It's Official

Today I received my official registration and confirmation into the 2017 London Marathon. It makes it all the more real and spurs me on to train harder, run further and get myself into the best shape of my life. Yes, time to kick it into high gear. Aiming for a 14 - 15 mile run this Sunday. Added another 5K to the schedule, on December 2nd at Vitruvian Park in Addison. Should be a fun one running through the Christmas lights. That's just 9 days before my 1/2 marathon so should be a nice warm up.

Why Protein is essential

Carbohydrates are the fuel that makes you run. That along with electrolytes allow you to run further. I always like to eat a banana before a long run and drink a drink with plenty of carbs. The question is, what about protein? Protein is what helps rebuild our muscles after a long run or work out. Most people know that, but the question is when should you take them. The answer is, within the 30 minutes after you complete your run. Protein is broken down into amino acids which help muscles repair and grow. 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of exercise gives the best help to your aching muscles. After this the amino acid is absorbed into the body as fat. So, don't take on board extra protein just for the sake of it. As with everything, there can be too much of a good thing. Balance is key.

You can't keep the old dog down

So, Sunday, after returning from camp I went for a long run. It was going to be 12 miles, but the weather was great and I was comfortably keeping a just under 9 minute pace. So, in the end I ran 13 1/2 miles. Guess you could say I'm ready for the half marathon in December. Took just under 2 hours and felt great. I had a good soak in the bath to recover the legs. When I got out I was unable to take deep breaths. Very strange. I ended up seeing the Dr on Monday. She tested my lungs and they are very healthy so she sent me to the Cardiologist who did some tests and told me I have a very healthy heart. So guess it was caused by the cooler air causing the lungs some distress, maybe exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Guess I'll have to keep an eye on it. Starting to feel much better. Who knew that you would learn so much about your body just by doing a little running!!!

Hardest run so far

Well, the 10K was hard, not because of the distance, but because of the humidity. All the finishes agreed, this was a tough run. My legs feel great today, so no problems there. I still need to do along run. I'm planning on an 11 mile run early this coming week. Anyway, here is me with my 3rd placed medal for the 40 - 49 age range.

53.24 was my time. I slowed a few times to pull a few other runners along. This was a fun course. Best part is that money was raised for a bunch of schools including Ogle Elementary, my youngest' s school.

When you just have to run

Its been a couple of days since my last run. Planned to do a long run on Sunday but once I got back from the Leave no Trace course I was teaching I was pretty tired. No problem, get an early night and get up in the morning and do a long run. Yeah, like that will happen, at 2am I get woken with a work emergency. Got back to bed for a couple of hours at 6, so no run. So, it's Tuesday and my 10k is on Saturday. That means no long run until at least Sunday. At least I get a few short runs to loosen up the legs. That's certainly how it felt this morning. A very humid 75F as I pulled on my trainers. I set off for a quick lap of the neighborhood and managed to finally settle in to a 9 minute mile, much slower than usual and a very comfortable pace. I have to keep telling myself, you're not in it to win races, you are working towards completing a marathon.

Still plenty of time to get those miles in. I am starting to feel a lot more confident. The fundraising is ticking along. I know I'll reach my goal and hopefully exceed it. So, this Saturday is my next milestone, a 10K here in McKinney called the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney. The expected weather is a little cooler than this morning which is always nice. Then from there it is onward to the half marathon in December in downtown Dallas. That will be the biggest test. I hope to be running 16 or more miles for my long run by then. If I am, then the half will be a breeze. I keep telling myself that it is all about preparation so that is what I'm doing. To tell you the truth, I am starting to really enjoy running. I've lost 2 inches off my waist and have put on several pounds. My overall health is getting better.

Best Weekend Ever

Wow, the weather Gods are being kind in TX. How many weekend in September start in the very low 70s? The Raising Cane's Retriever Rescue on Saturday started with a temperature of 72F. Made for my fastest 5K to date, 24 minutes 44 seconds for a 3rd place in my age group. Fast forward to this morning. Dropped Nate off at work and then went for a trail run. I was aiming for 8 miles, but it was 74F and I managed a very easy 10 miles in just under 1 1/2 hours. I loaded up on carbs before the run and straight after took a protein shake and the legs feel very refreshed. Learned some sports science yesterday. After a workout/run when the muscles are torn down protein needs to be taken within 30 minutes for the muscles to accept it. After that those proteins are going to be stored in fat, so beware when you take in that protein. Take carbs for fuel, replenish during your run if you need them. Also drink water in small quantities during a long run. A 30 minute or shorter run really doesn't need water during it unless you are really pushing your pace. Roll on the 10K in 2 weeks. I am ready #justdoit!!!!

Wow, I need a haircut. I promise I've shaven now!!!!

Great way to prepare for a race

Tomorrow is my next race, an easy 5K, possibly in a little rain. This race was a curve ball in my training as my next race was meant to be the 10K in 2 weeks time. Still, this is the Raising Cane's 5K so I had to do it. It did mean adjusting my training this week. A much lighter week but this morning I got the muscles working to make sure they were ready for tomorrow. It had just got light and was still in the 70s when I laced up my sneakers and took to the concrete. 2 miles later I felt great. The legs were working, not pain in the knees and even the shoulder was happy. I think the body enjoyed the few days off. Still, tomorrow I will try to run a slower 5K than last time, I have to keep reminding myself that every time I run I am conditioning myself for the marathon, not the 2 miles today, 5K tomorrow or 10K in 2 weeks. It's not about winning a race, it is about getting myself ready for the long one. I could push myself and probably run sub 25 minutes tomorrow but that would mean a few days rest afterwards which would hind the 10K preparation, so a 28 - 30 minute 5K would be much better for me. Now, if I could just get my legs to understand that they need to slow down a little all would be good.