it to 5 sets. I’m so bummed I’m flying out next week, I will definitely add these to my weekly workouts!

1. Warm-up 2. Lunges (every other step) 3. Side lunges 4. Run 5. Fast walk

Not only is it a great aerobic exercise, but also an anaerobic one as well. I don’t think my little heart has ever worked quite so hard! Great for lower body conditioning and power as well. The workouts are endless. You don’t  have to run up and down over and over to get a kickbutt workout.

My run interval

Waiting for Danielle…ha ha.

Danielle, who mind you, did 8 sets of them last night. Bless her!

Oh, and if it looks like I have shorter hair, well…

This happened yesterday!

2 10″ ponytails are going to Locks of Love!

Hope you found time to sweat today!

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Race Envy!

In Fitness, Marathon, Running on October 24, 2012 at 3:56 am

I’m experiencing some major race envy tonight. My Ragnar Relay (I know, I won’t shut up about it) is in less than 3 weeks and I absolutely cannot wait for the challenge!! Several of my teammates are all running half marathons this weekend (good luck guys!!) and I’m seriously jealous. Let’s face it, I like winning medals.

My most recent medal.

My last race was in August and I’m experiencing severe withdrawals.

So it got me thinking…what really DRIVES you (or me) to race and what gets us through a half or full marathon?

For me, I feel it’s:

1. Miles 1-6: Pure adrenaline (I feel like this stage is the biggest reason I love racing. The adrenaline rush is awesome and just being surrounded by your kinfolk is inspiring. 😉 )

2. Miles 7-10: Training (at this stage, the adrenaline has started to wear off and you fall back on all those training runs and trust your training and legs to carry you through the “heart” of the race.)

3. Miles 11-13.1: HEART! (this might be the most rewarding part of the race, your legs are getting tired and your mind starts telling you to stop but it’s this part of the race that really counts. Where you push yourself those last few miles.)

The same can be translated to a full marathon. Where those last 6 miles are pure heart.

After ‘Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon’

So, I’ll be cheering loud and proud for all my Ragnar buddies to race strong and fast this weekend!

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Non-Training Days

In CrossFit, Cycling, Fitness, Life, Marathon, Road race, Running on October 22, 2012 at 5:10 am

Am I the only one that eats everything in sight on non-training/rest days? I totally know it’s normal but I’ve had no motivation and a huge appetite lately. So, I’m just listening to my body. Truth is, your body really does need rest days. But with that said, I’ve kept up my long runs on Saturdays and added back in a bike ride.

The past few months, here is what a typical day looks like that:

Monday: WOD + strength training, 45 minutes of cardio (bike trainer)

Tuesday: WOD + strength training, 3-4 mile run (tempo)

Wednesday: WOD + strength training, 45 minutes bike trainer

Thursday: 20+ mile bike ride (morning) 4-5 mile run (evening) No strength training

Friday: Rest

Saturday: WOD + strength training, 10+ mile run (8:30 pace)

Sunday: WOD + strength training

My long runs are getting ready to change to Monday as I train for this marathon. I’ve added a lot of HIIT/plyometric strength training to my day, not only because I want to be lean and mean, but also to help with my running. I can already tell a huge difference. Example: I just recently started back on my road bike. Thursday, I averaged a 23mph pace. That’s HUGE for me!! To better put that in perspective. Lance Armstrong was recently in SD to compete in the SuperFrog (half-ironman) Triathlon. He averaged a 27mph pace on the same route I ride out on Coronado. Now, I’m definitely no Lance Armstrong…so I was thrilled with 23mph pace. I credit that to Crossfit and lower body strength training. It works people!!

Ragnar Relay is in 3 weeks…I will be the lead runner and my goal pace is 8:30 for each leg. I absolutely cannot wait to run this. We have a great team, it’s going to be a blast!

I kick off the race!!

This has been my favorite plyo workout, recently…thought I’d share it with you guys. I used an agility ladder and jump rope. You do each move for 60 seconds with a 10 second recovery. Three rounds.

Courtesy: bradgouthrofitness.com

This past week has been crazy busy. My training is about to kick up a notch too, 12 weeks until my marathon. Geez. I’ve been very encouraged by my long runs though. Two weeks ago, I ran a steady 8:30 for 10 miles. This week, I ran 8 miles at a 8:07 pace. I’m kicking myself for not doing 10, but I felt so good after that run. Definitely a confidence booster. So, if you need me, chances are you can find me running somewhere. Until next time…

Me and my boo!

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GNC Total Lean PB Shake

In Fitness, Food, Recipe, Running, San Diego, Weight loss on October 16, 2012 at 11:47 pm

GNC Total Lean 25 PB shake

This bad boy is packed with 30g of protein! And it is delicious!

What you’ll need…

4-5 ice cubes

1 cup Almond Breeze unsweetened milk

2 scoops GNC Total Lean 25 – Rich Chocolate

2 tbsp PB2 powdered peanut butter

2-3 Truvia packets

Dash of cinnamon

I like to mix everything but 2 Truvia packets, blend well then add the other two packets once in my cup.

Blend well

Cinnamon has several suggested health benefits…

  1. May lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
  2. Has antifungal properties
  3. Has anti-clotting effect on blood.
  4. Natural remedy for eliminating migraines/headaches.
  5. Can helps stabilize blood sugar (which is good for weight loss)

IMPORTANT: It can be toxic in large doses. So just a dash or shake in your coffee/tea or in this case, a smoothie/shake will be plenty enough. 

Also, the PB 2 powdered peanut butter product is AMAZING. I ordered mine from amazon.com and this is my first time using it. The taste is amazing and using it in smoothies is a great way to eliminate the extra calories and fat regular PB has.

