The Warrior

I feel like this is one of those blogs that needs something more than words and pictures. I mean, some random fat chick talking about her food/body struggles every week can get pretty boring. So I think I need to jazz things up with a theme, like a weekly mind/body positive theme thing. I think I like that. I'm a pretty creative person. This could get fun.

This week, I wanna celebrate our INNER WARRIOR. Yes, all of us have one. It's that thing inside us that makes us get out of bed when it's gross outside, the thing that gets us going when the going gets tough. Your inner warrior is the badass inside you that makes you keep pushing when all you wanna do is give up.

Truth? Marathon training isn't all fun and games. Don't get me wrong, it can be loads of fun under the right circumstances (and minus total burn-out) This round has been the absolute most challenging--mentally and physically--thing I've done recently. Yes, including training for and completing the half Ironman in Augusta last year. The burn-out has gotten super intense. Things hurt that weren't supposed to hurt. Even the short runs became a challenge. I've cried. I've gotten pissed off. I considered dropping down to the half because things just weren't coming together the way I needed them to. I even completely pulled away from social media. I stopped sharing my workouts to Strava because I wasn't proud of anything I was doing. Which is really stupid if you think about it. The sheer will to keep going is enough to be proud of, but I think you get the point. It's been a freakin' struggle.



With the Little Rock Marathon coming up this weekend, the song of the week HAS to be 80s, and I'm gonna be a whole lot extra and pick "The Warrior." If you've ever heard/seen me cross a finish line, you would understand this. Beyond that, I think it takes tapping into that warrior spirit to conquer these huge goals and finish things that are hard. A warrior heart can conquer an antagonistic brain every time!

Since the big race is fast approaching and I didn't stumble upon this IF thing until it was too late, I've decided not to fast Saturday or Sunday. I'm doing the Totally Awesome challenge again this year (the 5k Saturday and the Marathon Sunday.) Because who goes to Little Rock and doesn't race both days? Pft.

I also decided to start reporting the changes in my body measurements here as well, because isn't that what we all really wanna see? Does IF work? How well does it work? And can I maintain my present level of insanity with it?

After this past weekend, I've come to the conclusion it is entirely possible to do pretty strenuous activities fasted, but I feel like adding in the BCAAs was important. Fatigue wasn't nearly as bad Sunday as it was Saturday, which is kinda backwards if you think about it. After 10 miles in the woods, my legs should've been boat anchors, but they weren't. When I get back from Little Rock, I plan to play around with some things as far as fueling goes. One thing for sure, I'm going to keep using the BCAAs during my workouts.

WEEK ONE STATISTICS:

• Weight: -2lb
• BMI: -.10
• Hips: No previous measurement
• Waist: No previous measurement
• Bust: No previous measurement

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DAY FIVE - Sunday 2/23/20:

I didn't take any pictures today, so there's really nothing fun to share here. Unless you guys want to see a screenshot from Training Peaks... Yeah, I know. No one wants to see that.

This morning has been different than the previous mornings. I wasn't starving when I got out of bed. It wasn't like I ate a ton the night before. I threw a couple of Morningstar Spicy Black Bean burgers in the air fryer for me and the hubby for dinner. I think I ate a handful of White Cheddar Cheetos with it, but that was it. I honestly don't think I heard the first growl until around 8:30 (and I woke up around 4AM. Don't ask. It's stupid to be awake that early when you don't have to be.)

Nothing much to report, other than all my workouts were done fasted. I knew I would be close to home for my run, and in my garage for the rest. That felt safe. I didn't start feeling depleted until the end of the TABATA ride (which significantly kicks my ass on a good day.)

Today's workout:  (all fasted with 1.5 servings of BodyTech Ultimate BCAA)

• DailyBurn 365
• 3 Mile Run
• 35 Minute TABATA Ride

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DAY SIX - Monday 2/24/20:

My body is definitely getting used to this madness. I haven't been starving in the mornings, and those early evenings spent watching TV with my husband doesn't include snacking anymore, which I'm not missing too badly today. Though, that bag of white cheddar Cheetos is calling my name. Seriously, if you haven't tried those things, you're missing out. I can't even eat the orange ones anymore.

Today's workout:

• DailyBurn 365
• 20 Minute Stair Stepper Intervals

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DAY SEVEN - Tuesday 2/25/20:

So this is totally cool. It's been exactly one week since I started this fasting experiment. It all began on a taco Tuesday. And what is today? Oh, yeah! #tacosarelife

Morning seem to be getting a lot easier. At least today they are. My body doesn't seem to be demanding food as soon as my eyes open. So that's a win. Pretty proud of my food choices during the day.

My husband made the BEST shrimp tacos and mango salsa for dinner. It was delicious and I felt completely satisfied... until like an hour later. It took a lot of will power to resist the urge to munch. If only I'd had that willpower when it came to working out today...

Today's workout:

• I'm a total slacker. Don't judge me.

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DAY EIGHT - Wednesday 2/26/20:

I think work from home days are especially hard because all the things I want to eat are right outside the office door, and I know they're there. Like those stupid White Cheddar Cheetos. Seriously, never ever ever buy them. Once you start, you can't stop.

We're stocking up on the carbs and protein in preparation for race weekend. Hubby cooked steak and baked potatoes tonight. It was incredibly filling. I had a handful of vanilla cupcake goldfish right before the fasting window started again. What? I wanted something sweet. #dontjudgeme

Today's workout: 

• DailyBurn 365
• 3 Mile Easy Run

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DAY NINE - Thursday 2/27/20:

Oh. My. God. I'm sooooo hungry. This morning was bad again. I counted down minutes and the clock wasn't going anywhere. My stomach rumbled sooooooooo loudly. Ugh.

I got so mentally invested in my work project that didn't eat until around 10:20. Obviously, my tummy quieted down, but I couldn't tell you when. Probably when I stopped thinking about it. That's the trick, you know?

Maybe I'm losing my mind, but I feel like I'm already seeing changes in my body composition. Keep in mind, I've been doing a lot of HIIT, TABATA, and core work since January 1, but I still feel like fasting is making a positive impact on my weight.

