How to run a 50k with no actual training, in 11 easy steps!!

I think the best advice that I can give on this particular subject is "don't."

That being said, if you just want to throw caution to the wind (as I do) and run the ever loving f**k out of your legs just for kicks, then here is how to do it.

(note: for those of you who might be new to me, I'm obviously 100% full of shit. Never, EVER come to me for advice!! Training for endurance races is actually serious business, and even though I did not *train* specifically for this event, I have been running decent mileage for a number of years, and thus, can pull stunts like this and remain intact. Please do NOT attempt this if you have never run before!! Dear Lord!!)

But yes, I did just complete a 50K at Pineland yesterday. Totally unplanned. 100% spontaneous.
No, I really, REALLY did not train for this (as any of you who follow me on Strava are sure to have noticed.)
Also, I really did pull the trigger on this one the moment before online registration closed. So yeah, last minute.
So, now that I am an expert on how to almost win (or get like, 100th place) at a 50K, on junk miles only training, I have written up this handy dandy guide.

Today's blog is brought to you by the giant *rooster*

Step 1 for running a 50k, untrained: Pick the right weather day (meaning, you must wait until 24 hours before to sign up. #planning)
The REAL reason that I decided to participate was to capitalize on the ideal weather. 58 degrees, cloudy, breezy. The only thing missing was some heavy rain!! This is KEY because if you plan ahead, and your race ends up being on a 90 degree day, it will be awful for you. So no planning ahead, just wing it.

The face of a highly prepared woman.

Step 2: Have a rock solid training plan:
Or.... Marathon train all winter and then run junk miles all Spring. When you don't actually have anything to train for, junk miles are key. I ran some crap miles all last week before (first) being lazy for a day or two and (then) deciding that "lazy" was a good "taper" because, obviously. I ran 26.2 miles back in April some point, and that was obviously *instrumental* in getting me to the start of this adventure. (I need a sarcastic face emoji, for right here.)

Step 3: Give yourself a ton of time to prepare at the start, because everyone is *so* competitive: 
Well.... I didn't give myself a ton of time, but I did make it to the start before the gun went off. (shut up Danielle and Sarah.) As I drove in, I saw the 50 milers loping along through the hayfields, already well into their day (no thanks. but I was pleased not to see the 50k-ers starting without me.)
There was a good sized crowd lined up for the 50k, and while I did my best to line up as far back as possible, people kept moving back in line to get into last position. So, I would move farther back. And then they would. I would then move back even farther. And then they would... on and on this went, until the announcer basically yelled at people to get up to the start line!

Just let me start at the back!

Step 4: Know the damn terrain that you will be running on.
(FYI: I actually knew quite a bit about this particular aspect.)
Pineland is a hilly stupid farm. This is the only difficult part of running any of their races. While they are "trail" races, what that means for this location is running on dirt roads (like atv, or very wide xc ski trails) and wide, mowed grass paths. There is not one step of challenging single track terrain. No large rock faces to scramble over, no stream crossings. You even run on pavement for a hot minute.
It's like trail running for city folk. (like, trail shoes totally optional.)
HOWEVER. The easy appearance of the footing doesn't mean it is an easy walk in the park (hay field). The hills are quite relentless, with the elevation for the 50k coming it at over 3k'. There are definitely a few steep hills, and if you aren't careful they will smack you in the face your second trip around! Also, the hay fields are all cambered and your will always be running with one leg rather lower than the other (my left leg calls shenanigans on this every time I run this race.)
Anyway. I know that Pineland kind of sucks, so my 24 hours of preparation allowed me to mentally achieve zen, to embrace the suck.

Hilly Field. ALL ALONE!!!

Step 5: Have a (mental) turn by turn directional guide for how you will run each mile of the course.
Well. I knew that I was going to show up. Check!
I planned to run 25k for sure.
I thought then I would run around the first "loop" again, and then bail. Or walk. Or maybe something entirely different. I got bored for a while at mile 8 and thought maybe I'd just stop then.
Who could really know.
I figured I would run, at some speed, until I was over it. (winning here, as usual.)
Luckily, at Pineland you don't need *actual* turn by turn directions, because it is impossible to get lost. If you go off course, you will end up in with the cows.

