What's wrong with you?

I was brushing my teeth this morning and a girl in my hall asked what I was doing up so early. I told her that I had a long run and it's better to do it in the morning because it takes a long time, get it out of the way etc. and I am in training for a half marathon. The response?

What's wrong with you? Not in a mean way, she's very sweet. However the question was in my head through the whole run. Not just for me, but for all runners. What is wrong with us? Why do we do what we do?

Today on my run I had to stop to go to the bathroom twice, my shin hurt, my stomach hurt, I had a coughing fit, the wind almost blew me away and I ran through all of it. And had an amazing run.

Today I set a new PDR! There were so many times on this run I thought I wasn't going to finish. I even told myself to only do seven. At the exact moment the number hit eleven Lady Gaga blasting into my ears told me "I was born to be brave" and I burst into tears.

That is what's "wrong" with me. That is why I run.

Plus it makes me feel like this

I'm cool

Before I left I had a clif bar (standard) and then because my stomach was feeling odd dairy was not appealing so I had two waffles with cashew butter, cream cheese, banana, honey and cinnamon.

My cashew butter is disappearing too quickly for my liking. It's like someone has just been eating with a spoon at night or something... weird.

Have an awesome Saturday!

Peace!

Caitlin

Why do you run?

Or for non-runners, what do you do to give you that same feeling?

Slow Steady Seven

Seven miles before nine am... love it! It was slow seven but I was up against the elements, it was incredibly windy! I mentally zoomed through my last mile but in reality it took me almost 11 minutes =P.

Honestly I'm just happy I finishes, that's the longest I've gone since before I almost got hurt =D.

PeMa did nine in 1:33... Go PerMa! She's speedier than me!

Fuel with a chocolate chip cliff bar... liked the flavor!

Overnight oats for two!

I topped mine with Kashi blueberry clusters, mango slices and naturally more almond butter

Schedule for the day is relaxing, have a great Monday!

Peace!

Caitlin

And I did...

6 miles baby! Feelin' it on the come-back!

A little on the slow side but still not horrible for a longer run and coming off of an injury I'll take it! I also take walk breaks when I run so my actual running was faster than that.

I didn't have much knee pain but I felt tightness in my IT band. What this tells me is the foam roller has been working and I just need to keep doing it and probably do it more. No injuries the year of the first marathon!

Happy enough for a photo shoot!

I did indeed foam roll write after and then quickly made the best post-work lunch

A big omelet! With 1 egg, 1/3 cup whites, left over black beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and topped with Mrs. Dash and ketchup... yum!

Plus chobani and some granola

I forgot to mix the spinach in so I just had it in a slight "salad" form. Totally works!

I'm now sipping a Cafe Au Lait and getting ready for some English studying and paper writing, see you tonight!

Peace!

Caitlin

What has your biggest accomplishment been lately?

Is it snowing where you are? If it's not can I come visit you?

Running Fail

Even after a great dinner last night I got oddly insatiable so I celebrated cookie friday by making a faux sundae. I mixed greek yogurt with stevia and unsweeted cocoa powder for "chocolate ice cream" and had some chocolate chip bunnie grahams for a cookie topper, yum! I then had some honey wheat pretzels and a cherry pie mini laura bar (loved the flavor!) I was legit hungry for my snackage and you should always honor your hunger even if it seems like odd! 


The weather was great this morning for a run and even though I felt great upon waking I somehow knew that it just wasn't going to happen but I tried anyway. 

I hopefully fueled with a cliff bar which I really have found to be great long run fuel, I'm going to try to figure out some homemade ones! 

Although it turned out to be too much hope because I made it through 2 miles when the IT band flared up. It didn't hurt very bad and I probably could have made it to 3 but I don't want to push an injury at all. I am very much on track for the 1/2 in May being already up to my nine mile week and it's way too early to get injured for the marathon!

I plan on going to the gym when it opens to get in a little more cross training and then walking downtown this afternoon as well.

I came back to my room and made some lovely almondy oats 

Oats cooked with skim milk, vanilla protein powder and truvia topped with banana, raisins, a few chopped almonds and some almond extract. 

Hope your run went better than mine, have a great Saturday!

Peace!

Caitlin 

Look ma, new shoes!

Earlier this week I got and awesome package from home!

Coffee, lentils, nutritional yeast, weighted hand gloves, Cleveland book mark, dried fruit, index cards, and a super cute purple water bottle 

And of course... These bad boys!

They are Nike Zoom Structure's, new brand for me!

After my mild gym disaster this morning, I made my way back after breakfast and they had finally opened so I broke in my new shoes with a 5 mile tempo run.

I like them! They were of course still stiff but I had been having a little ankle pain recently and it was all gone with these on, I think we will be good friends! 

Although I'll probably be needing new one's soon enough because today I officially registered for the 2011 Chicago Marathon! I am crazy excited, this will be my first marathon so I'm glad to make it a good one! I go to school about 1.5 hours from Chicago so I can bus there, spend the weekend and bus back! The other exciting news about this? MY MOM WILL BE RUNNING IT WITH ME! She's been a runner for years and she did her first and "last" marathon in 2005. She's done several half's but my wanting so bad to do this got her into it too, yay!!!! 

After my run and 40 minute lift/stretch session I had a Caranation Instant Breakfast for recovery (no time to make a protein shake!)

My schedule was all thrown off today because of my first cancelled class and not being sure if my afternoon one would be on (it was) so I planned to just get lunch from the snack bar at school. Hummus sounded good but not bread... what to do? What kind of carbs sound good? OMG BAGEL!!

Whole wheat bagel with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and hummus pickle and yogurt on the side. Consumed at work.

This yogurt has aspartame which I don't care for but I love them along with diet coke so I allow myself 1-2 of either or per week. 

After class I ran back to work for a meeting and had this on the way. 

I am a larabar fan but they all taste kind of similar... maybe I should try a fruity kind? I have a prediction that all the chocolaty kinds taste similar and all the fruity kinds taste similar. 

I think dinner will be consumed actually in the dining hall tonight (rare occurrence) to save time but more about the upcoming crazy schedule later! Not looking forward to the next few nights....

Hope your day has been more sane then mine!

Peace!

Caitlin