Today's workout: 

• Rest

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DAY TEN - Friday 2/28/20:

So far, so good. Still fasting. I did a little carb loading last night with pizza from Pyros. It was fabulous. Woke up still feeling pretty good. I'm going to break the fast tonight so I can properly fuel for Saturday and Sunday, but I plan on going back to this diet on Monday! I really like how I feel and the results I'm seeing.

I wanted to get this up before hitting the road to head to Little Rock. Kinda like having all my work wrapped up before heading on vacation. I don't like to leaving things unfinished. If all goes well, I'll have a fun story to tell about my 4th marathon! Wish me luck!

Long Time, No See...

Wow, it's been a hot minute, hasn't it? Last time I talked to you all, I was going into training for my second full marathon. A lot has happened since then. Not only did I finish that bad boy, I finished a third and began training for my fourth. #oneanddonemyass #theytoldmeso

I also became a triathlete and finished my first half Ironman. (Augusta 70.3 is a story for another day.) Crazy stuff though, right? It's been a wild, fabulously torturous adventure. So much fun, in fact, that I've completely burned myself out. Yeah... totally. I had planned on doing my first 50k after Little Rock this year, but I decided against it because my heart just isn't in. I was training hard and everything was going great, then I got a lower respiratory infection that put me out for two weeks and messed up my long runs. I got discouraged and sorta gave up (still trained, but meh.) I'll pay for it March 1st. But that's not why we're here.

During all that hardcore endurance training, I STAYED hungry. Like all the time. See food. Eat food. And because of the burn-out and the fact I was still doing something, I gave myself license to eat what the hell I wanted to. This is a trap a lot of people fall into. You ran fifteen miles, eat an effing cupcake.

Can I just say Frost Bake Shop makes the best cupcakes in the 901. Don't believe me? Try them.

I digress. The point was I completely tanked my weight loss. Well, maybe not completely. I did manage to stay under two hundred pounds, but I'm getting to a place I don't like and it's ruining my run fun.

BodyFast App

As a subscriber to like every major fitness/running/healthy food blog/app/whatever, I get daily emails with catchy headlines about eat this and don't eat that, or do this workouts to boost your (insert whatever goal.) One came through a few weeks ago about intermittent fasting. It totally caught my eye, so I read it.

My brain very literally said to me, "but wait, Allison, you do all that endurancey crap. How can you fast?" So again, I took to Google. What I found was there are people in this wild universe who do IF and endurance running. A lot of super fit, super lean, long time endurance athletes whose bodies are consistently trained to do all this stuff. They weren't 40+ plus women with an excessive BMI and mad hankering for all the sweet things. Totally not applicable to me.

I'm piece-milling all the things I've found from the different sites and what I know about running and fueling and dieting, or at the very least what I think I know. I'm not certified in anything related to this blog. I'm an IT nerd. I sit at a desk all day and stare at screens. Though, in my defense, I have a standing desk and a balance ball chair.

So... consider this a science experiment, a diary of trial and error, with me being a willing guinea pig. I plan to share what has worked as far as fueling and what hasn't, all the emotions and how I feel physically during this madness and of course any positive and/or negative changes. Also, you guys are going to help me stay accountable. I plan to be very real with y'all, so that means I have to be very real with myself, and y'all know how hard that mess can be. I hope everyone finds this content helpful... or at the very least, entertaining to read.

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THE PLAN:

"The concept is fairly simple: the 16:8 diet is where you eat for about eight hours of the day and then ‘fast’ for the rest of the day." source: Women's Health Magazine

"Suggested benefits of the 16:8 plan include weight loss and fat loss, as well as the prevention of type 2 diabetes and other obesity-associated conditions." source: Medical News Today

According to Gweneth Paltrow's Netflix show, Goop Lab, fasting also helps slow biological aging as well as increasing energy. Just Google it. The internet has a wealth of information about 16:8 Fasting.

Since I have a problem restricting what I eat, I'm not changing my diet. As it stands now, I typically avoid sugary things at least 6 days a week. I use Monk Fruit to sweeten my coffee. I've been breaking my fast with carbs and protein. One of my go-tos is Ezekiel Bread toast and nut butter. I'm eyeing a jar of Pistachio Butter I really wanna try. Friday is typically eat whatever day because Saturday (and likely Sunday) will always consist of a long/longish run. I think I mostly snack and eat smart, so we're going to try fasting and exercise before going too crazy.

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DAY ONE - Wednesday 2/19/20:

My husband cooked this!!!

What, you didn't think you'd get through this without some food pics, did you? To the right is the last meal before starting the fast. My husband made homemade tomatillo salsa, pork carnitas tacos, and Mexican street corn. He keeps one-upping his taco Tuesdays. I'm not complaining. It was delicious and left me completely satisfied.

The morning after making this insane decision wasn't horrible. I was as hungry as I expected to be but my inner cheerleader was all "go team go! You can do it!" I was in a happy place with this decision despite my loudly growling stomach. Truth? The growling has been my body's way of saying good morning since I started doing all the physical activity back in 2015. Nothing new or shocking here.

The growling came in waves. I drank water and sugar/creamer free (zero calorie) coffee all morning and avoided people just in case my hangry came out. I broke the fast with Ezekiel Bread toast and peanut butter. Had a salad for lunch about an hour later. I never felt like I was completely satisfied though.

I might have cried a little when my Apple Watch notified me that my eating window was coming to an end.We all have things that move us to tears. Mine happens to be food and heart-jerking dramas with great character arcs... don't judge me. The hungrier I am, the more I fall for broken, fictional bad boys.

Today's workout: 

• DailyBurn 365
• 20 Min Stair Climber Intervals
• 4 Mile Run (BCAA)

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DAY TWO - Thursday 2/20/20:

Today was a whole different ball game. I was hungry when I woke up. My stomach was growling and didn't stop growling until I put something in it. I think she's getting an attitude. Gonna have to knock her down a peg or two.

I didn't get to break my fast with peanut butter toast today, because I've been in and out of meetings, but I still grabbed something with Protein. I read somewhere that your body will cannibalize the muscles without protein or something. So I figured this was a good choice... considering my boss fed us pizza today.

I pretty much stayed hungry and a little cranky all day. My husband made homemade Shrimp Scampi and garlic bread for dinner. I was a decent sized plate, and I was hungry thirty minutes after eating. I stayed hungry all night, even started feeling pretty bad. My stomach hated me. Since I started endurance training, whenever I get super hungry, I start feeling nauseous. That hasn't happened in a while, but it happened today. Ugh. Why am I doing this?

