Three Things Thursday

Most of the time my mind wanders from topic to topic and problem to problem and I don't see making an entire blog post about it so I kind of like having the option of doing a little this and that type post. So a Three Things Thursday or a Friday Favorites works for me. PLUS I love alliteration. ;) I am just a dork like that. ***

1) Someone asked me yesterday why I race so much. Well I think the obvious answer would be that I like it. ;) I have grown to love pinning the race bib on my shirt or pant leg, getting in the mix with everyone pre race and just going out there and having fun. I soak up every moment from the start to the finish. Plus, I love a good t-shirt, medal or pint glass.

But really and truly, it keeps me moving. I noticed this summer when I didn't have a big race on the horizon that my training suffered. I took a big break from racing/long distance races from mid May to beginning of August. Apparently I don't work well without a training plan. I think I knew that beforehand. I need someone to just tell me what to do. I think it's why I thrive with training plans. I do not follow them to the letter because you need to adjust due to injuries, life, etc but I love the framework it gives me.

And hey I ended up with 129 miles run in August after capping out at about 80 in each of the previous three months. Thanks  Dopey Challenge training plan.

Now racing is expensive so I have been very lucky this year to be offered some complimentary race entries as well as sponsored race entries (thanks Team Refuel) which has helped me race more than I normally would. I am very fortunate in that regards.

Either way - I think I need to continue to have races on the horizon to keep myself moving, focused and at a healthy weight.

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2) I can't wait to get back to Weight Watchers as a meeting member. I miss just weighing in, picking up my weekly, sitting myself in the back row and being inspired. YES I am continuously inspired while leading WW meetings, but it is a whole different game than sitting in the lime green seat as a member.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED going to my weekly WW meetings. I hated when I was on the road and missed one. So you can imagine what it has been like for me since moving to Boston and not attending really any meetings. It hurts. I feel disconnected. I feel like I lose a piece of me.

I've attempted to attend meetings, but I have either been outed as a WW Leader by the person leading the meeting/someone in the room or have had to work the meeting because someone got sick or was running late. I just need to bear down and make the effort to attend a meeting where either 1) no one knows me or 2) I trust the leader to just let me sit there and be a WW member.

I lead anywhere from 11-15 meetings a week and sometimes I just want to take the WW Leader hat off and just be...

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3) I think I am going to once again host a 5k - virtual option only - for my birthday this year! Last year I had The 1st Annual 30th Birthday 5k Run-Walk Ramble and it was a HUGE success. I had a blast (it was in person and virtual) and I raised $1,000 to put towards my fundraising goal ($5k) for Tedy's Team and the Boston Marathon.

So I am mulling around with the idea of doing it again - The 2nd Annual 30th Birthday 5k Run-Walk Ramble - where people will sign up online and run-walk a 5k wherever they are September 16-22. You will have a race bib you can print off the computer, you will be entered to win raffle prizes AND you will get a Finisher's Medal ... PLUS your payment will go to my $5k fundraising goal to run The Boston Marathon in 2014 once again with Tedy's Team (raising awareness/money for American Stroke Association).

Would you want to participate? Would $25 be too much for a chance at raffle prize (Heart Rate Monitor, Headphones, Pedometer), a Finisher's Medal AND a donation to charity? Let me know as details are still being worked out! :)

Weekly Workout Wind Up (8/29-9/4/13)

At least I got one swim in this week since I do have that Sprint Tri on Sunday! Oops! ;) In an attempt to get ready for #DopeyChallenge, I ran a 5k then 10k then Half Marathon over three days. On the fourth (which would be the marathon) I did run 5.2 miles. I legs didn't feel as tired as I thought, but the thought of adding 21 miles to that final run is kind of daunting. But I know with more training I will be ready!!