Happy cows

Step 6: Nail the nutrition and hydration 
(I totally did) 
Right away, like at mile 3 I began to get hungry. This is never a great sign that early on, but I was pretty well stocked and planned to use the excellent aid stations. Over the years I have become much (MUCH) better at eating and drinking while running, and actually consider myself to be quite an expert in that area.
Over the course of the race I consumed:
-2 bottles of water (I carry one in my flip belt, and I refilled it half way through)
-Quite a few small cups of gatorade, starting at the half way point. I do not train with gatorade but I was parched and water wasn't doing the trick.
-2.5 bananas. I hate bananas. But I like them during very big runs (weird) I also will not eat unpeeled bananas that other hands have touched (gross) so I was VERY VERY HAPPY that the aid stations happily gave me some nice, whole, clean ones.
-a few little cups of pickles. YUM. (and only from the aid stations that had individual cups of snacks. No snack trough for this lady.
-peanut butter filled pretzels (a very good choice)
-one tiny cup of ice cold coke
-5 packets of untapped syrup, which is the gold standard for race fuel as far as I am concerned (I have used it exclusively for a year, and can't sing the praises loud enough.)
The moral of the story is that I might have been hungry for a hot minute, but I refused to stay that way.
I also refused to run doing the pee dance, and I stopped to pee 3 times.

Step 7: Don't be a jackass
Don't try to run fast. Ever, not even one step. Or, do. But don't say I didn't warn you!
During my first 50k I bolted off like a madwoman and paid the price.
Don't be me (of 2013), don't be that guy. If you normally run a marathon on the road, at an 8:00 pace (assuming, of course that you are not secretly an elite trail runner, undercover) plan to add actual honest to God minutes to your per mile pace. I ran an 11:20 pace, (which, of course took into account my 5+ minutes of stopped time, as it does/should.)
Even though I walked up every hill during both laps, I was still pretty friggin creaky for the last few miles.
Also, if you are going too fast you will not be able to take selfies, and snaps.

The all important selfie

Step 8: Wear the right kit
Don't wear the shorts that chafe your lady bits, even if they do have the best pockets.
Consider wearing your trail shoes maybe once (this year) before running 30 miles.
So, this segment of the program is basically "what not to do".  Heed my warnings.

Step 9: Prepare for things to not feel all that great at some point. Prepare to carry on.
I actually felt just fine for the vast majority of this run. I felt a little foggy just after the half way point, so I walked, had a big snack, and then felt good again.
I began to feel the impact of the mileage around 20, but did not feel sore until 24. And then it got pretty unpleasant. (I was just sore though, I mentally felt good, and my stomach was great.)
But the real TMI moment? Ready? So, as mentioned, my lady-parts-region (although, thank heavens not my *actual* lady bits) became super nasty chafed. And (as we all know) I have this really big fibroid. I had to pee late in the race, and I sneezed and peed just the littlest bit (as one does, shut up). My chafing burned like the fire of 1,000 suns and it was a horrible moment. The worst! (so, I pulled over immediately and peed.) Clearly the advice here is simple: don't pee yourself.

Step 10: Don't expect to win the race if you haven't trained. 
I, however, would not expect to win the race even if I HAD trained, so what's the difference, really?
While I did not win the race, I ran very close to the time that I predicted for myself. I expected to take 6 hours, and I managed 5:47 (about 40 minutes slower than my *best* 50k at Pineland effort.)
Really, the training for a 50k is pretty unpleasant, so I almost prefer the slower time, as completely skipping the training is pretty great! Fuck it! I'm not going to train at all for anything, anymore!

Not winning! Not caring!

Step 11: Because 10 is not enough, when the advice is of this elite caliber: 
Prepare to have a nice day. Really.
If I had ceased to have a nice day, I would have walked my ass back to my car and gone to get some pizza.
But, I did have a nice time. The weather was very pleasant. I enjoyed a perfect mix of running alone (which I like, when I am not pushing for a fast pace) and running with some very nice people. (Hi Mari and Haley!) I enjoyed looking at the cows, and the scenery (and the never ending hills..)
I enjoyed collecting my big green bell, even thought they tried to give me a tiny stupid one. I was like, "nope, I get a BIG bell, yo."

Big green bell

So there you have it. A very comprehensive guide to doing something that *in real life* requires quite a bit of training, with no training at all.

The best news? I'm really none the worse for it. My chafing has already retreated, and my legs are marathon level sore, nothing too extreme! I now plan to retire the 50k distance for a few more years, when I may actually put forth a modicum of training effort (or not, tbh. I felt pretty ok about how this run went!)

Eastern States 20, and week 12 wrap up.

Since The Eastern States 20 was the most interesting run of the week, I shall begin there.

