Run Laughlin Race Day Goals & Strategy

I don't know if it's because of half marathon training, or if it's flown by quickly for everyone, but man, have these past couple months have flown by! I can hardly believe that Run Laughlin is already this Saturday.

If you've been following along, I've been posting my training recaps each Sunday, and I think that's really helped me to stay motivated and on track. This is the first half marathon that I've actually trained for in quite sometime, and I'm proud of how well it's gone.

Time to set some Goals and Strategize for Saturday!

#1 Have fun!

Because otherwise, what is the point? Whether I'm running hard or taking it easy, if I'm not enjoying the race, then that's just not cool.

#2 PR, baby!

Despite Sunday's disappointing run, I'm still going to try for a PR on Saturday. Sure, I didn't do much (read: any) hill training, but I'm going to go into the race confident! It's 90% mental, right?!

Comparing the elevation map from Sunday's run and the one of the race, the hills on race day aren't as steep, so I really think I'll be OK.

That's it! I'm only setting 2 goals for this race. If I don't end up getting a PR, I'll be OK with just having fun. If my strategies start to fall apart, or if I crash into a wall like I did on Sunday, I'll just fall back on my # 1 goal of having fun.

Read on to find out my race day strategies.

Pace Strategy

My previous PR is a 2:10:26 half marathon, which is a 9'57" pace.

Based on the elevation map and crunching some numbers, here's how I plan to break it down:

Mile 1    Set alerts for 10'15" slow and 9'30" fast.
It's a slight downhill, but I still don't want to start off too fast. Plus, it usually takes a bit for my legs to warm-up.

Miles 1-3.5    Set alert for 10'30" slow; turn off the fast alert.
This is the first uphill climb, so I'll slow down a bit to conserve some energy.

Miles 3.5-7    Set alert for 9'30" slow; no fast alert.
This is mostly downhill, so I'll speed up to make up some time lost on the first hill.

Miles 7-8.5    Set alert for 10'25" slow; no fast alert.
This is the 2nd uphill climb. Not as daunting as the first, but also rated a Cat 5 (the least difficult category). By this point in the race, hopefully, I'll be nice a warmed up, so I can conquer this hill a bit easier than the first.

Miles 8.5-Finish    Set alert for 9'45" slow; no fast alert.
There are some uphills sprinkled throughout the last few miles, but I'm hoping they won't be so bad since they are relatively short hills.

I crunched the numbers. 
If I can manage these paces, I'll barely squeak out a PR.
But a PR is a PR, right? Even if it is only a few seconds. 😂

Fuel and Hydration Strategy

I haven't really talked about it much throughout my training, but I'll continue with the same strategy on race day that I've done on all my long runs.

Hydration - I have an alert on my Garmin to drink every half mile. Just a sip or two. I find this really helps avoid sloshing and keeps me hydrated throughout the race. I'll carry my handheld and refill it at water stations as needed. There are 6 along the course, so I should be able to refill adequately.

Fuel - I'm all about the Garmin alerts! My Eat alert goes off every 45 minutes. I'll suck down a gel and swallow a salt tablet. I only started using salt tablets a few weeks ago but have found them helpful in training.

Music Strategy

I'm torn on using music. I usually skip music during a race, but I haven't done a long run without music in quite some time. I think I'll create a playlist just in case and decide on race morning if I want to listen to it while I run.

I feel like I have a pretty good strategy. Probably better than I've ever gone into a race. It feels good.

Who knows exactly what race day will bring, but I'm going to go into it with a positive mind and spirit. And a good plan.

At this point, that's really all I can do.
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What kind of goals do you do set for a race?
Do you ever strategize to this extent?
Music or no music?


I'm linking up today with Erika, Marcia and Patty for Tuesday's on the Run.

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 9

After today's long run, I'm not quite as confident about Run Laughlin next weekend as I was after last weekend's long run. I'll go into more details down below, but I hit a wall today. HARD. I specifically chose a route today that started with a good sized hill, because Run Laughlin has some hills at the start. It became pretty evident that I didn't do enough hill training during this training cycle. :-(

Not all hope is lost, though. I know I'll still have a good race on Saturday. Come back on Tuesday to read about my race day strategy and goals.

Training Recap Week 9: 11/20 - 11/26

Two Pumpkin Recipes. Great for Thanksgiving Week.

