pics to follow soon

RnR update

Okay so the race is over. The times are in the book and a personal record was achieved.
The race was truly wonderful today. I had an amazing time. From the first moment of standing on the starting line with the Great Constantina Dita our 2008 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist from the Beijing Olympics to the finish line and seeing my wonderful friends David (Balance Therapeutic Massage) and Kathy (my Italian mother) and of course the amazing Andy and Coach Bill.
I started the race feeling very good and relaxed. Mile 1 was no problem with a smooth 6 minute pace. Realizing I felt great I picked up the pace to catch up with the next group. Then I totally just settled in and ran as hard as I could. I never looked at my watch. I remember seeing the 10mile time which was 59:00 minutes and all I could think was sweet I'm on target. The finish was amazing and I wish I had ran harder but that's easier said than done b/c at the time I felt I was running as hard as I could.
I've had people already ask me what my plan was or what was my strategy. Literally, it was to trust my training and my coach. Also, I planned on finding someone to run with and just sticking to her as long as possible. Basically, run hard.
So the race is over with. I'm going to enjoy this night and tomorrow it is back to business as usual. I have a massage at Balance tomorrow and an easy run. And this I will be off to run the Chicago Half Marathon on Sunday the 12th.

rock n roll half marthon

http://running.competitor.com/2010/09/news/songoka-ogi-claim-victory-in-virginia-beach_13096

Article about the race already posted online. short mention of me near the bottom.

Dear RnR

So tomorrow is Race Day and it's pretty huge. I've been invited to have an Elite Start and I take that responsibility pretty serious. My number is F14 so that means that there are at least 13 other amazing, fast women who all mean business. But I think I'm ready
I haven't posted anything in a while for lots of reasons. I've been pretty busy with work and training and sometimes it doesn't always cross my mind. But let's just say I've been running better lately than I have in the past 2-3 years. Things in my life have finally settled down enough that I can focus. Last week during a track session I ran a 5:04 mile on my own. Totally awesome feeling. Also feels great to have coach Bill so happy as well. A couple of weeks ago I ran the Lynchburg Half Marathon in a time of 1:20:22 which broke the course record of 1:25:36. I totally recommend this race b/c it's a challenging course and it's only 20.00. I got a cool shirt that actually fit me (how many times have you gotten a shirt that was way too big), everyone was nice, I was less than a half mile from the starting line, the course rocked, and did I mention it was only 20.00 bucks. And the city of Lynchburg is beautiful. (I'm actually returning on September 25th to run the Historical Lynchburg 10 miler)
So now that you are all caught up. LOL.
Tomorrow is race day. I've been blessed to have amazing friends who are gonna be on the course. And I can't wait to see you guys. Remember to cheer loudly!! I want to hear you. I'm gonna need it. I've also been blessed to have gotten my legs massaged (thanks David) and to have gotten an amazing Elite entry into the race (Thanks Jim Golden). And Coach, awh we are gonna have an amazing time tomorrow.

So dear RnR,
Tomorrow morning we are going to meet again. The weather will be amazing and the competition will be stiff. You will be (as you have always been) a very worthy opponent. But I am ready for you. And this time is like no other time before. We are meeting on under different circumstances and I am ready.
Your most devout servant.

Good luck to everyone running. See you out there.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Did you know that there are foods that can cause or worsen already present inflammation. According to different experts foods that are high in fat such as processed meats (hot dogs and luncheon meat), red meat, and junk food can cause or increase inflammation. Processed meats such as lunch meats, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with increased inflammation and chronic disease.

This little piece of information is very important for runners and athletes. If I can eat or avoid eating certain foods to decrease the inflammation in my muscles then I want to do that. I believe that a healthy diet is better than taking vitamins or anti-inflammatory medicines.

Well, the number one best thing to do is drink water. Lots of water!

Also our body needs protein to build healthy body tissues. Good protein sources include lean poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, legumes and seeds. Red meats may trigger inflammation, so cut back on fatty red meats.

Soybeans, tofu, and soy milk are three great sources of soy proteins that may help to reduce your pain and inflammation.

Over all, when you are choosing anti-inflammatory foods to help reduce your inflammation and pain, choose fresh foods instead of heavily processed foods. Here are some tips:

• Breakfast could be oatmeal served with fresh berries and walnuts, with a cup of soy milk.
• Snack on whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables throughout the day instead of cookies and candy.
• Eat more fish and less fatty red meat.
• Stay away from deep fried foods and bake or stir fry your meals instead.
• Choose green, orange, and yellow vegetables for your side dishes.
• Drink plenty of water, fresh 100% fruit and vegetable juices, herbal teas and green tea.

Crazy Ass Saturday

Today I'm running 2 races. I ran the CHKD 8K this morning in Norfolk. Won 1st place Overall Female with a time of 28:59. A huge PR for me! The races was great. And I loved running through the city of Norfolk between the tall buildings. Very cool! A huge win for BDP peeps. Tonight, Kelley Taylor and I will be continuing the crazy day of racing with another run in Newport News. The Icelandic 8K. Should be lots of fun. I won't lie to you. My legs are a little tired but I got a massage from David at Balance Therapeutic Massage on my legs to promote recovery. I'm sure this will be a huge help to me. Anyway, off to get my legs up in the air.

Skinny People Shop Here

There's an article on AOL Health which states that according to a survey that was taken b/w December 2008 and March 2009 only 4% of shoppers that go to Whole Foods are overweight (this location was in Seattle). The reason is b/c obesity is linked to poverty and Whole Foods Grocery store is anything but cheap (the average price for a market basket of food at Whole Foods was between $370 and $420, compared with the same basket of food at Albertson's for $225 to $280). Basically people who have lower incomes are looking for foods with more bang for their buck (these usually are the more calorie dense processed foods). MSNBC even reported that in a separate study in 2008, it was estimated that a calorie-dense diet costs $3.52 a day, compared with $36.32 a day for a low-calorie diet. So deep down obesity is a economic issue and eating healthy require more money and requires more preparation time then eating a processed high calorie diet.

It really is sad that in a country like America and with as much food as we seem to have that we still have people who can't afford a healthy diet. I know that buying fresh vegetables and fruits are expensive but I believe it is possible for a family on a budget to still buy foods that are good for them. Frozen vegetables are always a good option. I think I find this topic very frustrating b/c I really believe in eating healthy and always having fresh fruits and vegetables in the house and ready to eat.