As you may know, I LOVE my carbs.

Complex Carbs Are Good Carbs.  They are the ones that give your body the best fuel. They are usually found in foods high in fiber, which break down more slowly, giving you a steady blood sugar level through the day and making you feel less hungry and irritable when mid-afternoon rolls around.

• Fresh fruit, ideally those with a low glycemic Index like apricots, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries

• Non-starchy vegetables

• Whole grains and foods made from whole grains, such as certain types of bread and cereal

• Nuts

• Legumes

• Dairy products that are not sweetened with sugar, such as yogurt, sour cream, cheese and milk

Simple Carbs are Bad Carbs and should be avoided. Your body quickly breaks down simple carbs, giving your blood sugar a spike and sending you running back to the kitchen or snack machine within hours of your last fix.

• Refined grains like white bread, white rice and enriched pasta
• Processed foods such as cake, candy cookies and chips
• White potatoes
• Sweetened soft drinks
• Sugar

Of course, bad carbs help you when you need a sudden rush of energy such as for RUNNING.

Except for my passion for desserts, I do try to eat “Good Carbs.”

Happy Running!  Do you eat Good Carbs?

Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning “speed play.” A fartlek is an informal type of speed work. The idea is to sprinkle in bursts of speed while running.

A great way to integrate fartleks is in the easy run. Pick a point that is not too far ahead of you. It could be a lamp post, street sign, roadside tree or any stationary object a few hundred feet away. Pick up your pace and run hard towards that point. When you reach your destination resume your easy run pace until you feel recovered. Repeat the process with another landmark. Continue this for the rest of your run and then cool down for a mile or so.

On the treadmill you run the same way and increase your speed for short periods.

Fartleks improve your running because they teach you to run fast.

Working fartleks into your workout will break up the run and make it more enjoyable.  it is recomended that you add fartleks to your run only once or twice a week.

I never did fartleks while I was injured or recovering from an injury. But I used to when I was healthy.  I would run as fast as I could to the mailbox and then slow it back down.  On the treadmill, I would turn it up and then turn it down.  I added them to my runs just to mix it up.

Now that I am healthy (or close to it), I am thinking fartlek again. (Nothing feels so good as running fast and feeling like puking…only kidding!)

Me in my dreams!

The real ME at the end of my race last Sunday.  It was my fastest since since I think June 2011!!!

proof that I finished in 28:XX

Happy Running!  Do you do Fartleks?

Writing a blog motivates me to run and keep running.  In fact, I started my blog when I started running.  It keeps me accountable.  I can keep track of my running and my races. I can look back to see how I did on a particular race (esp. course details).  I can whine.  I can complain.  (I even blog when I am injured and can’t run.) I can even brag. And I can ask for advice.

More important are the bloggers.  The ones whose blogs I read faithfully and those I read occasionally.  The blogs that make me laugh and the ones that make me cry.  The ones that I comment on.  The ones that make me say “Me too” or “I didn’t know that.”  And most importantly, those who not are just bloggers but my FRIENDS.

I met AJH through blogging

I met Suzy & Amanda (to my right) through blogging

I met Felice (on the left) through blogging

I hope to meet many more bloggers. Hint…hint!!

Happy Running!  Why do you blog?  Do you read a lot of blogs?