Playing with Intervals

I think I found my "sweet spot" as far as intervals go.  Today I ran 1:45 mins, walked 1:00 min.  And it cut 2 mins off my overall pace.  It's within "finishing" pace for my first marathon.

Early this year I decided that I would run my first marathon.  The half marathon distance had become "comfortable".  A few runner buddies decided to run the Rock N Roll San Diego Full.  It was time to face up to the challenge of 26.2 miles.

I've always used the Jeff Galloway Run/Walk/Run method.  In the beginning it helped me face the increasing distances with a plan.  I found that the active recovery of walk intervals helped me with fatigue and prevented injury.  I could do back to back half marathons with this method.  So I've turned to Jeff Galloway to train for the Marathon as well.  I chose the California International Marathon in Sacramento, CA for several reasons.  I needed a challenge and the 6 hour time limit is scary.  I DO want to FINISH, so I WILL push myself to be better.

The training method suggested that I run 1 min, walk 1 min.  But I was finding that I was SOOOO slow.  I'd NEVER finish the marathon at the 15:45 pace that I was ending up with.  So I've slowly increased the running interval over the last few weeks.

I also found an EXCELLENT walk/run pace calculator at Endocrinology Online.  I could put in my desired finish time,  my walk pace, my chosen intervals and it told me the pace that my run intervals needed to be.  I applied that info to the intervals today and I was faster!!!  And it didn't feel like that much more effort.

Math is a REALLY great tool when you are frustrated with your running results.  

Running, maple syrup and brownies

As the end of the year draws near, I'm feeling the pressure to reach my milage goal of 600 miles in 2012.  I set that goal in January, feeling that it was a lofty goal and unlikely to be reached.  Color me surprised when I looked at my totals and found that I only had 21 more miles to go!  With 2 weeks left in the year, I definitely think I'm going to make it.  I've run about 1/3 of this year on the Paleo diet.  I definitely feel that my recovery is faster, which is ideal when I've got back to back half marathons in every month.  The weight I dropped going paleo has helped too.  Less weight is more speed and less damage done to my structural muscles.
Besides my milage goal, I also had a goal of running three half marathons in 2012.  My very FIRST half marathon was the San Diego Rock n Roll in 2011.  I thought I'd push myself and do 3 times that in 2012.  As of right now, I have SIX half marathon medals hanging on my Brag Wall. That means I ran 5 halfs in 2012.  I never thought I'd be so into a physical sport.  And paleo just makes it better.

I had to teach myself about Maple Syrup and the grading of it this week.  A recipe I wanted to make required GRADE B maple syrup.  And apparently maple syrup is NOT the stuff I've been putting on m pancakes forever.  Apparently that stuff is just corn syrup with flavorings added to it.  If YOU want to learn more about maple syrup, the Huffington Post has a great article on the differences in grades of the sweet stuff and what they are used for.

You may be asking yourself, "Well, what was the recipe??" I aim to please, so here it is.

Dark Chocolate Banana Bites by Paleo Parents

• 2 bananas
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 C coconut oil, liquified
• 1/2 C maple syrup, we recommend Grade B
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 C almond flour
• 1/2 C cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup ENJOY LIFE chocolate chips

1. Using an electric mixer or food processor, combine all of the wet ingredients (bananas should smooth out)
2. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients except chocolate chips
3. While mixing on low, add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined
4. Sir in chocolate chips to the dough
5. Using a silicon mini muffin pan or mini muffin liners on a metal pan, scoop the dough until almost full into mini muffin pan
6. Cook at 350 for 10 minutes

Makes 4 dozen; store chilled and let come to room temperature before serving or eating. 

Nutritional info
Serving size 1 mini muffin 107 calories 7g fat 4g sat fat  32mg cholesterol  11.6mg sodium  9.2 carbs  1.4g fiber  2.6g protein