Running and Hiking

Last week was a super low mileage week. It was hot. I spent a lot of time in the pool and not running or hiking or even walking. It was way too hot for the Moon Dog, so I didn't even get those miles. Now that the heat is a little more tolerable, I wanted to get in some more miles.

Sunday I went for a run. It was a beautiful morning, and I did about 3 miles. It felt good. I zoned out and just enjoyed the nature around me. I remembered to stretch after, which is something I forget regularly. I've been trying to be better about it. My foot has been bothering me a little, and I know it's because my legs are tight.

Today I went for a hike with a friend. The trail we wanted to do was blocked by road work, so we went to Devil's Gulch. I haven't been on that trail in a few years. It's a really nice hike. Mostly downhill on the way out. We ended up going out to a pond instead of the gulch, and we took a different trail out to avoid going up the stone stairs. They are brutal even on the way down.

It's summer in Vermont, so there were a bunch of deer flies on our way back. Even so, it was an awesome hike. I am so happy I can be active again. I missed it so much.

There's the pond!

Slowly but Surely.

Last week was a crazy week. My last real workout was my long run on June 23rd. 

Yeah... it's been a while.

I was very active last week. I spent days working with 10-15 year olds at my summer theatre camp. No downtime during camp week. There's barely time to eat! 

I spent the evenings in the pool with my kiddos. We've been doing our "water workouts" which usually consist of running or swimming around the pool to create a whirlpool. Then we try to swim against the current. It is so much fun. 

I spent some time working on my breathing. I really want to get better at swimming. I can swim forever, but I can't crawl or breathe. I held onto the edge and put my face in the water. I tried to practice turning my head and breathing without lifting my face out of the water. It didn't go super well, but there was some improvement near the end. I would like to go swimming somewhere this week and try to put it all together. The only way I'll get better is if I practice. 

It's been super hot (for Vermont) and humid this week. Today was slightly better, and I decided to squeeze in some exercise. I took Moon Dog for a very short walk. It's still way too hot for big, black puppies to be out for very long. He was happy to get outside, though, and we stayed in the shady spots. 

I wanted to do more, but I had very little time. I decided to do terminators. Now, back on June 14th I wrote about my first round of terminators, and I said I would be doing them weekly and timing myself to see if I improved. Ha! 

It's been a few weeks since then. Oh well. Try, try again. Let's see if I can start doing them weekly. It may or may not happen, but I'll at least do them occasionally and see how I am doing. 

I wasn't sure how they would go this time. It's still hot out, and there is no AC in my gym. I wasn't expecting to do very well. 

I got it done. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't fast, but I did all 165 reps. I beat my first time. By a lot. The first try I took breaks, but I needed breaks. I was breathing heard, and my heart was racing. This time my breaks were a lot shorter. I'd pause for an extra breath or two and then keep going. When I started feeling sick a few years ago, I stopped pushing, and I think gaining this back has been one of the best things about having the surgery. I can push through more and withstand more. I'm starting to feel strong again. It's a major confidence booster and something I needed very much.

My first time was 8:47. Today 6:48. Almost two minutes faster. And it felt better, too. I'm making improvements. Slowly but surely.

First Long Run In A Long Time

Today was my first long run in a long, long time. It was 5 miles, which doesn't seem like much compared to where I was before, but this has been my biggest lesson since I started running again. I cannot compare myself now to who I was then. They're two totally different people.

All I can do is try to improve from where I am now. I've had a pretty good week. I've done some heavier lifting, which I love and haven't done in a while.

I've also been running. My summer goal is to run more and be more consistent. I found a plan that I like that also includes lifting. I was going to start it in July because this month has been all about home improvement projects, and I have to teach theatre camp next week.

I realized yesterday that, without meaning to, I have already been following the plan. I did an upper body workout and then took two rest days. There was only one in the plan, but that's okay. I did an awesome morning run, which was my fastest in a long time. It was supposed to be a tempo run, so that works. Yesterday was an easy run, which I did when I ran with my girl. She has just started the c25k app, so it was a nice, easy interval workout.

