I started my lifestyle change with the intention of losing weight. I began running in May 2012 and ended the year as a runner, not a dieter. I count calories and run at least three times a week. I've recently added strength training and plan on many events in the years to come with an ultimate goal of finishing at least one full marathon in the next few years.
I'd like to blame everything but myself for being unable to run for at least three weeks. Truth is it's probably a combination of things, both my own and outside factors. I've been running weekly for a year now (usually 3-4 times per week). I've added cycling on my off days the last two weeks. I wrecked my bike the day before my event this weekend scraping up my left side and bruising just about everything.
The day started out fine. No pain, no worries....this 5k obstacle course was going to be a piece of cake. About half way through dodging the zombies my foot started to feel achy. I chalked it up to my shoelaces maybe being a little too tight - no big deal. About half way through, however, that ache got worse and worse to the point where it was throbbing at the finish line. I quickly changed out of my drenched clothes and trail shoes and noticed immediately the red area across the top of my foot. Something was definitely up. No sooner had I removed my shoe than my foot started to swell. Not good.
I iced and elevated for two days and when it wasn't any better on day three, I went to sports med. Three x-rays and $50 later and they can't "SEE" anything, but the doctor still thinks it's a stress fracture and wants to do an MRI. Well, I'm still paying for two surgeries and hospital stays from 2011 and am not about to pile on more debt now that I'm also taking on student loans. I turn down the MRI and take my chances. He says no running for 3-4 weeks. That much I can (reluctantly) do, but I will continue to walk and strength train. I've come too far to backslide my progress and with my Super Spartan a month away I can't just give up on exercise now.
The hard part is my schedule. I have Mudathlon this weekend and another obstacle 5k next weekend. I've invested too much into these and don't care if I have to walk the whole thing. I'm hoping I can immobilize my foot enough through bandage and KT tape that it won't worsen my situation. I can't recommend doing what I'm doing, medically speaking. For me, however, the heart of healing is the spirit as well. Optimism and determination go a long way in healing and if I'm to get better I can't be confined. I NEED to be moving, to be active, in order to be happy. Let's just hope my stubborn attitude doesn't extend my recovery time.
Every new runner has a barrage of questions, whether it's about schedule, shoes, events, nutrition....you name it. There is definitely a lot more to running than just getting out there and doing it, yet that's all there is to it at the same time. In an effort to corral some of the most popular tips and questions in one place, I figured I'd post a blog I can add to at any time so there's one central place for the tips, tricks, and issues commonly (forgive the pun) runnng through a runner's mind.
Pre-Race Jitters
Most runners, especially new runners, experience some nerves before an event. Whether it's their first 5k or their 10th, there's always that worry that you'll forget something, won't have a good run, etc. One way to fight the stress is to prepare, whether it's in training, your pre-race meal, or simply packing and double checking your gear the night before. Practice calm, meditative breathing. Remember, you've put in the work and you need to relax to realize the fruits of that hard work.
Run Schedule
Several people say they run every day, but every coach I've talked to and article I've read recommends against this. Running every day will overstress the muscles and joints and can eventually lead to injury which will flat line your running for a long time. Depending on what goal you're working toward, many suggest a basic 3-4 day per week run schedule. I, personally, run one basic 5k at my event pace, one day with speed work intervals (fartlek training), and one long run day. In between those days, I'm at the gym weight training and/or cross training with elliptical or on bike, and I take one day a week where I rest. By rest I mean NO training. I might clean the house, do laundry, run errands, or play with the kids that day... but nothing where I'm pushing my physical limits because your body does need time to regroup.
Toes
Runners toes aren't pretty. They get abused and end up with chipped polish, black toenails, MISSING
toenails, blisters, calluses, etc. I have found keeping polish on my
toes simply doesn't last. So, for when I'm going out in sandals I try to
be prepared. I keep a bottle of red polish on my nightstand and another
at my office, so if I throw on some sandals I have a quick touch up
available whether at work or home. (I actually wore sandals to the
office today then did a quick paint job when I got to my desk).