This was my 3rd time participating in this race, and I continue feel that it is an excellent Boston lead up.

Despite some truly ominous weather predictions (sleet! freezing rain! 8-10 inches of snow!!) the day dawned clear and as mild as they get this year.

Not bad

Eric ran the 13.1, so we had to make the trip to New Hampshire early. We both boarded busses, mine taking me to Kittery and Eric's heading to Rye.

This was actually an ideal pre-Boston situation. Get up early to catch a bus, to a place where you wait around for hours, and then begin your run at 11:00! Sounds familiar.

Really fancy throwaway sweater from 2004

I must say, getting to the start early means NO potty line. After last years pee-behind-a-shed situation, this was rather nice.

Holy shit. No line for the shitters. 

The weather at the start was 35 and sunny, totally decent (and as good as it was going to get.)
(by the time I got to Mass, it was completely overcast and 29. Still not terrible but pretty chilly.)

Not bad

Oh did I mention that I had caught a cold? I was very much hoping that I would wake up on Sunday to find it gone (even though it had just shown up...) As luck would have it, Sunday was the worst day. I felt moderately junky, but since I had no fever and no cough I concluded that I simply must suck it up.

Heading to the start, the transition from warm air to cold caused my nose to SLAM the doors shut on air intake. This was not ideal. The first 3 miles of the race were just awful, I made the call to drop at the first aid station (mile 4) if things did not get better.

Things got better. So on I ran, once more able to breathe.

I took a nice picture. The weather was really nice for a while. Not too cold, not windy, nice and sunny. *so unusual for winter 2017*

It's actually only an ok picture... I was running. 

I stopped to pee at mile 7 because I have a tiny bladder.

Other than the first few horrible miles, nothing exciting happened at all. I did get some peanut M&M's from the mile 15 aid station, since peanut m&m's are delicious. That was pretty exciting.

I told Eric that my goal pace was 8:45, and my pace ended up being 8:38 which is CLOSE ENOUGH. I ran a negative split which makes me happy. My last mile was a 7:59 because I am an elite athlete (actually, it was because the weather had become much colder and I wanted to be done.)

As you can see, the weather went downhill...

Despite my slightly ill condition, I could have continued for 6 more miles at that pace (8:38's NOT 7:59's!)
My legs and stomach and everything felt just fine post race, and I was not even one bit sore because it is FLAT AS A PANCAKE there.
I was happy with the outcome, but more happy to get on a warm bus, and into a warmer ballroom and to have some warm soup!

Done, and happy!

Clearly, I did not run this race at the speedy clip that I did last year.

There are three reasons for my epic decline:
1: I am not as fit.
2: If I had seen numbers in the low 8's, I was going to rein it in. (I did not expect that to happen though.)
3: Sick, not feeling that super.

Mostly, reason 1 is the reason. And I give zero fucks. I'm actually in great shape and couldn't care less. I feel good about where I'm at, and not all races need to be PR races.

AND I had an amazing post race beer. Unfortunately, I have NO recollection of the exact name of this beer. But I had it at the Sebago Brewery in Scarborough, and it is a limited edition stout.

PERFECT

Backing up now, to the early part of the week.

It was cold and WINDY AF, and I ran bitch hills (my best bitch hill run of the cycle.)

STILL SNOWY

I ran 3x2 mile repeats and it was COLD AND WINDY AF.

SO damn cold. STOP. 

I got awesome mail!!! My runners passport AND sweet crow singlet arrived!!

Awessssurrrrrme! 

Overall, it was another very good week of training. The weather was, at times, jarringly cold and windy, as has been the theme lately.
Onward now, to the final week of big mileage.

Weekly stats: 
Miles run: 51.5
Longest run: 20
Other: THREE core/strength workouts. That should do the trick ;-)
Wildlife sightings: Seagulls, ducks, 1 cow, squirrels acting insane, 1 billion turkeys
Low/High temps: 11/45 (apparently there was one warm day. who knows when)
How am I feeling? I was feeling really solid, and then *boom* caught a cold
Beer of the week: The mystery stout from Sebago

A big training recap! And questions for my readers too...

I think I have been promising my readers a training overview for about three years. Maybe 4. Who's counting.
Since I KNOW all three of you are just dying to know how it's done, here it is: My amazing workout routine. Or: How I continue to lock down my middle of the pack success!

Believe it or not, at this point I am close to being done with this training cycle. I only have about 10 more days of hard training before tapering begins!
(I just had to check my calendar to see if that is really true. It is.)

