54.9 miles in one weekend!

This past weekend I ran my slowest marathon ever. But the goal wasn't to see how fast I could run a marathon but to see how far I could run in 48 hrs. I did this at 3 Days at the Fair put on by NJ Trail Series. At this "fixed time" race, the goal is to run as many miles in the time you registered. People were participating for 72, 48, 24, 12, or 6 hrs and running a 0.857 mile loop at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta NJ. I had registered for the 12hr event but over the course of the past couple of months Rick, the race director and a close friend, kept egging me on via Facebook to move up to the longer times. First it was 24 hrs, then 48, and finally 72 hrs! Considering I've only participated in the 12 hr event last year and haven't run longer than 31.7 miles I felt that participating in any event longer than 24 hrs would not be a good idea.

I planned on getting to the site on Friday morning but had to give an early final exam. I made it to the fairgrounds around 1 PM and got my bib and let Rick know that I was moving up to the 48 hr event. What the heck, I was going to be there all weekend I might as well run (or walk). I changed into running gear and put on sun-block. It was going to be a warm, sunny weekend and I couldn't afford to get sunburned on the first day! I started out slow, chatting with other runners. Dave was well into the 72 hr race and looking good. Jessi and Marie were volunteering for the weekend and running the kitchen. Jessi was also putting in serious miles on Friday. By the time I started I think she had already run 44 miles! At the beginning, I didn't have any firm goals except to run more miles than I had - which would have been 31.7 miles. I could have easily done that distance in 8 hrs or so but I wasn't planning on running that fast. So I made 50 miles as my goal - and the goal evolved as the weekend progressed.

I wanted to make sure I ate consistently and hydrated so I started to keep a log. I also wanted to try to stay away from a lot of the junk food that is typical at an ultra aid station. Many non-runners - and those that run shorter distances - don't understand why pretzels, potato chips and candy are typical aid station fair. The salty snacks are to replenish the salt lost through sweating and the candy is a source of simple carbohydrates (glucose) that can be easily absorbed by the intestines and quickly transported to the muscles and brain via the blood. I tried to stick to fruit, Clif bars, Power bars, and other 'real' food. But of course, as the weekend continued I couldn't help but eat some of the junk as well. And Jessi brought baked goods, which could not be be passed - the cinnamon chip scones were delicious!

In the first hour I ran/walked 4.5 miles. Way tooo slow but I was looking to put in lots of miles during the weekend so I was sort of ok with this pace. Early on I started developing IT band issues and ended up walking most of the afternoon. After each lap I would stop and use Dave's foam roller (thanks Dave!) and stretch. At about 5 PM, and after 12 miles, I took a 1 hr break for dinner (rice & beans, pasta, Girl Scout cookies) and to try to grade some papers. The IT band continued to be tight and I took an Aleve shortly before 7 PM. I continued the walking and stretching through the evening and at 10 PM took another break. I was sore and hungry, and it was getting cold. I had some hot soup and Johnny offered me a beer. Some combination of what I was doing and eating finally worked and I was able to start running again - always interspersed with walk breaks - and stopped around 12:30 AM for a total of 26.59 miles for the day. My slowest marathon ever! But there was another day and part of Sunday morning to continue putting in the miles. I ate some food, took a shower, and then hung out in the kitchen (for warmth) and drinking hot green tea until about 1:45 AM. I then went to my tent hoping to be able to sleep. But I figured that was going to be tough. The lights from the fairgrounds were on for anyone running through the night, it was cold! (probably around freezing), I'm not used to sleeping in a tent, and I was sore. I had borrowed a sleeping bag and sleeping pad but the pad is very narrow and thin. I really need to invest in my own sleeping bag and a larger air mattress!

I tossed and turned until my alarm sounded at 6 AM. I shut it off and didn't wake until 8 AM. That was 2 hrs of sleep that I knew I had. I got up, dressed, and made my way to the kitchen for breakfast. Breakfast was 2 large cups of coffee (I brought my own mug), 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 pancakes, and 1 Aleve. Before starting to run again, I taped the hot spots on my feet to hopefully minimize any blisters. The legs were sore but I was able to run most of the morning, always with walk breaks, and the IT band did not seem to be an issue. I continued to drink and eat during this time (but I don't know what it was. I stopped keeping track). Sometime shortly after 10 AM I reached my first goal which was to run the farthest I've run - 32.56 miles so far for the weekend. At about 1:45 PM I decided to take a long break. The sun shone through out the day and it was pretty warm, probably a high of close to 80 F. At this point I had run 22 laps (18.87 miles) for the day. The break was about 1.5 hrs long. I was feeling dehydrated so I drank a lot of G2 Gatorade and even tried to take a little nap. I wanted to make sure I could meet two more of my goals that day: 'run' 50 miles and 'run' back-to-back marathons. Run is in quotes since I really was doing more walking than running.

