My First ZOOMA Run, and My Unintentional Detox

The first official run in the lead-up to July's ZOOMA Colorado Half-Marathon and 10K was two weeks ago. But we had no runners sign up for that one. So for me at least the action truly got underway today, my first Saturday in my new town, when I tagged along on a run led by Danielle, one of the other Boulder area ZOOMA ambassadors.

Happily for me, Danielle knows Longmont well, having grown up here, and she picked an awesome place to run: McIntosh Lake, about three miles from my new house. I ran over there to meet up with the group (three other ladies came out!). I planned to run there and then home afterwards and thus get six miles on top of whatever the group decided to do.

Before I describe the run, though, here's a picture of McIntosh Lake that I found through Creative Commons (photog was Mark DeVries--thank you, Mark!):

Longmont's further out on the plains than Boulder, which actually gives you a better view of the mountains.

Gorgeous, isn't it?

Now, we were there mid-morning, not at dusk, but the lingering cool from a week's worth of rain and a light breeze made for great running conditions as well as great views. Danielle, her eager dog, another runner named Joy (who is coming off an ultra!) and I decided to start by going around the lake. That's a 3.5 mile loop. Then we would think about whether to add miles or not.

I was already thinking a big N-O-T to that. My normally insatiable appetite still, as I type, has not recovered from the horrific stomach bug I had on Wednesday and Thursday (see the Unintentional Detox section below). I think I was low on glycogen, electrolytes and water, because I had to walk a lot on my way over to McIntosh (remember, that's only three miles) and then I was really breathing hard when Danielle and Joy and I started around the lake. I ended up walking the three miles home, which made for a 10-mile outing total and a mere seven miles of running. It was a BONK from the beginning.

But this run wasn't a failure at all. I had forgotten how much fun running with a group can be. Just chatting with Joy and Danielle (and later with Margie and Terry, two other ZOOMA runners whom we had missed at the meeting place but ran into on our way around the lake) made the time go faster. I didn't walk the miles I ran with them at all.

I'm looking forward to the other ZOOMA runs! If you want to join us, head to our Meetup group and sign up. And if you decide to do one of the ZOOMA races in July, I can get you a discount--so let me know!!

Unintentional Detox: So as I mentioned, I have no appetite. Still.

This is so weird for me! I love to eat!

Due to the stomach bug, I have lost two pounds (weight had been hovering at 133.8 for several weeks; this morning it was 131.8). I realize most of that loss is probably water, but it was still heartening to see that number on the scale. It's a number I haven't seen since 2006.

I've decided to take advantage and "detox" myself by eating only healthy foods and smaller amounts at that for as long as possible. And because I'm still vaguely nauseous I have had no problems sticking to this so far (two days--no world record, I know, but not bad for me, The Serial Breaker of Food Resolutions). Here's what I ate today:

Breakfast (pre-run): 1/2 cup of Cheerios; small bowl of fresh pineapple; 1 banana

Second Breakfast (post-run): 1 cup plain unsweetened Greek yogurt; 1 banana (one of the other runners this morning is a nurse who told me I'm probably low on potassium; cue the bananas)

Lunch: tons of fruit (blueberries, strawberries, grapes, pineapple); two slices Swiss cheese; one mini-bagel

Snack: one squeeze packet Justin's Honey Almond Butter (I love Justin's)

Dinner: two whole-wheat tortillas spread with one plain avocado; four or so baby carrots; 10 Greek olives

All I drank was water and some diluted G2 Gatorade on the run.

I'm psyched to be having no cravings (the lunch was even at yet another 4-year-old birthday party, where I had no interest in the potato chips or the rainbow cake pops). But I'm a little worried since the run felt so hard. Can I really eat like this and run well?

The Bolder Boulder is a week away. It's not my target race, but I'd like to do better than last year. After last week's Magnolia Rd. run, I was sure I would. Now I have to say...we'll see....