Running in the Big Easy....I'm NOLA Bound!!

  Don't forget!!!! My Ultra Fuel Giveaway HERE ends 8/31

I am heading to New Orleans tomorrow morning. I will be there until Saturday. It is technically a work trip, but we always have a great time.  My Pastor/boss is a director of his Ministerial Association and so every year we plan a retreat and invite about 100 Pastors, evangelists, missionaries, teachers...and there spouses and staff.  Every year we pick a new location; we have done a Caribbean cruise, Florida Gulf Coast, Gatlinburg, and now New Orleans.
This is one of the most loving group of people you will ever be around and it always feels like going I'm going to a family reunion....actually...maybe less dysfunctional than a family reunion...but you get the picture!



I don't know if I will be posting much the rest of the week.

Not sure how I'm going to work my long run into the weekend yet.  20 miles on a hotel treadmill is just not going to happen, and hubby has forbidden me to run the streets of NOLA by myself...Maybe not the long run...surely I can find someone to run a few miles with me...oh the sights I would see!!!!:)
I could do my long run on Sunday, but I would have to start running at 4am to get it in before church....hmmmmmm....what to do?

I got a solid 6 in this morning.
mile 1- 9:50
mile 2- 9:10
mile 3- 9:08
mile 4- 8:22
mile 5- 8:34
mile 6- 8:15

I have hill repeats on the schedule for tomorrow and since I'm also flying out in the morning I will be up at the crack of dawn running hills....


How do you get your run in when you travel?


Grace and peace,

How to run 20+ miles with a smile

 Don't miss out on my ULTRA FUEL Giveaway HERE! Ends 8/31!

 ••••••••••••••••••

I prepared all week for Saturday's long run. 20 miles.
I hydrated, ate clean, fueled up with Ultra Fuel, and got good sleep.
The plan was to run 6 miles on my own starting at 5:30am and then meet Angie at her house at 6:30am.
We have a 14 mile out and back that we really like. It has a good combination of hills and straightaways. Before the run I drove a cooler with iced towels, gatorade, and water to the half way point. Best idea EVER!

The run started well, I left a little late, so I was only able to get 4 miles in before meeting Ang.

6:30AM: 80 degrees already.  I knew it was going to be a scorcher.

Mile 6.4: Garmin died. Not a problem. Ang had her Garmin.

Mile 7: Stopped at the cooler. Thank God for the iced towels and coooold water! I don't know why I haven't done that earlier!?

Mile 12: I pulled ahead of Angie. She still running strong, but without my Garmin I decide to just listen to my body.  I felt like I was running about a 9:30 pace. My goal pace for long runs is between 9:45-10:00, but even with my garmin it's hard for me to keep that pace.  I usually end up around 9:30per mile. 

Mile 17: Back at the cooler. It is HOT! Some of the rubber on the bottom of my shoes actually melted off.

Mile 20-21: Temperature 89. The last leg of the run is done in our neighborhood. I no longer had Garmin, so I just kept running.  I knew that I was going over 20, but I wanted to make sure that I didn't shortchange myself.   I drove the course later and it said 21 miles. 
I jogged back to Angie's house when I was done and she had an ice cold chocolate milk waiting for me. What a great friend!

I have to say this was one of the hottest, but BEST long runs I have ever done. The reason?  I stopped focusing on myself around mile 6 and started focusing on God. The majority of the run I focused on God's goodness, how He has blessed me, and the change He has made in my life.
When I would start feeling fatigue, or a sore muscle, I could think about how my life used to be...and smile because of where it is now. 

•I am blessed with a husband who is faithful, kind, and a man of integrity. 

•I am blessed to have kids who love the Lord and aren't ashamed to pray out loud. My three year old can pray heaven to earth!

•I am blessed to have a family of friends that build me up and encourage me.

•I am blessed to have a job that allows me to serve God. 

•I am blessed with new doors of opportunity everyday!

•I am blessed because I know God has a special plan for me and my family. A good plan! God's word says in Ephesians that God will do "exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think"

 Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Now that is something to smile about!

Have you counted your blessings lately? If not, you should! Do you have enough blessings to get you through 20 miles?

