As I write this post I wonder if I’m the only one aware that the seasons are doing that sneaky, yet subtle, shift. Darkness has fallen earlier stealing the long lazy evenings with lingering daylight that I fully embrace.
Long evenings allowing me to go out and do work on my projects or just enjoy the cooler air as the sun has dropped over the horizon. Long evenings where the breeze caresses my skin and I can watch light gradually fade and the moon begin to rise.
But that has changed. The long evenings have been replaced by earlier darkness forcing me to wrap up outside work. As much as I embrace fall, I miss aspects of the summer season.
Anyone else relate?
Not my backyard, but somewhere in the world…..
Right now though in south Texas we will enjoy a variety of weather as we get crisp fall mornings yet still have afternoons that are definitely comfortable short weather. This can go on for months. It’s always a toss up to what we get.
Hey after all, only earlier this year we got snowed in not only once, but twice, in the same week.
Surreal. Absolutely surreal. For all of us it was a weird, most likely, once in a lifetime thing.
A few of the many pics from that epic week
Ok and I get it. If you’re up north or in parts of the world you see this all the time, don’t send me hate mail over my snow pics. 😉 you are not impressed with this stuff. I get it. Hopefully, we won’t see that kind of winter this year!
Ok…on to other topics….
We did have a nice chilly morning this week which had me digging out a bit more clothing for my outdoor activities. I had recently gotten new shoes so I wanted to start logging some miles on them ( Did a little over 4)
Black. What all cool kids wear. My new Asics are too.
As I’ve shared briefly in previous posts, I had a total knee replacement in April. I just hit my 6 month out. I figure I’ll be doing a post on my experience fairly soon. I have chronicled things from the start and have tried to use my voice to encourage or help others in this process.
Meanwhile….I’ve not exactly been doing nothing…
On the bike….Strength training
I’ve got goals ya’ll. But we will chat more about that later.
In things that make me laugh….
My granddaughters critters watching the football game
We arrived at my grandsons football game Saturday and my granddaughter has positioned her critters with a front row seat for the game. In a crazy world, I constantly embrace the beauty of my grandkids and the simplicity of childhood.
And listen, if you don’t have any of these yet, they are totally worth it. You love them in such a special different way. ❤ I feel beyond, and I mean, beyond blessed and fortunate that my kids grew up, started their families and wanted to have their homes on family property ( cool when you have space for them to do that) I mean, they liked us enough to stick around 😜
In other news….
I’ve shared before about my vintage business and love for old things. I got this pink stool earlier in the week. If there’s a time period that fascinates me, it is the short lived 50s pink kitchen era. So to find a pink stool, even if it was dirty and needed a cleaning, was impossible to pass up. Now the question remains, will it go to my shop? 🤔
Original ad for the common kitchen stool
Before I leave you…
I’ve gotta share a few recipes I’ve used lately. Having a big family that likes to hang out and eat, I’m always testing new foods.
Here’s one of my favorite “one pan ” recipes that’s always popular.
And another popular dinner. I cannot tell you how delicious this is…try it!
And of course I need to leave you with a dessert. And what’s better than a fall inspired one called Fresh Apple cake. I’ve made this like 3 times this month. The beauty of this recipe? Stir it all into one bowl, pour in pan and bake. The frosting is cooked in one pan on stove that you pour on top.
So boys and girls, for fun today, I thought we would discuss the benefits of the elliptical machine.
Let me state, I usually prefer to be out on the road and not on machines, but there are times and places for everything.
Sometimes I use it as a warm up for strength training, about 15-20 minutes to loosen my old body up. Sometimes I use it at the beginning and end with weight training in the middle, makes for a nice solid workout.
The other day though, I just felt like slamming out a serious cardio sesh so I did a little over an hour on it.
The thing I love about that? It gives me the same exhausted, sweaty,exhilarating feeling I can get with a solid run.
Which I’ll take, since running is off my plate for now. 😑
It’s not all fun and games
In the comparison of running to the elliptical it works like this for me :
First 10 minutes on it…..”Oh my word, are we done yet? Why am I doing this??”
20 minutes in…..sweat has been free flowing for awhile, I’m keeping a steady pace, thinking “ok maybe I’ll do 30 minutes ”
35 minutes in, all of my favorite metal music in my ear, I’m totally in my zone thinking “hey I’ll just do 45 minutes….”
40 in, “I forgot how amazing this feels, I’ll stop at 50”
Then…..I’m hitting that hour mark….
Sweat in my eyes, blinded by it, heart strongly pumping, breathing hard because I’ve gone all out in the last minutes……
There is something so therapeutic about it, something cleansing and satisfying in the work of it.
Ok…but admittedly I’m a weirdo and you may not get the same sick thrill from it I do.
But can I share some positive benefits of tackling it for any time period?
Benefits of elliptical training
It can aid weight loss. A 30 minute session can burn between 150-400 calories.
It’s low impact. So if you have any joint issues it is a perfect non impact exercise that can pack a good cardio punch.
Offers a whole body workout. Not only using the stepping motion for lower body but using handle levers that work with the upper body give a total body workout.
A big boost for your cardio health. Love it or hate it, cardio exercise benefits your heart and lungs, strengthening them so they can do their work more efficiently with less work. Spending 20 -30 minutes on the elliptical will greatly help your heart.
Improves cardio stamina. A high intensity session of 15 minutes or moderate for 30 minutes will greatly improve cardio stamina. Building yourself up will also allow you to have more stamina in other exercises.
Helps to improve balance and mobility. Elliptical trainers are good for conditioning your body for better balance and mobility.
The Elliptical trainer workout also helps improve blood circulation. Better blood circulation helps maintain oxygen flow to all parts of the body. It boosts immunity, reducing the risk of diseases and chronic sickness. Good circulation also keeps the vital organs healthy and helps improve sleep quality. It also reduces your skin and hair issues.
Spending just 5 minutes on the elliptical machine can help you feel less stressed. That’s because exercising releases serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone. Serotonin has blood pressure-lowering or antihypertensive effects.
Doing low-intensity or moderate-intensity elliptical workout every day can have a positive effect on hypertension. However, you must consult your doctor if you are taking medicines for hypertension or have undergone major surgery.
Elliptical exercise is weight-bearing. This means your muscles and bones need to work to push the pedals. This causes muscle wear and tear, which is good for building stronger muscles and bones. This workout is great for people with osteoporosis and those with a high risk of fracture.
There you have it! Some positive and beneficial reasons to try out and implement an elliptical into your fitness routine.
Now your turn, have you tried one before? What is your take on it?
So the biggest game in football happened this past weekend, the “creme de la creme” culminating the year in football.
I’m happy Kansas won. After a 50 year hiatus they came in with an impressive finishing win.
Then… then….there was the half time show.
The half time show is either a time people go get food and another beer or they settle in waiting to see the million dollar entertainment.
Well, let’s just say those who watched the show seemed to have lots to say. The internet has been a plethora of opinions, much like my Facebook newsfeed.
This post is written from my personal opinion. You may have a different one.
That’s alright too.
Our opinions are shaped by everything from our age, the generation we were raised in, our upbringing, the things we deem important and valuable, to our own personal moral convictions.
So many factors shape our personal opinions.
It’s ok to have different opinions and respect each other in those opinions.
Life would be really boring if we all thought alike.
What does bug me though are opinions grounded in ignorance. A little education goes a long way on a topic to present a more informed opinion. You lose me with an ignorance based opinion.
With that being said..on with the show.
It was “good/bad”.