(not my toes)
Tying Your Shoelaces (Thanks to Runner Academy for this gem of a tip. It has changed how I lace up and since changing my lacing I have never had my laces come undone).
You are out enjoying your run or about to get a new training PR and
the next thing you know you look down and those shoelaces have come
undone yet again! Frustrating! Thankfully there is something really
simple you can do about it – tie them properly.
Most of us learned how to tie our shoes at a young age and likely
have thought nothing of it since then. It’s automatic. But if you are
doing it wrong you will notice it as a runner. The Problem: Most people tie an unbalanced knot which is known as a granny knot.
A granny knot is the most common reason for shoelaces to come undone.
It is caused when the starting knot and finishing bow don’t balance
each other. If your shoelaces are angled across your shoe or even
perpendicular you have a granny knot.
You want to tie a balanced knot also known as a reef knot. A
reef knot will not come undone when properly tied. This knot will sit
sideways across the shoe, and even tightens when you are underway rather
than working itself loose. As an added bonus, it looks better than a
granny knot.
The Fix: So how do you tie a balanced reef knot instead of a granny? Quite simple actually.
In fact, you only have to change one step of your shoe tying process
for trouble free running! Watch the video below and I will show you how.
The weather has warmed, everything is blooming and green again, and running season is in full swing. I find myself at the gym less and running outdoors more. Battling bugs and humidity as I did when I first started running a year ago this May. After a year of running I have several bibs and medals waiting to adorn my wall, as well as a full schedule this summer of events I'm participating in as well as a race I'm directing, and training I need to fit in so I can endure two half marathons a week apart.
While the scale hasn't been my friend, I have become stronger, able to endure and push to new personal bests (30:54 on the 5k in March where my first 5k in September 2012 was 43 minutes) (2:30:17 on my Mini Marathon where my previous half marathon best was 2:46), and more determined than ever to fully live up to being a RUNNER. I'm coaching a newer runner and watching her surpass the same difficulties we all have - breathing, stride, cadence, etc.
I feel bad for not have kept up with the blog but with so much going on it seems like if it's not writer's block giving me drama, it's simply not having enough time for all the sit down and type required. As the summer goes on, I'm going to keep a post of runner tips and tricks as I broaden my running resume. Hopefully that will help other new runners along the lines and if you have anything to add, feel free to put it in the comments section and I'll add it as I update.
By Jessica the Novice Mud Runner from Noblesville, IN on 3/25/2013
4out of 5
Pros: Solid support, Traction, Great Colors, Roomy toe
Cons: Tighter Heel Cup
Best Uses: Obstacle Course Races, Trail running, Hiking
Was this a gift?: No
I bought Peregrine for trail running, specifically the four obstacle course races I'm currently registered for. They've got great grip and embody everything I love about the Saucony running shoe, with a slightly stiffer construction to prevent sticks and rocks from poking from the sides of the shoe.
I know I've started to get horrible at keep up with my posts. It's something I told myself I wouldn't do. "You can't lag behind." "You have to keep it positive, informative, motivational, and interesting." Yet, somehow life sucks your time away and before you know it, it's almost a month since your last post. While I'm getting excited about warming weather and getting outdoors to run again, I thought I'd share a little more intimate side of this runner. Not because I want to air my dirty laundry or vent my frustrations to the World Wide Web, but because I am a person and have ups and downs, and because maybe, just maybe someone out there is going through something rough and my candid post helps them feel like they're not alone.
