16 miler and "doing the salt"

Despite a rocky start to our 16 miler on Saturday... it turned out to be a really good run. You know, one of those runs that boosts your confidence a little and makes you believe you can actually do this stuff.

It all started with me pulling out my camelbak that goes around my waist. I'm sick of doing loops and so we were heading pretty far away from home. So that meant either stashing gatorade or packing it along. Anyway... I pulled out the camelbak and was getting ready to dump my gatorade in it and noticed some mold growing in the tube. Yuck. Get the bleach out. Clean it. Fill it up. Put it on. Run around the house like a mad woman making the last minute bathroom stop and getting my gloves and hat all the while checking out the window for Heather. This is about the point where my littlest one asks me why I'm dripping on the floor. My seal is not working. I take it off trying to figure out what's wrong and backtrack myself mopping as I go throughout the house. Frustration is setting in as now I don't know what I'm doing for hydration. I get a phone call about this time from Heather saying that she's running behind because she found mold in her camelbak. I guess it's been quite a while since we've used them. I grabbed my husband's camelbak that goes on your back and tried to transfer the gatorade unsuccessfully. Guess that meant we were stopping at 7-11 on our way out of town.

Once we finally got going we had to stop to fill up my backpack and take a final potty break at 7-11. We kept the pace nice and even and the miles just started passing by.

I am really grateful for a running partner. It means I'm not nervous being out in the middle of no where. It means conversation that ranges in topic from standing on the bathtub to get a better view of our legs, how often we shave our legs, the funny things our kids said or did during the week, movies we've seen or want to see, Adam and Eve, Abraham and Moses (we're reading the same really interesting books on the topic) and anything else that might come up in 16 miles. The only time conversation is lacking is when there are hills and I can't talk.

Speaking of hills and what they do to me... I have been struggling with some calf issues for about 8 months. There are periods where they are really bad and I have to get them worked on and then there are others where they just feel tight all the time. Then there are those occasions where I cramp during a marathon or long run. None of it is really pleasant, but I think I may have found something that works for me. While during some research (googling) I came across this article. It talks about an appropriate salt intake for runners who cramp. While I don't like to admit it, I am a sweaty, sweat sweatso. I am always dripping with sweat and quite often have a dry salty deposit left on my face and arms. I am just a salty sweater. So for the last couple of months I have been "doing the salt" before and midway during my runs. Saturday I forgot to take it until about mile 10 and began feeling the cramps coming back on. As soon as I took the salt, almost instantly, the cramping went away and I was good to finish. You know how they say that you crave what your body needs? Well I have always craved salty things more than sweets. Maybe I just need more salt. And just so that you're not worried about me, I have very low blood pressure and am trying to eat better all around so I don't believe this endangers my health. And I don't think it's for everyone. But it makes sense to me and seems to be helping.

On another side note, I drank a chocolate Ensure part way through the run and it didn't bother my stomach at all. I took about 4 swigs about 8 miles in and then 2 or 3 swigs every couple of miles until it was gone. And I must admit that chocolate milk tastes so much better than those gels.

Have you ever tried anything different on your longs runs? Do share!

What's up?

I fell off the wagon. After 6 weeks of eating pretty darn good, I crashed. Valentine's weekend was not good for me. My husband made peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's kiss on top and I bet I ate 6 of them. Not in one sitting but just one at a time spread throughout the day. They were so good. Needless to say, I went to bed with my stomach hurting Saturday night. I didn't even eat half of my dessert at our Valentine's dinner and still felt miserable. You'd think I would learn, but no. I went to bed Sunday with my stomach cursing me again. And the worst part was I felt defeated and that hurt almost as much as my stomach. I'm back on the good eating train again and yesterday was a success. I guess it was a learning experience. I've never felt so miserable. Why, oh why did I do that?

On to the good news: We ran a hilly 10 miler on Saturday and it felt good. We even pushed the last 1/2 mile and that's where I'm usually running low on push. We have a 16 miler planned for this Saturday. I hope it goes as well. My speed workouts each week are really pushing me. And I am seeing some progress in that stinkin kickboxing video. I'm able to do a little more and last a little bit longer. I still can't do the whole video without stopping. But someday I might be able to. I mixed my workouts around last week and think I've found a good combination that allows my body to heal and not be so sore for those critical runs. Here's the line up:

Monday: kickmax video 75 minutes includes punching and kicking combos, plyometrics, and leg conditioning

Tuesday: easy run 3-5 miles

Wednesday: Jillian video 50 minutes easy run 2-3 miles

Thursday: speed workout either Yasso 800's or mile repeats starting at 3 for Yasso's and working up to 10 and miles start at 2 and work up to 4 repeats.