Today's workout: 

• DailyBurn 365
• 20 Min Stair Climber Intervals
• 45 minute Cycle TABATA

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DAY THREE - Friday 2/21/20:

I can't lie. Today, I was counting down the minutes until I could eat again. It was really hard not to cave today. I had one of those "how bad can one fun-sized Snicker ruin my fast?" You'd be proud. I didn't eat one. In fact, when it came time for my fasting window to end, I was good and had the little snack you see to your right. Colby Jack cheese cubes, coconut walnuts, and honeycrisp apples. Sounds like a ton of food, but it wasn't. Each side of the container is only a half a cup, and it was completely satisfying. Thank gawds, because on my way to lunch I was rear-ended and had to wait another hour and a half or so to even eat a real meal.

I carb loaded and proteined up for my weekend. My husband was craving Central BBQ, and to be honest, as soon as he mentioned it, I started craving it too. I didn't pig out, but was satisfied when my eating window close.

Today's workout: 

• Rest Day

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DAY FOUR - Saturday 2/22/20:

This morning, the growling didn't seem so bad. I wasn't horribly hungry upon waking. I didn't have the guts to start exercising fasted because I planned on going to the woods. Alone. That seemed dangerous to me. I did do my DailyBurn 365 fasted, and it was challenging, but that day's trainer has always been a tough one.

I had two slices of Ezekiel Bread toast and peanut butter (versus the one I typically have) and headed out to Herb Parsons Lake for a run in the woods. These lone adventures have been good for my head, and I think my self confidence. These particular trails are one of the more challenging for me. The pine cones make the floor slick, and with all the rain we've had, the trails were a mess. I focused more on not breaking my neck than trying to go fast, and eventually I made it out of the woods alive. It was a really great morning.


Today's workout: 

• DailyBurn 365
  (BCAA post workout)
• 10 Mile Trail Run
  (Peanut Butter Toast pre-run. Hammer Heed during workout. Chocolate Milk post workout)

After the After Party...

The marathon is now officially a thing of the past... kinda. I've put the 26.2 ornaments (yes, plural) on the tree. The sticker is on the car. Got the tank top to wear to the gym. I've said the word "marathon" enough that I'm sick of hearing it myself. LOL. Though, I have to admit, I still think how the hell did I survive that every time I see anything with 26.2 on it. But now that it's over, now that the training has come to an end, what do we do? What do we talk about?

A second marathon, of course....

You might be thinking man, that chick is nuts! Man, you might be right. As I worked out my new training schedule, I groaned at the long runs and all the insane things I had planned for this round of punishment. I got excited. Then I got tired (this just from looking at the schedule.) I told myself I was insane. I wondered what the hell I was thinking when I signed up for this thing at the Half last year. I know what it was. I was caught up in the excitement. Plus, I'd made a promise to a friend that we would do it together. Things changed. Plans changed. They do sometimes. Either way, here I am, entering ANOTHER round of marathon training, and without the requisite sitting on my ass and recovering from the last one. 

New calendars went up on the fridge, on the door between me and the ice cream and all the other frozen goodies that I'm trying to stay away from. Inspiration Station, I called it. There's a picture of my graduation 5k from 2015 and the time, my first half marathon and it's time (which I can beat by 30+ minutes now), and my first full marathon (which I intend to beat by a full hour next time around.) There's the 26.2 RNR sticker that will go on my car after the race. Most importantly though, and for mental prowess, is the note from my sweet friend Daniela. She'd left it on my car after I survived my first twenty mile training run, one which felt amazing and gave me confidence to see that journey through to the end. It's a great reminder that I can and I will. Failure is not an option. That being said, I'm a little burned out.

I thought the star system would be a great visual representation of how well I'm sticking to my training, and of course, perfect weeks get a reward, but right now I'm having a hard time getting motivated. I probably tried to jump back in it too fast. I probably should've given myself an entire week, but I got insecure and worried about my training. I didn't want to lose ground after six months of putting my body through hell. Well, I've had a serious conversation with myself about these fears. They're ridiculous. My body is trained, and after the first of the year, we'll get back on board with early, sweaty mornings and little aches that can't be explained. But for now, I'm going to enjoy the holidays and work at a pace that makes me love the lifestyle I've chosen. I hope to see you all in the new year. 

In the meantime...

Marathon Training - Week 20 Wrap Up

Oct 29th-Nov 4th ~ 23.1 Miles

Day 133 ~ 6 Recovery Miles
Day 134 ~ Dance
Day 135 ~ Boot Camp
Day 136 ~ Run 6 Miles
Day 137 ~ REST
Day 138 ~ REST
Day 139 ~ 11 Mile Long Run

Meal prep this week - Sooooo much fail. Luckily though, I'd made cucumber dill wraps to munch on after my long run Saturday and I didn't eat them all so I didn't have to eat out every day.

Man... it's been a rough week. I'm so far behind on everything. Let's see if I can remember the standout moments from last week.

Ooohhhh... I remember last week. CHOCOLATE!!!! Oh, and cold. Lots of cold.

Oh wait. Something did happen. But it wasn't last week. I just wasn't ready to talk about it last week. My feelings were a little hurt, and the only feeling I had about it was nastiness. So I just kept my mouth shut.

A friendship ended. Over rumors. Over training. Over... whatever. The reason doesn't matter. And I wasn't going to write about this, because it's not part of marathon training, but it kinda is. Emotions can seriously get in the way of training if you let them. I refused to let them. I'm not going to go into details, but I've learned a lesson about people... when they check out on you, don't take it personally. Its a decision they made. Not you. Also, people talk. People lie. Rumors happen. If you value someone in your life, ask them if the rumors are true before you believe them. Not the other way around. That's all the life/friendship advice I have right now.

As you've been told many times before, running is as much mental as it is physical. So after losing my friend, I wasn't in the greatest head space, but I persevered. I didn't make it obvious by boohooing about it, but yeah... it hurt a little. I also didn't have time to dwell. People will always come and go. Their departure should never, ever stop us. Goals are still goals and failure still isn't an option. Other's involvement doesn't determine my success. I do.

The previous week, while it sucked, ended on a 20 mile high note that left me feeling strong and confident.

