Not gonna lie... this week was lame lol. I rested a lot.
15 miles of trail definitly took a tole on my little legs
Monday: Offical Rest day.
Tuesday: Stuck with my plan for Track Tuesday. Unfortunately my legs weren't feeling it.
Scheduled: 12 times: 2 min fast, 1 min easy jog
I accomplished it 3 times with a small easy run... and lots of foam rolling and stretching!
Wednesday: Recovery run with my little. It was such a beautiful day out and its been awhile since I took my daughter on a run! She is used to being in the jogging stroller.... since she was 1 month and 1 day old!! My partner is crime... my son, eh he's not as much of a fan. (but he was in school)
Thursday: Foam rolling and work!
Friday: I planned on running, but my plan didn't go as planned!
Saturday: Rest! I planned on running anywhere between 12 and 18 miles Sunday. Since my body was so sore from Ragnar, I planned on doing whatever felt comfortable on my legs.
Sunday: 14 miles! Had another 'adventure run'.... got off the course, ended up running along the highway. I feel like my long runs are always an adventure for me!
Hope everyone has a great week! Happy Running and HAPPY HALLLLOOOWEEENN!!
Here it is!! Finally, Im able to sit down and tell everyone every detail about how awesome, beautiful, challenging and memorable this trail relay race was!
I start to pull my camping gear out about a week before the race and had it in my garage:
-Sleeping bag
-cots
-pillow
-tent
-lantern
-fold able chair
-small table
-ice chest
-warm blanket
-other little accessories: plates, napkins, forks, batteries, sun screen, toilet paper, Clorox wipes, trash bags, plastic bags, baby wipes...
** Noted for next year: bring a little stove and something to make coffee in. Coffee was provided, but the lines got so long, and they ran out quickly. **
Jason enjoys camping, so I didn't need to buy anything for camping this weekend!
For food, I packed bacon, fruite, nuun,water. There was going to be food trucks there, so I tried to pack less.
Normally, I cant pack my bag in advance. I end up not packing enough or think I packed something when I didn't.
I had all my clothes organized in piles. I put my main three race outfits in large zip lock bags.
Our weather was predicted to be up and down this weekend. So I ended up packing double.
Thank goodness I did!!! At night it dropped to under 40 degrees and during the day it stayed around the 80's , but the sun was just pounding down on you. My body wasn't exactly happy about all that up and down.
Made our sign so we can check off legs as we go!
Prepped about a pound of bacon!
And I was off!!!
Driving down, I hit crazy traffic. I ended up not getting to my camp site till after 7 and the sun had already set.
Im sure everyone watching me try and set up my tent got a great laugh.
I went to the next camp site over to ask for help... and it ended up being Sarah!! Our main ambassador warrior for Texas Luckenbach ambassadors! ( How lucky was I!)
About an hour after getting set up, the other ambassador Gina arrived. I basically hung with her and helped her and her husband set up camp until I went to bed.
Friday morning is when the fun started. I got the rest of my camp area set up and blocked off to hold its place until my team arrived and I hungout with ambassdors!
My team started arriving, we checked in and before I knew it.... it was time to hit the trails! I was the first runner for our team.
My first Loop was the Green Loop: 3 miles
It was definitely a narrow course with no shade. So for me, it got hot quick. I started running at 1PM.
My 2nd loop was the Red Loop: 7.4 miles
I ran this in the dark, It definitely had its technical moments, but because it was so dark, I could never see the elevations gain haha. Because of how narrow and dark it was, I didn't stop to take any pictures. It also got super cold. It took me about 35 minutes to really warm up... so stopping movement was something I really didn't want to do.
My 3rd Loop was the Yellow Loop: 5 miles
This was the most rocky and technical loop in my opinion... but my favorite! Lots of roots, twist, very steep up hill climbs. At one point I stopped and could see how narrow the paths were. I really had to watch my footing so I wouldn't fall. Some areas, you ran along a cliff. The first two miles were done in complete darkness, So I kept a slow, steady pace to make sure I stayed safe. Although I couldn't see all the elevation gain the beginning.... oh boy, could my legs feel it.
At the top ( about 3 miles up) it was BEAUTIFUL. I looked down and could see tons of other runners.I was lucky enough to see the sun rise at the top of the mountain. Its a view Ill never forget.
I flew the rest of my run!
The little specks of white along the mountain are actually other runners headlamps.
At the VERY top.
I absolutely loved running every loop.
Our Double Medal for running Ragnar Austin and Ragnar Hill Country
(Road Relay and Trail Relay in the same state)
I also got my Momentum Wrap in the mail!! You still have a few more days to #sharetheSpark and grab one of four uplifting and encouraging sayings <3
Tuesday: TRACK TUESDAY!!!
2 min 90%, 2 min recovery, repeated 6 times
( I was supposed to repeat 12 times, but I was limited in time)
Wednesday: Cross training, Strength training and pumpkin paintin'!
Bicep Curls with the Barbell and Hammer Curls
20 min Elliptical
and we painted pumpkins <3
Thursday: No Training, just took the day off. Completed last minute errands, cleaned the house, and finished packing becauuuseee I was leaving for Ragnar Trail!!!!