I feel like just as my world is coming together, it's falling apart. For the first time in my life I took accountability. I took control over my health, my career, and ran with it. As I have been fighting to lose the weight and gain fitness, falling in love with running as my release and sense of grounding, I have been losing my marriage. Somewhere between finding myself and regaining a side of me I lost so long ago, I have either let down or lost the interest of my husband. We've had a rough 12 years, but it seems so ironic that now that I am getting fit, losing weight and going back to college to get a better career he no longer seems interested in maintaining our relationship. It just knocks the wind out of me to think that just when things looked like a horizon to a "happily ever after" the carpet gets yanked out from beneath me, sending me sprawling across self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy and ultimately loneliness.
It's not physical, or so he says. He says I am in better shape and more beautiful than the day we married. Yet, he doesn't have a sense of affection towards me. Maybe it's because of all we've been through, maybe it's a midlife crisis. It was only last fall when he accused me of loving running more than loving him. And as laughable as I find that notion, I somehow think he's distancing himself because he doesn't want to see a stronger more driven side of me. Maybe he's intimidated? Maybe he's jealous of my new lifestyle while he refuses to give up smoking and greasy food? And while he tells me I could be happier with someone else, I find it so hard to just give up the family we've built, to throw away 12 years of our life together and just forget about someone who knows me so intimately.
It hurts. It hurts to go to bed alone while he plays virtual golf on the computer. It hurts to not have him wrap his arms around me. It hurts that he refuses to try working out with me or even come with me to a run. It hurts that he would not even consider cheering me on during a half marathon. And what do I do? I run. I pound the hurt into the pavement. I try to outrun the aching in my heart until the aching in my lungs numbs all other pain. I lift. I think of some of the hurtful and painful verbal jabs he's taken directly at my heart strings and pull or press out another rep. I push myself because it's what I have left.
I have me. I'm doing this for me. I began my journey and my lifestyle change for me. For my kids. To be the role model I should have been all along. To feel healthy and not be afraid of dying from obesity or diabetes or heart trouble. They say that the ones who are intimidated by you are the ones trying to hold you back. It's that much harder when it's the ones you love the most, but it's true. We all have critics and nay-sayers. We all have doubters and disbelievers. We have those who are supposed to love us and encourage us, secretly sabotaging us or trying to keep us from outpacing or outshining them. I love my husband. Despite the heart-breaking talks of divorce. Despite feeling like I'm a horrible selfish person, I love him. I love our memories of times where we laugh, where we're best friends. I cling to those and don't want to give up, but I'm not giving up on me either. I don't want to think it's a matter of choosing his unhealthy lifestyle to be closer to him or choosing my lifestyle to be a healthier me. I hope that's not the answer. I hope it doesn't boil down to that....
I recently stumbled across a great blog article that hit home with me about the not-so-glamorous side of running. Thanks to Anne Mileski for this great post in RunAddicts.net
When I first started running, I didn’t realize how my body would respond.
Granted, I became a lot stronger as time went on, but there were also a
lot of not so pleasant side effects to my new hobby. Here are a few of
the most common ailments I’ve encountered and how to prevent them.
Blisters
This might be the most common issue new and old runners alike find creeping onto their heels.
Blisters love warm, moist areas where they can creep in underneath friction. Fast feet definitely fall into that category.
To prevent blisters make sure that your shoes fit!
It seems obvious, but if your shoes aren’t properly sized, they won’t
sit correctly and will facilitate blister-loving conditions. Also, the
longer distances you run, the more you need moisture wicking socks.
They are made of special material to keep your feet dry, making it
harder for blisters to form.
Check out our in-depth article about blisters.
Shin Splints
The #1 culprit for that aching on the front of your legs? Your stride.
Lots of beginners tend to run on the front of their feet rather than on
the balls. Make sure you stay centered on your stride and don’t favor
one side of your foot. Shoes can be another one to blame. Good running
shoes will have enough cushion to take the shock of pounding your feet
on the pavement. Go to a good sporting goods store to check out
something with a little extra pad. While you’re there, have them check
out your old kicks to assess your stride. Kill two birds with one stone
by getting shoes that enhance your natural stride tendencies and
provide adequate shock absorption.