Sunday I did my recovery miles--very gently--on a treadmill while watching a horror movie. It was epic and the six miles were done before I knew it. I chose the treadmill because I still hadn't warmed up from the previous day and the idea of getting cold again was about as vomit-inducing as the idea of my feet hitting MORE pavement. The dreadmill was a great alternative and got me through the miles with no problem.

My usual dance and boot camp followed, though I'd opted out of running Tuesday night because my legs felt really fatigued in boot camp that morning, and I was concerned about my left leg. Throughout my training, I've been dealing with some anterior tibialis and IT band issues that has me in a chiropractor every other week. When things start hurting, I ask myself "what would normal, stubborn and sometimes stupid Allison do" then I do the opposite. Normal Allison would've suffered through and probably been sidelined before the big day. We're trying really hard not to be stupid Allison.

Wednesday night, I learned that four legs are faster than two and sometimes dogs are better than GPS. I also learned that Sir, Issac Newton had it wrong. What goes up doesn't always come down. Like in Kirsten's neighborhood where you can go up 27 hills and only come down once and still make it back to the starting point. And I'm not talking about kiddie hills either. I'm talking about hills to make you say bad words. But we had fun. Well, I know I did. And hills only make you faster so we love them SOOOOOO much. That may or may not have been sarcasm. It really depends on the day.

The week ended with an eleven mile long run that the lovely and zany Yella joined me for. Oh. My. God. Soooooo cold. The run was wonderful and we had lots of laughs with our imaginary boyfriend Ryan from Boston who just wants to have beer and donuts with us, despite running in the kind of cold you felt in your bone marrow. I think I'm still trying to thaw out.

So now we're to a point where training is winding down and the big day is upon us. Well, after Saturday's long run, anyway. I've found my tolerance for bullshit is fading. I don't have time or patience for the things I used to. I'm trying to be smarter about my body, i.e. going to the doctor when something doesn't feel right... even if it's just a little sinus pressure. I've found the advice from experienced friends has been monumentally huge in the success of my training. I've surrounded myself with wonderful, positive people who uplift and encourage. I've found that any talk of kids with cancer gets to my core more than it ever had in the past. I've found confidence in myself where it seriously lacked before, and I think that's probably been the most rewarding part of this so far... I'm sure there will be a hell of a lot more to come.

Marathon Training - Week 19 Wrap Up

Oct 22nd-Oct 28th ~ 32.8 Miles

Day 126 ~ REST
Day 127 ~ REST
Day 128 ~ Boot Camp and Run (4.5)
Day 129 ~ Run 5.25 Miles
Day 130 ~ 70 Min. Dance, 3 Mile Run
Day 131 ~ REST
Day 132 ~ 20 Mile Long Run

Meal prep this week - Greek Orzo Salad

When marathon training makes you feel like a freaking rock star...

Okay so, back in August, when I looked at the calendar for this training, I looked at the mileage and immediately started thinking about what kind of jewels I wanted on my urn and what kind of flowers I wanted at my memorial because there was no way in hell I would ever get through this without dying. The first, twelve mile run (though I had done more than a dozen half marathons) had thoroughly convinced me that I wasn't cut out for the marathon distance. Some people just weren't built that way. Another really bad long run almost made me call it quits and walk off the route. I think it was pure stubbornness that kept me going that day, but whatever it was, I'm grateful for it now.

Saturday, I ran the longest distance I've ever run in my life. Let me back up and say that I had been dreading this run since August. I'd had nightmares about failing out before hitting twenty miles. Those who know me know I don't commit to anything I don't feel like I'll succeed at. Not a great way to live life, but I'm not emotionally equipped to deal with being a failure. Not yet. That's a whole different kind of blog. We'll work on that eventually, but for now... I don't fail. Period. Like I said... stubbornness.

The night before the 20 miles I was stressed the hell out. You would've thought it was race day. I made a pile of clothes, checked and rechecked them. Moved them so they didn't fall in the cat's water bowl. Moved them again so they wouldn't fall in the tub. Moved them again so my socks couldn't roll off and get lost. I packed my CamelBak with Twizzlers and M&Ms and two Honey Stinger waffles... more water than I really needed and a frozen bottle of Tailwind. Everything was going to be fine. It was going to be great... even if it took me all damn day to get back to my car.

My bottle of Tailwind never unfroze, neither did my face and fingers. But the cold was no big thing... just motivation to get the miles done faster so I could thaw out in a hot bath. Right?

Daniela and I split at about twelve miles. Kirsten, like most people who live in Memphis this time of year was battling ear and sinus infections, and didn't need to risk being in the cold. I'll go ahead and tell you she still feels bad about that no matter how much I tell her it's okay. It's still very much okay with me. Kirsten, I still love your silly ass.

I was ready for my little 8 mile adventure back to my car. A-okay! Well, it was until I nearly slid my booty across an icy bridge. Losing your footing after running like 14 miles is an interesting jolt to the system... that's all I'm saying. Things tingled where things shouldn't tingle. My heart was in my throat. Scared the poo out of me (thankfully, not literally speaking.) I took that opportunity to fuel while my heart shoved itself back in my chest. And I still had to cross that bridge one more time...

I carried on my little adventure, finding the fatigue setting in real good around the 17th mile. My legs were over it and though I still ran every half mile interval, they were being shortened every time. I was starting to get grumpy, but still had myself in check pretty good. Then my phone died, taking with it the music that made me just happy enough to be out there without giving up. So now all I had was my thoughts.

Running is very much a mental sport, and at this point, my longest run ever had the potential to turn into my worst run ever. I still had about 2 and a half miles left to go, in silence, and... ANDDDDD I was going to run right past the trail exit that led back to my car. Do you know the temptation to stop and call it quits was SOOOOOOOO huge. I mean, it took a fair amount of willpower to keep going. I honestly believed I wasn't going to make it. I'd stopped to stretch, to re-focus and figure out a way to get through that last little bit without my music and without someone to talk to, when a man in a bright green shirt came jogging... errrrr running by me. He gave me an sympathetic smile and a soft good morning. Okay. Okay. Fine. Since he was being that way--all nice and junk--I could keep going. When I rounded the next corner, there he was... doing the same exact thing I had been doing a few seconds ago.