But First.... DOUGHNUTS because!!!
(#teamSparkle)
I will have a full blog with all the Ragnar pictures and awesomeness! So be on the look out for that!!!
Friday: I ran my first two loops Friday!
My first run was 3 miles at 1PM
My seconds run was 7.4 miles around 8:30PM
I was actually quite surprised with my pace, my 3 miler was in the hot hot heat and my 7.4 miler was cold! haha Only in Texas
Saturday: Started my third run at about 6AM.
Every other detail.. how the courses felt, how they looked, everryyyy detail will be in my next blog!!!! I have tons of pictures of share!!!!
Sunday: RESTTTT 15 miles of TRAILS is something my body isnt as used to..... but I felt amazing during my runs. (thats all the details for now! haha)
Jason and I worked on my studio!
I finally got to hang up my medal holder. I LOVE it!!!
( Ill attach a link in case anyone wants to check out her beautiful work.)
Monday: No Gym or running. We spent the day with my childhood best friend (Aunt) Megan!! We picked out Halloween costumes for the kids, deocrated the house and she came and watched Brendan at gymnastics!
Tuesday: Normally, I have Track Tuesday (Speed Training) but my friend who runs with me wasnt feeling well. I normally never run alone in the dark.... we meet at 5am. So I stretched and foam rolled.
Wednesday: 5 mile treadmill run and back strength training! I love the cardio cinema at Golds.
Back work outs:
Lateral Pull down: 10x4
Bent over Barbell Row: 10x4
Low Row: 10x4
Thursday: Rest ( felt sore from my back work out haha)
Friday: 30 minutes on the Elliptical, stretch, foam rolling and some core work!
Saturday: Adventure day!!! 12 mile with the Fleet Feet Crew... Then with the Road Runners......... then... the Down Town Running Group??
Yes, I got separated from my running group and ended up running with two other groups. hahaha... meaning. I got lost from the Fleet Feet Runners, then the Road Runners, THEN the DTR Group too. I ended up alone for about 3 miles but found my way back. Thank goodness for GPS haha. I was supposed to do 15 miles, but ill take 12, extra adventure and new friends!
How did I get so turned around?? The Fleet Feet training groups normally run the same route, but the full marathon runners had an extra 6 miles to run... at mile 4 most of the half runners turned back around. There are only about 6 people training for the full, so its easy to get separated and all our are paces are soo different. I started following the Road Runners by accident around mile 6, then I realized I was in the wrong running group, and found what I thought were "our arrows" but was actually the DTR Group arrows..... did about a mile with them. Found the Fleet Feet arrows... got back on track. I'm not sure how I got so distracted but I missed the turn for my group and kept running until I hit a road and grocery store I didn't recognize. I didn't want to turn back. 1) I was running low on fuel 2) I'm not sure how off course I got and I didn't want to run around in circles 3) I got nervous. I pulled out my GPS, I was about 3 miles I away. So I followed that!
Sunday: I was planning on doing a 2 mile recovery run, but I was exhausted by the time I got home from work.
Hope everyone has a great week! Packing for Ragnar starts today!!!!!!
I'm 52 days away. Definitely feeling super nervous and anxious because i'm now moving into higher millage. I'm using a schedule from my coach to help give me a guideline of where I should be at.
I missed track training yesterday... and I literally had a 2 second panic attack and it floated through my mind most of the day yesterday. I convinced myself that I would hit the gym after eating dinner and putting the kids down to bed. I ended up not going. I was exhausted. I worked both salons and when I got home my kiddos just wanted to play, so that's what I did. I went to bed fairly early and I'll hit the gym today. Sometimes I just need to breath and remember its all okay and everything will work fine.
On a positive note: Keeping a comfortable pace has been easier. I can see and feel my training paying off lately. I've really been implicating starting off a little slower and building up for the end. I guess, gaining some 'running momentum'. Before I started this training program.. pacing and starting comfortable was so hard. I would start too slow, or too fast and try and push myself at the wrong times. I start to feel a 'peak' now. The last 10 miler I did I started at almost an 11 min mile.... and ended with 8:30 min miles for the last 3 miles. My energy is better, my performance is better, I don't get tired as fast and my runs have become so much more enjoyable. Right now my plan is to use this method for my marathon. I'm hoping to preserve and store energy so the last few miles I don't feel like i'm running on empty.
Another factor in making my performance so much better is my fueling routine. I never truthfully understood fueling before and after... so I started researching and asking questions. Right now, I use UCAN to fuel me. I take it about 30 min prior and I don't have fatigue or hungar. I also use the one with protein. The longest I've ran with UCAN is 11 miles... so i'm curious to see how it does for 15 miles this weekend! I follow every run with a banana and Nuun. I get a headache if I don't immediately fuel afterwards.
Ive also been keeping myself motivated! I treated myself to a Momentum Jewelry wrap!
They are running an awesome special right called #sharesheSpark. They have 4 positive and uplifting sayings to choose from and the best part is, they are $10 bucks each (plus shipping).
Perfect for yourself or anyone who needs a little extra motivation! I also grabbed a few for some of my dear running friends!!
"Be the spark that lights someone's fire...because everyone needs their own cheerleader."
