LLRB 365: 2011 Week 40

The end of this week marks 1 more week until the Grand Rapids Marathon!!!!

Monday

10-3-11

Most people keep a bowl of fresh fruit or candy on the counter.

I keep a bowl of Nuun, Sport Beans and Gu.

Tuesday

10-4-11

My wine from One Hope Wine came today! Thank you Klout!

Wednesday

10-5-11

I needed a little Team Sparkle to get thru my uber hot 8 mile run.

Next time I wear this skirt it will be on the Grand Rapids Marathon course!

Thursday

10-6-11

"He who has health has Hope. And he who has Hope has everything."

Friday

10-7-11

I'm just now realizing that I consumed a lot of booze this week. Must be Taper Madness.

Saturday

10-8-11

Beautiful fall morning for my last long training run - an easy 10 miler :)

Sunday

10-9-11

Walked around downtown for 3 or 4 hours to check out Art Prize!

What did you do this week?  Have you entered my giveaway for a tech shirt from My Race Ragz?  You have until Tuesday night at 9pm EST to enter!

Fitness Friday: Taper Madness

We are now into the SINGLE DIGIT countdown to the Grand Rapids Marathon!!!!  9 days, baby!

A few random thoughts about "taper madness"

• You become completely germ-obsessed: since I've been sick for the past almost 2 weeks now, apparently I wasn't germ-obsessed enough.
• You become a self-proclaimed meteorologist: I seriously need to stay away from all sites weather-related. As a bonus, the long-term forecast for Sunday, October 16th is partly cloudy with a high of 58* and a low of 44*.  Winds at 11 mph and only a 20% chance of precipitation.  Now, understand this is Michigan and as they say, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change" so who freaking knows what it will REALLY be like race morning.
• You feel every little twinge and sore spot on your body.  Today, it's my left ankle, right knee, both calves, and my the breathing issues are coming back (which makes me think the breathing crap is TOTALLY anxiety).
• You make 52 trips to the running store in 24 hours: side bonus - you are supporting the local economy and this will also help you keep your Foursquare "mayor" status.  
• You question every missed workout and every workout that didn't go as planned.  Then, you realize they were all learning experiences and you write a blog post about all the miles you've banked while training for this marathon.
• You decide to cut out alcohol until after the race, but then you drink 1/2 a bottle of wine because you're stressed out and start chatting with your friends on twitter about entering Tough Mudder Indiana in 2012. (Don't worry, I came to my senses - it'll be too freaking COLD in March and I have no upper body strength to get thru the first obstacle.)
• You check and re-check every piece of gear you own, setting out your race-day outfit a full week in advance.  Speaking of race-day outfits, have you entered my giveaway for a custom-designed tech shirt from My Race Ragz?

So, fellow victims of Taper Madness.  Did I miss anything?  What do you freak out about in the couple weeks leading up to a big race?

Thankful Thursday: Miles Banked

Today marks the 10 day point.  10 days until the Grand Rapids Marathon: a race I officially started training for on June 11th, but that I've really been training for since I first laced up some running shoes back in the spring of 2006. Although at the time I would have said you were on crack if you'd suggested I'd be running a marathon 5 years later!

Since June, I have banked 353.11 miles of running.  I didn't add up biking or walking miles in there, but there were a few of those too.  Over the next 10 days, I'll do one more "long" run of 10 miles plus probably a 2 mile and a 3 mile run.  Add those last 15 miles in and you get 368.11 miles.  That's a lot of mileage deposited into "the bank".  I'll be withdrawing on those miles for many hours on October 16th.  When my legs feel like lead and I'm shaking and tired, I need to remember:

• remember the days I got up at the crack of dawn (or before) to get in a run before the heat of summer hit, 
• remember hitting the wall during my last 20 mile training run and recognize what that feels like so it DOESN'T happen again, 
• remember what it was like to run with some of my best friends during the course this training and how they pushed me to go farther and faster than I ever dreamed possible.

In 10 short days, I will push my body to do something I never thought I would consider doing - run a marathon.  I wouldn't be here without those 360-some miles of training.  I certainly wouldn't be here without you all encouraging me.  

The miles are in the bank and it's almost time to start collecting.

11 Days and Counting!

My first marathon is now just 11 days away. EEEKK!!! How am I feeling?
• The sleepless nights have already started - stupid dreams about forgetting stuff, things like that.
• I'm still sniffling, sneezing & coughing.
• I'm trying not to panic too much about missing last weekend's long run because I was sick.
• I have an 8 miler today & a 10 miler next weekend in which to bring back some confidence.
• I'm worried about running too fast, if you can believe that.
• The antibiotic I've been taking to ward off a massive sinus infection has turned my stomach (among other places) to poo. You're welcome.
• I'm really doing this. In less than 2 weeks I'm planning to run for 26.2 miles (well, mostly - there will be some walking for sure). I have some ideas about how long it might take me & I'm ok with the eternity I'll be on the road. The Grand Rapids Marathon FAQ's page says, "We’d really like it if you finish on some day ending in a “Y” Stay perpendicular and cross the FINISH LINE. We’ll save you a beer."  I'm looking forward to that beer!