Of course, I had to ask, "how many miles?" To which he said seventeen. He started walking with me and I wasn't the least bit creeped out by this. He was one of my people. A runner. I learned in the next fifteen minutes or so that his name was Craig and he's 55. He'd only been running for a year and a half, and was also training for his first full marathon as was his wife, who was battling a cold and couldn't be out there with him. Thanks to random stranger found on trails, I got through the rest of my run with no problem. I was REALLY appreciative of my rebel spirit and breaking my parents' "don't talk to strangers" rule. LOL


While I'm on the subject of thanking people for their contribution to my training, I would be remiss if I didn't point out the people who have been there on those early, EARLY mornings... in the heat and in the cold...

The ones who have pulled me through some pretty miserable middle-of-the week long runs, while also being a part of the pretty incredible middle-of-the-week long runs.

The ones who have called me when it was obvious I needed a head check, the ones who have been there to get and give sweaty hugs.

Even as I sit here and type this, the list goes on and on, to the instructors at the gym who know it's cool to go all drill sergeant on me because now wasn't the time to slack, to the friends who promise to be there in whatever capacity I need on the big day. Most importantly, and I'll have more to say about him on game day, but thanks to the ONE who has been putting up with my moodiness and my cravings and (no, I'm not pregnant, but like another friend said... I'm birthing a marathon here) most importantly loving me no matter how much of a brat I'm being. I fully acknowledge this was a group effort, and I couldn't have gotten this far without these crazy, wonderful people.

"Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and the thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you even when you don't see it yourself."

~ Edmund Lee

Marathon Training - Week 18 Wrap Up

Oct 15th-Oct 21st ~ 41.8 Miles

Day 119 ~ Rock-n-Roll St. Louis Half Marathon (2:15:03 PR)
Day 120 ~ REST
Day 121 ~ Boot Camp and Run (3.1)
Day 122 ~ Run 9.25 Miles
Day 123 ~ 70 Min. Dance
Day 124 ~ REST
Day 125 ~ 12 Mile Long Run

Meal prep this week - Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Coming off my AMAZING weekend in St. Louis and a five hour drive home left me exhausted. My body needed sleep in its own bed. My belly needed food that was clean and in my normal diet. I needed time to chill and get my routine back. I wanted to take my extra day off catching up at home (i.e. cuddling the kitty and the hubby.) Soooo... I skipped my recovery miles and my Monday dance class. I love that class so much, but my legs were done.

Tuesday I did speed work, which I figured out later might've been a bad idea. Why? Because Wednesday evening, the day after Tuesday evening, I did nine miles that were a little harder than they should've been. Granted, it was a bit warm out and I had worked alllllll freaking day long, but my legs were the problem. They were tired, and they stayed tired, even through two more days of rest. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Wednesday's run immensely. But tired legs are tired legs. Achy muscles are achy muscles. As a result, I didn't run Thursday. I still did my dance class because movement keeps us from getting stiff and achy, but I took it easy. Friday, I stuffed my face with my favorite pizza and I went to bed early like a good girl.

When I texted my friend Kirsten about Saturday's run, I told her, "It's just twelve miles." Like that was easy or something. Truth? I was simply letting her off the hook for an early morning, but it struck me as funny, and quite insane, that I... the girl who never wanted to be a runner.. actually said twelve miles was easy. What the hell is happening to me?

At 4am on Saturday morning, I still firmly believed that the twelve miles wasn't going to be a thing, that this was easy stuff. I'd done that distance a million times. Well, not a million, but at least like twenty. The run wasn't perfect, but not bad. There were a few points when I got in my head. Something small would hurt or I would get tired, and I went to that I can't do this place. Then I would tell myself to suck it up and stop being a wimp. I passed landmarks that let me know I was getting close to the end. I went up and down hills. I was mentally over running up hill, but still physically able to do it. I probably should've slowed down some, but I didn't. I was fine. I was going to be okay. And I was. At the end of the day, the miles were done and I felt strong. Physically. I'm still trying to figure out the mental training part...

At this point, I'm on the fence about how Saturday is going to go. Just so you know, it'll be the first time I've crossed the twenty mile marker. It's a scary milestone. I mean... two years ago, I was excited to have finished a 10k without dying, and that race left me hurting so damn bad I took about six weeks off from running. Three years ago, no one would've ever convinced me I could run anything. I was doing good to walk two miles on a treadmill in under an hour. Today, I'm on the verge of becoming a bad ass. The body really is capable of amazing things.

"Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in."

~ Bill Bradley

Marathon Training - Week 17 Wrap Up

Oct 8th-Oct 14th ~ 18.8 Miles

Day 112 ~ Recovery Miles (4)
Day 113 ~ Dance
Day 114 ~ Boot Camp and Run (3.1)
Day 115 ~ Run (8.5)
Day 116 ~ REST
Day 117 ~ REST
Day 118 ~ Rock~n~Roll St. Louis 5k

Meal prep this week - Cold Spicy Thai Shrimp Bowl

Okay, so... I'm going to cheat a little, because I'm not supposed to talk about what happened this past Sunday on this post, but... well, I'm like a kid at Christmas. I just can't help myself.

My friend, Amber, and I traveled to St. Louis, Missouri this weekend for a fun girl's weekend of running. Yes, I said running and fun in the same sentence. Yes, I've lost my mind, and I'm totally cool with that. Anyway, I'm bursting at the seams right now. I finished my half marathon in 2:15:03!!! That's a seven minute PR (personal record.) My splits were insane. Somewhere around half the miles were run at a sub 10:00 minute/mile pace. For a half marathon!!! That's 13.1 miles!!! What the what??? And the 5k the day before was done in less than 31 minutes and I wasn't even really trying. I just didn't stop running. Seriously! What the what!?!

(As you can see, those aren't negative splits, which is what you really want, but I think that's hella consistent for the hills and the distance. Oh, and don't look at mile 7. First time in my life I had to take a potty break on a race course.)

"Trust the process. Your time is coming. Just do the work and the results will handle themselves."

~ Tony Gaskins

That quote. So. Much. Truth. Through the nagging of my much much wiser friends, I've learned a few lessons. One, and probably the most important one, was to SLOWWWW DOWNNNN during the training runs. I thought I was making myself faster, but I was only making myself hurt. So, I started slowing down, except for Tuesday, which is kinda sorta speed work day. Obviously, I'm not committed to that. Sometimes I get it done. Sometimes I don't. Either is okay with me because I do boot camp on Tuesday morning.

