exercise – Page 8 – sassyfitnesschick

Running, Passion, And Vision

Running. I just feel like talking about running.

Maybe because I was out for about 4 miles yesterday morning and I was reminded how much I love it. And how much I miss it. And how irritated I am with this stupid injury that seems to hold me back from the potential I know that’s in me.

I’m not talking about my injury in this post.

injured runner 4

Injured-runner1

injured runner 3

I want to just talk about the joy and freedom I have in the act of something so simple that we’re all born to do.

How do we lose the ability? the desire? the joy? of breaking into an open run, feeling our bodies surge under us as our legs kick in and the scenery goes flying by ?

When do we become to old, to tired, to lazy, to disinterested to run like kids ?

But then sometimes, later on, we stumble back upon it again. We gingerly test out the legs and find out they are still capable of performing that task.

For myself and many others, once again, we find ourselves embracing the joy of running in sometimes an often child like way.

Just for the sheer joy and beauty of being able to do it.

running gift

To feel the wind and sun in your face or the bite of a cold morning . To embrace being out in the dark for a long run or doing speed work that makes you feel just a little bit …crazy for doing it. The feel of your heart beating strongly and your lungs deeply taking in air, sweat forming on your body, the sound of your feet against the road.

To nail a 20 mile run… and actually enjoy the tired ache of your body…. and the victorious feeling in your mind of accomplishing it.

Maybe the thing I’ve loved about running is how you’re always competing against yourself and how you can always step up your game… just a little bit more……

Running has been good to me.

In the beginning, it was definitely helpful for weight loss. In time, it began to carve and chisel muscles in my body I had only formerly thought existed.

It became my time to think, roll creative ideas through my head, process life, let anger and frustration out, and sometimes, it allowed me to cry and grieve at some of the agony in my life.

Running became my passion. I didn’t see it as a chore or something to be endured, but a gift and a privilege to be able to do it.

I laugh and love it when my friends tell me I’m crazy or nuts, or make all those silly runner jokes.

You know why ? I LOVE doing stuff the majority of people around me aren’t doing.

As time went on and my distances grew from short 10K runs, to setting my eyes on a half marathon, then full marathons, it never entered my mind that, I , little old me, would be a distance runner.

Seriously????

Yet, one thing led to another. A bigger challenge. A new goal. A new opportunity to challenge myself to something beyond my comfort zone.

Needless to say when I set my sights on a 50K last year, that was an adventure that had many asking me if I had lost my mind.

And trust me, if I allowed myself to slow down to much and reallllllyyyy think about it… I too began to see the insanity of running that many miles. And not just that race, but all the training that led up to it, all those training miles under me to get to that point.

Things like that are best not looked that close in the eye.

That’s the deal when you’re a distance runner. You don’t think. You just do it. You get out there, let your body settle into a rhythm and you just…. go.

And besides all those things… besides getting strong and healthy and fit and being called crazy… running makes me feel ridiculously…. alive…. powerful…..strong…. confident… and makes me feel like I can take the world on.

I don’t think that’s a bad thing, do you ?

So my struggles right now… it’s hard… so hard being kept in check physically with a injury that just won’t….be gone..

And wrestling with my mind that knows what my body is capable of, has done, and wants to get back to doing again…. is well… sometimes torturous.

I miss it in the worst way.

But get this… I don’t give up easily. And my mind is plotting and planning and anticipating all it wants the body to get back out doing.

Goals. New adventures. New chances for my friends to tell me I’m crazy and insane. New opportunities to prove to myself I can do something bigger and a little more fierce.

In between times, I’m tearing up the road on my bike with long miles and lifting heavy things to keep strong… and keeping my eye on growing my running distances.

Passion. It’s a good thing to have in life, right ? We all need to be passionate about something… it makes our heart beat fast and invigorates us … hopefully it challenges us as well making us feel alive.

Tell me… what’s your passion? What makes your heart beat fast and makes you feel invincible ?

new goal

Keeping Your Cup Full

full coffee

I glanced down at my coffee cup as I picked it up. Ugh. It was half empty. Not only that, what remained was in that creepy neutral zone of “almost tepid and guaranteed to make me gag” at an unsuspecting moment…. mostly likely when I’m in my zone writing 😛

I got up to empty it out and replace it with now, hot coffee, filling it to the brim, and return to what I was doing. But not before thoughts began to form in my mind.

A quote I had seen recently bouncing around…. “when your cup is empty, you can’t give anyone else a drink”.

This can apply to us on several levels… spiritually and physically.

To often I hear things like ” I just don’t have time to exercise”, ” I haven’t been to the doctor for my yearly checkups”, ” Eating well is to costly”, “I have (kids, job, obligations etc) I don’t really have time for myself “, “My family is more important”

Sometimes, I think there’s a certain level of being a martyr involved, like it’s something to be proud of, putting yourself on the backburner to care for everything else.