Grace and peace,

READ MY STORY OF HOPE HERE

Recharge Your Run- Ultra Fuel Giveaway!

As promised I have a giveaway today!

I told you a few weeks ago about a product that has really changed the way my body handles runs and recovers post run. Twinlab: Ultra Fuel.

This product has changed my life!

Ok. A little too dramatic?


Maybe it hasn't changed my life, but it has sure changed my running.

Go HERE to read my review on Ultra Fuel.

Here is what Twinlab says about Ultra Fuel:

Superior Carb Blend for Superior Performance*
Maximizes Replacement of Glycogen to:
• Extend Endurance*
• Speed Recovery*
• Help Improve Overall Performance*
Vegetarian Formula

How It Works: 

More advanced than simple carb energy products, Twinlab^® Ultra Fuel^® is a complete performance supplement.*

The superior carbohydrate profile contains an advanced blend of 100 grams of high quality carbohydrates in the form of glucose polymers (the ultimate complex carb), plus important carbohydrate and energy metabolizers.

Clinical studies show that a balanced ratio of complex and simple carbohydrates, like those found in Ultra Fuel, provides energy and enhances recovery, enabling participants to perform longer and produce greater output.* Scientific studies also prove glucose polymers are direct precursors to glycogen synthesis in muscle.*

Ultra Fuel maximizes replacement of glycogen in hard-working muscles, extending endurance, speeding recovery and helping to improve overall performance during training.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 This is what I say:

Before Ultra Fuel:

 The night before a long run (anything over 10 miles) I would carbo load. Most of the time it would be some type of pasta.  The next morning I would wake up for my run with a heavy stomach.  I hate that feeling. Sometimes I would bonk right in the middle of my long run and other times I would bonk post run.  We have ALL been there. You finish a long run and are useless the rest of the day...or for the next 2 days!

After Ultra Fuel:

I have only been using Ultra Fuel for a little over a month, and this is my experience so far....
I take 2 scoops of Ultra Fuel 2 days before a long run, and 2-4 scoops the day before my long run.  I certainly don't have a heavy stomach since it's a liquid and quickly absorbs into your muscles. During my long runs I have notices an increase in my endurance. The biggest difference I have noticed is post run.  I feel like at the end of the run I could keep going and that my recovery time has been cut in half. It really has been huge.  I have felt great!

I have the fruit punch flavor and I am going to be honest; it isn't the most pleasant taste. Taste aside....the results are worth it!

Dean from Twinlab was gracious enough to send me a 52.8oz. tub of Ultra Fuel in the orange flavor for one of you amazing people to try!  
I know you will love this as much as I do!


So, would you like a chance to try Ultra Fuel for yourself?

Here is how you can win:
Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. (Mandatory)Become a follower of Mommy's Fit for the King and leave me a comment.(1 entry)

2. Visit the Twinlab's website HERE , and leave me a comment telling me something you learned on their website. (1 entry)

3.  Follow Twinlabs on Facebook and let them know that I sent you, leave me a comment.(1 entry)

4. (+1 entry for each, leave separate comments) Spread the word about this giveaway on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.  Make sure to leave me the link.

Deadline to enter is August 31st at midnight

Winner will be randomly selected and announced shortly after.

Happy Running!!!!!!!!

*Disclaimer:Twinlab provided this product for review/giveaway purposes. I was not compensated in any way.  All opinions and reviews are my own.*

Grace and peace,

I Love Lizard

This is a green anole

 If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know, I. Do. NOT. Do. Pets. There are enough mouths to feed with 4 kids and cages rooms to keep clean. I'm not an animal hater. In fact I LOVE dogs...especially Labradors. I just have never thought it would be fair to me an animal with our busy schedules.
After finding two lizards in the boys room that they had captured outside and set free in the house; hubby and I decided it might be time to get them a low maintenance pet.
This is Elizabeth aka Lizzie the Lizard:

We purchased Lizzie for $7.00 at the pet shop. Assuming a lizard would be a cheap low maintenance pet.  If you have ever been in a pet store you know that the employees Love...love....LOVE animals. Almost annoyingly...and I'm pretty sure even more than they like people.