There has been a lot of discussion about the correct stride and there
are a lot of different opinions on the correct way to land your feet
while running. We’ll cover this in an upcoming article soon!
We have written a Runner’s Guide to Shin Splints.
Tummy troubles
Remember that rule about not swimming for an hour after you eat?
If you’re experiencing nausea after or while running, you might need to
apply that rule to your feet flying as well. However, the more likely
suspect is dehydration. Make sure that you’re drinking lots of water
throughout the day. Besides keeping yourself well hydrated, water is
your number one cleansing source, flushing away toxins and all the bad
stuff you might be encountering throughout the day and in your snacks. But even if you’re getting 8 glasses a day, you need to hydrate during your training runs. Especially if you’re running for longer than an hour.
Carry a water bottle or try a hydration pack to keep your energy and
hydration up. If running like a camel isn’t your style, plan your runs
around drinking fountains or some other sort of water spot. Read more about hydration.
Sunburn
Unless you’re continuously running at night, always take the proper precautions to protect yourself from the sun. Depending on your location, lather yourself up with SPF, wear a hat and
get some good polarized sunglasses. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Chafing, Toenails, and all the Gross Stuff
Long term, long distance runners can vouch for the fact that running isn’t always pretty.
Do yourself a favor and make like a girl scout: be prepared. Use
Vaseline or another type of body gel to cover spots that might rub
against your clothing to prevent chaffing. Keep your toenails short so
they don’t hit the front of your shoes when you’re heading down
hills–that way they won’t bruise or even fall off (seriously). As for
staying dry, make sure you have moisture wicking clothing and a hat or
headband to keep sweat from burning your eyes. As a fellow runner, I can tell you that I haven’t experienced all of these things in full force.
Some I experienced right off the bat (shin splints) and others I got a
little taste of when I started to run longer and further. You may
never get a blister, or you might have to take off a couple of weeks
because your knee ended up being more serious of a set back than you
imagined. As long as you are smart, armed with
resources and confidence about how to jump any hurdle, your training
will be unstoppable. Maybe even beautiful.
I was cleaning out my old Hotmail account and ran across this gem of an email sent by my friend back in 2005. It cracks me up each time I read it and thought I just had to share.
It's long, but SOOOOO WORTH THE READ!!!
If this doesn't make you laugh... you must be dead.
All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless removal - The Epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now...the wax.
My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom.
It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)
So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax," yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull. It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this!
Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire.
With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the wax strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my vfagina and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek. (Yes, it was a long strip) I inhale deeply and brace
myself.........RRRRIIIPPP!!!!
I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!.... OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!
Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the
strip. CRAP!!! Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly and
spotted. I think I may pass out...........must stay conscious...Do I hear
crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe...OK, back to normal.
I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me
so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the
glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip!
There's no hair on it. Where is the hair???
WHERE IS THE WAX???
Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the
hair.
The hair that should be on the strip. I touch. I am touching wax.
CRAP!
I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now
covered in cold wax and matted hair.
Then I make the next BIG mistake....... remember my foot is still propped
up on the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down.
DAMN!!!!!!!! I hear the slamming of a cell door. Vfagina? Sealed shut!
Butt?? Sealed shut!
I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and
think to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to poop. My head may pop
off!"
What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!! I'll run
the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the
wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off,
right???
*WRONG!!!!!!!*
I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture
prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit.
Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together,
is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub...in
scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax. So, now I'm
stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied myself to the
porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have
a phone put in the bathroom!!!!!
I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret
of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter!
"So, my butt and who-ha are glue together to the bottom of the tub!"
There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but
she does try to hide her laughter from me.
She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks
or hole or who-ha?" She's laughing out loud by now.....I can hear her.
I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the
box.
YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else's night.
While we go through various solutions. I resort to scraping the wax off
with a razor . Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered
in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then
dry-shaving the sticky wax off!! By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm
pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this
event. My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving
grace....the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What do I really
have to lose at this point?
