Brio Ice Cream

Brio Ice Cream was the sponsor of the 25k on Sunday. 

The founders of Brio are twin brothers Ron and Arnie Koss.  Ron devoted 10 years to the product development, engaging some of our best nutritionists and dietitians, as well as renowned ice cream product developers who once led the way for Ben & Jerry’s. Ron and Arnie report that the inspiration for Brio was their mom, Judith Koss. "She loved ice cream and she wanted it to be healthy," said Arnie. "We thought, 'Great idea!' and 'Why not?'"

When Judith actually needed supplemental nutrition to support her health, ice cream as a delicious healthy snack and meal supplement made perfect sense to Ron and Arnie.  "Liquid nutritional shakes had very little appeal to our mom," explained Ron. "And when you don’t like something or don’t have much appetite, an 8 fluid ounce can seems like a lot to drink."

That story right there hits really close to home with me.  I remember my Mom's battle with breast cancer.  Near the end, most foods did not appeal to her and her doctor wanted her to supplement with nutritional shakes as well.  I don't think she ever finished one.

We were given free individual cups of ice cream post race.  I tried the Vanilla-Caramel and while I was gobbling mine down, I looked at the nutritional label in surprise:

That's a lot of nutrients for a half cup of ice cream!  It is advertised as "25 percent fewer calories, half the total fat, 65 percent less saturated fat, 75 percent less cholesterol and 10 percent less sugar when compared to similar flavors of super premium ice creams."  While all that is great, I think it's the added nutrients that push it over the top.  The FAQ page is one of the more informational ones I've seen.

So nutrition aside, how did it taste??  Really good!  I thought the texture was a little firmer.  The lower sugar and fat made it more similar to gelato in my opinion. I took the taste test to the next level when I found it at the local grocery store, Don Quijote.  They had buy one get one free, so I bought Coffee Latte and Tropical Mango.  Les and I sampled both and they were good, too!

Marathon Readiness Series

For a number of years BioAstin has sponsored the Marathon Readiness Series, preparing runners for the Honolulu Marathon. This is advertised as five great races increasing in distance, including:

Boca Hawaii -Norman Tamanaha 15K, August 9

Runner’s Hi 20K, September 6

Hokulani Bake Shop Brio Ice Cream 25k, October 4

HMSA 30k, October 25

Mizuno - Val Nolasco 1/2 Marathon, November 15

I love this idea and would definitely participate in the entire series if I was here full time. It would be a great addition to marathon training and make long runs much more interesting. The cost is $165 for all 5 races.  With many half marathons going for $65-$175 this is a steal!

Pros:

• For locals, this is a great way to progress through marathon training.
• Honolulu police department is out in force not just standing at intersections and directing traffic, but encouraging runners.  Aloha spirit at it's finest!
• The course was clearly marked.  Most times we had a full lane.
• Plenty of volunteers, plenty of water and Tailwind Nutrition sports drink. 
• Race registration for this single race was $35.  We received a bag instead of a t-shirt and I was fine with that.
• Ice cream at the finish line!  I'm working on a post about Brio Ice Cream.  It took a little while for my stomach to settle after the race, but once it did the ice cream was awesome.

Cons:

• Pre-race instructions were a little unclear.  This might have been because it was the third race in the series and most of the participants were local.
• I never saw the start line.  Probably something I missed in the pre-race instructions!
• The course was quite a bit short.  Because I was suppose to run 18-20 on Saturday, I had hoped for at least 15.5 at race conditions.  I did hear later that the course was changed because it use to run on the military base and they were no longer allowed to do so.
• I had one little issue with some walkers on the course.  A large group had gone out an hour earlier, so I started passing them.  Most of them were aware of their surroundings.  Unfortunately we were on a narrow part of the road and two walkers were taking up the entire "lane."  When I said, "On your left," one of the walkers replied, "Good for you."  Ha!  She obviously didn't know that I was trying to politely say, "Move out of the way!" 
• Only the top 3 in each age group received a medal.  I have mixed feelings about this and almost listed it in the pros, but I know a lot of people want that medal! I'm sure they do this to keep costs down.
• Post race food.  This might be a "me" problem, but I always want something salty - pretzels, crackers, etc., post race.  There were rolls, muffins, fruit, and ice cream, but nothing salty.  I was feeling a little nauseated and sweet definitely did not sound good.

