Last night for dinner I made roasted fennel and sauteed Brussels sprouts with shallots and lime juice.  I prepped sweet potatoes to be microwaved once Aaron arrived from work.  He came over and pan seared the salmon while I pressed a few buttons on the microwave to cook the sweet potatoes. 

This was such a simple dinner.  You don’t see the Brussels sprouts though!  I used up the last of leftover broccoli which was just enough.  Now I can have vegetables ready for dinner tonight.  Do yourself a favor and prep multiple vegetables a few times each week.

This morning for breakfast I’m eating overnight oats.  I compiled the oats, plain yogurt, and milk last night and finished it this morning.

Strawberries, bananas, maple syrup, and peanut butter as toppings.  It’s quick and appropriate for the weather change.

I rely on quicker breakfasts now since I am doing am running.  My body must have adjusted quickly to waking up at 4am on Sunday for race day.  I keep waking up at 4:30 ready to go.  I’ll doze off and wake up 5 minutes later ready to go. 

Yesterday I ran 5 miles.

It felt good to get back out there.  It took awhile to get going.  My legs are not warmed up until a mile into morning runs.  My left quad was slightly tight both Monday and Tuesday, but I had no problems during the run.

I ran again this morning.  I ran a 6×400 interval run.  I’m really just copying last week’s running schedule.  I have no idea how to handle the week between half marathon races.  Again, my darn legs just aren’t warmed up till…after my run. 

Please remember that it’s early morning when looking at the above photo.

Things went ok.  My GI tract was too active so I had to stop at the half-way point to dodge into a park bathroom.  The women’s bathroom is always locked so I have to use the men’s bathroom.  Thanks guys!

It started sprinkling at that point.  It felt great!  I had worn my running hat in anticipation of rain.  As long as I am prepped for the rain and don’t have 8 miles to go, I’m fine with a little shower.

Any tips for back-to-back racing weekends?

source: http://www.madisonmarathon.org/ Facebook page

Half portion.

May 26.

I ended up driving into Schaumburg on Saturday.  It is so much easier to not having to deal with packet pick up the morning of the race.  The drive was not enjoyable in the least.  There’s heavy construction on I90.  The bonus was that I snagged Aaron’s Ipass.  I at least could sail through the tolls.

It took my nearly 90 minutes to arrive at the packet pick up location.  It was a bit confusing.  We went to an empty store front to get the packet and then down to the sporting goods store to grab my shirt.  It wasn’t until I was in bed later that I realized I should have grabbed 4 safety pins on the waiver signing table.  No safety pins in the packet envelope. 

We were given a bright green neon long sleeve tech race shirt.

Not bad.  The thumb holes are way too high up for me but otherwise fits. 

I didn’t hang around for anything extra.  I popped into a Taco Bell to use the bathroom and hit the road.  Side note, dang TB smells bad. 

Saturday was spent resting, hydrating, and eating pizza.  I only ate 3 slices when I can easily take down 4 slices. 

I crawled into bed around 10 and was asleep by 10:30.  I slept pretty well until my alarm went off at 4am.  I was ready to go!

First things first.  Coffee.  I grounded the beans, poured in the water, and pushed “brew.”  My morning breakfast of choice was peanut butter and jelly toast.  I picked up Great Harvest honey whole wheat bread to use.  One slice is equivalent to two normal slices.  It filled me up so quickly.  It also didn’t help that Aaron kept snagging bites.  I found it so funny that he was mooching off my pre-race fuel.  That’s a test of strong love for a runner. 

We headed out at 5am.  The jacket I put on instantly came off.  It was already warm.  Damn.

Aaron drove us into Schaumburg.  I had him stop at a gas station before parking.  Indoor plumbing and no line.  Brilliant idea. 

There was free parking in a close parking garage.  Free parking is so nice!  I ended up hitting the port-a-potty again.  You are acutely aware of your bladder when a race is in the air.

I told Aaron farewell for the next 2 hours. 

I hopped into line and suddenly remembered to turn on my Garmin watch.  Finding location took forever.  I was really hoping that the race started on time and not early.  Garmin needed all that time. 

I started with the 8’47″ mile pace girls.  I will hold strong to that they started out way fast.  I was a step ahead of them when I saw a 7’40″ pace.  I slowed down and they took off.  Mile 1 hadn’t even hit yet and I wanted something to drink.  And that set the tone for the race.

