Monthly Archives: May 2013
Detox Day 1
A few years ago, my mom followed the “From Couch to 5k” program for running. Well I am currently on the “From 10k to Couch” program for the next two weeks. Because running is a year-round sport, it’s important to take a couple weeks of a break between track and cross country. It keeps us from getting burned out later in the season, and is also important to prevent overuse injuries. So I’ve been in bed all morning…I’m taking this rest thing seriously! ;)
Missy doesn’t mind rest week either.
After my conference 10k, I went into rest mode. That meant cutting 50-70 miles a week to ZERO. So an important part of the transition from track season to summer is nutrition. In season we burn hundreds of calories with daily and twice-daily workouts. Cutting workouts = cutting calories.
I don’t like the work “diet” so I’m currently on a DETOX. School, traveling and competing was stressful. Our meals were full of bread, pasta, dessert, and snacks. It’s time to undo all the damage with extra fruits and vegetables, tons of water and minimal processed food/desserts.
I cannot get enough fruit, veggies and vitamins in my body this week! This isn’t some kind of extreme diet plan and I’m not cutting out any food groups completely, just making sure meals are full of nutrients and snacks are in moderation. Here is my meal plan for today:
This menu is so colorful, especially when you mix up the different bell peppers and fruits. Another big component of the detox is WATER. I’ve got a giant tumbler filled next to me at all times, and as soon as it runs out I fill it right back up. Water, fresh produce and less stress from school & sports makes me feel so much better/more energized. The problem is, I have all this energy and no exercise! :P
Back to job hunting for me!
Conference Championships!
As promised, here is my race recap from the Big Sky Track & Field Conference Championships. Portland State hosted the 2-day meet, but due to their lack of facilities we competed at Pacific University in the adorable farm town of Forest Grove, Oregon.
My 10k took place Friday night, in some pretty humid weather! It was semi-overcast and there was no breeze to cool us off from the warm temperatures. At the start line, we were told that there would be 2 “water stations” on the track for us to take cups of water. I thought, “Psh, I’ve never needed water during a race before, I don’t need any today!” Wrong. I took a cup on the second lap, and every other lap after that. The heat or humidity gave me chills during my run, and I used the cold water to splash myself every few minutes. By the end of the race, I (and all the other runners) was drenched! (I like to think the extra water weight added a few seconds to my overall race time, though I don’t know how realistic that is… ;) )
Thursday’s pre-meet run, Friday’s warm-up and cool-down, and Saturday’s recovery run all took place in the same area around the university. It was one of the most scenic and beautiful places but pictures do more justice than words do:
My 10k was not my fastest, and I didn’t place as high as I had hoped. But I’m happy with my season and relieved that it is over at the same time. Today marks the first day of my two-week break from training and I plan on thoroughly enjoying my extra time :)
Our Women’s Team placed 3rd in the conference, a position we are all very proud of. Needless to say, everyone was in great spirits last night as we went out and celebrated!
Conference Team 2013
Some of my best memories of college will be weeks like these spent traveling to new places with a team of 50 amazing athletes, with great competitions and fun celebrations!
After the meet and awards ceremony concluded, we had a special dinner at Monteaux’s Public House in Beaverton, Oregon where we were presented with a special menu just for us.
Eating dinner at 9pm is definitely out of the norm for me, and I was starving by the time my sandwich came! Afterwards we walked through Hillsboro to a frozen yogurt place where they had a super unique toppings selection including “cheesecake balls” (like malt balls), blue cookie crumbles, “zagnuts” and apple pie filling!
I now have a full 24 hours of traveling until I am Home Sweet Home. Which will most likely culminate in a post on healthy eating while traveling… ;)
Pre-Race Playlist
Wednesday marked the final day of classes for my sophomore year of college, but 30 minutes after my last final exam I was on a charter bus along with 46 of my fellow track and field athletes for our journey to the Big Sky Conference Championships track meet in Portland, Oregon. 16 weeks of training have come down to the final 10,000 meters around the track in an effort to place in the top-8 in the conference and score points for my team toward the championship title!
This year I want to run with my heart instead of my head. I completely fell in love with running years ago; many times the best part of my day is an energizing or serene run/workout. So today I’ve got a playlist that is upbeat-songs-only. I just want to stay in a super positive mood and totally enjoy myself. (We’re deviating from the typical Eminem trend here.)
I tried to keep the country tunes to a minimum ;) Mainly I just like theses songs because they make me want to dance! Race organizers like to schedule the 10k last, so I will be hanging out at the hotel for a few more hours today before heading over to the stadium. To keep my mind off the race I’ve got Pinterest and last night’s Grey’s Anatomy episode. All I need is my cuddly puppy and maybe an iced skinny cinnamon dolce latte.
As our plane descended into Portland, it was easily the GREENEST place I’ve ever seen. For our pre-race shakeout run yesterday afternoon, we left the track in search of a trail but instead ran through an adorable neighborhood that reminded me of Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives. We couldn’t stop admiring the scenery and the beautiful green trees that were so plentiful. At one point we ran along a fence with a field of lavender on the other side – talk about picturesque. I wish I had my camera with me!
Race Recap to come tomorrow :)
*I realized after I initially posted this that I forgot the song “I Lived” by OneRepublic!