Another thing that people will tell you, and that I FIRMLY believe holds true, is do the cross training. Don't skip it. Even if you have to skip a shorter run day to make time for the cross training, do it. It helps. My first half marathon, little more than a year ago, I finished in 2:49 and some change. I couldn't walk for two days after. Sitting on the toiled made me cry. Everything hurt. Last weekend, I ran 16 miles and danced after. I'm just saying. 

If you learn nothing else from my mistakes, learn those two things: slow your roll, and don't hate on the squats, lunges, burpees, and planks. 

"Some women are lost in the fire. Some women are built from it."

~ Michelle K., Some. 

Marathon Training - Week 15 Wrap Up

Sept 24th-Sept 30th ~ 28.4 Miles

Day 98 ~ Rest
Day 99 ~ Recovery Run (4.0)
Day 100 ~ Boot Camp & Run (3.1)
Day 101 ~ Run (7.1)
Day 102 ~ Dance & Run (4.1)
Day 103 ~ REST
Day 104 ~ Long Run (10)

MEAL PREP THIS WEEK - Greek Pasta Salad

There's not a whole lot to report this week. My spirits were up. I've had a bunch of great runs this week. The body and mind were both in a really good place. Well, there's good to report. LOL

Sunday, my best friend in the entire world was still here and we were nursing some pretty healthy hangovers, so I didn't do anything but lay around and eat lots of foods. I didn't beat myself up over pushing the recovery miles back a day because my mind needed the day off as much as my body did. It ended up being totally worth it, and the break in seriousness for a moment did my soul wonders.

Monday, it was hot and gross, but I did my miles and got to wear a shirt that I'd been too uncomfortable to wear previously. It didn't flatter my figure and didn't hang low enough and exposed too much skin, but when I put it on Monday, it looked and felt great. I was proud.

My hundredth day of training landed on Tuesday, which I celebrated with 3 hilly miles through my neighborhood and fifty-five minutes of my normal morning boot camp. I was good and exhausted by the end of the day, the kind of exhausted that leads to a great night's sleep and a renewed day after.

Wednesdays with Daniela are becoming a new favorite of mine. It's a long mid-week run filled with laughter and general getting shit off our chests. I've said it before and I'll say it again--it's nice having people to run with who have done the full marathon, who have the experience to give good advice, and Yella is probably as real as they come about it, all while managing to not scare the crap out of me. Her zeal for hills matches my love for those wavy concrete mounds through suburban Memphis... and pushes me to keep going even when my heart feels like it's about to pound out of my chest. She's really great at making one suck it up.

That brings us to Thursday--my personal favorite day that ends in Y. Again, it was hot as Hades out, but that didn't stop me from running four miles around Germantown. I took it nice and gentle, simply because I didn't want to be too drained for my dance class. I mean... c'mon, it's dance class. Favorite night of the week.

Friday night, we practiced fueling at my absolute favorite pizza joint in the entire city. It's on rotation with three other restaurants. The point of this--for those who don't know--is to test my pre-race meals and see how my stomach is going to react each one prior to those long runs. My stomach LOVES Pyros. Just saying.

Saturday's long run began before the sun came up. I ran with a friend, Amy, who is trying to get back into her groove. The ten miles went fast for me. I'm not sure how much I pushed her because she didn't complain, whine, or yell at me. I'm incredibly vocal and will tell someone with colorful language to slow down before I die. She did none of that to me. Runkeeper went haywire on me, so we ended up walking more than I liked to, but the important thing was getting Amy close to her goal pace. I think she did great, and after it was over, we chilled on the patio at Starbucks with coffee and food. It was a great way to end the week, I think.

"Fit is not a destination. It's a way of life."

Marathon Training - Week 11 Wrap Up

Aug 27th-Sept 2nd ~ 25.8 Miles

Day 72 ~ Recovery Run (3.4)
Day 73 ~ WRWM Coaching (3 miles)
Day 74 ~ Boot Camp
Day 75 ~ Base Miles (6.18)
Day 76 ~ Walked 3 miles (after packing the car)
Day 77 ~ Set up camp and ate camp food, then did planks by the river... on my rest day.
Day 78 ~ Long Run (Traded 14 pavement miles for 10.34 gravelly, hilly miles.)

FOOD PREP MEAL -  Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

Week eleven already seems so far away, that I had to go back and look at the pictures to remember everything I was feeling/enduring/or fighting to push through the previous week. I'm telling you, three days of quiet time on the river was everything the doctor ordered. Okay, maybe I could've done without the rum and the Fireball, but this girl had needs, and getting sloppy ass drunk was one of them. I'm such a lightweight, however, sloppy ass drunk is one rum and diet coke and a single shot of Fireball. Don't hate me because I'm a cheap date. LOL

It's pretty safe to say that each run felt pretty good. I think the only day I absolutely didn't want to do anything was Thursday, and that had everything to do with having to pack up the car and nothing at all to do with exhaustion from training. So massive bonus there. Boot camp Tuesday morning was even awesome. I had slight pain over my left knee, but Dr. Wonderful took care of that for me.

My long run wasn't 14 miles like it should've been. Mentally, I was there. I was ready to do it. I told myself that just because I wasn't at home didn't mean I couldn't do those miles. That was before I realized that getting out of camp was ALLLLLLL up hill, and I mean up long, tall, gravelly hills. So in reality, for the effort, I might've done 14 miles. I will say that it was a fun and somewhat frightening adventure. My love of horror movies made the adventure better than the run. I'm woman enough to admit that. There are more pictures on my Facebook and Instagram.

The Sunday recovery miles have yet to disappoint. I know its coming. I know that after running 16, 18 or 20 miles on Saturday there will be a Sunday when the thought of pounding pavement will reduce me to tears. Right now, I plan to enjoy the comfortable Sundays, while doing the cross-training needed to make this whole experience a lot less painful.

The best part of the week, however, wasn't the training or eating the bad foods, but the fact that my LARGE InkNBurn singlets finally fit me in a way that I'm not embarrassed to wear. I started out in an 2XLarge, so this is a huge deal for me.