Oh… I mean… if I can say that… did that just jump out of my head ?

Here’s the deal. When your cup is empty, not only do you have nothing to offer others, you don’t have a lot to offer yourself.

I believe a spiritual life is important, and that is an entire different post. I’m coming at this from a physical perspective.

Not taking…. and I’m using that word here… “taking” the time for yourself in your day is doing no one any favors.

Setting aside time for exercise, feeding your body in a healthy way, making regular doctor appointments, and nourishing your soul in what way you might choose is key to keeping your cup full!

Yes, these are habits you might have to work at building if it’s unfamiliar to you. It will take some time and focused determination to make it become something that feels like “routine”.

I really understood the value of this several years ago when my husband had very unexpected, serious back surgery. He was in the hospital for weeks and in ICU for a week after surgery.

Those days were long, tough, and mentally taxing. If you’ve spent extended time with a loved one, you know what I mean.

Getting up and working out before I began my day there left me clear headed and feeling, well, strong, for a long day. It mentally put me in a good place. It gave my body the outlet for stress, worry and anxiety over an unexpected situation in our lives. Running let me think and process and clear my mind.

Over these past few years there have been many other things in my life, and I’ve continued to place my workouts as a part of my own health and maintenance for the benefit of those I love and serve.

I will tell you… it’s not shallow… or vain… or selfish… or taking time away when you should be doing something “more important”.

You… are important. You are important to the people in your life who love you and care for you. Investing in yourself to keep your cup full is not a waste or something you should put off or that you aren’t worthy enough to deserve.

What can you implement in your life to go towards keeping your cup full ? What steps do you need to take daily to make it happen ?

Running, Recovery, And Rebellion

Hello World =)

Ok so I really want to write fun, happy, feel good Christmasy stuff for you… and I will…. ’cause it’s the most wonderful time of year 😉 but I’m gonna share a little more about running and specifically my struggles these past few months about getting back on the road again.. and my recent stint doing some Airrosti treatments.

Perhaps my sharing might encourage some of you who are battling a sports injury and struggling or maybe I can offer some helpful recovery ideas for you crazy athlete people out there.

I think the frustrating thing these past few months has been trying to nail down exactly what the issue is that’s plaguing me. Going to an Airrosti sports therapy place was kinda like my last ditch effort to see if I could miraculously get fixed.

I mean come on… they promise to help you be better in a couple treatments… it was hard to pass on trying it.

One thing I had heard before I walked in the door from people who had gone were that you could expect pain. Ok whatever… if it helps let’s do it.

After getting my history I was on the table with the nice sports doctor doing some crazy things to my feet and calves… and yes… there were moments of total pain that I honestly stopped talking and reverted to using breathing that I did during childbirth.

Yes. There were moments of pain that intense.

Fortunately, it was short lived 😛 After my time with the nice doctor I was ushered over to a sweet young lady who worked with me on stretching, foam rolling, and other foot and ankle exercises.

I’m a runner. I know the benefits of foam rolling. They just were taking me to different places with the whole rolling thing. I was finding out about all these places in my body that need stretched and worked ( toe exercises???)

In the past few weeks I’ve learned more about the inner workings of my body ( muscles, fascia, tendons etc) than I ever knew. Y0ur muscles are all sorta wrapped up in this fascia stuff and it can get knotty and tight and bind to your muscles…. that’s the fun stuff they were working out… and teaching me how to really work, stretch and manipulate it at home.

I’ve never thought much about my feet running. I know they take a pounding and I put them through a lot but until I got injured, I honestly never thought about it.

Ahhh…. what you learn to appreciate.

Anyway, after they finished working on me, I got taped up, and actually it felt pretty amazing. The tape acts as a gentle support to the joints while allowing for freedom of movement. Not nearly as constricting as an ace bandage 😉

20151205_103516 — KT tape is like a constant soft hug. Can I have someone always do it for me ?

I got some great tips….

For example, instead of the bag of peas I was using for icing, they told me about ice cups. Literally, little Styrofoam cups you fill and freeze, then cut the bottom half of cup off after frozen ( the upper part you leave on and as your insulation 😉 I then rub this on my feet, heels wherever I need iced. It’s a little messy but feels amazing.

20151217_154009 — Peas.. aren’t just for eating anymore 😉

of course other things to get in those tight places… a lacrosse ball can really be worked into the arches of your feet. I use it while I’m getting ready in the morning just rolling my feet out on it. And a rolling pin isn’t just for making cookies baby… you can roll out areas that are harder to get to with a traditional roller.

A resistance band is great for small movement exercises. Ahhh it’s way harder working small little muscles than things like your glutes or quads!

Yet, as mentioned I’ve learned a lot about key roles these muscles play in my running and they need specific strength training too.