I know, I know. Pumpkin season is nearly over for the year. Thanksgiving is the last hurrah for this winter squash, so I wanted to share not one, but two easy pumpkin recipes for your breakfasts this week.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Last weekend, I experimented with pumpkin french toast. It turned out so good! The pumpkin pie flavor is pretty subtle, so it's perfect for those who aren't super crazy about all things pumpkin spice.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup flour
• 8 slices of bread

Instructions

1. Preheat skillet or griddle to 375.
2. In a small bowl combine almond milk, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and flour until well combined. Transfer to a shallow dish that's big enough for a slice of bread.
3. Dip both sides of a bread slice in the pumpkin mixture. Shake off any excess batter.
4. Place coated bread on the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
5. Enjoy with a dusting of powdered sugar and/or maple syrup.

I made this with sourdough bread, which was a bit overbearing. I would recommend a more subtle bread.

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Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are one of my favorite things! I wanted to try my hand at some pumpkin pie overnight oats for easy breakfasts this week.

Another winner! I would highly recommend heating this before eating. I know a lot of overnight oats recipes can be eaten cold right out of the fridge, but I think this is much better warmed up a bit.

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients

• 1 very ripe banana
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• Almond milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix banana, pumpkin, and oats together in a medium bowl.
2. Add enough almond milk to make it a soupy consistency. I didn't measure but probably 1-1 1/2 cups.
3. Stir in the chia seeds, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar (optional)./li>
4. Pour into 2-3 mason jars, cover, and store in the fridge overnight.
5. Warm in the microwave about 2 minutes before enjoying.

This made two servings for me, but could easily make 3 smaller servings. Making it into 2 is a pretty hearty breakfast.

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What are you eating for breakfast this week?
Do you have a special breakfast on Thanksgiving or save room for a big meal later in the day?

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 8

I had a really fantastic week of training this week! Plus that pesky scale actually went down a tiny bit. Yay for the small victories, right?!

In addition to what I share below, I also did a bit of foam rolling before and after a few of my runs. I think that helped a lot. I did have a little knee/shin tweakiness, but I'm just chalking it up to the point in training when it's getting a little more intense and it manifests in my legs.

Less than two weeks until race day...

Training Recap Week 8: 11/13 - 11/19

Staying Safe out on the Trails

Hey running friends! Do you know what November is? It's National Running Safety Month, of course!

Let's talk safety when hitting the trails.

I still very much describe myself as a newbie trail runner, so I turned to the experts in my local trail running group to get their best safety tips.

5 Safety Tips for Hitting the Trails

1. Skip the Headphones

How to Make the Perfect Mix for Your Thanksgiving Day Run

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Does the big day include running for you? Perhaps you're running a Turkey Trot or just going for a run around your neighborhood.

Whatever your plans, here's how to create the perfect playlist for your Thanksgiving Day Run in 3 easy steps.

Step One: Make a list of things you're thankful for this year.

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 7

Another week. Another 1.5 lb jump on the scale. :-( I know I said I was going to do better with my eating last week, but I didn't. I need to get it under control! Other than that, it was a pretty great week of training. I did have a few motivation issues, but I was able to get in all my workouts plus a few extras.

Training Recap Week 7: 11/06 - 11/12

October Report Card

If you stopped by on Saturday for the Ultimate Coffee Date, you already know that October was a busy month for me. We managed to cram a whole lot of fun into the month. I also managed to stay pretty on-track with my goals.

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 6

As far as workouts go, I had a great week! So, it was a little disappointing to step on the scale this morning to find a 2lb weight gain. :-( I wasn't so good in the eating department and it showed on the scale. I really hope to be better this week. I'm not letting it get me down though, it was still a great week!

Training Recap Week 6: 10/30 - 11/05

Ultimate Coffee Date - November 2017

I feel like I say this every. single. month, but didn't October simply fly by?! I can hardly believe we are already in November. It's just crazy, but it is the first Saturday in November, which means it's time to catch up over coffee at the Ultimate Coffee Date! So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and let's chat. I'm sipping on some Starbucks pumpkin spice coffee that I brewed at home. It's pretty good.

If we were having coffee, I'd start by telling you that I was a few days late to October's coffee date, so I missed linking up with all of you. I tried to pop over to most of your posts, but in case you missed mine, you can read it here.

