See Ya 2016!

2016 hasn’t been my best year.  There were ups and there were downs but I like to think I am ending the year on a high note—I mean I did just win my Fantasy Football League after 5 unsuccessful years with my friends.

I kicked off 2016 on injured reserve (hamstring) and ran the first 18.6 miles of the Houston Marathon then walked the final 7.6 miles.  I was so proud of my cousin for running her first half marathon and the post-race burritos and guac never tasted so good.

I took some time off after Houston but traded in my Nike GPS watch for a Garmin Forerunner 230 in February to re-motivate.

I turned the big 3-0 on March 18th.  It was pretty traumatic for me and to top it all off, my Papa passed away on my birthday.

April was a pretty good month.  I got the chance to interview Meb Keflezighi, ran a 10k PR at the Cape Cod Beer Race to the Pint and took Georgie out for her longest run ever—4 miles!

I trained for the Buffalo Half Marathon in May and was pumped for the chance to run a PR in my favorite city with my cousins but I got injured 2 weeks before the race (posterior tib) and we experienced record high temps for Memorial Day Weekend in Buffalo.  Side note: I WILL be back in 2017 for redemption and another PR attempt.

In June, I healed up then Georgie got injured.  The vet diagnosed her with a shoulder sprain and was on strict rest for about 2 weeks.  She also had a giant open wound on her head so the vet shaved her head like Britney Spears circa 2007 and she rocked the cone for a while.  

July was really hot.  Like really hot.  I ran the Runner’s World Classic with some of my best running buddies and had a fun girls weekend off cape.

I got injured again in August (Achilles) and had to miss the Falmouth Road Race.  I did attend the mile and had a blast crashing the after party with some of old office staff and Anchor Boothed with some Olympians.

September I celebrated my 3 year blogiversary and shared 25 Things About Me.  Georgie chipped a bunch of teeth, cut up her lip and re-sprained her shoulder. 

I started training for the Miami Marathon in October and also started running with Georgie again because for the first time in months we were injury free at the same time!

I traveled to Durham, NC for my cousin’s wedding in November and really started to rack up my mileage.

December was filled with lots of holiday cheer and many miles including an 18-miler on the treadmill at Mashpee Fitness.

985 total miles in 2016.

2017, let’s go!

Weekly Roundup 12.19-12.25

Week 11 of 16

Merry Christmas!  I just LOVE this time of the year!  So much joy and holiday cheer—and a big week of running!

I went on an awesome run on Monday which included 3x1 mile repeats.  I got out of work early and wanted to take advantage with some extra miles so I headed to New Seabury.  2 mile warm up, 2.5 mile cool down and 0.5 miles in between repeats.  It was cold and starting to rain/snow/wintery mix but I was happy to get it done outside before the snow really started to cover the ground. 

 

Tuesday I made it back to Run Club for 2 weeks in a row!  Just about the whole crew was there and it was fun catching up and gossiping—mostly about a fellow (well, former) Run Clubber that recently got arrested in Florida.  Horrible, horrible, horrible!  I even stayed after and got something to eat and drink at the Lanes.  So wild, I know.

Wednesday’s run felt awful.  I felt so sluggish but I took it easy and got it done.  This feeling of tired, heavy legs carried over into my long run but let me tell you… 20 miles outside was SO MUCH BETTER than 18 miles on a treadmill.  I was loving every minute of it even though I was struggling to keep progressing forward.  Ideally I would have run long on Saturday but the weather wasn’t looking as good as Friday so luckily my dad had the day off and was able to join me for support.  It was pretty chilly but not as bad as our last 16 miler as we made many, many loops around Falmouth past the beaches.

I had 4 miles left for the week and I wasn’t sure how I’d break it up between Christmas Eve Saturday and Christmas Sunday.  G woke me up on Saturday and I was happy to see it wasn’t raining yet so I quickly changed and got her out the door.  I wasn’t planning on taking her all 4 miles in one day BUT she did it!  She ran 4 miles only once before and it was back in April.  She kind of dragged me to keep going after 2 miles so I figured, why not?  It was nice to not have to worry about running on Christmas and also totally wiped her out for the rest of the day, even when my guests arrived for Christmas Eve dinner.

Other highlights:

·      Christmas present from Georgie… “My running partner is a real bitch” coffee mug!

Upcoming events:

·      5 weeks until the Miami Marathon!

Monday 12.19.16

8.5 miles (1:03:31) with 3x1mi <--6:46, 6:27, 6:34

23,176 steps

Tuesday 12.20.16

Taught spin class

Marathon Sports Run Club! 3.38 miles with Allison and Stacey (32:04)

16,295 steps

Wednesday 12.21.16

4 miles (32:04)

16,529 steps

Thursday 12.22.16

Taught spin class x2

11,411 steps

Friday 12.23.16

20 miles with daddo on the bike (2:42:46)

44,511 steps

Saturday 12.24.16

Merry Christmas Eve!