We took off down a road running parallel with I-290.  It was about a 2 mile stretch before we headed up a ramp and over 290.  We weaved around Busse Woods.  There were tons of people out walking, pushing strollers, riding bikes, fishing, etc.  One lady on a bike looked like she was trying to pick off runners.

We looped around mile 4/5.  I was wondering where this would go since we weren’t at the half-way point.  I hadn’t completely memorized the route.  We took off for another loop which is where things were falling apart for me.  I couldn’t keep a steady pace at all. 

Water stations didn’t seem to come up enough for me.  I usually say that races have too many water stations.  The water and Gatorade cups weren’t distinguished either.  I didn’t have any Gatorade until after the half-way point.  I needed it by mile 3.  I had to start shouting Gatorade to figure out who had it.  It was a potent mix.  The flavors also varied on course.  Interesting.

I took a gel at about mile 9.5.  I again probably needed one earlier.  My legs weren’t feeling the miles and neither was my head. 

I was trying to tell myself to enjoy the race but I just couldn’t.  It was hot, I was too thirsty, my pace felt like it was all over, and I couldn’t zone out. 

Then came that 290 overpass.  People were walking it.  I told myself to just not stop, no matter how slow my pace became.  I climbed up it at a slow pace while baking in the direct sunlight.  I made it to the top and knew I just needed to hold on. 

I could tell that I was dehydrated.  My skin had that dry, clammy feeling.  I realized how people could so easily pass out during races.  Again, I just needed to hold on.

The 2 mile straight away road came up again.  This was brutal.  We were in the sun and felt abandoned.  When brief shade crept onto the road, runners migrated towards it.  You could tell wheels were falling off for everyone.  Luckily the spectators started popping up more and more as the final turns approached.

One lady was looking right at me and told me, “You’ve got this girl!” in the most confident voice.  I give her a point in acknowledgement.  She’ll never know what that meant.  I hope spectators know how much they mean to runners.

The final portion of the run was slightly blind.  No 12 mile marker was spotted and I thought I was farther along than I was.  I took off too early.  The uphill climb and taking off too early forced me to slow back down until I caught sight of the finish line. 

How much was my head out of this race?  I crossed the finish line and had no thoughts.  No sense of accomplishment.  No “I can’t believe I did it!” as always.

 I just grabbed my medal and water and walked. 

Clearly my pace slowed down progressively.  Was this more error on my part of the weather?  I think I went out slightly too fast but the heat tackled me. 

I struggled to open my water and finally got it opened about the time that I walked into the sprinkling system that was set up.  Now that felt good.

I finished at 1:55:35 (8’49″ pace).  I can’t get out of the 1:55′s.  It’s slightly annoying to myself.  Granted, it was overall a “slow” race.  The first place runner crossed at 1’18″ which isn’t often a winning time at most half races.  Either way, 1:55′s are annoying me.

I downed 16 oz of water in a matter of minutes.  I turned around and reached Aaron.  I began stretching and quickly grabbed a huge bottle of Gatorade that was being distributed.  None of the food interested me much, but no food usually interests me after running. 

I stretched more, caught up with Aaron, and took a few photos.

We walked back to the parking garage where it was nice and cool.  Unfortunately I found my car with the visor mirror light on.  Um, please start-up.  It did.

We headed to Whole Foods so Aaron could grab food.  He said that it felt like it should be dinner time.  We munched on some chips before taking off for the city.  I love salty food after running.

First stop was Publican Quality Meats.  We’ve been here before and loved it.  We love all Paul Kahan restaurants.  You’d think we have a stake in his restaurants. 

We were able to sit outside.  It was perfect weather and environment-the L was a block away.  Perfect ambiance.  I ordered the turkey sandwich which was shredded turkey with some spice to give it a kick and avocado.  Perfection.  I drank tons more water and finally needed to use the bathroom.  I was hydrated again! 

Next stop: Goose Island 25th Anniversary Party.  The line to get carded wrapped around the building and took 40 minutes to get through.  I was still in my running clothes, so standing in the hot sun wasn’t too bad.  I already was sweaty and smelly. 

We ran into a bunch of people who Aaron knows through beer connections/work.  We had a few “basic” beers and then got in the super long Bourbon County beers line.  Again, another 40 minute wait.  Totally worth it.  I had a Buffalo Trace.  So good! 

Security was all over this line since it was so highly sought after.  It was also the coolest spot with the barrel room being exposed. 