I got back onto to the course and ended up walking the remaining miles. My legs, especially the muscles on the front of the shins, were quite sore. I think the shins were so sore because they are used more during walking than running and I was walking more than I usually do. I ended up at the 50 mile mark and stopped for a celebratory beer! After the beer and some food, I headed back out to meet my third goal - a second marathon in two days. I brought with me Max, Marie's son, who was trying to complete a marathon that weekend, and Ryan, Rick's son who was trying to run a marathon faster than his dad did that weekend. There was money on that bet and I know Ryan would love to beat his dad at something! Ryan needed encouragement and advice. I knew he had gone out too fast and was struggling. Ryan is a good athlete but he's young (15 yrs old) and wasn't trained for the distance, even with playing soccer in the fall and running track in the spring. After our talk while walking part of a loop, Ryan continued at a slow jog and completed his marathon. And did it faster than his dad by 20 min! Max and I continued to walk and I completed the marathon. Yeah!! I was done for the day, even though there were plenty of hours left to run/walk. I was sore!

I relaxed, ate, had a beer, showered. Thank God for hot water! And then had another beer. After chatting for a while and encouraging runners, I decided to go to bed. I saw Lisa run more miles than she had ever run. And I would have liked to see what the fast 12 hr guy was going to do (his pace was so fast I didn't think he could sustain it. But I think he ended up running 88 miles!) but I was tired. Thankfully Saturday night was warmer than Friday night. I took an Aleve and went to bed. I slept much better the second night - but definitely not as well as if I was in a real bed.

I woke the next morning and decided that I would walk two more laps. I might try to get a running streak started again. Walked the first lap with a coffee in hand. Saw Dave running hard and really focused. I could tell he was really pushing to make his goal of running 200 miles in 72 hrs. He made it! Awesome job Dave! It was starting to warm up so at the start of my second loop I changed into my kilt and grabbed my camera. I wanted a few pictures for the weekend to post here and to Facebook. Total miles for the weekend: 54.9! Next year I think I may just stick to the 24 hr race and see how much I can do while staying focused on running/walking almost all of the 24 hrs. Of course, this could easily change. This weekend I was planning on only running the 12 hr race and try to get more than 31.7 miles!

There were a lot of people who made and surpassed their goals this weekend. The 72 hr race was won by Darren Worts who ran 270.2 miles! My friends Dave Lettieri and Lisa G. met their goals. The race directors, Jennifer and Rick McNulty, put on another fabulous event. And none of this could have happened without the volunteers. Marie McNulty and Jessi Kennedy spent quite a few hours running the kitchen and organized the kitchen and food so that there was a variety of foods through out the weekend. Other volunteers included Jason, Chris J., and Chris W., and lots of others. I was able to run with friends, get reacquainted with people I met last year - Bill Gentry and Fred Murolo, and make more friends. I have another long race in about a month - the Finger Lakes 50km race at the end of June. This one will be a little more difficult than the 50 km race I ran in March. There are hills! So hopefully the legs recover quickly so I can take advantage of the increased endurance I have from the nearly 55 miles this weekend.

Keep running and stay healthy!

Weight Loss Journey in Pictures

These two pictures were taken about 1 year apart at the same race: 3 Days at the Fair. In 2011, I participated in the 12 hr race and ran 31.7 miles. In 2012, I participated in the 48 hr race and ran 54.9 miles (marathon on Friday, marathon on Saturday, and about 1.7 miles on Sunday). The weight difference between the 2 years isn't significant - 8.6 pounds. But what is very different is the miles I have been running. By the start of the race in 2011, I had run 269.4 miles; in 2012, I had run 349.6 miles. I have also been trying to be better with my diet. Not sure if I've made any significant changes with the diet but I know I have been trying to be more focused about running more consistently and trying to stay away from the desserts and alcohol. Hopefully by this time next year I'll have reached my weight goal (need to lose 12 more pounds) and will run even farther at this race - or maybe as far as I have this year but in less time, 24 hrs or less perhaps?