Thursday, August 29: 1.5-Mile Run

Friday, August 30: 5k-Run, 30-Min Stairmaster and 20-Min Elliptical

Saturday, August 31: 10k-Run

Sunday, September 1: 13.1-Mile Run broken into 9.1 and 4.0 mile runs

Monday, September 2: 5.2-Mile Run

Tuesday, September 3: 5-Mile Run and 1,000-Meter Swim

 

Wednesday, September 4: 5k-Run 

Bring on the Tri! :)

Dani Dishes 9-2-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I call out to women to support each other!! Why are we putting other women down for their exercise choices?  

Hungry Girl's 'Cue the Pulled Pork

I love pulled pork, but on Weight Watchers the PPV can get rather high so in the meantime I was using pulled chicken... ... until we found Hungry Girl's crockpot recipe for Pulled Pork that was not only DELICIOUS, but PPV-friendly.

Now some healthier versions of pulled pork leave something to the imagination - they are a little off - usually when it comes to the BBQ taste.

BUT, Hungry Girl - as usual - doesn't disappoint. Her recipe is easy to follow, fills the house with an amazing aroma and his just plain YUMMY!

I mean have you ever had a bad Hungry Girl recipe? I assume the answer is a loud NO because I never have!

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Serving Size: (2/3 cup) 220 calories 6g fat 637mg sodium 16g carbs 1g fiber 12g sugars 24g protein

PointsPlus® value 5

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Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 3 - 4 hours or 7 - 8 hours

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1 cup canned tomato sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cider vinegar 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. brown sugar (lightly packed) 2 tsp. garlic powder 12 oz. raw lean boneless pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat 12 oz. raw boneless pork shoulder (the leanest piece you can find), trimmed of excess fat 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. black pepper 2 cups roughly chopped onion (about 1 large onion) Optional: crushed red pepper

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Directions:

To make the sauce, place tomato sauce, ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic powder in a crock pot. Stir until mixed. Season both types of pork with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Top with onion and lightly stir.

Cover and cook until pork is fully cooked, on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours. (We opted on low for 8 hours)

Remove all the pork and place it in a large bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the pork in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well with the sauce.

If you're serving a group, keep the crock pot on its lowest setting, so the pork stays warm. Season to taste with crushed red pepper, if using. Yum time!

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

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The pulled pork is wicked tender and tastes as if we were at a BBQ joint.

Last time we had it we decided to pair it with my wife's mashed potatoes (which are 6PP for 1 cup)... today we will make some waffle fries in the oven (1 serving = 4 PP).

Weekly Workout Wind Up (8/22-28/13)

Well this week I didn't find a way to incorporate my Jillian Michaels DVDs back into the mix, but I will.  

Thursday, August 22: 5k-Run

Friday, August 23: 10k-Run

Saturday, August 24: 12-Mile Run

Sunday, August 25: Spin Class

Monday, August 26: 3-Mile Run, 2-Mile Run and 53-Minute Spin

Tuesday, August 27: REST DAY

Wednesday, August 28: 5-mile Run with 3 hill repeats at the end

But now that I apparently have a Sprint Tri on 9/8 - hello free entry - I need to get back in the pool and on the bike this week... Oh yeah and tackle that little "hilly" half marathon in NH on Sunday!

Good problems, right?

KIND Snacks Giveaway

Annddddd the winner IS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONGRATS!!!! Thank you to everyone that participated and big thanks to our Sponsor!!!

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There’s healthy. There’s tasty. Then there’s healthy and tasty. At KIND, we believe you deserve both—we call it our brAND philosophy. That’s why you’ll find all of our snacks are pretty much the nirvana of healthful tastiness. What began with just 8 bar varieties in 2004 has grown to over 22 bars and 6 Healthy Grains snackable clusters, and a multitude of new recipes being perfected and refined to our standards in the KIND kitchen.

Well KIND snacks pretty much sold me with that introduction to their company.

KIND snacks has been around since 2004, but didn't enter my radar until last summer. Yes I know I am behind the times. What else is new? ;)

I kept seeing their product at local races. Now, I am ALL about the free products at a race so I would pick one up and not really think anything about it until...

... I actually chatted with lovely ladies working the booth. I mean it took me long enough to say Hi to Lauren - I've seen her at pretty much every local run since moving back to Boston. It just took me time, okay? Okay.

