Playing Catch-Up and some #PROOF

It feels like so long ago that I wrote my last blog post and I just checked the date on the last one... sure enough, it was last Friday!  It has been such a busy few days that I think I will do a bit of a catchup post today... just a couple of things I want to note.

Tuesday, April 10th

The Captain and I did a 4 mile run on a trail that we haven't been running yet this year, waiting for it to dry out more after the winter rains.  We were pleasantly surprised to find it had been graded with fresh gravel and was in great shape.

Almost as soon as we turned onto the trail, from the street entrance, we passed a couple who were stopped and looking up a tree at a woodpecker.  We said hello to them as we passed and they immediately started running behind us and the man asked "What are you training for?" so I answered him.  And, then, thinking I should be polite and interested, I returned the question... and got about a 4 minute answer of all the races they have lined up for the next 2 years!  And then she passed us and he had to sprint a bit to catch up with her.  Several times he looked behind him to see if we were catching up.

It was all so funny.  And I wondered why he assumed we must be training for something.  Couldn't we just be out for a morning run?

Saturday, April 14th

We did a 10 mile run on Saturday morning.  I wanted to do a 'dress rehearsal' of sorts for our race day.  If I decide to take advantage of the early start, it will begin at 7:00 a.m.   So, Saturday, we got up at 5:45 a.m. and both drank a huge glass of water.  Then we had a breakfast of whole wheat bagels slathered with salted chunky peanut butter, a hardboiled egg, and half a navel orange, with one cup of coffee.

I prepared us each a 16 oz. water/nuun drink to pack along in our fuel belts, and long with 2 gels each.  We got dressed in warm gear as it was just above freezing outside.  Then, we left the house at 6:45 a.m. to start the 3 minute walk down the hill to the day's starting point.

It was a pretty good run... we did a mostly-paved urban trail that we have covered on bicycle in the past.  It was an out-and-back and at the turn, we both ate a gel packet. I was so pleased not to get it all over my fingers and clothing!

I felt like I could have drank more water than my 16 oz. bottle held, and in fact, The Captain did give me the last couple of ounces in his. 

I was tired by the time we were done.  This route has a pretty steep incline for the last half mile and no matter how far we have run, it always sorta does me in!  But I was so happy to have it done.  The one thing I will do differently next time, is to share a nuun with The Captain when we first wake up, instead of just drinking a glass of water.

We had lots of water when we got back and had recovery drinks of coconut water/fruit/protein powder while we stretched on the back deck in the sunshine.

The big smile is a sure sign of #PROOF



I had a nice soak in a tub full of hot water and epsom salts and  then we had a busy day shopping and picking up more things for the apartment.

It was a leisurely evening and by 10 o'clock p.m. I was climbing into bed, wearing my Recovery socks.  About an hour later I woke up with a cramp in my left thigh and one in my right calf.  I got The Captain to start a hot bath running, and get me some dill pickle juice in a glass.... I had heard it worked for cramps so decided to try it... it actually tasted pretty good and I sipped about 2 or 3 ounces.  The cramp in my left thigh was gone almost immediately and the hot bath helped the right calf cramp to subside.

I put Tiger Balm on the calf and then put my Tommie Copper calf sleeve on to go back to bed. I slept for about another 2 hours before that cramp kicked up again... this time I just stood up for a couple of minutes and it went away so I crawled back into bed and slept through the rest of the night till 8 a.m.

Monday, April 16th

I jumped out of bed at 6:15 a.m. and turned the computer on and called up the universalsports.com web site to watch their live stream of the Boston Marathon.  At 6:32 I started to panic because my screen was still black and blank.  I was soooo annoyed.

The Captain turned on the tv and started channel surfing through the sports networks.... and found a broadcast on SportNet1 for me.  Thank so much, Captain Dear!  I eagerly watched the elite women's race, and then the push rim finish and the elite men's race, too.  Awesome!

I was so sorry to see that last year's female winner was in a collision with a woman who came right out on the course to hand water to the runners.  Very sad, as although she did seem to recover and get her groove back, she fell back eventually.  Then I heard that last year's male winner only ran 18 miles and then withdrew due to cramping.

But the highlight for me was watching Josh Cassidy, the 27 year old Canadian, from Oakville (Toronto), finish and win the push rim contest, breaking the world record by 2 seconds.  It was amazing wathching his well muscled arms and shoulders power that cycle to the finish line.   Gives me goose bumps when recall it.



Tuesday, April 17th

Today we did a 5 mile run and that same end hill tried to get the best of me!  But I felt so much better and stronger after these 5 miles than I did after the first 5 miles of our 10 mile run on Saturday.  That gives me a lot of confidence.

We completed the 5 miles in 58 minutes and that is a PR for me. I am thrilled to have done it in under 60 minutes!

We discussed this coming weekend's 11 mile run.  The Captain would like to run the same trail that we did last Saturday... just adding half a mile at the turn around end.  But then we talked about this darn hill and how I would like to avoid it... so I am going to map us a route on that same trail, that goes farther than that half mile, so that it can END before the last hill.  We can walk that hill when we are done, just making our after run walk that several minutes longer.  I am sure it will be a better finish and I won't be so wiped when it is done.  Aren't I just so clever?

And....

I am really loving the NeoCell Collagen Sport whey protein powder.  Today I used a scoop of it in my smoothie, along with a banana, 1/4 cup of frozen mixed berries and 1 Tbs of chia seeds.  It looked so pretty I thought it warranted a wine glass!



Don't forget about my Collagen Sport giveaway.  I would love for you to be able to try it out, too.



Did you catch Boston Fever?

Are you running this week?

What do you think of the pickle juice for easing cramps theory?  Ever tried it?