running – Page 5 – sassyfitnesschick

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 ?

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 =)

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.

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 ?

Celebrating Coffee

This is a day late…but whatever… I never like following the rules anyway.

Yesterday was National Coffee Day so I’m going to give a nod to it and say of all beverages… doesn’t it deserve a special day of recognition ?

Those who know me, know and understand it helps operate me on a daily basis, hopefully on a high level 😉

I’m an easy to please no frills kinda girl with my coffee….I like it bold and black.

My day starts early and I am a happy camper to have a coffee pot that can be set to brew coffee before I roll outta bed. I mean really, to slowly be coming to life and smell it waiting for you ?

Ah… one of the 7th wonders of the world… glorious….

Stumble out… beady eyed… messy hair… find fav big cup… pour…. breath in…. and you begin to be infused with….life….

Once it brings me to life and my day is going, it is almost inevitable that later morning I’ll be making a stop at my fav coffee shop, Starbucks.

Now if you have issues with “the corporation” over something… don’t blow me up…. I do enjoy the coffee and since I drink it black it’s the 1) cheapest and 2) zero calories to the desserts in a cup they serve up as drinks.

I’ve been hanging out there for years now. And there is something ….soothing on a day that’s yucky and cold… or has been stressful… and grabbing a cup… and breathing it in… and all the sudden… the world feels upright 😉

But I figured out a long time ago as much as I love the coffee, I love the people who are there.

You may or may not have figured this out from me, but I’m very… social. That’s a gift, right ? haha

So over the years I’ve built friendships with people who work there and people who hang out there… the regulars if you wanna call them that… I guess I am too. One of the young girls who worked there recently caught me on her last day and hugged me and said…

“you’re our favorite regular here…” aww that made me happy =)

Ok… the baristas. Hard working, most of them youngish, often in school, and full of ideas and new dreams. I love getting to know them and make a point to connect with the new ones who show up. I love their energy and for some reason they think I’m cool. It’s a win/win thing.

I’ve had times of hanging out with some of them and having some really good conversations. Or listening to their struggles or whatever they were currently up to. They are often hard worked and sadly, can be treated badly by people. I try and bring them homemade treats at random times to let them know I appreciate them and their work. They know what I like and often have it waiting for me by the time I get in the door. I often hang out and read or write and they just let me make myself at home.

20130214_085058 — And when they love you they write on your cup =)

The regulars. The ones who are there predictably at the same times, in the same places. There are a group of guys who hold down one corner and they always are wanting to know about my running and what’s going on athletically. One gives me weather reports when I tell him my run days. Another is an older man who could be my dads age. He want to know if I’m over my running injury yet, or if I ran or cycled that morning. He was the one who kept asking me and encouraging me when I had confided in him I was toying with a 50K race earlier this year. He told me he was proud of me when I finally signed up. He is a sweet man who’s wife passed away a couple years ago. The entire place has kinda claimed him as “family”.

One older man has been a runner for years and has done countless marathons. I met him before I ran my first one and I shamelessly picked his brain for training ideas. None of them seem phased when I come cruising in my athletic clothes, no make up and sweaty from a long run. Many times they will offer to buy my coffee. Several of them think I’m crazy for doing what I do… but they admire me for it.

They all make an interesting group of individuals. Of course there are the friends I know and run into while I’m there OR my favorite, a total stranger that I can have an interesting conversation with.

No… I didn’t listen to my mommy when she said not to talk to strangers 😉

My favorite place is to be on the patio on a perfect day, reading or writing, and watching the world go by. It’s my favorite escape activity…. all the while enjoying coffee too….

I mean, is there a time when coffee isn’t a perfect accessory to daily activities ?

So, here’s to the designated coffee day, although I personally embrace and celebrate it each day 😉

20150215_195819 — This is my kinda coffee cup….

What about you ? Are you a coffee drinker? If so, do you have habits or rituals you do with it ?

Weekend Adventures

20150815_083450-1 — That’s a wrap…. 15 miles on my maiden voyage into the big town haha 😉

I love new adventures. Let’s just blame it on the free spirit in me, but I do, and no apologies for it. Particularly I love adventures that push me, once again, out of my comfort zone. Those my friends, are the best kind. Challenging myself with new athletic endeavors that demand new things from my body, mind and spirit.

It’s no secret as I’ve been recovering with a running injury that I’ve been well, actively, recovering. And by that I mean spending a lot more time on my bike than I typically had been. I got a cheapy little road bike for my birthday in July and took it to the bike shop and let him tweak it to the best of the best he could make it.

