It has been a while! Broad Street Run Recap :)

Before:

• Woke up, ate breakfast (oatmeal, banana, had some hot tea, drank a ton of water-- could've done without a hot tea).
• For whatever reason, I get so anxious before races. Doesn't matter if it's a 5k or not, I will have to poop excessively before a race. My body totally cleans itself out. (I think it goes back to my PTSD as a child doing track and field races in elementary school. I'm shuddering just thinking about it.)
• Went to my friend Hanna's house, where my sister, Hanna, Hanna's mom, and a friend from the YMCA, Monty all left from. Oh, and I pooped there, too.
• Got to the starting line with plenty of time to spare, we even saw a local news woman, Cecily Tynan, warming up with her husband before the race. We all had to shout her name, of course! She was so friendly.
• And then I had to pee. Like, really pee, but there was no way I was going to make it to a port-a-potty. They were swamped with people.

Before: What I had "on me" during the race. iPod shuffle & headphones (LOVE THIS THING),
GuChomps Watermelon electrolyte gels,  and my number 31247!  

During

• At the starting line, I was all hyped up and raring to go (I guess). Of course, with 40,000 runners it's hard to go fast so soon! They started off playing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" over the speakers at the starting line. So sweet!
• There were so many security officers since it was just after the Boston Marathon and all. From helicopters flying overhead, to countless SWAT team officers lining the course, I felt totally safe. So many runners supported the marathon from wearing shirts, to donning red socks, and there were stickers that said "To Boston Love Philly" on them. It was hard to keep it far from my mind.
• It was a blur. I know I'm writing some of this way after the race, but it was a blur. You get in a zone, and I must've really gotten in the zone, because to this day I remember the endorphin buzz and the excitement, and I sigh thinking, "That was so much fun, the 10 miles really flew by!" Sigh. 
• When you run a race like Broad Street, there are just so many people that you are forced to move. You HAVE to move, or else you're getting trampled. Once you get to mile 8, the crowd thins out drastically, both on the sidelines and in the course. You become a much more lonely ranger of sorts, so once I got to South Philly, (which is a fairly unknown territory for me) it was all a mental game.
• I had my GuChomps during the race, and I walked through almost every water station because I was not about to slip on those damn plastic cups. 
• Seeing the finish line was a total dream come true! I can still remember my pace picked up and I just couldn't wait to get there. 

After

• Knowing I had to ride the subway back up to North Philly was kind of exciting (free subway, yay)! I got to sit down the whole time, which I immediately regretted. I stood up and everything hurt (this is where I start to think, hmm should've trained harder). 
• I was so proud of myself. My legs carried me, and I felt so unstoppable. 
• I went home, and I was spent. I spent the day eating, sleeping and I didn't stretch or foam roll, and MAN I WAS SO SORE. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT. I'm going to take much better care of myself next time. It was horrible. At one point, I wanted to flat-out fall down the steps because it was easier than walking. 
• I kind of felt like I underwent a major medical procedure with the whole "recovery" thing. However, within 3 days, I was fine!

After: Got my medal and finished in 1:42:47! 

Verdict: totally worth every step!

Challenge Yourself!

Are your workouts getting easier? Are you not as exhausted after a workout? If you are trying to lose weight and hit a plateau, you might want to consider upping the ante on your workouts! Here are some great ways to take your workouts to the next level.

How to challenge yourself!

Extend your cardio time or push yourself harder during your cardio workout.

Easier said than done, but trust me, adding more time/effort to your cardio routine might be just what you need. Do you normally keep the elliptical at a lower resistance? Up it by five points or more, or stay on the machine for an extra 10 minutes. You could even do both!

Add weights or intensify your weight routine.

Do you weight train? If not, it might be time to start. 

According to an article in Women's Health Magazine, women who lifted heavier weights for a shorter amount of reps burned more calories. Plus, more muscle = more fat-burning power throughout the day. It keeps your metabolism revved and ready to go!

Mix it up!

Try a new group exercise class, try the elliptical instead of the bike, try the rowing machine, try a new running route, bike instead of walk! There are so many different fitness options out there, and there are so many ways to amp up your routine and get yourself feeling challenged again. 

I try to incorporate all different things into my workout. I try not to run too much because it's bad for my hips and I try to mix up my weight lifting routine. I try to take different classes and my yoga class focuses on different muscle groups each class. 

Remember variety keeps your muscles and metabolism in shape!

Sweat it up!

Katie