NJ Ultrafest

Still being a relative newcomer to ultra-running, I'm still learning what I need to do during a race. Two of my issues during these long races are usually GI (and more I than G) and nutrition. Both were an issue while running the 50 km distance at the NJ Ultrafest on March 24. And a third issue has resurfaced - a tight IT band. This was my forth attempt at the 50 km distance. Last year I ran the 50 km for the first time at the Ultrafest and finished in 7 h 11 min. This year I had hoped to better my time. My training was better - I've run more miles in 3 months than I have ever run in that time span and I had a 20 mile training run at the HMRRC Winter Marathon in February. Unfortunately that was my last long run except for the 10 miles at Febapple. None-the-less, I felt confident that I would finish the race and have a decent time.

I didn't start packing for the weekend until Friday morning (darn teaching job!) but I had Jessi's packing list that I modified so I was confident I wouldn't forget anything important. I couldn't find the Immodium that I purchased but I hoped I wouldn't need it. This year I would camp at the race site. I had a tent and a sleeping bag from friends so I was set. After packing I drove up to the race site stopping at the RD's house to pick up their oldest son. Arrived at the race site, got my parking pass and parked my truck next to the building and right along the race course. I had already volunteered to help where I was needed so I quickly jumped in to help with packet pick-up. Despite the nearly 260 people registered for the five race distances (marathon, 50 km, 50 mile, 100 km, and 100 mile), registration never got too crazy and I was able to get some dinner and socialize. Then it was a quick set-up of my tent and hopefully some sleep.

Not sure how many hours I slept but I know it wasn't a lot. The noise from the road and the movement of the tarp over the tent due to the wind (was that an animal??!?) didn't help. The sleeping bag was warm (thanks Tony!) but the camping pad was narrow (I think I may invest in an air mattress). But that's ok as I had plenty of sleep leading up to the race.

This year the race would be at a new location at the NJ State Fairgrounds in Sussex County so the course would be different than last year but still relatively flat. The course was a 10 mile loop starting on the fairgrounds then to the gas line. First a 1 mile out-and-back back to the fairgrounds (2 miles) for another out-and-back (6 miles) and then a loop through the fairgrounds back to the start. This last bit had two decent inclines that allowed a little break for the legs (walk the hills!).

The weather proved to be nice for a run - sunny and in the 50's to 60's. I got up a little after 6 AM, changed into race gear - shorts and a short sleeve shirt - and threw on some pants and a sweatshirt since the 50 km race didn't start until 7:45 AM - civilized! I had my breakfast - a bagel with pb&j and coffee (thanks Jessi!). I should have gotten up earlier to eat breakfast and drink the coffee as there is one bathroom stop that I wasn't able to take and later wished I had. I packed my Powerbar cut into thirds and my electrolyte drink. Rick had his usual pre-race talk, including the directions for the initial 1 mile loop. I made a quick dash to the bathroom and started about 30 sec behind everyone - oops! There was supposed to be a short 1 mile loop through the fairgrounds and the back to the start before we began our first of three 10 mile loops. But everyone forgot the directions and followed the front runners and the 3rd volunteer on the course failed to direct everyone in the right direction. Of course, I didn't really know this until later in the day but after 11 min into the race, and the fact that we were nowhere near the finish area, I knew that we missed some turn. So I and another runner made our way up the hill with everyone telling us to head back and continue on the course - that the RD had made the correction and that we should continue with the race along the gas line.

The first out-and-back is pretty uneventful. Some mud, no water, and very little in  terms of a technical trail. Then it was back to the water stop and the next out and back. I knew this section would have more uneven footing as I had run this part of the course in January. The only really worrisome parts were potentially the bridges and one spot where there wasn't a bridge. But the RDs took care of the uneven footing on the bridges by nailing down plywood. The one water crossing wasn't much of a problem - there were rocks that a veteran trail runner could use to prevent the feet from getting wet. I wanted to maintain a steady pace during the race, especially since I know that I tend to start out too fast. Not having a GPS watch or any mile markers on the course could make keeping pace difficult but I decided a 10 min run/1 min walk should be good. The first 10 miles or so seemed to go well. I felt good and tried to eat something early enough. Though at the first aid station (~7-8 miles into the race) I only took 1-2 orange slices and not much else. But I had the sinking suspicion that I was having a bit of an intestinal issue. I made it back to the start, refilled my water bottle with G2 and water and packed more Powerbars. And went to the bathroom - yep I had the issue again. Took care of what needed to be taken care of, grabbed a few gummy bears and had another orange slice or two, and started loop 2, which I thought would go well but it didn't.