This cycle has felt fast, and it has felt good! After the arduous torture that came with Summer training last year for Hartford, most of my workouts to this point have had a much better feeling.
*except for the first 2 weeks, when a 9:30 pace felt like a flat out sprint, WOOF*

Yes, this time around has been a little different. I started off in the worst running shape I have been in, in years. (this was due to a SERIOUS case of the blahs after Hartford, and then the November Disney races. I was done. Over it. FRIED.)

So, I did what any normal person would have done this past winter. I took time off. I ran about 15 miles a week (on good weeks) became even more lazy because I was on a break, my legs were miserable because they actually like to run, and I certainly felt more gross post break than I had before. GROSS. UGH. Lazy does not suit me.

Due to the hot mess outlined above, I reached the conclusion that I needed to make my marathon training fun enough so that I never again quit all forms of movement post race.

I also gave myself 15 weeks to train, so that I could slowly increase my mileage and avoid breaking both my legs, my feet and possibly my rapidly aging hips. Gotta stay healthy, yo.

So what has been different this time?
(well, for starters cold weather training is just better for me than heat training. the end.)
-We have had plenty of cold weather.
-I will only complete 2 weeks at or above 50 miles during this cycle.
-I will only run one 20 miler....
-I decided, that if any run made me feel as crappy as MANY of my pre Hartford runs did, that I would STOP the workout. Thus far, no issues have caused me to pull the plug.
-I have been lucky to have a wonderful variety of long runs- different scenery, using races as training runs, having Eric along for some miles. All these things have kept the burnout at bay.
-Oh! I took a cutback week at a good time (a few weeks ago) A wise move that has kept me from counting down the days until taper. Until today when I had to count, for this blog.

What do my actual training runs consist of?
(if you don't run, this is about to GET SO BORING!! FLEE!)

MY SLOWWWWW DAY: The NUMBER ONE thing that people ask me in utter disbelief about, is my recovery run pace. Yes, I shoot for a 10 minute mile pace when I am recovering. I usually come pretty close to this, and I am not at all worried if I accidentally run some miles even slower.
ELITE level runners, on recovery days, run up to THREE minutes slower than their goal race pace.
And it it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me. (about to get preachy for a hot minute) Sorry kids, not to be an armchair QB, but if your race pace is an 8:00 then your recovery pace is most CERTAINLY not an 8:02.

I WIN at recovery runs.

My FASTTTTTTTT DAY!!!!!: Over the years I have structured up my speed work. Believe it or not, I really enjoy a good workout. The additional pressure that having specific goal paces can be unnerving, but it is god motivation!
Th one thing I have noticed over this training cycle, is a clear improvement in the return of some semblance of speed. (thank the lord)
I am not a gazelle. But I can chug along.

My go-to workouts, once my fitness is no longer at lumbering-along-dying levels, are mile repeats and 2 mile repeats. I shoot for juuuuust under marathon pace (which, in my head is always 8:00. Aren't I little miss optimistic!!!) Last year, I was running mile repeats soooo fast at like a 7:10 pace, and I LITERALLY felt like the fastest person ever. (I'm not that fast now.)
Anyway. I take about a quarter mile or less recovery between each repeat, at a snails pace (but at a moving pace.)
Prior to Hartford I did a workout of 3x3 mile reps- and while I am sure it contributed to my marathon success, I decided that it wasn't critical to complete this time.
Why? Because, to run a 3:40 marathon you just don't need that kind of whoop ass in your life.

A pretty standard 3x2 mile repeat day, at a standard pace

My LONG and HARD day, heh heh: My long runs are pretty boring on paper.
I run at least a minute slower than my MP goal (I'm perfectly fine with anything from upper 8:50's to 9:15's- faster means I am super fit, or stupid, and slower means it was HOT, early in a cycle, or there was trouble of some sort.) My number one goal is to get through the hours without some sort of GI disaster.... Thus far, things on that front have been fairly quiet WHICH IS AMAZING.

Last week's long run. Decent hills, decent pace.

BITCH HILL: My hill work is, well, hilly. I like hill day, even though it is tough, because I always notice the benefits once the work has been put in.
Prior to Boston I make sure to run like a TOTAL MANIAC on the downhills, coat flapping in the breeze, complete chaos, to make sure my quads are so super strong for race day.
Inside info: THEY WILL NOT BEEEEEEEEEEEE. (I swear, nothing I have ever done prior to Boston has kept me from feeling like a bit of an asshole around mile 20. All gimpy like I've never run a hill, or anything in my life. WHAT.)