Those were some comments I first saw. But look, the whole “good or bad” thing is totally subjective based on well, what you, personally like.
Your thoughts on the overall quality of show are based on your music tastes, your entertainment preferences, and even your personal thoughts and feelings on how performers are dressed and perform.
This years entire show was very Latin themed (obviously) but if Billy the cowboy had been on, or someone’s favorite hip hop artist with every fourth word getting bleeped out, (or whoever) were featured artists then I’m sure those people would’ve declared it “good!” and “awesome!”
Why? Because it would’ve fallen in areas that they enjoy and prefer.
An opinion of “good or bad” is totally subjective.
The players
Of course this years heading line duo was Shakira and Jennifer Lopez ( J Lo) . Now if I were to believe some things I’ve read you would think people had no idea what these women did.
For years…years…they have been singers and dancers. High energy singers and dancers. J Lo is also an actress.
They are entertainers.
So unless you’ve lived under a rock you would know these women are powerhouses in their industry.
I expected no less than a high octane performance with lots of Latin moves.
The rhetoric
I’ve read so many posts screaming about how inappropriate they were dressed, the the dancing, the pole dance and belly dancing.
Oh my, we will get to those items in a moment.
First, I thought their costumes were more covering and fitted than some artists I’ve seen in the past. Skimpy? Yes. Does it go with what they do as performers, also yes.
Were they covered way more than what you and your family can view on a public beach or at the pool? Also yes.
I mean last year Maroon 5’s frontman, Adam Levine, was out there in nothing but well fitted jeans, and his tatted very well muscled chest on display.
I didn’t have a problem with that 😜 but c’mon, technically he was half naked. Let’s stop double standards.
And people went crazy…especially the women. And this year the women are too, just in a different way.
Angry women
I have to admit to a huge amount of shock as I’ve read post after post of women ranting labeling these performers as everything from “floozies, poor role models, trashy, vulgar, etc etc” I know there were alot more adjectives used…..ah the judgement.
Fortunately, I’ve also got some women in the other camp who cast a different eye at it.
Ha..I’m not alone 😜
Shakira and JLo delivered a high octance show that was Vegas worthy.
Here’s the deal, again my humble opinion.
All the sudden the show starts and there are two stunning, strong, confident, athletic, fit middle aged women (Shakira is 43, J Lo 50)
Totally killing it.
They looked amazing and the cardio out put of that show no one could’ve kept up with.
These women are mothers and powerful business women. They are at the top of their game.
I dare say, there were alot of women munching chips and cheese dip behind their tv screen all the sudden being reminded that they’ve gained weight and are out of shape and maybe its time to get back to exercise and doing a check on the nutrition.
Maybe there were elements that made them uncomfortable personally, and not because of the costumes and dancing.
On the other hand I had many friends making jokes on how they needed to start working out again.
As a middle aged woman and an athlete, I was in awe of what they brought. I’m not intimidated by other women so I guess I just studied it all in a different way.
It’s not family friendly!
Really.
The half time shows almost always have an edge to them. And come on, who remembers Janet Jacksons MAJOR wardrobe malfunction years ago? Beyonce’s performance was pretty….shaking, grinding, wiggling in less clothes with plenty of crotch angles.
I also want to know….whose kids are all actually clustered around the tv watching the game and gearing up for half time show?
Mine were always running around and now as adults, still care less about the show.
If you happen to have children who actually sit and watch game and are waiting eagerly for the entertainment, you as the adult, if you feel what is coming on isn’t “family friendly” have the ultimate remote control power to change the channel.
Simple.
Belly dancing and pole dancing, oh my!
If I had a quarter every time that was brought up..well.. I’d have a whole lotta change.
My eye rolls though….🙄
Listen, last time I checked, these activites aren’t cardinal sins.
My favorite thing I’ve read is indigent Karen and Becky proclaiming it as “porn”.
Now I’m not a huge expert here, but I’m pretty sure, fairly confident, that isn’t porn.
I took belly dancing classes years ago ( oh my, I did).
You know what I learned?
It is crazy hard. It’s a ton of work.
You have to learn to move your hips while completely isolating movement of other parts of your body. You have to learn to use your arms while doing mentioned activities with hips.
It’s like patting your head and rubbing your tummy, doing it quickly
It is work and a huge talent.
My core was so sore after each session
Gosh, no wonder Shakira’s abs looked amazing.
This was also a nod to her Lebanese heritage, so many want to ignore that.
The pole dancing with J Lo?
Listen it was really no shock she put that in her show giving a nod to her most recent movie where she learned to pole dance in preparation for it.
Again, being able to do that requires a tremendous amount of strength and power to do gymnastic moves up and down that pole.
I can tell you there wasn’t a single male athlete Sunday who could’ve done what she did. None.
Are these poles used in mens clubs? Yes (I’ve heard ) so many women keep saying that 😉
Are the poles unto themselves, sexual?
No.
People need to stop sexualizing so many things that don’t need to be.
FYI, it is on my bucket list to try. Does that make me morally awful? Trashy? Not a good parent? Pretty sure I won’t be in alot of clothes learning to do it either.
We need to stop sexualizing so many things in our world today that aren’t.
What do we need to address?
Let’s bring this home, right in our back yard.
Let’s talk about our girls and young women in our town, family, friends etc and how they are portrayed, in a way, sexualized, before they should be.
Human trafficking is an awful thing. The super bowl isn’t the vehicle for it. Can it contribute in some way? Possibly.
Human trafficking is far closer home than the super bowl.
Let’s talk about little girls in dance classes and beauty pageants.
I’ve seen costumes that make me raise my eyebrows. They are far to sexual looking for their young age. Then there’s all the make up and I’ve seen plenty of dances with them shaking things everywhere. Two piece sets with their little tummies exposed and their baby bottoms in spandex.
Oh.
But that’s “cute”.
I’m a mom and grandmother and yeah, I might not think much of it, but do you know about people around you?
Let’s move up to older girls…middle school, high school.
Cheer and dance teams.
Anyone ever seen costumes these young women are in, loaded with lots of make up, shaking their hips everywhere in a dance? I’ve seen costumes that made me wonder why an adult picked them out for the girls to wear.
Ah. That’s ok though.
This is where we need to worry. This is where we need to stop accepting it’s cute or whatever and stop sexualizing young girls in a world full of horrible people who would look at them in a way you didn’t want.
I’ve seen grown men gaping at these young women and I can guarantee they aren’t thinking how great they are dancing.
Stop filtering your childrens faces to look older with that plastic flawless look.
If people are worried about their kids, start at home and don’t be ok with things that make them appear more grown up than they are.
There are( perhaps) people who look at them, and not in the right ways. And unfortunately, you have no idea who they are.
Two middle age women aren’t the root of the problem. They aren’t supposed to be the moral guidance for your kids. Your family, teachers, church leaders, friends etc would be more realistic leaders.
The show
Was I ok with it all?
Nah, the crotch shots could’ve been left out and never affected the show.
The two rapper dudes….Bad Bunny and J Balvin? Although carefully placed in the show they looked awkwardly out of place surrounded by beautiful women.
The shaking, wiggling etc…well there are two Latin women bringing it and it’s in their blood.
I’m sorta envious at how effortless they make dancing look.
The show though had so much symbolism and it all reflected their Latin heritage and spoke to some issues in our world today.
Perhaps that was the problem so many people had.
Latin women, Latin inspired show, idk hopefully there’s no racism smacking there.
The nod to America and Puerto Rico when she wore both flags with that stunning cape was to bring awareness to the need there…not to mention she is a Puerto Rican Amercian.
