Half Marathon+5K+5K=A LOT!

The training schedule called for a half marathon yesterday, which would have been awesome, but instead I ran a whole heckuva lot of miles.  Because of kids gymnastics meets I had to switch this weeks 13.1 miles for next Saturday's 19 miles.  I could be crazy but maybe, just maybe, Hal Higdon was onto something when he scheduled week 9 as a cut back week.  You mean he didn't just pick some random number and say to run it?!?  Weird ;)

My last 2 long runs have been awesome, I felt great!  Today was not like that, nope not at all.

Holly and I met up with Pam, Josh and Joanna at 6:00 a.m. for the half marathon portion of our run.  It took me about a mile or so to warm up and then I felt great.  We were running in the dark for quite some time and I liked it.  It made the time fly by because I didn't really know where I was.  At about mile 10 I started to struggle a little.  Mile 11 Holly and I took our 2nd dose of Sportlegs and popped some Mike and Ike's, she also flipped me off but that's a story for another time ;)

We managed to finish the first 13.  Did I mention that Josh pushed a 3 year old in a stroller for those 13 miles...awesome!!  What was even more awesome was that the little girl didn't make a peep the whole run, she just sat back and enjoyed the run.  Holly and I drove up to a park in Mapleton where we started our virtual 5K Buddy Up Against Bullying.  I think stopping for a bit may not have been the best idea.  I had time to think about how tired I was and how far I still had to go.

We struggled through our "bully run" and got to the park just in time to start our 2nd 5K which was a remembrance run for Holly's uncle Dave.  I must say that I felt pretty stupid running a 5K with a Fuelbelt :D  There were camera men everywhere and I think a news team was doing a story on the run/walk.  I sure as heck hope we don't make the 10 o'clock news wearing our fancy little Fuelbelt's for a 5K. 

(So I typed this post last night but didn't publish it, this was just added)  News flash, I just noticed that I did in fact make the freaking 10:00 news wearing my nerd belt, heaven help me!!  I also realized that I run like a doofus old woman!  I always hoped that my television debut would be on a Bob Harper video or something, not slogging along wearing my Fuelbelt...in a 5K!  I will attempt to link the video, the story is amazing and worth watching...just ignore the idiot who is wearing a Fuelbelt for a 3.1 mile run!  VIDEO

 

I loved looking ahead of me and seeing a sea of white hats.  Dave always ran in a white hat so everyone was encouraged to wear one.  I got a little emotional at one point so I can only imagine what the people who actually knew him were feeling.

I needed something to get my mind off of the fact that I couldn't feel my legs, they were super jello-y and yes that is indeed a word!  I found Fun. on my iPod and listened to a couple of their songs.  Seems how I had finally stopped yakking Holly had time to think about why we were running that last 5K and she got quite emotional.  Crying and running just isn't a good mix.  We finished the race and looked down to see that we were at 19.38...who stops at 19.38?  I'll tell you who doesn't stop and that's me and Holly!  We HAD to even it out to 19.50 just for our own sanity, no we aren't OCD!

I'm glad this is a far away shot cause I seriously looked like DEATH!

I LOVE that they had a remembrance run for Dave.  Holly and I made a deal that if one of us dies an untimely death that the other will arrange a run in her honor.  We decided that we would have both a 5K and a half marathon distance.

Did I happen to mention that today was BEAUTIFUL!  Yep, perfect running weather for sure!

This run was definitely not an easy one but it was an awesome one.  I am so glad that we timed it just right so that we could finish it at the remembrance run.  Having all of the other runners really helped us finish off our run.  We were able to see Holly's amazing family, I don't know if you are aware of this but I am Holly's sista' from another mista'...and misses ;)  I love her family, they are all so kind and welcoming!

They gave out these "Made Better By Dave Henson" bracelets.  I didn't know Dave but just having the opportunity to attend his viewing and seeing the love his family had for him along with knowing that he died trying to save the one he loved, I truly do feel that I am "made better" now! 

I got home just in time to take a super fast shower and then it was off to Kobe's state gymnastics meet.  AirTime took state which was just awesome, GO AIRTIME!  They had an amazing season.  It wasn't Kobe's best meet but he somehow managed to get into the regionals meet which will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 3 weeks.

I picked this picture to show you Kobe's awesome little muscles!  I know the pic is taking up half my blog but I think it's worth it :)

What in the hey howdy hey is there to do in Albuquerque anyways?  I've never been there so if you know of anything wonderful to do there please let me know :)

4th Day of Christmas!