GNC Total Lean 25 PB Shake Nutritional Information: 285 calories, 9g fat, 24g carbs, 7g sugar, 30g protein.

This was my post run fuel, even though I only ran 2 miles. More time constraints…ugh!!! But I pushed myself and tried to make it a worthwhile run.

I should’ve gone for negative splits…oh well. 8:24 overall pace.

Sophie has graduated to a new booster (carseat) !! She has also just been accepted into a preschool program here in SD. We are very excited about that!!

Big girl!

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. Always consult your Dr./Nutritionist if you have questions.

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Knees-to-elbows Crossfit Style

In CrossFit, Fitness, Personal Trainer, Running on October 15, 2012 at 11:18 pm

The last few months, I’ve been really trying to focus on core based workouts. Lots of plank work and HIIT workouts. The purpose being, I want to be a stronger runner. I want to run farther, faster. I’m looking for a sub 4:00hr marathon in January and I know it’s going to take lots of work to get there.

Several of my WOD’s require knees-to-elbows but my core/abs have not been strong enough for me to efficiently do them. Sure, I can bust out a few of them, but keeping my body in correct alignment and preventing the swing has been hard. I found this video and I’ve adapted this technique and it’s, not made it easier, but has helped me remain in control.

With correct form, I can only do about 5 of them. But I’m getting there…

Starting position. I have to cross my legs because my door frame isn’t high enough.

*Side note: Did you know that just hanging like this, for a minute, is a great way to get your body back in to alignment. Once you are able to hold on for that long, it feels great just hanging there, letting your body stretch out.

I sincerely apologize for the booty shot…ha ha. I couldn’t get a decent side shot, so this will have to do. But knees pulled all the way to elbows…yay!

Back to starting position.

These have been my weakness lately, and something I’m determined to improve.

Hopefully soon, I can start posting at home workouts. Now that I can officially start training people… 😉 I’m putting together a few, but want to try them out first. I love HIIT workouts that I can do at home for 20-30 minutes. IMO, they are effective and to the point. There is absolutely no need to spend 3 hours in a gym. 😉

Also, Jess @ blondeponytail.com posted an awesome full-body tabata workout. Did it this afternoon and was lying on my garage floor after I was done. I reallllyyyy wanted to stop after 5 rounds, but pushed through the full 8 rounds. A tabata is 20:10 x 8. So 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, for 8 rounds. It was a lot of plank work with weights…just what my core needed! It went like this:

1. Renegade row-to-spidey + wide jump. 2. Weighted skiers. 3. Plank to wide dead lift. 4. Reverse lunge w/ bicep curl. 5. Plank to overhead press. 

Happy Monday, hope you’ve had a great start to your week!!

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One Year.

In 2012, California, endurance, Fitness, Half Marathon, Life, Marathon, Moving, Running, San Diego on October 13, 2012 at 10:23 pm

Stepping away from fitness for a minute…

I’ve been in San Diego a year now. Man, how time flies! In 7 short years, we’ve lived in three states. North Carolina, Virginia, and now California. Virginia/D.C. is where our daughter was born and will always be “home” I think for us. But San Diego is a close, close second. It’s hard thinking about moving. Crossing fingers, that won’t be for a long time!

I’ve never been good at building relationships, because all good things come to an “end” a.k.a we move a lot. We’ve said “see you laters” to a lot of amazing co-workers and friends. It’s bittersweet, the Navy provides a great lifestyle, but so much is temporary.

I was skeptical of San Diego and California in general. But this is an amazing career opportunity for my husband and I just knew this was where we were supposed to be.

I have to say, San Diego has been amazing so far. Mostly, because of the people I’ve built relationships with. I’ve met some incredible people, people who have welcomed me and never once made me feel like an outsider. I found an amazing running/triathlete group who trained me through my first full marathon. The connection you make through endurance running is one like no other. They are just as crazy as you are, people who just want to live their life to the fullest.

A small portion of our group.

We do so much more than run. We give back to our running community through volunteer work and time. It’s been such a fullfilling year, just because of these incredible people.

Getting ready to rock 13.1.

1st race here in San Diego!

It’s been a great running year for me.

San Diego & AFC half marathon.

San Diego ‘Rock & Roll’ full marathon.

ACT! for Autism 10k – 44:58 time. Placing 1st in my age group and 3rd overall female.

My first duathlon, placing 3rd in my age group!

Finishing out the year with Ragnar Relay and just signed up for Carlsbad Marathon the end of January. 26.2 here I come (again)!

I did a 10 mile training run this morning. Finished with an 8:30 pace, very happy with that. It’s the pace I’m shooting for during Ragnar. 

My Reebok #getafterit t-shirt.

Wore this new shirt during my run, it held up nicely. You can buy one here. It’s not a true technical running t-shirt, but it held up nicely and I love the message on the back. Reminding me to ‘Get After It’.

 

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Fitbook Giveaway Results!

In Fitbook, Fitness, Running on October 10, 2012 at 2:19 am

I’m happy to announce that Kelsey @ So Much Life To Live is the winner of my Fitbook Giveaway!!! Congrats girl and thanks for reading!!

Here is what she gets:

Fitbook.

Kelsey, email me at twoculbersons [@] yahoo [dot] com with your address I can ship your prize too!

I had an amazing run on Coronado this morning. I skipped the beach because I really need to get used to the road again, for this upcoming Ragnar. I hate when I’m feeling awesome, but have time limits on my run. That was the case this morning. But I still managed 4 miles (fartlek) at an 8:15 pace. I’ll take it!

Came home and enjoyed this shake, it’s new to the mix!

GNC Total Lean – Vanilla Bean

Vanilla Bean – 180cal, 9g protein

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week!