Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
freedom run 2010
Angie again...
Last weekend Suzanne and I decided (pretty much a few days before) that we were going to run the Freedom Half Marathon. Bad idea for me- being that I had trained one week of the previous three (due to a road trip and a week off after my last race). But I decided I'd give it a go and just take it easy. That turned out to be easier said than done.
This race boasts bunches and bunches of downhill, and only 700 something feet of incline. I was thinking it would be a breeze (like our race in august will be). But no- it was brutal downhill, then very steep uphill, followed by more brutal downhill, etc. The beginning of the race was all downhill, and it was so steep that we ran the first 4 miles in just over 30 minutes. For all of you math freaks, that's a 7 and a half minute mile. Then we turned a corner and up it went- straight up. I swear, the inclined hills were pretty much impossible to run, so we walked them. Then we'd hit a downhill and go kamakaze, trying to watch our steps so we didn't fall on our faces. It was crazy, and let's just say that I'll never sign up for that race again. I prefer a race on more level ground.
That being said, it was great to see Suzanne. And how did we do? Well, I started walking after a few hills around m mile 7 and watched Suzanne fade into the distance (nice bum, where ya from?). Once I started walking, it was pretty much over from there on out. I'd run about a half mile and then walk for about 30 seconds. S did awesome and finished quite a bit earlier than me (I'll let her post and tell you more about it), and I finished just under 2:06. I thought I did a lot worse than that, but it turns out that running really fast down steep hills will help you make up a lot of that walking time!
I did get a great belly shirt out of it, though. Seriously- it's that short. Maybe I shouldn't have joked about getting belly shirts for the August race- it's come back to bite me. But the biggest disappointment is that it's a good looking shirt! Ayzha happily wears it for me.
Last weekend Suzanne and I decided (pretty much a few days before) that we were going to run the Freedom Half Marathon. Bad idea for me- being that I had trained one week of the previous three (due to a road trip and a week off after my last race). But I decided I'd give it a go and just take it easy. That turned out to be easier said than done.
This race boasts bunches and bunches of downhill, and only 700 something feet of incline. I was thinking it would be a breeze (like our race in august will be). But no- it was brutal downhill, then very steep uphill, followed by more brutal downhill, etc. The beginning of the race was all downhill, and it was so steep that we ran the first 4 miles in just over 30 minutes. For all of you math freaks, that's a 7 and a half minute mile. Then we turned a corner and up it went- straight up. I swear, the inclined hills were pretty much impossible to run, so we walked them. Then we'd hit a downhill and go kamakaze, trying to watch our steps so we didn't fall on our faces. It was crazy, and let's just say that I'll never sign up for that race again. I prefer a race on more level ground.
That being said, it was great to see Suzanne. And how did we do? Well, I started walking after a few hills around m mile 7 and watched Suzanne fade into the distance (nice bum, where ya from?). Once I started walking, it was pretty much over from there on out. I'd run about a half mile and then walk for about 30 seconds. S did awesome and finished quite a bit earlier than me (I'll let her post and tell you more about it), and I finished just under 2:06. I thought I did a lot worse than that, but it turns out that running really fast down steep hills will help you make up a lot of that walking time!
I did get a great belly shirt out of it, though. Seriously- it's that short. Maybe I shouldn't have joked about getting belly shirts for the August race- it's come back to bite me. But the biggest disappointment is that it's a good looking shirt! Ayzha happily wears it for me.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
exercise update and other stuff (noelle here... again)
I am maintaining the blog. And then this is it for me, because it's starting to get lonely around here without you guys making yourselves heard. Just posted a status update on my own blog. See here, if interested:
exercising while pregnant: 23 weeks
So okay. A little update on the food/weight loss issue. I thought it would be good to let you know that (according to the American Council on Exercise) we actually need to exercise at moderate intensity for about 420 minutes a week (that's 7 hours a week of moderately intense exercise - or equivalent to a brisk walk) in order to maintain a healthy body weight. However, running can be considered higher intensity, so it might be safe to say that 3 1/2 hours of high intensity exercise (such as jogging/running) each week will maintain a healthy body weight. But how we feed our bodies constitutes the majority of what happens to our bodies. To me, "diet" is a four-letter word. Starving ourselves only puts our bodies into "famine mode" and being the good Mormons that we are, we (ahem) "store up." It's the natural consequence. (See? Even nature believes in emergency preparedness.)