Our first trip to the pet store :

I had all three boys with me and like any kids they were excited to be around all of the animals in the pet store. They were loud-ish and wanted to hold every animal. This clearly annoyed the sales lady right away.  I began asking her about bringing a lizard home as a pet, the care it required, housing, feeding, and jokingly asked "when it dies can we exchange it for a live one?" She said we have a 15 day guarantee to which I asked "how many times in the 15 days can we exchange it for a new one?"  again joking(kind of)....she was not amused at all.  Didn't even crack a smile. She clearly does not have kids!
She handed me some brochures on lizards and told me to go home and read up on them.  She wasn't going to sell me a lizard! I'm pretty sure at that point she wasn't even sure I should have custody of my kids.
I was actually fine with not bringing a lizard home that day, I still wasn't convinced I wanted another mouth to feed pet in the house.

Our second trip to the pet store:

With all three boys in tow again..the little one dressed like batman, we headed to the pet store.  This time we got a sales lady who wanted to get us out of there as soon as possible. She boxed up our lizard: a green Anole, and then took us over to the "lizard habitats".  SERIOUSLY! $70.00 for a lizard cage home and all the fixin's! Heat light, special dirt, thermometer....blah.blah.blah.........I asked her if that was all I would EVER need to buy for this animal other than food and she said yes. Ok.  I handed the lizard(in box) to little batman and we headed to the check out.

I thought the check out girl was going to have a panic attack when she saw little batman holding the lizard. It's not like he was shaking it! She told me it wasn't a good idea to let little children hold the lizard.  This made me laugh out loud. I told her I was pretty sure she didn't want to see what would happen if I took the lizard from batman.....he would have an epic bat-breakdown.

We got home. Set up Elizabeth's home.  Realized that in haste to usher us out of the store the sale's lady neglected to tell us we would need extra accessories for this stupid lizard.  The $70.00 "habitat" did NOT come with "everything" as I was told! At this point, Elizabeth was clearly stressed.  Green Anoles turn brown when they are stressed out.

Third trip to the pet store

At this point, if I was a green anole.....I would be brown. 3 trips to the pet store in one week! I haven't been in a pet shop 3 times in the last 15 years!!!
I went to a different pet store this time. The sales people at this pet store seemed to like people a little more than the last store....though, the sales lady told me everything I learned about lizards at the previous store was wrong and proceeded to show me about a million things I would need to purchase to make Elizabeth happy. I spent $50 on stuff promised to make the lizard happy and went home.
Total overall cost for a "cheap" lizard = $127.00

5 days later this lizard is STILL brown! I have done everything short of laying hands on this thing!  Me and the boys even prayed for it!  I have a strange attachment to this lizard now....actually 127 reason to be attached to it.  Yesterday I found myself sitting next to the cage just watching it and talking to it for like 30 minutes! Really. I told the boys to leave it alone for a few days so maybe it can de-stress and we moved it to the spare bedroom so it's quiet. I am officially a neurotic pet owner...I'll probably start wearing sweatshirts with lizards on them and giving weekly updates about my little "lizard-baby"......if it lives.

 

Tomorrow I will have my race report from the Brook Hill 5k last Saturday and a great giveaway.

Also, I have a HUGE giveaway coming up in the next couple weeks so make sure to check back you won't want to miss it! 

Read my story of hope HERE

Grace and peace,

3 Things Thursday: New

these are KICKIN'!

1. I got new running kicks!! I was wearing Asics and needed something lighter.  I felt like a Clydesdale when I ran.  So I took a trip to Fleet Feet and they put me in a Nike Lunar Eclipse.  I have never, ever run in a Nike shoe but I LOVE them!!  Much lighter than my Asics.

2. A new school year starts Monday. A bittersweet end to the summer.  I always feel like I our summer is crammed with activities. Trying to get as much quality time in with the boys before they go back to school...and once again I feel like it is never enough time... Summer break is NEVER long enough.  I miss my boys when they go back to school.

they grow so fast! this was 09'

3.I signed up today for a 5k! I haven't run a 5k all year. Not sure how that is possible.  I have run an 8k, 10k, and a couple half marathons but somehow have not run a 5k.  So the Brook Hill 5k is this Saturday and I'm really looking forward to see if I can score a PR.  Right now my PR is 24:10 and I would love to get a sub 24:00.  Will update you on Monday!

