Adrienne Langelier Racing

To begin, the temps here in North Houston are finally becoming more bearable-so much so I look forward to reading Zeitoun out on my patio this evening while possibly sipping on a glass of vino. Nothing like putting your feet up after a long day of work and training with this month's book club selection (yes, I am a proud member of a book club!). Reading is one of those few activities where I actually can sit still and relax from time to time.

Saturday morning after my long run I was invited to and gave a sports nutrition and hydration clinic for the awesome Team In Training chapter in The Woodlands. I had a great time talking about how to hydrate, the importance of electrolytes, recovery, the all-mighty carb (in proper amounts), and some of my favorite PowerBar products. Confession: I did hoard giveaway bottle or two of Ironman Perform Orange Mango-terrible, I know, but the pro site is currently out! ;)

At any rate, this was a classy and engaged bunch of runners of varying expereince raising money for a cause close to my heart; I have several friends who have survived lymphoma and a cousin who has recently completed treatment. I am grateful to the group for allowing me to share my (limited) knowledge and unlimited passion for this sport.

An especially humorous moment was when someone asked about what "bonking" felt like. I simply told her that she didn't want to know!....Just kidding-that generated some laughs and segwayed to a discussion of some of my experiences and advice for going with what you know and staying consistent in pacing and fueling. The marathon is a always an experiment, however as we figure each little piece out, that is where the magic happens. Remembering the reason you're out there often triumphs over adversity.

As for my training; besides dealing with the broken-record effect of the late summer humidity, things are continuing to click after some perceived misfires over the last few months, not just physically, but more importantly mentally as well. I think my double race day was a bit of a mini-epiphany of sorts: I've got to go back to the basics, running how I feel, getting a good upbeat song in my head and just cruising. I have found that sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm is just as rewarding if not more than getting out there and hammering it myself.

My workouts lately have been either great or unnecessarily lung-searing; due to both the chewable air and heat. Last two track workouts have been encouraging. I have been in a Lactate Threshold training cycle since early July. Mile repeats were in the rotation last night, with the last time I spun those out I felt like tossing the shoes and scrapping the whole thing after #2... Not the case at all yesterday. Pace window 6:15-6:20 on TrainingPeaks. After the ritual PowerBar Endurance-Ironman Perform/Endurolyte-PB Recovery protocol, each of my 4 miles felt relatively easy. Generally I used to run these things close to full out. Perhaps I'm just getting older, a little wiser, but there is really something to "slacking" off and keeping something in the tank! This equaled one of the most even workouts I've ever put on paper: 3 consecutive 6:16s and then capping it off with a 6:14. My goal was just to zone out and stay positive, and I think I succeeded. Oh, I almost forgot-again with NO GPS!

With summer quickly coming to a close, I think some good things will happen. I also am excited for what everyone else will do this season. Thanks again TNT!

Run Happy!

Total mileage of the day was approximately 12, including warmups and cooldowns.

Race #1:

We'll start with the planned race: the Friends Helping Friends 5k. After experiencing some soreness in my right paroneal muscle during a track workout, I decided to step down from the 10k to the 5k distance for the Clear Lake area charity event. For a while, I was not sure if participating at all would be a wise decision; I have still been battling a phobia regarding leg pain as of lately. I decided to take two days off, one day running in the pool and cycling and the other total rest. Friday I decided I would be ok to go for it on race day. I went into this one trying to mentally prepare and wanting to start running some times I want to smile about again.

Fast forward to 3:45 AM on Saturday morning: alarm goes off, I immediately hit the coffee maker button, grabbed my bag, get a bagel with peanut butter and a bottle of PowerBar Endurance for the road and meet my ride at just before 4:30. I wore my red On The Run uni for this one and my Brooks Racer St-4's (aka the "Mazerati's") Dang, this race was early! Likely due to heat and traffic reasons, the race started at 6:30 outside my local sponsor's shop. Upon arrival, I checked in, listened to some Metallica ("Freight Train" to be exact) to get pumped up, warmed up for 1 mile and a half, and began to hang around the start. It was then I noticed Lauren S., one of the best 5k runners in the state, at the start line and I knew any hopes of winning this race were slim to nil. In hindsight, my inner sports psychologist tells me I likely let this notion get into my head a little too much.

After the kiddos returned from the Kid's K, it was time to get started. I positioned myself up near the front, reset the Garmin and took off. My goal was to keep my splits relatively even at around 6:00ish. Even at 6:30 AM, the heat and humidity were apparent...this was going to be a tough one. With the female leader still visible, I sat in the second female position hitting the first mile in 5:58. Right on schedule, at least for the time being. We ran on to the turnaround for the out and back course at mile 1.5 and I then slipped into a mini "bite-me" zone. I felt as if I were running in a sauna and I felt some leg discomfort, mostly in my sore foot, but kept on trucking. The motivation I got from my friends, Jon and Dr. Walden, helped a little bit as I passed them on the out and back. My second mile split was a 6:11. I totally had a case of check-Garmin-itis during this race and I think it cost me time and rhythm, as I slipped to third sometime after mile 2.