Oh my… I will say… there was a big change when I got it back so that’s a good thing =)

I live in the rolling hill country so I have been burning miles up all over the place and doubling back on roads to get some distance with each ride. I have great terrain to train on whether I’m running or on a bike.

Flat roads, small rolling hills, inclines, and well, monster hills that are really paved over mountains.

I plot out where I run/bike based on the workout I want… I consider it the best of both worlds. However, in doing this, I have to encounter very few cars as the roads are fairly quiet and most are dead end.

I had decided this past Saturday would be my maiden voyage into town on the main road ( meaning a lot more cars and having to be a part of the “traffic”) when I run I of course run against traffic and that feels a bit safer to me… I can see what’s coming… as you know a bike moves with it…. so this was a whole new, and semi-heart stopping thought for me.

I plotted everything out Friday and that night I ran everything through my head just like a do the night before a big run….ah…it’s hard to settle in for sleep!

I was up and on the road by 7…. all was quiet…. and I quickly remembered how much I loved being out for these early athletic activities. Passing houses where people were still asleep, hearing nothing but the sound of my tires swish down the road, watching the sun coming up, feeling the wind in my face flying down the road…. awesome… seriously… it makes leaving your bed ALL worth it.

The miles flew by a lot faster than running them and I had covered ground quickly so it didn’t take long to get to the main road that led into town. I already knew from running this distance that the hardest miles were still in front of me…. lots of constant never ending inclines that were challenging to put it mildly.

However, my happy little bike and I, churned through those inclines and only once did I really feel like an out of shape sea walrus haha 😉

The fun part was the big hill I knew I would get to sail down close to town… seriously… my bike speed said 40… it was so crazy….

Cars and big trucks had passed me at several points on my journey, but thankfully, cut wide around me.

I felt strong and invigorated when I sped into the parking lot where I had parked. 15 miles under me and it had been a successful voyage, leaving me feeling like the kid who’s been on a fun ride wanting to know when they can go again 😉

You know, riding a bike is something most of us learn as a kid. Yet today,cycling has become this big, pricey, almost intimidating thing to take on. I had to remind myself when I started running… I was doing it in non-name brand athletic shoes and cheap Wal-mart cotton shorts and t’s with no tech gear whatsoever… but I was out there running and learning along the way. It looks like I’ll handle cycling in the same way… just get out there and ride and learn the other stuff along the way.

I do have some future plans for riding… and running….. and well… maybe anything else that comes along too 😉

What about you? Did you have any fun, new weekend adventures ?

Beginner Basics For Running

240007_179433087_XLarge — On course and pushing to the finish line of last years Rock n Roll Marathon. After 26 miles, why does the last “.2” seem to take forever to get to the finish line ??

Running.

A word that sends shudders through the vast majority of the population, and yet, wildly and enthusiastically embraced by the other small percent.

When we’re children, running is a part of our lives. It’s what we do at school with friends or in sports after school. It’s a part of our play.

Then something happens along the way… we stop doing it… we grow up and (for many) it’s then viewed as “work” “to hard” or something other people can only do. Running definitely takes effort and honestly that’s an effort many prefer to abstain from.

Yet… a few of us grow up.. and wander back to running. Sometimes quite by accident. We’re fortunate to find it later on, still waiting for us. Our abilities to run still very much intact, although often long dormant.

So one day, we take those first tentative steps, and venture out . At first not far and not long and certainly no impressive speed. But we go. And if one stays with it long enough, a fire is kindled and a new romance is born.

Like many others, I came to running later in my life. It’s one of the biggest things I’ve ever done that has empowered me and given me a “I can take on the world” mentality. It’s not only the most mind clearing activity I can do, it’s also the most physically demanding that yields some powerful results. If you’re looking for good cardio calorie burn, 100 calories a mile is pretty good.

So maybe you’re sitting out there thinking… ” I’d like to run again. I have no physical limitations to keep me from trying.. why not ? But… where do I start? How? Don’t a I need a bunch of things?”

Running is one of the easiest ( haha well I use that term loosely here) forms of exercise to get out your door and do. I’ll offer up some “Beginner 101 Tips” for you. I am not an expert… but I have learned a few things along the way =)

Consider this first of all. According to Runners World, almost 50% of new runners get injured in the first year because their bones, ligaments, and muscles aren’t used to the stress of running.

(Basically, running stresses your body, in a good way 😉 these adaptations do take some time though.

Ok you ready… beginning running 101…..