But now I hate meal plans. I don't stick to them, and food needs to be convenient. But the best advice I ever heard from a nutritionist friend was: "Eat 7 to 8 servings of veggies and fruits each day and drink at least two glasses of water first thing in the morning." I try to always keep apples and bananas on my kitchen counter and I prepare a green salad (with romaine lettuce and whatever other vegetables I might have lying around - broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, etc.) at the beginning of the week and put it in a large ziploc bag to be eaten throughout the week. Plus, Bruce always likes to eat a salad with his meal every night. Whether we had salmon or chicken the night before or I feel like making some hard-boiled eggs, then I can easily throw a few ounces over the salad with balsamic vinaigrette and there's lunch.
Of course, last week I had apple pie for lunch two days in a row and nothing else. But you know what? I felt really good about it, and in the end, that's all that matters. Moderation in all things, I say.
p.s. Less than six weeks until we rendezvous on a trail in Provo in sports bras and running shoes. Can. not. wait. Those of you leaving this week? I already miss you.
exercising while pregnant: 23 weeks
So okay. A little update on the food/weight loss issue. I thought it would be good to let you know that (according to the American Council on Exercise) we actually need to exercise at moderate intensity for about 420 minutes a week (that's 7 hours a week of moderately intense exercise - or equivalent to a brisk walk) in order to maintain a healthy body weight. However, running can be considered higher intensity, so it might be safe to say that 3 1/2 hours of high intensity exercise (such as jogging/running) each week will maintain a healthy body weight. But how we feed our bodies constitutes the majority of what happens to our bodies. To me, "diet" is a four-letter word. Starving ourselves only puts our bodies into "famine mode" and being the good Mormons that we are, we (ahem) "store up." It's the natural consequence. (See? Even nature believes in emergency preparedness.)
But now I hate meal plans. I don't stick to them, and food needs to be convenient. But the best advice I ever heard from a nutritionist friend was: "Eat 7 to 8 servings of veggies and fruits each day and drink at least two glasses of water first thing in the morning." I try to always keep apples and bananas on my kitchen counter and I prepare a green salad (with romaine lettuce and whatever other vegetables I might have lying around - broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, etc.) at the beginning of the week and put it in a large ziploc bag to be eaten throughout the week. Plus, Bruce always likes to eat a salad with his meal every night. Whether we had salmon or chicken the night before or I feel like making some hard-boiled eggs, then I can easily throw a few ounces over the salad with balsamic vinaigrette and there's lunch.
Of course, last week I had apple pie for lunch two days in a row and nothing else. But you know what? I felt really good about it, and in the end, that's all that matters. Moderation in all things, I say.
p.s. Less than six weeks until we rendezvous on a trail in Provo in sports bras and running shoes. Can. not. wait. Those of you leaving this week? I already miss you.
Friday, June 25, 2010
new tunes (noelle here)
I put together a new playlist last night. If you're interested...
Put Your Hands On Me - Joss Stone
American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
Please Don't Leave Me - P!ink
Beautiful Girls - Sean Kingston
Wonderful Night - Fatboy Slim
Check Yes Juliet - We the Kings
Love the Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna) - Eminem
Hip Hop Is Dead - Nas featuring Will.I.Am
Diva - Beyonce
Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) - Jay-Z
All the Above (feat. T-Pain) - Maino -------------> Love this beat so much for a run.