Lauren was super sweet and told me a lot more about the message of KIND Snacks AND that it is more than just those yummy bars - there's granola too! Oh my!

KIND has started a movement on social media by using the hashtag #KINDAwesome. Have you seen it on Twitter or Instagram? They are encouraging folks to use it to capture the kind moments in life. It is really inspiring if you sort by that hashtag.

Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind. —Henry James

After seeing Lauren at yet another race - VERT Sasquatch in July - we finally decided it was time for a little KIND giveaway here on the old blog. I'm looking out for you all. :)

So one day in early August, I came home from a tough Spin session to find this awesome sight on my porch.

Amazing message right on the bag

Aahhhhh!!! Glorious right?

But, it got better.

OOhhh yeaah!

As you can see as soon as I emptied out the KIND Healthy Snacks Mixed Case (Value $107.50) with a surprise treat of granola in there as well, I put the Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values on the packages. The bars on the right were all 5 PP each, the boxes on the left were all 6 PP and the granola for a serving (1/3 cup) was either 3 or 4.

Now my Weight Watchers friends may think these are kinda high PPV for a granola bar, but let me tell you they are WORTH IT!

I have been finding all sorts of ways to fit KIND bars and the granola into my plan.

*KIND Bars have been good for pre OR post workout fuel (biking, running, weight-lifting, swimming, prancercizing, etc). Now that I have started "running" the Harvard Stadium stairs at 6:30am on Tuesdays I need a good source of fuel beforehand that will keep me satisfied, but not weigh me down. I am one of those people that will get sick if I eat too much before a workout. Plus, I don't want to wake up at like 4am just to have something to eat and not get sick for a 6:30am workout. Who is with me?

Sooo instead I will pop a KIND Snack bar in my bag and I'm off.

I couldn't wait to take a pic of the yummy PB & Strawberry Bar (5PP) after doing a hill workout Wednesday so you just get to see half of it. ;)

*KIND Granola is actually an AMAZING bang for your buck when it comes to Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values or calories or just taste! ;)

You can have 29g (1/3 cup) for 3 PP of the PB Granola.

I. AM. OBSESSED!

I seriously don't think I will ever eat yogurt without it again.

Yup - that good. :)

So do I have your mouth watering yet? Well, I am currently snacking on a Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate bar (6PP) that is heavenly.

Oh you want your own now? Getting excited that you can actually pronounce all of the ingredients on the KIND Bar label? Loving the #KINDAwesome mentality?

Well, alright alright. Let's bring on the giveaway. :) You all deserve it.

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So here’s how to enter to win your OWN KIND Master Mixed Case like mine:

The giveaway will run from Tuesday August 20 (10am ET) through Tuesday August 27 (9am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Tuesday!

How To Get A Race Crowd On Your Side

I love a good screaming crowd. I mean who doesn't? In the right context. I have equated to running a road race to feeling like a rock star.

I mean there are people there that have NO IDEA who you are, but they are cheering you on and little kids want to high-five you.

Okay they want to high-five most people - yes I have been dissed by an 8-year-old before during a race. It kinda hurt my feelings.

But I digress...

When I normally race, I have one or maybe two people there to cheer me on (except Boston Marathon of course) and they cannot be all places along the course to offer moral support.

(Depending on the course, my dad kicked booty at Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon so I could see him 4 times along the route)

So we need to rely on the other spectators to help push us through to the Finish.

But HOW do you stick out in a crowd of sometimes 20,000 runners?

Here are some of the tips I've picked up along the way that help me get the cheers I need!!

1) If you are on social media, share a pic of your outfit prior to race day. This - for me - results in a "flat Dani" type situation.

I can't tell you how many blog readers, Twitter followers or even my Weight Watchers members have told me they knew what to look for all because I posted a pic in advance.

2) Put your name in BIG letters on the front of your running singlet or t-shirt.

Also block lettering is much easier for fans to read. You need to make sure it is visible from 10-20 feet away. I mean you aren't running up to the crowd shoving your shirt in their face - hopefully. I don't see that working all that well.