I rub some on and OH MY GOD!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and
scared the dickens out of my friend. It's sooo painful, but I really don't
care. "IT WORKS!! It works !!" I get a hearty congratulation from my friend
and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then
notice to my grief and despair....
THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I
could have amputated my own leg at this point.
Next week I'm going to try hair color......
As a new runner, I came across several names for runs that were as foreign to me as the trying to speak Farsi. Now that I can officially say I am a seasoned Fartlek veteran, I'd like to share a little info on just what those runners are talking about.
Fartlek: a Swedish-named run that means "speed play". Fartlek is an unstructured run that alternates moderate-to-hard effort intervals with easy intervals throughout. After a warm-up, you play with speed by sprinting for short distances (say from one telephone pole to the next) followed by an easy pace for recovery. Then at the next pole try running faster but not sprint-speed, followed by another easy pace. You can mix the pace and distance. These alternating unrestricted intervals help enhance your muscle fire timing and when integrated regularly into your work can help improve your overall pace and stamina.
Tempo: Think of an Oreo cookie (yuuuum....cookies.....). Okay, think of a turkey on whole grain sandwich instead. The warm-up and cooldown are your bread, and the meat of the workout is a run at an effort that's at or slightly higher than your anaerobic threshold. It's is NOT comfortable and NOT easy, but NOT impossible. Think of this as one step beyond your comfort zone. You can hear your breathing, but you're not gasping for air. You can't talk easily, but if you can't talk at all you're pushing too hard. This is that level of "I'm pushing myself but not trying to win the race". Think of an effort where you can talk in broken words. Tempo runs increase your lactate threshold so in the long run you'll be able to run faster with easier effort. It's not a fun workout but a necessary one if you're training to PR or complete a longer run event.
Interval: These are short, intense efforts followed by equal or longer recovery paces. For instance, run hard two minutes, the jog 2-3 minutes, then repeat. These efforts should be harder than tempo runs where you're fighting for air and counting the seconds until you can stop. The recovery jog is a blessed time to recouperate before the next antagonizing interval. Interval training improves your running form, endurance and your running economy.
Now, you're probably left with more questions than answers, like what is anaerobic threshold? What's a PR? We'll get there in time. After all, I've only been running for 8 months at this point and am by no means an expert yet. What I can tell you is that I Fartlek weekly and it definitely played a key part in my overall increase in pace in the autumn months. I personally hate trying to do interval work on the treadmill because of having to hit buttons whenever I want to switch it up, but once the weather warms up I'll be out there sprinting between telephone poles again and working on achieving a sub-30 5k time.
One of the techniques I've been learning about as a runner is rolling, or more specifically myofascial rolling. It's a pre/post workout technique used to aid in injury prevention and/or recovery of the muscles, and while they say it may be uncomfortable when you start out in rolling, my personal opinion is that you have to really be a sadist to give it your full effort.
So, What is the myofascial system? It's a thin silvery sheath of tissue that covers the outer surface of your muscles, including individual muscle fibers. While science hasn't completely figured out the fascia, they have figured out that the fascia and muscle can get stuck together (whether from prolonged inactivity, injury, or overuse) and when this occurs it can cause knots (aka "trigger points") that restrict movement, reduce flexibility and hamper muscle function.
Why is rolling important? Rolling releases the fascia from the muscle and stretches the muscle fibers and tendons, increases blood flow and circulation to the soft tissue, allowing your muscles to recover better and even perform better when rolled pre-workout.
Some key points to rolling out:
Avoid bones and joins - keep the rolling on the muscle groups and soft tissue areas only
Roll over each target area repeatedly - it's not just a "one and done" kind of thing
If you find a painful area ("trigger point"), pause on that area for a few seconds to allow the tissue to soften
Expect discomfort. Tenderness and bruising is common when you first start rolling (this is where the sadistic part comes in). As you get more familiar with rolling, you may even want to upgrade to a denser roller.