UPDATE FROM THE PREVIOUS POST....

I'm not one who typically likes to wallow in my self-pity. After an inspiring email from my best friend in the entire world, you guys know her as Pookie, I decided to stop making myself more miserable than I needed to be. Or at least try to. To start that process, I reached out to a running buddy who nearly made me puke all over my Mizunos last time I ran with her. In her defense, she was trying to get me to finish a 5k in 28 minutes, in the middle of summer and on a full stomach. We figured out real fast the three things don't constitute a working combination for me.

Anyway, Kirsten is funny as hell, crazy, and loves to talk, and from what I hear can keep me on pace pretty damn good. She has agreed to do the long runs with me, and since she's all like "I can do a 50k for breakfast" I figured she was just insane enough to get up before the sun and run lots of stupid miles with me. Sometimes training is also about regrouping and finding what's going to work for you. Just because things didn't start the way they were supposed to doesn't mean they can't finish with a stellar ending. In December, I expect to have my stellar ending. To quote Michael Jordan...

"You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them."

Marathon Training - Week 10 Wrap Up

Aug 20th-Aug 26th ~ 23.7 Miles

Day 65 ~ Breakaway Bardog 5k (3.1 - 10:00 pace)
Day 66 ~ WRWM Coaching (2.78)
Day 67 ~ Rest (Doc's Orders)
Day 68 ~ Base Miles (6 miles)
Day 69 ~ Rest
Day 70 ~ Rest (Red Robin DGB Burger with Fries and Onion Rings for Fuel)
Day 71 ~ Long Run (12 miles)

FOOD PREP MEAL -  Cold Spicy Thai Shrimp Bowl

After running really hard Sunday, then obligations that kept me from resting on Monday, I decided to skip the extra-curricular gym activities this week, and just let the anti-inflammatories do their job. I continued going to the chiropractor as ordered as well. So there's not much meat in the way of physical activity this week. I will say that thanks to the rest and actually listening to my body, I had a stellar run Saturday morning (after I got past the mental part of it, which I will talk about in a minute.)

I changed my strategy this weekend on my long run. In the past, I've done the long runs with a quarter mile run interval/one minute walk interval. I thought my running too hard during that quarter of a mile was the reason I was finding myself so exhausted, and I think that might've been part of it, but I'm also thinking it had more to do with all the stopping.

A co-coach of mine was telling the beginner women that slowing down to the point your heart-rate drops significantly essentially makes your body have to warm up all over again, and that will tire you fast. So I marinated in this thought for a little while and I adjusted my own run. It paid off. I didn't skip or shorten a single interval. I'm thinking next time I get on the pavement for a long run, I might even try one mile run/one minute walk. I know I'm capable. I've run nine miles without stopping before. But I also want to be smart and find whatever is going to work for me come game day. I. Must. Finish. Failure is not an option.

I've also found that I might have a little superstitious side when it comes to night before fueling. My best half marathon time ever (2:22) was fueled by Red Robin. I'm not even kidding. The first time I met my 2:30 half marathon goal (2:29 in Greenwood, MS.) I'd fueled with Red Robin. Call me crazy, but I see a trend. I'm laughing as I type this, by the way. I had zero stomach issues. Even Saturday I was 100% comfortable for 90% of the run. Sooo... what was up with the other 10%, you might ask? It was all mental.

So, I'm going to go ahead and put this out there, because talking about it face-to-face with people doesn't work. It makes me all watery-eyed and I HATE being all watery-eyed. But I am very lonely. Incredibly lonely. Not because I don't have awesome, supportive people in my life, but because I'm looking for something that I lost when I moved away from Mississippi. I have a best friend down there. She's the kind of best friend I have my own language with, one who can finish my sentences and relate to me on even the most unrelatable level. She's the one who I can absolutely share my space with and enjoy every second of it. She doesn't run. When I say I'm going to run, she's like "Okay, you do that, Pookie. I'll be right here." And that's totally okay with us because she knows I love running and she loves me and that's all that matters. I rely on her. I know I can rely on her. I know if I say "Pookie, I need you, get your ass up here," she'll do everything in her power to make that happen.

I didn't realize how badly I needed a running "Pookie" until Saturday. The 19th, I ended up running the last two miles fighting tears because I was alone. It made the entire run miserable. Saturday, I spent the first two miles of the run in that same headspace. I was ready to say screw the marathon, screw the training. I wasn't going to do it anymore. I was prepared to turn around, go back to my car, and never show my face in the running community ever again. Honest to God, had Rich and Julianne Tutko not been there with big, warm hugs when I came running up to the next turn, I would have marched my ass across the intersection and gone back to my car. Nothing sucks worse than trying not to cry while trying like hell to breathe. It's scary. I've never hyperventilated before, but I imagine it's just as scary.

I say all the time that I'm a solitary person, that I don't need people, and for the most part, I still consider it true, but it's hard to feel like you're on the outside of a "tribe" you're supposed to be a part of. I've been finding that when I'm out on these long runs, I feel very much like I'm an outsider trying to fit in. That's when I need my Pookie. I don't need a group of people who smile and ask "how're you doing?" just to make small talk. I need someone I can look over at and ask "am I going to fail" when I get in that bad headspace, and have them tell me "hell no, you're a beast." That's what I'm missing. Unfortunately, there's not too many people who want to get up before dawn on a Saturday and follow me for distances in the double digits just to tell my crazy ass I'll be okay.

Marathon Training - Week 9 Wrap Up

Aug 13th-Aug 19th ~ 28.3 Miles

Day 58 ~ Recovery Miles (2.5)
Day 59 ~ WRWM Coaching (4.93)
Day 60 ~ 55min Bootcamp
Day 61 ~ Base Miles (6.06)
Day 62 ~ Base Miles (4), Dance 55min
Day 63 ~ Rest (Shrimp Quesadilla, Chips and dips, and Churros to fuel)
Day 64 ~ Long Run (10.83 miles)


Clearance from the doctor gave me a new lease on running this week. I took the miles gently, and there were many more to be had. I just wanted to run and run and keep on running, and for the most part, I did. It was nice to get back into my routine with boot camp and dance. I did feel like tweak a little dance class on Thursday, and I called it quits a little earlier than I wanted to. I just didn't want to take any chance on overdoing it. 

