how to deal with training injuries

i was following a nice half marathon training schedule, found here. i had gotten up to a 10 mile run, my shorter runs were getting faster... i figured i was on the right track for meeting my half marathon goal of 2 hours. 

that was until i hurt my leg. i went out for a leisurely 6 mile run, and as soon as i put pressure on my right leg, i was in agonizing pain. 

due to timing at work, i don't have health insurance set up yet, so i went to salt lake regional sports medicine and had a free sports injury consultation. they weren't able to tell me exactly what was wrong without doing scans and imaging, but they believe i either partially tore or badly strained my acl... no fun!

i took about a week and a half off of training due to my pain. rested, iced and compressed my leg and slowly eased back into training. i now only have 10 days until my half marathon and missed out on quiet a bit of training. i have decided to still try to run {or walk} the half marathon. i will probably have to walk part of it and i'm okay with that. 

at least i found an amazing running spot for my first run/jog back after my week and a half hiatus. 

i am already looking into signing up for another half marathon to do once my leg is fully healed. 

i am no expert on sports, sports injuries or running, but i have learned a lot along my journey. check out fit chick in the city and walk to the mailbox for great running inspiration and tips. 

love, kbn

training while under the weather

should you train while you are sick? in my opinion, it all depends on how sick you really are. this past week, i was feeling very under the weather and i took a day off of training, i had two rest days and felt a lot better on my next run. i decided that instead of trying to make up for my lost run, i would run a mile more than i was supposed to on my next scheduled run and focus on getting better. 

i also ran my longest run to date this week, despite being sick. 8 miles! i feel like i am on track for a good half marathon. i have learned a lot about running so far, from reading running blogs and from personal experience. some blogs to check out are walk to the mail box and fit chick in the city.

running tips from a beginner:

-make a schedule and stick to it {lots of good sites for this, check out this post}

-listen to your body {if your body screams NO because of an injury or sickness, listen and slow down}

-every one is different when it comes to nutrition {i have learned that i need to eat something before a long run, but only if it will take over an hour, otherwise i run on an empty stomach}

-invest in good shoes {your feet are one of the most important tools in your running, treat them well}

-chafing sucks! {i have learned this the hard way... ill be buying aquaphor and good quality sports bras soon}

i have also learned that you don't have to deprive yourself of tasty foods while keeping up a healthy lifestyle. i like to treat myself and stay healthy at the same time. as you can see, i have posted lots of healthy {yet tasty} recipes and have learned to cook along the way.

this strawberry banana "milkshake" is one of my latest favorite treats. 

recipe:

blend

frozen strawberries

 one ripe banana

1 tsp of peanut butter

2-3 T of plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup of almond milk {of your milk of choice}

i added some semi-sweet chocolate chips to my milkshake for an extra sweet treat!

enjoy!

my half marathon training

i have decided to train for a half marathon... call me crazy, but i am determined to see this through!

below is an example of the training schedule i have written for myself. making a schedule is the best way to keep myself on track and i cross off my days as i go to track my progress. it feels so good to cross off each run as i finish it!

-run: monday, wednesday, thursday, saturday

-rest days: tuesday, friday and sunday

-start with 3 miles and increase by approximately one mile every saturday

week 1) 13 miles total

week 2) 15 miles total

week 3) 16 miles total

week 4) 19 miles total

week 5) 21 miles total

week 6) 24 miles total

week 7) 26 miles total

week 8) 22 miles total

week 9) 18 miles total

week 10) race week! 21.1 miles total

{i tried to include the chart i created, but it wouldn't work}

i researched online a lot of different half marathon training schedules, and combined some together to come up with what would suit me best. on thursdays, if i am feeling sluggish or tired, i will do some weights and walk 2-3 miles, or do other cross training.

the reason you choose to run any distance race determines how successful you will be in completing the race. my reason is to accomplish a goal. i have wanted to run a half marathon for a while now, and i want to see it through. if you just want to loose weight, you might loose motivation once you reach your goal weight or start loosing weight at all. keep in mind that your goal should be to FINISH the race, not just to loose weight.

below is a photo of a my new favorite breakfast oatmeal. it is great to get more energy before or after a long run. i love oatmeal, but even if you don't like it, you will like this... it is so sweet and delicious!

pumpkin oatmeal with cream

i found inspiration for this oatmeal from chocolate covered katie's blog, her recipe can be found here.

i changed the recipe up a little bit. i didn't used the flake cereal, just oats, pumpkin puree, almond milk, agave syrup, and cinnamon.

i mixed the pumpkin puree with the oats and other ingredients, then let it sit over night with a bit more water. i microwaved the oats in the morning to take the chill off and made some delicious "cream" to go on top.

almond milk cream:
1 banana
3 T of almond milk {or any milk of choice}
cinnamon
1 tsp nut butter

directions:
mix all ingredients in a blender until thick and creamy, you can add more milk if the consistency is too thick.


enjoy!