The Wyatt Chronicles

Author Archives: The Wyatt Chronicles

• Fargo 13.1

  Posted at 12:11 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on September 20, 2018

  Training

  I came out of Rock ‘n’ Roll NOLA 13.1 almost 90% sure I would be running Fargo’s Half Marathon in May–pending how my shin would recover and hold up with short rest and going into a 8 wk training cycle. I wanted a PR with my #1 goal to be sub 1:55, knowing that if I could toe the line, stay healthy, and have a cool day- I could pull it off (which was very likely for middle of May in ND).  It was not very long after NOLA when I signed up for Fargo 13.1 and started into another, shorter training cycle. I had about 8 weeks to work and temps were finally warming outside in ND for runs. The shin pain I experienced leading up and going into NOLA seemed to dissipate with a little rest and shorter long runs on the weekends. I tweaked my paces after getting a PR in NOLA. After running what seemed to be a smooth race in NOLA, I knew the work I put in and the training program I followed worked for me.  With that in mind I pulled up my Nike Half Marathon training program and started 8 weeks out from Fargo with my paces adjusted to account for my new, shiny PR.  After taking a 1 week break of no running after NOLA, I was ready to work!

  With the Fargo Marathon/Half Marathon being 5.18.2018 and living in ND, the majority of my runs during the week were on the treadmill due to snow covered streets and winter still holding strong in early spring. However, I was very thankful to have met up with another local runner in town who is a marathon maniac and just finished the LA Marathon.  He was also training/running the Fargo Marathon, and I was lucky enough to have him introduce me to his running paths (aka gravel roads) on the outside of town for our long runs on the weekends. The snow was slowly beginning to melt off the roads, and I was able to finally get outdoors the first weekend in April.  It sounds strange, but temps warming to the 20s/30s was a very much welcomed change from a long winter of -20s to -40s.

  From that first weekend in April on I was able to build my weekly weekend long run mileage from 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, to my record-high mileage run of 14 miles in Minneapolis on actual bike/running trails with the hubby cycling alongside me. I felt confident going into the taper with 150.1 miles logged for April.  As long as I stayed injury-free I knew that I was capable of hitting my goal of sub 1:55.

  My husband and I had a lot going on at the end of April. We were preparing to move from ND back to MO as my husband was transitioning jobs that summer. Beginning of May, we loaded our boys up and drove them back to MO to be with the grandparents to allow us to fly back up to ND in time for my race in Fargo and to finish packing up our entire home/load into a U-Haul for transport back to MO after my race. This time could not have come at a better time than the taper. I was able to finish up my runs outdoors in MO in the heat and humidity before flying back to ND for cooler temps the week prior to race day.

  NUTRITION

  After my overall plan seemed to work for “NOLA 13.1” both digestive and GI wise before/during the race–that was my game plan again, and I was sticking too.

  Lunch: subway footlong club sandwich that was very bland- meat, cheese, lettuce, and a little mayo.

  Dinner (7 PM):  large stack of pancakes from IHOP (I do use butter and syrup)

  Morning (5 AM): 2 more couple pancakes while preparing for the race.

  RACE FUEL- The Clif shot bloks seem to give me the extra energy I need when my sources are depleted during the race and that appears to be every 4-6 miles, along with water/Gatorade as needed during race.

  RACE DAY

  Conditions- The hardest part of this race was determining how to dress.  It gave me anxiety all night and up to the start of the race. The winds were blowing 20-30 MPH the entire race and lows were in the 40s. I decided to go with my Lululemon tights with Pro-Compression marathon socks, Nike tank, and I added a throw-away long-sleeve layer over it- knowing if I got to warm I could toss it.

  The set-up could not have been better for the forecast conditions by being hosted in the Fargo Dome. It was such an awesome experience to start in the dome where you could stay warm, use regular bathrooms with no lines, and have the opportunity to cross the finish line with your picture on the big screen. The swag was some of the best I have received with a nice long-sleeve hoodie and drawstring- backpack.

  When we lined up for the half- marathon they did not categorize us by estimated finish time corrals.  Ratherwe just lined up behind the pacer you predicted your finish time would be. I determined on training runs I could finish with a PR, but was very nervous with the windy conditions. I was very anxious at the beginning because my Garmin would not give the the green light that the GPS was loaded fully, but I hoped it would still track my pace/time when started.

  The horn blew and I was off. Once I got outside the huge overhead doors and dome greeted me with that nice 20-30 mph wind. Thankfully, running in northern ND, I was use to training in windy conditions.  Wind was common-place at all times for outdoor runs, but not quite at such high velocities. The entire race was a blur, but I felt my fueling was where it needed to be. I did not have to stop at any point for any GI issues, so I’ll mark that part as another success from not having to stop to use the porta-potties. Around mile 6 I started to get a little warm so I stripped my throw away long sleeve shirt off. There were times where the wind would blow and I would be chilled, but by the end of the race the sun started to come out and that chill was quickly forgotten (this maybe a case where arm warmers would have been nice to have.)