 

All in all it was a great race and a great tune-up for me.  I would definitely do the full series if I lived here and was running the Honolulu Marathon.

All You Need is Love... and a Little Ice Cream (Brio Ice Cream 25k Race Report)

I have to confess that I am not a racer.  I have been running for nearly 20 years, probably started calling myself a runner 10 years ago, but have done a grand total of 5 races in that time - 3 marathons, 1 5k, and 1 25k!  My running started with the desire to lose weight and turned into something I really enjoy.  I love getting up in the morning and heading out, feeling my way, determining my course and distance at my own whim.  I don't mind running solo at all.  I finally decided to run my first marathon in 2012 and learned that I enjoy the entire training process as well.  Racing still makes me pretty nervous as thoughts like, "I hope I'm not last" or "what if I DNF?" float through my brain.

We got these canvas bags instead of shirts - they fit everyone perfectly!

The Brio Ice Cream 25k started at 5:30 yesterday morning.  They suggested arriving one hour early to get parking and pick up our timing chips.  Our condo is about 30 minutes from the start which meant leaving at 4:00.  So I set my alarm for 3:15 and was awake shortly before 3:00.   Big time butterflies in my stomach for this one. 

When we arrived a group of walkers was heading out.   Many people walk the Honolulu Marathon, so this was a training walk for them.  They were able to go out one hour early but would not be eligible for any awards.

Les took this sunrise picture while patiently waiting for me to finish!

I didn't get any pictures at the start - it was super dark and the park was only partially lit.  After a couple of stops in the bathroom, it was time to line up.  The race director gave some directions but I had a pretty big group of talkers behind me so I think I missed some important details.  The race started a little ways away from the park and we had to be quiet so the neighbors wouldn't complain.  I never saw an official mat to cross, but people started running so I knew we were off!

I did my best to just get into my own rhythm.  I kept my music off, just listening to the footsteps around me and my own breathing.  I felt like I was working really hard.  I didn't see the 1 mile marker but saw the 2 mile marker and realized my Suunto was a bit off.  Since I didn't know when to start it, I started it pretty late as I was only at 1.83 miles.

 

After 3 miles my pace was 10:21 and my average heart rate was 149.  It was a breezy 76 degrees and my body was really working.  The course had some rolling hills and I spent the majority of the race passing and being passed by the same 10-15 people.  I always feel a little better about myself when I see others taking a walk break!

Around the 7 mile mark my timing chip really started bugging me.  I've never seen one like this - it was basically an ankle bracelet that Velcroed on.  I stopped and switched it from my right leg to my left and switched it again at about the half marathon mark.  I didn't have any chaffing but was really concerned that I would get some.  I used Body Glide pretty much everywhere, including on my feet, and did not have any chaffing or blisters.

The day never got any warmer, but the heat definitely took a toll on my body and my pace.  I slowed some and took a walk break about every mile.  Some time around mile 10-12 I started feeling really nauseated.  I took little longer walk break and my stomach settled but I definitely wasn't feeling great.

The course seemed to get shorter as I went.  Around the mile 12 marker I noticed my distance was only 11.75 or so.  Not really sure what happened there, but my total distance ended up being 14.67.  After checking the official results, by calculating the distance based on my time and pace, the course was only 14.75 miles so whoever set the mile markers out was off a little bit and the race was not 25k as advertised.  (Should I be happy or sad about that?)

Official results:  14.75 miles in 2:50:35,  11:34 pace.  Good enough for 16/34 in my age group and 452/633.  Not great, but when I started thinking about how much heat affects pace, I actually felt really good about it.  It is NOT going to be 75 at the start of my marathon.  I'll be surprised if it is that warm at the finish!