So much symbolism. I’ll let you look it all up if you don’t know what was behind it all.
The costumes? I thought everything was gloriously sparkly 😉 and loved how they used a silver and gold contrast at the end.
And the screaming over their costumes?
Let’s be real. Have you ever seen those costumes the cheerleaders wear every, single game in front of kids and God and everybody?
Yeah.
The bottom line
You will never make everyone happy.
Having a “good or bad ” show will be subjective to the individual.
The headlining artists are posted well in advance. If it doesn’t float your boat, or you’re worried about your children’s eyes, family values etc, just don’t watch.
I realize if that approach is taken people can’t complain or be appropriately shocked, something that many seem to enjoy participating in.
I personally thought it was a high energy show and I loved seeing empowered, strong women doing what they do best.
Just my sassy thoughts. What was your take on the half time show?
So as I’m lounging on my sofa tonight drinking copious amounts of coffee I keep thinking it’s already Sunday night, yet it’s not.
Yay…one more weekend day.
It IS entirely probable my brain is fried from a busy day of hosting my 3 year old granddaughters birthday party with a house full of loud, active and busy kids hyped up on youthful energy and a dash of sugar.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s it.
The birthday party was a success and my granddaughter embraced the day with complete wild abandon.
I would not have expected any less from her.
I joke she’s my spirit animal but really I aspire to live each day with the constant joy and enthusiasm she has for all situations.
Ah…but back to the weekend
That means time to work on more of my vintage and antique projects. I need more time! 😫
I’ve picked up some uber cool pieces the past couple weeks. Between doing pieces for my shop ( things are moving out fairly quick there..not a bad problem) I’ve picked up quite a few custom orders as well as repeat customers so I guess you can say I always have a project going on.
Not a bad problem to have.
Ok …I know you wanna see some of the goodies… 😁
What about this turn of the century serpentine dresser?
It gets its name from the style of drawers..
The lady advertised *it needs work”. Thankfully, I have mad repair skills.
Oh…did I mention this beauty was 5.00?
Yes you’re reading right. It’s gonna cost a ton of labor but the end result will be awesome.
***listen to that confidence***
What about this old radio cabinet?
Yeah check out the original label in it…
I have a customer who quickly claimed it. She will put a stereo in where old one was…she wants it for her boys who collect records. I’m sanding and staining it for her.
And then I finished off this custom order. I got this old vanity and bench last summer. I showed it to a customer and she wanted it for a desk. The bench stayed with me for another project
Oh….here’s the after pic….
Sweet, clean and ready for a new adventure.
In more reflective thoughts….
I’ve got two things dancing in my head.
1. When did the world become so full of self entitled people?
AND
2. Do young people really have such a poor working knowledge of basic daily math?
Ok..my first thought.
This has been in my head awhile from various experiences.
Working at my sons shop ( ah.. dealing with the public) I’m often shocked at customers who think they don’t have to pay for a service or think they shouldn’t have to pay what has been charged or he should do work for free,the list goes on…. there are times I’m left speechless.
Hmm… or more like attempting to hold my tongue. 🙄
However I had a personal experience this weekend when a customer went to my shop to buy a piece of furniture. I wasn’t working on this day ( we’re a co-op and as vendors work a few days a month) she had previously messaged me about price and I told her what it was. Yet when she got to shop, she angled at getting a lower price. Her husband even suggested to checker they should get it for even less. Then went on to act shocked/annoyed they had to pay tax.
Like…dude. This isn’t a yard sale and do you even live in this country? This is a store…you pay tax. This is life.
Death and taxes… it’s a given.
Self entitlement. It’s an ugly thing in our society.
My second point.
I had two similar experiences this week. I had stopped at a new coffee shop to you know, share the wealth and to try their coffee.
After getting past the shock of my small cold brew being 4.33 I handed her my money.
10.33
You get it, right?
Now let me say I’m not the world’s best math whiz. I don’t know who ever thought that putting the alphabet in math problems was a good thing and I literally passed high school algebra by the skin of my teeth.
But daily working math? I’ve got that. I can count change back and run mental numbers in my head. I can figure percentages and do estimates etc
You know….Basic life math that we all need.
It appears a lot of young people can’t do that.
The young girl took my money and proceeded to hand me change as if I hadn’t given her the change with my bill. I told her ijust needed 6.00 back.
She then fished more change out and handed me that along with my change and I said I don’t need change, just 6.00.
She laughed nervously and said “ohhhh I get it”
I’m pretty sure she didn’t get it.
Then on another day in a drive thru. My order was 2.52.
I tripped the poor guy up handing him 10.52.
I waited…and waited…wondering if I was gonna get my change back. Finally he slowly handed my money out the window.
6.00.
I said “Hey sweetie I’m supposed to get 8.00 back” to which he asked for my receipt?
Then he carefully handed 2.00 more out the window. I imagined him standing there trying to figure out what fresh hell I was putting him through as he attempted to decipher how much money to give me back.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Is the younger generation so dependent on machines to think that they can’t operate with basic, easy skills?
Remember counting in ones,fives, tens, etc in elementary school? Isn’t that the basic idea in counting money?
What happened here?
When I mentioned it to my son ( who is a part of this generation) his response… they’re all dumb. 😱
That may be a bit harsh, but it’s a disturbing reality in our society.
Maybe we should bring back home economics and basic life skills classes? 🤔
Ok I’ll hop off my soap box now and on to complete randomness you could do without
Do you know Amazon has something called “chip fingers”?
For real.
And yeah, I didn’t know what they were either, but thanks to my little band of misfit friends I got educated.
Evidently they are like little socks for your finger tips so while you’re noshing on Cheetos or Doritos you don’t get those nuclear orange finger tips…I hope you aren’t eating those…. but if you do they are evidently helpful for keeping your fingers clean from eating anything messy.
Ah…how did we ever get along before?? I’ll attach the link so you know I’m not tricking you 😉
Maybe you should buy a set and impress your friends.
Speaking of orange
Ii see all the fall stuff showing up in the stores, but honestly with Texas still rocking July like temps, it does not put me on the fall mood…at all.
Ii did recently give in and buy an adorable sweater with the anticipation that some day I may get to wear it…
I may have bought a thing or two else along with it…..
Seriously though, I’m ready for some of those perfect fall days.
Has fall showed up where you live?
In conclusion…..
My athletic shenanigans. This sums up exactly how I feel…….
I’ve been off running for months. Long story short, an x ray date with my sports doctor, me thinking I’ve done something that’s gonna need surgery and he presents me with “you have arthritis ” was not what I was prepared to hear.
I’ve been doing some PT work to stretch and work muscles that have gotten tight with a greatly reduced physical work load. Gonna see how some of this helps and just go from there. I’ll tell you this…I’m not gonna just take this and go lay down somewhere nor do I plan on giving up.
There will be an upcoming post on my PT adventures…so stay tuned for that 😜
Meanwhile, I’m increasing my strength training days. I even upped my dead lifts last week to 185, so there’s that. Rowing is a good substitute for running so I will continue my rowing skills and of course, cycling. That should keep me busy, right?
Your turn….what’s going on in your world? Has fall showed up yet? What athletic activities keep you busy?
Today’s post is a compilation of thoughts, reflections, and an overall recap from my recent duathlon. I largely write this to exercise my mind and the emotions that come from not only doing this type of event, but the months of training and ultimate finishing of it as well.
It is perhaps, hard to explain. It’s easier to understand if you’ve ever undertaken a similar event but really, for anyone who does this, or triathlons, we all have our “whys” for what we do.
