Setting Good Intentions: 13.1 Miles Here I Come!

Each night I spend a few moments visualizing running a 13.1 mile race this coming March. I know I will be able to do it but it would really be nice not to fall across the finish line convulsing and shaking. I’d like to make it in an energized and healthy way so, in my mind I am running fast, light footed and smiling as I cross the finish line.  Last March when I did an 8K I got incredibly sick before and after running.  Part of that was because I didn’t train for it. While I made it without passing out, it was only the second time that I had gone that far. The first time being a practice run the week earlier, which resulted in so much lactic acid build up that I was projectile vomiting 3 days later. But I still went ahead and ran the race and afterwards my body shut down.

At a regular physical later, I found I had several nutritional deficiencies, the worst being an iron count so low that a blood transfusion was mentioned. So I want to do it better this time. I want to train slowly but properly. I want to get my body in the best optimal and nutritionally sound shape so that this experience goes down easier.

Morning time is the time that I pay most attention to this preparation. I will need to be more conscious of my nutrient levels for success.  I figure if I can concentrate a great deal of good into the morning then I won’t risk forgetting things as my day moves forward.

I set my intention at night and then focus on making it a reality each morning.

So, I get up sometime between 8 and 9 and prepare for the physical part.  Three days a week I go to my neighborhood gym and run a segment of interval training. This takes only 30 minutes. I walk 5 minutes on the treadmill then do intervals of sprints/jogs/walks each lasting anywhere from 90 seconds to 3 minutes each. Lots of trainers will tell you that interval runs are best for cardio and strength development. If you run for 30 minutes non-stop on pace, the body will find a comfort zone. Pushing through intervals is the best way to build up the stamina I will need for the race.

Then I’m back home and within 30 minutes from the time I stepped off the treadmill I have my special smoothie:

Calories- 304, Protein –26g, Fat- 8.5g, Cholesterol-0, Carbs 40g

1 cup almond milk

1 scoop sun warrior protein

1-ounce goji berries

1 tsp maca powder

2 tbsp chia seeds

Raspberries and small banana

Goji berries are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is key for boosting my immune system and aiding in recovery after workouts. They also have a good amount of calcium in them.

Chia Seeds are necessary for fiber and heart healthy but non-animal sourced Omega 3’s.  It also makes me feel quite full. Imagine the Chia Pet commercial. The small amount of chia in my system expands so I feel full. This can be a bonus for people trying to reduce calorie intake and lose weight.

Maca powder is my happy powder. It balances my hormones so that my moods are far less up and down. My energy levels are through the roof without crashing backward.  I would add that both men and women report amorous feelings when regularly using maca powder. It’s the shot to the hormones that is probably the reason for this. Pre and post menopausal women use maca quite often.

On the days I’m not doing interval runs I try to mix something else in. I’ll go to hot yoga one day of the week or I’ll go Trikking or do a P90x workout if I’m feeling really strong.  My goal is to do something each morning 6 days a week.

I would say that the morning activity and smoothie routines are the main points of success for me. Getting them done and early at that, leaves me feeling accomplished and less likely to fall into bad habits later in the day. I feel good and don’t want to blow it by eating chips or letting something odd make me get off track emotionally.  If I were to do this in the evening I think I would be in repair mode, upset with myself over what I didn’t do properly during the day.

What I’m learning more than anything is that just 30 minutes of movement and 10 minutes of nutritional attention can make a world of difference for me. Setting intention the night before has become my secret weapon for goal success.

Some Resources:

Nativa Naturals Superfoods: (link)

Sun Warrior Protein (link)

Beginning with 5k in 9 weeks (link)

Tags: 13.1 mile run, chia seeds, goji berries, maca powder, running 5k, sun warrior protein