Shoes. If there is anything essential to running it’s a good pair of shoes. No, you can’t dust off those 10 year old ones you’ve used for lawn work. Go to a sports store and get fitted for a pair. A good pair of shoes will protect you from injury and keep you comfy on the road. Your feet absorb two to four times your body weight with each step… that’s extreme! I joke my running shoes are the most expensive shoe in my closet …and it’s true.
Start slowly. If you are a walker already it’s a natural progression to put short mixes of running into your walk. If you are hitting the road with no experience walking (I believe) is the best thing to start for a week or so to let your muscles get used to that movement before starting with some running. If you are having a hard time talking or can’t carry a comfortable conversation…. drop into a walk break. Walk breaks also allow you to stay out longer building cardiovascular stamina as your bones and muscles adapt. In time, you’ll need shorter breaks.
Try running by time and not distance. Add 5-10 minutes of running per week. Back off slightly every fourth week to let your musculo-skeletal system develop. If you do miles, increase each week no more than 10%.
Make a commitment, get an accountability partner to encourage or help you.
Food. Eat nutritious healthy foods to support your exercise. Don’t overdo on your eating. Yes, running burns calories, but keep in mind again, it’s about 100 calories per mile, running. It doesn’t take much to negate your calorie burn.
Finally, set a realistic running goal. A 5K is often a good first race for beginning runners. It’s easy to train for and a fun event.

Are there other things you need? Should have? For the longest time when I first started running, I ran in cheapy Wal-mart cotton shorts and tanks. Then one day I encountered Nike dri wick shirts… bought one… and fell in love. The fabric wicks moisture away from you, hopefully so you don’t have a soggy shirt hanging off you.

I learned about shorts. Everyone has preferences. I got rid of those windbreaker loose leg ones mainly ’cause that fabric tended to just get bunched up in annoying ways. When I stumbled on Nikes tight fit boy shorts, I never looked back. Sleek, minimal and easy to wear they are perfect for me. The bottom line ? Find what works best for…you. You don’t want to be bothered by your clothing, shoes or any other gear during your run.

GPS watches etc…. I ran for years without one. I drove out every mile I ran and knew everything in my head by miles. I’d lay in bed the night before a run and plot out which roads I needed to run to get my miles in. Don’t get me wrong, when I got my Nike+ watch a few years ago, I was a pretty happy camper. By then though, I also considered myself a pretty serious runner and knew I’d use it.

Ipod… or other musical devices. Again, I ran for years without music. One day I just bought a cheapy Ipod shuffle on E-bay… and boom… somehow… it kicked my pace down some. I like the shuffle cause it’s super tiny and I never know it’s on me.

I consider myself kind of a minimalist runner. I love running because it makes me feel free. I don’t want to be dragging a whole bunch of junk along.

So… yes… there are all kinds of things you can use for running. Running has lots of high tech stuff you can use now days. It comes down to total personal preferences.

Only a couple are really required to enjoy this sport…

Good shoes and a willing heart =) don’t get bogged down with things… just get out there…and as Nike says…. “Just Do It”

Happy running boys and girls!

On The Road Again, Sorta

Did the title of my blog just generate that old Willy Nelson song in your head ? It did mine. Please… please…make it go away….

Ok… on with business… I’m talking about… me… on the road… running….finally… well sorta running. You gotta start somewhere and sometimes you gotta start small again, right ?

If you read a previous post of mine, “Not Running Sucks” you might remember me sharing I was sidelined with a diagnosis from my sports doc that I had insertional Achilles tendonitis. That’s a mouthful isn’t it ?

Ugh. My first running injury ever.

But hey, play hard, invest yourself into something 110%, getting hurt is a part of the game sometimes. In my opinion, it beats sitting on the sidelines, right ??

So I got the instructions from doctor… meds, icing, rolling the heck outta my calves/Achilles/hammies, modified exercise (no running) but I did get to spend a lot of time on my bike which was a second substitute for NOT running. On other days, boxing and strength training were my friends.

20150806_134229 — No, I’m not cooking. These are runner recovery tools 😉

Overall, I guess you can say, I’ve been an “actively” recovering runner =)

Last Wed. I went in for my follow up with him to see how my 6 weeks had gone. Long story short, he gave me his blessing to hit the road this week. His words… “ok my ultra girl, we’re gonna start off short and sweet, no more than 1 1/2 – 2 miles to start”

*** the running gods were smiling down on me ***

Ok, I’ll take it, although secretly I had been thinking 3 miles would be a good first run back out….

You know I took the full two miles, don’t you ? 😉

It felt nothing short of amazing slipping into my running gear that morning, putting on my shoes that I only wear for running, strapping on my Nike watch knowing I’d use it for my mileage and not just for time, and then going through routine stretches and warms ups before I took off.