Bitch Hill 

That other day that nobody cares about because boring: That's about it. I toss in one other run that is usually a bit of this and that, and there you have it. I skip about and play a little Pokemon (or, I do a little speed play, or cruise around town and snoop on the neighbors, the usual.)

The other question that I get a lot, and that I find hard to accurately answer is: how do I decide what my race pace will be on Marathon day?
To which I reply, with hysteria: WHO CAN EVER KNOW!!!!!

But really. Multi part answer.

For my fall marathon I am always looking to Boston Qualify, by at least 5 minutes faster than I need to for a nice buffer. I base my training paces around an 8:10 pace or so. Then I pray to the sweet baby Geezes and know that it might be out of my hands anyway, if the weather is suddenly 89.

For my Spring marathon (which is always Boston, evidently) I try to nail down how fit I am sometime between Hampton (Early March) and Eastern States (late March.) I use Eastern states as a final long run, with some tempo thrown in if I am fit enough.
I think I ran the damn thing at an 8:10 pace last year, or something truly ridiculous. That's when I knew I was in shape to crush the every loving crap out of Boston. (then it was 900 degrees and I adjusted, accordingly.)
So, we shall see how it goes at ES this Sunday, I am in the process of catching a cold so that will be a terrific excuse if things don't go all that well! As of right now, unless the weather on Marathon Monday is one bazillion degrees I feel fit enough to run a 3:40. (I feel like I have become fairly good at guessing, so this is probably pretty accurate!) (If it is 80 then, nope.)
Eric predicts a 3:42 finish, and he says this is "weather related" and because "Boston is HARD." (it is.)
(FYI by best Boston was, I believe 3:31 and my worst was 3:54 because I ran like a douche canoe.)

So, if anyone AT ALL has made it this far, I have questions for you!
-Have you ever run Boston and do you think it is HARD (IT IS SHUT UP!)
-What is your go-to workout, that you think helps you more than ANY other?
-How do you go about predicting your race finish times? Logic and reason? Magic 8 ball?

Week 11: Higher mileage, lower temps.....

Basically, at the beginning of last week this is what we were all looking forward to.

Fucked

The forecast was correct. We really got a good thrashing on Tuesday afternoon and night. A solid 20 inches of snow, and wind wind WIND.

WIND

It was, by far, the worst storm of the year. It wasn't all bad though, the power stayed on and the high winds and heavy snow certainly were exciting. Gotta make the best of it.

Remarkably, by Wednesday evening the roads were good enough to tackle the bitch hill. It was somewhat more snowy this week... And gloomy and freezing, and windy too! I threw in an extra lap of the bitch hill this week and it was cold af, but good training I AM SURE.

YAY!

During the week the waves and corrals were announced for Boston. I feel like they released this info early this year, as it came as a nice surprise!
I ended up in wave 3 for the second year in a row, but I moved ups bit to corral 1.
I have never been in corral 1 before and I fear that the rest of the wave is going to plow me down....
I was 7 seconds off being placed in wave 2, a fact that was irksome until I concluded that a corral 1 start was pretty cool.
Fun fact: My best wave/corral placing came in 2013, with my slowest qualification time to date. A sign of the times I suppose, and the immense popularity of the Boston Marathon!

After the fun of getting some race details, it was back to work. (so that maybe wave 3, corrals 2-infinity do NOT blow past me before the first water stop!)

Clouds, and cold and wind 

The weather never really sorted out during the work week. Lots of high temps in the low 20's, ominous clouds and bone chilling winds. I headed out for 8 on Thursday, and despite it not being a "hill" day, it was still quite hilly.

Thursday views from the top of another common hill that I take pics of. Ominous. 

Somehow, I was able to get outdoors for every workout once again this week.
Yeah, the weather has not been great for me to enjoy my hobby in.
FIRST WORLD ISSUE.
I'm getting it done, and it isn't that bad (other than the constant windburn.) I grouse about the weather (because I work outside, perhaps) but hey, I have a job to go to (outdoors...) a roof over my head, a great family, a hobby that truly is a luxury AND my health. So not really complaining.
....well, maybe a little..... ;-)

Long run day in some much better weather.
Also, my husband is hot. Hello. 

Saturday was a totally decent day. Possibly the best weather we have seen in 10-14 days. It was sunny, light breeze and 35, which felt like a miracle wrapped in an electric blanket.
This was ideal since it was long run day.
Eric joined me for the first 5 or so, and then I ran 13 more, solo.
It was a delightfully unremarkable run. Things went well, I only got chased by one dog, and I did NOT have to stop and poop on snowbanks (a huge win!)