  The course was beautiful; There were a couple hills to run up, but running through downtown Fargo was gorgeous.

  My splits:  miles 1-7 ranging from 8.13- 8.33 pace

  mile 8 & 9 I held a 8.46-8.49 pace

  miles 10-13 ranged from 8.51- 8.57 pace

  Ultimately, I finished strong at 8.13 pace per my Garmin connect. Over the course of 13.1 I finished sub 1:55 with a new PR of 1:54.22 and an average pace of 8.44 min per/mile. I placed 827/3860 runners, 297/2410 females, and 62/397 females in my age group 30-34. Not only was I beyond happy to finish with a sub 1:55 in the windy conditions we had, but I also found a month later that I was 4 weeks pregnant! It was definitely a race that I will not forget.

   

   

   

   

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

  Posted in Race Recaps | 0 Comments

• Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans 13.1

  Posted at 6:43 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on June 4, 2018

  TRAINING CYCLE

  After racing in hot, not so fun, and unideal conditions for my first half-marathon in Chicago, I was excited to give it a second chance in New Orleans, LA on March 4, 2018. After only taking 3 full rest days off from the Chicago Half, I jumped into a maintenance training cycle–eyeing New Orleans Half Marathon in 5 months. I knew in this training cycle I needed to add in more lower body strength-training after toeing the line in Chicago with tensor fasciae latae pain, so focusing more on strength-training, recovery (foam-rolling), and adding in more cross-training to get to the start line healthy. My goal in this training cycle was also to become more comfortable with the mid-range miles of 6-10. With the seasons changing and going into winter, most (if not all) of my runs were done on the treadmill. Living in the most northern section of North Dakota, the winters are brutal (-40 to -50 windchills and snow-covered roads all winter long). So this training cycle was nothing like what I had trained for in the summer months leading up to Chicago, but I was very confident I would see results if I kept showing up and putting in the work (despite running outside). I switched things up for my training program, I purchased a Believe Training Journal by Lauren Fleshman and Roisin McGettigan-Dumas to help me stay on track each week and to look back on for future reference. I also downloaded the Nike Plus Running Club Half Marathon training program. This was a 12 week program focusing on adding in 2 speed runs (track/intervals and tempos), 1 long run (endurance) , and 2-3 recovery runs (cross-training). I picked this program because I thought it was more detailed and loved the fact it had speed training runs broken down. To improve my pace and become faster, I knew I needed to incorporate these speed runs. With Christmas, New Years, traveling, and a wedding back home this training cycle it definitely tested my self-discipline and determination. I also had the sickness curveball thrown in there, it seemed I battled 2 sinus infections back to back early in the year, but that did not get me down. About 2 weeks out of New Orleans, I noticed I started to have pain in my R shin that I could not kick after my last long 14 mi run. I did everything from consistent icing, rolling, taping, new shoes, and more rest days leading up to race day in 1-2 weeks. I was told by a running coach that I would not lose that much fitness within a 2 week period, so to rest if it I needed to. I added in more cross-training days and up to 1 week out I did slow, minimal runs. I ran 5 miles on Monday and still managed to feel a little pain, attempted a run on Tuesday and I could not make even 1 mi without pain so I stopped all together. It was at this point where I told my husband that I wasn’t sure if I would even be able to run Saturday in New Orleans. He explained to me to stay off of it and re-evaluate later in the week. I just did that. I ran my last run of 5 miles on Thursday with minimal pain before the race Sunday. All that was left was to run 13.1 in NOLA!

  TRAVELING TO NOLA

  To get to NOLA for the weekend we had to drop our boys off with the grandparents prior. We had a 6 hour drive to Minneapolis to catch a late 9:30 flight to Chicago where we would stay the night. The grandparents also had a 6 hr drive to Chicago after work Friday to meet us, so lets just say everyone was exhausted by the time we went to bed (~midnight). Chris and my flight took off super early from Chicago around 6:30 a.m to Atlanta, which meant we had to be up around 3:30 to get to the airport in time for boarding. So after only a few hours of sleep that night, we were more than exhausted. We caught our connecting flight from Atlanta to NOLA and landed around 11:30 a.m. We ended up meeting up with one of my husband’s friends that lives in NOLA, went to the expo, got my bib, and had a late lunch. I knew I would be going to bed early, was told to try eating pancakes the night before the race (breaking marathon rules trying this the night before), so we stopped in at IHOP- grabbed a tall stack of 5 pancakes and headed back to the hotel. I was beyond tired, so at 7 p.m. bed time never felt so good. The alarm was set for 3:30 a.m.!!