Cobrastyle - Robyn
Sweet Dreams - Beyonce
When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls
I Don't Care - Fall Out Boy
Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast version
Only You (Extended Twist Mix) - Captain Jack
Animal - Neon Trees
The Sun Always Shines on TV - Milk Inc.
Starlight - Muse
Here (In Your Arms) - Hellogoodbye
Love Story - Taylor Swift
Be My Baby - Glitzzi Girlz Band
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - A*Teens
Who's Got Your Money - Tina Parol
Somebody To Love - Glee Cast version
Zero Gravity Love - Freeworm
My Game - Darude
Big Girls Don't Cry - Nick Skitz
Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
Angel - Natasha Bedingfield
Say (All I Need) - OneRepublic
Famous Last Words - My Chemical Romance
James Bond Theme - Moby
Heaven Is A Place on Earth - Becky Baeling
In Love With You - Freestylers
I Like the Way (Radio Edit) - Bodyrockers
Runaway - Cascada
Worn Me Down - Rachel Yamagata
This Kiss - Faith Hill
Switch - Will Smith
Only You - Train
Forca - Nelly Furtado
I'm sure I'll put together a new one in another month... just in time for our media maraton. xo.
Put Your Hands On Me - Joss Stone
American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
Please Don't Leave Me - P!ink
Beautiful Girls - Sean Kingston
Wonderful Night - Fatboy Slim
Check Yes Juliet - We the Kings
Love the Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna) - Eminem
Hip Hop Is Dead - Nas featuring Will.I.Am
Diva - Beyonce
Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) - Jay-Z
All the Above (feat. T-Pain) - Maino -------------> Love this beat so much for a run.
Cobrastyle - Robyn
Sweet Dreams - Beyonce
When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls
I Don't Care - Fall Out Boy
Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast version
Only You (Extended Twist Mix) - Captain Jack
Animal - Neon Trees
The Sun Always Shines on TV - Milk Inc.
Starlight - Muse
Here (In Your Arms) - Hellogoodbye
Love Story - Taylor Swift
Be My Baby - Glitzzi Girlz Band
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - A*Teens
Who's Got Your Money - Tina Parol
Somebody To Love - Glee Cast version
Zero Gravity Love - Freeworm
My Game - Darude
Big Girls Don't Cry - Nick Skitz
Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
Angel - Natasha Bedingfield
Say (All I Need) - OneRepublic
Famous Last Words - My Chemical Romance
James Bond Theme - Moby
Heaven Is A Place on Earth - Becky Baeling
In Love With You - Freestylers
I Like the Way (Radio Edit) - Bodyrockers
Runaway - Cascada
Worn Me Down - Rachel Yamagata
This Kiss - Faith Hill
Switch - Will Smith
Only You - Train
Forca - Nelly Furtado
I'm sure I'll put together a new one in another month... just in time for our media maraton. xo.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
to eat or not to eat
Angie here.
I just read Marianne's post from Monday, and I also felt like I had to confess. Is this turning in to more of an "overeating runners" blog than we first had anticipated? I, too, thought that running would just make the fat melt off my body. After all, you burn an amazing amount of calories, right? So why the weight gain? (Only a few pounds, mind you.) It's definitely the eating habits.
I'm positive that most of it is mental. "Oh- I ran 6 miles today- I can eat whatever I want" pops into my head at least once a week. Most of the time those thoughts stay in my subconscious, but they're there, and they're real.
After dieting it up for a few weeks in May ( I allowed myself to eat what I wanted, but only about 1500-1700 calories a day), I learned something important. I ran out of energy early on my runs for those weeks. I tended to cut the runs short, and to walk when before I would have run. The fact of the matter is that we DO need to eat more calories to sustain our heavy workouts, especially if we're training like we should- the problem is that we tend to eat the naughty foods more than we do healthy ones. And when it comes to that- I'm absolutely no help.
But if you need any advice on how to carb-load the day before the race (or any other day of your lives, really), I'm only a phone call away.
