No updates!

Saturday is the Benbrook half which I ran last year. In 2010 it was about 35 degrees, windy, and it had rained several days before the race. In the first mile we had to wade through ice cold water above the ankles so the race was run pretty much the whole way with wet feet. This year the forecast looks much improved - with lows around 45 and highs near 70 - perfect! We deserve a nice forecast after last year. My goal is to run at a good pace but still comfy - this is a prep race for the Cowtown Ultra where my goal is to run the 50K in 4:30. So - I'm hoping to run quick but comfy this weekend and get somewhere in the 1:45 - 1:50 range. Last year I was right at 2:00 and have never officially broken the 2 hour mark in a half marathon (slow poke)

It's been a few days...

It's been four days or so since I've had a chance to post. I've had a sick mother - and honestly tending to her and making sure she was ok was more important than blogging about running; life puts things in perspective sometimes without your consent. And - sometimes we need that reality check.

Overall I've been doing a pretty good balancing eating, running, and familial obligations. I've had two really strong upper body workouts with Monte - last Thursday and today. I've had some really nice runs, including a 10 mile trail run on Saturday which couldn't have felt better or been more enjoyable - introduced trail running to some friends! I'm feeling stronger, can see warmer weather 6 weeks away, and have started registering for races for the 2011 year - woo hoo!

Speaking of registering for races - yesterday I clicked the "register" button and forked over the cashola for the Jemez 50 mile - the one running "fail" that I had last year when I limped to the finish line of a pathetic race. I dropped midway from the 50 mile to the 50K - and even then had a pretty tough time getting through it. More than the physical challenge (and oh is it a challenge) - I really allowed myself to be mentally defeated. High winds, hot weather, bad nutrition = combo for disaster. The course swung at me and made full contact: KO! Since then I've made some good progress - both with my physical toughness but also with my mental toughness. I'm able to work through races without panicking - incredibly important in ultra-trail running with the numerous ups and downs. I'm also more aware of my nutrition and hydration earlier in the race. I'm really pumped about going back and really tackling the 50 miles this year - May 21st is circled on the calendar for the showdown.

I ordered some new running gear today - part of the Brooks Fanatics program that I'm in. Remember to always keep Brooks products in mind when you're running!  http://www.brooksrunning.com/

Thursday and Monday: Upper body

Wednesday: No running
Thursday: No running
Friday: 7 miles
Saturday: 10 miles trail
Sunday: 6.5 miles
Monday: 6+ miles

The last few days...

The last few days have been lousy ones. Up at the hospital a lot - an irregular schedule - cold, windy weather outside - just miserable. The good news is that I had some good mileage over the weekend and through the week - so the guilt factor of no running really hasn't come into play. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 47 with a light breeze - no excuses to not get out and enjoy. After a few days of being up at 5am-ish I acquired dark circles and bags under my eyes - not a good combo on a Monte day. Fortunately Monte had mercy and helped me work through an 80 - 90% day to end up with a more than decent upper body workout.

Tonight was the quarterly NTX Trail Runner meeting. Always a good time to be around other runners - meet some new folks - learn some things - and in tonight's case - encourage and lure some friends into the sport. Peter and Laura joined - it was nice to have them along and expose them to the craziness that we call ultrarunning. They have yet to run trails - but weather not being a factor it looks like this Saturday they're going to get out and give it a go. Oh, if the only knew what they were getting themselves into.

1/19

Breakfast
Scrambled eggs
2 biscuits
1 yogurt
Hashbrowns (not the ones that are deep fried!)

Lunch
Turkey sandwich with pesto
Potato salad
Pretzels

Snack
Iced venti non-fat latte

Supper
Handful of chips
2 corn tortillas
2 chicken enchiladas with rice (didn't eat all of the sauce)

Snack
Fiber One cereal

Exercise
None


1/20

Breakfast
Two egg and potatoe tacos/Taco Cabana

Snack
Grande non-fat latte

Lunch
Handful of chips with taco meat (at the house - lean ground beef)
1/2 cup rice with chicken and veggies

Snack
Fiber One cereal

Supper
1 chicken breast
2 small ears of corn
Green beans
1 roll w/ butter

Snack
Chicken and rice soup

Exercise
Upper body w/ Monte

Day 1 of the New Year

Yes, I realize that it's January 17th and not January 1st - but in terms of being on the health bandwagon this is Day 1. Did a nice job logging food today and staying within the parameters of my meal plan. Midway through the day I saw an article on people that have lost tons of weight - and the article emphasized that all of them blogged about their food and their eating habits. Interesting read and before/after photos. Check it out:

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/weight-loss/8-amazing-blogger-weight-loss-transformations

I don't have a consider amount of weight to lose - but logging food reminds me to be more cognizant of what I put in my mouth. (worrying about what comes out of my mouth is another issue - but still important!). So - here's what I ate today:

Breakfast
Grapes
Yoplait Yogurt Light with 1/2 scoop milled flax seed
Two whole wheat waffles w/ peanut butter and honey

Lunch
4.5 oz turkey deli meat
15 wheat things (wheat)
1 jalapeno string cheese
Banana
1 light yogurt

Pre-workout snack
1 energy bar

Post workout snack
1 slim and trim chocolate Smoothie King (20oz)

Supper
Chopped bar b q chicken salad (1 tablespoon dressing)

No evening snack

I had a fairly good run today - the cobwebs are pretty much out of the legs from my 30 mile run this past weekend. I logged about 8.5 miles today - about 7.5 at a pretty good pace and then an easy last mile.

It's been a while...

So - it's been a while since I've sat and added to my blog. It's time to dust it off and get serious again - 2011 is going to be a great year. After vacationing in Mexico, the Christmas holidays, New Year's, Birthday, and other celebrations I'm back on the bandwagon starting tomorrow. Being on the bandwagon includes improving my training regiment so I'm maximizing every moment in the gym or out on the trails - but more than anything refers to my eating which has spiraled out of control the last month. Fortunately I've logged enough miles with some time off to counterbalance the chocolate covered pecans, cookies, dips, pies, etc - but I really haven't dropped the additional bodyfat that I was hoping to before the end of the year.

The race calendar is shaping up nicely with about one race a month on average. I've thrown a few new races in there that I haven't done before - but most are repeats of races that are close and that I enjoy running. Up in the air is the Speedgoat 50K - which was really my favorite run of 2010. It's in July in the mountains in Utah - and there's something about escaping the Texas heat mid-summer that really sounds appealing - so it might be one that I add to the list. We'll see. I'm also looking for an August race. Not many in TX because of the heat - so if I find one I imagine it will include some travel somewhere.

January
Hill's 50K (my self named training "race!")
Benbrook half marathon

February
Cowtown 50K

March
Toughest in Texas
Grasslands Trail Marathon

April
Hell's Hills 50 Mile

May
Jemez 50 Mile

June
Summer Solstice 6 Hour

July
El Scorcho 50K

August
Nothing Yet!

September
Run From the Ducks 8 Hour

October
Pony Express 100 Mile

November
Rockledge Rumble

December
Run Like the Wind 12 Hour