Do you think it's excessive to check your average pace on a 3.1 miler, say, every quarter mile? I do! Also, my right foot began to hurt considerably more, likely due to the neoprene strap I wore to help stabilize the wonky paroneal tendon. I apparently put it on a bit too tight!! Ouch!

The "bite-me" effect came from inconsistent pacing/too much watch glancing, costing time and energy-plus a lack of foot circulation from my ghetto self-injury treatment! At Mile 2-3.1 I didn't bother with taking splits as I was ready to finish and my foot was killing me. There was a hard right-hand turn into the parking lot to the finish and I put the hammer down as much as I could, limping a little bit before finishing 3rd female in 19:21, one of my slower 5k times to date. Me being me and uber-competitive with myself, naturally I was not too pleased at this point, despite reports that the course was about 20 seconds long. I took the vein-crushing strap off before cooling down and saw a nice little indentation around my ankle-no freakin' wonder! To change the mindset a bit, I went back on the course during cooldown to find and run Jon in-he was on race # 1 of 3 (a PR for him). He was I cooled down relatively pain-free, hung out and visited for a bit with my mom and friends and then headed back to Spring.

At the awards ceremony, foot/leg feeling ok at this point, Coach notified me of another 5k race I could run if I chose to do so later in the evening; this was not typical of him to suggest, but my response was even more aberrant. My MO typically is to race once per month, recover, and train for the next... play it safe. I am so Type A! Two races in a day? I mulled it over and decided to go for it-so wild and crazy:). I think I needed some randomness and a change of pace, besides I was originally doing a 10k anyway-same distance, just split up. Running races used to be fun and not so dang serious, so bring it on! If nothing else, I had a chance to test out my new Zensa Calf Compression sleeves that I picked up that AM. I headed home, rehydrated, napped, did some grocery shopping/errands and then headed out to hot and steamy (like 95-plus degrees) Humble, TX for a little 5k benefiting a new middle school....

Race #2:

I registered late for a mere $20, laughing and smiling all the way since I had no idea how I'd do after running hard in the morning-I was just going with the flow. This race appeared much less competitive, which was ok with me. This one was just to say I've done two races in a day, especially in August conditions.

Some attire changes for this one: I wore my Brooks ID top, dusted off my Brooks T6's, the "Ferrari's" that I have been afraid to wear (ok, I'm such a nerd naming my shoes!) but I wanted minimal weight in these conditions, then slipped on the calf sleeves.
A little much? Perhaps, but at least I looked good;) LOL. I also instilled a new personal rule as well that I will likely stick to from now on: NO Garmin on a 5k- just run.

I re-lived my middle school days performing my warmup and strides in the hallways with nobody telling me to slow down this time. Weird thing was, I was not tired or felt like I limped in just hours ago. The 6 PM start was sun-soaked so I decided to take it pretty easy on this one. The start was slower on this race and I comfortably got into a rhythm, running relatively brisk but not pushing, my legs felt pretty fresh. I was in first overall position after overtaking a poor kid who sprinted off and blew up in the first half-mile. The general pace felt pedestrian compared to race #1's. This was quite the dichotomy from the morning's race.

First mile split-who cares? I just glanced at my Timex and it was at a 6:30-something-cool. According to Jon, the mile markers were spread too far apart. I was hot, but kept up my pace, about 10-15 seconds ahead of the second position. In second place also was another girl, likely a Kingwood or Kingwood Park XC runner-females rocked this run!

Staying close to the pace bike on an exposed course, I began to get a little hot after about 1.5 mi. and took advantage of the super-friendly pop warner kids handing out water bottles. I took the time to get a drink and douse my head to cool off before trucking on back to the finish.
Still not pressing much, I passed the mile 2 marker feeling relaxed, not sure of pace but running by feel. I was not going by the watch I maybe looked at it twice. I looked back and saw that the second place runner was not in sight so I shut it down a bit for about a half-mile-I was having fun and winning the race outright was in the bag.

Crossing back under the freeway I gave it one last kick, I was hot and starting to get a little tired but hearing the Black Eyed Peas' "Imma Be" gave me a little boost, then I saw the clock: much faster than I anticipated. I sprinted in and ran a fairly easy 19:12. I ran a faster time while not trying to do so, second race of the day and got a little 'W' to boot! Didn't I just run that same distance earlier slower and more painfully!? I kept thinking "this should feel harder".