I had already given myself instructions… 2 miles… add in walking… no pushing hard, easy, easy pace… listen to my body.

With my first step, my heart was singing.

Being out with the sun coming up, the road under my feet, the wind in my face ( even though it was a lovely humid Tx morning) feeling the familiar response of pulling a hill and my body responding and doing what I’ve trained it to do….. priceless.

20150805_081351 — Messy, happy, sweaty runner girl. First run after 2 months off ? Delicious.

I returned from my 2 miles sweaty and feeling amazing…. thinking I could still continue on… but knowing I still need to be careful and let my body adapt and not stress it with to much.

My goals are small at this point. I want to add another 1.1 miles to those 2 so I can be in at least in the 5k zone again. I have plans for that distance 😉 I also know my days running in a week will be few for awhile.

Right now, if I can do that, stay injury/pain free then that’s a major victory. I know I might have to adjust goals I had for end of year ( marathon) and I’m not even sure of a half at this point.

However, I DO have a new challenge on my radar screen and that’s all I need right now. ( I will share more about this later)

So, yeah, not running DOES suck. I hate not doing it. I miss it. ( someone… when I’m better… and knocking out a 20miler…remind me I said this haha 😉

I want to remind you, my faithful 1.5 readers, whatever obstacles you might be up against right now, you can always find another way to continue to get you to your goals.

Oh, and being a little stubborn, persistent, and hard headed don’t hurt either =)

Anyone ? Anyone out there up against any obstacles they are working to overcome right now ?

50Something

So in earth shattering world news, I turned 51 on Saturday. You know what that means ? I survived a year of being 50 and am now officially “50something” 😉

I can tell you…. being 50 was pretty darn ok so I’m kinda geared towards 51 being rockin’ too.

Last year saw me hitting some of the biggest goals and challenges of my life.

Athletically, I ran my second marathon knocking 33 minutes off my previous years time. I attribute that to harder training and getting my nutrition even tighter.

I moved from that, into training for a 50K (31.7 miles) in March, doing that a little over 6 hours. I also did two half marathons in March.

By that time I had reached a point of being in the best physical condition of my life… at 50.

I had also increased time on my bike for cross training as well as challenging myself more with weights to build more muscle and make me an overall stronger runner.

Getting older ( I’ve learned) also means just getting down right comfy in your own skin and embracing who you are. I’ve allowed myself to pursue and do what I want to and not be hampered by the rules of others or the secret unwritten code of society that seeks to put women to sleep after they reach a certain age.

Shhh… and ladies… it’s ok to keep your edge… really 😉

And the other thing I’ve learned (really in the past couple years) if you wanna do something…do it. What are you waiting for ? It’s your life…live it…do those things you think about… do something that’s been hanging out in your mind… dare to be different.

And in saying that…. I just got my second tattoo on Thursday and I’m totally in love with it. I’ve had the idea cooking for awhile in my head. When I contacted my artist and told him what I wanted I sat back to eagerly await what his rendition would look like. So when he contacted me for a Thursday appt and shot me the design to approve, it seemed like a perfect birthday present for me (there’s a good way to kick off birthday weekend )

I’ve had a few people tell me that it fits me perfectly…like it belongs there….and it does. …

My explanation? It’s like an inner piece of me revealed. It’s been a part of me for awhile… now it’s just visible.

I’ll share with you what’s behind it…. life… has been teaching me.

In the past year or so I’ve learned it takes a lot of courage to live… not just exist…but to live. To stand when you don’t think you can stand… to see beauty in life when the storms are crashing in. To have courage when you feel like hiding or running away.

The rose represents the beauty and fragility of life. The sword piercing the rose is a reminder that although life is beautiful, it’s often harsh and not always a bed of roses.
The sword is a powerful weapon, one that is taken up to stand and fight, to stand against the trials and difficulties that come. The sword represents a warrior spirit, courage, and a never say die attitude towards life. It represents the strength to endure. Spiritually it’s a reminder of the One who’s strength, courage and power rest in me.

Together, it all tells such a beautiful story.

You see, even though I had some amazing personal triumphs in my 50th year, I had some painful losses and life things that brought grief and struggle. Life takes courage to live.

I lost my mom in April and had to face my first birthday without her… a milestone birthday she should’ve been here to share with me. This year… as loved and surrounded as I have been by family and friends I’m aware of her presence not with me. Losing her meant taking over with my dad who has Alzheimers and maintaining his home and trying to make the best choices for him. His condition has rapidly declined with mom’s passing.