While there are many areas you can roll out, I'm including some of the key areas I've needed as a runner. If you want the full guide, there's a pdf download from Ashley Borden that lists many areas of focus for myofascial rolling.
The IT Band has been a big one for me and when it's flaring this roll out definitely makes me flinch but the relief the next day from sticking with the roll out is so worth it.
Hamstrings are extremely important to us runners and if nothing else, this one exercise should at least be tried after a run.
My latest battle as a runner is a burning tightness in my calves. My run coach at Lifetime Fitness has attributed it to a combination of pushing too hard (too fast), treadmill running (I'm used to road runner but the weather has brought me indoors), and overuse (I've been doing shorter treadmill runs on back-to-back days instead of every other day outdoors). This next exercise is just what the doctor (or in this case, coach) ordered.
While rolling may not be for everyone (because it isn't the most comfortable thing to inflict upon yourself), it is a great technique to adopt for injury prevention and to naturally improve muscle performance. There are a variety of rollers out there in a variety of firmness. While my gym has the black high density foam rollers like the one pictured, I'm considering getting something a bit softer until I'm used to rolling.
May will be my one year anniversary for taking up running. I'm not sure at what point you could say I went from trying to run to actually being a runner. "Runner" had an awkward, uneasy feeling in my mouth for so long and despite the consistent three runs a week I did through the summer I just didn't feel like I was worthy of such a title. I am by no means a fast runner. I'm still striving to hit my first 5k time under 30 minutes. But at some point between those grueling summer weeks of Couch 2 5k and my second half marathon in December, the title of runner felt like a badge of pride and something I had earned.
For all of those that are still new to running or are unsure if you could ever be a runner, I hope this inspires you to not give up. I struggled for many weeks. Some of those Couch 2 5k sessions seemed impossible so I repeated them. There were days I dreaded going outside to run, but I did it anyway. I was scared to try an event, but I signed up anyway. I was intimidated to have my stepdad join me for the event (he's a lifelong runner and marathoner), but he came and ran by my side the whole way. Being a runner is being a part of this inclusive family, whether you are running a 5 minute mile or barely walking a 20 minute mile. It's the decision that you are not going to simply sit on the couch. You are going to move. Your legs are going to carry you.
I connected to the road and left my stress and troubles there, pounding the pavement apologetically. It has taken every emotion I have thrown at it, filled me with a sense of accomplishment and set me at peace when the only thing that made sense in my life was to run. The smells of my country road through the seasons are comforts and familiar to me, as is every crack and incline on those roads.
My running is routine and without it I get moody. Dressing for a run has become routine. I have a set process of gauging the temp for how I'm going to dress for the run. I prepare myself mentally as I put on my run clothes. My mind races and gets focused on the run as I lace up my shoes. Adrenalin and anticipation mount as I set my phone for my playlist and strap on my armband. It's an addiction that improves your life and leaves you feeling so emptied and filled at the same time.
I've pushed my limits as a new runner, increasing distance and pushing my pace. While I've been lucky to avoid injuries, I've adopted running aches. My hip aches after a long run, my knee is sore the next day from a hard run. These are accepted as minor inconveniences and don't deter me from the next run. I've backed off of hard runs and long runs after my last half. The cold air and ice have pushed me onto a treadmill. It's still running but it's lost the luster and thrill of chasing the pavement. I eagerly wait for the weekends with good weather for that outdoor run.
I didn't love running a year ago and running didn't love me. It's something I have grown to respect and in turn respect myself more for sticking to it and pushing through when it got tough. I remember how far I've come. I was once told I had COPD. I was once a smoker. I took pre-diabetic prescriptions to ward off insulin resistance. I was told I needed to go on heart medication and that my triglycerides and cholesterol were going to give me a heart attack. I have overcome all of these obstacles and with every step, every footfall leads me further and further away from that person I once was. Running unshackled me and continues to let me go as far as I'm willing to push myself.