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 5

I would say this was a good week of training! But, I really struggled to wake up too many of the days. I miss the days when I could just pop right out of bed when my 5AM alarm went off. I want to get back to those days. Part of it is actually getting to bed on time, which I have been slacking on a bit. :-(

Training Recap Week 5: 10/23 - 10/29

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 4

Week 4 was pretty much a success! I got all my runs in plus a couple yoga sessions. I need to get back in the habit of early to bed, early to rise, though. The mornings were tough this week. :-(

Training Recap Week 4: 10/16 - 10/22

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 3

Week 3 of training wasn't much better than week 2. Unfortunately. :-( My toe was still hurting, plus my road trip was still happening. Since my toe was hurting, I didn't even pack running clothes for my trip. It turned out OK because I didn't really have time to run. Plus, it was quite chilly in central WA. I did manage to get in 10k steps each day, though many of those steps were upper body only. I did manage 2 runs this week, so I think I'll be able to get back on the training track for Week 4.

Training Recap Week 3: 10/09 - 10/15

5 Tips For Your Next Road Trip

We love going for road trips and have gone for quite a few pretty lengthy trips. There is nothing like the beauty of the open road whizzing by. Plus, we solve all the world's problems while we're out for a long drive. :-)

This post is sponsored by EatSmart Products. All content and opinions are my own.

Here are some of our favorite tips for a successful road trip.

Pack Snacks

Pack healthy snacks to bring with you in the car. Dried fruits are great for a sweet snack. Nuts for some protein. If you have room in your cooler, cut up some veggies for the beginning of your trip for some crunch. Granola is good, too. Or make your own trail mix to get a variety of sweet, salty, and crunchy.

Ultimate Coffee Date - October 2017

I'm a little late to the party, but is it ever really too late to catch up over coffee? The Ultimate Coffee Date is one of my favorite times of the month. So, grab a cup of coffee or tea or hot cocoa. Or warm apple cider! Let's catch up!!

If we were having coffee, I'd probably tell you about our road trip. We weren't really looking forward to it because it was more of an obligatory trip instead of one just for fun. We hadn't been up to the PNW in 5 years since stopping through on our way to Las Vegas. Jeff's mom wanted us to come up for a visit since it had been so long. It was just the excuse we needed to make the drive up to Jeff's brother's, too. We left a tote with them and it was beyond time to retrieve it.

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 2

After last Sunday's fall, week 2 of training was pretty much a flop! My right big toe was all bruised and I am still limping a bit. I'm hopeful that I'll be back to training soon, though. I'm almost back to walking pretty normally, so I'll likely try running again once I get back home after our road trip.

Training Recap Week 2: 10/02 - 10/08

September Report Card

Good morning! I'm trying to get life back to normal after the devastating tragic mass shooting that happened in Las Vegas late Sunday night. While I wasn't personally affected, it happened less than 5 miles from my home. I'm still a bit numb that it happened. It still feels a bit surreal. And I imagine it will for awhile. There is still so much we do not know.

But this post is about my September!

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Training Week 1

As I mentioned in last week's Week in Review post I've decided to actually train for Run Laughlin - instead of just showing up on race day and winging it. I'm excited for the race but also excited to follow a training plan! It's been awhile.

I'm doing a Nike+ training program, which is a mix of recovery runs, speed, tempo, and long runs. There are a few NTC workouts sprinkled in as well, but I plan on adding in additional strength workouts and some yoga (of course). The Nike+ programs adapt to you. As you do your runs, it uses the run data to suggest paces, etc, for the rest of the training program. I've never followed one of their programs to get ready for a race but I have done one of their other plans and really liked it.

Training Recap Week 1: 9/25 - 10/01

7 Easy Ways to Get More Steps

Do you have a daily step goal? Is it a struggle to get all your steps in? I have no problems on my run days, but those non-run days? Yeah, they can be problematic.

So, I thought I'd share 7 easy ways to increase your steps each day without adding in extra workouts. Achieving your step goal will get easier by making these simple changes to your daily life. No additional trips to the gym necessary.

1. Brush your teeth

Walk in place while brushing your teeth. If you brush the recommended 2 minute minimum, you can get in quite a few steps every time you brush. This is easier to do with an electric tooth brush, but can probably be done with any kind.

Week in Review - 9/24

This week was even more stressful/hectic than the week before! Next week will hopefully be better with my co-worker's return on Monday. I'm her backup, so it's been double duty for me while she's been out. I'll definitely be glad to see her tomorrow. :)

I took it pretty easy this weekend. Rest day yesterday. Light yoga today. I just needed to recharge before beginning half marathon training tomorrow. Yep, that's right. I've decided to actually train for my Run Laughlin half marathon in Dec. It's 10 weeks away, so a pretty doable training cycle. If you're looking to add a fall race (Dec 2nd is technically still fall and will still feel like fall in southern Nevada), you can save 15% off registration using code VegasCD.

Week in Review 9/18 - 9/24