Bottom line: I had fun, didn't micromanage and just ran. About time I took my own advice! The administration and volunteers were all enthusiastic and the race was pretty well-organized. The awards ceremony followed a little pep rally and I took home an array of gift cards, from Visa to Starbuck's to free dinner-which I promptly took advantage of afterward.

Some of the highlights from the day included quality time with friends and family, the opportunity to run Jon in twice (he completed 3 of 3, by the way), getting past some little mental barriers, really enjoying this stuff again, and getting a win here and there is always welcome ! Hopefully after yesterday I will begin to return to my form. Above all: No Garmin, no problem!

Proper hydration is always a necessity for activity, but it is a make-or-break for summer running in the humid South. You know you have to use your judgment when you hear the oh-so-reliable (ok, that's a lie!) weather guys on TV using the terms "dangerous", "advisory", and my personal favorite "brutal" to describe the temps in and around Houston. Exaggeration on behalf of the media? Perhaps (or perhaps not, for those less fortunate), but after experiencing a difficult track workout last week, I knew I needed to do something different to sustain myself running a black oval in the sun in 105 heat index.

Typically, I think I hydrate adequately for evening running in warmer conditions. These past few weeks have been a little more intense, however. It really can be like running in a pressure cooker if you're not careful! I made a more conscious effort to avoid repeating feeling like poo and getting flustered unnecessarily on this week's session. So what to do when the heat is on, plan your recipe accordingly. Judging by my splits and relative ease of yesterday's 800 threshold session, I could be on to something...

'Ingredients' used:

20 oz water upon waking, prior to easy 3-miler.
After 3-miler, breakfast with 1/2 scoop of PowerBar Endurance in another glass of water.
During workday: Sipped 32 oz of PowerBar Endurance, split between lunchtime and late afternoon, water every hour.
:30 Before Workout: frozen -optional, but is like a frozen candy-PowerBar Pure and Simple Energy, 8 oz Ironman Perform (could be my new liquid gold) 1 Endurolyte capsule.
During Workout (about 7.5 miles total): 16 oz Ironman Perform diluted with water, taken in every other interval on recovery lap. Whatever combination/formulation is in this stuff, it's great!
After: 1.5 scoop in 16 0z water w/ PowerBar Recovery. Just like OJ if you use your imagination:), Another bottle of water on way to dinner.

Put all together = solid, non-draining workout in 90 + degree temps. I did not calculate exact ounces for sweat rate or anything like that, but on the fly seemed to get the job done.

Maybe just a good workout day, maybe it's the preparation, or both. In any conditions, especially the more intense, a little prep goes a long way. This was my second time using Perform during workout; seems to work for me and I would recommend it to others, especially those of us in the lower parts of the country.

Stay Cool!

On my 18-miler yesterday, I ran solo for 13 of it and therefore had some time to think. My thoughts drifted from a Muse song I had in my head, to focusing on a spot in the distance, to how thirsty I was for the last 5 miles (the sun was out by then), then back to focusing on distant points, and so on. Somewhere in there I also realized halfway through that I had put in a current 6-day mileage high for the my training cycle (go me!;)) and I suddenly felt kind of dumb for getting disappointed in not feeling "in my groove" and a little tired considering:

I additionally had one of those grinding, project-laiden weeks at work and got it all done-not pretty, but done. In addition had not taken a day off in a while (of which I am doing so presently). After getting surprisingly low results on a body comp test by my MT at one of our sessions (not something to necessarily brag about), I may be lacking in the nutrition department when it comes to fats and iron-playing a role in my energy level and VO2 (in the right dosages, fat = power).

Back to the Saturday run, as I savored a Tangerine PowerBar Gel with lukewarm water, I had to smile as I clipped along Woodlands Parkway. Holy cow, no wonder I was a little more tired this week than usual! My vague disappointment with how things had been going started to fade into something more like satisfaction. I ran a lot this week, not always pretty, but got it done at a good pace despite it all. Nice.

With the exception of serving as a volunteer subject for a massage therapy clinic, I have done little to nothing today; which is fine by me, after.....

16-mile run on Sunday.

3 Simultaneous work projects.

Bleh (by my standards, anyway) mile repeats track workout on Wednesday.

18-mile run on Saturday in 7:50 avg.

Total 65-mile week.

2 massage sessions w/ Jarrett S. (see sidebar).

This week's goals-from the mundane to the meaningful:

At least 50 miles, eat a handful of almonds with breakfast every day, walk off the track smiling, finish the book I'm reading, and finally get my hair appointment in (hey, a girl's gotta feel and look good;))!

My final thought: things don't always have to be pretty or perfect to equal productive!