  FOOD PRIOR TO RACE DAY

  I started to watch what I ate about 1 week prior to race day. During traveling, I had to be extra cautious I was making smart decisions. I was lucky enough to start talking with a marathon maniac in our town that runs 6-7 full marathons a year. He told me his secrets to preventing GI distress during races and what to eat/what to avoid. His pre-race meal the night before is always IHOP pancakes and he swears by them. He recommended sticking to a bland, carb-based diet. I really dialed in on Wednesday. Friday night traveling to the airport, I ate a Subway footlong club sandwich with just cheese, mayo, and a little lettuce. Saturday morning at 5 a.m. I ate 2 glazed donuts (bc that was all the was open in the airport that early). We arrived in Atlanta at 8:30 a.m. and ate a 10 -12 in cheese pizza (no greasy breakfast sandwich for me). I had a bowl of chicken noodle soup from a Thai restaurant around 3 p.m. and then went to IHOP to get a stack of pancakes to go. I had 2 pancakes before bed and ate the remaining 2-3 race day morning around 5 a.m. Traveling had my digestive tract all sorts out of whack. I was really worried, as one of my goals going into this race was not having to stop to use the porta potties. I did get some relief the night before being able to have a BM (but still concerned because I would not be able to go in the morning now, but hopefully would not have to go in the middle of the race). All my pre-race foods seemed to be good choices because I had NO GI distress during the race and felt strong up through mile 10.

  RACE DAY

  I was racing Rock ‘N” Roll New Orleans as a St. Jude Hero for the first time. I had fundraised for a few months prior to the race to raise over $500 for an organization that I hold very dear to my heart. It was a beautiful morning to have a race. I got up at 3:30, showered to wake up, drank a cup of coffee, ate my pancakes, and then headed out to the beginning of the race day festivities. Our hotel was only a couple of blocks from the race, so we walked to the start. It was beautiful, lows 50s that morning morning with a high of 74. I did take 2 Tylenol prior, because I knew my shin would most likely act up as the miles went on. I really had no race strategy going into this race because of my shin. I just wanted to have fun and see the results of my hard work that I had put in the last 3 months–whatever that would be. I knew if I could go the entire race without having to stop to use the potties, I would see a time improvement for sure. During the race I felt so strong, even when the shin pain started to creep back in around mile 10. I did fuel with Clif shot bloks every 3-4 miles and also sipped on gatorade through the aide stations after Mile 6. My avg paces every 3.1-3.8 mi were 9.10, 8.42, 8.46, and 8.54 for a total of 13.1 mi. Avg pace 8.53 min/mi and chip time of 1.56.22. A 12 min PR within 5 months and my A goal of sub 2!! With shin pain sneaking in around mile 10, I needed to let up the pace to prevent from injuring it even more, but knew I could still finish strong and with an amazing time in my eyes. I was beyond happy with my finish. It was such a fun, incredible, and beautiful course that I would definitely enjoy coming back for future races. I felt I had seen real, raw results from the hard work I put in for those 12 weeks and could not wait to set my eyes on the next. Half Marathon #2 and State #2/50 knocked off the list. Next up, Fargo, ND.

   

   

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Posted in Race Recaps | 0 Comments

• Introduction to the Wyatt Boys

  Posted at 2:21 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on October 10, 2017

  My husband and I have been blessed with two little loves of our lives, Cole (4 yo) and Caden (21 mos). I have decided to write about my most cherished accomplishment and that is being a Mommy to these two boys. I will provide the backstory to how I became a Mommy, juggled being a recent college graduate, finding out at almost the exact-time I was pregnant with Cole, moving away from family and friends, starting a new career and working full-time with a newborn, and then doing a full-360 to becoming a stay-at-home parent almost 2 years ago.

  It was the summer of 2012, almost 2 months after my college graduation from St. Louis University, where I received my Master’s in Occupational Therapy, that I found out I was pregnant. A total surprise at the time, and Chris, my now husband, proposed to me just the night before. Chris had just recently accepted a job in Fredericksburg, VA and we were scheduled to move from St. Louis to VA mid-August. At the time, I was studying for my boards to take the National Board Certification of Occupational Therapy so I could begin the job search and start my career.  Finding out I was pregnant was a complete shock and automatically I was filled with emotions from excitement to the fear of the unknown. I was already an emotional mess because, even though I lived an hour from my family when going to school, it was not quite like leaving and traveling 15 hours across the country where I had friends or family, and had to rely strictly on my fiancé. I once heard a saying that the most stressful times a person has in their lives are: getting married, moving, starting a new career, buying a home, selling a home, and having children. Well you add all these together within 1 year, you could imagine the stress level under our roofs at night. My husband and I were proud to welcome Cole Benjamin Wyatt on March 25, 2013 in Fredericksburg, VA, and I could not imagine life without him any other way. I was beyond blessed to have my Momma come into town for the delivery and my sister to be in our room with me that day to welcome him into the world. He has brought such an indescribable energy, spark, joy, and overwhelming love to our lives and our extended family. Cole was the first grandchild to my parents and Chris’s parents.  Needless to say he is beyond spoiled.  He has seen, traveled, and done more than my husband and I in his first four years of life than we ever did as a kid (but that is mostly because we have lived out of state/town since he was born).