Brio Ice Cream - the perfect way to start recovering!

And now for the really data geek stuff:
According to my Suunto, my PTE (Peak Training Effect) was 3.4 (Improving Training Effect)

My average heart rate was 148 with a max of 162.  Effort was broken down as follows:

44 seconds at moderate (109-126 bpm)
48:02 at hard (127-144 bpm)
2:00:49 at very hard (145-162 bpm)

My fastest mile was mile 2 at 10:04.  My slowest was mile 9 at 13:06 - this included the biggest hill of the  day with a little over 100' elevation gain.

Suunto recommended 100 hours of recovery time (that is Thursday!)  Interestingly, Suunto recommended 72 hours after my Crystal Lake plunge.  It recommended 120 hours after the Honolulu Marathon.  Yes, I worked hard!

Okay, this post is long enough.  More to come:  The Marathon Readiness Series and Brio Ice Cream Review (it was really good!)

M4T W12

I'm out running the Brio Ice Cream 25k at this post goes live!   I'm sure I'll make adjustments to my running this week depending on how the race goes.  We fly home on Friday - a red eye, so I'll do my long run on Friday morning.

This is week 12 of training. After this week, race day will be one month away. This weekend your long run will drop back to 12 miles with 6 miles of tempo once again.

Sunday - Rest Day

Monday - 4 miles easy (10:35 pace)

Tuesday - Intervals - 10-11 miles
2 miles easy running
1x800 @ 3:55 pace with 400 easy run rec.
1x1 mile(1600) @7:50-8:00 pace with 800 easy run rec.
1x800 @ 3:55 pace with 400 easy run rec.
1x1 mile @ 7:50-8:00 pace with 800 easy run rec
1x400 @ 1:56 pace with 200 easy run rec.
1x1200 @ 5:52 pace with 400 easy run rec
1-2 miles easy running

Wednesday - 3 miles easy (10:35 pace)

Thursday - 4 miles easy (10:35 pace)

Friday - Rest day

Saturday - LSD 12 w/6@ tempo (10:35-10:50 pace)

Total planned miles 37

M4T W11 Results

I can't believe I am now saying, "I'm running a marathon next month!"  It seems like this training cycle has gone very quickly.

I made several adjustments as this week progressed.   This quote from Runner's World played in my mind over and over:

Undertrained is Greater than Injured

Sunday - Rest Day
Result:  Walked 3.38 miles
I tried to run a little but my legs were feeling pretty stiff from Saturday's long run.

Monday - 4-6 miles easy (10:35 pace)
Result:  Rested
Returned our rental car and walked 4.72 miles

Tuesday - Intervals - 10x 400 7-8 miles
Result:  Ran 6.42 miles in 1:14:39, 11:38 pace
Not sure what happened here.  I did my 2 mile warm up.  First 2 intervals were good, right on target.  During my third interval my right hamstring/glute started hurting like crazy!  It felt like something ripped.  I'm assuming I strained it.  It stopped me in my tracks.  I ended up doing 7 of the intervals but at a much slower pace.  If I kept my stride short it seemed to be okay, anytime I tried to lengthen it the pain was back.

Wednesday - 3 miles easy (10:35 pace)
Result:  Rested.  Hamstring/glute was still complaining.   Undertrained is greater than injured.
Walked 3.61 mile

Thursday - 4 miles easy (10:35 pace)
Result:  Ran 8.41 miles in 1:38:59, 11:46 pace
My hamstring/glute was feeling somewhat better.  Took quite a few walk breaks.
Also walked 2.79 miles

Friday - Rest day
Result:  Walked 6.33 miles
I headed out for a short run, but wasn't feeling it and ended up walking 3.5 miles.  Then walked later in the day to pick up our rental car for the weekend.