Today was my long run. Honestly, the first three miles sucked. My feet were cramping, and my calves were really tight. I did a lot of walk/run intervals and walked more than I wanted. I almost quit a couple of times. It switched to a mental training day, but I managed to push through. My legs finally loosened up around mile three, and the last two miles felt pretty good.

The first hill almost made me quit.

It was such a beautiful morning, and I am so glad that I pushed on for the whole 5 miles. First long run is complete, and I can only get better from here!

Rough Start, Good Finish

It's been a rough few days. Some days are just harder than others. When Andy suggested a run yesterday, I really didn't want to go. I was tired. I was emotional. I was feeling lazy. But, remembering my manta "Because I Can", I went. It was a perfect evening for a run, and I didn't have any good reasons to skip it.

The beginning was rough. My shins and calves burned. I thought of a million reasons to stop. I did stop for a little while. I allowed myself to walk to the paved section. Then I ran the rest. I was using the couch to 5k app and ran a little extra at the end to make up for walking. I ran for 25 minutes without stopping. Slow, but I did it. Once I got past my negative thinking the run went pretty well, and I felt good when it was over. I need to run more consistently. It makes me happy.

Source

On Saturday the whole family is participating in a 5k fun run/walk/bike. The girl and I are running together, and we've made a plan. We're going to do intervals for the whole thing. I'm excited. It should be a lot of fun, and I'm glad I get to share it with my girl. We 're going to be sporting some very bright ReRunning Podcast shirts.

I love them!

The whole family will be podcasting about our first family race, and it will be available at the ReRunning Podcast Relaunch - June 21st!

All About the Steps

The weather has been absolutely amazing. Summer is coming, and the days have been warm and sunny and vibrant. It makes me want to be outdoors as much as possible.

This morning, I wanted to run. It's been awhile. I had been having trouble with my hip for almost a week. Apparently hiking is magic, and my hip feels great now. Running had to happen. I did my c25k run. It was 25 minutes without walking breaks. I could've gone longer. It felt great. 

I also took the Moon Dog for a walk. We did about 2 miles. He's so happy outside.

This was taken last night while we were chillin' in the backyard enjoying the sunset. Love him.

I'm all about the steps this summer. Now that I can run again, I need to rebuild my cardio and endurance. I've got some long term goals that will need some kind of base. Right now, I'm trying to make sure I get 10,000 steps/day, and on running and hiking days that goal is easy to hit. I'm really looking forward to an active summer. 

Runner.

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous. I spent most of Saturday working inside, so yesterday my goal was to be outside and active as much as possible. I had a C25K run on my list, but I wanted to wait until the evening when I could run with Andy.

I started with an early morning walk with Moon Dog. I've been feeling a lot more energetic, and our walking pace has gotten a lot faster. I am still blown away at how much better I feel since surgery. I've been so distracted by life and my emotions that I haven't really noticed the change. I used to be completely exhausted by every little thing I had to do during the day. Now, I have so much more time to get things done because I don't have to rest after every little thing.

After my walk, I was feeling energized, so I decided to lift. My gym is my happy place. I started a lifting plan that I have done before and love. Yesterday was upper body. I worked out for over an hour and felt amazing when I was done. I love the feeling after a good strength workout.

Evening came, and we decided to run the hill. The last run was 20 minutes without walking, which went so much better than expected. This one was back to intervals.

I had a great run. I had to break up my middle running interval. I was on the super steep section of the hill, and my calves were screaming. I did push myself to start running again, at least for a bit, when I was still on the incline.

I paused at the top of the hill to take a picture. Everything has come to life in the last few days, and the world is so green. I love this time of year.

I kept running. A little past the halfway point, I turned around. I was psyched. I have been struggling to hit 2 miles. I'd only done it once before, but I knew I would get it this time. I usually do not even reach the top of the hill. I reached it and ran past it. I was still feeling great, and my energy was through the roof.