  My husband and I were ready to try for a second precious baby, so Cole would have a sibling close in age to play with and we both felt we were ready to welcome a 2nd child to our family! I had a miscarriage the end of Feb 2015 and knew in God’s own perfect timing it would happen for us. We found out we were pregnant again, a couple months later with a healthy baby boy that would be due in January 2016. I started to see a pattern after finding out I was pregnant. My husband decided he was ready for a career change, began the process filling out job applications, performing phone/skype interviews, and eventually landed some face-to-face interviews all across the country that year. I was continuing to work full-time and loving my current job working as an Independent Contractor for multiple home health agencies in the Fredericksburg/Washington, D.C. suburbs. We did not know where my husband’s new job would take us, but I have always known his goals/dreams for his career path in life and that we would never be in one place for very long (4-5 years max). He landed a position in North Dakota as a hospital administrator of a rural hospital and would start Jan. 1 2016. That being said, our little boy was due the end of January 2016. My husband and I had it all planned out, well at least we thought, until a couple months prior. My mom was going to fly out to DC a couple weeks before the due date, just in case the baby would come early and I would continue to work and Cole would continue to go to daycare. However, my parents and in-laws thought more about it and decided it would be best for me to deliver the baby back home in St. Louis, just in case there would be any complications and Chris would not be there. We agreed, listed our house, hired movers to pack, and my mom flew out NYE 2015 and we drove my car back from VA to STL with Cole and me being 36 weeks pregnant. I was able to get in with my previous OBGYN- whom I love so much, Dr. Muckermann at Mercy Hospital.  We scheduled my induction for Jan 25, 2016, so Chris could be present for delivery and we proudly welcomed Caden Bryce Wyatt to the family. (My parents/in-laws sense knew what they were talking about, because, no kidding, Fredericksburg and D.C. area had the snow apocalypse the day before Caden was born. VA acts pretty much like STL when they get 1-2 in of snow, but this was 20+ inches.  I most likely would have had Caden at home if I would have stayed, and Chris wouldn’t have made a flight).

  

  

  

  

  

  
  Posted in Mommy Posts, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged mommy, mommyblog

• Chicago Half-Marathon

  Posted at 12:05 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on October 2, 2017

  My first 13.1 is in the books! Where do I even begin on all the emotions leading up to this day? I would first just want to thank my loving husband for believing in me and taking the time out of his busy schedule for allowing me the time, day in and day out for 9-10 months, to train from mile 1 to mile 13.1.  Without his constant motivation for me to keep pursing my goal I would not have crossed that finish line. This half-marathon was just a thought at the beginning of the year and only became a reality in June when I said, “What do you think of us going to Chicago for me to run a half-marathon in September?” 

  After I ran a few smaller races including a 5k in April and 10k in May. My husband never questioned my intentions, just stated, “You make the arrangements.” 

  A couple of sweet, loving friends offered to watch the boys for the weekend, so I signed up for the race!
  The last few months leading up to the race was full of different training runs 5 days/week including tempo, interval, speed, and I tried to get in as many “upper body” strength-training days as I could squeeze in. My longest run I managed to do was 11.25 mi on the road and had hoped to have a higher mileage run leading up to the big day.  However, two weeks before the race I started experiencing Tensor Fasciae Latae pain and a couple of the PT’s I was working with at the time warned me against running any more long distances leading up to the race (luckily I was able to squeeze a 10 mile run in the Sunday before and then it was taper week). My PT’s recommended going forward to do more LB strengthening- especially glutes/pelvic/and adductor/abductor ms. groups to prevent future injuries.
  The whole week leading up to the race, I was only concerned about one thing: the weather. I felt good where I was with my training and was not overly concerned with a time goal since this was my first half-marathon (obviously it would have been ideal to finish sub-2 hr). My only goal, I told others, was for me to cross the finish line, plain and simple. The only concern I had was the weather. It was going to be hot, a lot hotter than I was use to ecperiencing while running (after all I live in North Dakota). The lows forecasted for Chicago were 72, highs 90+.  The warmest training run I did close to those temps was back home in Missouri in Aug and lows were still in the mid-60s.  I did everything I could do to be prepared for the hot start, including trying to drink as close to a gallon of water a day for the week (which is never the easiest when traveling). My husband and I left the Friday after dropping the boys of at daycare and arrived in Chicago Friday night. Race day was Sunday!