As we were drinking our Bourbon beers, we met John Hall.  Aaron greeted him as an old friend.  He “cheers-ed” with us and moved along.  Aaron filled me in that he started Goose Island Brewery.  Oh is that all?

Afterwards, we had an early dinner with people from Rockford and headed home.  We were home by 7.  All I wanted to do was washed my face.  It had 2 layers of sunscreen and sweat on it.  I showered and was asleep by 8.  Twelve hours later I felt better.  One sore hamstring muscle in my left leg.  Otherwise, it doesn’t feel like I ran a half yesterday.

How am I feeling mentally?  I want redemption which might be coming soon.  Stay tuned!

I’m sitting here on my green couch with a box fan blowing the cool morning air on me.  It brings back memories of the 420 apartment that I lived in during sophomore and junior year of college.  We lived in an apartment that was long and narrow.  The unit air conditioner was in the front of the apartment in the living room.  We had to set up an entire series of fans to blow any cool air down our long hallway to reach our bedrooms that were in the very back.

College memories of sitting on our green couches in the early morning with the fan blowing was associated with not feeling 100% on a Saturday morning.  How did I not drink coffee back then?  How did I survive those hot summer nights with only a box fan in my bedroom window? 

One night my roommate’s boyfriend (now husband) kept coming back to our bedrooms where we were getting ready for the night out.  He was asking for the most random items.  We just handed over what he was asking for.  Twenty minutes later we walked into our living room.

“Look girls, I made you into white trash for the night.  You’ll be cooler though.”

I cooled off other ways that night, too.

Hot but happy in college.

Clearly I will not be forgetting that night anytime soon.

Anyways. 

I am making a to do list for today (as well as now going through college pictures and cracking up).  My main goal is to go into Schaumburg for packet pick up!  They are encouraging it today rather than the morning.  I still need to pick up Aaron’s Ipass (not an Apple product, ha) and gas up my car.  I’m planning a Trader Joe’s trip on the way back.  I love having the freezer stocked with their fish.

I also need to charge my Garmin watch and update my running play list.  Call Me Maybe needs to hit the road.

Sudden aches and pains (had this prior to Madison Mini)

Bad weather (storm originally called for this weekend)

Not waking up for alarm

My alarm again did not go off this morning.  I woke up 20 minutes after the screen began flashing “alarm.”  Luckily my body knew better to wake up and then my head was smart enough to check the time. 

Yesterday was a fine Thursday.  I didn’t have a stack of charts to finish at the end of the day.  That’s a fearful Thursday.

I even picked up a little inpatient since my outpatient schedule was under control. 

For inpatient work, we dietitian will be completing a physical assessment course this summer.  I am pretty pumped for this.  Apparently Cleveland Clinic is all about their dietitians making more physical assessments.  It’s trending across the country.  Make sure your facility is doing the same.

Afternoon snack

Sliced apple with sunflower butter.  I have gone through my sunflowe butter jar in no time.  I need to restock this weekend!

The nurse who just passed her CDE exam passed off more study materials for me at the end of the day.

Practice study test without the answers already noted, medication note cards (yay!!), and a nutrition DVD.  I will likely never touch the nutrition DVD.  My parents spent $60,000 so I wouldn’t need to do so.  That’s a joke that they just love.

Did everyone else watch The Office finale?  I kneeew Michael Scott would make an appearance!  Aaron and I love the show and watch old episodes a lot.  Like a lot a lot.

I almost didn’t make it to the start since I slept 6 minutes after my alarm.  By that point, my alarm stopping ringing and was vibrating.  Not sure what was going on.

Thirty minute tempo run was on deck.  I decided to split it into 7.5/15/7.5 minute intervals.  During the easy intevals, my legs definitely took it easy.  They’re not crazy about early morning runs.  They only got the memo during the “red line” tempo interval.

I ran for a total of 3.6 miles.  Garmin said my pace averaged to 8’22″. 

It was an enjoyable morning.

Rowers were out on the river.  Something is so peaceful about seeing them glide through the calm, morning waters.  Even on the Rock River (ew).

Time is slipping away quickly this morning, but I’m sitting down to eat breakfast.

Strong coffee and a super thick smoothie topped with sunflower butter.  Between sips and bites, I’ve been texting with my mom about Milwaukee Rock n Sole Half Marathon plans in June.  Sounds like it might be a girls weekend! 

