I don’t know what’s racing faster – my mind or my legs this afternoon!! I’m starting to feel really overwhelmed with the amount of computer work I have to do after exercise, dinner and blogging in the evenings. When I finish it all, it’s time for bed. Not a moment to relax! Hopefully I can catch up on the relaxation on the weekends. And time is flying fast too – it’s almost February.
Here’s a photo of me snapped during today’s presentation! Holding up a sweet potato (I think!?)
Superfoods board pride! [With a hair net 😉 ]
We were in meetings all afternoon and I was starving by the time I got in my car at 4:30! Today I packed a Nuttzo + Cranberry Jam sandwich on Dakota to have for a snack.
It was pretty small though and I wished I had twice as much!
I ate some dried raspberries too
Almost dug into more of my snack stash but I told myself to wait 20 minutes to let the sandwich settle and sure enough, hunger passed with time.
When I got home I knew I didn’t have much daylight left, so I literally raced out my front door and ran like the wind. When you don’t have much time, intensity is more important!
I like doing speed runs on Wednesdays because both daylight and my husband inspire me to finish the run as fast as possible.
Check out my fastest splits ever!
- 8:31
- 8:33
- 8:27
- 8:13 (<--- aimed for 8:26 and overshot!)
I did about 4.2 miles as fast as I could do steadily.
A few tips for running faster:
- If you want to learn to run faster, you have to ….run faster! So run with someone who is just a wee bit faster than you and wear yourself out. A few times.
- At first your legs might hold you back or perhaps your lungs hold you back. Then one day they will match up and all of a sudden you’ll drop 10-15 seconds from your pace.
- Sprint up hills on your toes.
- Rest on the peaks
- Widen your stance on the downhill
- You. Will. Breathe. Hard. That’s what running faster is all about!
I was totally huffin’ and puffin’ throughout my run and came back beat:
While I ran, Matt made his weekly soup: Golden Squash. Sadly, the recipe was a big flop. But it’s not his fault – we think the squash was old or something. The acorn squashes I have roasted lately have been golden and thick and this one was watery and like spaghetti squash on the inside 🙁
Ingredients:
- Roasted acorn squash (a big one)
- Pureed apple
- Chicken broth (~1 cup)
- Ginger
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- Garlic
- Salt + pepper
- Parmesan
- Red pepper flakes
The part of dinner that was excellent was a slice of Dakota bread with a bit of butter!
Afterwards, I had a taste of the orange peel chocolate Chelsea sent me recently!
I FOUND A GOLDEN TIIIIIIII-CKET!!!
As Chels would say, YOM!
***
DIANA is holding a blog bake sale for Haiti tonight and time is running out. LOTS of delicious goodies up for auction!
***
On to finish my work and start the cycle over again! Guf!!
[It might snow this weekend!!!
]
***
Edited to add: Totally forgot to mention that we stirred pineapple chicken leftovers into the soup too!!!
Jenna says
What a busy day kath!!
Cole says
Awesome run!
And I feel your pain on long days. It seems like my weeks are jam packed and it’s just exhausting!
Kate (This American Wife) says
If I could be HALF as productive as you in my days I would be a happy girl!
Danielle (Coffee Run) says
You are seriously speedy! Thanks for the tips 🙂
Chocolove is my favorite brand of chocolate! If you ever find the holiday flavor…you HAVE to try it
Food Makes Fun Fuel says
Dried raspberries are the best! I totally think they’re nature’s version of Swedish fish 🙂
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
Sorry the recipe was a flop.
I feel you on the rush feeling some days. My long days are aweful and I feel like I never have time to finish it all. Thankfully tomorrow is my long day but it is shortened because a meeting is cancelled.
Jil says
busy busy lady! awesome run!!
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
Good tips on running faster!! I will try them when I can run again, can’t wait!! 🙂 And congrats on the fastest splits! Yay!!!!!!
And I totally feel the same way. it’s all go go go and never time to relax… GAH. Need some time to breathe lol You need to take some time to yourself!
Lauren says
I noticed the same with squash lately. I guess it is going out of season which totally blows! Oh well, I welcome seasonal veggies. 🙂
Great run Kath!
Karla says
Wow busy day and intense work out!
I’m amazed at how fast a lot of bloggers are! I’m half way to becoming a snail!
