The VT50 Plan

Here is the plan.  I have been studying the website, the blog & the race director emails.   Planning for the VT50 to be sure I feel comfortable has really got me excited about the day, but need to be ready and have a plan.  I know it seems crazy after all of the marathons I have done to be so nervous, but the difference in this "race" is the mileage, the need to be patient and not to push too hard in the beginning is more important than ever.  There is a need to be smart and coherent throughout so nutrition will be essential - leading up to the race and during the race too.  

What to wear? :)

Fanny pack:  Phone, camera with video capacity

GU, bars, water

Shorts & tech tank shirt

Taper Time!

Sleep at least 8 hours a day for 2 weeks

Trail running & hill climbs with intermittent walking

Double digit challenge up until taper time

Aid Stations

Steve, Jill & Jim are planning on being there for support and to meet me at the 3 locations

	#1 Coon Club	Both	M4.2	5:45 AM	9:30 AM
	No handler access		No drop bags	Next Aid K3.3/ M 4.3 miles
	#2 Dart’s	50M	M8.5	6:15 AM	8:30:00
	No handler access		No drop bags	Next Aid 3.83 miles
	#4 Skunk Hollow	50M	M12.3	6:30 AM	9:25 AM
	Handler Access		Drop bags	Next Aid 7 miles
	#5 Garvin Hill	50M	M19.3	7:15 AM	11:20 AM
	No handler access		No drop bags	Next Aid 3.9 miles
	#6 Cady Brook	50M	M23.2	7:15 AM	12:15 PM
	No handler access		No drop bags	Next Aid 4.4 miles
	#7 Margaritaville	Both	K10.5 miles, M27.6	7:30 AM	1:35 PM
	No Handler access		No Drop Bags	Next Aid K2.4 M4.3 miles
	#8 Dugdale's	Both	K12.9 miles, M31.9	7:45 AM	2:20 PM
	Handler Access		Drop Bags	Next Aid K5.4 M5.4 miles
	#9 Fallon’s	Both	K18.3 miles, M37.3	8:15 AM	3:25 PM
	No handler access		No drop bags	Next Aid K3.8 M3.8 miles
	#10 Goodman’s	Both	K22.1 miles, M41.1	8:30:00	4:25 PM
	No handler access		No drop bags	Next Aid K6.1 M6.1 miles
	#11 Johnson’s	Both	K28.2 miles, M47.2	9:15 AM	5:45 PM
	Handler Access		Drop Bags	2.8 Miles to Finish!!!!

3 Drop Bag opportunities: 

What to put in the drop bags - 

Extra shoes, extra socks, water, GU20, GU, Other nutrition, hat, extra tech shirt, shorts, Body Glide, Sunscreen towel &  first aid

Notes: 

8900 feet of climbing

50/50 road and trail

Fastest female time from 2010:  7:22:19

Fastest male time from 2010:  6:36

Cut off time:  12 hours 

(they will sweep you off the course if they think you can't make the cut off time)

Link to Course notes

See below elevation profile of the course

Finish Line: 

 2 Bottles of Cook's Champagne

Extra set of clothes

Sandals

Fleece or Nano Puff

Blanket for the ride home  :)

Yahoo!  Here we go ----  18 days and counting.....

Tweet

Coddled Eggs

How to Coddle Eggs 

2 eggs
salt, pepper
cheese, peppers, mushrooms, sausage, bacon (your choice) Boil the water to reach the top of the coddler, but not over the top
First grease the inside of the coddlers with olive oil or butter
Add eggs and choice of ingredients
Tighten the tops of the coddler - tight but not too tight
Use fork to transport coddler to and from the boiling water
Boil for 10 minutes

 Enjoy

Scavenger Hunt - August 4, 2011

Stairs
A hiker's backyard paradise is where I live and run the trails... this is the stairway to the back woods.  We often see deer and other animals wandering and enjoying the natural landscape.  This has been a 4+ year project - power spraying and clearing with my husband's favorite toy - his John Deere tractor  - We have created this wondrous beauty of a rock where once was a pile of dirt and weeds.  

Macro

Beautiful mushrooms in our woods!

 Clouds 

Our trip to Mt Hood, OR was amazing in July - I haven't had a chance to share all these photos so I thought this one was perfect for this category.  

 Abstract

Sharing our project from yesterday.  It took a while, but Schuyler insisted on making a "home made" soccer goal.  Ingredients:  Raised flower bed wood, sheet, safety pins, rope and of course duct tape! Voilla!  

Smile
The best smiles of the week! 

Schuyler's first day of 4th grade! 

Elizabeth the bus driver!

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate.
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. Creativity is also encouraged!
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive 
4. Link up to Ashley on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above.
5. Leave comments for at least five entries around yours (we have so many new participants each week, this is the only way I know to be inclusive).
6. Have fun! 

First Day of Fourth Grade!

Schuyler's first day of fourth grade was a success!

Starting out with a healthy breakfast of Eggos & a Chocolate Protein Shake (mom's recipe!)  :)  

Favorite color:  Green

Favorite clothes:  Anything athletic with NO zippers

Teacher:  Ms LaVigne (Schuyler says she is "fit"!)

School:  Chestnut Hill Community School (a new school this year for Schuyler!) 

Friends:  Veronica, Erick, Chris, Jared, Frankie, Evan & more!

Soccer Team:  U10 Stingers - PVJSL

Pack 57 Cub Scouts -- first year Weebelo :)

Looking forward to a great school year!!

Below are a couple of my favorite photos from the first day of school... when moms are allowed to take photos all morning!  ;)

      

Kara's Carrot Souffle

This is a great recipe that my marathon friend - Kara - brought to our Boston Marathon 2011 party.  YUM!  Got to try it myself and soon.  When I do I will add a photo!  Photo below is of all the local Belchertown girls who ran Boston with my guest Dream Team girl Jill!  
  

