Training has started...finally

What is new with training and life in the Andres house….

back yard bonfires

Monday May 5^th was the start of my marathon training…week 1 was just adjusting to a new schedule and seeing what works or what needs to be shifted.  Also, nutrition was my number one focus.  I really need to start getting real with myself and put as much energy into healthy choices like I do my training sessions.  

Mother's Day pic with my boys

Sunday, May 11^th, Mother’s day, marked the official start of my run training to Chicago.  I kicked it off with a nice long 20 mile run averaging a 7:30 pace.  I’m planning to work off a 5 week cycle which I repeat 4x and then take a 2 week taper.  I love trying to new training methods and tweaking them to make them my own.  Over the winter I read several different books on marathon training - Daniels’ Running Formula, Hanson’s Marathon Method, Run Faster from the 5k to Marathon, and Running for Women.  They are all great books which I learned something from each one.  The 5 week cycle is something I’m trying for the Daniels’ book.  The reason I like this one is I get to pick the workouts I do and the weekly structure stays pretty much the same. 

Run for the Lakes marathon was my 20^th marathon I’ve ran.  It really doesn’t feel like I have run 20 already.  There are so many more on my Bucket List I want to do.  The reason I picked the Run for the Lakes marathon was to give myself a wakeup call as to what it takes to run an open marathon and then to realize what it will take for me to run a 2:39 marathon.  In my opinion, an open marathon is harder than the marathon after a 112 mile bike ride during an IM.  

The race itself went better than I anticipated.  Probably because I had Lee and all 5 boys cruising by and handing me anything I may need every few miles.  Wyatt even ran mile 23 with me and I don’t think he will realize how important that mile was to me.  I was struggling and he just kept saying…”You got this Mom…You’re doing great Mom…You’re almost done and you’re going to win”.  

Riley and Wyatt running to the finish line with me at the end of the marathon.

The only thing I took in on a regular basis during the marathon was MAP (master amino pattern) and water.  The second loop the boys had coke for me and I had a few drinks, but otherwise that was it.  No GI issues anymore since I’ve changed my race day nutrition.  

I use Extreme Endurance which really helps with recovery time.  On Monday I felt great and was able to start easy jogging on Monday.  After I crossed the finished line I made a conscious effort to start recovery.  My training hadn’t been what I had wanted and the running mileage wasn’t where I wanted it to be so taking care of me was one of the keys in getting back to running as soon as possible.  I’ve learned what I do in those 24 hours after a race makes a big difference in how I feel the week after the race.  My recovery protocol works for me….it starts before the race starts with upping my extreme endurance, and then making sure I spend time walking throughout the day once the race is over.  I send my legs up the wall, do Epsom salt soaks, wear compression, put on magnesium lotion, and take MAP, roll, and stay active walking. Good nutrition and hydration are part of it too. 

Yep...legs up the wall.  This has to be the best recovery.

Yikes!  It was a scary moment when I pulled my race belt out of the box containing all my racing gear from Kona.  Too many cookies!  Right then and there negative thoughts crept in and I started thinking how I am going to run 26.2 miles with all this extra weight.  I’ve said this in previous blog posts about finding balance with training and all the other parts of life can be hard to do.  When I was training for Kona I wasn’t balanced at all.  In my opinion, to race where I wanted to race I needed to be towards the pointy end of training.  Lee and the boys made sacrifices for me to get in my training and I made lots of sacrifices for myself.  Once Kona was done I needed to swing the pendulum of life in the other direction and take care of them for a while.  I guess I like to bake cookies when I take care of people. 

Seriously...cookie problems

So as I stood there adjusting my race belt bigger and bigger I said to myself –
I’m still strong…anything is possible…the last 6 miles are all mental anyway. 

I went on to win the women’s’ race in 3:05 setting a new CR by almost 10 minutes.  

Speaking at Riverside Elementary… I had the honor to speak to all the students at Riverside Elementary on Work Ethic.  It was a short 10 minute little talk, but I so loved talking to all those little kids.  One thing all kids need to hear more is…Dream Big dreams and be a hard worker.  Anything is possible.  As adults we are sometimes so quick to think about all the obstacles and tell other people, kids, and ourselves the reasons why something won’t work.  This drives me crazy!  If someone tells me it’s not possible I will literally go out and do whatever it is just to prove them wrong.  I’m more about thinking of the ways to make it work rather than discussing all the possible obstacles which may make it harder.  I love those challenges and when they are conquered the finish line is that much sweeter.  

Wyatt and I kayaking in LaJolla

San Diego with Wyatt…We had so much fun!  San Diego was beautiful and we had sunshine each day. I’m so glad I took the time to take these trips with each of my boys.  They are moments I will never forget and memories I will always have with me.  Westin already has his planned for next year.  He picked Boston and going to a Red Sox game and a Bruins game.   

One of my favorite things to do in a new city is find a local farmers market.  We found one on our first day.  My other favorite thing to do in a new city is run. 

Our last day we found time to take out the Segway.

Break from masters classes….I have a 5 week break from when spring semester ended until summer starts.  I have 4 classes this summer.  My summer classes are short…4 weeks, but still a semesters worth of work in those 4 weeks.  So when June 9^th rolls around it will be a crazy 4 weeks.  Then three more semesters and I’ll be done.  I’m not spending more than 5 semesters getting this done.  I would rather have a bigger workload for a short period of time rather than a lighter load for a longer period of time.  Plus, I have so many other things I want to get back to…. like another Ironman right after the Olympic Trials and an epic bike ride in the Colorado Mountains.  The boys want to go back to Kona when they are old enough to all rent mopeds.  That will be 2016 so I better re-think my races these next couple years so I can be in Kona racing in 2016.  

The training room….my new room.  I love my little corner of space in our house.  I love being in there on my bike and on my treadmill.  It’s my space to just listen to my body and train my mind to push past limits and create new ones. 

Over the winter I ordered myself a ring with the words…No Regrets.  It’s the same two words I have on my bike and two words I try to live by.  To me, No Regrets means taking that one more step when it just doesn’t seem possible, it means when every piece of me wants to quit and walk…I take one more step.  It means when something scares the crap out of me I need to at least give it a try it.  I never want to look back on my life when I’m old and gray and say…I wish I would have…

My new favorite crazy eating thing is making a wrap out of Nori Sheet.  I’ve made them with scrambled eggs and veggies or sardines and tomatoes with avocado. YUM!  Seriously give it a try.  It’s super healthy and good. 

Next race is Grandmas half marathon.  This race will be a good gauge for me to check-in with my training and see how things are going.  It’s crazy to think it’s only about a month away. 

Looking forward to summer ….  We are doing a family backpack/camping trip up by the boundary waters after school is out.  Then I’m looking forward to Grandma’s half and the Voyager 50 miler in July. 

New favorite book…  It’s Never Too Late by Dallas Clayton.  It’s a kid’s book for adults.  I found it when Wyatt and I were in San Diego and I just love the message…It’s never too late to tell someone you care, to start something new, to appreciate life.

 

I just had to post this picture....this is what pizza and movie night looks like at the Andres house.  I believe it was 5 pizzas 3 boxes of wings, and a box of bread.  Do you notice the strawberries in the corner.  I try;)