I 'm sharing this link because I've been taping my bibs to a wall in my garage. This display is the perfect way to hold onto those keepsakes while keeping them in a display you can mount anywhere. Going to have to get me one of these after this year.
This race bibs hanger and medals display is just
the perfect way to enjoy and organize your race
bibs. All runners deserve to have a great
piece of wall art to be proud of in the house. The hangers exhibits a soft
distressed look with a touch of modernity. Our uniquely design race
bibs and medals hanger makes a wonderful
statements and acknowledgment of all your achievements.
One of the harder things I'm finding in life is how to balance everything. It's not joke that today's society seems to be trying to do everything at every moment and time is spinning wildly out of control. I almost feel like I have ADD when trying to deal with and balance everything I want to accomplish.
There was a time in my life where working past 6pm was a regular occurrence. Now, I am out the door at 5:00 to get to my workouts. It does make it harder to get projects done and I have sacrificed my 5:00 exit for a couple urgent things I had to get done as soon as possible, but I hit the gym immediately after...BALANCE.
I count calories and my family doesn't. They refuse to try many of the wholesome foods I want to add to our grocery list, but there are some things we compromise on. Reduced fat cheeses, fat free milk, low carb breads, lean meats, fresh fruit and veggies. These have been family-approved and while they're munching on Oreos I'm snacking on flax and oat bars. While they're eating potato chips, I'm enjoying hummus. We make it work in a way where I don't feel like it's all junk around the house and they don't feel like they're grazing cattle eating grass all the time...BALANCE.
I spent the majority of 2012 running every other day. Running became routine, but my scale has also not budged. With upcoming obstacle course races, I needed to add upper body strength. With the help of my new Lifetime Fitness membership, I have 2-3 days per week dedicated to weight training, but can also keep my run schedule going strong for the half marathons and 10k's in my future.....BALANCE
Outside of all these things, though, I'm finding my head spins when I try to find BALANCE in getting the housework done, managing our finances, cooking from scratch (and trying new healthy recipes), applying to scholarships for my upcoming return to college, and planning a fundraising 5k/10k for a local non-profit. There's a lot going on and it makes it so hard to concentrate on one thing, to prioritize one thing over another. I almost feel selfish in putting my workouts above the rest of it. The one thing I do know is that when I'm running or working out I leave it all outside.
It clears my head, puts my mind at peace and allows me to just relax, de-stress, and reset. I may not have BALANCE in everything yet, but it helps prevent a sense of panic from trying to find BALANCE in this world spinning out of control. I'll hopefully reach a point of equilibrium one day, where it's not so hard to figure out what to tackle next and what deadline to focus on next. That day is not here, but for now I BALANCE the panic with my workouts and put the world on pause for just a little while because when it's just me and sweat and effort, my compass stops twirling. That needle settles on north and I am focused on improvement and being better tomorrow than I was yesterday. That steady improvement flies in the face of constant chaos and encourages me to keep in pursuit of my goals of self improvement and finding BALANCE.
In today's world, "normal" is a vast inclusive range in which the vast majority seems to fall and yet feel excluded from at the same time. "Normal" refers to our happiness, our job, our family life, our diet, our weight, our hobbies, and the list goes on and on. One thing that is quickly becoming evident in my journey to being fit is that what doctors and lab tests call "normal" may add up to something completely ABNORMAL.
Case in point, I've had insulin issues for the last decade. Not diabetes, mind you (although my grandma is diabetic), but my body makes too much, dubbed "hyperinsulinemia". Because there's too much in my bloodstream, the body has become "immune" to receiving it and efficiently processing the glucose it is there to convert (insulin resistance). In any case, modern medicine's solution was a glucose inhibitor frequently prescribed for diabetes. Again....I'm told over and over that I do NOT have diabetes but have had to take it for the last decade.
