Rutgers Unite - 8K Race Report

Well, this is less a race report than it is a running report since I am not really racing.  I have a short post on the other blog http://minifancypants.blogspot.com/ on pregnancy and running.

I dropped down once I found out I was pregnant from the half-marathon to the 8K and I have to say 5 miles is really a nice distance!  Something different than a 6 mile race.  At this point, I am 5.5 months or 25 weeks, 15 to go!!!
 
Nicole and I picked up our race packets and I had a discount with the race and bought the newer version of the Brooks Pure Cadence 2!

More on that on another post once I start running with them.  I tried to eat like I normally would before a race with some lean mean and veggies and some sort of carb but with our kitchen being remodeled I just had to wing it.  I also made some arm warmers for Christine and I to go with our outfits.

I went to Mike's gig since it was Nick's last night locally with the band before he leaves for another continent (sad face). 

My rockstar husband...

Race morning, I had my normal ezekial english muffin with almond butter and apple butter and brought a banana.  I also brought some extra snacks (being pregnant you don't want to be hungry) and sipped on lots of water pre-race. We met up with Christine and Kate and drove up to Rutgers and was met with lots of sunshine and cold temperatures (um what happened to our 70-80 degree temps). 

Nicole ran off for her 1/2 marathon, while Christine and I took some pictures for her "coming out" party on facebook of being preggers....see the matching shirts...

How cool is it my best friend and I are pregnant together!!!

We then met up with Lisa, and saw another new mama, Kristin (her first race post-baby) for the start of the 8k.  Lisa and I rant together at a really nice pace, the chatty pace which was on target for what I could do.  I needed to stay in Zone 2 and we walked 30-60 seconds per mile.    Since she was just getting back to running after her marathon (see race report) she didn't mind running with the slow pregnant woman.  It was also nice to actually run with someone, I have felt a little lonely outside of a couple spin sessions with friends in my pregnancy workouts.  The course was BEAUTIFUL and was a perfect rolling hill, nothing too crazy.  Before I knew it the turnaround came and I was really surprised at how good I felt. 

There was only one time when I felt my heart rate going a little crazy on a long hill that I walked an additional 30 seconds but otherwise, I was really happy with my time and how I felt for being 5.5 months pregnant.  I hope this feeling continues throughout the pregnancy.

Lisa and I averaged at a 10:48 pace for the 8K with a final time of 53:42.
I felt a lot of emotion on this race and it was a little extra special, it represented to me that my little girl just did her first race and we, as women are strong!  A girl took our picture and said she didn't know you could run or do this when pregnant and then she asked me my age, when I said 37 she hugged me and said she was so happy that this was possible.  We told her you still have to check with a doctor but it was a nice feeling.

 
Afterwards, we had more paparazzi shots

...and met up with our team, where I discussed the possibility of doing a relay for a couple tris of the swim portion or even a 5k. 

Afterward, was a reward of fro yo....every prego and non-prego woman's craving...

An After the Holiday's Meal - Vegan Protein Spaghetti

You know that after the holiday's feeling - the feeling of being bloated from eating too much of what you don't normally eat?  The feeling of will I ever get back to normal again?  The first full week of January should be called "Reset Week."  It's the week of reflecting, getting back to work (both training and actual work), getting back to those healthy foods!  So after my 45 minute strength training session yesterday, I hit Whole Foods.  I mean who doesn't walk out of Whole Foods feeling super-uber healthy, like you just lost 5 lbs and you have this massive glow and giddiness, or it could be from the feeling that you just spent $150 on 3 bags and you have NO CLUE what you just bought cause it looked so good....

I picked up some organic kale that was on sale for $1.99 a bunch.  I am really trying to stay with organic fruits/veggies while being pregnant.  I got some fancy mushrooms from a local place in Jersey and some zucchini.  I have also had massive cravings for veggies while pregnant (I guess very good).  I remembered I had a bag of black bean spaghetti.  This stuff has 20 grams of protein in it and is vegan and gluten-free.

Vegan Protein Spaghetti (print recipe here)

Ingredients

2 zucchini/yellow squash
2 cups mushrooms
1/2 large red onion
1 cup chopped kale
1 tsp Earth Balance (or butter)
1 package of black bean spaghetti (or mung bean pasta)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Sauce
1 Tbsp Earth Balance
3 chopped garlic cloves
1/4 cup mellow white miso
1 Tbsp tahini
1 cup pasta water

Directions

Boil water for pasta and cook pasta for approximately 5-6 minutes (noodles cook quickly - similar to soba noodles).
Heat saute pan to medium heat, melt Earth Balance and saute chopped onions for about 3-5 minutes, add mushrooms, zucchini and kale and cook until soft. 
To make sauce use a separate pan, saute garlic in Earth Balance for about 2 minutes, add miso and tahini.  Slowly add 1/4 cup of pasta water and mix until smooth consistency.  Continue adding pasta water until 1 cup.
Add chopped parsley.
Mix veggies sauce and pasta and serve.