Do you have a race this weekend?

Grace and peace,

My favorite things:Picture Edition

 1. My family

 2. Kids who are not picky eaters.

this kid will eat ANYTHING!

 3. Watching the boys frog hunt on summer nights

 4. My oldest son, who is NEVER too embarrassed to hang out with his dorky mom.

5. My son, who will do anything for a few dollars...including wearing goggles in public places. LOL!

 6. Running and all of the great things that go along with running...endorphins, de-stress, quiet time with God, meeting new friends, new bloggy buddies, cute skirts...I could go on and on.

7. Giving back: The Fetal Hope foundation  is a foundation near and dear to my heart.  Go HERE to learn more about my story.

I'm thankful for all of the blessings in my life. 
I pray you are all having a wonderful week...it's half-way over!!!

Grace and peace,

17 and counting

I took all of the great advice that I got from my last post and applied it to my long run this past Sunday.

"Don't do all of your "racing" during training, so to speak. Save it for race day, and use the long run for its purpose--to prepare your body and mind for 20+ miles." - Katie M.

"keep the long runs slower until the last 5 or 6 miles then run at marathon pace. That way you teach your body to run a little faster while fatigued." - Fast Cory

My goal= run 17 miles at 10 min mile pace.

17 long, slow miles

Average pace 10:04

Time 2:50:59

1	Interval	1 mi			10:03
2	Interval	1 mi			9:57
3	Interval	1 mi			9:39
4	Interval	1 mi			9:44
5	Interval	1 mi			10:35
6	Interval	1 mi			10:42
7	Interval	1 mi			10:16
8	Interval	1 mi			10:17
9	Interval	1 mi			10:10
10	Interval	1 mi			10:12
11	Interval	1 mi			10:08
12	Interval	1 mi			10:02
13	Interval	1 mi			10:23
14	Interval	1 mi			10:19
15	Interval	1 mi			10:17
16	Interval	1 mi			9:19
17	Interval	1 mi			9:01
18	TIME	—		2:50:59.36	—

I  had to make myself slow down and (I never imagined that would be a problem) Really though, it wasn't as easy as it sounds.  I think my bodies natural easy pace is around 9:15-9:30miles. Some were clearly too slow. I felt like I was constantly looking at my garmin to make sure I wasn't off pace. 

I felt pretty great, like I could run forever at that pace.  Towards the end I picked it up for two reasons, 1. I felt great and wanted to push it. and 2. It was past time to get ready for church and my whole family was still sleeping. 

I have to say, I felt better during and after that long run than I ever have.
Could have been the pace? Could have been my diet the week before was pretty clean? Could have been that I was properly hydrated? Could have been the Ultra Fuel by Twin Labs(ultra fuel giveaway coming soon!!)
What ever it is....I liked it. 

So, moral of the story.....Run slow, to run fast? I don't know.  
I guess I'll find out in Savannah. 

Thanks again for the great tips!

Grace and peace,

 

"Training on LSD and Speed"

Anyone who has ever trained for a marathon or even looked into training for one has read plenty of information on the importance of the two main tenants of marathon training.  LSD(Long Slow Distance) runs and Speed work.

Speed work is not a problem.....run fast, run hard, occasionally throw up, and repeat....

LSD is what I have a tougher time with. Not so much the "L" or the "D"......but the "S"  slow- is what I have a hard time with.... I'm not saying I'm FLASH or anything.  I just have a hard time wrapping my mind  around "go slower to go faster".

I've been told that the speed work is to increase speed(obviously) and LSD's are to build endurance...makes sense right?

When I put actual numbers to it....it doesn't make sense to me....

My goal is to maintain an 8:20 pace for 26.2 miles....that would put me finishing just under 3:40 and would mean the big BQ.
So if I do all my long runs.....like I've been told, at one and a half minutes per mile slower than race pace, that would put me running my long runs at a 9:50 pace....??


Can that be right?

I would love to hear from some of you runners who have run to qualify, qualified, or just run marathons.....

Look forward to reading your input!

Thanks!!

Grace and peace,