It’s the thing that puts us out there not just for the race but the months leading up to it.
So, if you wish to continue, get comfy and go along on the ride with me. I promise to not bore you with stats and stuff like that 😉
Maybe you’ve never entertained the idea of something so crazy, or perhaps you’ve wondered if you could do it and are sitting on a fence pondering that idea. I’ll just say this… anyone… can do anything they determine they are going to do.
You might not be the fastest or most skilled but by damn, you can do it if you determine you’re going to.
How did an ordinary woman get to this point?
Seriously. It’s a thought that’s danced through my head on more than one occasion.
Somehow a middle aged, wife, mom, grandmother, jack of all trades, previously non-athletic person turned into an athlete. And not just one who plays with one sport, but a duathlete.
I’d have to say it’s largely come from chasing down one goal after another. Once I saw I could do something bigger than I thought I could do, I’d set the bar for another goal, yet larger one.
Although I hated being sidetracked a couple years ago with an Achilles injury, that’s what put me on the bike more. I could cycle and get those miles I craved I wasn’t getting from running. Turns out all that running made me super strong and pretty capable on the bike, not a bad thing.
I kept at the bike as I healed. I learned and practiced. I shamelessly talked to anyone who could tell me what I needed to know. I kept increasing my miles and riding hard terrain.
I wanted to do the duathlon the year I was still recovering from my running injury but when it got to the time I needed to be training, I just felt like my leg wasn’t ready for running.
Last year everything was in place for me to do it.
I invested myself heavily into training, practiced transitions, did brick sessions once or twice a week ( run/bike, or bike/run) to train my body to the demands of shifting from one activity to the next.
Race day I went out and did what I’d trained myself to do. Being my first multi sport event I felt like such an inexperienced baby but I got it done.
And done enough to place first in my age group. I secretly hoped I’d be good enough to place but hadn’t voiced it out loud.
Overall, it was a good experience and I set my sites on 2018 and doing it again.
I love the excitement of picking up a new race number.
Same game, new year, new adventures.
As I began training this year I at least understood more of what was involved and required of me to do this event. This duathlon is a championship race and it’s listed as the “toughest in the state.” They tell no lies about this.
I knew the physical demands as well as mental demands.
There were however, new life things I didn’t have going on last year in competition with me for training.
Namely, a 4 day a week job that took up leisure time. Yes, I could still get in training on most mornings, I just didn’t have as much time to extend those sessions.
Running. Straight up, running was harder this year. I think there are a variety of reasons, but it is what it is.
Because of that I didn’t push myself as much on it. Yes, I knew I could do it. Would it be ultimately what I wanted in time/pace etc? Maybe not but I’d just have to be good with it.
I kept to my cycling and training on the hardest roads I could find. Hills are definitely one place my strength really shines and since the duathlon course was loaded with some hard monster sized ones it made sense to keep my physical and mental training honed in this area.
The struggle is real.
As race day approached, mixed with my usual pre-race nerves was the overwhelming feeling of…
“What am I doing??”
I found myself wondering if something might come up and then I wouldn’t be able to do it. Like .. “what if I got sick?” haha something every athlete worries about before an event.
I questioned my training. I questioned my abilities. I questioned if I had what it took to do it ( which is kinda laughable considering I’d done it last year and I’d been training for it this year)
I remember pouring out all my angst to hubby to which he responded….
“You know you can do it. Just go and do it. When you cross the finish line it will be amazing. I don’t even know how you do what you do.”
Somehow those words settled me.
No matter what, doing it, and seeing myself across the finish line was all that mattered.
Quitting was never an option.
Race time….
Early morning warming up… finish line I got my eye on you
Needless to say like any athlete with an event coming up, I stalked the weather hoping it would be…well… decent. I’d trained in all kinds of weather but really, who doesn’t want race day to be prime?
Temperatures were promised in the mid-50s with a chance of rain… afternoon rain.
ok well, to me the promised temps were decent… I could still work up a sweat with that.
However, weather you know, has a mind of it’s own…..on the way to the race it started raining some.
Ok no worries. Except once I got there in the early morning dark it appeared the rain wasn’t interested in waiting till the afternoon. Intermittent showers were our friend through out the morning.
Not only that, the comfortable, warmish weather shifted with some arriving wind knocking it into the mid 40’s.
Now we had some rain, wind and much colder air.
All of the athletes were being warned to drop the PSI in their tires, to watch their speed and to be careful on corners.
I was grateful that the rain didn’t daunt me, that I had spent time in it training…. but still… I understood the roads were slick and I also understood that meant a newer level of caution.
Of course I’d dressed more for warmer weather but thankfully had my waterproof cycling jacket on ( which was a bit to warm for the first run leg) I tossed it when I transitioned to the bike…. which made for a colder than anticipated bike ride being wet and flying down the road at rapid speeds.
None of that mattered…. this is what we had for the race…. deal with it.
As I was running the parking lot warming up in the breaking dawn with rain coming down on me one of the police officers stopped me and said “are you sure you want to be out here doing this?” I laughed and told him there were probably a few of us who might think being home, comfy with a cup of coffee, would be preferable to being out at 630 on a cold, wet morning shaking out our legs and nerves pre race.
But then I added….” you have to understand that every single one of us out here might be a wee bit insane. It’s that insanity that has us here and will drive us to finish today ”
He gave me a big laugh and told me to please be careful out there as I went loping off.
And I still stand by that. Being a little crazy is what keeps you out there and is the undercurrent to getting the work done.
And nothing…nothing… feels better when that insanity brings you across the finish line.
The first leg of race, the 5K was just crappy and I knew it would be. It wasn’t my best time and it wasn’t anything that impressed me. I just focused on moving through it knowing I’d close ground once I got on the bike.
Working that run… evidently the lady drafting me had the same idea about sleeping on the run 😉
Nothing but a sea of bikes in the transition area, A cold and wet morning.
I moved through transition as quickly as I could. I think this year I had it about 1:15. Not only are you transitioning into new gear, preparing for another sport, I believe your mind has got to transition as well.
As I knew I would, once I took off on bike I started covering ground and picking off other cyclists. This became as game as I settled into the ride. I was trying to not think about how much colder it was as I sped down the road in shorts and a sleeveless cycling jersey.
Those clips were slippery that day….
As the miles disappeared I knew I was getting close before we would turn and head back.
The miles with the beastly hills were what I still had to tackle. Only today they were wet and dark looming like large, formidable sentries in front of us.
This however, was home turf and I felt comfortable in it.
As I got closer to the first huge hill that is my nemesis, the one I have a love hate relationship with, I could see it littered with cyclists… all pushing their bikes up.
This is a sun shiny pic of the “hill”… it looks more formidable grey and wet
My mental game had been pretty strong at that point, but seeing all those people pushing their bikes up, well that can really start to do a number on my mind.
I’ve never, ever since I started riding that beast had to push my bike up and I didn’t plan to start anytime soon.
I locked my mind down, looked directly at the road in front of my bike and plowed up that hill past them. I think at that point if anyone had gotten in front of me or challenged me on anything, I could’ve taken them on my mental game was just that strong. I got on top of the hill, and began to prepare for the second one which was just over the top of the one I’d just climbed. Again I had to dodge people pushing their bikes up.
I had a brief moment to let the bike do the work before we hit the final back hills. As I came around a curve that was so familiar to me, and prepared to fly up a hill, there were cyclists walking their bikes down saying the spotters had encouraged people to walk down.
Ha. Not likely.