Marisa (Loser for Life) says
Those running tips were great! Just what I needed to hear! I notice I’ve been afraid to really push myself because I start huffing hard and my breathing gets all out of sync! Thanks for the extra push!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
What a great run! Good job!
Meghan @ Spreading the Health says
Thanks for the tips! As soon as I get over this little injury of mine, increasing my speed is the goal. (And as for the stress…remember that you’re doing what you enjoy. Use your commute to focus on relaxation!)
Jenny says
Gosh, you just described my feelings to a tee! I am definitely feeling a cycle starting for the semester, and my weekends will be much appreciated. Hope you get some R&R tonight!
And thanks for the running tips–I like your first point, “if you want to run faster then you must…run faster!”
KathyZS says
Well Kath, Consider this as good training for motherhood. I LOVE my kids, but never feel like I have any down time. AND it is also good training for owning your own bakery!!! People who work for themselves are very busy all the time!!!
I don’t run – the reason why is probably TMI, but think Dolly Parton 😉 , but I have kicked up my walking pace lately and have been dropping 1 lb to 1. 5 lbs per week – soon I will be back at goal and living a full time healthy lifestyle, which is why I love visiting you. Wish my hubby and kids would eat a healthy veggie based vegetarian meal ( said after we devoured a store bought rotisserie chicken tonight!)
KathyZS says
PS – I also wish you would come visit our school district. The menu is abissmal! Have you heard about the new Jamie Oliver project of trying to turn around the eating in a W. Va town?
Hillary @ Nutrition Nut on the Run says
I am a Dolly Parton runner myself, and I will tell you it can really affect your body. The pain I suffer for my one love, running =)
Wendy says
Think you have no time to relax now? Just wait ’til you have KERFlings! Just kidding…sorta. I’m sure your schedule will be a little more manageable when you don’t have to spend so much time driving! Last night I sat down & watched TV for the first time in I don’t know how long, and thought it was heavenly.
Great run! On downhills, I like to visualize myself running perpendicular to the hill, and keeping my form as close to normal as I can. I’ve been running faster lately, too, and a big part of the reason is because I always seem to be in a hurry to get done and go someplace else. Babysitters don’t like it when you’re late to pick up your kids! But I also think I’ve had the lungs + legs “click”, so that my usual pace is faster.
Hillary @ Nutrition Nut on the Run says
Of course you aimed for 8:26 =) The Dakota Bread looks bomb! Yummm…Chocolove is one of my favorites. Hope you find some time to relax!
Jill says
“Kerflings won’t slow you down..they will make you speed up!” Says Jill. Who is currently 8 months along…
shihui says
Hi! I am a reader from singapore! Been following ur blog for many months already! love ur food creations! looks really yummy! Ive been wanting to ask you.. is it okay to run long distances almost daily? Will it cause a strain on the body (knees, ligaments.. etc)? Ive been running slightly more than 3 miles daily and my knees are already making noisies!
Kath says
Coming from someone who has had foot surgery, I do NOT think it’s OK to run everyday. I think you need cross training in your life, even if it’s yoga or walking. But some people are able to run daily without injury and be OK, so it’s not a hard rule. But since your knees are bothering you…
Meredith (Pursuing Balance) says
That’s my favorite chocolate! I think the love poem inside has something to do with it.
Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat) says
I’m so impressed you get out for a run in the cold weather. I am SUCH a wimp during winter!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
i’ve never had dried raspberries – i bet i would enjoy them – never met a dried fruit i haven’t loved!
Hannah says
As a certified chocolate lover, I giggled when I saw that your Chocolove bar is the only flavour of theirs that I wouldn’t touch with a fifty-foot pole – how you feel about onions is, I assume, how I feel about orange peel! But Chocolove’s almond and sea salt bar is heavenly, if you ever get the chance to try it…
Lauren @ eater not a runner says
Those splits are awesome, I am currently trying to improve my time and I know that I just need to push myself harder!
Christina says
How high is your heart rate when you run that fast?
Kath says
I don’t wear a heart rate monitor when I run, but probably 165-170. I have a low HR though.
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
i totally saw that bar at the Boulder WF today! hope your evening is not stressful at all, and don’t forget to take time for yourself 🙂
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
Sorry to hear that you’re feeling overwhelmed. Take a breather, sista!