I have been slacking BIG TIME on any kind of strength and cross training for the past few weeks and yes, I can feel it. My back and hips have not been as happy as they can be, and it is my job to take care of them. I shall be making a very focused effort to NOT suck at core strength work from here on out.

Sunday views from Thursday's hill. Much better 

Sunday's easy recovery run was done in more pleasant conditions. You know it's been a nasty time when 36 feels like summer. It was amazing.

I saw the ducks! Can you see them? Maybe not. 

I just love these ducks, they quack with unbridled glee when they see me (which is odd, I never give them anything....) But they are so cute. They can't wait to come to Duck Camp (which is an activity that only two readers will understand... :-))

Turkeys. Less cute.

There are also a crap ton of turkeys strutting around.
Right before I took this pic, 400 other turkeys *gracefully* took to the sky, and then tried to land on tree branches in the manner of hummingbirds.
ALL I could hear were the sounds of branches splintering, turkeys tumbling and exclaiming in horror.
They are not the most graceful of birds.

I also go chased twice by a dog named (wait for it) Vader.
You know, when you name a dog that, it's not going to end well.

And, of course, beer of the week

Foundation's Bedrock is a great beer, and a great choice if you want a really robust and slightly smokey porter. I am NOT always in the mood for anything with even a HINT of smoke, but on the day I drank this, I was. It hit the spot.
I'm still really enjoying my stash of Trillium's though, and am exploring the feasibility of picking up a few more during marathon weekend. Fingers crossed!

Weekly stats: 
Miles run: 50.3
Longest run: 18
Other: No other workouts at all... Unless shoveling snow counts. 
Wildlife sightings: 400 turkeys and a dozen ducks
Low/High temps: 11/37 Not a very warm week. Many days had a high in the low 20's 
How am I feeling? Still pretty hungry, happy that my stomach has been behaving, and sore because I read need to work on my core fitness. 
Beer of the week: Foundation Bedrock, a real winter beer since it really is still winter

Week 10: Time to woman the f**k up

The winter of 2017 has not been the easiest for training.
The weather has been wildly inconsistent. I spent more consecutive days on the treadmill than I ever have before. Two of my most recent long runs have been on very flat courses. Some runs in 68 degree temps. Some runs in 18 degree temps. Slushy roads. Dry roads. WIND. No wind (that is a LIE)

I am not sure how any of these things might affect me on race day (this is because I STILL can not see into the future.. gosh.) I feel like the dramatic changes of temp, conditions and the mental conditioning that treadmill running brings might help? Maybe? O
The other option is that all the craziness will actually not help at all. As you can see, I enjoy playing both sides of the coin.

But the bottom line is this. Boston is not flat. NOT flat. And my hill work has been pathetic.
Even after training the hell out of hills last year, I still felt pretty darn sore for the final 10k of the race. (which is absurd, I was by FAR the best trained that I have ever been!!!) (so yeah, I have a little bit of fear that I might be limping along for much longer this year. crap!!)

I decided that the past week of training would be spent running routes that aren't cushy, easy, or even fun. Time to woman up. Time for training to feel inconvenient.

I had a few easy miles planned for Monday, and then shit got real.

I ran 3x2 mile repeats on Tuesday. It was 33, raining, and generally gross out. I concluded that the conditions were perfect for building character so out I went.

I was quite apprehensive of this workout, as I am not feeling as sharp or fit as I (think) I should at this point. Honestly, I was insecure about my ability to even complete the repeats.
My worry was unfounded, as I did well (running each rep at better than MP)
I did take a nasty tumble in the slush in the middle of my final repeat. I went to make the turnaround, hit ice, my legs flew out from under me and I smashed down into a giant puddle. Slush in my shoes, in my coat, and all over my pants.... Of course, there was traffic and the local people saw me eat shit.

I am much more soggy than I appear to be. 

Thursday was a run more or less at base pace, hitting some rolling hills.
It was reasonably comfortable, and hillier than a treadmill....

Mud AND snow. Winter is bi-polar.

Friday morning was Beach to Beacon registration. As a general rule, I avoid B2B. It is hard to register for, it is a pain in the butt to get to and to park at, it is crowded, and it is always hot and humid. For whatever reason, I decided that I MUST RUN this year, so Eric and I were on our computers at 6:59 waiting to register. The process seemed pretty glitchy, with a lot of waiting but in the end it worked out and both of us got in.
Right now, I am excited.
In August, I might not be (kidding, I actually will be!)