I was in a groove when my last walking interval came up, and I decided to just keep going. I ran through the last running interval and still felt good. I decided to just run the rest of the way home.

I still cannot wrap my head around how much better I feel. I'm so thrilled to be running without an accelerated heart rate, without horrible foot pain, without complete exhaustion. To be able to keep going, feel good at the end, and wake up pain free and strong the next morning.

I'm grateful to be healthy and able to get out and enjoy a gorgeous day. I'm grateful to be a runner again.

Normal.

Two weeks, and life continues.

Still working on getting back to "normal". I've been focusing mainly on improving my health. Exercise, healthy eating, meditation, and sleep. I have not been 100% on all of these every day, but I am trying.

Today was a small victory. I've been doing well with running. I'm still following the c25k program. Hopefully, the podcast will be back soon. Most days I really feel like I need to run. I need to be active. Because I can.*

Last week, Andy and I finished week four. We are officially halfway through the program. Then it started snowing. It's April in Vermont. You never know what you're going to get. I am looking forward to some beautiful spring running, but this is also the kind of snow I love. Today, the air is filled with big, fluffy, white flakes. They melted almost as soon as they hit the ground. It's not very cold. The air is crisp.

There is the wind. It blew steadily into my face for the first half of my run. The pretty snow had turned into something closer to rain but still with the sting of ice. I definitely considered turning back. I started trying to justify it. I could just walk the warm up and then turn back. I could wait until tomorrow. Maybe it won't snow tomorrow. Etc, etc, etc...

I decided to run the first run section and decide after that. I was already out there. It wasn't so bad. The wind would be at my back on the way back to my car. And, of course, I should run "because I can". I completed week five, day one of the c25k program. There was a time when running in rain/snow/wind was usual for me. It's not a big deal, but I've been avoiding it for awhile. I haven't wanted to be uncomfortable. Now, I just want to run, regardless of weather, and I am looking forward to future race training. I'm ready to challenge myself again.

Right now I am enjoying the slow build up to running again. The last two runs have felt much better. There is definitely some improvement.

*Mantra 2018

Grief.

A week ago, I lost someone very, very important to me. I don't have the words right now to express the grief I am feeling. I'm sure I will find a way to express it in time, but right now, the hurt is too new. My world has been blown apart, and I'm not sure how to handle it.

I am using exercise to try and grasp at a feeling of normal. It's a good distraction. I'd like to continue the blog as well. Right now I am focused on being healthier. It's something I can control.

All I want to do is run. I've continued my C25K training, and I've been adding extra running or doubling the workouts. Today I had a lot of energy and a day off. I woke up early and did a run with the Artist. He wants to start running again and loves to go first thing in the morning. I'm glad he wants to run. It's so much fun to go with him.

I also needed to do C25K workout. I really wanted to do a longer run, so I did the program twice. I'm on week 4, so the run intervals are longer. I felt pretty good. My legs are tired, and I need to stretch. Love that feeling.

Tomorrow I am going to try going back to TKD. I need to get back to my usual routine, and I miss going to class.

That's the plan for now. Slowly getting back to normal (whatever that is now).

ReRunning.

I have missed running so much. I am loving the couch to 5k program that I am doing with Andy. It's short, manageable, and there is no thinking involved. I love not having to think. Just get out the door and go.

I really love being able to be active again. Last week was a great week. Not only did I do my 3 C25K runs, but I also crushed my old bench press PB by 15#. I can bench 100#, which may not seem like much to other people, but it is huge for me. I feel like I've been stuck at 85# forever. It's nice to be able to lift heavy again, too.

It's been several weeks now, and I am still blown away by how much was affected by my parathyroid. Something as simple as calcium can throw everything out of whack. I promise I'll stop talking about it eventually, but I am still amazed every day by how great I feel and how much energy I have.