Recipe:
* 7 cups chopped carrot (about 2 pounds)
* 2/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
* Cooking spray
* 1 teaspoon powdered sugar


* Preheat oven to 350°.


* Cook carrot in boiling water 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Place carrot in a food processor; process until smooth. Add granulated sugar and next 7 ingredients (granulated sugar through eggs); pulse to combine.


* Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until puffed and set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.



** I used WAY less sugar and no powdered sugar on top. Most of the rest was the same...

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - August 28

Our trip to Mt. Hood this summer put us behind on our boating summer activities this year.  It has been a late start and we haven't got out on the Connecticut River as much as we would like, but the times we have been out there have been amazing, relaxing and memorable.  I love photography on the water.  Everything just seems to pop!  I am sharing all boat adventure photos below taken in the past month and love everyone of these shots.  Hope you do too!  

Old and New

This is our boat on the right (new - less than 3 years) next to another Moomba that is an older model.  We have met the couple that own that boat and they are water skiers too.  It is a fun place to be in the summer, with other people that enjoy playing on the water like we do.   We had to pull her out of the water to prepare for Hurricane / Tropical Storm Irene and she got to spend some quality time with her old "friend" the Mobius.  :)

Night Photography

Schuyler loves to play on the boat -- his smile and "dance" are fun to watch!  This late trip with the Challenger coaches proved to get some cool night photos. :) 

Music
The quiet of the docks without all the boat --- the quiet before the storm --- I can hear the "music" when there is no noise, no people, no action -- soothing beauty - the music of the river.   Hurricane / Tropical Storm Irene is looming and all the boats are off the water and put to rest in order to get the docks out before craziness hits!

Cheesy

Schuyler being cheesy, refusing to say "cheese",  but actually giving me a great shot of him -- being CHEESY.   Hanging out on the boat with his friend Chris.

Sun

Schuyler last ride in the sunset. 

Gorgeous wake! :)

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate.
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. Creativity is also encouraged!
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive (although I'm not too strict about it - I do my best to take fresh shots).
4. Link up here on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above.
5. Leave comments for at least five entries around yours 
6. Have fun!

The "Wild Ride" on the CT River!

   

Twas Ever Thus

Grafiti below the bridge on the Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge in Northampton.... I took this photo when we were out on the Connecticut River on our Moomba.  A sense of peace on the water overwhelms me and the photography on the water just seems to "pop"

"'twas ever thus"

a quote derived from a poem written in 1817 

by Thomas Moore

Oh! ever thus, from childhood's hour,  

     I've seen my fondest hopes decay; 

I never lov'd a tree or flower,  

     But 'twas the first to fade away. 

I never nurs'd a dear gazelle,     

  To glad me with its soft black eye, 

But when it came to know me well,      

 And love me, it was sure to die! Now too —

 the joy most like divine      

Of all I ever dreamt or knew, 

To see thee, hear thee, call thee mine, —       

 Oh misery! must I lose that too?

I really like it in black & white

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - August 21

Geometry

Loved this little squirrel the other day - cleaning up after the kids at the Challenger Soccer Camp in Amherst.  See the geometric shapes behind him... natures own background (or should I saw "non-Nature"  ;))

Brushstrokes

Strokes of color -- celebrating Samantha's birthday on the Connecticut River yesterday.  Love Cook's champagne and our fun glasses on the boat.  :)

Hanging by a Thread

Learning how to slalom waterski.  This photo is Samantha, my step daughter "hanging by a thread" trying to pull herself up out of the water on one ski.  It is not as easy at it looks --- and you can see the water in her face, streaming up her nose as she struggles to get this "high" out of the water.  She tried 4 times and to get this "high" is considered a true success of determination.   Next time she will be up and skiing -- guaranteed.

Collage

Learning how to dive with Uncle Jim & Cousin Jason at the Cook Family Summer party.  Schuyler loves the water and it was wonderful to watch his uncle teaching him how to dive.  Jason Cook, his cousin is an amazing diver from Amherst and dives with the UMASS College team.  You can see his twist in the air - just goofing around that afternoon.  Very cool!  

On the dotted Line

I absolutely love the ducks on the river.  When we got there in July we found that one of the mother's had baby ducklings.  So amazing and beautiful to watch her take care of them all --- in a row -- following her --- on the dotted line.  :) 

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate.
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. Creativity is also encouraged!
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive (although I'm not too strict about it - I do my best to take fresh shots).
4. Link up here on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above.
5. Leave comments for at least five entries around yours 
6. Have fun!

Tutti Fruity Power Shake

My recovery drink of choice!  In preparation of running my 28th marathon in New York City - I have slimmed down by watching what I eat, counting the calories and trying to limit eating and drinking what I love in moderation.  My miles have increased and my recovery is so important to being able to get back out there again and hit the pavement with more miles at a faster pace.  After going through chemotherapy for my lymphoma this past year my body is really in tune to what fuel I ingest.  So the recipe is lots of salads, protein, fruits and water!  My whole grains are limited, but I love Heritage cereal in the morning.
 We love our Vitamix for juicing and mixing our protein drinks.  Best investment ever!

Here is my Power Shake recipe that I zap together in my Vitamix every other day - unless there are high mileage days that just need that extra boost!  Try it! You will love it too!

1 cup Orange juice
1/2 cup Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 banana
1 scoops Whey Protein (Vanilla Ice Cream flavor)
1 scoop GU2O powder (or your electrolyte powder of choice)
ICE

Optional:  Mix it up with frozen mango or pineapple too!

Blend it up in your Vitamix or blender

Serve it up cold in a frosted mug!

So yummy and refreshing and it give me a LOT of energy!  :)