My feet were killing me! With the Brooks Cascadias I was wearing I ended up feeling every little rock. And my left IT band started tightening up, especially on the last part of the loop. Damn! The IT band really bothered me during my 20 miler in February and I figured the last 10 mile loop was going to be painful and ugly! And I was struggling with keeping my 10 min run/1 min walk pace. Uh oh! The best part about this type of course is that you are rarely alone. There is always someone running past you or towards you so you can't get too bored. People encourage you and your encourage those who are also struggling. As I finished my second loop, I saw Ron, the photographer (Hillcrest Photo) who had gone out for a run during the race. I asked him how the run went, and he said it was painful. My response was - all runs hurt but some are better than others (or something to that effect - this is what I get for waiting so long to type up my report - I forget good quotes!).

Finished the second loop much slower than the first. I saw that Johnny and Marie were taking care of Jessi who definitely looked like she was struggling - which was not good as this woman kicks ass on the trails and her training had gone so well this year. Her accomplishments truly amaze me!  Johnny asked if I needed something but I don't usually ask for or accept much help during a race as I usually don't know what I need and I usually just get it myself. But given my struggles I accepted the cheese quesadillas he offered as well as the one Marie brought for Jessi who didn't want it. I took 3 ibuprofen, stopped at my truck to change my shoes and to get the stick to massage my IT bands (now both were tight!) and continued along the course to my tent to get new socks. As I was changing, another runner encouraged me to get back on the course and to run with him. I assured him I'd be back out there shortly after changing my shoes & socks.

So new shoes, socks, and more food and I was on my way. As I was running through the fairgrounds I was starting to feel better. I was running more and walking less and caught up to the guy who encouraged me to get back on the course. As I passed him at a nice clip - he was walking and seemed to be struggling - he asked if I was Nascar. LOL! Nope! Just new shoes, drugs, and some food and I was feeling like a new woman! There were times I actually was able to run 10 min straight! I would have to stop and stretch the IT band every so often but after a while that didn't even bother me. During this last loop, and with my renewed energy, I was determined to not finish last! I caught one 50 km runner while running the fairgrounds and continued on the out-and-backs. I handled the bridges without issues and traversed the rocks across the water without a problem. Tho I did tell the two guys that were gingerly making their way across the rocks they needed more practice. I had to wait for them and I wanted to run! As I was making my way to the last aid station, I was taking note of who was wearing bibs in the 100s (fellow 50 km runners). I knew there were at least 2 guys behind me so I knew I wouldn't finish last but I also wanted to see who I might be able to pass. Yes I was feeling 100 times better than I did in the second loop. At the aid station I was well taken care of by Jody (thanks!) and checked out my competition. I thought there were two women I had to worry about but it actually was only one (the second woman was running one of the longer races - the 100 miler I believe). I try not to stay too long at aid stations and got back to running. I passed the one female 50 km runner that I saw at the aid station, made it to the water stop and then up the hill on the fairgrounds to make my way to the finish. I was feeling pretty good but not enough to run up the hill - heck I was probably past the marathon distance at this point! But any time I was running, I was running strong and with good form. I barreled down the hills and occasionally walked. After passing the pond and making my way across the bridge I knew the finish was right around the corner! I passed another runner who was running the marathon and ran most of the back stretch. I made the right turn onto the road, passed the gate, and tapped the inspirational sign. Man was I feeling good at this point! So I picked up the pace. Mentally reminded myself of the potholes at the next turn - avoided said potholes - and sprinted through the finish line! 7 hrs 34 min. I heard Becky screaming for me (such enthusiasm!) and Rick handed me my finishers medal and fleece and gave me a congratulatory kiss on the cheek.