It's a good thing I have all this new energy because Andy and I have completely committed to running again. We've started a podcast about our rerunning adventures. It's still in its infancy, but you can check it out here. It is also available through iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play. Subscribe and follow along. The C25k is only the tip of the rerunning iceberg.

Appreciation.

Yesterday I was officially cleared for all exercise. I was so excited. I have been running this week and completed the first week of C25K, but I was nervous to lift again. Yesterday I lifted for the first time in about 3 weeks, and it was awesome.

I kept it short. I'm really working hard to ease back into exercising, but it's not easy. I have so much more energy now. I want to do everything!! While I was feeling bad, I had a lot of big, lofty goals that truly seemed impossible. Now, I have energy again and feel amazing. Those big goals don't seem as far away now.

For 2018, though, it is all about the 5ks. Andy and I are enjoying C25K, and it's fun running together. We're planning on doing 3-4 races this summer/fall. I may throw in one 10k. There is a local race that I've done a couple times. I may have to do it again now that I can. It's been a few years since I ran it.

Today is the first TKD tournament of the season. I am not competing. I'm kind of bummed. This is only the second time I have missed one since I started TKD, and it's the first time I've missed this tournament. I had no time to train, so I know this is the right choice. I am going to volunteer to help out instead. My kids are still competing, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Overall, I am just so thrilled to be able to move and have energy and to be in a good mood. I feel like a different person. I feel the way I used to over 3 years ago, only now I am so much more appreciative.

I Ran.

I feel like a new person. It's strange. After being in a certain mindset for over two years -
I can't run. It hurts. It will take days to recover.  
- Suddenly, I am back to where I was three years ago. I feel good. I can exercise daily, and I feel fine. No pain. No recovery time. I was not prepared for the shift. It's a great problem to have. I am so lucky that this was easily fixed.

On Sunday, I ran.

Andy and I are doing a c25k program to start running again. There will be a podcast about our adventures coming soon. 

So, on Sunday, we started the program. It was a warm up and intervals of walking and running. It was manageable and went so much better than I expected. I really tried to stay active as limited as I was. It helped. My strength is there. My cardio is not as bad as I thought it would be. Best of all, my heart rate did not spike. I did not feel like passing out. I felt good. When I was done, my hips did not hurt. Nothing hurt. I felt fine Monday morning. It seems so normal, but it's been so long since I could run without pain. It's messing with me.

On Monday, I did a little rowing on our new machine. It was fun, but it's going to take some work to get used to it. I only did about 10 minutes. Andy and I went for a walk up the big hill by our house and decided to add in some sprint intervals. I used to love hill sprints. It felt good, but it was definitely hard. I can't wait to do more.

If there is something positive to take from my two year hiatus, it's rediscovering my love for running. I took it for granted before. I focused on the negative. I refused to call myself a runner.
Ridiculous.
I'm coming from a different place now. I appreciated every step. I got teary-eyed thinking about how I could move without pain. I know that as the difficulty increases, I will probably have some bad runs, but I think I will keep the love this time. I'm just so happy to move again.

We're starting out slow and easy. I tend to jump in and try to do too much too soon. This time, I am focused on small goals and enjoying the process. I'm excited to focus strictly on 5ks for a while. I always added distance before, and I am sure I will again. Still, it will be fun to keep it short for a while.

Today is day two of the program. I think I'm going to go up the big hill again.  I'm just so happy to run again.

http://www.picturequotes.com/ill-be-happy-if-running-and-i-can-grow-old-together-quote-442165

Get It Done First

I'm back. Sometimes, I need to take some time and get my head right. This time it took 6 months. I've been active, and I've started working with nutrition coaches. I've been dealing with the issue with my parathyroid. I haven't felt great, but I am pushing myself to be active regardless. Some days it is just a short walk, but I get it done.

Which is why the blog is back. I've been running again. My approach is different this time. Slow progress and different motivators. I have long term goals of course. Big ones that I'm not quite ready to talk about but will in the future. For now, it's baby steps.