  I would have to admit being childless in Chicago for a day and a half prior to raceday was not the easiest. All the amazing food/drink options and having to stick with water was probably the most difficult.  Let me admit; sitting on a patio in the summer nights, with views of the city lights and buildings, was calling my name for a glass of wine. HOWEVER, I just kept telling myself, “You can celebrate after the race!”
  Saturday we went to Soldier Field to the Fitness Expo where I picked up my race packet, and I finally got to purchase some run fuel that I have been wanting to try for some time.  After reading recommendations from other runners at the vendor booths, I finally made my selections.  I think it all hit me when I arrived at Soldier Field, seeing all the other runners and vendors, picking up my bib and packet, and thinking to myself, “I am really doing this.”

  I managed to get to bed early and slept pretty well that night before the run; no anxious thoughts racing through my mind surprisingly. The alarm was set for 4:30 a.m. bright-and-early. I popped right out of bed with my 4:30 a.m. alarm. I had hoped to jump in the shower, but it didn’t work (maybe this was the sign from the beginning how things would go for me). I ran a luke-warm bath to wake up and was starting to get a few anxious feelings/thoughts, but I went on with my morning routine: got dressed, woke my husband, and ate a Cliff bar. One of the most anxious feelings I had was that I did not have a BM the day before (sorry for too much info, but any runner can relate to this) so I knew I would making at least 1 pit stop at the bathrooms along the running route, I was sure of it.
  My husband locked in a Uber driver and we were out the door at 5:30 a.m. on our way. We had another rider with us, that I did not have intentions of going 20 min out of our way the other direction to drop her off, before our driver dropped us off at Jackson Park. In the backseat all I could think about was, “How much time am I going to have before the start of the race to get my thoughts together, stretch, use the bathroom, etc.” 

  We ended up at Jackson Park at 6:15-6:20 a.m. and the race started at 7:00 a.m. I’ll remind you that there were 12,000 runners taking part in this run. Before I got out of the vehicle I was going through my running gear to make sure it was all in place (watch, headphones, flip belt with all my fuel). We jumped out of the car, I was already in kind of a mood, expecting our Uber driver to get me to Jackson Park earlier, but it was what it was. Then, as we were walking, I looked at my headphones and noticed the ear fin to my headphones GONE. I think my heart skipped a beat or two at this point. I told my husband I lost the ear fin and that they would not stay in place without it. My husband had his Bluetooth headphones with him and said I could use them.  However, when I tried to connect them to my phone they could not be located.  There were so many Bluetooth devices pulling up from everyone else around it was not going to happen. Whilr my husband was trying to work on my phone with the headphones I ran to the portapottys.  Of course, there were lines out of this world, and I would just have to wait my turn. At this point it was 645 a.m. Race corrals close in 5 minutes, and I am getting worried. “Do I continue to wait, skip the bathrooms?” 

  Well there were plenty of other runners behind me so I assumed if be fine.   I had my turn at the bathroom but barely went because of nerves. I ran from the bathrooms trying to remember where my husband was located, found him, grabbed my phone and headphones, and settled with being stuck using one of the earpieces. A quick picture before the race and kissed by hubby good-bye!
  I found my corral; I was placed in the 2:00 corral marker. I tried to get my thoughts together for the last few minute before the horn blew, but I was already all out of sorts; after all I knew I would be running this race without headphones, music, and in 90 degree heat. I attempted the start of the race with 1 earpiece in, but my the end of mile 1 it kept falling out, and I, then, lost the other earfin. I tied them around my shirt and tried to get my focus back. BUT then, as I made it through Mile-1 my watch time showed 12 min/mi pace..WHAT?? That has to be impossible, so I picked up the pace. Well, when I get to mile-3, they had the digital time showing, and I was running at my regular pace 8:50 min/mi. I felt well and strong through Miles-5-6; still on my regular pace, but starting to cramp and knowing I needed to use the bathroom. I had to take 2 bathroom breaks throughout the race. Thus, pushing my time back, but I was okay with that. The heat really started to set in after Mile-5-6 and I  decided to pull back. I managed to stop and grab lots of Gatorade at the hydration booths and continued to take my fuel (GU packets/and cliff blockers to refuel my electrolytes). After Mile-8, I started to see fellow runners becoming overheated and having to receive medical attention. I wanted to stop several times throughout the course, but I knew I could do it.  I just had to keep telling myself to put one foot in front of the other. If it was not for the crowd, cheering us runners to the end, I am not sure I could have finished in the time I did. There were times I felt like I was crawling at snails speed. I could not trust myself to go by my watch and the split times it was telling me. I just had the digital clocks telling me my time every 3-4 miles, but the important thing was that I was still moving. Sweat was pouring down over me, I ended up taking off my shirt and tying it around my flip belt to cool my core down and that seemed to help get me through the remaining 3 miles of the race. I could see the finish line in the distance and knew at that point I did it!! Crossing the finish line at 2.08.18, 811/4538 females and 135/692 in my age group 30-34. The medal I received for this race will always be cherished and held very closely to my heart. For it represents the real, raw, determined perseverance to keep going despite everything that could have went wrongly for a first-time half-marathoner. Despite everything, I never stated the words, “I will never do that again.” 