20151217_153916 — Some simple tools to work small tight areas on your body

Now rolling…. specifically foam rolling. Nothing feels better on tight muscles. I was quickly informed that they would be getting me off foam and onto a pvc pipe for rolling… that my muscles would adapt to foam and not the get benefits they need from rolling. I laughed and informed them that was gonna hurt.

That’s pipe people! No give to it at all….

20151217_153804 — Top: my standard foam roller. Bottom: my new roller. Yes, it’s PVC pipe.

I was informed when you play hard, you gotta work at keeping everything maintained well. Intellectually, I know that, but like I said this was such an education for me to the inner workings of my body beyond what I knew. She tells me, “you know, like your car? How you maintain and do stuff to it to keep it running well?” as an athlete you need to remember you need to do these things to your body to keep doing what you’re doing”

Just when you think you knew a lot… and were doing all the things you were supposed to… you learn more!

Ah… yes… I understand… but I just wanna be over and done with this.

At one session when the doctor was working on me and we were talking all things running and he was asking me about what got me into distance running and I was sharing a bit of my story and then I told him….

“well, I ran a marathon, two half marathons, and a 50K within three months the first part of this year. I’d rather know I accomplished that and invested myself into the discipline of training and running them than doing nothing and wondering if I could. I’d much rather take some knocks from hitting goals than sitting around doing nothing.”

He agreed. When you play hard, it’s almost inevitable at some point you’ll get whacked with an injury.

I guess that’s where the rebellion comes in . I want to be back out there. I want to be pushing distances again and intentionally training for races. I’m not patient when it comes to this thing called a recovery process.

The treatments helped, yes. I learned a lot to use in the future for specific running recovery.

Am I over my issue? No. It antagonizes me, flaring up and then settling down again.

It makes me feel rebellious. It makes me want to fight back even more, to get stronger, to be able to do more.

Determined and head strong aren’t bad things when they motivate you to do what needs to be done to get back doing what you love full speed.

I’ve slowly and carefully worked myself up to 5.50 miles with my next goal being over 10K.

Close so close. From there I will set another small goal.

I’m learning I can’t just sail in from my run, do a little stretching and scamper off, but to take time to stretch my muscles really well from the workout they just went through. I’m learning to set aside time to ice my heels ( they kept stressing over and over how good icing is for injuries)

I have my sights set on a spring half marathon….I’m hopeful…. =)

Tell me… in the ways of treatment do you get frequent sports massages? Have you tried Airrosti before ? What things do you to stay sane and get through a total recovery process ?

The Delicious Habit Of Exercise

Hello World !

Wow.. I can say that and mean it literally =) Ok so I figured I’ve been posting this week on habits and how important they are to our success in living a healthy lifestyle, I figured I’d end the week talking about another important habit we need to build in our lives.

Exercise.

OK stop… I hear your collective sighs and groans and gnashing of teeth.

You hate to exercise. It’s hard. You sweat. Your heart beats fast and your muscles protest. Your thighs rub together in an uncomfortable way. You have sweat trickling down in areas you don’t think it belongs. You think you’re dying.

Good. You’re doing it right.

I’d have to say when I talk with people, alongside wrestling with food choices, exercise is a hard thing for people to develop a habit for.

Why? ‘Cause it’s hard and almost everyone will find something else to do besides that.

I think personally, the most important thing you can do to guarantee you stay with it is find THE thing that you love to do… then become an expert on it. If you are passionate about what you do, you will stay with it.

I usually hear… ” I can’t run” or ” I hate running” because people know it’s what I do and what I’m passionate about. I remind them it’s fine to run… if they want to… if they don’t.. then please… don’t.

I also think it’s great to have a couple things you enjoy that keeps you from getting bored and allows you to change things up.

Being injured these past few months has kept me from running much, therefore, I’ve spent lots of time on my bike. I have loved it and it’s given me an outlet for not being able to run. I have days I’m inside and do strength training. I love having choices and enjoy them all.

Each one of these activities have developed because 1) I enjoy them 2) I’ve repeatedly practiced them.

Exercise isn’t just a weight loss tool and shouldn’t be viewed as just such. Yes, when we eat right with exercise, the natural outcome is weight loss.

But our bodies need movement for overall health and wellness. Exercise offers mental clarity and can reduce blood pressure and improve other health issues. Not only that it can produce overall feelings of well being.

Why wouldn’t you wanna make that a life habit ??

Like anything, it requires persistence, and a certain amount of stubbornness to make it happen on a daily basis.

In my opinion, habits are built on a determination to change something in our life… good or bad.

The common “reason” I hear for people not exercising is … time. Listen, if you have time to do anything in your day, you have time for exercise too.

I know that mornings are my best time to get it done for a variety of reasons. First, nothing feels better and more energizing than having a workout done and tackling my day. I also know mornings will be my most successful time to make it happen for sure. If I say ” Oh, I’ll do it after dinner” I know there’s a huge probability it might not happen. There’s to much going on. People are awake and want things from me. I don’t feel as perky. The list can go on….