My goals right now (for running) are to run 2 times a week (one longer) and to stretch and foam roll after each run. I'm also lifting and doing TKD, so I've got a nice balance going on right now. I feel good. Running is going well. I'm happy with anything and have found a short run that I enjoy.

The mid-week run is the difficult one. My schedule is absolutely nuts right now. This morning I thought about everything I had to do today and thought that I would have to just walk Moo today. While driving the kids to school, I realized I was dressed for running and had my headphones with me. There was no reason not to go run after I dropped them off. Get it done first and nothing can take it away.

I went. It was cold. Everything was covered in frost and shining. It was a perfect November morning.

I can't believe I almost skipped it. I have a lot to do, but I'm glad I took some time for myself. I am a nicer person when I take care of myself, and that has been a big focus over the last six months.

This morning's run was tough. I was sore from lifting, and my legs were stiff. They took a long time to warm up. It was not a great run, but even as I was forcing my feet to go, I was happy to be out there and happy that I took the time.

My favorite so far was my longer run on Saturday. I ended up running 10k, and I felt great. I also recovered quickly, which was surprising to me. I had not planned to go quite that far, but it was a gorgeous day, and I wanted to run. I got to my end point, and it was 5.82. I decided to add on some more and get six. Ended up doing a little more.

It brought back everything I loved about training. Time alone. No other obligations. Fighting through the first 3 miles and then hitting the sweet spot when I feel like I can go forever. I did some walking, especially in the first 3, because my arches were on fire, but I'm still pleased with how it went. It got done. It's a step in the right direction.

So, that's it. I'm doing what I can and enjoying it. Back to documenting it.

Determined To Run Again

Tonight was a perfect night for a run. Sunny, 40s - my ideal running conditions. I've been wanting to start running again, but I've been nervous to get started. Until now, I've been running intervals on my road while the Bean scootered beside me. It was a nice way to ease back into running, but it wasn't the same.

I needed some me time. Lately, I've been feeling a little overwhelmed. It seems that everywhere I turn, someone needs something from me, and they need it ASAP. It's exhausting and has been messing with my head. Today, I felt good physically, and the weather was ideal. I knew I had to go.

It went pretty well. I walked less than I expected I would. I tried to only walk when the pain in my feet and shins got unbearable. I only had to walk three times in almost 3 miles. I'm pretty happy with that. My pace was the best it has been in almost a year. The first thing I struggled with when I started feeling sick was running. I went from being able to comfortably run 6 miles to not being able to run at all. Three miles feels like a major accomplishment. It gives me hope that things are getting better.

I was convinced for a while that I was done running. I tried to tell myself that I was okay with that, but I really wasn't. There is nothing quite like running. I love the way I feel (minus the pain). I love how I feel after. I love the energy boost I get from running. I missed it. As the weather began getting nicer, I missed it even more.

One run down. I am so happy about that. For now, I am going to take things slow. I want to continue my almost daily intervals runs with the Bean, and I would like to add in one run on the weekends. That's enough for now. I'll take it.

Little Runner

I have created a running monster. The Artist may become Little Runner. The boy is completely hooked. On Saturday, we braved the pouring rain and ran the Glow Run 5k.

I have a new reason to work on my running. The boy is fast. He took off, and there was no way I was catching him. My shins were on fire, and my legs were stiff from my morning run. Normally, I wouldn't mind him ditching me, but it was dark, pouring rain, and the course wasn't closed. He ran the first mile without stopping, but then he waited for me. We ran most of the course. It had been steadily raining the whole time, and it picked up when we were almost done. We ran about 2.7 miles.

It was a blast. We were cold and soaked, but we had a lot of fun. The Artist was ecstatic. He kept saying it was the best race ever. He wanted to do more running. He started talking about training for the Milk Run (a 10k in June). I am so thrilled that he loves running. Now, I've got to get in better shape, so we can run it together.

