3.13

I was supposed run 2 on Thursday and 2 today, but I skipped Thursday's run because I felt terrible and was super paranoid about getting the flu that EVERYONE and their mom seems to have right now. Johhny, Schwei, Kat, and my coworker Jason all have it, and supposedly Lizzy is getting sick too. I was just really worn down on Thursday after work, and I thought maybe it'd be better to try to rest and take it easy instead of pushing it, getting sick, and possibly falling behind even more.

So today, to make up for it, I did about 3. I'm guessing on the actual distance here, I used a new website to map the route called WalkJogRun.net. It's pretty cool, it uses Google Maps/Google Earth, which I like because I can actually see the Bolin Creek Trail and accurately map it into the route. (I was using MapMyRun.com, which was good too, but the maps weren't as accurate.) The other thing I really like about WalkJogRun is that I can see tons of routes that other people have mapped out and saved, with a brief description. I think that will be helpful when I start adding on extra miles and don't already have a route planned out.

Lindsey sent me an interesting article this week about training for a marathon with the right diet, it was pretty good. Some of the tips from the article that I'll try to follow are:

-Eat within 15-30 minutes after finishing a run to ensure proper recovery (I'm eating a yogurt and grape nuts right now)
-Your meals should be roughly 1/3 carbs/grains, 1/3 protein, and 1/3 fruits and veggies- carbloading isn't the best thing for running
-Before a long run, drink water about an hour before for the best hydration
-Stop at the water stations and gulp (not sip) your water
-You are allowed to eat cheeseburgers sometimes!!! (Great news since it was McGriddle Friday at work yesterday.... oh yeah. You're jealous.)

Phew. Starting to feel better here- today I felt so sluggish running. It may have had to do with the fact that I stayed up kinda late, slept in til 12:30, and didn't eat or drink anything before I went. Actually, that probably is everything to do with why I didn't feel so great. But, I ran slow, got it done and I'm feeling better now. It's a gorgeous day out, currently 51 degrees, sunny-- perfect day for a run. I should've just left my iPod at home, for all the help it was.... all of the songs on Shuffle were killin me! Nothing hype, nothing inspiring, all of it was just.... slow and sluggish, like I felt, so I kept changing the songs a million times.

Small confession: I only ran halfway up the hill, and then cut through a path to the parking lot. I did run through the rest of the parking lot, though. For whatever that was worth.

I think I've found my next event after I finish this half marathon- the Ramblin' Rose triathalon! They have them all over NC, but there's one in Raleigh on May 22nd (and one in Chapel Hill on October 9th, but that's a bit too far away to commit to right now). It's a 250 yard swim (5 laps), 9 mile bike, 2 mile run. I think Lizzy and Garrett and I might do it together- I'm trying to talk Schwei into it, but.... I won't hold my breath. Anyway, looks like it's totally do-able. Especially for someone like me, who might as well be swimming in a baby pool. Not really, but I'm sometimes surprised I was ever a lifeguard. I've just never been a strong swimmer. (NO REILLY, I'M NOT SAYING I CAN'T SWIM....despite the weird rumor you tried to make up about me...)

Alright, that's it for now... gotta go catch up on TV shows, or maybe read outside on the porch. Til tomorrow!