For now, I'm treating with an anti-inflammatory and three to four visits with the chiropractor. I think Monday will be my third visit. That being said, I've told him he's my guy for the rest of the year. By the time the marathon rolls around, I want to be running like a well oiled machine. I believe Dr. Aaron is the guy to get me there. He seems to understand runners. It helps that he's really nice and truly listens, then explains everything that's going on.

Our wonderful Memphis heat and humidity decided to make reappearance. It's my fault. One day last week I wondered when the heat wave would be back. We were wayyyyyy too lucky to get out of summer without too many triple digit days. Yeah, Mother Nature got me good for that one. She rolled in a heat wave that made me sweat buckets, which made for a few excruciating run days, but I got the miles and at the end of the week my legs were feeling pretty good. My mind that got the best of me Saturday (which happens), but we've had a talk and it's not going to do that shit again. If it does, I'll torture it with reality TV.

Also new this week... (2 new changes, actually.)

I've started using MyFitnessPal again. I absolutely hate counting calories. Hate. It. I can think of more pleasant ways to be tortured. However, everyone I know keeps warning me about how I'll want to eat everything in sight while training for a marathon, so I thought I should get control on that now. Especially since my weight seems to be hovering in the same five pound range. It's frustrating to exercise so much and not get anywhere, but then I remember the slice of cake or ice cream or the entire pizza I ate after pounding the pavement for two hours. I'm also very aware that I need to eat better. I need to fuel my body better to get me through all this working out. I'll still have my cheat days on Saturday for sanity's sake, but Monday-Friday, we gotta get real.

Which brings me to the second thing I changed this week...

I've jumped on the meal prepping bandwagon. Oh yeah. Totally did. I went to IKEA and bought two - 3pks of containers. My husband cut up all these veggies he swore I wouldn't like. We mixed up the recipe, and he tweaked it a little by adding some garlic. I think it could've used a little more dressing, but overall it was a success. Each portion came in under 400 calories and filled me up all day. I was impressed. So we're going to do it again next week, with a different recipe that pushes the line of my incredibly picky taste in food. Tune in to found out how it goes. 

Marathon Training - Week 7 Wrap Up

July 30th-Aug 5th ~ 19.7 Miles

Day 44 ~ 5k Recovery Miles
Day 45 ~ Sick
Day 46 ~ 50min Bootcamp
Day 47 ~ 5k Base Miles (Bad Day)
Day 48 ~ Base Miles (dreadmill), Dance
Day 49 ~ Rest (Carb up, Grocery shopping, Chill with the hubs)
Day 50 ~ Long Run (9 miles)


Not every week or every workout will be paved with rose petals and showered in rainbows. Sometimes, life gets in the way. Sometimes, emotions get the better of us. This week was like that for me. Actually, let me re-phrase. Sunday was amazing. I had awesome splits. The weather was perfect. I had the best time running the 5k loop around Cancer Survivors Park. I volunteered for MRTC (Memphis Runner Track Club.) Life was good and I felt great about myself. Then Monday happened. Stupid Monday. 

Mother Nature kicked my ass Monday morning. I wasn't even trying to fight her on that one. But it was a really sucky start to the week. It seems like if I have no motivation on Monday, the rest of the week ends up shot too. So we chalked Monday up to being a total bust. I told myself I'd work through it and everything would be okay. I wasn't going to let negative Allison get in my way. 

Tuesday I crawled my hind parts out of bed and went to the gym. Boot camp felt pretty good. I had a good feeling that the rest of the week would get progressively better. I went to work, prepared to do the damn thing and turn the week around, then I got a call from my dad. My mom was in the hospital and it sounded serious. The doctors never seem to be any help when you're trying to find out what the hell is going on. It was frustrating. I didn't have anything to tell the family, nothing to tell work, and I didn't want to leave until I knew what was going on, or at least until it looked like she was feeling better. I spent most of Tuesday at the hospital with her, went back after work Tuesday night. Still didn't know much and had a really hard time sleeping because of it.

Wednesday came and I couldn't roll my butt out of bed no matter how badly I wanted to. All day long I beat myself up for not rising and shining and hitting the pavement like a good little runner, but I just couldn't do it. Later that night, I made a promise to myself that I was going to take all that bad energy out to the trail (asphalt trail) and leave it there. I was supposed to run five miles, but I didn't. Instead, I ran three incredibly hard and possibly too fast miles, and I left every bit of the icky on the pavement. I felt like a million dollars after.

The rest of the week got better. Thursday, I did five miles on the treadmill watching The Barkley Marathons on Netflix (by the way... I will NEVER reach that level of insane. I'm putting this in writing... NEVER. EVER. EVER. Watch the documentary and you'll get it.) After the miles, I spent seventy minutes in my most favorite class of all time--Dance Fusion at Germantown Athletic Club with Cari. Her dance class is one of the best things to ever happen to me (from a fitness perspective.) She honest to gods makes working out sooooo much fun. I was so exhausted when it was over, I slept like a baby. Thankfully, Friday was a rest day.

As always, the end the week ended on Saturday with a nine mile long run--which is still not long for me. I won't start getting worried until we're above fifteen miles. The great thing was four miles were long gone before I started feeling it at all. The long, gradual hills from downtown to midtown were a pain in my glutes. But I got it done. I pretty much slept all day after. My body needed it. Badly. And to make things better, by the end of the week we knew what was going on with my mother and she was on her way to recovering. 

ALSO...
In my search for perfect fuel, I came across two new to me products that I foresee becoming staples in my running gear. 

The first was the Cinnamon Waffles from Honey Stinger. I had one before my two long runs to knock off the grumbling belly and give me a little extra boost in the begging. Oh. My. Gods. Those things are freaking delicious. I think I might have to carry them for my actual run. Most of these Gu/Jellys/Gatorade things have a weird taste to me. I mean, I pretty much know I'm eating pure sugar, but this was liking siting down with a cinnamon waffle. Sooooooo yummy! (Click on the picture for more info)

The second was Tailwind Endurance Fuel. I tried the Tropical Buzz first, and again, it was absolutely delicious. I liked this because it didn't make my water fizzy and salty. It added a wonderful fruity taste without color, and to make it even better it's all natural and all organic. 
(Again, click the picture for more info)