Saturday - LSD 18-20 (10:35-10:50 pace)
Result:  Resting (and hydrating) like a boss
25k race tomorrow!

Total planned miles 41
Actual
Running 14.81
Walking  20.84
Total  35.65

Brio Ice Cream 25k Strategy

This weekend will be a new experience for me- running a 25k race.  The Brio Ice Cream 25k starts at 5:30 Sunday morning.  Yep, they start races early in Hawaii!  We'll have about an hour before sunrise.  The forecast:

It was showing 80% chance of rain a couple days ago, so this is an improvement.  I actually don't mind running in the rain here, it has a nice cooling effect.  There are some lumpy hills and one mean one around mile 8.

I've really tossed around a lot of ideas in my head of how to treat this.  Is it a race or a long training run?  Should I try to race it or run easy?  I finally Googled "tune up race for marathon" and found over 180,000 results.  Many agreed than a half marathon four to eight weeks prior to the marathon is a good idea. Here are some of the tips I found:

From Runner's World:  No single workout better prepares us for a goal race than a tune-up race.  Regina Joyce considers tune-up races to be critical for marathon preparation. "They're basically your measuring stick," she says. "Are you getting stronger? Are you getting faster? Are you ready?"

From Active.com: Tune-ups are typically about half the distance of a target race—a 5K before a 10K, for example, or a half-marathon before a marathon. They let you test out your pacing, mental strategy, fueling, hydration, and gear in conditions that ideally simulate what you'll face in your goal event. You can use them early in your training cycle to gauge your fitness and fine-tune your workouts, or closer to your big day as a final dress rehearsal. Either way, you'll reap the benefits.

From Running Competitor:  When it comes to fitness gains, there is no substitute for a hard race effort.  Tune-up events are a great way to gauge fitness and preparedness. 

But this article from Strength Running helped me the most:  Tune-up races are, at their simplest, practice races. One of their primary benefits is to provide you with an indicator of your current fitness level so you can see if your training needs to be adjusted or if you’re on track to reach your Peak Race goal.

Your performance will be slower (maybe a lot slower!) than your best. Here’s why:

• There’s no taper before a tune-up race
• You haven’t done specific workouts geared toward the shorter distance
• You’ll probably feel more tired than usual; you’re “training through” the tune-up
• Since it’s not a Peak Race, you don’t have the race mindset.

A sub-optimal performance at a tune-up race can seem discouraging at first, but take it with a grain of salt for the above reasons.

So... my strategy?  I don't want to hold back and run at my LSD pace.  I want to know where I am, but I'm going to do my best not to freak out if I am slower, knowing that I have not tapered at all. With that in mind, I'm not going to set a time goal.  At this point, I think it might have a negative affect that I don't need bouncing around in my head. I really want to finish strong with little left in the tank.  I will have five weeks to recover and be ready for my marathon.  More than anything I do not want to bonk or get injured!

And then I'll eat ice cream.

Q3 Update

Happy October!  Another year is flying by.  I set some goals on January 1st.  Here is my update for the first nine months of 2015:

1 - Run another marathon.  The Revel Canyon City Marathon is next month!!  Super excited about this race.  I feel like my training has been so much better this time around - more like how I was in early 2012.

2 - Improve my pace.  I'm not as fast as I would like to be, but definitely faster than I have been the past couple of years.

3.  I want to cross the 2,000 mile mark again this year.   As of September 30th, my year to date miles are 1516.33.  I am right on track!  I had some making up to do after the first quarter, but I'm feeling really good about hitting this goal.

4.  I'm currently 13 pounds over my goal weight.  Ugh!  This has been the worst part of my year.  I have diligently counted points, then I switched to counting calories, I have cut out hidden sugars, and nothing!  The scale has not budged.  I have my physical this month so I'm hoping my doctor will have some ideas.  I was chatting with a running friend a few weeks ago and she has the same problem.  She's a nutritionist and 4 time Ironman finisher.  Menopause doesn't care!  I guess I should just be happy that I haven't gained any weight!