3) Piggybacking off Number 2 - make your charity, twitter handle or blog name LARGE on the FRONT of your shirt.

Many people try to put cute sayings on the back of shirts - that's great, but people don't tend to follow through and watch you pass them. They won't see anything you put on the back of the shirt so put all important info on the front!

4) Write your name or bib number on your arm.

This can be a risky choice! Why? As you can see above, sunburns happen. Sunburns lead to you having your name permanently on your arm like all summer long. Yeah plan accordingly if you have a summer race and a big fancy event a month or so after.

Also, learn from my mistake - don't write your name in marker then put your armband over it. It just gets messy and ends up getting marker all over everything. Oops! Put your name on the right arm. :P

5) Wear something cute, bright and shiny that will catch the crowd's attention!

Now I have found that different articles of clothing will obviously appeal to different ages and sexes.

This is not meant to be sexist at all - it is just something I've found works for me. ;)

To win over the girls-ladies of the crowd: rock a cute skirt. For me? It is the Sparkle Athletic skirts all the way.

Plus they are fun and are comfortable to wear while running, which is the most important thing - not letting crowd pleasing outfits get in the way of your performance.

For the boys and gentlemen in the crowd, a good pair of knee socks can do the trick. My personal favorite: my Superman socks. They have amazing little capes on the back.

Superhero socks, colorful socks, BEER knee socks ... any of those will work. :)

I had a little boy yell out during one 5k: "Look dad that girl is Superman!" Oh the smile on my face was HUGE!

6) A full costume. 

This is something that I have only tried during this January's Walt Disney World Half Marathon. I dressed up at Jessie from Toy Story and LOVED the "Go Jessie" cheers along the course.

Again make sure it is something that will not impede your performance in your race.

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And sometimes almost all of these tips come together in the perfect storm: my Boston Marathon outfit this past April.

It was the first race I truly had something that appealed to everyone in the crowd so I felt like those folks carried me through one of the hardest races of my life!!

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How do you rally the crowd and capture their energy to pull you through a race?

Dani Dishes 8-26-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I drop TWO HUGE announcements on you guys regarding my next fitness goal for 2014 and new sponsorship!! :) :)  

Weekly Workout Wind Up (8/15-21/13)

I need to get back some variety into my workouts, but this was a solid week of running.  

Thursday, August 15: Cross-Training Day (35-min Stairmaster)

Friday, August 16: 6-Mile Run

Saturday, August 17: 10.04-Mile Run

Sunday, August 18: Race To The Row 5k (official time: 21:59.2)

Monday, August 19: 5-Mile Run and 50-Minute Spin (plus walk to and from gym)

Tuesday, August 20: Harvard Stadium Stairs (30 sections) and 30-min Stairmaster/20-min Elliptical (plus walk to and from gym)

Wednesday, August 21: 5-mile Run and 2.75-mile Walk

Here's to getting back to the swim and finding a way to watch my Jillian Michaels DVDs! 

First Annual Race To The Row 5k

Sometimes a race is more than a race. Was that deep?

No?

Okay. I'll skip the poetic opener and get to the good stuff. ;)

I love being a part of inaugural races AND uber local races.

The Race To The Row 5k, which took place on August 18, fit both those categories.

How local?

Well it was directly across the street from my neighborhood.

Short commute for the win! :)

I actually had the honor of giving away a free entry to the race thanks to the organizers - Somerville Road Runners - and was excited to meet the winner, Shimmy, on race day (it was her first 5k race).

On Saturday, August 17, we headed over to Assembly Row to pick up my bib/t-shirt at Sports Authority, peek around Assembled (weekly artist market) and have the wife get some grub from the food trucks!

Saturday night I took my first stab at applying the KT Tape myself. I had used it on my last two marathons and loved it, but always had a professional administer it at the race expo.

Thankfully the videos on KTTape.com were very helpful and easy to follow.

I thought it looked pretty darn good. I even gave it a try on my ailing wrist.