Success!

Friday was also my long run....
I wasn't psyched about the timing, as my previous long had only been 5 days earlier.
There wasn't much of a damn choice though....

Normal long run day not looking so good

I wasn't originally planning to run an extremely challenging route. Plans changed a bit when I reached the top of the first hill and realized that it was most definitely snowing over in the direction I had planned to go in. Small route change: much less snow but over 1,000 feet of climbing.
This lady is not really in shape for such things....
I was quite tired after this excursion. It was pretty successful though, with only a minute of stopped time (gotta use the great outdoor bathroom....) It was NOT an easy route, and was a significant uptick from all of my long runs this year.

Hills, anyone?

When Saturday rolled around and was actually the most miserable day of the winter I was thankful that my long run was done. I just can't manage running in such dreadful conditions....

UGHHHHHHHHHH

So, as planned, Saturday was a rest day and we celebrated Eric (and Andy's) birthday! We had a wonderful family and friends get together, and it was nice to celebrate with many of my favorite people.
(It was also 0 degrees with -39 windchill.... fml)

All the best peeps!

Sunday brought about a nice little run over the bitch hill.

Kind of snow drifty up in here 

Any by "nice little run" I mean "freezing DEATH march" in 17 degrees and 20 MPH wind. WHY?
Ugh. I honestly considered calling Eric to pick me up at mile 1.2 because I had frozen solid and was waiting for death to come and stop the pain.
At that point, the wind eased up a bit and I did my best to staunch my flow of tears and woman the f**k up.
(which I am now sick of. I have womaned up enough. girlfriend needs some 40 degree temps.)

But looking to next week... I see more bogus weather. JEEZES.
I may never run outdoors again...

Oh good. Super. A fuck ton of snow.

Whatever. I'll just sit inside and drink beer. When all else fails.... Beer.

Weekly stats: 
Miles run: 45.5
Longest run: 17 over mountains. 
Other: One strength workout. More would be better. 
Wildlife sightings: Turkeys and one Robin, who is clearly on drugs
Low/High temps: -3 with -39 windchill. My brain froze and I have no idea what the high temp was. 
How am I feeling? Hungry. The hungriest definitely made an appearance this week. 
Beer of the week: Sebago Barleywine- I think it makes an appearance on the blog every year

More miles, and the Bradlowski's diet secrets REVEALED!

Ahhhhh February... Never a dull moment in the weather department.

As all of my Maine readers have noticed, today everyone is digging out from a substantial storm.

However, this is a recap of LAST week and talking about this weeks storm would be cheating.

Last week, some relative calm before storm after storm moved in.

So week six, what did we do other than move snow?

I was able to get a couple outdoor workouts in early last week, including speedwork. I prefer to do speedwork outside, for no reason other than it is more fun. I ran 4x1200 all at a 7:30 pace which I was quite pleased with.

From then.... Things got messy. 

It actually ended up being even worse than this...



I wasn't terribly excited about the possibility of doing both my Friday hills and Saturday long run inside.. As you can see, there really wasn't going to be an option. (we ended up getting about 10 inches on Thursday, 6 on Saturday and between Sunday and Monday another 16+)

My long run was fairly uninspired. I really was not feeling my best for the first 6 miles or so (ugh female issues..) I ended up toughing it out, and felt a bit better as the miles went along. Workouts like this are tough, because it would be awfully easy to just hop off the treadmill, or stop for a quick second (or a few minutes here and there....) I know that in the long run, a run like that is not going to be of any benefit, so I trudge along. However, I certainly did relax my pace and expectations since I was feeling sub par. I'm not crazy after all....

When things get super sucky, I just take it one mile at a time. I cut myself a little slack. Once I only had 4 miles to go, I knew I could finish and that was encouraging. I did eventually finish, and I felt alright. Hopefully, next week's long run feels a bit more pleasant.



16 miles inside.... Tricky.

Earlier this winter, when I was getting ready to start training seriously again I asked what you, my loyal 11 readers, would like to know more about (since I am such an interesting woman!!)

What Eric and I eat was of curiosity, and since he is a vegetarian and I am not, it is actually an interesting topic!!

First and foremost, it should be made clear that I am NO expert on health and nutrition! I slug beer, drink bourbon and occasionally toss entire donuts straight down my throat. We don't Whole 30 (good for you, those who do. To me, it doesn't seem like a sustainable lifestyle, but what do I know?) But we do try to eat a simple, balanced and fresh group of foods.