This was a slippery slope on duathlon day… slowed things down a bit… I only hit 39.5 mph coming off it 😛
I got to the top and prepared for the descent down the back of the hill… again coming back I had to pass people pushing up. Once again I locked my mind down… set my focus directly in front of me and shouldered into it.
The two spotters at the top were like… “wow, nice work ma’am” ha I hardly had time to acknowledge them before I was flying off the hill again, now on my way back to the start line.
A few miles from getting back to the transition area I was aware that I was oh so cold, my feet felt numb and then out of the blue stabbing cramps in my quad, up into my hip, wrapping into my hamstring.
I’ve never had that happen before. Thankfully I was able to stand up and keep riding and work it out without having to stop.
It was debatable for awhile.
Cold. Cramps. Wet. Battling mental demons along the way. So many battles that day.
The end was closer. I fought for this thing and I would finish it out.
And finish I did. The last run was a surprise in that it was longer than last year (ah) so where I thought we’d turn and head back…well… no.. we got to keep going for a bit longer.
When I finally got to the stretch and could see that finish line, the big red numbers with the race time, the announcer calling my number, saw my husband patiently waiting for me, knew my months of work was about to pay off, it was worth it.
The most non glamorous pic ever… yet one of the most beautiful to me as it represents the finish of what I started. At this point I’m moments away from crossing that finish line after a 3.10 mile run, a 16 mile tough ride, and a 1.5 mile run. Emotions are running high.
It was worth the months of training, the early mornings, the tired legs, the days that left me exhausted, the doubts were crushed, and once again, there was that overwhelming immense satisfaction in stepping across that finish line.
It makes me weep every time.
My emotions run high as it all culminates …. the proverbial icing on the cake… my own personal victory.
And well, it was pretty cool to check my stats and see it showed me as first in my age group. 🙂
So cold, wet, hungry and tired… but I’ve got some smiles for this….
I’d never entertained that because I just thought my time wouldn’t be so impressive. Once they posted times for both genders, I could see that my finish time was what some of the 20-24 year old guys placed in … so there’s that 😛
So what’s next?
I don’t have any plans of slowing down or sitting on the sidelines watching life. I’d love to do at least two duathlons in 2018. I’d also like to ease back into distance running and maybe cut my teeth on a half marathon again. It’s technically now “off season” although I don’t see myself not training. I will add in an extra strength training day ’cause muscles are nice to have in a variety of ways. 😉 Not just that, it’s freaking cool to be strong and being strong is what helps me get through the tough part of these events.
I am such a baby in this world of multi sport events so I have plenty of room to grow, learn and improve. I guess that’s what keeps me coming back, knowing I can constantly challenge myself.
And finally, I’ve gotta say thank you to my amazing family, my husband and kids, my tribe who love me, encourage me, tell me I’m crazy, and are so proud and supportive of what I do. My husband who willingly gets up at crazy hours to go with me, who endures the weather, takes pics, and is the smiling face I’m looking for when I come in, who buys me food and coffee when I’m frozen and starving….. his support is crucial to what I do.
And of course my friends who love me, cheer me on and also love telling me I’m crazy… I appreciate all of your encouragement and support 🙂
Thank you for sharing in my recent adventures by reading this post! Your turn, tell me about your adventures…what you’ve done or what you may be planning to do. Do those dreams ever just scare you a little? How have you felt when you accomplished something you’ve never done?
Hello world! In the words of an old Staind song…. “it’s been awhile….” since I’ve offered something up. I’m still here and per usual, got stuff on my mind.
First of all, here in Texas we’ve had an unusually high amount of rain and overall wet stuff for what seems like weeks now… which can feel like…eternity….
Cloudy, rainy, foggy days seem to literally suck my creativity out of me for some reason. Not just writing, but with my furniture projects too. Am I the only one who gets derailed when the weather is awful?
Last week it was wet and cold. I layered up and took off for a 4 mile run while the rain had seemingly stopped for awhile. Well, stopped till I was about half through then the skies opened up.
I just kept going. I was already out and semi wet from the misty air, might as well finish and get it done.
This photo doesn’t reflect the fact my clothes are all wet 😛
Ah, then I returned to find no power which meant no hot shower and a chilly house to come back to.
Cold. Wet. Hungry.
Good times.
It just felt wonderful to be out, moving, even if it was cold and wet. There’s no guarantee of the weather the day of the duathlon next month ( which we’ll discuss more in a bit) so I try and suck it up and train in the awful weather too.
Other things happening in November….
Here in the states, it will be time for our elections. We have a tremendous freedom, privilege and responsibility to vote for those we feel can lead and represent us best. I saw a sign out on my bike ride today encouraging voters to vote a certain way to support a parties “Agenda”. Guess we’ve all got an agenda but we really need to vote for those who hopefully have a less self serving agenda.
Please, make it a priority to go to the voting booth and exercise your right to use your voice.
Oh… and football….
Football is back in full swing and having a family with lots of men, well, needless to say it’s a standing party every Sunday and some week nights too. Even now as I’m writing, I can hear the cheers, yelling and excitement of them watching the game.
I should mention, my kids who are now adults, several married with kids of their own, have chosen to live close by.. And when I say close I mean they walk over from their house to mine. We’ve been blessed with land and they have chosen to stay close.
I don’t take that for granted as I know for many, they only see kids and grandkids a few times a year.
My home becomes a place of controlled chaos, kids, toys, dogs, food and stuff every where during this time. I’m not as much worried about trying to keep a spotless house as I am making sure they all always feel welcome and want to hang out here.
Those are the simple things that make life good, right?
Now about that duathlon…..
it’s less than a month out. November 18 it’s going down and it’s only my second time so I hardly feel like a pro at it.
And because of that, it’s exactly why it was back on my radar as soon as I finished my first one. There is so much room to grow and improve my game because well, any time you are juggling multi sports, it just gets more intense and there’s a whole lot more involved. It’s not “just” running or “just” cycling… it’s both and both demand hard work.
I like a challenge what can I say?
Here’s the deal though. This year, life has been different. I don’t feel like I’ve had the extra time to do “more” training. The weather has been less than ideal for months now which in the name of safety has cancelled many outdoor workout sessions. I do have a “Plan B” which is indoor strength training or rowing or boxing or a combination of it all but it’s not the same as putting those miles in.
I am working several days during the week with my son so that wasn’t planned and although he knows I need to get my training in before I come, I don’t have a lot of extra time for doing more.
On top of that a couple weeks ago my leg started acting up. I can’t say it’s my knee, but more like on the outside of it.
Like where did this come from?? I do NOT have time for any of these kind of shenanigans.
Properly warming up it tends to not be to bothersome… but it’s there.
Saturday I finally got to get back on the road for a 4 mile run. With the weather and my schedule it had been a week since I had been able to run so I let myself go pretty easy for half of it.
It was in the last half mile that I really started feeling it… and then the overwhelming emotion of what I was training to do…. and then the tears started falling.
My gosh have you ever tried running and crying ? It is not a good combination.
I have to say, endurance sports bring out an emotion in me that I had never experienced before I started doing them.
The tears can come from anger over a situation I can’t control, frustration when I want to do better, to falling with joy when I do something I didn’t think I could do. Like the very first time I rode up this massive, massive hill.
I just can’t stop it from happening but have to rein it in so I can keep doing what I’m doing ’cause you know, crying and breathing to support my exercise don’t go well together.
Last year, as I crossed the finish line for the duathlon, the tears were there. The poor guy guiding me in and directing me off course as I finished was all “Are you ok? Are you hurt?” I assured him I was fine but the enormity of just finishing something I had worked so hard for, sacrificed so much for, invested myself in ways I never thought possible just washed over me. It is an emotional experience I can’t explain.