I do have a HUGE amount of control on when I get up in the morning to making that happen.

When my husband was unexpectedly hospitalized several years ago, I’d get up at 5:30, head out to do some strength training, finish up by the time the kids were waking up for school, get cleaned up, put them on the bus, and head to hospital.

I needed that time for myself. It helped keep me sane in difficult days.

Exercise at that point was a need and a habit for me. It’s more so now.

I’ve gotten up at 5:30 midweek to knock out a 10 mile run before the critters had to get out for school. Yes, I had to make adjustments and schedule it, but hey, I do that with anything else in my life too.

I read an interesting comment in a running article I was reading. Although it was talking about running I immediately identified it as applicable to exercise in general.

“It takes about three weeks of running at least three days per week to get to the point where missing a workout triggers a sense of withdrawal, which increases desire to be more consistent. ” (emphasis mine)

I get that. I get twitchy if I miss a day, and it’s worse with two. But sometimes, life happens. I don’t mind feeling that sense of withdrawal because it keeps me hungry for doing it. But what those three days in article means is, they are making it a habit they can’t do without, conditioning themselves to making it feel normal.

So how do you begin to build this in your life ?

Identify what your best time of day is to get it done. Morning? Evening? Early afternoon before kids descend on you again ? Figure it out.

Now….put it on your planner. I literally make appts around my workout schedule. Make it fit in your day.

Mark a starting day ( soon!) that you know you will get it going.

Perhaps you go buy some new shoes for your activity with the plans to start the following week ? Some new clothes ( I always look forward to the next run when I get new gear 😉

Start small and keep it maintainable. As you keep those commitments look at how you can challenge yourself and increase what you’re doing.

Allow yourself no excuses (other than valid ones like injury or a day that goes wildly out of your control)

Reward yourself in non-food ways.

With a little planning, a positive attitude, and a determination to make exercise a part of your life, it will become your new favorite habit =)

Running Recovery

Running recovery. Those words seem to almost stand in stark contrast to one another.

Do you know that goofy, excited feeling you get when you figure something out ? Like you somehow wander into that “ah ha” moment and you’re on your way to solving and fixing a problem ? It makes you feel like Einstein sometimes 😉

I had one of those moments this past weekend.

If you have been following my poor tales and woes of not really being able to run #notrunningsucks then you know I’ve been an unhappy runner.

Note please the difference, not unhappy, unhappy runner.

I mean well seriously, if you run and get injured, what runner IS happy about that ???

This is what it’s like:

You see someone running down the road and you are flat out envious that they are running. Double jealousy if they’ve got a serious sweat going on 😉

You don’t want to see your Facebook posts from running pages about everyones races and training. You feel a little bit like Scrooge… “Bah Humbug!” …..

You DO pay attention to the wounded running warriors to see if they have an tips or suggestions that might help what you’re going through. You are game to doing anything even if it means a boiling pot with spiders and hairs of an exotic cat to heal you.

The idea of having no races in your immediate future causes a pain in your chest.

You don’t want anyone to ask you how your running is going.

You think maybe pain isn’t so bad and flip this… you’re going for a run…

You think about the new gear you’re going to get once you’re back out there again…being a real runner.

You fantasize about long runs and even convince yourself they aren’t so bad after all haha

Yeah, there are lots of things that go through your head when you’re sidelined. I guess in ways I’m just frustrated ’cause this is really the first injury that’s knocked me out of the game.

( I don’t count the incident when I was brutally attacked by a can of chicken broth sailing off the counter to directly slam my big toe, dead on in the middle of the nail, not once, but twice, leaving me limping for days unable to wear a shoe and definitely not run… WHAT are the odds of that ??? )

After meeting with a sports doctor in the summer and getting an Achilles tendonitis diagnosis I have limped along but not seemingly gotten to that 100% zone. I’ve been doing the prescribed things but not feeling like I should be running.

So last weekend I was using my rolling pin I had purchased to roll my calves and hammies. Seriously, foam rollers work great, but that rolling pin gets into those muscles in a good, yet painful way.

I started rolling the arches of my feet when it hit me… that “OMG this is killing me yet feels amazing” all at one time. I was brutal about my use of that rolling pin on my feet. Something was working ’cause I felt better that evening. I’ve kept at it … rolling the heck out of my arches, calves and Achilles.

Yesterday, I went out for 4 miles. I decided if I was going to get back on the road I needed to get my body going through the motions ( cycling just isn’t the same) I kept the brakes on and went easy and did a lot of walk/run… short run… but oh my it felt good. Today, I did it again. This was the first back to back “run” I’ve done in months. Again, I kept distance short, and held myself in to walk and short spurts of running. I kinda felt like my newbie runner days… but the idea of course is to not overly work my body as it gets better.

