Today was supposed to be my 12 miler, but the AIDS Marathon folks decided to cancel the run due to the poor air quality in Southern California due to the many fires. I’ve been running at the gym on a treadmill, which sucks. I miss running outside. Hopefully in the coming week, things will get better. Oh well.
–D
Today was an awesome 10 miler! I was unable to run with my cousin because I had a conflicting schedule, but it seems like he made it out okay. Also, congrats to Krystle who ran in the Nike Women’s Marathon today!
Ok, on to business. My pace group didn’t really have a leader today, so I tried my best to keep us on pace. I am training with the slowest group because I am making the leap and running two marathons within a short time frame (January and March). We were supposed to be at a pace of 17 minutes per mile. Very easy…practically walking the whole time right? Well, for some reason we were at a pace of 14-14:30 per mile. Not bad if you ask me. Especially for 10 miles. We had some stops along the way for bathroom breaks and water stations…and I made sure to stop the watch during these breaks because I wanted to time our actual running and walking.
Our route was very nice. We ran out of Griffith Park and through Burbank and Studio City. It was a simple “out and back”. Five miles out, and five miles back. It started getting very hot after a few miles, but I did a great job of keeping myself hydrated as well as salted (to prevent hyponatremia).
Also, while I’m writing this, a quick update. Krystle just called and is coming up to the last mile of the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco. You go girl! I am soo proud of you and you’ve come a long way with your running over the past year.
Back to business again. I am facing no injuries of tightness in my muscles. No foot pain or shoe problems. I am so excited about this, because when I ran in this (same) training program last year, I could barely walk after the 10 miler. It’s funny that when you stick to a program like this, you improve over time.
This week I had two “maintainance” runs of 35 minutes each. This helps keep the blood flowing in my legs. Also, I ate plenty of bananas over the past few days. LOVE IT!
One last thing before I post the map of my run. Please help me raise $1500 for AIDS Project Los Angeles. I MUST raise this amount by December, so please help me. Any donation will help! You can donate as little as $5. Please donate by clicking here. It is a secure form, so all your information stays safe. If you donate $100 or more, you will receive a receipt in the mail.
Thanks for supporting me!
Now, it’s map time…
Today was our 8 mile training run in Griffith Park. It was the typical out and back. This was my first run with the AIDS Marathon Training group. I’ve been signed up for several weeks, but I’ve been unable to run with the group due to a conflicting work schedule.
Needless to say, I was very excited to run with a group today. My cousin Ashu picked up up and we drove over to the Griffith Park site. Today’s run was a nice easy 8 miler. It was the first time that I ran with my cousin. Unfortunately he had a pesky bug in his knee so we ran just 6 miles today. No worries though because next week is our 10 mile run! YAY!
Here is a map of our run for today…
If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon.
–Emil Zatopek, Olympic Gold Medalist
Right now, I am training in the New Balance 857′s. These are great for my ridicuously wide and flat feet. There is enough cushion to keep me happy and stability to boot. I hope to get a new pair soon, but for now, these will keep me going.
“I am fundraising for the AIDS Marathon training program. Please visit http://www.davenadkarni.org to make a donation. It can be as little as $5. Every bit helps. Please…donate.”
I can’t run and now, I am officially sick. This sucks. I guess that means I have the opportunity to write what’s now on my mind. Good food. In the past, before any type of run, I’ve enjoyed eating bananas, hummus, peanut butter and homemade trail mix. Not in that order though. 
I googled “Hummus” and “Marathon Runner”, to see the health benefits of hummus, to a runner. I didn’t really find anything interesting, but I did find some fantastic recipes in an old issue of Runner’s World (the original section was geared towards teenage runners, but is still applicable to adults).
At the risk of copyright infringement, I have listed a couple of great sandwiches for runners. These are the vegetarian-friendly options from the article because (if you’ve been paying attention), I’m vegetarian.
While I’m on the subject, the vegetarian diet is going really well. I’ve had no problems from the “lack of protein”. I read a great article that I wanted to share on this subject as well. Click here for more info.
I’d also like to ask for Shibanee’s (my cousin) opinion on this. She has a background in this subject and I trust her judgment.
In any case, here is the food….
Hummus Special Sandwich
What’s Inside: Hummus, feta cheese, tomatoes, red onions.
What’s Outside: Flatbread.
Starting Line: Spread hummus first. Grate feta cheese into fine bits. Dice tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with vinegar for more spice.
Variations: Eliminate onions if you are concerned about stomach distress prior to a workout or race.
Testimonial: This is Deena Kastor’s (Olympic Marathoner) Athens ’04 special. “It’s a nice balance of protein, carbohydrate, minerals and vitamins,” she says Kastor. (And it can’t hurt in progressing toward your own Olympic goals.)
Mexican Black Bean Sandwich
What’s Inside: Black beans, tomato, bell pepper, onion, cheddar cheese.
What’s Outside: Pita bread.
Starting Line: Diced vegetables, grated cheese and beans should be mixed together then spooned into the pita, which you coat with guacamole. Cut pita in half and fill each pocket.
Variations: Substitute honey mustard for guacamole.
Testimonial: “Add some shredded lettuce and your favorite salsa for a high carb treat that will provide plenty of fuel for a workout or race,” says sports dietitian Scott Fischer, director of the Active Training & Nutrition Center in Englewood, N.J.
Grilled Veggie Special Sandwich
What’s Inside: Peppers, eggplant, zucchini, squash, onions, fresh mozzarella.
What’s Outside: Ciabatta bread.
Starting Line: Might be a tough sell for some teen runners-grilled veggies may not win the who’s-got-the-best-sandwich contest at lunch, but everyone likes several veggies, so build a sandwich accordingly.
Variations: Spice up with a dab of vinegar.
Testimonial: “High in carbs, low in fat,” says Fischer. “A great choice for pre- or post- workout.”
Bread’s Best Bets
Question: Is darker bread always better than lighter bread?
Answer: Generally, yes. But not all the time. The dark color of some bread comes from substances like molasses and caramel, essentially dark sugar, as opposed to the nutrition-laden dark flour you find in healthy pumpernickel bread.
Question: What about white bread that has been “enriched”?
Answer: It’s better than non-enriched white bread but still has less vitamins, minerals and fiber than any dark bread.
Question: What should I look for on a packaged bread label to ensure that my sandwich will be made with nutritious bread?
Answer: Look for the “100 percent” phrase. That is, 100 percent whole grain wheat or oat or corn. Also look and see how much white flour counts in the ingredients list. The higher up it is, the more white flour and the less nutrition.
Lastly, a reminder that I am fundraising for the AIDS Marathon training program. Please visit http://www.davenadkarni.org to make a donation. It can be as little as $5. Every bit helps. Please…donate.
Today I got my tetanus and flu shots. Both of my arms are sore. Also since I have a conflicting work schedule, I’m unable to run a 7 mile “long run” this week. I will try and make it up on my own on Monday or Tuesday. Otherwise, I’ll be back to normal next week when I do an 8 mile “long run”. I’m really excited about running on Saturday mornings. It’s super cold before the sun comes up and that is a GREAT thing. Also, the AIDS Marathon coach on Saturdays is Coach Scott. He is fantastic and always has something positive to say.
Earlier this year, he helped several of us AIDS Marathon “alumni” run the San Diego Rock N’ Roll Marathon. YAY for Coach Scott.
Please help me out with my marathon fundraising by visiting http://www.davenadkarni.org