I had done it.
But the tears falling during my run on Saturday were ones of frustration, momentary self doubt, angst over the worry of an injury so close to the race, and the general feeling of “what the hell am I doing??”
This is a state championship race. Most of the athletes are college age young adults. No I don’t compete directly against them but they make up a huge part of their field.
The course is listed as the toughest in the state, and it is. I cannot imagine even attempting it without some real training under me. It’s brutal.
And maybe that’s where I am, knowing all these things.
Me, a middle aged wife, mom, grandmother in the mix of these young athletes at the top of their game.
Me, just beginning to dabble in multi sport events, but loving the challenge of it, yet feeling like I have so much yet to learn, surrounded by those who seem so experienced with it.
So many thoughts running rampant through my head as I finished my run with my leg reminding me it was there.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s good to have some feelings of inadequacy with such a big event.
Don’t get me wrong. I know I’m strong and capable. Physically, I know I can grind it out. I just went out and rode the whole course today and topped it with a mile run.
Smiling after 21 miles on the bike and a mile run on Sunday
Will it be in a time I want? Only race day will really reveal that.
Saturday I wore my t shirt I got last year for finishing ( that’s the only t shirt I’ll ever collect, the finisher one) and I got to thinking that I had earned the right to wear that little shirt.
It represented months of work, sacrifice, early mornings, aching muscles, learning new things, training in cold, rain and heat, tears, and more sacrifice.
I earned that shirt and in the same way, I’ve earned the right to be heading back there again.
I’ve learned a few things you can only learn in events with the transition areas so I’m hoping to tighten my time down there. I know the course. I know the freaking hard parts and the places I can “briefly” recover before hitting more hard places.
I don’t know what the weather will be like or other random factors.
I do know I can get my mental game locked in tightly, protect my body as best as I can and keep it healthy and go that day ready to take no prisoners.
I really would like to scoop up first in my AG again.
Regardless, I’ll be there, as ready as I can mentally and physically ready to do “My” best, not worrying about anyone else and what they are doing. I’m fiercely competitive so that will add to my fire too.
I’ve earned the right to be there and I’m ready to what I’ve trained for all these months and that will have to be enough.
Processing these things out before an event seems to be how I roll. Does anyone else relate to that?
And of course before I leave you…..
Food. This weather has definitely been about comfort foods. I’ll share a recipe everyone has gone crazy over and it’s soooo easy.
FYI I subbed greek yogurt for sour cream… less fat… more protein.
Hello boys and girls… and hello Monday. As I’m writing this ending out the week, I guess I’ll start with our weather and how we’ve been dancing into the 100 degree temps this week.
I should be used to it after living my entire life in the South.
I should be used to going from warm, sunny, pleasant, perfect days that are enjoyable to be outside, to the weather turning crazy hot in an instant leaving those mild days a memory till fall rolls around.
Maybe I’m mean, but I think, really, the weather reporters don’t need a job when all they do is show a picture of the sun shining all week and the temperatures listed at 100-102.
I mean if you have nothing else to share, you don’t need to be there telling us nothing has changed. 😛
Exercise and the heat
Once those temperatures start getting hotter again, I know I’ll be feeling it in my workouts. I am pretty acclimated to training outside but when there have been months of mild weather, it does take me a few weeks to get used to the heat and humidity again. Even going out early, like 7-730, it’s already warm, often hot, and then there’s the humidity along with it.
This turns most workouts into a crazy sweat fest. No one. And I mean no one, takes my offers of a hug when I come in from working out.
Believe it or not, this is still early in the morning and I have a hot 5k in front of me.
Of course if I’m not out running, then I’m doing this….
It’s cool to be all matchy, matchy with your bike, right?
Needless to say, I try and become a little more aggressive with my hydration during these hotter days. Once I learned how to check my sweat rate, I was amazed at how many pounds of fluid I could lose in a training session. Anywhere from 2-5 pounds depending on the temperature and duration of my workout.
I learned that I needed to replace those lost pounds with 16oz of water for each lost pound and then keep drinking to maintain normal hydration.
I know the drill and do it. And I’ll have to stay on top of things since it appears summer is gonna be really hot as I get my training ramped up for my second duathlon in November.
The race organizers just dropped the date this week for it so I anticipate that registration will open soon.
I tell you this… once I cough up money for an event… there is no backing out and it gets me more motivated knowing I’ve made that commitment.
Of course nutrition will be as important as ever….
I whipped up my own tasty salad to take with me when I worked with my son this week. I shared in a previous post I’ve been helping him some at work so instead of running out to a drive thru for a salad, I put one together that’s cheaper and tastier.
Spinach, cherry tomatoes, avocado, green apples, grilled chicken, feta cheese with a lime vinaigrette dressing.
Seriously though as the weather gets warmer I love the lightness of salads and how they fill me up but don’t make me feel lethargic like eating a more carbohydrate laden meal would.
Of course with salads, you can make endless combinations that won’t get boring. When making your own just make sure you add plenty of protein in with your veggies and add in variety of textures and flavors. Watch the dressing you use because you can add 100’s of calories to a healthy meal.
I hate seeing people trying to make a better food choice with a salad and then drowning it in Ranch dressing. At that point, a sandwich would be healthier and offer way less calories than a salad covered in so much dressing.
Consider using dressing on side and dipping your fork into it or look for dressings that have a low calorie content. Better yet, whip up some of your own for a tasty treat.
So I’ve got these other projects….
I have a room my now married son vacated so I decided I was going to paint it this week when I scored paint for 5.00 a gallon. How could I not??
I hadn’t used this particular brand so I wasn’t sure exactly how the paint would be. It turned out to be as thick and covering as a big name brand I always buy. I had brushes so my total purchase here was 11.65 for this little room project.
Go me.
I’m almost done ’cause I wanna get back to some of my furniture projects I’ve got going on. I have one really needy chair waiting for my attention and a cute vanity I’m eager to get started with.
Ha… I have plenty of projects waiting for me. I don’t NEED any other projects, yet I keep my eyes open for anything cute or unique that comes along and needs some help.
Painting, writing, training for my duathlon, life stuff, some extracurricular “work”, I also finally got a business page launched for my vintage furniture… ah… sometimes I’m busy.
This is where I enjoy crafting out my posts for the blog 🙂 I hadn’t been here in awhile.
Iced coffee. That’s where it’s at during the summer months for me. My baristas usually have it served up before I’ve made it through the line.
If you get coffee at coffee shops I seriously hope you appreciate the young people behind the counter who are serving up your coffee. They put up with more in their days sometimes than you and I will ever have to. I have unfortunately seen several instances where customers acted in sad, deplorable ways because something wasn’t “right”. I believe of course, if I’m paying for something that it should be what I want. I also believe you can express yourself in a courteous way if there is a problem with your order.
It is disturbing to me how some people seem to view themselves as “above” those behind the counter and can therefore speak in ugly ways.
That’s just… not… cool.
Drinks need food…
Last week was Memorial Day in the states and I shared some recipes I’d be experimenting with on the family.
One that was a huge hit was a brownie recipe….
Mocha brownies with coffee cream cheese frosting.
The bad thing about them? I should’ve doubled the recipe as there were battles breaking out over who got the last one. I had to laugh when the recipe said to refrigerate left overs.
Left overs. Right.
They were beyond amazing. If you want the recipe, find it in this post….