Did you see?!? The Grand Rapids Marathon made this month's issue of Runner's World magazine for its pickle juice!!!  What's the weirdest food/drink you've ever encountered on a race course?

Also - Have you entered my giveaway for a custom-designed tech shirt from My Race Ragz?  Get to it!

@MyRaceRagz Shirt Giveaway!

If you know me & my running habits at all, you know I love me some tech gear. I won't run in anything else. Truth. If it says something funny or motivating, even better!

So when the lovely folks at My Race Ragz (who happen to be one of my awesome 26.2 sponsors) asked if I'd like to design a shirt to wear for my first marathon I said, "Duh! Hellz Ya!"

I finally had a chance to try out my shirt yesterday and I have to say ♥!

Pre-run! Don't I look cute?

After a hot (it was 72* while I was running!) 3.1 miles.

The pros:  light weight tech fabric, very soft, flat seams, longer length, lots of styles and fits, fast turnaround & shipping, the ability to say whatever you want!
The cons:  it's white and really sheer (you can totally see thru it, even when it's dry), I think they run a little small (I'm sporting the women's medium and it's snug), trying to come up with what you want your shirt to say (this was SO hard!).

Overall, I'm very happy with my shirt and I can't wait to wear it again when I run my first 26.2!

Ready for the best part?  My Race Ragz wants to give one of YOU a shirt as well!  What do you have to do to enter?
1.  Mandatory: Go visit My Race Ragz and come back here to leave a comment telling me your favorite shirt saying!
2.  Tweet about this giveaway.  Make sure to include @barif0815 and @MyRaceRagz in your tweet.  Leave a separate comment below.
3.  Share this giveaway on Facebook.  Yep, leave a separate comment!
4.  Like My Race Ragz on Facebook.  What do you think the next step is? - comment!
5.  Like LiveLaughRunBreathe on Facebook and let me know!

That's 5 chances to win one of these awesome tech shirts!  You have until Tuesday, 10-11-11 at 9 pm EST to enter.  I'll pick a winner (via the ultra-scientific name out of a hat) and announce it on Thursday, October 13th!

Good luck!

My Race Ragz sent me a shirt to review and sport at my marathon.  The opinions are all my own.

Menu Monday: Crock Pot Beef Soup

The original recipe for this soup was titled: Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew and I found the recipe in the sale flier for our local grocery store.  It called for frozen stirfry peppers and onions, which sounded a bit strange to me, so I tweaked the recipe to suit our tastes.

Here's "my" version of what I'm calling Crock Pot Beef Soup

Ingredients:
4-5 medium red potatoes
2 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1/2 onion diced
1-1/2 lbs beef stew meat cut into chunks
1/3 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1 cup beef broth

1. Scrub potatoes and veggies.  Cut potatoes into quarters and veggies into chunks.  Place in bottom of a 4 quart slow cooker.

2.  Mix flour, salt and pepper and toss with beef to coat.  Add to slow cooker.

3.  Add undrained tomatoes, broth and water and stir.

4.  Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours until beef and veggies are tender.  Serve with a nice salad and some biscuits.

This turned out very well!  I think it was a little light on seasoning.  Next time I might throw in a few other spices, maybe a bay leaf.  Also, it reminded me of a beef barley soup my dad makes, so I might try adding some barley at the end of cooking and see how that works.  If you want to make it like the "original" recipe, omit the carrots, onions and celery and add 3 cups frozen stirfry peppers and onions in the last 30-40 minutes of cooking.

Do you have a favorite (code for EASY) soup or stew recipe you like to throw together when the weather turns colder? Please share!

LLRB 365: 2011 Week 39

With this week, we close out the month of September and welcome October - MARATHON MONTH!!!

Monday

9-26-11

My running trail (that I biked on today) is starting to look like fall.

Tuesday

9-27-11

Cooler fall weather means soup in the crock pot (stay tuned, recipe coming tomorrow!)

Wednesday

9-28-11

My idea of relaxation and killing time.

Thursday

9-29-11

Happy National Coffee Day!

Friday

9-30-11

I finally stole the mayorship of my running store from my friend Pete :)

Saturday

10-1-11

My girl placed 8th (of 15) at the Freshman/Sophomore 11 Dive Invitational

Sunday

10-2-11

For the first time in over 12 weeks, no weekend long run for me.  (On an absolutely PERFECT running morning, too, I might add.) Instead, I'm hoping all the meds will kick the crud so I can dominate that marathon in 2 weeks.

So, tell me, what are you looking forward to most this October?