Yesterday

I sat down for lunch after a Spanish-speaking patient diabetes appointment.

I jazzed up a sweet potato with butter, goat cheese, and cashews.  I like having sweet potatoes on hand for easy work lunches when I don’t have any dinner leftovers to pack.  On the side was leftover roasted fennel.  I could eat roasted fennel at every lunch and dinner.

Something to chew on-patients who have a barrier.  A barrier can include hearing or seeing problems, different language, cognitive disability, etc.  It’s so important to remember that all these patients need the same treatment that “normal” patients recieve.  It could be so easy to take short cuts with a Spanish speaking patient.  An explanation could seem too lengthy or time is tight due to interpreting. 

As a clinician, you must give the same care and treatment to all patients.  Yes, you must adjust but not give them a further disadvantage.  Be clever and create ways to extract information quicker, to cut out unneccessary words, use different techniques that result in the same benefit and explanation, etc. 

Just imagine yourself in Japan with the sight of only 1 eye trying to learn about your own health treatment.  Treat them the way that you’d want to be cared for.

I have good news to report.  Yesterday I had enough time to blow dry my hair before going to work.  As my dad would always say…I didn’t head into work as a drowned rat.  It was always a cute childhood reference. 

I actually had more time to blow dry my hair since my reliable 8 am patient no-showed.  Had I only known, I didn’t need to stress every second that ticked by as I dried my hair.  It all worked out.  Adjusting to morning running takes a little time.

Diabetes patients seemed to make the day fly by.  It was a day of great patients.  Thank you to them! 

My midday break of patients was spent in our weekly dietitian meeting.  I walked in a few minutes late since I had been with a patient.  I came into the room with an extra person and the speakerphone set up.  Our upcoming NIU (alma mater!) intern was introduced to us and later me.  She seem awesome.  Whew! 

We also had a potential distant intern interview via speakerphone.  I won’t be going into details about that….

During the meeting it was announced that I’m officially taking an inpatient floor.  I had been covering a unit during a dietitian’s maternity leave and gave that back last week.  I already kind of miss it, so I am happy to hear the new change!  It is so helpful to keep those clinical skills sharp.  Just entering tube feeding orders once a week helps me remember how to do it.  Note: at our hospital, the dietitians manage the tube feedings!  I loved tube feeding/TPN work as an intern.  Iam just out of the hang of it now.  No whipping through TPN orders in the blink of an eye.

Wellness classes were well received at a recent meeting, so I need to finish the PowerPoint that I have started plus do further program planning.  I can hear NIU professor Dr Henry in my head telling me do the entire program planning. 

After work I came home and didn’t need to run.  The 90* weather congratulated me on getting out of bed early to beat the heat.  (Sadly Aaron needed to run after work!)  I sat down and began to study. 

Fuel needed though.  Sliced honeyscrisp apple and sunflower butter.  One carb (CHO) choice!  Also a great diabetes (and general health) snack. 

Things learned/noted yesterday:

• Postabsorptive state is 4-15.9 hours after eating.  This is when insulin levels begin to decrease and glucagon levels increase
• Best predictor of Type 1 DM: glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAT), an isolet cell antibody
• Most common cause of inaccurate blood sugar reading: inadequate blood sample
• Normal hormonal response and acute metabolic effects of physical activity: glucagon rises and hepatic glucose production is increased

The study session was cut short due to a half hour phone call with the college bff.  I don’t complain about my studying since she is working as a full-time nurse and is going back to school for her doctorate for family nurse practitioner.  She rocks.

Dinner was a feast of vegetables with a side of salmon.

I cut up 2 fennel bulbs and more broccoli than I realized I had on hand.  Those vegetables were roasted while I microwaved the sweet potatoes.  Have I mentioned how good roasted fennel is?  It’s addicting.  I picked and picked at it while Aaron cooked the salmon.

This morning I woke up out of place.  I was confused to the time (later wake up than yesterday) and I was confused on my morning routine.  Molly, go make coffee and then get in the shower.  You’re not running this morning.

Go learn something new today!

I started out the week with nutritious snacks brought in by my favorite exercise physiologist.

Semi-healthy banana bread and yummy peanut butter chocolate chip bars.  I took an extra chocolate chip bar to go!  

The rest of the day was kept busy thanks to a sick dietitian.  I snatched up whatever inpatient work was an option.  I left work just before 5 and came home to only leave for a run. 