You’ll also find the recipe for an avocado salad I made… it was pretty good too.
That’s a wrap…
Did you make any new recipes this week? Are you dealing with really hot weather and how does that affect any training you might be doing? Do you have a favorite hot weather drink?
Comfort….. a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.
Zone…. this has many definitions but the one that may be suitable here is a region or area set off as distinct from surrounding or adjoining parts.
Welcome to todays word dialog and discussion boys and girls. Today we are talking about that invisible boundary in our life often referred to as our comfort zone.
If we combine our above definitions for the purpose of this post we could say our comfort zone is a area or distinct part of our life where we maintain a state of physical ease and discomfort. It is a zone where we can comfortably abide in our daily lives and activities without feeling pain or constraint.
I hope that’s a good working definition for this post…
I did find an example that calls it like this: A comfort zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress. In this zone, a steady level of performance is possible.
So with those thoughts firmly in hand let’s begin our discussion of this invisible place we all know and have in our lives.
Don’t get me wrong. There are lots of ways I love my comfort zone.
Normal daily life activities that can be boring, yet are also comforting and familiar.
The consistency of daily tasks that need done.
The routine and rhythm of daily life. The things we know and understand need to be done.
All those things that make up life, when they are rolling along , keep us in that zone, right?
Let some rough times and bumps come along and we get jostled out of it. we don’t like it. We want that soothing and comfortable place back.
That level of our comfort zone is security and safety and we all need that.
But then…..
As we move through our lives we have things like jobs, education, skills, hobbies and other activities we do that challenge us and if we’re willing to learn and grow we can be pressed out of our comfort zone.
Remember, that state of physical ease I mentioned a bit ago? If we are going to grow and become more we must be willing to be pressed out of that zone of ease.
That idea was strong in my mind yesterday morning as I geared up to get on my bike. As I clicked and locked my cycling shoes into place it gave me that “all business” feeling. It’s knowing and understanding what I was about to do, slipping into my mental mindset as much as I was slipping into my cycling shoes.
Locking down my cycling shoes, is a mental preparation as well as physical.
Out on the road, as the miles went by, I made intentional choices in things I did. To push a little more, to turn those pedals a little faster, to know and understand that I needed to get to the point where I started to feel it, where the work felt harder, to more effort.
You see in running or cycling or really anything physical I have my own comfort zone. These are areas I can operate in easily. I know what it takes to maintain that level and it’s not really “hard”.
On the other hand I also know that if I want to continue to grow, get faster, stronger and more powerful at what I do I have to be willing to get out of my comfort zone, that area of ease. I need to get into that place that makes me work harder, that makes my lungs burn and keeps my heart rate in the red zone for awhile. I need to get comfortable being uncomfortable if I want growth and improvement as an athlete.
Pushing outside our comfort zone isn’t always easy, and really, it shouldn’t be. And the weird thing about pushing out of our comfort zone, you begin to get comfortable eventually in that new place that once seemed hard and then, well, you gotta push out of it again.
I’ve talked before about the mental aspect of our comfort zone. Your mind is a very formidable opponent and you need to be able to overcome the self defeating thoughts it can churn out. And believe me, when you are pushing yourself and your body is in a place that it’s not used to, those thoughts can come.
Your mental muscle needs to be as strong as your body, if not more so I believe. when you push out of your zone of “ease and lack of pain.”
I’ve learned so much as an athlete what it means to get out of my comfort zone. I’ve done more than I would’ve ever *intellectually* thought I could do.
Of course this applies to anything in our lives that challenges us. I’ve taught myself new things that seemed a bit out of my range. Sometimes it’s kinda that “sink or swim” mentality in doing stuff.
I’m not sure, but maybe being a bit fearless sometimes helps too haha
Our comfort zone can cripple our dreams..
Anytime we prefer to stay within our comfort zone, we risk not growing . We risk not learning new things or taking on new adventures. We potentially let our dreams go if we can’t or are unwillingly to get out of our level of comfort and ease and sameness that we know.
Any of my major athletic events I took on, initially scared me. Not in the sense of being frightened but more that healthy respectful fear of knowing I was going up against something I had no previous experience in. It does seem daunting when I’m considering a 50k race ( 31.7 miles) or a multi sport event as in the duathlon I did last year.
What scared me more was backing off because then I’d always wonder if I could’ve done it or if I had what it took. Or worse yet, hating myself for not having the strength to stand up and do it, for quitting before I started.
All of those things seemed worse than just jumping off the deep end and doing it.
And I did. I’ll never be the fastest or most impressive runner or cyclist or monkey juggler.
What will set me apart is that I didn’t make excuses, I was willing to get uncomfortable and in doing so, I accomplished things I never thought I’d do.
There is nothing.. that feels better… nothing.
What about you?
Are you more comfortable staying in your comfort zone? Are you comfortable staying where you feel safe?
Maybe you are a risk taker and know what it takes to reach new goals or see dreams realized and you know getting out of your comfort zone is how it happens.
No matter what goals or dreams you have, there will be continual times you are pressing out of your comfort zone, and then you’ll be pressing out of it again.
It’s an ongoing cycle if we want continued growth and want to achieve our goals and dreams.
Don’t be afraid of leaving your comfort zone behind, there’s only new adventures in front of you and those can be exciting places to go to.
Tell me, are there specific times you’ve left your comfort zone? What did you accomplish doing so? How did that change future new ideas/ adventures you encountered?
I was checking my notifications the other day and realized someone had tagged me in their friends post. This person was looking for advice on starting to run, ideally when the weather was warmer and how did they start?
Ok, first of all, running is a pretty natural thing. Our bodies are designed for it and most are capable of doing it.
Most don’t do it because well let’s be honest, it’s hard. I was thinking on a run the other day the only way to get better or stronger at it is to constantly push myself out of my comfort zone.
I can run decently fast ( I think) for a middle aged woman tipping into her senior discount years. Speed is relevant depending on the individual and certainly not a factor to being a good runner. I just like being able to do it. I know when I get out of my comfort zone I’m capable of delivering up faster speeds…
Somehow my running evolved into doing a run and cycle event with my first duathlon last Nov.
Faster speeds though are hard, require a lot more effort than an easy run, and can make me feel powerful and helpless all at once.
So that being said, anyone can run if they don’t have some health limitation ( and thinking it’s hard doesn’t count)
The next thing. I’m not an expert, ok?
I’m not some running coach or a person who’s run their entire life. ( I was in my late 40’s when I got started) I never, ever would’ve thought I’d become a runner. Ever.
And then… all the sudden…. I’m finishing a 50K…. am I a runner now??
I do think now in terms of miles and distance. I think that a mile driving or on a treadmill is…. for….ever….but a mile on foot can go by rather quickly. I can grumble driving behind a slow person that I could run there faster… yeah….
I guess I’m a runner.
I believe anyone can go run without having to focus on all the technical stuff, unless you have big goals and want to keep improving your game.
Then we need to talk about intervals, speed training, long runs, negative splits and pacing etc….
Well how do I get started?
Listen, you don’t need a lot of fancy gear to run but you do need some solid good shoes under you.
** hubby does delight in reminding me how my low maintenance, not expensive athletic shenanigans have changed** haha the more you get into it, the more cool stuff you find to make it fun…
I spend more money on my running shoes than anything that goes on my feet. Other than my cycling shoes but thankfully those last longer since they aren’t taking a pounding.
Go to a sports store and try several on. Don’t drag out shoes you’ve had 5 years… please don’t.
And don’t buy the prettiest ones. I’m right there with you on liking those but you really need to go for what fits and supports you best and then go for your color.