Good thing you had that relaxing spa weekend while you could, right?!
Emily Eats and Exercises says
Thanks for the running faster advice. I need to push my pace more often. My running partner is definitely faster than me so that helps, but I still have a few minutes I’d like to shave off my time. I’ll keep chugging along…
Katie @ Health for the Whole Self says
Thanks for the reminder that huffing and puffing is not always a bad thing! It’s just what I needed to hear right now. Plus, reading your words about pushing yourself to get faster, and then seeing a photo of you smiling, is a great reminder that challenging your body can be FUN! 🙂
Lisa @bakebikeblog says
Good effort on the speed run! I need to do some more short speedy runs 🙂
Stephanie says
I completely understand the insanity of an overstuffed schedule. So good that you’re still fitting in your healthy lifestyle.Good luck keeping up the pace! And, thanks for sharing with all of us! 🙂
Mama Pea says
I think you need to find a way to have some YOU time. This coming from a mom 😉 Is skipping an evening post an option…combining two posts into one? I’m sure no one would mind!
Kath says
But I LIKE blogging!! I hate emailing 🙂
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
I am so impressed of how you are keeping healthy with this crazy schedule!!!
Tammy @ Defining Wellness says
Hi Kath! I completely understand your feeling about not having enough time in the day to do everything. I was just talking to my husband about this — I wish American society would change the whole 8-hour work day concept . . . it doesn’t leave nearly enough time to do everything else!
Kath says
TOTALLY AGREE. 8 hours + 40 hour work weeks are just too much. Esp. if we’re supposed to exercise and cook!
Sarah says
Be careful with your advice for running faster – running up hills on your toes and widening your stance on the downhill can lead to injury!
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
Sorry your soup didn’t turn out right, hate when that happens. 🙁 I would have ditched it for more Nutzo on Dakota! 😛
Jenn
Mara @ What's for Dinner? says
I’m really loving hearing about your internship! It never ceases to amaze me what our cafeteria serves our students, and what the students think is healthy!
Adrien says
It’s so funny that people miss the whole to run faster you have to run faster. I always knew that was the case, but breathing harder then normal always makes me scared! Tonight I did a track workout though and I’m beginning to trust my body a little more each time!
Amanda says
Thanks for the running tips. It may seem obvious to “runners”, but those of us who are still learning our way sometimes get swayed by misreading our body’s efforts at working hard with possible injury. Breathing hard = necessary, and something i sometimes give in to. Not next time!
Kaite@ Two Lives, One Lifestyle says
Wow, nice run! Good luck with all you have going on- you will get through it!!! 🙂 How much longer do you have this commute? Wait, I’ll go find it somewhere in here, don’t worry about responding, get some zzzz’s! 🙂
Kath says
Only about 10 days 🙂
Chelsea says
That chocolate is YOM! YAY! I’m glad you liked it 🙂 I liked your tips on running faster too-they were oh so true!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
You definitely make an excellent teacher Kath! 🙂
I totally agree on the running… whenever I want my best time, I run with my older brother who really motivates me!
Chris says
Great running tips! You look great and so happy in that post-run picture.
One thing about doing hills – going more towards your toes is ok (most of us are heel strikers, so using a midfoot strike would help), but be careful not to be ON them! We used to do hill sprints in HS, and I put too much pressure on my metatarsal and stress fractured it because I’d go on my toes too much. My coach told me to shrink my stride and increase my turnover on hills, so maybe you can try that too?
AnnQ says
Nice run! I think it’s always good to change it up to keep your body off balance so more calories get burned up….good cross-training, too! 🙂
Sara says
hey kath,
i know your blog (or your exercise routine) focuses on more advanced runners, but do you have any tips for those just starting out? i’m a regular exerciser but never run — right now, i’m so slow — 12 min. miles — and my legs seem to give out after 15-20 min, but my lungs are fine. (which makes sense, i usually exercise for an hour+ on the machines, and i’m otherwise in good shape). how do i work my way up? i thought it would be simple to run a 5k, but it’s proven a lot harder than i thought!