The other half said I looked like a Power Ranger. Agree? :P

The race started at 9:30am on Sunday which meant we got to sleep in ... as best as possible with the 2 pups. ;)

As always I had laid out my outfit the night before so I didn't have to think at all that morning while getting ready.

We set to leave the house by 8:45am so we could hit Dunkin' Donuts before the race.

I actually had the coffee before my run for one of the first times ever. It was risky to change my pre-race routine, but I was okay with it - I set low expectations for the outcome of the race (which I'll touch on later).

We arrived at the starting area just before 9, which was perfect since the little kid Fun Run was happening at 9.

I was happy to see some familiar faces at the race including my friend and fellow Weight Watchers Leader Heather and my Tedy's Team running mate Meg and her husband Josh.

Heather and I pre-race

We all chatted until we heard the warning call to line up. I quickly hit up the table to get my "hell yes I am 21 and will be having a beer post-race" wristband. ;) Priorities!!

I kept glancing around the crowd to see how many folks were participating in the run-walk and it looked to be about 200. Great turnout for a first-time local run.

The race director gave a countdown through his makeshift megaphone and we were off.

It was a looping pattern so we would run part of the course twice, which was fine by me.

I didn't put any pressure on myself for this race. Since I have been focusing more on my long distance running/Dopey Challenge training I haven't been doing so much speed work. This would be the first time I would be testing the legs in a 5k race since May.

As we headed out on the course, I caught a glimpse of my average pace time about 1/2 a mile in and there was a 6:45 starting back at me.

Excuse me!

Did I read that right?

I was in shock! But tried not to get too excited. There were 2.6 more miles to go. :P

The organizers did a great job keeping the run within the Assembly Row Marketplace and the surrounding streets. We didn't have to cross any huge intersections, there were plenty of volunteers and not multiple water stops. Bravo folks! Bravo!

My Garmin buzzed off for Mile 1 and flashing back at me was indeed a sub-7 pace.

I shook my head and kept going.

It couldn't be.

I had to keep my focus so I picked one person in front of me and made a pact with myself that I HAD to pass her by the end of the race ... and then stay in front of her.

As I passed her heading to the Mile 2 marker, 2 other women passed me. Agghh! I kept those two women as close to me as I could, but they were darn speedy!

We hit Mile 2 and according to my Garmin I was still sub-7 pace. Holy heck.

I decided that no matter what I would give it all I had for the last mile. Since it was kind of a loopy-out and back situation going on, I was able to cheer for friends as I raced to the Finish.

I looked down and we were at 2.6 miles. Okay legs give it all you have ... and that is exactly what I did.

Can you tell by the pic? This is me coming into the Finish Line thanks to the wife.

I clicked the Garmin as I crossed the Finish. There it was 6:56 average pace.

HOT DAMN!

Now, in retrospect, I should've known it wouldn't be sub 7 since my watch had us at 3.16 miles instead of the 3.1 for a 5k. Logic should've set it, but I was too darn happy ... and too ready for beer. :)

Either way I had PRed (previous PR 22:20) and THAT was one pleasant surprise. I was more excited talking to my friends who had done amazing things during the run

Meg & I post-race in the beer garden

AND meeting up with Shimmy, the giveaway winner.

She had set out 2 goals: 1) finish in under 33 minutes and 2) give it all she had. And you know what? She did both. Way to rock it Shimmy!! :) :)

Big thanks to Burger Dive for providing great post-race BBQ and for Harpoon Brewery for donating the delicious post-race brews.

Overall, it was one amazing morning. I can't wait to participate next year too!

Oh and those final results were:

I finished in a PR of 21:59.2 (7:05 min/mile). I was 38 out of 208 overall, 9 out of 115 females and 4 out of 55 in my division.

How could I not be proud with those sorts of numbers?

Little 'ol me posted those. I have certainly come a long way since my first 5k in Somerville in March 2005 when I posted a time of 38:21.

And either way: I got to cross the Finish Line of yet another race. The best moment of it all.