The tell tale sign? that I feel good hours after my workout… not worsening pain.

I’m so encouraged.

I’ve already got a 5K distance down, well more than that. My next goal is to work up to 10K distance. I need new running goals right now!

I think there’s a strong possibility of lovely plantar fasciitis going on… but I’m getting strong and aggressive with it…. and glad to have something figured out. For the first time in months I feel like there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Yay for light bulb moments in our lives!

Here’s some other things I’m doing to help my healing….

Ice of course. Or in my case, bagged peas have become my best friend =) They mold nicely around the hurt areas.

Deep stretching. I’ve been stretching my calves, legs and feet more, but also doing some yoga moves to loosen me up.

That rolling pin. Seriously, I work that thing into my foot till everything has released. It’s also awesome for working out your calves and those areas that are trickier with a foam roller.

I stretch before I get up in the morning to loosen things up.

I’m not big on taking meds, but some Ibuprofen helps with inflammation.

And something I just got today, but am going to be trying soon is KT Tape. It’s supposed to be great support to help healing. I’ll tape and wrap my feet before I take off for a run. Of course, I had to get the hot pink 😛 I promise to do a review on this after I’ve used it for awhile.

And finally, just getting back on the road doing some strong power walking with short runs segments to get my body in motion again. Mentally I have to keep myself reined in ’cause it feels so natural to be running. I am also trying to be smart and not over do it even though I know I can run for longer periods of time (that’s a good sign).

And you, my lovely readers, maybe one of you are struggling through an injury issue or know someone who is. Continue to be aggressive about how to treat yourself and get better. Don’t get discouraged but keep looking for ways to stay fit while you get over the injury.

Be patient ( I am the worst!) stay hopeful ( I have definitely had moments of feeling sorry for myself with this) and set goals for yourself so when you are back at it again you have something to shoot for.

Anyone out there besides me, going through a recovery time right now ? You’re allowed to cry, whine, and vent here =)

Tabata And Strength Training

Let’s talk a little about strength training. If you follow me then you know I incorporate it into my weekly workout routine. I do enjoy it mainly because it is a different kind of animal from running or cycling. It’s intense and specific … it’s hard work in a different way than cardio activities.

I have had the question come to me “what do you do, exactly?”

Yes, I do use weights most of the time (which is in about an hour workout) but I mix it up with runs of boxing ( ok, maybe I still need to get a little cardio in 😉 boxing is not only great cardio but it’s great for your core and upper body too. I remember when I first started a couple years ago… I could barely get through one song without being winded and ready to stop. Now I do 3 song segments… it’s work but I can slam it out. And hey, if you don’t have a bag, you can still do jabs and punches .

From that I move right into sets with my weights and then alternate to just body work ( trust me, using just your body IS strength training) I kinda move this way through the hour… boxing…weights…body work…

I know it’s been a good workout when I’m laid out on the floor breathing hard, sweaty, and can’t do one more rep.

Anyone can do something similar… there’s something called tabata.

Tabata is basically high interval training in a short amount of time. Although most of my strength training days are an hour there are days I’m super crunched and do a hard hitting 30 minute workout.

But what if you could knock something out faster? And feel like you’ve had a serious workout ? Tabata is intense 4 minute rounds that promise to leave you feeling whipped.

It looks something like this:

Workout hard for 20 seconds
Rest for 10 seconds
Complete eight rounds

You push yourself as hard as you can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds until you complete eight sets.

Here’s where the creativity comes in… you can use any exercises you want =)

An example of a 20-minute Tabata workout looks like this:

Push-ups
Squats
Rows
Sit-ups

Start with push ups, do as many as you can in 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat for a total of 8 sets. Once you finish all 8 sets rest for one minute and then move on to squats and follow same steps till you’re finished.

You can mix this up with any exercise you like following same pattern of work and rest.

Tabata is a great quick workout if you’re short on time or need to switch things up with what you’re doing… and it’s guaranteed to work you hard in a short time =)

The Gift Of Running

running gift Running. Let’s talk running. I like it a tiny little bit haha

I shared with you awhile back I had picked up an injury that was really putting the breaks on my running. It seems like pushing it to a certain point just stirred it back up again. I’m starting to feel like it will never go away and get better. This isn’t a whining post, but more a reflective one.

As the photo states … running is a gift.

I had always thought that but never more than being sidelined and having to watch running from afar. This is the first season in the past few years I’ve been running I’m not doing a half or full marathon.

It feels weird not training. I love training for an event. I love the structure and planning of it. Probably more I love the discipline it requires to train well. Yes, I am dedicated to my daily workouts, but it’s a whole different animal to me when I’m training for something specific.