Kath says
Sara,
To be perfectly honest, I have always been able to run and really don’t remember how I went from 2-3 miles to 7-8. I think just a slow steady incline. So I’m really not the best person to give tips for beginners. I will try to think of some on my next run though 🙂
Janice @ O.S.M.B. says
I’m totally with you, and when I first started running a while back I did the run/walk method which was awesome for working my way up. I started with run 2 minutes, walk 3 (very beginner level), then run 3 walk 2, then run 4 walk 1, and eventually I ended up running a marathon at run 5 walk 1. If you’re aspiring for a full out constant run, just keep minimizing the walking until you don’t need it anymore.
I found this to be super helpful for the body and the motivation. Those days it was hard to get out running, I would up the walking, and usually once I got started I’d cut it back again. Worked for me!
amber says
LOL she does say YOM! haha!
Alison says
Hi Kath – what a fast run! Nice job! I find that the only way I get faster is by doing speedwork either up hills, like you said, or on the track. I spent a lot of time this fall at the local high school track doing 200m sprints and it dropped my 5K time to 24 minutes. I was really happy with that. It looks like you have a lot going on … best of luck keeping balanced!
Ashley says
Girl – I totally feel you…well not with my current situation. However, last spring I was training for a 1/2 marathon, working 40+hrs/week, starting ota.bars and doing a design competition [for fun]. It was INtense and I barely had time to breathe. Buuuut, I got through it and you will too!!! 🙂 I can’t imagine working through what your inbox probably looks like after a long day of work. Mad props Kath!!! xo
Heather says
I want that Dakota bread with butter. It looks so good!
Fallon says
I had an acorn squash that was the same way! Really mushy and yellow, didn’t taste like it usually did. After that I announced I’m over squash for the season. I’m squashed out and that didn’t make it any better!
Amberly says
This is so my favorite chocolate. I just bought a bar today! I like to eat a couple squares a day to curb my sweet tooth.
tiffany says
great pic of you after run.. you are glowing! I made the kobucha and broccoli dish..YUM to the E!!!
so good, but So filling..it fills my belly very fast and then takes awhile to process.. but that squash alone is addictive. almost tastes nutty??>
Maybe you should take some pressure off your self for blogging thru the day? Or only do it in the morning, or every other day?? why burn your self out??? LIfe is short.. I appreciate all your check in’s, but why not consolidate???
Jen says
I love your running tips! Hills are great way to improve your running ability. You look phenomenal in your pics today! So healthy!
Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind says
Kath, I think it’s awesome that you’re able to wait the recommended 20 minutes to let your fullness cues be heard. That’s a really difficult thing to do for most people (including myself).
Have you always been good at this or did it take practice?
Heather @ Side of Sneakers says
Love the run faster tips….sometimes it’s hard to realize that to run faster you have to actually just run faster 😉
Janice @ O.S.M.B. says
Another tip for running faster… I learned a long time ago that your arms and your legs have to move at the same pace when you’re running (I’ve tried many times to prove it wrong, yet no luck), so when I’m hoping to speed up I focus on moving my arms faster and sure enough my legs follow!
Barbara(Blood, Sweat and Heels) says
PB &J looks amazing as does that orange dark chocolate! I swear, your post make this girl drool:)
Amanda @ Cakes and Ale says
I’m learning to run faster as well. One thing that is helping me is to stick to a mileage distance that is easy enough to work on speed. For instance, right now I’m working on bringing my time down for 3 miles… but a beginner might want to start with 2. Once you’ve gotten to the speed you want, you can start upping the mileage.
Heather says
great job on the splits, I wish i was that fast!
Sarah says
Thanks for the tips about running faster! I already run with a girl faster than me but I usually let her go ahead…next time I’ll try harder to keep up 🙂 I’m taking the hills tips too! Thank you thank you.
Ash @ Good Taste. Healthy Me says
Haha you look so cute in your hairnet! You can’t really even tell it’s there!
Nicole says
Kath, I love what you said about running faster. I know that they’re all common sense tips, but common sense sometimes fails even the best of us! LOL I’ve been having trouble lately upping my running game, and I think it was because there was some kind of fear in me to work harder and breathe heavier! I definitely got too comfortable where I was, and so when I would start running faster and then subsequently get more tired, I’d slow down. What a waste! You inspired me today, and I ran my fastest interval yet. So thank you! 🙂