The 7.5 hrs was not quite the time I wanted but was much better than expected given how I felt during the second loop. Next race - 12 hrs at 3 Days at the Fair. But I've moved up to the 48 hr race. It'll be a good start for training for the Finger Lakes 50 km at the end of June. Keep on running!

5% weight loss?

I've been watching The Biggest Loser pretty much since the first season. I find the effort of these very large people, many of whom have never worked out, pretty inspiring. A few of my friends don't understand why I watch the show as they don't think I need to lose any weight. However, at my current weight my BMI is 25.8, which puts me in the Overweight category. I'm pretty close to the Normal category - I just need to lose 5.6 pounds.

But back to The Biggest Loser. This past week, the contestants were sent home for 18 days and if they lost 5% of their weight while at home they would win immunity from elimination. So that is my goal - lose 5% in 18 days. That is 7.5 pounds by March 24. But it'll really have to be in 17 days as I'll be at the NJ Ultrafest running a 50 km race on the 24th.

This means I really have to be more focused with the diet and the exercise. Both have been pretty good and it has gotten me closer to my first goal. But some days are better than others.

Heading out for a 3 mile run. I really need to run longer but I have a lecture to finish prepping and an exam to write!

Races for 2012

I'm stealing this idea from my friend Jessi. She lists her races on the side of her blog (will run for beer). I'll at least list the races that I am planning on running or thinking of running in the first part of 2012 here (with links to web sites for anyone that is interested). I'll then update it with additional races and how I did in each race.


1/7/12 - Watchung Winter run - 10 mile or marathon - whether I run may depend on the weather. Didn't run this race despite the awesome weather. Worked the aid station at start-finish. Ran the hash (2.5 miles)

1/21/12 - NJ Trail Series Winter Series #3 - 10 miles; there's a fourth race in the series on 2/4. I haven't decided if I'll run the last race. Ran this after helping out with registration. Getting to the race was eventful because of the snow. Ran 10 miles in 3 hr 24 min in cold (about 24 F) and snow. There was ice underneath parts and fell during the 1st loop. Oh yeah - and I finished 3rd over all and 2nd female for the 10 mile race. A bunch more people started the 10 mile race and dropped to the 5 mile race after running one loop.

2/19/12 - Hudson Mohawk Marathon Registered - I think this will go better than my last marathon in October. I've started a running streak and have only missed 2 days since December 28. My longest run so far is 11.8 miles and plan to run longer this weekend. How well I do may just depend on the weather. Last year was damn cold! I only ran 9.3 miles last year and will definitely run much longer this year.  
       Well the race did not go well. The weather was perfect - about 32 F at the start, sunny (should have put suntan lotion on!) and a slight breeze. I only ran 20.7 miles in 4 hrs 25 min. My left IT band and ankle were giving me issues. I definitely need to get back to weights and the hip exercises. And I need to be better with my training. My longest run was 11.8 miles and did a 10 mile trail race in several inches of snow in about 3 hrs. I probably went out too fast - I ran the first mile in 9:30 but tried to stick to running 10 min and walking 1 min. Felt pretty good for the first 2 loops (9.73 miles in 1hr 50 min) but the wheels started falling off in loop 3 (5.99 miles in about 1 hr 10 min) and came completely off in loop 4 (5.99 miles in 1 hr 25 min) so I didn't bother with loop 5. I also had another issue (intestinal) that I've had in the past with long races & some other hard efforts that I really need to figure out & resolve! Still this is the longest run of the year and part of my training for the 50K in March. I am in much better shape and have run more this year than I did last year so that bodes well for the 50K. Bonus was watching my friend Jessi crush the course record and her PR for the marathon by finishing in 2 hr 58 min and some seconds! Its amazing to watch her race and run and I really need to start adopting some of her training approaches and life style. But of course with adjustments since she is 17 yrs younger than me and far better built for the longer distances and faster speeds than I am.

