AthHalf Half Marathon Recap part 3

In case you missed part 1 or part 2 of my race recap, I wrote about the morning leading up to the race and how I did on the run. As I crossed the finish line and stopped my Garmin, I was riding the high of not only achieving a PR but beating my goal of under 2 hours by over 2.5 minutes. I don't remember feeling this tired as I crossed the finish line.
I accepted my finishers medal and a bottle of water from the wonderful volunteers at the finish line and made my way over to the food. At this point I ran into a wall of people and chaos worse than at the start line. One of the volunteers was yelling food to the right and exit to the left. I knew I really needed some fuel so I tried to head to the right. Unfortunately, everyone else was also thinking the same thing. There was only one sidewalk of space to enter and exit the food area so there was a lot of pushing and shoving. I don't mind waiting in line for food but my legs were starting to hurt and I needed to keep moving. Also, I understand being happy about your accomplishment but it would have been nice if people went somewhere else to celebrate and let those of us that wanted food to get to it without having to climb over them. 


As far as the food went, there was plenty to choose from: bagels, bananas, muffins, pizza, smoothies, and many other things I didn't take the time to see because I was trying to get out of the mass of people. I grabbed two quarter pieces of a bagel and a third of a banana (not sure what the point of cutting them up was, I would have liked to have a whole banana and bagel without having to grab a million different pieces) Even the muffins were cut in half, which just seemed weird to me. 


Luckily, I was able to cut through the Tate Student Center and not have to face the mass of people trying to push back past others trying to get food. I was worried about finding my Dad because we hadn't set any definite meeting place for after the race. I headed up to the bridge in hopes that he stayed where he was and luckily found him without a problem. Now came the hard part of walking back to the car, a very steep half mile on tired legs. 

I got a picture with my medal and called my husband to tell him what my time was. He was a little jealous that I had beat his time again but very proud of how I did. (His first half time was 2:19:03, I ran my first a couple of months later in 2:05:39, then he ran his second half in 1:59:21 and once again I have triumphed!) 


We got back to the hotel so I could stretch, roll, and shower. It was when I took my shoes off that I felt how much pain I was experiencing in both of my feet. The injury I had suffered a few weeks back was definitely bothering me but now there was a new pain on the other foot, right in the middle of my instep. Needless to say, I got to hobble around for the rest of the day and Dad said I was walking like an old lady. Then we headed home and I got to eat some delicious leftover Pizza Hut pizza for lunch, yum yum! Do you think it's weird that I had green peppers, black olives, and pineapple on it?

I need to add that I really enjoyed the enthusiasm of the spectators and volunteers. I also loved the massive amount of signs along the course and I am sad I couldn't read all of them without slowing down. Shirtless dude who kept me entertained, thank you! I loved the singing and air drumming immensely.  

Lots of food...and a little exercise

I eat way too good when I am at my parent's house, it is both a blessing and a curse. I love having food cooked for me because I am so lazy when it comes to cooking but without all my running I'm sure I have put on 5 pounds! Last night was no exception to the good food rule. 

We had a delicious dinner filled with lots of beautiful and colorful veggies. We also had some yummy steak and a giant baked potato, both cooked to perfection on the grill by my Daddy.


Here is my salad and dinner plate after I got it all fixed up. By the way, that is not sour cream on my baked potato, but greek yogurt. If you like sour cream, try replacing it with greek yogurt and see if you like it. The plain non-fat version tastes almost exactly the same as full fat sour cream, and you get a lot more protein and calcium by substituting.


This morning I got up and decided to actually do something other than sit my butt on the couch all morning. Dad said it was going to be about an hour until breakfast was ready so I went down to the basement (since it is really wet outside right now) and did a short workout. I spent about 30 minutes on the stationary bike and followed that with some weight lifting. I will be heading back down shortly after breakfast digests to do some Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30. I love it when she kicks my butt into gear!

Breakfast this morning was once again delicious and filling. Banana and peanut butter pancakes (with bacon, sadly not pictured). They were so good I couldn't even take a picture of them before I had a couple of bites and you better believe I had seconds. (And third and fourths on the bacon)!!

Does anyone else think that food tastes so much better when someone else makes it for you? Maybe that's why people enjoy eating out so much.

Anyone else have recommendations for healthy substitutions for our unhealthy indulgences?

Run, Refuel, Repeat

After the race yesterday I was on such a runner's high, almost like nothing I had felt before. I was drunk on the endorphins and loving every minute of it. I had just run 4.97 miles and it was time to stuff my face! 

First recovery fuel was of course a banana, my favorite post race treat. Then I ate some "freebie" cookies that don't count in the grand scheme of the food day :-). Following this sugar high was a powerade zero and the other half of my chocolate mint clif bar from the morning, which might as well have been another cookie ha ha. 

Chris suggested that we get some tatonuts on the way home (these are donuts made from potatoes and oh so yummy) and I was all for it, the more sugar, the better, bring it on! Chris changed his mind and my blood sugar quietly thanked him. Of course once we got back it was candy corn snacking time (I will fill you in on my candy corn obsession in a later post)

After we both got showers, we headed out to restock our running fuel for future races and training sessions. By the time we got to Newk's (a wonderfully delicious sandwich shop) we were famished! I got a side salad and half a chicken salad sandwich. There was a total of 2 cherry tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, and 10 croutons. Now I am a bread loving girl, but the point of the salad was because I wanted some veggies, come on Newk's, don't be so stingy! I got ranch dressing and though I never thought I would see the day, there was too much ranch!! What!?! how is that possible?? 

My chicken salad sandwich, however, did not disappoint and my tummy did a little happy dance. I couldn't finish the whole thing so I got to take half of that beauty home for dinner and enjoy the tummy happy dance all over again. 

After dinner it was time to feed my sugar addiction and fuel up for my long 13.5 mile run today. Needless to say I fell into a sugar coma and my internal organs became crystallized. See below for just a taste of what I ate for my dessert/4th meal.


 

 A candy corn cornacoppia and coma inducing yumminess.

Has anyone tried these delicious concoctions? I've heard many people say they are nasty but hello! It's a cookie, how could it ever be gross?