The Best of Intentions

Dinner today was a PBF classic. 

BBQ Pulled Chicken

Two-ingredient crock pot chicken + BBQ sauce = BBQ pulled chicken! 

And on the side, broccoli tossed in olive oil and sprinkled with garlic salt. 

Roasted Broc

BBQ Chix Sandwich

Dinner is Served

(Sorry about the not-so-hot quality pictures above. I wanted to try taking pics inside to see if daylight really makes that big of a difference and clearly it does. Outside pics whenever possible from here on out!) 

Moving on… 

The Best of Intentions 

I went to Marshalls today with the best of intentions. 

I planned on picking up a pack of Jelly Belly sport beans (I’ve seen them on sale there a billion times), to use as fuel during my 8-mile run on Saturday. 

(Why do I want the beans? I am trying to incorporate some kind of pick-me-up, whether it be Gatorade or sport beans, into my longer runs so my body doesn’t cramp up if I decide to drink Gatorade during my half marathon.) 

Anyway, I go to Marshall’s to try and find the Beans… 

No dice. 

Instead, I picked up these: 

BCBG Pumps

Not Exactly Sport Beans...

Aaand, as if spending $40 on new pumps isn’t bad enough, I swung by Starbucks for this: 

Iced Coffee

What was supposed to be a $2 trip to Marshall’s ended up being a $42 excursion. 

Oops. 

Please make me feel better and answer “YES!” to the following question… 

Are you an impulse buyer? 

I typically stick to a list, but sometimes I can’t resist trying that new flavor of gum… or buying a pair of super-cute pumps. 😉

My Half Marathon Training Plan

Let’s start out with a lil’ lunch…

Two egg whites + Roasted red pepper hummus + Spinach + Whole wheat sandwich thin

Egg Whites + Spinach

"Hummus, Hummus, I Got the Hummus!"

Along with my sandwich, I enjoyed fresh zucchini slices and a cold, crisp apple.

Zuc

An Apple a Day...

Veggies: check! Protein: check! Fruit: check! Whole grains: check! 😀

Lunch

My Half Marathon Training Plan

I am following a hodgepodge of training plans as I train for the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon on August 1.

Chicago Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon

My plan is a hybrid of Hal Higdon’s intermediate half marathon plan (I’m only following his recommendations for the once-a-week long-run distances), a plan my friend Merri sent to me, and my own running desires.

The plan I’ve created for myself that I’ve been following looks like this:

• M: Total-body strength training, 25 min. cross training (if desired)
• Tu: 5 mile run
• W: Total-body strength training, 25 min. cross training (if desired)
• Th: 5 mile run
• F: Total-body strength training, 25 min. cross training (if desired)
• Sa: Long run (Increasing mileage by 1 mile a week)
• Su: Off + Stretching

For now, this is the plan that works for me.

When I ran my first half in 2007, my goal was to run the whole thing (which I did… yay!). This time my goal is simply to finish and feel good (not dead) after the race.

I’m not incorporating any speed work or hills into my training because of the simplicity of my goal. I’m running the race at the tail-end of my bachelorette party, so simply finishing the race while still feeling energized would be a victory. 😀

Though I’ve created a plan I think is right for me, I still enjoy researching other plans and recently came across the SmartCoach free personalized training plan.

By using a recent race time and asking you questions like “how hard do you want to train” and “how many miles do you run per week,” this plan calculates a personalized plan to best meet your running goals. It’s pretty neat and I thought it might interest those of you who are training for various races as well as newbie runners who may want a more individualized plan.

Of Possible Interest

• 5 Facts about Cellulite & How to Reduce its Appearance (FitSugar.com)
• Sushi: Low Calorie vs. High Calorie Options (FitDay.com)
• Healthy Father’s Day Cookout Ideas (CookingLight.com)

Question of the Afternoon

• If you’ve run in a race before, did you follow a training plan? Any favorites?

This Isn’t the Sahara

It’s still hotter than ever in Orlando, but fortunately the thick, sticky air held off a bit this morning.

Sadie and I were able to pound out five miles without feeling too overheated, though judging by my sweat-soaked sports bra, you’d think we went running in the Sahara.

Needless to say, a hot breakfast simply wouldn’t do today .

You know what that means…

Smoothie!

Smoothie time!

Today’s smoothie contained:

• 3/4 c. frozen strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 scoop All the Whey strawberry protein powder
• 5 ice cubes
• 3/4 c. water
• 1 small handful of spinach

I whirred everything up until this thick, creamy delight was ready to be slurrped down.

Cold 'n' Creamy

Post-Run Treat

Served in Ryan's Cup

Toward the end of my run today, I started thinking about this smoothie.

During the last mile or so of my runs, I always think about my “reward” following the run. It’s never anything amazing, but it helps motivate me to crank out the last mile.

Today’s reward was this smoothie, followed by 10 minutes of stretching and cuddling with Sadie. (The cuddling was forced upon me, as Sadie doesn’t understand that sitting on the floor to  stretch doesn’t really involve her.)

Do you reward yourself with a special meal or other treat after a tough workout?

I try to stay away from rewarding myself with cookies or other indulgent foods after a tough workout. I think healthy foods refuel me better and leave me feeling more satisfied. Refilling my tank with fresh fruits, whole grains and high-protein yogurt = instant satisfaction!