2/24/12 - Febapple - running the 10 mile race and hopefully another run later in the afternoon. This year the weather and course will be much better than the ice, snow & bitter cold of last year!
   I was asked  by the race directors to help out with registration in the morning. Which meant getting there by 6 AM! Not being a morning person, I told Jenn, the race director, I'd get there as close to 6 AM as I could. I showed up before 6:30 AM with coffee for Jenn and Rick - as close to 6 AM as I could get! I stood around in the cold and WIND helping with registration for a little over 2 hrs before the 9 AM start for the 10 mile race. The 10 mile and 21 mile racers started at the same time - but the 21 mile participants had a 1 mile loop to do before getting to the 10 mile loop. The 10 mile loop was set up as a figure 8 - a 4 mile loop back to the start-finish and then a 6 mile loop. The course was marked with flour - which sometimes could be a little difficult to see due to the rain storm the night before. All that rain also meant that mud was pretty much a guarantee on the course! The first 4 miles were pretty hilly and rocky so it was a bit slow. I don't know what my time was for that loop as my watch battery died and I was running the race based totally on how I felt. I walked the hills (some were pretty steep - don't know how steep) and ran the flats and most of the downhills (unless it was too rocky). Stopped for some aid (1/2 pop tart) and then continued with the second loop. This part was much more runnable. I tried to keep it at a steady pace so I didn't crash and burn. I also wasn't sure if the IT band issue would come back as I still hadn't really done much of the stretches or exercises that I need to do. There were 2 guys that I was always encountering on the course - they jokingly said I was stalking them. They were taking it easy and taking pictures with a stuffed lion (who has his own Facebook page).  I knew they were running the 10 mile race so my hope was to at least finish ahead of them so I wouldn't be DFL. Made it to the aid station and had some orange slices and Jelly Bellys (Yum!). As I only had about 3 miles left I tried to pick up the pace. My goal was a decent time and not to finish last. The last bit of the course went through a field - which was pretty soft, wet and muddy! Actually had a bit of a sprint to finish in 2:19:15 (13:55 pace). And I didn't finish last! Eleven people finished behind me - including the 2 guys taking pictures. I finally passed them as they were taking pictures by the waterfall. The course is beautiful - especially the second loop. I want to go back and run that loop again. It'll be really nice when the flowers start blooming. I'll have to bring my camera. The IT band didn't start bothering me until the very end. But it did tighten up so I definitely have to keep an eye on it. Didn't run a second time that day as I had to do work for my courses for the week. I felt pretty good about my effort. I think I might be able to run this faster - eating a little more closer to the start of the race would be a good idea. I was HUNGRY when I made it to the last aid station though I was eating during the run. But I think I have to eat more of the Power bars and less of the fruit chews that I bring with me. And I may want to think about using gels. Though not on a 10 mile race but for the longer races.

3/3/12 - Seneca Creek 50K - not yet sure if I'll run this one Didn't register for this race.

3/24/12 - NJ Ultrafest 50K - last year it took me 7 hr 11 min to run. This year it'll be at a new location but the terrain should be the same. I want to run it in 6 hr. Registered Ran in 7 hr 34 min. Didn't make my goal but ran a strong last loop after a rough 2nd loop. Race report here.

4/7/12 - Mt Penn Mudfest - 15K trail race - I've run this race more than a dozen times (it's in its 18th year in 2012). Good thing its 2 weeks after the Ultrafest! Registered New course. Very little water or mud. Ran in 2:11:50. Felt good and was definitely strong during the second half. I might have been able to run this faster.

4/21/12 - Muddy Marathon - will register for the half-marathon distance again. Will I be able to complete the 1st loop in the time limit in 2012? New course and new time limit. Registered Run as a fun run. Missed half of the 1st loop. Had two beers before starting the 2nd loop with the hash.Completed the 2nd loop. LOTS of mud. But flat with the new location in Parsippany.

5/12/12 - 3 Days at the Fair - will definitely register for the 12 hr race but may think about the 24 hr race. This way I can sleep during the night. And I'll probably borrow someone's tent so I don't have to share. In 2011 I ran 31.7 miles - my longest distance to date. I wanted to run 50 miles but the chilly temps and the rain in the middle of the night proved too much. I definitely have to make sure I have better clothing/gear with me in 2012. Registered for 12 hr. Moving up to the 48 hr race but starting late.

6/30/12 - Finger Lakes Fifties. Registered for the 50K.

Importance of sleep for weight loss

From Everyday Health: Link between Sleep and Weight.

