I am very excited to cross a huge item off my to-do list after this weekend. This post will be a little different than normal, but of course there is a bit about nutrition. For the past few months I have been training for my first half marathon, the
Santa Barbara Wine Country Half, and I am happy to report that I finished on Saturday. I was pleasantly surprised that my official finishing time was 2:08:59 considering that for the past few weeks my running had been feeling sub-par, and I had been really sick the weekend before. To make my motivation lag even more, as most of you have either experienced first hand or have heard, Santa Barbara has been experiencing a tragic wildfire that was only at 10% containment as of Friday night. While the race was about 45 minutes away from the town of Santa Barbara itself, I wasn't sure about the air quality, or if the race was going to be canceled.
But it wasn't. So I dragged myself out of bed at 4:30 Saturday morning (so did my amazingly supportive and tired boyfriend, I have to give him some credit) as the race started at seven, and while I live driving distance it would have been much smarter to find a hotel before they had all booked up. My grad seminar this quarter is on Sports Nutrition, so I was completely prepared in terms of what to eat. The night before I ate pasta with a red sauce and I added grilled chicken as it is important to eat both your carbs, and your protein for optimal performance (and for later recovery) for your main pre-race fueling meal. For breakfast I had a bit of a nervous stomach, so I ate 1/2 a bagel with a little cream cheese, some grapes, and about half a cup of coffee.
We arrived to the starting area about 45 minutes before the start of the race, perfect timing to stand in the insane port-a-potty line, adjust my ipod so the cord wouldn't bother me as I trotted along, and to chug my pre-race drink. My Sports Nutrition professor (who was also my Advanced Nutrition/Metabolism teacher) has developed a sports drink and he has been handing out free samples to our classes. I tried it once before on one of my long runs and it's awesome. It is a powder you mix into your water about 15 minutes before your event and provides you with quick carbohydrates to fuel you on your way. I highly recommend it, first because I trust him so I trust the produce, and secondly because it works! Honestly, I felt amazing both times I used it.
Look for HYPR (Hydration and Performance and Recovery) in the near future.
The race began and I suddenly realized "I'm really doing this". My nerves were gone, and I just thought, "If I can finish in under two and a half hours I will be happy, even if I have to walk part of it". The course was beautiful, winding through the Santa Ynez countryside, past ranch houses and wineries, and before I knew it I was already at the fifth mile. Just before the sixth mile I popped in a couple of Cliff Shots for some quick energy.
I had psyched myself up for the sixth mile because the elevation chart on the race website showed a significant climb between mile six and seven. I had been training hills, but I still didn't feel extremely confident, yet as I started the climb, other people were slowing down and walking, and I was able to move past them. Elated, I kept cruising up the hill until we reached the top to look out at the unbelievable scenery.
As I began to descend down hill around mile seven, I realized that I really had to go to the bathroom, and while i had seen bathrooms for the first five miles or so, the road was looking pretty narrow, with fencing on either side and nowhere in site. When I finally saw one around the ninth or tenth mile, there was a line. I stopped for a minute, but my legs quickly began to tighten up so I decided to keep going. Somehow, the feeling subsided soon after.
A stitch in my side slowed me down for the last few miles as I didn't want it to get worse. Apparently running downhill can exacerbate side stitches, and while it was uncomfortable, it never was so debilitating that I had to stop. I just kept thinking to myself about all the stories I have read about runners who compete with the most insane injuries, so I figured I could handle a little side ache. By the time I saw the mark for the 13th mile I was overjoyed, and actually surprised at how fast the race had gone by. Crossing that finish line was probably one of the sweetest feelings I have experienced in a long time. I just couldn't stop smiling to myself.
I headed into the finishing tent to grab some carbs and water, found my cheerleaders, and immediately began to feel my legs tightening up. There was a wine festival for a few hours after the race, but at that point, all I wanted was a shower and some real food so I skipped it and headed home.
All in all this was a wonderful experience. A year ago I hardly ran more than three miles. Those of you who are runners know the addiction that arises from this post-race euphoria, and those of you who have always wanted to try, should seriously consider it. It's a way of competing with yourself, and for those of us who used to play organized sports and miss that feeling of accomplishment, running in a race, whether it's 5k, 10k, half or full marathon can provide a similar experience. I'm already signing up for another one later this year.