Friday: spinning class 60 minutes

Saturday: long run 10-20 miles

Sunday: REST!

I'm going to try combining Wed and Thurs this week because of a scheduling conflict. I hope that works out.

Oh, and we've got a team put together for the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay this year! My favorite race of all time. Our team name: Lips, Hips, and Asphalt. We're working on getting our leg assignments and then I'll develop a training plan for that! Yeah for Ragnar! I can't wait!

Miscellaneous

*My treadmill is back up and running. I haven't actually tried it yet, but plan to tomorrow. Running on a different treadmill for the past 3 weeks has made me realize how old and non smooth my 10 year old treadmill is in comparison. Still, running at home means I can run in yesterday's make up, un brushed teeth, and grubby shorts. And I don't have to find a babysitter.

*I got some weighted gloves to use in my kickmax video and it really helps wear my arms out. That's a good thing, I think.

*I ran 14 miles on Saturday. That's the longest since October's marathon. It felt good. Now if I can just psych myself up to using gels again. What are your thoughts on a nutritional drink midway through a long run? Like Ensure or Slim Fast? Anyone ever tried that?

*I finished my 30 day challenge of no sugar losing 2 pounds. Was it worth it? Well, since I've been such a junk food junkie for the last 3 months, it did cure my cravings. It took 3 weeks to do it though. I no longer feel like I NEED something good to eat right after lunch. I am allowing myself one treat a week. I am now doing a 30 chip challenge with has always been a bigger problem for me than sweets. I just love chips. I have (or used to have) a chip cabinet that is off limits to everyone else. Permission has to be granted to eat some of MY chips. Saying it out loud makes it seem worse than in my head. I am on day 6 and it's been hard. Very hard. Cucumbers are not a good substitute.

Speaking of eating... I have always had the mental attitude that because I run I should be able to eat anything I want. Many times (o.k. every single day for as long as I can remember) after the kids are in bed, I eat something good and watch a little T.V. It's my reward for surviving another day. However, as my age is creeping up there, I'm seeing that I can't continue to do this for the rest of my life. It's time for some mental changes. The one I'm currently trying to follow is that I've created a need in my body by exercising. I need to fill that need with good foods that will help my body recover and become stronger. I tell myself this over and over when I want those foods that I know don't serve any other purpose than tasting good. The only problem is that good tasting foods equals happiness to me. I will not suffer for the rest of my life by depriving myself of good tasting things. I just need to learn a little moderation and kick these cravings once and for all so I don't feel like I need to eat 5 cookies instead of just one. Or eat just a handful of chips instead of 6 or 7. I'm doing a bit better every day and that's all I can do. I know that just like running, success happens little steps at a time.

My tready's dead.

My treadmill finally bit the dust. I actually am surprised it has made it this long. 10 long years. It's been a good treadmill. And because I have a very handy husband, the replacement part is on its way. However, in the meantime, I'm having to get creative when I actually need a treadmill.

It wouldn't be so tough if 1. I didn't have a youngster with me all day long and...

2. there wasn't a mountain lion prowling our neighborhood late at night and early in the morning. Yep, I live at the base of a mountain. 3 houses and I'm there. I have known for years that there have been mountain lions up there, but this year he's been spotted down and around the neighborhood a lot. He's been spotted at 9:00 at night 2 doors away from us and at 6:30 in the morning a couple of houses over. He's also left tracks in the snow all around us. Besides me peeling myself off my pillow early in the morning, this is just another reason why running early early seems a little crazy to me. Of course, I'm already paranoid about running alone in the dark so that doesn't help. Problem # 1 then comes into play because we do not have a gym that has daycare and I feel extremely guilty asking someone to watch him while I go for a run. So, I've had to do my speed work at the gym at 4:30 in the afternoon in between dance car pools for my girls. I hate showering and getting ready more than once a day. As much as I detest that treadmill, I will be so glad when it's fixed and I can get back to my normal routine.

On another note: I started a new weight video this last week hoping that it would help me get more out of my weight work outs. If I watched the Biggest Loser more than once I would have known better than to choose a Jillian DVD. It is pure torture. Every single second. My 12 miler on Saturday didn't go very well because I was so sore from trying to do it 3 times last week. I have decided that I either need to quit doing weights on Friday so that I'm not sore for those long runs or suck it up and just keep doing it and get used to it so that I'm not sore. I'm still undecided. And right now might be a bad time to do it because I just finished doing it once again. Torture.