Our meals are based on two things. How we feel after eating them, and how easy they are. Neither of us enjoys feeling like garbage and we don't have hours each day to create gourmet meals. (So, not much/any fast food. And not many/any recipes from Mastering the art of French cooking.)

Eric is a real veggie, he doesn't have cheat days where he eats bacon, and he never has had meat of any sort (to the best of his knowledge.) I myself, while not a ravenous carnivore, enjoy steak and a good thanksgiving turkey. I did go through a phase when I was 14 of not eating meat, I was repulsed by the idea of eating muscles (I got over that... although seriously *yuck* haha.)

The NUMBER one question that we get (which will not shock ANYONE) is how on earth either of us, on a mostly plant based diet, could EVER be getting enough protein. *sigh* I know, it's hard to imagine that it could be done...It's actually quite easy, and with the quantities of eggs, beans, Greek yogurt, quinoa and such that we consume, we seem to be surviving. *barely* *send donuts*

Kale and chard with garlic and olive oil, avocado, and stuffed mushrooms. A standard dinner option.

Another misconception is that all we must eat are things like pastas, grilled cheese, french fries,  and fake meats.
While many of those things make an occasional appearance, it's very unusual to see these on the menu with much frequency.
So what do we eat regularly? Especially since I am not a short order chef!

We eat a lot (a LOT) of Mexican themed food. We stuff burritos (or bowls) with homemade spicy black beans, and a variety of other fillings such as sweet potato, quinoa, eggs, avocados, loads of garlicky spinach or kale, salsa and Greek yogurt.

We often substitute mushrooms as a "meat" and have a variety of sides, usually in the green leafy veg family. (we go through pounds of spinach a week. and avocados, as mentioned...)

When we do have pasta it's usually the after thought in the recipe. Our pasta meals are much heavier on the beans/greens/veggies than the pasta itself. I made a lot of nice homemade sauce when the ingredients are available, which is always tasty.
*and occasionally I just cook up a pot of pasta, heave in some artichokes, olives, lemon and feta and we woof it right down. try it, pro tip...*

I LOVE to make grain or rice based salads, which are all seriously filling meals. Quinoa pairs so nicely with grapes, nuts, beans and oil and vinegar dressing. Wild rice salad is delicious with chopped kale or shredded brussles sprouts, beans, shredded carrots and creamy vinaigrette.
Even easier, is to throw some diced avocado, garbanzo beans, scallions, feta and lime into a dish and call it good. Easy. (there are a TON of good recipes on the internet.) Salads don't have to be limited to lettuce....

Anyways. I'm really not much of a food blogger but it is interesting to see how different people eat. And this is how the Bradlowski family does food! 

One of my big goals for the year was/is to waste less, and thus far we have been doing very well! Meal planning is pretty essential to this, and it's a skill that I am working on improving. I'm getting a lot better at freezing things right away, and planning a week of meals with similar ingredients. (I know that for some of you, this is second nature... Not for me, but I'm working on it!)

Like I said before, we aren't "super clean" perfect eaters. Who the hell is?? And why!? Live a little.
We wrap up every day with a couple cookies or chocolate squares. As you may have noticed, I wrap up every day with a beer. We are pretty much guaranteed to have a pizza a week (home made, so better than Amato's!) We have cheese and crackers every day. When we eat out, we get whatever and have zero worries. We both really like Holy Donuts, and Eric loves oreo's so much that we never buy them! (and I like caramel creams so much that I buy one bag a year, eat it in like, 3 days and then don't want one for another year. #sohealthy)

Another fun fact. I don't really eat breakfast foods. For breakfast I have a slice of toast (which is pretty breakfastey) and then good things, like dinner leftovers. Weird, but true.

So there you have it, how Eric and I fuel our ELITE athlete training :-)

And here is the weekly wrap up:

Weekly stats:
Miles run: 40.1
Longest run: 16 ON the TREADMILL WOOF
Other: 2 strength workouts, snow removal, chipping my horse trailer out of an ice block.
Wildlife sightings: 36 wild turkeys, faffing around in the street
Low/High temps: 1/46. It was mostly freezing and snowing and a suckfest.
How am I feeling? SO over winter. And sore because I fell down my outdoor steps.
Beer of the week: I'm still drinking last weeks beers because who can go out when it's stupid snowing EVERY DAMN DAY????????????