3.94 miles with G (37:09)

15,731 steps

Sunday 12.25.16

Merry Christmas!

6,739 steps

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16             Week 9 of 16

Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16             Week 10 of 16

Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16

Week 4 of 16             Week 8 of 16

This week’s mileage: 40 miles

This week’s G mileage: 4 miles

December Totals: 131 miles

2016 Totals: 954 miles

BibRave Pro Product Review: Generation UCAN Protein Drink Mix

Disclaimer: I was recently sent Generation UCAN Protein Drink Mix to review as part of being a BibRave Pro.  Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador) and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

“YOU CAN WITH UCAN”

Sometimes a product falls in your hands at just the right time.  Deep into Miami Marathon training, I have been struggling with nutrition.  The marathon training hunger is RAGING which doesn’t lead me to smart, healthy choices.  I need carbs and I need protein—and unless I head to the Burrito place or dinner at my parent’s house, I don’t really eat protein.  Not to mention that lately with Christmas cookies galore everywhere I look, I have come home and literally forgotten to eat or I am way too full to think about eating a full meal!  So what have I been doing?  I’ve been whipping up a quick smoothie with UCAN Protein Drink Mix and not feeling guilty about skipping a meal because I ate too many Christmas cookies.

Generation UCAN

Have you every tried Generation UCAN?  I heard of their products a while back when Meb started appearing in their advertisements.  If MEBCAN, UCAN—right?  But until BibRave partnered up with Generation UCAN and offered it to the Pros, I had never personally tried it.

So what’s the big deal?

Generation UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch.  In their words, “This natural, slow-releasing carbohydrate keeps blood sugar stable and delivers steady energy for your brain and body.”

Benefits of SuperStarch:

·      Steady energy

·      Burn fat for fuel

·      No GI distress

·      Healthy, efficient calories

·      Optimize recovery

·      Improve body composition

The UCAN Protein Drink Mix comes in 2 flavors: Chocolate and Vanilla Cream.  The sample pack also included “The UCAN Recipe Cookbook” with lots of great ideas for pre-workout snacks, post-workout to enhance fat burn and optimize recovery, between meals to control cravings, and as a healthy addition to a meal replacement shake.

I was actually surprised at how full I felt after drinking my first UCAN smoothie.  As someone that usually needs to eat every 90 minutes or so, it actually kept me satisfied for way longer.

The flavors took a little time getting used to.  A problem I constantly run into is that my pup and my blender are not friends so I tend to rush the blending process.  UCAN’s SuperStarch has a very distinct flavor and texture and I found that if I didn’t fully blend my drinks or use enough fruit in my smoothies, it was a lot more noticeable.

Note: 1 packet of UCAN Protein Drink Mix is equivalent to 1.5 scoops.  I didn’t know this my first smoothie and put WAY too much in!

“These are a few of my favorite smoothies…”

Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie

·      1.5 scoops Chocolate

·      1 cup raspberries

·      8 oz. milk

·      Swirl of Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Syrup

Ok, so this was my own take on the UCAN Choc-O-Cherry Shake and inspired by my favorite “Raspberry Mocha Blast” at Marylou’s.  The tart cherries would have been excellent for recovery but I didn’t have any in my freezer so I had to improvise.

Refreshing Tropical Smoothie

·      1.5 scoops Vanilla

·      1 banana

·      1-1.5 cup pineapple, peaches, mango, strawberries

·      4 oz. almond milk or water

It’s my own little creation.  Both refreshing and tropical.  What are your favorite fruits to blend into a smoothie?

The UCAN Latte

·      2 scoops Vanilla

·      6 oz. iced coffee

·      2 oz. almond milk

I use a little more coffee and a little less almond milk.  UCAN’s recipe called for 2 packets stevia and unsweetened almond milk but my almond milk was already sweetened.  Perfect for a little morning pick me up before teaching spin class!

The best part about smoothies is being creative!  I love coming up with new concoctions because no two smoothies ever tastes the same.  Some other ingredients to experiment with: peanut butter, chia seeds, avocado, pumpkin puree, spinach…

Other bonuses:

·      Both flavors are gluten-free with no sugar added.

·      1 scoop of vanilla protein mix is 100 calories with 8g protein, 18g carbohydrates while 1 scoop of chocolate protein mix is 110 calories with 7g protein, 18g carbohydrates.

Join us on Twitter for the UCAN sponsored #BibChat on December 27th at 9pm EST!

And don’t forget to use code BIBRAVE for 15% off your order!

Happy running!