On the 4th day of Christmas Lil' Mama gave to me...a bottle of Sportlegs!  I honestly can not live without these things.  I use them at least twice a week, leg day and on Saturdays which is my long run day.  I did a write up on them many moons ago that I am going to use.  Rest assured I have been using them for almost 2 years, not a mere month which it says in the write up.

What, doesn't everyone decorate their Christmas tree with Sportlegs (they are in the lantern)?  I should really start a decorating blog ;)  You can pin that if you want!

Sportlegs were stuffed in their stocking with care!  Kobe just read that and told me that I'm "so weird!"  Whatever!  He'll really think I'm weird when he gets Sportlegs in his stocking.

I’m sure we have all been excited to go out running but soon after we begin we realize that our legs just don’t want to cooperate, they feel like they weigh 100 lbs. There is no better way to ruin a perfectly good run than to deal with tired legs.

...A month ago I found Sportlegs, I decided to take them on my “leg day” I got done with all of the squats, lunges and a whole array of hard stuff. I then headed into a spin class. I found myself going crazy, I couldn’t feel any pain or discomfort in my legs, usually it is quite difficult to do a spin class or run for that matter after working my legs. I was flying and it felt awesome. (Here's a little side note because what is one of my posts without one?  Today I'm going to a spin certification workshop.  YAY, now the only questions is will I be brave enough to actually teach a class?  I guess we shall see.)  After the 45 minutes of spin I headed out for a quick little run. I did a 5K faster than ever before. I then went home and took another pill to help lessen any soreness that I could have inflicted upon myself. The next day I was sore but it was not near as bad as I thought it was going to be.

The next Saturday was my first 18 miler of the year that was NOT to be completed on the treadmill. I woke up and took Sportlegs. Two weeks previous to this one I had gone on a 17 mile run outside and by mile 14 I just wanted to blink myself home…I was DONE. This time though was a very different story. I felt AMAZING! I think I could have run all day long, my legs weren’t tired at all. I didn’t have anything holding me back. In fact, once I got home and drank my protein shake I went on a 4 mile walk with my kids.  

You will feel that good...no joke!

The good thing about Sportlegs is that you don’t have to take it every day there is no “loading” where you have to take it for a few weeks in order to start noticing its benefits. You take it 1 hour before you start exercising and again after your work out is complete, if you want to help ward off excessive soreness.

I have also started taking them mid-run if I am doing a really long run, like longer than 16 miles.

 Here is what Sportlegs.com has to say about the science behind their amazing product:

Lactate, commonly called lactic acid, is turning out to be seriously amazing stuff. Science no longer regards it as a waste product of anaerobic exercise, as was thought for most of the 20th century. Lactate is now recognized as a key carbohydrate muscle fuel source which muscles produce, exchange and consume both at rest and during exercise. And it's the primary ingredient in Sportlegs. What's alternately termed the Lactate System or Lactic Acid System is now recognized as the primary source of energy for short-term "sprint" activities. Since most competitive sports are nothing more than sequences of sprint activities, lactate remains a focus of current research. For instance, during exercise, it's recently come to light that your blood may actually transport more lactate than glucose to fuel muscles (20). At rest and during light exercise, your muscles balance lactate production and consumption, producing just as much lactate as they consume (21). But kicking up the pace upsets the balance: If you want to keep reading go to their website.

Do you want to know what Nie Nie (that's me) looks like when she drops her Sportlegs at mile 15 of a marathon?  It's not pretty!!!  I had cramped quads for the last 11 miles of a marathon, NOT FUN!  I almost picked my Sportlegs up off of the nasty road but didn't know what kind of disease I would get so I just left them there, not sure that was the best choice!  If you want to read the race recap it is HERE!

That there should go into the Crappy Race Picture Hall of Fame!!

Okay, if you are still awake here is how to enter to win a big 'ol bottle of Sportlegs!

Like Sportlegs on Facebook HERE!

Follow Sportlegs on the Twitter HERE!

Share on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, blah blah blah!

Leave a comment for each thing you do.  You so want these, trust me!!

Follow me on Twitter HERE!

There you have it!

On the 4th day of Christmas Lil' Mama gave to me...a bottle of Sportlegs.

On the 3rd day of Christmas Lil' Mama gave to me...Good2Go protein bars. Ends 17th

On the 2nd day of Christmas Lil' Mama gave to me...a pair Pro Compression. Ends 16th

On the 1st day of Christmas Lil' Mama gave to me...Terra Miaaaaa. Ends 15th

The winner of the Terra Mia giftcard is...

Whitney@FrenchFryRunner.

YAY!!  Please email me your address and I will mail you your prize :)

kyt1976@gmail.com