Once you get set with your shoes, you can pretty much wear what you’re most comfortable in. Again, the more time you spend doing it, the more you’ll figure out how you’re most comfortable doing it. What you choose to run in will be determined by your budget, how much you like to be covered, and how you can stay cool/warm enough doing it.
I’ve actually learned to shop discount type stores and have found name brand sports bras and the boy shorts I prefer to run in at a fraction of the cost as the sports store sells them.
The weather, to run or not to run
Enjoying a rare sunny warm run in Feb.
When I first started off with my running adventures I was what I now think of as a “fair weather” runner. If the weather was the slightest bit not good, I stayed in for another type of workout.
Funny thing over these years how that has changed. I’ve trained in everything from pouring rain, to freezing cold with wind slicing through me. Maybe I am crazy.. or ridiculously disciplined.. there could be a fine line there..
If I have an event I’m training for my take is, I have no idea what the weather will be like on race day. If I train in it all, then I’m better prepared for whatever it is.
I weirdly now like being out when the weather is a bit rough and less than perfect. But that’s me… were talking about you…
This will all come down to what you want to do, your commitment, and if it’s a matter of staying in for safety ( I won’t run in fog, lightning or icy roads there is to much risk)
If it’s cold, layer up accordingly but keep in mind running warms you up fast! I know once I hit my first mile all engines are go and I am often tossing something in the trees till I come back by to claim it. I just don’t run as well being to warm, and you probably won’t either.
You will have to determine how much layering you need to stay comfortable.
Same with hot weather, getting over heated or having soggy clothes hanging off of your body isn’t fun ( hello dri-wick fabric) how much you run in to stay cool will be determined by your personal level of modesty and what you can move best in. I spend most of my time in boy shorts and a sports bra and I’m comfortable in that.
Hitting the road
Assuming you’ve not run before, or haven’t run in a long time, I’m going to suggest you start the way I basically fell into running…
the walk/run method. It’s a great way to practice running yet allowing your body to adapt to the rigors that running places on it. It can also protect you from injury when you do to much to soon.
You start off with small increments of walking, and running. If you’ve never run before those running seconds might seem like eternity to you, trust me, the wheels won’t fall off, hold on.
Using a walk/ run method allows you to gradually increase your running time and ease into your mileage.
Start with this plan to get you going
So that’s about it peeps. If you want to run, it’s easy to get started. You just have to get your mind in gear to make it happen, and hey, don’t forget to go get those cool new running shoes!
Do you run? What do you enjoy most about it? Do you want to but haven’t known how to get started?
“Every endurance challenge scares me just a little.” ~ Dean Karnazes
It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon. Everyone has left the house so I escaped to my fav coffee cave to write, reflect and think about the week in front of me. It’s hard not to think about the fact that next week on this day, at the time I’m sitting here writing, I will be in the church watching my oldest son get married.
I’m also aware 2 months from today is my first duathlon. Heck, it’s my first ever race on a bike. It’s also listed as the toughest duathlon in the state AND the championship race.
What… on earth.. am I doing in it ?
I decided a while back that there is a certain amount of madness involved with endurance sports. Some part of the brain has to change that allows you to accept physically hard and challenging things as normal.
As in, sharing with some ladies in my yoga class last week that I hadn’t ridden far the day before, just 16 miles, to which they started laughing and informed me that 16 miles was a lot.
I really don’t think so anymore. I don’t think my 20 mile rides are long either. This is where the madness might be setting in 😉
I will be the first to admit, sometimes it’s not just the distance, it’s also what’s IN those miles that carves out something new in me. Obviously, riding flat roads is usually a piece of cake, throwing in hills and inclines that challenge my body is always a game changer.
It’s definitely a love/hate relationship.
There’s a crazy madness in training my body, learning it’s limits, and then pushing past those limits that’s exhilarating… yeah… we’ll just go with that word for now 😉 Exhilarating.
Endurance is built on hours and hours of consistent training, constant change, and a large part of stubbornness.
When someone laughs and tells me I’m “crazy” based on my current athletic goals, I do believe they are right. There has to be some sort of madness that makes an otherwise sane person believe that riding and running miles on end is somehow… normal.
But alongside the madness is another parallel attribute which is fear.
The quote I opened with is so true and so perfect. And it comes from without a doubt, the strongest, most fit, endurance athlete on the planet.
I feel like I’m in good company if Dean Karnazes admits he gets a bit scared with a new endurance challenge. Admittedly, he does far larger, longer, crazier and insane endurance challenges than I will ever face but at the same time, if someone like that admits to a healthy fear of new endurance events, then I’m in good company.
When I use the word fear I don’t mean like, sitting in a corner shaking and helpless. If that were the case, I’d never be doing what I do. This fear, in my opinion, is one of perhaps a healthy respect of what I’m up against. A recognition that this new challenge has the potential to eat my lunch, and me too for good measure.
There is respect for the miles, the terrain, the elevation, climate, everything.
There is a healthy fear for new territory that has never been physically traveled. Each time I’ve set out to do something new athletically, there’s that “fear” of the unknown.
The “what if’s”……
What if I can’t do it? What if I don’t have what it takes? What if I’m not as good as someone else? ( does that even matter?) What if I haven’t trained enough? Long enough? Hard enough? What if I didn’t prepare in the right way? Am I going to be able to ride such a tough course and then get off and run those last few miles strong?
All of the “what if’s” are related to fear.
Even now, on my training rides, knowing how tough they will be, I usually have that in the pit of my stomach. That fearful respect of knowing how hard it really will be, and wondering again, if I have all that’s required to take on this new endurance challenge.
Somehow, things always seem to change the minute I’m out on the road. In my gear, clipped in, the miles settling in under me, my mental gears shift along with the ones under my hands.
I focus on the mile I’m in, the road that’s in front of me. I know and have already mentally apprehended the hills and mountains I’ll be riding and remind myself that I’ve already done them before, the challenge is to keep taking them stronger and faster. The fear begins to give way to what I know I’m capable of.
Fear gives way to strength and power. Fear gives way to me understanding that although it’s not easy, it will begin to feel that way the stronger my body gets doing it over and over again.
And then it happens.
I finish a long hard session and feel victorious, empowered and strong. I also feel dirty, sweaty, and hungry.
But the overarching feeling is one of accomplishment. I did it again. The hard workout that planted a healthy fear of respect in me, reminds me I can do whatever I put myself to and that my body is capable of being pushed, and then pushed again, well out of it’s original comfort zone.
By the time some of you are reading this I’ll be out riding the entire course this morning, or will have finished it, another notch in my belt. This will be my first full and complete ride on it. Last week I did it but the mileage came up a bit short from what the race was. A quick message to race director and I learned the turn point was farther down than I thought. So knowing the exact layout this morning, I’m taking it on.
I know it won’t be easy. I know there will be that niggling fear of the toughness in front of me. I know what the outcome will feel like, so I will press on and push myself into the realm of discomfort, because that is where change occurs.
Endurance sports. ..an odd mixture of madness and fear. I seem to have both in spades which will help me well in my upcoming race.
The madness will keep me going, building longer training sessions and adding more miles. The fear won’t stop me. I will train, I will prepare, and I will go out and do the best I’m capable of.
And I when I cross that finish line it will be a sweet victory knowing all I stomped down to get to that moment, and it will be worth it.
Do you have something you want to pursue but feel a bit of fear with it? Do you embrace that or shy away from it? If you do endurance sports, can you relate to a bit of the madness?
sassyfitnesschick 