Saturday Splendor and its only 8:30

This morning, my running buddy and I set  out for a run on Minute Man.  If you have never used it, it is a great running path. It is about 11 miles from Bedford to Alewife.  Some parts are pretty flat but depending on which way you are going you may have a steady incline or decline at other parts.   Also at the end of Minute Man in Bedford is the Narrow Gauge Trail which is also an awesome addition for those really long runs on a beautiful trail.  I have to say that last year, I was very guilty of running from Lexington Center to Alewife and having my husband pick me up there and I would make awesome times, but the truth is that, that it was all a steady decline.  I know, I know...BUT in my defense, it really taught my legs to move faster and harder so when I was not running Minute Man I became faster.

So this morning we headed out for a 6 a.m. run, I had to make a decision to go with the pain reliever or the allergy medicine, I chose the former although as I started the run we both felt the pollen and regretted it. My buddy suggested some Sudafed but i thought that would not be a pretty combo, so I dealt.  But otherwise it was the perfect running morning, hardly any wind and the perfect 50 degree weather after rain and the trail was coated with trees and signs of life (have I mentioned how much I love spring!!)  With my running buddy, he was not going to allow us to just go for the steady decline, so we tackled both (inclines and declines) and I could not be more thrilled with our times. For him, he was just trotting along easily but this is my fastest run in a long time and by the end I was huffing and puffing and quite red, but he got me there, yay!!

Mile 1: 8:07 (warming up pretty flat, which for me is usually a faster pace)

Mile 2: 7:50 (still warming up, but still would be a fast pace for me and gradual downhill)

Mile 3: 8:02 (time to turn around and go up that gradual incline)

Mile 4: 7:56 (the incline continued...just getting through to the water break at the end of this mile)

Mile 5: 7:27 (yay for the gradual decline)

Mile 6: 7:26 (more decline, but feeling it, how will I make it back?)

Mile 7: 7:37 (turn around and up we go, feeling too much water, running buddy points out encouraging chalk writings on the pavement "You are amazing" "Positive attitudes change everything"

Mile 8: 7:29 (no talking, repeat mantras, that I can't remember what they were now, and gear down to the finish)

Total: 1:01:57

Here I am bright red after the race at home bragging about my run to my husband. I could not be happier.  This was really a great run for me and everything felt good (FINALLY, besides my stomach, with too much water in it). I really wanted to push and I did and running faster made my knees feel better.  I have really found that more mantras, more running with others, and more encouragement helps me move quicker and do better. 

The other thing that I have recently signed onto is making sure to learn how to fuel correctly, before, during, and after runs!!  I was always an early morning exerciser, even more I started to run. I never liked how food felt in my stomach if I ate right before I exercised and I convinced myself of the same during the runs.  But now I work with an amazing Sports Nutritionist, Nancy Clark. 

Nancy quickly taught me the error of my ways!  She explained "food is fuel" and encouraged me to start training with food and more hydration during runs and before.  And it has made all the difference!!! I almost feel it is like cheating, it makes such a difference hah. We stopped today for water after mile 4 and even though it was the harder part of the run we went even faster, Nancy wins again!!! I would think I would get slower from having to stop, nope!! And I ate a banana and english muffin with PB and 16 oz of water about an 1 hr and 15 mins before the run and it gave me the fuel necessary to push it.  

I would love to hear what everyone else does for fuel???

So now recovery...

I got these Moji icepacks at the Boston expo and I instantly fell in love. The grey one is especially made for your knee and the black one will ice 9 different body parts and will also do heat. I got an AWESOME deal at the expo for both of them and could not resist.  I apparently have very sensitive nerves so it is VERY important that I ice accordingly and do religiously.  These are awesome, I just put the icepacks in the freezer and then take them out and velcro them into the wraps and I am good to go. I can even walk around with them (although the black one was not meant to be moveable).  I even bring them to work on days when I need to ice more and they really do wonders!!! I highly recommend them, worth the investment!!

So, today we were suppose to move.  And up until 8 p.m. last night, we thought that we were at least moving our stuff to the new place. But turns out, things will be delayed so for the next week we will be living literally in boxes.   No biggie, although that means we move next Saturday on my birthday and no time for birthday run along the Charles.  But it does leave me today to go to temple and attend Tot Shabbat. This is one of my favorite services of the month.  It is an hour each first Saturday of each month and it is services for toddlers and babies.  It is soooo cute.  I can't get enough.  I don't have a toddler, but that does not stop me, I have friends with toddlers and I am totally there:) :)  Oops gotta go less than an hour and a half till tot shabbat!

This is was our living room 

Here I am trapped in the bathroom closet!