  I hope that is a good sign of what is to come in my running career ahead. After all, I now have an official PR to chase!!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  Posted in Race Recaps | 0 Comments | Tagged chihalf, firsthalfmarathon, fitness, mommyrunner, runner, strong

• Guacamole

  Posted at 2:41 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on August 27, 2017

  If anyone knows me, they would tell you I am fanatic for chips, but more so chips with queso or salsa. Over the years as I have started to be more health cautious and have started to substitute the queso cheese for this most delicious guacamole recipe. It is almost to the point where my husband and I will make it at least once a week to snack on or add as a condiment to our other dishes. We love ours prepared with some spice-so this recipe definitely brings the kick we enjoy!

  I still enjoy eating this as a snack with tortilla chips for the crunch and salt aspect. Life after all is about balance right?!

  Recipe we follow is posted below:

  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/guacamole-recipe-1940609

  

  Posted in Food/Meals of the Week | 0 Comments

• No Bake Protein Balls

  Posted at 2:04 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on August 27, 2017

  These are a staple for me since I have started running. I have been trialing different protein bars to a light breakfast (2 eggs/one slice of wheat toast) prior to my long runs to see what works best for me to get off to that good start I need. These are so simple to make, also why I will usually make a double batch at a time. If wanting to add more protein, you can always add protein powder to the mix, however I have found these to be perfect for my needs just the way they are.

  A tip I have learned after adding all my ingredients is to put the mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before rolling into balls! It makes the process so much easier.

  Recipe is below:

  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/239969/no-bake-energy-bites/

  

  Posted in Food/Meals of the Week | 0 Comments

• Introduction to Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt

  Posted at 7:05 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on August 18, 2017

  First, I want to give an introduction on how we got to where we are currently by providing some background to our story. My husband and I met in 2011 in St. Louis when we were playing on separate sand volleyball recreational leagues. I was recently out of a 6 year broken relationship when one of my childhood girlfriends asked me to play on her team for the summer. Of course, I could not turn her down and at this point in time it was what I needed to move on and get my life in the direction it needed. I was 24 yrs old, finishing up my Master’s degree at St. Louis University in Occupational Therapy, and unsure of the road ahead of me. That evening in April we met by chance, and if anyone knows my husband, he is anything but quiet or shy, especially when there is alcohol involved. On the night of our first game of the season I happened to be wearing a gray Mizzou T-shirt (this was his alma mater, and I can still remember the exact design of the t-shirt I was wearing). I was focused on getting to know some of my new teammates. It was a great evening of enjoying cold beer and laughs, for summer would be soon approaching. This evening, one of the members of the opposing team (my now husband) asked if I went to Mizzou since I was wearing the shirt. Of course, I said, well I did my freshman year and then dropped out to figure out what I wanted to do with my career path, etc. I also mentioned that I currently attend SLU and will be graduating with my Master’s in OT next year, but the rest of that night this guy, Chris, just had to give me trouble about dropping out of Mizzou. Chris was drinking Budweiser, probably had about a 12 pack, was obnoxious, and that night I never heard the end of it. Later he acknowledges, that he failed to mention that I dropped out of Mizzou to attend a more prestigious university, but much later. I happened to keep seeing Chris at every game 2x/week, some at different times playing other teams. He eventually asked me in bystanding if I would ever be open to have a few drinks some night. I knew in my mind that after being right out of a relationship that I was not ready to go on a date of any kind, but figured why not give it a shot. We went on our first date to Bar Louie, had some drinks, but little did he know that I was pretty much immune to beer at this point and would take several for me to feel intoxicated. At the end of our night out at Bar Louie, Chris admits I drank him under the table (apparently, he cannot handle beer very well, but could drink liquor all night and not feel effects from it). This is where our love story began.
  ~MW

  Posted in Wyatt Adventures | 0 Comments

• Blackened Salmon with Garlic-Lemon Spaghettini

  Posted at 3:53 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on August 18, 2017