He started his training this morning. He asked me to get him up early, and he hopped on the treadmill. He did 15 minutes before getting ready for school. He was so proud. I am, too.

The Glow Run kind of wrecked me. My PF is back. I'm working on making it better, but it's still pretty painful. Sunday was an active rest day. I was on my feet for most of the day (ouch), but I didn't get in a workout.

On Monday, the kids and husband had a day off from school. It was a relaxing day. We were not very active for most of it, so we decided to do a family workout. Everyone got to pick 3 exercises, and we all got to go twice. It was fun and ended up being a pretty good workout.

Today, I broke my workout up into a few shorter workouts.

Tuesday's workouts:

20 min. speed intervals on the treadmill - my feet hurt after. I did some stretching, which helped a little.

Lift - lower body
squats 135#  5 reps x2
calf raises  135#  10 reps x2
Won Ho x2

plie squats 135# 6 reps x2
one leg lunges 8 reps/side x2

Won Hyo x2


Yoga x2
15 minutes - post treadmill workout
10 minutes - post lifting

Meditation
10 minutes

It all adds up. Every little bit counts.

Two Run Saturday

Yesterday and today have been completely different. Yesterday, I was not feeling great. Low energy, no motivation, stressed. I did manage to get in a short workout.

Friday's workout:

360 hook kicks
straight leg stretch kicks 10 reps/side
chamber hold, hold side kick, chamber, hold back kick, chamber 10 sec hold/each  x2

barbell shoulder press 45#  10 reps x2
barbell row 45#  15 reps x2
overhead triceps extension 15#  15 reps x2

t-bar row 35# 12 reps x2
1 arm bar toss 35#  10 reps/side x2
skull crushers 15#  15 reps x2


Not much, but better than nothing.

Today is off to a great start. I drank a lot of water yesterday and felt much better today. I was excited to run, and I decided to challenge myself. It was cold and raining, but I was still excited to go. I chose one of my favorite routes. I decided to leave the music and audio books at home and just run with my thoughts. An hour of peace was incredible.

It was a challenging run. Lots of hills. I was also running into a headwind, and the first two miles were painful. My shins ached so much that I had to stop and stretch a few times. My hip flexors, quads, and shins were tight bands of pain. Stretching helped, and the pain eventually went away.

I made sure to stretch when I was done. I've got to stay loose. I'm breaking my long run into two shorter runs today. This morning I did 3.75 miles. Tonight, the Artist and I are running in a local Glow Run 5k. He's super excited, and so am I. I love it when we run together. He's a great running buddy. Add in that we're running at night and covered in glow sticks, and it's going to be a blast.

The two runs together will be almost 7 miles. Perfect. My running goal this week will be complete. One step closer.

Proof

I love Vermont.

Short Run #2 - On Track!

Today was a much better day. I drank a bunch of water yesterday, so I didn't feel quite so fatigued or nauseous this morning. I took the Moon Dog for a walk and then went for a run/walk with my fabulous friend, Tracy. I really appreciated that she let me set our pace because as always now, my heart rate skyrocketed as soon as we started running. We did 1 min intervals and almost 3 miles. It was a beautiful morning for a run.

So, I am still on track for this week. Today was my second scheduled short run. It was nice to run with someone. I've been running solo because I hate feeling like I'm slowing people down. I like running alone, but it's also nice to have someone to talk to once in a while. I'm hoping to start her boot camp classes next week. I've been putting it off mostly because I've been exhausted, but if I am completely honest, I've also been nervous about going back - and embarrassed. I haven't been to a boot camp class since I was in shape, and I am embarrassed about how much I have let myself go. Still, the only way to get back into shape is to challenge myself. I plan on being there on Monday morning. I'll do what I can until I can do more.

Yesterday, I did end up doing a yoga workout. It was extremely necessary. My muscles have been painfully tight, and I know if I don't stretch regularly I will end up getting hurt. I'm aiming for one or two long yoga sessions every week as well as a minimum of 10 minutes of stretching most days.