P.S. Georgie gives UCAN “2 paws up!”

Weekly Roundup 12.12-12.18

Week 10 of 16

What a week!  So awhile back I agreed to swap weekends with Craig so he could surprise his wife with an anniversary trip to DC.  While having a 3-day weekend last weekend was nice, I couldn’t help but stress.  Working both Saturday and Sunday left me with only one option for my long run—Friday.  Not only was it my longest run of Miami training to date (18 miles), it would mean that I’d be running alone since my parents would both be working.

I started off the week on Monday with 6 miles on a day I was only supposed to run 5.  I was feeling good and it ended up a progression run—also not planned.  After my run I had Eric write down 6 exercises for me to do before I could go home and I learned how to do a kettlebell deadlift!

Tuesday I finally made it to Run Club!  Again I was unsure about how much running I will fit in later in the week so I had to take advantage of any miles I could get.  I texted my peeps for some motivation and got my butt to Marathon Sports for a chilly 3 miles with Allison and Chris.  I even went out for an Angry Orchard and mozzarella sticks!

I woke up Tuesday morning sore from Monday’s workout but it was nothing like how I felt Wednesday morning.  I could barely bend over to tie my shoes.  It was awful.  It was also a sad reminder of how much I need to strength train, even if it’s just a few exercises at a time.  Wednesday afternoon I powered through 6 half mile repeats.

All day Thursday I had my long run on the mind.  There was a cold front coming and the high on Friday was only supposed to be about 18 degrees with winds 20-30 mph.  A short run… maybe… but 18 miles?!  There was no way.  I tried to come up with different routes and options like perhaps three 6-mile loops that I could stop at my parents house to change layers if needed.  There was so much stress and anxiety building and I knew that my only real option was the treadmill.

If I told you “it wasn’t that bad,” I would be lying.  18 miles on the treadmill was just as bad as it sounds and I will never do it again.  I texted Craig just before 10am to see if my favorite treadmill was open because let’s face it—if my favorite treadmill was taken, I couldn’t run.  So what did he do?  He put a cone up to save it for me.  Perks of working at a gym? 

I started out with a little Parks and Rec on Netflix.  Then I switched over to a little music.  Then I chatted with Dr. Flaherty who was running 13 miles 2 treadmills over from me.  I took a bathroom break at 10 miles because I was looking for any excuse to stop.  Then a bunch of coworkers took turns coming over to check on me.  Eric opened my GU chews.  Lee walked on her lunch break.  Brian came over and finished my last 2 miles with me.  Joe ran out to Roche Bros. and bought me chocolate milk for when I was done.  It really was a team effort.  The last few miles were tough.  Mentally.  Physically.  My feet were starting to hurt.  My hips were super stiff and sore.  I was sweating a lot and starting to get delirious.  It was just not pleasant BUT I did it.  I was so happy to be done!

I wasn’t quite done with my weekly mileage so after work on Saturday I grabbed Georgie for a run in the dark.  It was super slushy and a little icy so we went slower than usual but it was fun to get back to night running.

Other highlights:

·      I received another new product to test for the BibRave Pro program.  This week’s package was from Brilliant Reflective and included both stick on and iron on reflective strips to add to any running outfit or gear.  I was intrigued when I heard they could stick on to dog leashes because I am always looking for ways to keep the pup safe when we are out night running.  Now I just have to borrow my mom’s iron… and maybe ask her for help to learn how to use it… Stay tuned for my full review.

Upcoming events:

·      6 weeks until the Miami Marathon!

Monday 12.12.16

6 mile progression (44:20) <--7:48, 7:34, 7:26, 7:20, 7:11, 6:56

Workout from Eric: 2x [15 kettlebell deadlifts, 15 kettlebell dipping birds, 90” plank, 15 push ups, 15 TRX rows, 15 kettlebell side lunges]

19,003 steps

Tuesday 12.13.16

Taught spin class

Marathon Sports Run Club! 3.25 miles with Allison and Chris (30:23)

15,940 steps

Wednesday 12.14.16

8 miles (59:19) with 6x800s ß3:25, 3:18, 3:20, 3:09, 3:09, 3:02

22,474 steps

Thursday 12.15.16

Taught spin class

Power Water

10,987 steps

Friday 12.16.16

18 treadmill miles (2:23:23)

39,889 steps

Saturday 12.17.16

Taught spin class

Water Interval

2.65 miles with G (29:35)

16,380 steps

Sunday 12.18.16

Taught spin class

Burdenko H2O

12,350 steps

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16             Week 9 of 16

Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16

Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16

Week 4 of 16             Week 8 of 16

This week’s mileage: 38 miles

This week’s G mileage: 2.65 miles

December Totals: 91 miles

2016 Totals: 914 miles