My husband parted ways from his company after 23 years to take a new job that involved traveling and being gone from home all week, and sometimes two weeks at a time. I learned to step up even more handling and dealing with everything on the home front and then.. there’s just all the life stuff in general.

And of course, let’s not forget, our most recent adventure with his thyroid cancer.

I don’t tell you these things to whine. Or to feel sorry for me.

I won’t negate my feelings though… it has been hard at various times… sometimes… crushing.

that’s when I started thinking about how life demands so much courage for us to keep living and finding beauty and laughter and joy in the dark places.

Courage demands I take a stand and fight back to live and appreciate life, even in the hard times.

So it was with an overflowing heart and fresh awareness through out my birthday weekend at how blessed I am.

To have an evening celebrating with all my kids, niece and nephew and their kids and other family… was wonderful. On the day of my birthday, just time being home and later dinner out with hubby for some one on one time was nice. I wrapped up the weekend on Sunday by picking up my gift I had asked for….. a new little road bike. Nothing fancy at all, but I’ve almost worn the wheels off the mountain bike I got a couple years ago. ( I’m slowly creeping along to becoming a cyclist… eek… THAT is a pricey hobby) but you know what? My body doesn’t know if it’s on a pricey bike or not… it’s just out there working hard 😉

So yeah, I’m grateful. Another year. New challenges and goals to tackle. New opportunities for growth.

Who wouldn’t be excited?

Let’s Talk About Running

Running.

Have I ever mentioned I love running ?

I shared in a post here on my blog a week or so back that I was sidelined from running with an injury. If you’re on my Facebook page you might have seen my current update.

For those of you in blog world I’m gonna let you know where I’m at and what my current status is…. and if you run I know you’ll totally understand 😛

I had seen a podiatrist but wasn’t really happy with the visit on a lot of levels. He told me I had Achilles Tendonitis, terrified me with the outcome if I ran and didn’t heal properly, recommended I buy his pricey shoe inserts, and to take some Advil. He didn’t want a follow up with me.. that is… unless I wanted to be fitted for his inserts.

ok…..

I wanted a game plan. I wanted someone to understand my running goals and help me get healed and back on track again. Someone who understood me not only as a patient, but as an athlete too.

If there’s one thing that hit home to me in the last year as I trained really intensely is this…

I am an athlete.

20150706_180906-1 — How cool is this shirt ??

When someone first referred to me like that my first thought was … “Me?”

I’ve since realized, it’s not just a title for the elite, it’s anyone who pours themselves with passion into a sport they love. It really is a lifestyle, I believe, a way of living, a mentality towards what you do.

So of all things, there was a sports med doctor two doors down from the podiatrist. I went home and set up an appt with him for a second opinion and hopefully, a game plan.

I saw him last week and I’ll say this. I’m excited.

One of the first things he asked me was what my running goals were for the rest of the year? And what other sports did I do ? ( I’m enjoying cycling more and more) I told him I had been cycling as cross training and also had a duathlon on my goal list.

Since he’s a triathlete I knew he’d totally get it.

Can I say it’s awesome having a doctor who understands your medical needs but also understands your athletic goals?

I felt almost giddy.

He assessed me, poked around on my legs and feet and then sent me down the hall for x-rays to rule out any stress fractures.

All was clear on that… however it did reveal I had insertional Achilles tendonitis… in both feet.

Ok at least now, I knew exactly what we were dealing with.

He laid out a med plan as well as other things like icing my heels ( hello bagged peas!) rolling ( I bought a rolling pin to specifically roll out my calves and tendons) no running of course, but I can continue cycling and strength training. Thank goodness, cycling at least gives me the fast, forward motion that I’m not getting from running right now.

He did caution and remind me that this injury didn’t happen overnight and it would take time to heal.

I’m ok with that… I can be patient with the goal of getting out on the road again. He reminded me I might need to reset my goals…maybe run a half marathon in December instead of a full… to be open to adjusting my training and goals.

I understand about resetting goals. If that’s what I have to do, that’s what I have to do.

I miss running. I miss how it clears my head and helps me sort out … life. Running has been probably the single most important thing in my life that has challenged me to go beyond anything I thought I was capable of doing.

Running… makes me feel strong, powerful, alive, invincible, empowered….confident.

And yeah, I get amused when someone teases me about running somewhere to get something, and know that I could do it 😉

Life’s journey is full of up’s and down’s.

I’m trying to be patient, learn, wait and look forward to the final result…. the day I lace up and hit the road again… which won’t come soon enough.

Tell me… are you working through any struggles right now? Is there anything in your life that’s teaching you to be patient, wait, and learn ?