It was great weather-55* and minimal wind.  Runner’s paradise. 

The plan was 5 mile pace (8’30″). 

Accomplished. 

I felt pretty good during the whole thing.  Taper week is always exciting!

I stretched and threw on compression socks since I was only going to go to bed and wake up to run again.  It’s supposed to be in the 80s today and I am not running in that.

I woke up a little after 5 and started roaming around my apartment grabbing running gear, part of a banana, prepping coffee, foam rolling, smearing sunblock on my face (including my eye). 

My legs were still in bed though.  They never got going.

This was a 6×400 interval run.  Garmin said I ran a slow 3.2 miles at an 8’41″ pace.  I can’t be disappointed since it was a morning run and a back-to-back run.  Any warm up tips for morning runs?

Pretty sure I ran by Rockford’s claim to fame Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick.  We did the friendly runner wave to each other.  What-you’re still trying to figure out who this is?  Let this get stuck in your head: I want you to want me….I need you to need me…I’d love you to me…I’m beggin you to beg me. 

I think that just backfired and now it’s stuck in my head.

This is my I-don’t-care-that-I-just-had-a-bad-run-it’s-taper-week face.

Time to inhale breakfast and go to work with a wet head.

p

I should care more about my work look…yes or no…?

I spent 3 hours glued to my couch (ok only to get up to switch over my laundry and forage for food) to finish reading The Great Gatsby.  I had only read about 30 pages all month and the final 150 yesterday afternoon.  I knew I kept that book in college for a reason.  Another reason may have been that I would have only received a dollar should I try to sell it back to the university bookstore. 

Still the things that stand out in the book to me: Eye doctor billboard, tossing of shirts onto bed, and the pool scene.

Despite finishing the book I called in on book club.  My apartment’s clutter was getting out of control.  I’m a person that is at ease when the counter is cleared and the floors are vacuumed.  Is that normal? 

After a two hour cleaning session which included officially started a Good Will bag, I began on dinner.

Vegetables are so good when put into a galette!  Pie crust and cheese could get anyone to eat vegetables.  Leftovers are in my lunch.  I love delicious lunch leftovers.

Now that Gatsby is done I get to solely focus on diabetes for reading material.

It seems that I’ve gotten into the swing of studying-finally.  I am a note taker, flashcard maker, practice test taker kind of studier.  It really does help that I work with diabetes on a daily basis because I can make so many connections.  It’s already helped me further expand on topics during patient appointments.  Not sure if the patients always liked the expanded explanation.

Studying was something that I just needed to start to get going on.  Does that make sense?  Maybe the looming test date was a bigger motivating factor.  I think only my boss knows the day that I’m taking the test.  I myself nearly forgot for an entire week.

Work this week won’t be as sweet.  Our awesome secretary brought in a snack mix last week to celebrate nurses week.

I ate nearly half the bowl.  The mini Reeses Pieces had me shoveling this stuff into my mouth by the handful.  No shame.

I as well crashed Friday night.  I was more exhausted the usual.  Maybe early morning running caught up to me?

I didn’t set out for early morning running on Saturday.  I rather did errands and then headed out.  The weather was windy and I had had an emotional morning which created  headache.  I took 200 mg ibuprofen and set off on my 2 hour running journey.  New pink compression socks included!

I decided to stop screwing around during my long runs.  I usually just run for 2 hours.  I don’t put any oomph into it.  So I decided to actually push it otherwise when will I ever improve?  I was wishing it weren’t so windy though on the day I decided to kick it up a notch.

Others decided to stay in on this windy 55* day.  It wasn’t that bad overall though.  The wind changed directions a few times and even died down every now and then. 

I was making pretty good time at the half way point and pushed it a little harder on the way back.  It only seemed harder since it was the second half. 

According to Garmin, I ran 14.1 miles (in 2 hours) for an average pace of 8’33″.  Job well done. 

Now I’m nervous that I won’t have as good of a run next weekend for my half marathon in Schaumburg.  If all fails I at least get to run a shorter distance and not have to hold my own Gatorade during the entire run.  That’s why we race right, so others can hand us water, Gatorade, and gel.  Oh and figuring out  long enough course, too.  It gets hard figuring out where to run with enough miles.

As for the rest of my weekend, I will either be reading plus watching The Great Gatsby or being domestic and studying for my CDE exam.  Currently I am in no mood to be social.  I’m too much of a homebody for my own good.