Point Bock 5 Miler Recap

Happy Monday!

On Saturday morning, I was lucky enough to be able to run the Point Bock 5 miler in Stevens Point, WI.  This race sells out in a matter of hours every year, partly due to its fame in Runners World, and partly due to the 3(!) free quality Point beers each participant gets after the race.

This race holds special meaning to me as my dad was a huge collector of all things Point Beer.  My brother (who is not a runner) and I ran it last year together in honor of my dad.

This year, I planned on running it with my husband Nick and my friend and training buddy Matt.  I didn't have high hopes for the race - I've only been running for about 5 weeks since the last in my long succession of injuries, but I was so excited to be well enough to run.

My 5 mile PR was pretty outdated and slow compared to my other PRs at 46:XX, so I wanted to try to get a new PR, but not to put my body through too much abuse.

The plan was a conservative progression run:

Mile 1:  9:15

Mile 2:  9:00

Mile 3: 8:45

Mile 4: 8:30

Mile 5: whatever I felt like!

We started off perfectly:  

Mile 1: 9:08

Mile 2: 9:00 (booyah.)

By the time I hit the turnaround at 22:37, I knew I had an easy PR in the bag.  I felt like I was just getting started and I was itching to take off.  Matt and Nick stopped at the turnaround for a breather, and I went on alone.  

Mile 3: 8:43

Mile 4: 8:21

Mile 5: 7:36

I had so much energy left at the end I ran the last quarter mile at a 6:20 pace and finished with a huge smile on  my face.

Final Time:  42:48

Pace: 8:34

After the race, I collected my beers, and walked back to find Alicia and Rachel, who were walking the race as they come back from their own injuries.  They were chattering away and l'm so glad they had each other to walk with (but I'm ready for us all to be HEALTHY again!!)  When they finished, we enjoyed brats and beers like true Wisconsin runners:

OK, guys, don't call AA.  They're not ALL mine!  :)

I am so grateful for this run.  I haven't raced since the worst race of my life in August, and I haven't had a race that was easy and fun since before I got pregnant.  In 2009.  

I'm starting to get my hopes up that this injury might be behind me, and that I may actually be able to train for a great race season this year... I've got some PRs to set!!

Taking a Deuce on the Strip

Other than poop jokes, there isn't much in this world that I love more than a good play on words.

So imagine my surprise and delight when on our recent trip to Vegas my husband and I were trying to find our way downtown from the Strip and saw this:

Thank you, Vegas Gods.

That's right, one of the buses in Vegas is called "The Deuce." 

 As in, "Hey, did you want to take the Deuce on the Strip?".  

Also, "I think I feel the Deuce a'coming!"

Or, "Oh my god, the Deuce really smells like greasy food today!"

Endless entertainment.

Quick Vegas Recap

I slutted it up a bit to see a show:

Gotta be careful getting on the Deuce in this dress.

 Had a 36 oz fruity cocktail and saw Cirque du Soleil's "Love".

Why hello Sgt. Pepper, good thing for you my hands are filled with popcorn and booze or I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of you in that sexy fur hat.

Ate at one of the top rated buffets in the world.  I did not want to leave.  About 100 yards of individually prepared gourmet items... I am going to starve myself for a week before I go next time just to make sure I have enough room for it all...

I polished off about six of this delightful little berry covered espresso mouse cups.  Ohhh baby...

 Saw the world famous Heart Attack Grill:

Yes, everyone is in hospital gowns.  Good thing, because someone actually had a heart attack dining there a few weeks ago.

No comment.

That huge burger on the bottom would be the "Quadruple Bypass Burger" , fried in lard.  Luckily, they also sell filterless cigarettes because god knows your heart needs one after a meal like that.

We came, we gambled, we ate.  We loved it.

Vegas - ever been?  Love it or hate it?   - I have a love/hate relationship with Vegas, but I do love spending time with my hubby and people watching.


Heart Attack Grill - clever marketing or sick attempt at making light of serious health issues?

February Recap

Two posts in one week!  I'm on a roll.....  :)




Run Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 40/39 - I can't believe I ran 40 miles this month.  I know it's a drop in the bucket compared to a lot of people's mileage, but it's a huge accomplishment for me.  I haven't run this much since July!


Spin classes Planned/Attended: 4/0 - Uhh yeah.  I dropped spin.  Seriously, all of the stars aligned - great instructor, awesome padded shorts, decent music - and I still didn't like it.  I found myself dreading the Tuesday morning class from the time I woke up on Monday.   Ahh well.  I might try again in a few months.


Swim Meters Planned/Meters Swam:  more than January (6200m)/ 2100m - Yikes.  In my defense, I was out of town without access to a lap pool for seven days this month.... but yeah, I suck.


Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: as many as I need (but hopefully 4)/ 7 - I'm OK with this number, and I'm injury free.


Highest Run Mileage Week: - 12! 12! 12!! Back in the double digits!!


Fitness Classes Planned/Attended: 8/ 3 - Dropped four spinning classes and missed bootcamp today due to the weather.


Races Completed: None, but one on the calendar for Saturday.  


Current Book:  The Story of a Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon 

 It is 1968. Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution, the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, and have been left to languish, forgotten. Deeply in love, they escape, and find refuge in the farmhouse of Martha, a retired schoolteacher and widow. But the couple is not alone-Lynnie has just given birth to a baby girl. When the authorities catch up to them that same night, Homan escapes into the darkness, and Lynnie is caught. But before she is forced back into the institution, she whispers two words to Martha: "Hide her." And so begins the 40-year epic journey of Lynnie, Homan, Martha, and baby Julia-lives divided by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet drawn together by a secret pact and extraordinary love. 

Current Song:  Our Ragnar Team "The Panty Raiders" unofficial anthem.  It's stuck in my head pretty much all of the time.


Current Triumph: Two words:  Injury Free.



Current Goal:  Remain injury free, continue to increase run mileage, and get my happy ass back to the pool.


Current Happiness:  Can I say my kids again?  

2012 Goals 

Running/Fitness:

• Run 1,000 miles in 2012 - 66 miles so far.  Woo!  :)
• Run a sub 1:55 half marathon 
• Get a new 5k PR - current PR 23:17 
• Complete a triathlon
• Run Ragnar Madison to Chicago relay.
• NO MORE STRESS FRACTURES! - through February - none so far!  

Life

• Join Toastmasters to face my fear of public speaking. - I went to one meeting, but haven't taken the plunge.
• Pass the ACSM Certified Personal Trainer exam.
• Knock out at least eight items on my "Fear Can Suck It" list. - Completed: #9 (Jan)

How did your February stack up?  Anyone else racing this weekend?

Blog Negligence

I know, I know.  I left for awhile..  and I could feel each of the tears of longing you guys shed for me... touching, really.   How did you get through a whole month without inappropriate jokes and my awkward stories?

I didn't really plan to be gone for so long... I've just been so freaking busy.

I started taking an entrepreneurship class at Fox Valley Technical College to help me with the details of opening my fitness coaching business... and it's been really exciting.  On top of that, I'm studying for my personal trainer certification, started meeting with a new client, and have been doing some traveling... more on those adventures tomorrow.

And.... I've been running!  Still!  Without an injury!  I know, right?  Pick your jaws up off the floor - this mama is off injured reserve!

First outside run!

February in Wisconsin has been ridiculous.  Warm weather, almost no snow... but that hasn't stopped our winter fun:

Winter wonderland, right here.

In other news, Nolan found a lemon, bit a chunk of out it, and chewed it up, and ate it.  Peel and all.

I heard that straight-up lemon is awesome for baby teeth - thus the need to stop to take a picture before wrestling it away from my crazy baby.

How has your February been?  Anyone out there actually having winter weather?

New Favorite Food

Normally I don't post food photos and recipes on my blog, because, well..  I don't know.  I just don't.  I like reading healthy eating blogs, but my blog does not fall into that category, mainly because I giggle every time I read "nut butter".

That said, I have to break my only show powdered sugar donuts and brats tradition to bring you my new favorite veggie.

I was perusing the produce section of the grocery store a few days ago, when I saw these babies:

source

They looked intriguing.  Kind of a "so ugly it's cute" thing going on.

Awww...?  Ewww....?

So I picked one up, found a handy guide on how to prepare and eat them, and embarked on my Artichoke Adventure.

I rinsed it off, cut off the tip (insert Jewish joke here), put it in a pot of water, waited 25 minutes, and pulled it out (insert contraception joke here).

The more I ate, the more I loved it!  You peel off the outside leaves, eat the fleshy white part, and repeat... and repeat.  For like an hour.  Seriously, this has to be the best "diet" food, because you feel like you're eating SO MUCH and get this:

• 25 calories
• 170 mg potassium
• good source of Vitamin C, folate, fiber, and magnesium

Plus the closer you get to the inside, the sweeter the little leaves (actually called bracts) get.  They taste like they've been dipped in honey.  So, so good.