I am very excited to cross a huge item off my to-do list after this weekend. This post will be a little different than normal, but of course there is a bit about nutrition. For the past few months I have been training for my first half marathon, the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half, and I am happy to report that I finished on Saturday. I was pleasantly surprised that my official finishing time was 2:08:59 considering that for the past few weeks my running had been feeling sub-par, and I had been really sick the weekend before. To make my motivation lag even more, as most of you have either experienced first hand or have heard, Santa Barbara has been experiencing a tragic wildfire that was only at 10% containment as of Friday night. While the race was about 45 minutes away from the town of Santa Barbara itself, I wasn't sure about the air quality, or if the race was going to be canceled.
But it wasn't. So I dragged myself out of bed at 4:30 Saturday morning (so did my amazingly supportive and tired boyfriend, I have to give him some credit) as the race started at seven, and while I live driving distance it would have been much smarter to find a hotel before they had all booked up. My grad seminar this quarter is on Sports Nutrition, so I was completely prepared in terms of what to eat. The night before I ate pasta with a red sauce and I added grilled chicken as it is important to eat both your carbs, and your protein for optimal performance (and for later recovery) for your main pre-race fueling meal. For breakfast I had a bit of a nervous stomach, so I ate 1/2 a bagel with a little cream cheese, some grapes, and about half a cup of coffee.
We arrived to the starting area about 45 minutes before the start of the race, perfect timing to stand in the insane port-a-potty line, adjust my ipod so the cord wouldn't bother me as I trotted along, and to chug my pre-race drink. My Sports Nutrition professor (who was also my Advanced Nutrition/Metabolism teacher) has developed a sports drink and he has been handing out free samples to our classes. I tried it once before on one of my long runs and it's awesome. It is a powder you mix into your water about 15 minutes before your event and provides you with quick carbohydrates to fuel you on your way. I highly recommend it, first because I trust him so I trust the produce, and secondly because it works! Honestly, I felt amazing both times I used it. Look for HYPR (Hydration and Performance and Recovery) in the near future.
The race began and I suddenly realized "I'm really doing this". My nerves were gone, and I just thought, "If I can finish in under two and a half hours I will be happy, even if I have to walk part of it". The course was beautiful, winding through the Santa Ynez countryside, past ranch houses and wineries, and before I knew it I was already at the fifth mile. Just before the sixth mile I popped in a couple of Cliff Shots for some quick energy.
I had psyched myself up for the sixth mile because the elevation chart on the race website showed a significant climb between mile six and seven. I had been training hills, but I still didn't feel extremely confident, yet as I started the climb, other people were slowing down and walking, and I was able to move past them. Elated, I kept cruising up the hill until we reached the top to look out at the unbelievable scenery.
As I began to descend down hill around mile seven, I realized that I really had to go to the bathroom, and while i had seen bathrooms for the first five miles or so, the road was looking pretty narrow, with fencing on either side and nowhere in site. When I finally saw one around the ninth or tenth mile, there was a line. I stopped for a minute, but my legs quickly began to tighten up so I decided to keep going. Somehow, the feeling subsided soon after.
A stitch in my side slowed me down for the last few miles as I didn't want it to get worse. Apparently running downhill can exacerbate side stitches, and while it was uncomfortable, it never was so debilitating that I had to stop. I just kept thinking to myself about all the stories I have read about runners who compete with the most insane injuries, so I figured I could handle a little side ache. By the time I saw the mark for the 13th mile I was overjoyed, and actually surprised at how fast the race had gone by. Crossing that finish line was probably one of the sweetest feelings I have experienced in a long time. I just couldn't stop smiling to myself.
I headed into the finishing tent to grab some carbs and water, found my cheerleaders, and immediately began to feel my legs tightening up. There was a wine festival for a few hours after the race, but at that point, all I wanted was a shower and some real food so I skipped it and headed home.
All in all this was a wonderful experience. A year ago I hardly ran more than three miles. Those of you who are runners know the addiction that arises from this post-race euphoria, and those of you who have always wanted to try, should seriously consider it. It's a way of competing with yourself, and for those of us who used to play organized sports and miss that feeling of accomplishment, running in a race, whether it's 5k, 10k, half or full marathon can provide a similar experience. I'm already signing up for another one later this year.