I haven’t always been a runner. I didn’t start easing into it until about the end of 2010- first part of 2011. And when I say “running” it was short running mixed in with more walking… but I started… and it moved on to full fledged running.

And one thing I love about running is there is never a limit on new goals to tackle and accomplish. You can always run a little faster, go a little longer, set your sights on bigger races. There is always the challenge to beat your own personal best and the huge satisfaction you get in doing that.

Running has taught me so much.

Perseverance. Dedication. Sacrifice. Big goal setting. Overcoming obstacles and challenges. Not being content to stay in one place without wanting more. It’s built a mental toughness in me that should scare you.

Running put a confidence in me that I really could tackle anything in life.

Along the way, I guess I just started identifying with it.

I’m a runner.

Of course for years, I was in the same non-runner shoes many of you are and many of my friends are. The concept of running unless my life was in danger seemed completely foreign and crazy to me. I laughed about running and admired runners in that way of awe and craziness.

Then I became one.

And I see those words “running is a gift” and I never realized it more than now…. now that I can’t. Now that I have to watch from a distance. Sometimes I’m left wondering if I’ll ever be back out running the miles I was running only earlier this year.

When I hear people joke about not running and know they have the physical ability to do so… I think… you don’t know what you’re missing. You have the ability… it’s a gift…..

Yeah, running is hard work… not gonna lie about it. But it’s the most rewarding kind of hard work I’ve ever done. And because it is hard people don’t want to step into that uncomfortable zone. It takes time and effort to build strength to make running …look…. effortless.

I went out this morning wanting to be on the road.

Wanting to feel the familiar things I’m used to… my running shoes under me.. the feel of the road under my feet ( and not my tires as it has been so much lately) embrace how my legs feel in that form of activity from cycling and have the familiar feel of sweat building up on me in a way that it doesn’t when I’m on the bike.

I vowed to walk briskly and only do small segments of “running” . After all, I started out as a walker, I figure I can push myself with brisk walking ( and a 12 min per mile pace, I think, is fairly brisk) I also set a short distance, a little over 3 miles and no more. I had no agenda and kept reminding myself that for now ( or a long time) easy, easy, easy is the plan.

I didn’t need to run the whole time, but for the love of all things running, I needed to feel my body go through those motions again. I was a good girl and kept my running segments very short. I have to. Oh how good it felt to be in that zone.

Yet, how quickly your running fitness can drop when you aren’t actively working it! I want to be back at that level of fitness I had earlier this year training for my 50K.

When 20 mile runs were starting to feel “normal” and I felt tired but exhilarated after finishing them. When mid-week longish runs were 10 miles that I crept out at dark thirty to get done before the kids were off to school. When my body had that lean, chiseled look from burning more calories in a day than I was taking in. I’ve never been at a more strong physical peak in my entire life than when I’m in the heavy part of training for long races.

And I love it all. I miss it like crazy.

I will get back to where I want to be.

I still have marathons to conquer, I want another shot at a 50k, I want to see if I can ever, ever get my half marathon sub 2:00. I want to get my personal best on a 5k down from 27 minutes to 25 or less. I want to do a duathlon and that requires running and cycling.

Gosh, I want a lot, don’t I ?

I’m determined and stubborn… it will happen…. and when I’m well and back at it again full speed… I’ve already reminded myself I will never, ever, forget this truth…..

Running is a gift.

Patience And Fitness

Happy “it’s a new week” boys and girls. Actually I’m writing this post on the eve of a new week meaning I am finishing out my weekend and thought I’d share some various insights and thoughts with you while they are still semi-fresh in my head ’cause we’re also dealing with the whole “time change” thing here in the USA which messes with my head for a day or two. If you don’t have to deal with that, consider yourself lucky, but I digress…..

Since we just finished off Halloween, it’s safe to say a good number of you reading this probably had a piece or three of candy and maybe some other treats as well. It’s also safe to say some of you might be going through self imposed guilt for having candy and treats.

*Stop that*

There is a candy poster that has been circulating for a while now with various candies and then the specific exercise you need to do to work it off and “negate what you ate”

I will say this again and again… you cannot go out the next day and “work off” what you ate. It’s plain crazy. And I can tell you that you didn’t pack pounds on over night from having a few pieces of your kids candy…. really.

What you can do is enjoy it, have fun, and then the next day just get right back on track with your eating and purposeful exercise. And I don’t mean crazy kill yourself workouts either, those won’t change anything but perhaps, make you sore.

So we’ve established this, right ? Don’t think you can “undo” what you did the day before… you can’t. You CAN change your next day, and the one after that. That’s what leads to success.

Ok my other thought is on our bodies and how we can build strength, endurance, and overall fitness in them through the physical activities we choose. This thought came to me today while I was riding my bike plowing out a 23 mile ride with hills, inclines and some flat roads thrown in for fun. It was a perfect and spectacular day and I just couldn’t stay inside and not be out “in it”

I was thinking how some of those hills were getting easier for me to peddle up faster, and less winded. I was thinking how when I started taking them on a few months ago they seemed harder to do….well probably because they were harder….then…

but I’ve also been incorporating this route in my long runs and my body is slowly been adapting to what I’ve put it through.