  One of my most favorite, quick, healthy dishes of all time. Our family tries to include this amino-acid and omega 3 loaded fish in our meal plan at least for one meal a week. One of the questions I get from other moms is, “Do your kids eat this?” Well, the salmon that is prepared in this recipe, and shown below, has quite a bit of spice added to it. I love spicy foods and find that I have to find an alternative for my kids quite often. However, it does not mean I cook an entirely different meal. I will only season my husbands and mine this way, but will in turn do a different seasoning/marinade for my children. I have found that my children love salmon cooked in a honey-balsamic or soy sauce glaze and will usually ask for more.
  Salmon pairs very well with a delicious garlic-lemon spaghettini. I have found this dish to be perfect for summer, is light, and full of whole flavors.

  I have listed below similar recipes I have followed below.

  Spaghettini with Galic and Lemon

  Sweet Glazed Salmon Recipe

  Blackened Salmon Filets

  

  Posted in Food/Meals of the Week, Uncategorized | 0 Comments

• Tiki Run 2017

  Posted at 10:12 am by The Wyatt Chronicles, on August 16, 2017

  Tiki Run- St. Paul, MN. July 15, 2017
  15 K Mauna Kea Challenge
  I registered for this race back in April after completing my first 5K since starting a training program back in January. I figured after completing a 10K in May a 15K would be my next challenge before running a half marathon in Chicago in Sept.  I really looked forward to this race for the fact it seemed like a well organized, fun race, and was excited to have the opportunity to race against multiple people. I felt mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for this race as I was increasing my mileage/times on my training runs for the last couple months.  Chris’s sister Taylor was flying out of MSP back to STL on Sunday, so we loaded up with boys and drove to St. Paul Friday night. Unfortunately we got a late start on the road, much much later than I would have liked, leaving town around 4, which only put us into St. Paul around 11:30 p.m. that night after all the stops with kids and gas (its roughly a 6 hr trip to MSP/St. Paul from where we live currently). So I was not in the best of moods with the late start, knowing I was not going to get a good night sleep and having a 5:45 a.m. wake up call to race.  The half marathon started at 6:30, the 10K at 7:30, and 5K at 9:15 a.m. Luckily our hotel was close to the river front where the race was taking place that Chris and I could walk and the boys slept in until 11 a.m. with Aunt Tay (YES 11 a.m. love hotel blackout blinds, ha!) Overall getting up at 5:45 a.m. I felt pretty rested, but still was nervous how my lack of sleep would effect my overall race performance.  I purchased a Clif bar at the gas station Friday night, knowing that may be all I would have to eat before the race and I was right. It seemed to the purpose to hold me over until after racing energy wise, however I have not experimented with any type of supplements/energy boosts quite yet (I do plan on trying some different kinds of energy before racing the half in Sept to get me through the longer distances). On race day, the forecast was a hot one with highs reaching around 90 degrees, so racing by 9:15 a.m. was in the mid-70s which is warm for what I have been use to running in northern ND (I have been spoiled training in low 50s-60s most of the summer). I experienced all sorts of feelings before, during, and after this race. Nervousness and anxiousness were my tops ones with constant thoughts racing through my head: Did I prepare enough? What if I cannot finish the race? What happens if my times are not where I wanted them? My only goal for this race was to get a PR for my 10K and race my 5K as a training run, since I figured after running a 10K-fatigue would probably be setting in. So I did all my stretching and took 2 potty breaks just to be sure I did not need to stop (and literally on my 2nd potty break I had only a few mins to get to my corral before race time..and only had a couple dribbles of pee-ugh, let me remind you anxiousness)! But it was off to the races for the 10K- I was in the 9 min/mi corral and my overall goal was to stick with 8.30 min/mi pacers ahead of me.  During this race, I felt good the first 3 miles, had a few good uphill inclines, but overall flat surfaces winding the Mississippi River. My endurance was on my side, because the last 3 miles I found to be very challenging for myself. I had to push, push, and push myself along- but felt encouraged from other runners I was passing. I did not have any idea what my pace/min per mile was, as I have not yet begun the habit of having to keep a certain pace with watch, only my mind/body pushing me and the signs along the way that told me what mile I was at. I had a guy in front of me that looked like he tripped around mile 5 with us around him stopping to ask if he was okay (and an emergency official on bike right by us taking over from there).  I could only imagine how he felt and I was hoping it was not heat related, because at this point in the race I had sweat just pouring off of me and burning my eyes where I could barely keep my eyes, which probably helped my motivation to reach the finish line. Coming up on the finish line I could read the time and knew I had a new PR for my 10K! YAY, finishing in sub 53 at 52.41 min with avg 8.29 min/mi. (My Firecracker 10K a week earlier was 53.53, so more than 1 min improvement!) I was beyond happy with those results. As I tried to wipe all the sweat off my face with my shirt (which didn’t help, so basically just had to cool down and let the sweat dry) I rested up for my next 5K race which I was dreading, because of the sweat burning my eyes and knowing that this 5K would be hotter and all in the sun (no shade what so ever).  But by this point, I just knew I had to give it my best shot. I put in a new piece of gum and lined up again in the 9 min/mi pace group. Even though I was tired and sweaty, I think I was still in my runners high from the 10K ran 30 min earlier. I felt rested enough that I actually seemed to keep up with the 8.30 min/mi pacers ahead of me. I could not help but think I was running this race that I was passing others on my way back, and thinking that was me not too long ago. I am competitive in the sense I like to race against myself and realize most of those runners may be only running for the fun of it or may be their first time racing as well, and all of that is amazing! Just people getting out to move and take initiative is a huge step. I am not fast by any means, but to improve from a 10-11 min/per mile 8 months ago to running a 8.30 min/mi is HUGE in my book.  I was able to cross the finish line with a new PR for my 5K at 25.47 and 8.18 min/mi improving from 26.41 (another 1 min shaved!). I could not believe my times and paces, but knowing all the hard work I have put into running over these months, weeks, and days all pays off with each race. It is here where I put everything to the test and only looking forward from here.  13.1 in Chicago on Sept 24.  There are no words for this race yet, but only thoughts racing through my head!  Until then, I will continue what I am doing and Happy Running!