I think there is certainly some validity in what is stated in this article. I know that when I'm not sleeping as much as I need to, or not sleeping well (falling asleep on the couch first and then going to bed for as little as another hour of sleep), that I have no energy to work-out. And when I have a lot to do when I'm sleep deprived, I tend to eat more - like a cafe mocha and dessert from Starbuck's! The added calories always give me an energy boost to get through the day. And since I haven't worked out, all those extra calories are doing is going right to my fat stores - which I need to get rid of! It'll be interesting to see the results of the NIH study looking at whether getting a proper amount of sleep will help people lose weight.

This is why I have made one aspect of my weight loss program is to get enough and proper sleep. I know that I have not been as diligent as I need to about this. Which is weird since I always feel better when I do get to bed at a reasonable hour.

This week, my workouts won't be as consistent. I started not feeling well on Monday evening. Probably due to burning the candles at both ends. Saturday morning I ran a 25 km trail race on Staten Island in 3 hrs 32 min (and placed 3rd in my age group!) and then drove out to Parsippany to run with my group (ran a total of 19 miles on Saturday!!) and attend our holiday party. I didn't get home until after 1 AM that night! Then friends were over for pizza and beer on Sunday. But luckily I'm starting to feel better and hopefully will get a run in by Friday and perhaps go to the gym or do some yoga on Thursday. I'll probably need some sort of stress release. I have a ton of grading to do!

Here's another link that may be of interest to everyone. Exercise!!! is the single best thing you can do for your health: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

The diet the previous Monday-Friday was also pretty good as well. Dinner of fish and veggies and no beer during the week. Going to keep doing that as it seems to help me make up for my horrible diet during the weekends.

Week 6 - Another blown weekend

I'm not going to post my weight this week. Let's just say that I didn't lose any weight. And the weekends are proving to be my nemesis. This past weekend I ended up having five events - beer tasting on Friday, trail race Saturday morning, dinner in New York City on Saturday, a baby shower Sunday afternoon, and more beer with a friend at a bar on Sunday evening. Of course the trail race - approximately 6 miles run in 1 hr 36 min - did allow me to expend a fair amount of calories but I didn't do so well on the post-race foods and drink. This is partly due to what choices are available but I really need to stick to one post-race beer and not the two that I did have. One good thing that I did do was not have beer when we went out for dinner after Friday's beer tasting. Next weekend plans include a trail race Saturday morning and a Christmas party Saturday evening so hopefully I'll be better!

The week was pretty good for the diet (except for the weekend of course!). I drank hot green tea after dinner Monday through Wednesday instead of the beer that I've been drinking. However, on Thursday I decided to go to Copper Mine Pub to try some Sierra Nevada beers that they tapped since I don't usually find a SN beer besides their typical Pale Ale. I had a pint of the Southern Hemisphere IPA and a pint of the Northern Hemisphere IPA. At 6.7% alcohol, I wonder if these beers also have more calories? My dinner consisted of tilapia and broccoli. I'll be having a similar dinner this week - salmon and asparagus. I only had a piece of fruit three days this past week so I'll have to be better next week.

The work-outs weren't as strenuous as I need them to be for weight loss. My legs were still pretty sore from the almost 20 miles of running in four days that I did the weekend before and so only did 25 min of yoga on Monday. I was up late on Monday night so by the time I was done teaching on Tuesday I was too tired to go to the gym and took a 3 hr nap instead. I ran a total of 9.3 miles on Friday and Saturday. Saturday's run was good. I took it a little easy on the first part of the course to warm up. And there were some serious hills which required walking. It took me about 57 min to get to the aid station. The second half of the race, I made sure to push the pace and if a hill was short and not too steep I made sure I ran all, if not most of it. It felt really good to push the pace. I felt strong, passed several women, and completed the second half of the course in about 39 min. It also helps to not care about getting muddy or wet. ;)

This next week will have to be better in the exercise realm. I don't plan on running as much during the week and certainly no speed work. I will be running a 25 km (15.5 miles) trail race on Staten Island Saturday morning and want to be able to run it well (I have no idea what to expect with regards to terrain - except for the 2300 ft of gain that is listed on the website). I also need to let my right ankle heal a bit. I turned it during Saturday's trail race. I'll have to make sure to lift weights on Tuesday and not Thursday. My legs were still a little sore Saturday morning. I've incorporated lunges into my weight routine since the Essex County College gym is not that great and figured it might be better for my running that doing leg presses. And when I do lunges, I use a lot of the smaller leg muscles for stabilization. At some point I may actually perform a lunge without almost falling over!