That is such a cool thing.

When I talk with people who are wanting encouragement or help on their health and fitness journey there can be frustration and disappointment because they don’t think results come as fast as they could or should.

It’s in our nature perhaps, to have high expectations or want some instant gratification. But our journey of health and fitness can be compared to a marathon and not an all out sprint.

We’re in it for the long, slow, steady haul.

In the beginning we might not even be able to run to the end of the block. We might barely be able to curl that 5lb weight for only a few sets before our muscles get shaky. The idea of doing more than one or two push ups seems almost impossible. Cycling for long rides and being able to power up big hills without feeling like you don’t have enough air or leg power seems to be just how it’s gonna be for you….

Until… one day…. you realize….

You’re running for miles now.

You can lift heavy weight for many reps before your muscles get shaky.

Push ups still suck but you’re into the double digits doing them now

Or…. the realization you’re taking on those big hills on a bike like a boss and killing it.

All of these things require time and time to allow our bodies to build and adapt to what we demand of it. The same can be said of changes going on inside of our bodies as they adjust to the physical demands we put on them. I told my husband I was feeling a lot stronger on the bike, especially taking on big hills. I think I’m pretty physically fit and I guess, other than perhaps elite athletes who I think of being in peak physically all the time, we all can continue to push and challenge our bodies to new levels of strength and fitness. I don’t think we ever really “arrive” at a level of fitness, there will always be room for more growth.

I try to remind people that even though they can’t SEE some changes for awhile, things ARE happening in their bodies.

You can’t give up or quit just because you don’t “see” things yet. You can’t measure your strength and physical fitness with your eyes but trust that the work you are doing will begin to show up when you realize you can push yourself harder and on to newer and tougher levels of physical activity.

Do you give yourself time to let your body change ? Is it hard to be patient or do you want instant, speedy results? Or can you view it as a marathon and not a sprint in your fitness journey ?

I Don’t Feel Like Working Out

Happy Weekend boys and girls =)

I shared this on my Facebook page yesterday and decided that maybe you, my 1.5 readers in blog world, might occasionally suffer with this problem too.

And the problem is? You get hit with the “I don’t feel like doing my workout” bug …. the following is how it went down….

Workout done. Soooo…..what’s new you think? You’re always working out…big deal.
Flat out… I didn’t feel like it…at all.

A restless night, up earlier than usual to get kid to first day of work, and a creepy, yucky morning had all the makings of me wanting to crawl in clothes two times to big, get a huge cup of coffee and watch mindless morning tv.

I think it’s important you know I have occasional times where I wrestle with wanting to make excuses to not get my fitness time in. I don’t always feel like being the Energizer Bunny.

Given todays weather I had decided it was strength training day. Then the ancient cd player I use out in my “gym” decided it didn’t want to spin discs which almost seemed FURTHER confirmation maybe I should be lazy…but no…

’cause now I was just …mad…. and that is definitely fire to move me.

Fine … I’ll take it in the house where I can use my Ipod.

Give me 30 minutes, my body, 35 lb weights and I will kill it. Add the fire of being super annoyed already…. hello sweat fest and a good ( fast) solid body workout.

And it’s done. There are ( occasional and appropriate times) where a workout just might not happen…. it’s life.

I gave up years ago making excuses to…. just…not do it… based on random feelings. Sometimes your mental muscle has to kick in and take over your body and determine you are going to go get the job done.

When I feel an excuse coming on it’s even more compelling for me to push through it and make it happen.

I know I will feel better afterwards mentally and physically. And I do. I feel amazing and am so grateful I did do it.

So will you. Don’t let excuses hamper you from positive forward movement.

If you have made exercise a habit in your life, do you have times you wrestle with doing a workout? How do you talk yourself through it? How do you feel when you’re done ?

Things You Never Knew About Running

The other morning I’m in my happy place at Starbucks drinking coffee, writing and pondering new blog ideas when I hear my messenger notification go off. Popping it open I start reading a message from a friend who begins sharing with me that he had been out for an early morning run and how glorious it had been ( I started secretly feeling jealous that he had been out doing it ) but I am proud of him ’cause he’s a new runner and has really been sticking with it.

The next part of his message had me choking on my coffee, almost spitting it out, and then, laughing hysterically.

I am using his message here exactly as I got it….

” But after about a mile, I felt something bad in the lower intestinal area. It was not a desperate situation; the Vikings were not at the back gate with a battering ram but they were fast approaching. I don’t normally need to poop before 6 in the morning but I must have shook something loose. I am sure you wanted to know that. At the very least, I gave you a new blog topic.”