I also threw in a quick push-up/TKD workout yesterday because I felt like stress-eating. It was enough to stop my cravings and make me feel calmer.

Wednesday's second workout:

push-ups level 1  10 reps
1 arm push-ups level 1  10 reps/side
Won Hyo x2

push-ups level 2  10 reps
1 arm push-ups level 2  10 reps/side
Won Hyo x2

push-ups level 3  10 reps
1 arm push-ups level 3  10 reps/side
Won Hyo x2


I still need to stretch this evening, but I'm feeling good today.

Every Small Step

Home today with a sick kiddo. Snuggles and rest all day. Exactly what I need. Today is not a good day. I'm feeling nauseous and completely wiped out. I cannot wait to get this parathyroid thing fixed. I'm tired of feeling sick and tired.

I'm still recovering from show week. The performances were amazing. It was one of the best things I've worked on, and I was lucky enough to have an amazing group of actors to work with. Such a fun experience, but I didn't sleep much for the last week. I'm trying to get caught up, but this month is crazy. I'm slowly starting to feel like myself again.

I've been trying to stay on track with my workouts. This is week 1 of my base-building for the marathon. During show week I did what I could and ate what I wanted. Now, I am following a training plan and keeping my food choices healthy (mostly). I'm tracking my measurements, since it tends to be more positive than tracking weight loss. I'm feeling okay - minus the fatigue and nausea today.

Monday's workout was TKD class. It was a rough one. I was having a supremely bad day and not feeling super focused. I jammed my thumb about halfway through class. It swelled until I couldn't bend it, and it was really painful. Even with my newest injury, class was good. I felt much better afterward. It's such a great stress reliever. I'm going to have to miss it for two weeks (no class next week and then Halloween), and I am not looking forward to it. I'll have to practice on my own, but it's not the same as class.

Tuesday was a run day. I am trying to focus on the fact that I am starting over. Anything is better than nothing, and it will be a long, slow process to get where I need to be. I have time. I need to be patient. Not one of my strengths. I am very patient with others. With myself, not so much. Yesterday, I felt kind of ill. Not as bad as this morning but not great. It took a lot to motivate myself to do it. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, but I just didn't want to go. So, I finally got myself on the treadmill. I did intervals - 5 minute walk / 5 minute run - for 45 minutes. It was a slow, easy run. I could have done more, but I accepted that it was enough. Consistency is what matters now. 2-3 short, easy runs (or speed work) during the week and one long run on the weekend. That's the goal right now. It will get easier over time.

Today, I probably won't get much done. Between taking care of my boy, not feeling well myself, and needing to clean the whole house, I don't think I'll have much energy left for anything else. I'm hoping for a short lifting session or some yoga. My muscles are tight, and my PF has come back. Stretching and rest seem like the best choices right now.

On track for now. Every day is a step in the right direction.

Leaf Peep And Run

The last two days were a bust. I woke up feeling completely run down and fatigued. While it is nice to know what causes it, it still makes for a rough day.

Today, I woke up feeling a little better. It's a gorgeous fall day. The leaves are turning, and it is sunny and warm. I wanted to go for a run. I was not feeling motivated, but I knew I needed to take advantage of this weather. I'll be running through snow soon enough.

I finally got myself out and running around 11am. Later than I was hoping, but I have to fit it in when I can. I decided to do an old favorite route, which involves a mile-long steep hill. It was a tough run. I did walk a little, but I tried to keep the walking parts short. I ran big chunks of the hill. It was not easy, but I got it done. I ran just under four miles. Not fast, but I did it. That's the first step to one of my long-term goals. (More on that later)

This makes it all worth it.