And check this out from the aptly named artichoke.org:

"Some new exciting studies have shown that artichokes contain an unusual amount of anti-oxidants, in the form of phytonutrients and in a study done by the United States Department of Agriculture, artichokes rank as the number one vegetable in ant-oxidant count.  Among the most powerful phytonutrients are Cynarin and Silymarin, which have strong positive effects on the liver.   It is interesting to note here, that over the years, artichokes have been reputed to help in the cure of liver diseases, liver cancer and to cure hangovers! "

Here, I'll save you from having to read that whole paragraph.  It says

Blahblahblah blah.  Blah blah blabitty blah.................................. blah...........................................................................................................................................................................anti-oxidant........................................................... ..................................................................................... CURE HANGOVERS

Well, when science calls, I answer.  And science is obviously calling me to drink too many beers and have an artichoke the next day to see if it cures my hangover.

Cheers to artichokes!

January Recap and the Cutest Kids Ever.

I have been ridiculously excited to do this recap since I emailed Tonia to ask her if I could take inspiration from blatantly steal her recap post format... months ago.  


January was to be my grand return to running, but it wasn't meant to be:
Run Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 60.7/ 27  - Balls.   This month got off to such a great start, but then my dumb pelvis had to thrust it's way into things.  That's what she said?  


Spin classes Planned/Attended: 4/ 3 - Eh.  Not bad.  I missed the one due to two toddlers with night terrors that kept me up until my alarm went off at 4:40 am.  

Swim Meters Planned/Meters Swam: 2400 m/ 6200m - I KICKED ASS!    I'm really happy with the way swimming is going, and I am so grateful to KDUB for hosting the 70.3 challenge which helped me get over the proverbial hump and start swimming more than a few laps at a time.

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: as many as I need/<----- good thing I wrote that because I took 11.  Might have been a bit of discouraged-induced laziness at work here.  But, I suppose it's better than worsening my injuries.

Highest Run Mileage Week: 10.5.  I was so proud of my double digits.  Come back to me.....


Fitness Classes Planned/Attended: 10 / 5 - Man, these figures all look like hell when I write them out!  We'll see if this post makes a repeat for February, this is freaking brutal!  Really though, I dropped the twice weekly core class because I'm pretty sure my friend and I were the only ones under the age of 87.  OK.  Not really, but it was an easy class geared toward the older set.


Races Completed:  Ahhh, none.  


Current Book:  The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.  Excellent, excellent book.  Highly recommend it.

Current Song: It's gotta be Dave Matthews Band, Say Goodbye.  Find me a sexier song, seriously.  My god.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L54JInUp8Q

Current Triumph:  I may have run yesterday.  And it might have been incredible.  And I might have jumped and danced around a bit more than was socially acceptable on a group run.

Current Goal:  Run. Remain injury free.

Current Happiness:  My kids.  (This would be the cutest kids ever part.)

2012 Goals 





Running/Fitness:

• Run 1,000 miles in 2012 - 27 miles so far.  Woo!  :)
• Run a sub 1:55 half marathon 
• Get a new 5k PR - current PR 23:17 
• Complete a triathlon
• Run Ragnar Madison to Chicago relay.
• NO MORE STRESS FRACTURES! - through January - none so far!  

Life

• Join Toastmasters to face my fear of public speaking. - I went to one meeting, but haven't taken the plunge.
• Pass the ACSM Certified Personal Trainer exam.
• Knock out at least eight items on my "Fear Can Suck It" list. - Completed: #9 (Jan)

My Randoms.

There have been a lot of the random lists posts floating around the blogosphere... and I was tagged in a couple of them, but never got my lazy buns around to writing one.  Since I'm pretty sure everyone has already been tagged, and I don't have enough randomness to do more than one of these, here are my 7 Facts of Kim... (and some good news!)


1.  One time while I was trying to quit smoking I ate an entire 1 lb bag of baby carrots in about an hour.  I do not recommend this.


2. Charmin Ultra Strong toilet paper is like a punishment for crapping.  Seriously.  Good thing I bought the super jumbo package.... 2.5 rolls left.


3.  I am a huge supporter of birth education and choices, and plan to crap out any future babies at home in my living room.


4.  Overuse of the phrase "crapping out babies" is the number one reason I've been hesitant about pursuing a doula career.


5.  When my kids were babies, I would find myself standing at the window at night waiting to see my husband's headlights coming down our road, because being a stay at home mom of newborn twins, while rewarding, can be very.... challenging


6.  Some days, I don't really miss running.  I work out more now than I ever did when I was a runner, and I miss it less and less as the weeks go by.


7.  The first time I Skyped with my husband, I had an overwhelming desire to take off my clothes.  There's something about seeing your husband on a grainy image on the computer that's reminiscent of a cheap porno.  Judge away.


And the good news....

I can run today!!!!!  

Don't worry, I'll write at least four posts dedicated to my one 1-2 mile run.  :)