In addition to the blood tests to find out that little gem, I was also put through tests for thyroid and cortisol. Both came back "NORMAL" but in the low range of normal. So what does that mean? I was justified in feel off - fatigued, losing my hair, stressed out, knowing my body was "off" somehow, but lab tests still said it was within the fringes of what medicine considered normal. So, I accepted the professional medical opinion. I resigned myself to the outlook that while it was low it was still "normal" so I was find and was just being overly sensative to feeling "off". No matter how little I ate or how much I exercised the weight just would not budge.
Fast forward to today. I had my metabolic assessment at Lifetime Fitness. A little health and fitness test to determine where your body is in health and the best track of diet and exercise for you to pursue. What I found out is that over the last year of dieting and exercising, I have managed to reverse my glucose and insulin issue through diet & exercise rather than relying on pills. I have lowered my cholesterol and triglycerides to low and healthy levels. In fact, the only issues that remain are my HDL and adrenal function are low. The fatigued, stressed feeling holding me back originally is still the thorn in my side.
I've read the symptoms and natural remedies out there and I'm hoping it will be manageable by further altering my diet to focus on increasing lean protein and further limiting carbs, but all these years of trusting a doctor telling me I was "normal" has led to it being the one thing holding me back. I hope that I get these two numbers where they should be and the weight just starts melting off. I hope that it will be the answer that "normal" doesn't always mean "normal" because it would be an amazing accomplishment to show that modern medicine in all their over-priced tests and prescriptions couldn't fix what old-fashioned hard work and self-reliance is able to correct.
I know with the New Year everyone resolves to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise, blah blah blah.... The truth is, most of the New Year's resolutions fail. Gym memberships go unused and people quickly lose motivation. I realized long ago that my New Year's resolutions were a crap shoot. The one I have thankfully kept is from 2009 where I quit smoking. I remember it being close to midnight New Year's Eve and about two months in to my six month battle with pneumonia. I choked as I smoked my last cigarette and began my long recovery and new life as an ex-smoker.
Over the years I've learned it takes more than a calendar day to set a goal and stick to it. You have to have something special. That fire that burns no matter how hard things get. Something has to drive you from within, a determination that failure is not an option. For me, I surprised myself. When it came to finding the right drive to change everything I'd been doing, it was the fear of leaving my kids without a mother. That fear of succumbing to pneumonia helped me quit smoking and in November 2011 the doctor telling me I needed to start heart medication prompted me to change everything I knew about taking care of myself. After a year of sticking to calorie counting and adding running to my regular workout, I'm ready to make a new resolution and stick to it.
For 2013, I have resolved to be STRONGER. I don't just mean buff and hulking out, but to be able to stand on my own resolute of who I am and sure of myself that I will not be defeated. I'm taking a stand against tempting days when a burger and fries sound REALLY REALLY REALLY good. I'm not going to give in to that inner voice that says I can take it easy today because I've earned it. I have a long road behind me of progress and a long road still ahead and it's going to take strength of body, strength of mind and strength of spirit to get me there.
It's funny what motivates you. Outside of the fear, there's certain quotes, images, and words that fuel that inner fire. STRONG is one for me. It speaks to me in so many ways. My mom would be the first to tell you've I've always been strong-willed, aka bull-headed. I was born STRONG. I was not one to give up easily when I didn't get my way and somewhere along the line I lost my confidence and a part of who I was. I gave up that strength and gave in to outside pressures. I lost myself and that inner fire dimmed. It took a lot to find that fire again and each day, each new attempt, each workout, each event, each running bib and medal fuels that fire. I hate to liken myself to a phoenix because it has become so cliche, but I feel like what has clawed its way out of the barely glowing embers is something brighter and so much STRONGER than before. This last year has shown me just how STRONG I am inside and for 2013 I plan on pushing what I've got on the outside to grow closer in strength to what's inside.