Endorphins Make Me Happy

Today's another busy day. Once I step out the door, I am going until about 9pm. The day didn't start well. New issues to deal with and problems to fix. The original plan was to walk Moon Dog and go for a run before my day got crazy, but it started raining. Plus, my arms and legs are aching from yesterday's workout. Lots of reasons to skip my workout and take a rest day.

But, I'm committed to staying on the list. I put off the stressing and jumped on the treadmill. I can never stay on the treadmill for long. It drives me nuts. Still, anything is better than nothing. I decided to do a speed workout. I'm not as speedy as I used to be, but it was a good workout.

Wednesday's workout:

30 minutes on treadmill - walk/run intervals


It's amazing what a quick workout can do. Feeling much calmer and off to take on the day.

Source

The Worst/Best Race So Far

Yesterday was the Burlington City Marathon.

And, possibly the worst/best/most adventurous race I've had.

The day was a comedy of errors. It started at 6:15 with missing sneakers and ended with a broken window.

It was an incredible day.

It was super hot and humid when the race started. I was having trouble breathing, and my shins/feet were cramping. I kind of expected this and hoped it would get better after a couple of miles. To prepare for the heat I upped my salt intake. Not a good idea. My hands swelled. I've had my hands swell before it was never as bad as yesterday. My fingers looked like sausages. My hands and wrists were puffy.

I completely fell apart on the belt line. In my opinion, it is the worst part of the course. It was only pavement and sunshine and the oppressive heat. I attempted to jog, but it made my hamstrings cramp. It also intensified the heat. I did not feel good. We were at the back of the pack, and some of the aid stations were out of ice or water. It was brutal. I am so grateful to Alisa for staying with me even though it meant walking most of the race. I think I would have quit if she had not been there. I considered it several times. It was the hardest race I have ever done. Thanks for staying with me and motivating me, Alisa!

Other people were struggling with the heat. One runner wanted to drop out, and Alisa talked her into continuing. We finished the race together. It took a long time, and the timer was already packed up. They let our teammates leave before we got there, and everything (food/water/etc.) was picked up. It was pretty demoralizing, but I was so happy to be able to stop moving.

The medals were already packed up, but we were told we could pick them up at the finish line. The waterfront was two miles away, and the idea of walking another two miles made me want to cry. Luckily, one of the volunteers knew the lady we were walking with, and we all got a ride back to the waterfront.

While Alisa was finding medals, and I was sitting in the shade, Michelle and Emma were having their own adventure. The race directors canceled the race because of the heat. They were pulling racers off the course and trying to get them onto buses. Some runners chose to continue the race. Michelle and Emma kept going and had a good, fast run. Except when they reached a blocked section of the route. With only two miles left, they demanded to be allowed to keep going. They continued and no one got arrested. ;)

The whole day was kind of crazy. None of us had a race time, but we all earned our medals. I got my butt kicked, and it was a big wake up call to really get back to taking care of myself. I'm kind of amazed that I finished that race. I'm even more amazed that I ended up really enjoying it. It's all about the people you race with. Everyone was finding the humor in our crazy situations, and it made everything fun.

We met up at the waterfront and got some food. The sky was starting to get dark, so we started the walk back to the car. Everything is uphill from the waterfront. It's brutal after a race. We climbed two hills, got to the car, and changed our shoes/shirts. The plan was to celebrate with margaritas, so we started up hill to Church Street. As we were crossing a street there was a loud crash, and a guy started screaming obscenities at someone across the street. I'm still not sure who he was screaming at. There were several people sitting in the park across the street, but he went sprinting off through the park without confronting anyone. Someone told us that he had thrown a rock through the window of the bank. When we walked by there was a huge hole in the glass.

We did, eventually, get our margaritas and got to sit and relax for a while. It was a strange day. It was one of the worst and one of the most fun. I'm glad I did it. It's the first time I haven't wanted to take a break from running after an event was over. I didn't feel good during it, but I got through it. I feel like I survived something.

Today I am sore. I'm exhausted, and I'm sunburnt. I've done nothing but rest all day. I feel like I've earned it.