Food for thought: I weigh 150 pounds. The reason I tell you that is because that qualifies me to run in the "Athena" category of marathons- where the 150 + people rank. Surprisingly enough, I came in second on that list in last week's half marathon! I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing- but maybe, also subconsciously, I eat to maintain my girth so that I can set records as an Athena.
I just read Marianne's post from Monday, and I also felt like I had to confess. Is this turning in to more of an "overeating runners" blog than we first had anticipated? I, too, thought that running would just make the fat melt off my body. After all, you burn an amazing amount of calories, right? So why the weight gain? (Only a few pounds, mind you.) It's definitely the eating habits.
I'm positive that most of it is mental. "Oh- I ran 6 miles today- I can eat whatever I want" pops into my head at least once a week. Most of the time those thoughts stay in my subconscious, but they're there, and they're real.
After dieting it up for a few weeks in May ( I allowed myself to eat what I wanted, but only about 1500-1700 calories a day), I learned something important. I ran out of energy early on my runs for those weeks. I tended to cut the runs short, and to walk when before I would have run. The fact of the matter is that we DO need to eat more calories to sustain our heavy workouts, especially if we're training like we should- the problem is that we tend to eat the naughty foods more than we do healthy ones. And when it comes to that- I'm absolutely no help.
But if you need any advice on how to carb-load the day before the race (or any other day of your lives, really), I'm only a phone call away.
Food for thought: I weigh 150 pounds. The reason I tell you that is because that qualifies me to run in the "Athena" category of marathons- where the 150 + people rank. Surprisingly enough, I came in second on that list in last week's half marathon! I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing- but maybe, also subconsciously, I eat to maintain my girth so that I can set records as an Athena.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Eating Tips
Marianne here:
So, let's get straight to the matter. My running is coming along and is on schedule. My little watch thing says that I burn around 550 calories every 6 miles. So you would think that my weight would be dropping like a brick . . . NOT! The easy way out is to say that I'm building sooooooo much muscle that my weight stays the same.
But the reality is that I can exercise all day long, but I can't get my eating under control. Every day I wake up and say that today is going to be the day that I refrain from eating all that stuff you are supposed to avoid. And then every night I vow that tomorrow will be better. Like today, for instance. I'm having the missionaries over for comida - so after I ate my healthy oatmeal, I started making chocolate chip cookies to give them a taste of home. Big mistake. It is now 1:30 pm and all I've eaten is cookie dough without chocolate chips, cookie dough with chocolate chips and cooked cookies. This is confession big time.
Who out there has discipline tips? Ways to stay on a healthy eating plan? I'm thinking my only option is to not buy ANYTHING that isn't a fruit, vegetable or protein and make my family suffer right along with me. Little S is going to able to last about 30 minutes if that.
Calling out an S.O.S.
Marianne :)
So, let's get straight to the matter. My running is coming along and is on schedule. My little watch thing says that I burn around 550 calories every 6 miles. So you would think that my weight would be dropping like a brick . . . NOT! The easy way out is to say that I'm building sooooooo much muscle that my weight stays the same.
But the reality is that I can exercise all day long, but I can't get my eating under control. Every day I wake up and say that today is going to be the day that I refrain from eating all that stuff you are supposed to avoid. And then every night I vow that tomorrow will be better. Like today, for instance. I'm having the missionaries over for comida - so after I ate my healthy oatmeal, I started making chocolate chip cookies to give them a taste of home. Big mistake. It is now 1:30 pm and all I've eaten is cookie dough without chocolate chips, cookie dough with chocolate chips and cooked cookies. This is confession big time.
Who out there has discipline tips? Ways to stay on a healthy eating plan? I'm thinking my only option is to not buy ANYTHING that isn't a fruit, vegetable or protein and make my family suffer right along with me. Little S is going to able to last about 30 minutes if that.
Calling out an S.O.S.
Marianne :)
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