  Posted in Race Recaps | 0 Comments

• Running Gear

  Posted at 9:10 pm by The Wyatt Chronicles, on July 27, 2017

  Running Gear
  I am new to the long distance running sport, however over these last 8 months, I have been able to find personal gear that I LOVE and could not imagine running without it. I am not one to go after the most popular or name brand item, but buy clothing/products based on others reviews for the sport that serve the best function or by trial and error. As I continue with this sport, there is so much out there that I want to try as far as equipment goes, but this is what I have found to make my runs more enjoyable.

  Running Tights- So I have always heard of Lululemon, however could not get myself to ever purchase these items because of the sticker price. However, when I started running this past winter I needed tights with pockets to carry my phone, tissue, etc. and these were the ones I found. I decided to purchase one pair to see what all the hype was about and sure enough I was in love-the material, pockets, and feeling on when running was enough to make me purchase a 2nd pair. Definitely a purchase worth every cent in my book. The same goes for the shorts listed below. – Lululemon. Fast and Free 7/8 Tight II

  Shorts– Lululemon Speed shorts, but also have found Nike to be comfortable as well.

  Tanks- Nike Dri-fit are what I love for the summer months. But as the cooler weather approaches, I will be looking at long-sleeve shirts and jackets.

  Brooks Running Shoes– I love my current Ghost 9’s that I purchased a couple months ago after experiencing foot pain in my previous shoes. I do recommend everyone go to a specialized running store and have someone observe or analyze your running gait before starting running. I am a neutral runner, so I do not need any special orthotics or shoe, but its so so important to have a shoe that fits your gait to prevent injury going forward.
  Samsung Gear Fit 2- this what I currently use to monitor my pace, HR, distance. It currently serves its purpose and also links to my phone which I love. Starting out I just wanted something basic and did not want to spend a lot of money on a sport watch if I was not going to use it.  As I continue with my passion for running I have my eyes on a Garmin at some point in the future.

  Jaybird x 3 Ear Buds, Earbuds are a definite must for me when running. If they do not stay in my ears I find that it makes my run miserable having to keep putting them back in my ears. I took a gamble on purchasing these, but in my head justified the cost of these if they served its function for being sweat-proof, good sound, and most of all would stay PUT in my ears during my runs. I can tell you these are a 100% improvement from my previous Taotronics and have had to adjust them a few times on my runs when its warm and windy, but have not trialed the other ear bud attachment sizes that were included, so that is most likely what I need to do to fix that problem. Very happy with this purchase.

  Flip Belt– I purchased this recently for my summer runs, as I was needing storage for my phone, ID, etc. when wearing shorts. Great purchase and serves its function.

  Road ID– Safety first when running is important to me. This item I wear on my wrist when running just in case I would ever pass out on my runs, since I mostly run alone. This bracelet has my name, along with my emergency contact names/phone numbers engraved on it if something were to ever happen to me.

  goodr Running Sunglasses– these are cute, inexpensive, and polarized sunglasses branded for runners to stay in place and protect our eyes. You can purchase a pair for less than $30, which I LOVE.

  Posted in Favorites, My Favorite Items | 0 Comments

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• MO’ Cowbell Half Marathon

  RaceOctober 7th, 2018