Half marathon recap, and Plan March 17-23

Happy St. Patrick's day, Happy Spring break, Happy my birthday week!

I will be taking today and Monday totally off, since I ran the half marathon on Saturday! I think I deserve it, do you?

Speaking of the half marathon, I want to tell you how great it was! The race was really well organized, and a ton of fun. I loved the course, except for the hill in mile 6, it was beautiful. They had tons of race support, and music along the way. I got a nasty calf cramp around mile 11, and walked most of 11&12, but still finished in less than my projected time. I actually was able to finish the course in about the same time as I can do it by myself on my flat trail, so I am really pleased with that.

It was dark and chilly Saturday morning, but people started amassing on the mall around 6 am.

With so many people, I'd heard the portapotties were danger, but luckily, I got a VIP POTTY sticker. Were you ever curious what a VIP portapotty looked like?

The toilet paper even had the sponsors name on it.

Mom took my Before picture while we hid from the wind.

Finally, it was time to line up. With 25000 runners, they did a wave start, so I didn't actually start running until after 8 ( the race started at 7:30). It was well handled, and allowed everyone to find their own pace.

I finished in just over 3 hours, while my projected finish time was 3:20, so I was pretty proud of myself.

I gave up alcohol during my last 3-1/2 weeks of training, so that beer at the finish line tasted great!

Anyway, on to my plan. This is my spring break, so I have the week off. I am hoping to get caught up on all my grading, get a pile of letters of recommendation written, read a lot, maybe clean my house. Many of the recipes I'm using this week are from Angela Liddon's new cookbook, Oh She Glows. I'm  taking a couple of days off, but will ease back into training mid week. I have another half coming up in May, and a ten- miler in April to prep for! What do runners do when they're not training? I have no clue...

Monday

St. Patrick's day

Green monster smoothie OSG

Cereal

Leftover tempeh beet salad

Fruit

Irish seitan porter stew with dumplings and brown bread VM

Tuesday

Upper body Fix

Hike with dogs

Massage (a birthday gift from my friend, Cari!)

Fruit smoothie

Leftover stew

Veggies and hummus

Tempeh Reuben

Wednesday

Run

protein shake

Tofu breakfast sandwich

Tempeh peanut salad

Winesday- life affirming nacho dip OSG

Thursday

Pilates

Bike ride? (if the weather improves)

Pb and strawberry smoothie

Breakfast scramble

Tempeh peanut salad

Quick and easy Chana Masala OSG

Friday

Happy birthday to me!

Run (3.9 miles sounds like a good goal!)

Smoothie

Bagel and coffee

Muppet movie

Everlasting Life Cafe

Pottery Painting

Saturday

Total body Cardio

Smoothie

Sandwiches and fruit

Shamrockfest (I'm hoping I will find some vegan goodies on a food truck)

Sunday

Yoga

Vegan French toast TVS

Kitchen sink salad (using up leftovers)

TexMex casserole OSG

Did I tell you guys I won my triathlon challenge? It was awesome, I finished out way ahead. It was really fun, too, so you may notice that I am continuing the training. I will do the Gunpowder State Park Triathlon in the fall.

Here are some pictures of food from this past week:

Korean BBQ Tofu bowl with cabbage and asparagus

Veggie wraps, with more asparagus

From Sammy T's in Fredericksburg, VA, a Tempeh Beet salad

Carb- loading the night before the race at District of PI with a vegan cheese, beyond meat, artichoke hearts, and olives. Then we went to Ford's Theatre to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

After the race, lunch at Stcky Fingers DC.

Cupcakes to share from Sticky Fingers DC.

Dark picture of Roasted Portabello and Quiona with mom and old friends after seeing the Gay Mend Chorus perform Von Trapped (an all-male Sound of Music) at District Chophouse.

My coveted hand pie from Sticky Fingers, in bed with a cup of coffee the day after the race.

OSG Oh She Glows-Angela Liddon's

VM http://veganmiss.blogspot.com/2011/03/irish-festivities-stew-brown-bread.html

TVS http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/2011/03/vegan-stoners-orange-french-toast.html

Plan March 10-17

Monday

Cardio workout

Run

-tofu scramble HHLL

-protein shake with berries 

- Tofu noodle leftovers

-carrots and hummus

-Korean BBQ bowl

Tuesday

Upper body workout

Bike

Swim

-breakfast taco HHLL

-protein shake with berries 

-out for lunch

-veggies

-taco salad

Wednesday

Lower body workout

Run

-tempeh bacon, toast, banana

-protein shake with berries 

-Korean BBQ bowl

-fruit and veggies

-deconstructed falafel bowl

Thursday

Pilates

Bike 

Pick up race packet

-breakfast sandwich THH

-protein shake with berries 

-Veggie sandwich

-peanut butter protein shake

-veggie burgers

Friday

Yoga

Short run

-breakfast sandwich THH

-protein shake with berries 

-veggie burger

-juice

-vegan pizza

Saturday

Rock and Roll Half Marathon

-protein shake with berries 

-beer and vegan cupcakes

Sunday

Yoga

-breakfast tacos

-protein shake with berries 

-lunch leftovers
-juice

-sweet potato Thai peanut burger

Well, kids. This is the week! Running that half on Saturday! I'm not fast, it's not pretty, but damned if I'm not going to do it! I'm really excited! Also, a little terrified! But it should be fun.

It's rest/tapering week up until Saturday. Besides, I'm finishing my biking portion of the triathlon challenge later today (I finished the running portion weeks ago, and the swimming portion last Thursday), so I think I've earned it! Have I told you how much I've enjoyed the variety of triathlon training? I'm going to keep it up, especially since I've decided to do the Gunpowder State tri in October!

Mom is currently visiting, and we are having a blast! Friday I took her to the gym with me, to my women's group meeting at work, and she, Mia, and I joined friends at the Wine and Design in Leonardtown for a painting class which was tons of fun.

(notice I took a 1.5 glass reprieve from being on the wagon for the class. I figured it was a required component!)

Mine actually came out really beautiful. I will absolutely be going back!

Saturday morning, Rob, Mom, the pups and I went for a run/walk along the IHRT. I'm bound and determined to get some miles on Mom's challenge while she is here. It was a gorgeous day for it!

Then we headed downtown to the National Theatre where we saw Mamma Mia! It was great, I had no clue I would enjoy it that much!

Mia and I especially loved the mom/daughter story line.

I love going to the theatre when my mom visits! Next week, we are going to see the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and possibly VonTrapped. Then Mom will cheer for me during my race!

Afterwards, we strolled around DC (getting some more miles on Mom's pedometer!), and had dinner at Busboys and Poets, a vegan friendly restaurant in DC we love. I got the vegan Cobb salad, and the Oreo vegan cheesecake to share for dessert. It was an indulgence, and not in my eating plan, but so delicious!

Today, Mia and Rob are going to look at cars (hers was totaled when someone hit her on her way home last weekend), and Mom and I will go to the gym and then to the dog festival. It should be a hoot!

I'm currently reading A short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson, and am almost done with The Goldfinch. I've not read as much lately as I would like, and am really looking forward to spring break when I'll have time to read!

I received this week two new vegan cookbooks, Oh She Glows and Thrive, which I'm looking forward to perusing and cooking from. I think I'll focus on OSG next week, and Thrive the week after.

My eating five times a day plan has struggled a little with Mom in town and restaurant visits, but I'm going to really get back to that today. I've really been seeing and feeling results with that.