I was dying. It was so his style to fire off something like this to me. I assured him he was right, it definitely added to my blog fodder of ideas… and here we are…. things you never knew about running.

So we’ll begin here since…. he started it 😉 I’m not gonna go all into the poop thing (eww gross) but I told him some runners did have issues with it, sometimes it had to do with what had ( or hadn’t been eaten) or what’s taken in during the run. Some runners just have super sensitive tummys and they deal with it all the time. It usually doesn’t bother me unless I’m running hard and fast for awhile. I mean honestly all that pounding and slamming your insides around can shake things up. It’s a risk you take running. Some runners develop a good skill of finding trees 😉 My poor friend got some personal experience with it haha… at least he now knows something else about running….ok… that’s all I’m gonna say on this topic….

You develop a love/hate relationship with it. You commit to a run and in that first mile you’re thinking… WHY? and then you ponder the fact running is hard work and that’s probably why everyone isn’t eagerly out on the street doing it and why your friends tell you that you’re crazy. To run requires work… and serious work. And then you realize you feel kinda bad ass ’cause you ARE out there doing it. And you finish beat up and exhilarated thinking of your next run….

Shoes. You will develop a fetish for new cool running shoes and you will spend more money on them than any other footwear you own. You will become committed to a brand and even a particular style. You will pout like a child when they decide to change up and “improve” your favorite style.

Running clothes. You learn terms like moisture wicking and dri-fit. You make sure those terms are on whatever you buy. You ponder how could a pair of barely there shorts cost that much ??? You buy them anyway ’cause when you know what you like, what you run most comfortably in, there is no guessing game. You don’t wanna have to think about what is on your body when you’re running.

Cotton garments and baggy shorts are the kiss of death. I wear neither of them anymore.

Gu’s, gel’s, sports beans and the like. You’ve most likely never even heard of these things till you start running. On a stand alone basis, they are almost gaggingly disgusting. Thick, gooey and super sweet you don’t intentionally make a meal of them. However, when you are out on a long run and your body desperately needs sugar and an overload of immediate high octane carbs, they taste like manna from heaven 😉

You will sweat like crazy and smell like a middle school boys locker room. And there isn’t a runner in the world who doesn’t take that as a sign of a successful run. We are sorry if you have to be around us before we hit the shower.

Oh yeah… showers…… never feel more amazing than when you are dead dog tired after a hard run. Seriously.

You learn to appreciate the aches and pain of sore legs muscles after a long run. Sounds crazy but you feel awesome even when they ache.

You never plan to be a runner. You don’t. You swear it’s only something your neighbor does or the crazy health nut across the street from you. But one day you’re out there on the road and you’re doing it and you wonder when THAT happened.

You get really, really testy if you can’t get your run in. You don’t really mean to be grumpy about it, but dang it, you want to be out there.

You won’t win any gorgeous foot awards. Thankfully I’ve never had the problem of toenails turning black and losing them ( many runners do) also through constant pounding of miles you can build up some serious pads on the bottoms of your hooves. Oh, well. I’d rather be a runner and have those than not.

Entering a race will bring out the competitive beast edge in you. Ok maybe not everyone. I see lots of well behaved happy, chatty, selfie taking people on the race course… and I’m thinking… “really? we’re in a race here” haha

After long runs or races you will feel your legs in ways you never have before. After running marathons I have to walk down TONS of stairs to head back to my hotel. That is a total blast. What sicko laid out that path for runners after a race?? 😉

Running becomes addictive. Relax, I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s a good kind of addiction.

It will build your confidence and empower you like nothing else. I remember after training for and running my first marathon thinking if I could run all those training miles and then do a 26.2 mile race, I could take on anything life threw at me.

You meet super cool and supportive people. Probably enough said there. Get involved in the running community and you’ll see =)

You will sport interesting tan lines. And you get the interesting comments like… “why are you always so tanned?”

99.9% of us know we’ll never “win” the race. However, when you cross that finish line and collect your medal, you’ve won. You’ve met your own goals, overcome obstacles, and have your own triumphs. We deserve that medal as much as the first one who finished.

We are a stubborn lot. Runners don’t give up or give in easily. We run early. We run late. We willingly leave warm toasty beds on cold mornings to go run in the dark. We’ve been known to run in the rain and cold weather. If we’re training… it’s even worse 😉

Running builds your body. Running can carve out some amazing legs, build your butt, lean out your abs and overall contribute to losing weight. It is the best cardio for losing weight… at about a 100 calories burned per mile… it’s a fat burner for sure.

And not just physically….. running also clears the mind, helps give clarity, brings peace and helps you refocus. I do my best thinking and creative brainstorming when I run.

Ok… so now that I’ve clued you into the secret truths of running…. you’re ready to get after it, aren’t you ?

Runners…. is there anything you’d add ?